womens euro 2005 5/6/05

[Snowman]

Brimson, I would not even say the keepers are that bad. The terrible parts are defensive players. They cant control anything, just keep kicking without any idea where the ball is.

Todays games are soething to avoid, two good teams and two bad teams. But as I understand Germans should beat everyone.

[edtkh]

10pts Germany to beat Norway

I think the Germans have got to be worth a punt tonight against Norway. No disrespect to the Norwegians, but the contrasting pedigree of the two sides couldn't have been starker and I think the prices that have been going around are certainly massive for the reigning world champions. Pretty straightforward IMO.

Cheers & Good Luck!

[dave]

No idea how good the opposition were, but here's the qualifying records.

Germany P8 W8 F50 A2
Norway P8 W6 D1 L1 F22 A4

Norway
Norway has a UEFA Women’s European Championship record second only to Germany, but on the world stage the Norwegians have a history which is more illustrious even than the Germans.

World ranking	3
UEFA Champs Records	Winners 1987, 1993; Runners-up 1989, 1991; Semi-finalists 1995, 2001
Euro 2005 qualification	Via play-off after finishing Group 2 runners-up
Colours	Red shirts, white shorts, red socks
Coach	Bjarne Berntsen
Key players	Dagny Mellgren (striker), Solveig Gulbrandsen (midfielder), Bente Nordby (goalkeeper)
Website	www.fotball.no

They were runners-up to America in the inaugural Women’s World Cup, played in 1991. Four years later they went one better by being crowned World champions, beating Germany in the Final to become the first European team to win the World Cup.

They were also the first team from Europe to win the Olympics, striking gold at the millennium games in Sydney by beating America in the Final after knocking Germany out in the semis.

At that point the Norwegians could justifiably claim to be Europe’s top women’s football nation, but their star has since lost some of its lustre despite still being ranked number three in the world behind Germany and America.

Surprisingly to many pundits they had to qualify via the play-offs for Euro 2005, Denmark having pipped them to Group 2’s top spot. But in the first leg of their play-off they trounced Iceland 7-2 then eased to a 2-1 second leg win on home soil.

That was the last competitive game under Åge Steen, the 44 year-old Head Coach who had been in charge for four years after taking over from the man who led Norway to their Olympic gold, Per Mathias Hogmo.

Steen’s replacement, Bjarne Berntsen, will be charged with the task of restoring Norway’s winning touch at major tournaments, a touch which seems to have deserted them despite the consistency of players like star striker Dagny Mellgren and the emergence of huge talents such as 23 year-old midfielder Solveig Gulbrandsen.

On a more positive note, the Norwegians beat both Germany and Sweden in friendly internationals during the latter stages of 2004.


Germany
As holders of both the World Cup and European Championship crown, Germany will be the clear favourites to win their sixth Euro title - and a fourth in succession - when battle commences at the 2005 finals.

World ranking	1
UEFA Champs Records	Winners 1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001; SF 1993.
Euro 2005 qualification	Group 4 winners.
Colours	White shirts with black detail, black shorts.
Coach	Tina Theune-Meyer.
Key players	Birgit Prinz (striker), Renate Lingor (midfielder), Silke Rottenberg (goalkeeper).
Website	www.dfb.de

The Germans have been the dominant force in Europe for over a decade, though that was not always the case. Having formed their national women’s team in 1982 they failed to win a single group match in the first European Championship, whose 1984 final saw England beaten by Sweden in a penalty shoot-out.

But lessons were quickly learned, as their subsequent successes unequivocally prove. Most recently, and as if to underline their impeccable credentials as World and European champions, they ended the qualification stages for Euro 2005 with a 100 per cent record and having hit no fewer than 50 goals in their eight group matches.

Much of the credit for Germany’s phenomenal record must go to Head Coach Tina Theune-Meyer, who like Hope Powell in England is her country’s first female in charge of the national women’s team.

The 51 year-old coach, who spent 10 years as Assistant to former boss Gero Bisanz before taking control herself in 1996, has moulded a succession of excellent individual players into an evolving team structure that that has been the basis of Germany’s continuing success.

Striker Birgit Prinz, 2003’s World Player of the Year in the women’s game, has taken most of the plaudits in recent years for not only her goalscoring but also her tremendous contribution to the team ethic.

But the Germans have top players all over the pitch, from Silke Rottenberg – arguably the world’s best female goalkeeper – to Prinz herself up front. So although much of the Euro 2005 focus will be on Prinz, opponents will take their attention off the 27 year-old striker’s colleagues at their peril.

[fgee]

1-0 to ze fraulines!
goal on 63 minutes



good shout

[spreadman]

France v Italy just started on eurosport. Could be very physical, a few bookings, could be +2.5 goals. France favourites, but Italy may surprise. Nice birds, too.

