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| | Author: MasterBets
| Euro 2004 Tips - Betting Preview Group A
Group A Consists of Portugal, the host nation, Spain, perennial underachievers, Russia, lucky to be in the tournament, and Greece, no-hopers at this level.
Portgual
Only one host nation has ever failed to reach the semi-finals of the European Championship, and that was Belgium in Euro 2000. Reaching the last four is the minimum Felipe Scolari's Portugal will be expected to achieve this summer, but if we know Portugal they will struggle to go much further.
The tournament offers a final chance of redemption for a generation of players who have achieved fame as the only team to win consecutive World Youth Championships and notoriety for their failure to accomplish anything since.
Never was the infuriating habit of self-destruction better illustrated than at the 2002 World Cup where they failed to take advantage of a dream draw, and ended up being eliminated in the group stages by the USA and South Korea.
But the team is now coached by "Big Phil" Scolari, who steered Brazil to the Wolrd Cup in 2002. He has introduced a 4-2-3-1 formation based on Figo and Costa playing behind the prolific Paris St Germain striker Pauleta. The coaching should suit Portugal, whose style of play has always resembled a poor man's Brazil.
The remaining attacking berth is the subject of ferocious competition with older hands such as Sergio Conceicao hoping to edge out the next generation of playmakers. The leading candidate is Deco, the Porto schemer whose resemblance to Diego Maradona does not stop at physical appearance, but Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo and Simao Sabrosa of Benfica will also hope to figure in Scolari's plans.
The presence of veterans Rui Jorge and Fernando Couto in Scolari's back four serves as a reminder that defending remains a weakness while Boavista's Ricardo, a replacement for the erratic Vitor Baia, does not cut an imposing figure in goal. This team does not have the defensive strength to win a tournament as competitive as this one.
Portugal and Spain are odds-on to qualify from Group A with Russia and Greece not expected to provide serious resistance. The Iberian neighbours meet in the final round of fixtures, a game presupposed to be of the highest importance since second place almost certainly sets up an imposing quarter-final clash with France, conquerors of both teams four years ago.
Heightened expectation, their record of underachievement and a continued lack of substance at both ends of the pitch leave Portugal with much to do this summer. Nevertheless, home advantage in a major tournament can scarcely be overestimated and the hosts must harness the power of partisan support.
Spain
Before every major tournament some clever pundit has the brilliant idea that Spain will be the dark horse to win it all. After all they have the best league in the world, supposedly, and plenty of depth, supposedly. But the bottom line is that Spain always fails, even more so than Portugal. Their lack of application on the field, their inconsistent ability, and their strategic weakenesses are exposed and they usually go home early in the knock-out phase. They lag behind both Germany and Italy in terms of the schemes they play by, and are way behind France in terms of skill. They also tend to lack the unity of smaller countries such as the Czech Republic or any of the Scandinavian countries, who outwork and outhustle Spanish teams. It will be another case of an inopportune siesta time in Euro 2004, and money bet on the Spaniards is going to be money wasted.
Russia could surprise Spain and end up qualifying from this group - certainly if there was going to be an upset in Group A we look to them to provide it.
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| Last Updated
Wednesday, February 16, 2005 | | |
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