I love events that take you away from the every day grind of handicapping the in season sports. Been running well in MLB and NBA playoffs, but excited to add the Euro to the mix. I'm going to post everything within this thread including futures and bets on individual games. It should be an exciting run of competitive football and while prognasticators seem to have crowned the winner from a group of five teams, I see a longer list of teams who can do some damage this year. Maybe not win it all, but be a thorn in the side of the power teams.
Unit size = USD 100.00
Portugal - Finish Last +300 (3 units to win 9)
I may be in the minority here, but I am really low on Portugal, both by their own merit and the fact that they are playing in the strongest group in this years tournament. Two things that contribute to this view are their reliance on Ronaldo and their weakness on the back line. In eight qualifying games, Ronaldo scored five of his seven goals against teams that didn't make the Euro. The five came against Iceland, Cyprus and Bosnia & Herzegovina and interesting that he netted the first goal in each of those matches. Effectively, Ronaldo set the pace and it allowed Portugal to never look back in coasting to three wins by a combined 13-3. The other two goals were against Denmark, a team they will face in the group stage of the tournament. However, there Ronaldo's two goals were both meaningless. He scored in the 85th minute in the first game where Portugal was up 2-1 with the only blemish an own goal. And in the 2-1 loss to Denmark in October, Ronaldo scored in second half stoppage time with his team down 2-0. In both games, Denmark seemingly was able to keep Ronaldo quiet, and when he did strike, both games were for the most part already in the books.
I don't think Portugal can earn any points against Germany and the Netherlands, which will leave this bet in the hands of their result against Denmark. What attracts me to this bet is I think Denmark has a greater chance to earn points against Germany and the Dutch. Their style puts them in a better position to oppose the high powered attacks of the two Group B favorites. Denmark has already beaten Portugal and in both games managed to contain Ronaldo, who clearly is the pacesetter for his team. I feel the value in this number is very attractive based on my belief that Denmark can beat Portugal and are better suited to earn points against Germany and the Netherlands. And though they might not beat or draw either, they have a greater chance of being ahead of Portugal on tiebreakers should they tie in points when all is said and done.
To remove first post, remove entire topic.
I love events that take you away from the every day grind of handicapping the in season sports. Been running well in MLB and NBA playoffs, but excited to add the Euro to the mix. I'm going to post everything within this thread including futures and bets on individual games. It should be an exciting run of competitive football and while prognasticators seem to have crowned the winner from a group of five teams, I see a longer list of teams who can do some damage this year. Maybe not win it all, but be a thorn in the side of the power teams.
Unit size = USD 100.00
Portugal - Finish Last +300 (3 units to win 9)
I may be in the minority here, but I am really low on Portugal, both by their own merit and the fact that they are playing in the strongest group in this years tournament. Two things that contribute to this view are their reliance on Ronaldo and their weakness on the back line. In eight qualifying games, Ronaldo scored five of his seven goals against teams that didn't make the Euro. The five came against Iceland, Cyprus and Bosnia & Herzegovina and interesting that he netted the first goal in each of those matches. Effectively, Ronaldo set the pace and it allowed Portugal to never look back in coasting to three wins by a combined 13-3. The other two goals were against Denmark, a team they will face in the group stage of the tournament. However, there Ronaldo's two goals were both meaningless. He scored in the 85th minute in the first game where Portugal was up 2-1 with the only blemish an own goal. And in the 2-1 loss to Denmark in October, Ronaldo scored in second half stoppage time with his team down 2-0. In both games, Denmark seemingly was able to keep Ronaldo quiet, and when he did strike, both games were for the most part already in the books.
I don't think Portugal can earn any points against Germany and the Netherlands, which will leave this bet in the hands of their result against Denmark. What attracts me to this bet is I think Denmark has a greater chance to earn points against Germany and the Dutch. Their style puts them in a better position to oppose the high powered attacks of the two Group B favorites. Denmark has already beaten Portugal and in both games managed to contain Ronaldo, who clearly is the pacesetter for his team. I feel the value in this number is very attractive based on my belief that Denmark can beat Portugal and are better suited to earn points against Germany and the Netherlands. And though they might not beat or draw either, they have a greater chance of being ahead of Portugal on tiebreakers should they tie in points when all is said and done.
