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News - 2008-06-07

Group B

Previem By Vytas

Group B
Germany
Goalkeepers: 1. Jens Lehmann (Arsenal/ENG), 12. Robert Enke (Hannover), 23. Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen)

Defenders: 21. Christoph Metzelder (Real Madrid/ESP), 17. Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), 16. Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), 3. Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), 2. Marcell Jansen (Bayern Munich), 4. Clemens Fritz (Werder Bremen), 5. Heiko Westermann (Schalke 04)

Midfielders: 13. Michael Ballack (Chelsea/ENG), 15. Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), 6. Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), 8. Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), 7. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), 14. Piotr Trochowski (SV Hamburg), 18. Tim Borowski (Werder Bremen), 19. David Odonkor (Real Betis/ESP)

Forwards: 9. Mario Gomez (VfB Stuttgart), 11. Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), 22. Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke 04), 20. Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich), 10. Oliver Neuville (Borussia Moenchengladbach)

Coach: Joachim Loew

I think that Germany teams have one thing. They are more valuable as a team than quality of single players could suggest. With all the respect for players like Ballack, Klose etc I think that German squad is personally weaker than for example Italy, Spain, France, Portugal or England. But when it comes to games, they are at least the same level or sometimes even better. Some of German players even play better at international stage than at club stage (Podolski, Schweinsteiger). Overall Germany is a clear favorites of group B.

Prediction 1^st

Austria

Goalkeepers: 1. Alexander Manninger (Siena/ITA), 21. Jurgen Macho (AEK Athens/GRE), 23. Ramazan Ozcan (Hoffenheim/GER)

Defenders: 14. Gyorgy Garics (Napoli/ITA), 12. Ronald Gercaliu (Austria Vienna), 17. Martin Hiden (Austria Carinthia), 13. Markus Katzer (Rapid Vienna), 16. Jurgen Patocka (Rapid Vienna), 4. Emanuel Pogatetz (Middlesbrough/ENG), 15. Sebastian Prodl (Sturm Graz), 3. Martin Stranzl (Spartak Moscow/RUS)

Midfielders: 6. Rene Aufhauser (Salzburg), 5. Christian Fuchs (Mattersburg), 10. Andreas Ivanschitz (Panathinaikos/GRE), 11. Vmit Korkmaz (Rapid Vienna), 8. Christoph Leitgeb (Salzburg), 19. Jurgen Saumel (Sturm Graz), 2. Joachim Standfest (Austria Vienna), 7. Ivica Vastic (Linz)

Forwards: 22. Erwin Hoffer (Rapid Vienna), 18. Roman Kienast (Ham-Kam/NOR), 9. Roland Linz (Sporting Braga/POR), 20. Martin Harnik (Werder Bremen/GER)
Coach: Josef Hickersberger

Honestly, I think Austria would have NEVER qualified if they weren't hosts. Austria has a pretty weak squad, little number of players in foreign leagues and a weak domestic league. The best years of Austrian football is far behind, they used to have good players (Polster, Herzog), but now its just a team of average players. Whole team result will depend from 4 player contribution (Manninger, Pogatetz, Stranzl, Ivanschitz). It’s the weakest team in Group B

Prediction 4^th

Croatia

Goalkeepers: 1. Stipe Pletikosa (Spartak Moscow), 23. Vedran Runje (Lens), 12. Mario Galinovic (Panathinaikos)

Defenders: 5. Vedran Corluka (Manchester City), 2. Dario Simic (AC Milan), 4. Robert Kovac (Borussia Dortmund), 3. Josip Simunic (Hertha Berlin), 15. Dario Knezevic (Livorno), 6. Hrvoje Vejic (Tomsk)

Midfielders: Danijel Pranjic (Heerenveen), 13. Nikola Pokrivac (Monaco), 10. Niko Kovac (Salzburg), 14. Luka Modric (Dinamo Zagreb), 16. Jerko Leko (Monaco), 8. Ognjen Vukojevic (Dinamo Zagreb), 11. Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), 19. Niko Kranjcar (Portsmouth), 7. Ivan Rakitic (Schalke 04)

Forwards: 21. Mladen Petric (Borussia Dortmund), 18. Ivica Olic (SV Hamburg), 20. Igor Budan (Parma), 17. Ivan Klasnic (Werder Bremen), 9. Nikola Kalinic (Hajduk Split)

Coach: Slaven Bilic

The loss of Eduardo da Silva shocked Croatian football, but Croatia still have players capable of playing at the level that Eduardo plays at, but they will have to realize that its up to them to step up, its all a psychological aspect now because all of these players (Mladen Petrić, Igor Budan, Ivan Klasnić, Ivica Olić) are capable of making a difference in their respective teams and playing the role of the target man to absolute perfection. I am expecting good things from Mladen Petrić and Ivan Rakitić, both players with great technical ability. Croatians are relatively young and their players play with pride (Srna, Kranjcar, Modric and etc.) Strong midfield can create a lot of chances for the strikers. Defense has been a headache for the S.Billic , Robert Kovac and Dario Simic have never been a world class centre backs and with Simic never playing for Milan he has been put to the bench for the last friendly. Niko Kovac also doesn’t offer anything in the midfield offensively, people are calling for Vukojevic to be placed into the starting 11 as Kovac has had poor games of late like his brother.

Prediction: 2^nd place

Poland

Goalkeepers: 1. Artur Boruc (Celtic/SCO), 12. Tomasz Kuszczak (Manchester United/ENG), 22. Lukasz Fabianski (Arsenal/ENG)

Defenders: 6. Jacek Bak (Austria Vienna/AUT), 13. Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht/BEL), 4. Pawel Golanski (Steaua Bucharest/ROM), 2. Mariusz Jop (FC Moscow/RUS), 23. Adam Kokoszka (Wisla Krakow), 3. Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warsaw), 14. Michal Zewlakow (Olympiakos/GRE)

Midfielders: 5. Dariusz Dudka (Wisla Krakow), 16. Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund/GER), 18. Mariusz Lewandowski (Shakhtar Donetsk/UKR), 19. Rafal Murawski (Lech Poznan), 10. Lukasz Gargula (Belchatow), 8. Jacek Krzynowek (VfL Wolfsburg/GER), 15. Michal Pazdan (Gornik Zabrze), 20. Roger Guerreiro (Legia Warsaw)

Forwards: 9. Maciej Zurawski (Larissa/GRE), 21. Tomasz Zahorski (Gornik Zabrze), 11. Marek Saganowski (Southampton/ENG), 7. Euzebiusz Smolarek (Racing Santander/ESP), 17. Wojciech Lobodzinski (Wisla Krakow)

Coach: Leo Beenhakker (NED)

Along with Austria I think Poland is the outsiders of this group. Recently they lost Jakub Blaszczykowski through injury. I considered him as the most creative part of Polish midfield. If Poland reproduce their qualifying round form, they can cause some upsets. Star man of this team will be Artur Boruc, giant goalkeeper from Celtic, who already attracts interest from AC Milan

Prediction: 3^rd place

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