[fgee]

good calls^

already 3-0 france

im on Italy to get the first booking @ 2.05 in the 2nd half..3-0 down their bound to put in a few dirty ones

[spreadman]

Cheers, FG, looking good... and competetive. Trouble is, the ref. is too lenient, and the one booking may act as a marker to deter any further foul play.

That said, the Italians are well known for their temperaments. Maybe one or two more goals to come, and gucci hand bags flying.....

[spreadman]

Italy booked! Well done, FG.

[fgee]

good looks

lol at gucci handbags

u reckon theres gonna be another goal?
lining up a few more bets ..

[edtkh]

10pts Sweden to beat Finland

Once again, another massive value bet IMO. Evidently, I though England made Finland look more decent than they actually were and I just can't imagine the Swedes giving Finland a game as remotely close to what they had against England.

Sweden are right up there with the top teams in the women's game and having dropped two points in their oppening game against Denmark, they'd be more than desperate to make up for loss time. Also fancy Hanna Ljungberg to score at anytime...

[davidtan]

Anyone got any ideas for
Italy vs. Germany
France vs. Norway
?

Cheers..

[edtkh]

Terrible day with the Swedes yesterday. Anyway, reckon the Germans will be much better today.

Honestly, a German win looks nailed-on and the only thing that seems to be in question is more a case of by how many will they win this by. They struggled to beat Norway(who are a top team, mind) in the opener in the absence of Birgit Prinz and with the return of their talismanic scorer who led them to the WC back in 2003, you've got to feel the goals will come. However, what puts me back from backing the Germans on the handicap at the moment is the fact those Italians are poised to embark a defensive lineup(now, I must admit I don't know what a bunch of women employing the catenaccio tactic would resemble, but guess I could pretty much imagine that considering what their male counterparts are up to ) as Morace has made it clear a draw is what she's setting out her store for with her set to deploy a 4-1-4-1 formation.

Nevertheless, I'll take a chance with backing the Germans to win this HT/FT and Birgit Prinz to bag the first goal (4.50 @ Ladbrokes).

10pts Germany/Germany (HT/FT)
2pts Prinz to score first goal


Cheers & Good Luck.

[spreadman]

Italy v Germany, today, Eurosport, 5.15p.m.


The obvious shot is Germany, but I will be considering an in running bet on buying bookings, at around 20... in these two's previous matches, bookings totalled 40.

Just out of hospital, so no posts for last few days....no, not the sanitorium......


Sore Spreadman.

[spreadman]

Anyone with the nerve to lay the German ladies, (figuratively speaking)?

Half-time, 2-0 to the frauleins, bookings bet looks safe, Italians improving, but weak finish.

2-2 would mean a good game, but more germanic goals look likely.



Herr Spreadherren.

[jmac73]

France v Norway

I think there could be lots of goals in this game, watched France play Italy and they have 2 good strikers and shoot from anywhere and were 3 up at HT and then took it easy in the second half and Norway need to win this game if they are to qualify out of the group stage after getting beat by Germany in the first game

Betfair got over Evens for this

[osulj001]

Anyone looking to bet on the France vs Norway game tonight, I'd urge you to look at OVER 2.5 goals. France are looking for a win today, that will take them into the semi-finals and it's been Norway that have knocked them out of the last 2 competitions, IIRC.

They'll be looking to get an early goal I think, and Norway won't just sit back and defend.. can see a few goals in this one - France scored 3 goals in their last game, and scored 32 goals in their 8 qualifying games. Norway scored 22 in their 8 games, and all this points to another OVERS tonight..

GL.

[osulj001]

Damn.

[edtkh]

I can't see France beating Norway, really. France may have scored more goals in the qualifiers, but I don't suppose the quality of the opposition they met are on an even keel with the Norwegians.

The equation is simple in light of what's happening. With 2 wins, the Germans are through and while I can't figure if they'd do what their male counterparts invariably would by resting key players in the last match, you can't help but feel the French will still feel they can get something from their last match against the Germans even if they don't win today. Honestly, I think a draw with the Norwegians would be a very respectable result which the French would gladly accept. Having said that, the Norwegians are the ones who need the points here as a defeat today would basically leave their destiny out of their own hands even if they're going to wallop the Italians.

I can't see the French winning and I'm afraid it won't be third time lucky for the French as I feel they'd be eliminated by the Norwegians - afterall, Italy considered it a 'miracle' they are here and the French felt they had to win the opening game so that they'd be the ones - instead of the Italians - challenging the Norwegians for the second spot. On the basis of that mentality, you can see what the respective camps make of this tournament and there's little doubt the pressure is very much with the Norwegians.


10pts Norway NOT to lose

[fgee]

odds jumpin around like crazy in this game

france were 3.00 for win and norway 1.90 half an hour ago
now its france 2.65 norway 2.35

[Freekick]

Scandicbookmakers offers 4,55 for England to win against Sweden. This fight should be even and the odds on England is far too high. Cover with a draw 3,60 at Playit. England is playing at home and needs one point to advance to next round, while Sweden has to win. Sweden has played awful so far in the tournament.