Great to see you in here Spaz...look forward to discussing some Euro with you.
I actually think this is a very solid play..there is no doubt in my mind Germany and Holland are the class of the group. With Ronaldo in very poor form, Portugal becomes a very average side. I'm going to be fading Portugal against Holland and Germany instead but I think you have some nice value in this play.
Interested to hear your thoughts on the other groups...I'm liking Russia to take Group A..Czech or Poland goes through with them...Spain and Croatia in Group B for me...Italy has that whole betting scandal going on serving as an off field distraction. If they can get it together though they should pull through.
Really liking France and Ukraine in Group D with some nice spots to fade Eng
Great to see you in here Spaz...look forward to discussing some Euro with you.
I actually think this is a very solid play..there is no doubt in my mind Germany and Holland are the class of the group. With Ronaldo in very poor form, Portugal becomes a very average side. I'm going to be fading Portugal against Holland and Germany instead but I think you have some nice value in this play.
Interested to hear your thoughts on the other groups...I'm liking Russia to take Group A..Czech or Poland goes through with them...Spain and Croatia in Group B for me...Italy has that whole betting scandal going on serving as an off field distraction. If they can get it together though they should pull through.
Really liking France and Ukraine in Group D with some nice spots to fade Eng
nepatriots - good to see you buddy. I'm hoping to have a group by group analysis by tomorrow, but here are a few thoughts on your post. Russia should win Group A. Enormous emphasis on should. They are all around the best team in that group hands down, but as we all know, the game is won and lost between the lines. I do think Russia navigates through, but this group might be tighter than most expect. I am quite high on Italy and think they will advance, likely with Spain. I like this Croatian team, but I still think they are too inconsistent to get top two in this one. I wouldn't be surprised if they exert everything to beat or draw one of the two powers, then throw up a dud and lose to Ireland. Group D is the most intriguing to me, I'll have a post on that very shortly.
nepatriots - good to see you buddy. I'm hoping to have a group by group analysis by tomorrow, but here are a few thoughts on your post. Russia should win Group A. Enormous emphasis on should. They are all around the best team in that group hands down, but as we all know, the game is won and lost between the lines. I do think Russia navigates through, but this group might be tighter than most expect. I am quite high on Italy and think they will advance, likely with Spain. I like this Croatian team, but I still think they are too inconsistent to get top two in this one. I wouldn't be surprised if they exert everything to beat or draw one of the two powers, then throw up a dud and lose to Ireland. Group D is the most intriguing to me, I'll have a post on that very shortly.
Sweden - Advance to Quarters +188 (4 units to win 7.52)
Group D can be described as follows - 2 storied football nations, a host country and that other team. Like the 3rd Tenor, Sweden likely won't get any attention before things kick off in Group D and it's that lack of recognition that I think will fuel them to the quarterfinals. The schedule lines up very well for the Swedes as they get Ukraine in game 1, who despite being host, is clearly the weakest of their three opponents and one that they should beat. Game 2 gets them England, without Rooney, which is huge for Sweden. England is already heading into the tournament with issues in the defense, compounded by the broken jaw removing Gary Cahill from the Euro, but to be lacking offensively is a recipe for disaster against Sweden. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most talented strikers in the world and if you've never seen him play, make sure you get in front of the tv for a Sweden game. He will give the already depleted English defense more than they can handle. I think Sweden has a real good shot at 6 points before they seen France, and a great shot at 5 points with a win over Ukraine and draw vs. England. France and England got bailed out by weak competition in their qualifying while Sweden had to battle with the Netherlands and Hungary. Ukraine, of course, hasn't played a meaningful game in a while. The Swedes allowed 8 goals in three games vs Netherlands (2 games) and Hungary then 3 goals in the remaining seven games. France and England don't present the same level of attack as the Netherlands, so Sweden should manage just fine defensively. They are physically tough and their qualifying will have them mentally more prepared for the group stage than France, England and Ukraine. Of course, they could lay an egg, but I do see some value in this number considering the scheduling, the question marks surrounding the others and how each team paved their way to Euro 2012
Sweden - Advance to Quarters +188 (4 units to win 7.52)
