Euro 2008 Predictions

1. Golden Boot to Karim Benzema
2. UEFA Player of the Tournament to Franck Ribery

Ribery played in this game against Spain in the round-of-16 in the 2006 World Cup.

Kobby returns, and gives his view on the Group of Death

Legendary intramural footballer Kobby agreed to share his predictions for Euro 2008's Group of Death with Wicked Deflection. According to the school-yard legend, Italy and Romania are due to crash out, with France and the Netherlands odds on to advance.

Has Kobby gotten it exactly right? Look for him to add supporting arguments as the debate unfolds. Where does he see Italy dropping points? How can Romania be discounted? Does Raymond have what it takes to get France through the opening round? Some people say Domenech is a nutter; did Kobby factor that in?

Euro 2008 France Squad 23 Players Selected

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Euro 2008 Preview

Well, what an end to the season that was. A Man United double was just about enough to make me hurl down the front of my replica jersey.

And so, to Euro 2008. France are the team everyone's watching, and the group of death. Searching for Zizou, that's what we're about. A Zizou for 2008.

Does Portugal have a Zizou for 2008? A player who can score a headed goal in a big final?

Nasri to Arsenal. If you believe the rumors, Nasri will line up with the Arsenal. Fabregas and Nasri are from the same mold. No one's one-touch passing could ever reach the high level of quality we've seen from Cesc for three seasons. His skill level is unmatchable, but Nasri, has something of a mini-Cesc about him. The player has a good first touch of the ball.

Is there room for Hleb and Flamini in a side with Nasri? Hleb would make a nice reserve winger, but if we wants to go, it would be understandable given Nasri is the new midfielder to partner Cesc.

Au revoir Mathieu. Good-bye to questionable-end-product Hleb?

But, for the France first 11, it looks like Nasri hasn't done enough, yet, to get the nod alongside Makalele. Vieira could be set to retain the Captaincy, and that means that Nasri could be axed along with six others from the provisional list of 30!

Nasri has not shown that he's stronger in a slide tackle than Vieira. Nasri's prospects have not improved since he did make some starts late in France's Euro-2008-qualifying campaign.

Here's the first 11 I'd like to see for France:

Benzema Anelka
Henry Makalele Toulalan/Flamini Ribery
Evra Gallas Thuram/Mexes Sagnol/Diarra
Coupet

Bring in some young blood, why not? Nasri as an attacking sub.

Bring on Holland and Italy. Should be a couple crackers. And I'd even pay to watch Romania.

Champions League Final Preview - All EnglishManchester United - Chelsea

The Champions League Final is Wednesday night in the 84,745-seater Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, at 10:45 p.m. local time (8:45 p.m CET, 7:45 p.m. in the UK & Ireland; 2:45 p.m. Eastern, 11:45 a.m. Pacific; it'll already be Thursday in Asia and Australia). It's an all-English matchup featuring two of world football's big-money clubs and their high-priced players. It should be good entertainment.

Probable Lineups:

Van der Sar
Brown Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Hargreaves
Ronaldo Anderson Scholes Giggs
Rooney

Kalou Drogba Cole
Ballack Makalele Lampard
Cole Terry Carvalho Essien
Cech

I can't stand the thought of a United double, and with Chelsea's unlikeable former manager, Mourinho, now gone, I might be pulling for a Chelsea victory, despite their rigged financial structure, receiving funding beyond the club's ability to generate revenue. I'll raise a toast, during the game, to the prospect of both clubs entering a steep decline as soon as the beginning of next season, but I'll probably be sharing a bar with Red Sox fans who aren't paying any attention to the match, and while they may join me for a drink, they'll likely dismiss my toast as the alcohol-influenced rantings of an eccentric.

Patrick Vieira: Arsenal should offer good contracts

Patrick Vieira was recently quoted as having said:

Flamini's departure is a massive loss. They should offer good contracts if Arsenal want to keep their best players.

Selection headache for Sir Alex

Manchester United might finally have a problem. When Jose Antonio Reyes was not selected for Arsenal's first 11 in the Champions League final, he was so upset he wanted to leave the team. How many United and Chelsea players will storm off if they're not in the first 11? All of them, I hope, and they can use teenagers for substitutes next season.

A brief word on Arsenal's trophyless season

It was painful when Arsenal started to implode. The Birmingham City draw was the game of the season, bar none. Eduardo had his leg broken, our own 'The Red Scare' claimed that the tackle that broke his leg was not as bad as an attempted tackle by Eduardo a week before; Clichy lost the plot and managed to concede a penalty; Gallas completely lost the run of himself, throwing an unseemly tantrum, making a mockery of Arsene Wenger's decison to make him captain; Arsene lost the run of himself, claiming that he could discern a player's intent to cause harm; and Arsenal went on a point-dropping-run commensurate with their poor performance.

Flurry of Sunday Games Finish the Season

Ten games, all on at 1500 BST. Now that's fixture congestion. It gets so bad that I can't find the Sunderland-Arsenal match anywhere.

Wigan-Man. U. is on Setanta live at 10am EST; Chelsea-Bolton is on FSC live at 10am EST; Spurs-Liverpool is on FSC delayed at noon EST.

Man. Utd. must win to ensure they take the title. Chelsea must win and hope Man. Utd. get fewer than 3 points to win the league. Everton must get a point or more to ensure European competition next year and a bevy of teams near the bottom of the table are sorting out who stays in the Premier League next season. Other than those, there isn't much else to play for elsewhere. It looks like Man City will get a UEFA cup place as a reward for "fair play" this season.

Arsenal will most likely field a team filled with youngsters as the club can neither improve nor slip from third place this year. Hopefully, the game will be exciting because the fringe players will play hard to impress the boss. It's a shame that fewer people will get to see these young players because of the lack of TV coverage. I will be traveling on Sunday so highlights and the blogs will have to do to feed my soccer madness this week.

Armand Traore can put in a cross Arsenal 1, Everton 0 Flamini to AC Milan

I still have a VHS recording of Arsenal beating Everton 7-0 late in the season after Everton had secured a Champions League spot by finishing fourth. Today's psychologically-traumatized Arsenal managed a 1-0.

Arsenal reserve left-back Armand Traore can put in some nice crosses. He laid one on for Bendtner to head in the winner today against Everton in the 77th minute. It's far from the first time he's put in a lethal cross, and he hardly gets a run. Armand had come on as a substitute in the 70th minute. I'd like to see him get a run at left midfield (his defense can be shaky at times).

The big transfer news is Flamini on his way to AC Milan. Arsene Wenger allegedly wouldn't meet Flamini's wage demands. After Flamini's strong season as a holding midfielder, some Gooners will find themselves singing, at least quietly, "You don't know what you're doing."