Euro 2012 starts from 8th June. and all excitement comes to end when Group B opening match Holland vs. Denmark starts on 9th June.Euro 2012: Group B -Holland, Germany, Portugal, Denmark Preview, TV Schedule, Match Coverage here...
Group B: Rankings
Holland (FIFA-4/UEFA-3)
Germany (FIFA-2/UEFA-2)
Portugal (FIFA-5/UEFA-4)
Denmark (FIFA-10/UEFA-7)
Portugal are the only team in this group never to have won the European Championships. Denmark come in as rank outsiders while the two superpowers, Holland and Germany, will expect to carve up the group between them.
Travel could become a factor in a group where none of the four teams has chosen their base intelligently. Between all three games, Denmark must travel 3,000 miles, Portugal 3,400 miles, Germany 2,400 miles and Holland 4,300 miles.
When you look at the last group games where Germany play Denmark, it is the little factors that really come into play. Fatigue caused by travel will be one of them. This is especially so when you realise that the Danes could have been based in Lviv and only flown to one game instead of all three.
Overall, none of the four teams have great defences, with Germany and Holland shading that by having the best midfield and attacking options also.
Portugal are over-reliant on Ronaldo. Denmark rely heavily on teamwork; against lesser opposition, this is usually enough to get them over the hill. Not so against two teams who can match them for work rate and top them for skill.
Winners: Germany 6/5 to win Group B - 2/9 to qualify
Runners Up: Holland 15/8 to win Group B - 4/9 to qualify
Group B Fixtures
Match (03) June 09- Holland vs. Denmark (Metallist Stadium, Kharkiv—38,000)
Match (04) June 09- Germany vs. Portugal (Arena Lviv, Lviv—35,000)
Match (11) June 13- Denmark vs. Portugal (Arena Lviv, Lviv—35,000)
Match (12) June 13- Holland vs. Germany (Metallist Stadium, Kharkiv—38,000)
Match (19) June 17- Portugal vs. Holland (Metallist Stadium, Kharkiv—38,000)
Match (20) June 17- Denmark vs. Germany (Arena Lviv, Lviv—35,000)
Players to Watch
Holland: Where do you start with this Dutch side? They just drip sheer class and magic throughout, and they have so many game-changers that your head literally spins. Each and every one of them is a world-class talent.
However, I'm going to go for Kevin Strootman. The 22-year-old has gone from the Dutch second division to PSV and the European Championships in just six months. His intelligent runs, passing ability, box-to-box energy and vision mark his out as a real find, even for Holland. He may not feature much, but when he does, the Premier League scouting network will go into overdrive.
Germany: Being as stacked as Holland, it is almost impossible to find a player who could outshine the rest! Mario Goetze is an obvious start, but the highly talented Dortmund star may not even make it out onto the pitch. Such is the Germans' awesome strength in depth.
Bayern Munich's Toni Kroos has all the tools needed to succeed at the highest level, as he has in club football, and now is his time to shine for his country. He will probably play a little deeper than normal and partner Schweinsteiger in place of Khedira but even slightly out of position, he is class.
Portugal: Rui Patricio will be Portugal's most important player in the Euro's. If he plays well, they could progress. The same cannot be said about any other player in the squad, Ronaldo included. He was given his break at club level by Bento. Now the same manager has parachuted the Sporting Lisbon 'keeper into the international side. In 11 caps he has yet to disappoint.
Denmark: There is only one player to watch in Morten Olsen's team, and that is the aforementioned Christian Eriksen. The 22-year-old is creative, tenacious, quick in movement, quick of feet and quicker of the mind. If he shines in the Euro's, the world is his oyster.
Group B: Rankings
Holland (FIFA-4/UEFA-3)
Germany (FIFA-2/UEFA-2)
Portugal (FIFA-5/UEFA-4)
Denmark (FIFA-10/UEFA-7)
Portugal are the only team in this group never to have won the European Championships. Denmark come in as rank outsiders while the two superpowers, Holland and Germany, will expect to carve up the group between them.
Travel could become a factor in a group where none of the four teams has chosen their base intelligently. Between all three games, Denmark must travel 3,000 miles, Portugal 3,400 miles, Germany 2,400 miles and Holland 4,300 miles.
When you look at the last group games where Germany play Denmark, it is the little factors that really come into play. Fatigue caused by travel will be one of them. This is especially so when you realise that the Danes could have been based in Lviv and only flown to one game instead of all three.
Overall, none of the four teams have great defences, with Germany and Holland shading that by having the best midfield and attacking options also.
Portugal are over-reliant on Ronaldo. Denmark rely heavily on teamwork; against lesser opposition, this is usually enough to get them over the hill. Not so against two teams who can match them for work rate and top them for skill.
Winners: Germany 6/5 to win Group B - 2/9 to qualify
Runners Up: Holland 15/8 to win Group B - 4/9 to qualify
Group B Fixtures
Match (03) June 09- Holland vs. Denmark (Metallist Stadium, Kharkiv—38,000)
Match (04) June 09- Germany vs. Portugal (Arena Lviv, Lviv—35,000)
Match (11) June 13- Denmark vs. Portugal (Arena Lviv, Lviv—35,000)
Match (12) June 13- Holland vs. Germany (Metallist Stadium, Kharkiv—38,000)
Match (19) June 17- Portugal vs. Holland (Metallist Stadium, Kharkiv—38,000)
Match (20) June 17- Denmark vs. Germany (Arena Lviv, Lviv—35,000)
Players to Watch
Holland: Where do you start with this Dutch side? They just drip sheer class and magic throughout, and they have so many game-changers that your head literally spins. Each and every one of them is a world-class talent.
However, I'm going to go for Kevin Strootman. The 22-year-old has gone from the Dutch second division to PSV and the European Championships in just six months. His intelligent runs, passing ability, box-to-box energy and vision mark his out as a real find, even for Holland. He may not feature much, but when he does, the Premier League scouting network will go into overdrive.
Germany: Being as stacked as Holland, it is almost impossible to find a player who could outshine the rest! Mario Goetze is an obvious start, but the highly talented Dortmund star may not even make it out onto the pitch. Such is the Germans' awesome strength in depth.
Bayern Munich's Toni Kroos has all the tools needed to succeed at the highest level, as he has in club football, and now is his time to shine for his country. He will probably play a little deeper than normal and partner Schweinsteiger in place of Khedira but even slightly out of position, he is class.
Portugal: Rui Patricio will be Portugal's most important player in the Euro's. If he plays well, they could progress. The same cannot be said about any other player in the squad, Ronaldo included. He was given his break at club level by Bento. Now the same manager has parachuted the Sporting Lisbon 'keeper into the international side. In 11 caps he has yet to disappoint.
Denmark: There is only one player to watch in Morten Olsen's team, and that is the aforementioned Christian Eriksen. The 22-year-old is creative, tenacious, quick in movement, quick of feet and quicker of the mind. If he shines in the Euro's, the world is his oyster.
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