Group D can be described as follows - 2 storied football nations, a host country and that other team. Like the 3rd Tenor, Sweden likely won't get any attention before things kick off in Group D and it's that lack of recognition that I think will fuel them to the quarterfinals. The schedule lines up very well for the Swedes as they get Ukraine in game 1, who despite being host, is clearly the weakest of their three opponents and one that they should beat. Game 2 gets them England, without Rooney, which is huge for Sweden. England is already heading into the tournament with issues in the defense, compounded by the broken jaw removing Gary Cahill from the Euro, but to be lacking offensively is a recipe for disaster against Sweden. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most talented strikers in the world and if you've never seen him play, make sure you get in front of the tv for a Sweden game. He will give the already depleted English defense more than they can handle. I think Sweden has a real good shot at 6 points before they seen France, and a great shot at 5 points with a win over Ukraine and draw vs. England. France and England got bailed out by weak competition in their qualifying while Sweden had to battle with the Netherlands and Hungary. Ukraine, of course, hasn't played a meaningful game in a while. The Swedes allowed 8 goals in three games vs Netherlands (2 games) and Hungary then 3 goals in the remaining seven games. France and England don't present the same level of attack as the Netherlands, so Sweden should manage just fine defensively. They are physically tough and their qualifying will have them mentally more prepared for the group stage than France, England and Ukraine. Of course, they could lay an egg, but I do see some value in this number considering the scheduling, the question marks surrounding the others and how each team paved their way to Euro 2012
Still sizing up some other futures, but thought I'd post some thoughts on how I see the groups shaking out. For background, I generally do not predict chalk and my thoughts on each group will likely reflect that. These aren't so much "gun to my head" predictions, but more an evaluation of who I think is over/undervalued relative to their peers. Athletes are inconsistent and, because of that, group play reduces the likelihood that the "best" teams gor 3-0-0.
Back in a bit with Group A
Still sizing up some other futures, but thought I'd post some thoughts on how I see the groups shaking out. For background, I generally do not predict chalk and my thoughts on each group will likely reflect that. These aren't so much "gun to my head" predictions, but more an evaluation of who I think is over/undervalued relative to their peers. Athletes are inconsistent and, because of that, group play reduces the likelihood that the "best" teams gor 3-0-0.
Yuck! Clearly the worst group in the tournament and to be honest it's not even close. I'm seeing a ton of hype over Russia, and deservedly so with this cast of characters, but this is not the same team we saw make a semifinal run in 2008. They certainly have the talent to run the table in Group A, but they are old, so we shouldn't be so quick to crown them the winner. They have not lost in 14 straight matches, which is quite impressive. However, their 17 goals in group play is deceiving as 6 of them were in one game against Andorra. That leaves only 11 goals in 9 qualifying matches against teams whose defenses aren't as stable as who they will see in Group A. Greece and Czech Republic allowed 5 and 8 goals respectively in qualifying in groups that included Spain and Croatia. Czech allowed 4 goals to Spain, so they really dominated the rest of their qualifying group defensively.
Poland is the one of the hosts, and in my opinion, the only one with a shot to reach the knockout. This is mostly due to their weak grouping, but also me not being too keen on Ukraine (more on that later). Poland has talent up front and I'm sure most have been reading about Robert Lewandowski. He is an enormous threat and one who can single handedly dominate the opposing defenses of Group A. Where Poland is lacking is on the defensive side of things, but they get bailed out in group play as no opposing team carries significant fear offensively.
Greece is Greece and the world knows exactly how they will play. The interesting thing is that it works. Greece did not lose in qualifying and only surrendered 5 goals. The group was rather weak all around, but did have Croatia,a team they stymied twice (2-0 win and 0-0 draw). No team in Group A carries the offensive strength that Croatia does and Greece had no problem shutting them down. The issue with Greece is they struggle to score. Based on their style, they rely solely on the counter-attack, which can be effective as evidenced by them winning this tournament in 2004. Also, can be the thorn in your side especially if the opposing teams manages to get on the board first.
Czech Republic has past their golden window and the only reason they have a shot is the group they are in. Tomas Rosicky is a beast and certainly could carry the Czechs out of the group stage, but the supporting cast is average. They only managed 12 goals in qualifying, 4 of which were against Lithuania in one game.
I think each of these teams end up beating each other and results are determined more by timing of matchups as oppose to talent. Poland's weak defense lucks out with an opening match against Greece and I think a 1-0 result helps catapult them into the knockout round. The team joining them will come down to the June 16th matchup between Greece and Russia with the winner a chance to take the group. I think they draw, leaving host country Poland winners of Group A.
Poland: 5 points (winner)
Russia: 4 points (advances on tiebreakers)
Greece: 4 points
Czech Republic: 2 points
Group A
Yuck! Clearly the worst group in the tournament and to be honest it's not even close. I'm seeing a ton of hype over Russia, and deservedly so with this cast of characters, but this is not the same team we saw make a semifinal run in 2008. They certainly have the talent to run the table in Group A, but they are old, so we shouldn't be so quick to crown them the winner. They have not lost in 14 straight matches, which is quite impressive. However, their 17 goals in group play is deceiving as 6 of them were in one game against Andorra. That leaves only 11 goals in 9 qualifying matches against teams whose defenses aren't as stable as who they will see in Group A. Greece and Czech Republic allowed 5 and 8 goals respectively in qualifying in groups that included Spain and Croatia. Czech allowed 4 goals to Spain, so they really dominated the rest of their qualifying group defensively.
Poland is the one of the hosts, and in my opinion, the only one with a shot to reach the knockout. This is mostly due to their weak grouping, but also me not being too keen on Ukraine (more on that later). Poland has talent up front and I'm sure most have been reading about Robert Lewandowski. He is an enormous threat and one who can single handedly dominate the opposing defenses of Group A. Where Poland is lacking is on the defensive side of things, but they get bailed out in group play as no opposing team carries significant fear offensively.
Greece is Greece and the world knows exactly how they will play. The interesting thing is that it works. Greece did not lose in qualifying and only surrendered 5 goals. The group was rather weak all around, but did have Croatia,a team they stymied twice (2-0 win and 0-0 draw). No team in Group A carries the offensive strength that Croatia does and Greece had no problem shutting them down. The issue with Greece is they struggle to score. Based on their style, they rely solely on the counter-attack, which can be effective as evidenced by them winning this tournament in 2004. Also, can be the thorn in your side especially if the opposing teams manages to get on the board first.
Czech Republic has past their golden window and the only reason they have a shot is the group they are in. Tomas Rosicky is a beast and certainly could carry the Czechs out of the group stage, but the supporting cast is average. They only managed 12 goals in qualifying, 4 of which were against Lithuania in one game.
I think each of these teams end up beating each other and results are determined more by timing of matchups as oppose to talent. Poland's weak defense lucks out with an opening match against Greece and I think a 1-0 result helps catapult them into the knockout round. The team joining them will come down to the June 16th matchup between Greece and Russia with the winner a chance to take the group. I think they draw, leaving host country Poland winners of Group A.
Hard to imagine two teams other than Germany and Netherlands advancing from Group B. Well, hard to imagine for me as I've seen plenty of people backing Portugal to mvoe on. As evidenced by my future bet on them to come in last, I am completely in the opposite camp in my view of Portugal. I think they finish with at most 3 points, and I actually think they might earn no more than a single draw. Netherlands and Germany should both beat Denmark and Portugal, but I think Portugal somehow saves soem face and earns a draw with the Dutch who have already secured themselves as winners of Group B. As mentioned above, I think Denmark has a shot to beat or at least draw Germany and the Netherlands. I'm likely to be involved in Denmark on single game bets and of course I have a financial interest in them to knock off Portugal. Looking forward to Netherlands and Germany and I see myself being all over the Dutch. I'll see how first games play out before determing how heavy I'll be on that one.
Netherlands : 7 points
Germany : 6 points
Denmark : 3 points
Portugal : 1 point
Group B
Hard to imagine two teams other than Germany and Netherlands advancing from Group B. Well, hard to imagine for me as I've seen plenty of people backing Portugal to mvoe on. As evidenced by my future bet on them to come in last, I am completely in the opposite camp in my view of Portugal. I think they finish with at most 3 points, and I actually think they might earn no more than a single draw. Netherlands and Germany should both beat Denmark and Portugal, but I think Portugal somehow saves soem face and earns a draw with the Dutch who have already secured themselves as winners of Group B. As mentioned above, I think Denmark has a shot to beat or at least draw Germany and the Netherlands. I'm likely to be involved in Denmark on single game bets and of course I have a financial interest in them to knock off Portugal. Looking forward to Netherlands and Germany and I see myself being all over the Dutch. I'll see how first games play out before determing how heavy I'll be on that one.
Here is where things, for me, begin to get a little crazy. While Group B has been appropriately labeled the "group of death", I think Group C is the "group of chaos". I think every match is tight and these teams face battles for 90+ minutes in every one of their games. Spain is the favorite to win here and rightfully so, but they are not fielding their top team and with lofty expectations occasionally comes crashing results. David Villa is out and while they have formidable players to put up top, the offense is down a notch. And that is a significant issue for Spain given the strength that all three of their opponents have in the back. All three of their opponents have yielded less than 0.8 goals per game in qualifying with Italy an astounding 0.2 per game. Speaking of Italy, take all the talk of scandal and throw it out the window. The team will be focused once they lace them up and step on the field and I don't see the externals being a distraction for Italy. Their defense will be tough in group play and they will open things up with a 1-0 defeat of Spain. Again, lofty expectations occasionally lead to devastating results and Spain could not have been faced with a worse opponent in their opening round. The offense will struggle to get much positive attempts on net. The loss of Spain will open the door for Croatia and Ireland, two teams who both should not be taken lightly. I've seen many many articles about Ireland not having any true superstars and that is true, but this is not a team that other countries enjoy facing. They battle to the death. Ireland has not lost in their last 14 matches and I think they will be a very frustrating team for the others in this group. It's been a long time since Ireland was relevant on the international stage and the elder Irishmen won't show their age.
Italy: 5 points (winner)
Ireland: 4 points (advances on tiebreakers)
Spain : 4 points
Croatia: 3 points
jmw - good stuff
Group C
Here is where things, for me, begin to get a little crazy. While Group B has been appropriately labeled the "group of death", I think Group C is the "group of chaos". I think every match is tight and these teams face battles for 90+ minutes in every one of their games. Spain is the favorite to win here and rightfully so, but they are not fielding their top team and with lofty expectations occasionally comes crashing results. David Villa is out and while they have formidable players to put up top, the offense is down a notch. And that is a significant issue for Spain given the strength that all three of their opponents have in the back. All three of their opponents have yielded less than 0.8 goals per game in qualifying with Italy an astounding 0.2 per game. Speaking of Italy, take all the talk of scandal and throw it out the window. The team will be focused once they lace them up and step on the field and I don't see the externals being a distraction for Italy. Their defense will be tough in group play and they will open things up with a 1-0 defeat of Spain. Again, lofty expectations occasionally lead to devastating results and Spain could not have been faced with a worse opponent in their opening round. The offense will struggle to get much positive attempts on net. The loss of Spain will open the door for Croatia and Ireland, two teams who both should not be taken lightly. I've seen many many articles about Ireland not having any true superstars and that is true, but this is not a team that other countries enjoy facing. They battle to the death. Ireland has not lost in their last 14 matches and I think they will be a very frustrating team for the others in this group. It's been a long time since Ireland was relevant on the international stage and the elder Irishmen won't show their age.
Ireland - Advance to Quarters +385 (2 units to win 7.70)
I thought of going Croatia to finish last instead, but to be honest, I'm not overly convinced that Spain and Italy will sit atop this group. While I predict Croatia to come in last, they can be dangerous, and well, I've been wrong many times before. I'll throw a few hundred on the Irish and watch them boys battle.
and with that another future...
Ireland - Advance to Quarters +385 (2 units to win 7.70)
I thought of going Croatia to finish last instead, but to be honest, I'm not overly convinced that Spain and Italy will sit atop this group. While I predict Croatia to come in last, they can be dangerous, and well, I've been wrong many times before. I'll throw a few hundred on the Irish and watch them boys battle.
Last, but certainly not least is Group D. I have some thoughts up top regarding Sweden, so won't go into too much depth here. I think England has a lot of issues heading into the Euro and with France up first without Rooney, I think they see a loss there and follow that up with a draw against Sweden. France marches through the group unscathed. I likely will be betting Sweden to draw France, potentially a nibble on them winning, but will wait to see how things unfold before finalizing that course.
France: 9 points (winner)
Sweden: 4 points (advance on tiebreakers)
England: 4 points
Ukraine: 0 points
Group D
Last, but certainly not least is Group D. I have some thoughts up top regarding Sweden, so won't go into too much depth here. I think England has a lot of issues heading into the Euro and with France up first without Rooney, I think they see a loss there and follow that up with a draw against Sweden. France marches through the group unscathed. I likely will be betting Sweden to draw France, potentially a nibble on them winning, but will wait to see how things unfold before finalizing that course.
Metallica - Real, real hard to visualize Spain not making it to the knockout, but a few things stand out to me. The lineup is not near top strength and it is extremely challenging to win international tournaments in succession. The talent across the globe is just too good for one country to dominate. I think they are ripe for the picking and their grouping is a lot tougher in my opinion than most think. They get Italy first who defensively has been real strong. This should give the offensively depleted Spainards fits. Then they get a high powered offensive team in Croatia, very contrasting style to the Italians. And finally, an Irish team that will scratch and claw for 90+ minutes. They don't get any cake walks in this group and I think we see a disappointing effort from them in group play. Obviously they could go 3-0 and that wouldn't surprise me one bit, but I do see value in Ireland and Croatia to come out of this group.
Lukas - thanks buddy
panamerican - thank you
Metallica - Real, real hard to visualize Spain not making it to the knockout, but a few things stand out to me. The lineup is not near top strength and it is extremely challenging to win international tournaments in succession. The talent across the globe is just too good for one country to dominate. I think they are ripe for the picking and their grouping is a lot tougher in my opinion than most think. They get Italy first who defensively has been real strong. This should give the offensively depleted Spainards fits. Then they get a high powered offensive team in Croatia, very contrasting style to the Italians. And finally, an Irish team that will scratch and claw for 90+ minutes. They don't get any cake walks in this group and I think we see a disappointing effort from them in group play. Obviously they could go 3-0 and that wouldn't surprise me one bit, but I do see value in Ireland and Croatia to come out of this group.
I was up in the mountains for an extended weekend and had some wi-fi/mobile device issues the entire time hence me being MIA. Back to work, which is miserable, but feels good to have the forum back. Managed a 5-2 mark over the weekend, but that means nothing. Sitting at 0-1-0 thus far in the Euro, so looking to turn the corner this week.
Second matches begin today and I'd encourage discipline in heavily evaluating teams based on how they performed in their opening match.
Greece/Czech UNDER 1.5 +176 (3 units to win 5.28)
Greece/Czech both to score - NO (6 units to win 5.21)
I think the Czech Republic are near the bottom, if not at the bottom, of the 2012 field. The first match drubbing at the hands of Russia was just as much a view into how bad they are relative to the field as it was how good Russia can be. Clearly Russia is the class of Group A, but even with that, the Czech Republic looked quite brutal especially on defense. They get some relief today with the Greeks who showed they have some offenisve power in their first match. Greece was forced to attack after going down 1-0 to Poland as was the Czech Republic, but neither feel comfortable in that style. While both teams are desperate for 3 points, today's game will be about patience in finding opportune counter attacks. I think both sides will look to control the ball and walk away with a 1-0 victory. The problem is that they both lack the offensive firepower to just flip the switch and change themselves from a defensive focused team to an aggressive offensive side. If one of them do find the back of the net, I expect it is late in the second half and I expect it holds up.
Poland Pick +121 (7 units to win 8.47)
Poland +220 (3 units to win 6.6)
I'm well aware of what played out in each of these teams first match, but over 2:1 odds on a host country with two sides who don't like each other one bit. Talent tends to run and hide when emotion and physical play are at the forefront. Russia is the better team, but I personally don't think the gap is as wide as the odds are indicating. Russia was a bit inconsistent in qualifying so I wonder how they come out following the performance against the Czechs. Before they even step on the field, the mood and spirit will be completely different.
I was up in the mountains for an extended weekend and had some wi-fi/mobile device issues the entire time hence me being MIA. Back to work, which is miserable, but feels good to have the forum back. Managed a 5-2 mark over the weekend, but that means nothing. Sitting at 0-1-0 thus far in the Euro, so looking to turn the corner this week.
Second matches begin today and I'd encourage discipline in heavily evaluating teams based on how they performed in their opening match.
Greece/Czech UNDER 1.5 +176 (3 units to win 5.28)
Greece/Czech both to score - NO (6 units to win 5.21)
I think the Czech Republic are near the bottom, if not at the bottom, of the 2012 field. The first match drubbing at the hands of Russia was just as much a view into how bad they are relative to the field as it was how good Russia can be. Clearly Russia is the class of Group A, but even with that, the Czech Republic looked quite brutal especially on defense. They get some relief today with the Greeks who showed they have some offenisve power in their first match. Greece was forced to attack after going down 1-0 to Poland as was the Czech Republic, but neither feel comfortable in that style. While both teams are desperate for 3 points, today's game will be about patience in finding opportune counter attacks. I think both sides will look to control the ball and walk away with a 1-0 victory. The problem is that they both lack the offensive firepower to just flip the switch and change themselves from a defensive focused team to an aggressive offensive side. If one of them do find the back of the net, I expect it is late in the second half and I expect it holds up.
Poland Pick +121 (7 units to win 8.47)
Poland +220 (3 units to win 6.6)
I'm well aware of what played out in each of these teams first match, but over 2:1 odds on a host country with two sides who don't like each other one bit. Talent tends to run and hide when emotion and physical play are at the forefront. Russia is the better team, but I personally don't think the gap is as wide as the odds are indicating. Russia was a bit inconsistent in qualifying so I wonder how they come out following the performance against the Czechs. Before they even step on the field, the mood and spirit will be completely different.
Good Day Sir.. So I see my book is offering that under 1.5 at -190 and you're getting it at +176.. GL to us then Hope you're ready for the Finals tonight I actually think Heat steal game 1..
Good Day Sir.. So I see my book is offering that under 1.5 at -190 and you're getting it at +176.. GL to us then Hope you're ready for the Finals tonight I actually think Heat steal game 1..
Osiris - Gearing up for the finals indeed. I have an open future on the Heat to win, but trying to keep that in the back of my mind when I cap each game. Curious what your under is juiced at for 2 and 2.5?
Osiris - Gearing up for the finals indeed. I have an open future on the Heat to win, but trying to keep that in the back of my mind when I cap each game. Curious what your under is juiced at for 2 and 2.5?
Osiris - Gearing up for the finals indeed. I have an open future on the Heat to win, but trying to keep that in the back of my mind when I cap each game. Curious what your under is juiced at for 2 and 2.5?
gl in these soccer matches buddy. i've been picking a few spots here and there.
When did you catch that Heat future? I bought in when the C's were up 3-2, got it at +335.
Quote Originally Posted by SettleDownSpaz:
Osiris - Gearing up for the finals indeed. I have an open future on the Heat to win, but trying to keep that in the back of my mind when I cap each game. Curious what your under is juiced at for 2 and 2.5?
gl in these soccer matches buddy. i've been picking a few spots here and there.
When did you catch that Heat future? I bought in when the C's were up 3-2, got it at +335.
Spaz I went with your under play so I have to drink the juice on my book but I will be looking for your thread in the NBA section and see if we can grab a couple props.. Lets see if we can find a few good catches.. Already I see Lebron @ 30.5 juiced @ -125 vs. -105 on the under... Lets get this GREECE UNDER to start the day! GL also on that NO SCORE!!
Spaz I went with your under play so I have to drink the juice on my book but I will be looking for your thread in the NBA section and see if we can grab a couple props.. Lets see if we can find a few good catches.. Already I see Lebron @ 30.5 juiced @ -125 vs. -105 on the under... Lets get this GREECE UNDER to start the day! GL also on that NO SCORE!!
GL
and you're getting it at +176.. 
GL to us then 
I actually think Heat steal game 1..
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