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Euro 2012: Matchday Four (Group D)

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One of the more highly-anticipated match-ups of the group stage kicks off today's Euro 2012 action as France takes on England in Group D's opener (Noon, ESPN).

The French come in riding high after a strong run of form over the past year. They boast a strong attack and steady defense, and will be favored to knock off an injury-hit England side that will also be without suspended star Wayne Rooney, who is due to miss the match after receiving a red card late in Euro qualifying.

The English are dealing with an injury-depleted defense that could be in serious trouble trying to slow down an attack featuring, Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema and Samir Nasri. John Terry and Joleon Lescott will be paired up in central defense today, while youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain gets the start in midfield for Roy Hodgson's side.

In the day's second match, tournament co-hosts Ukraine take on favored Sweden (2:45pm, ESPN) in a match-up that should offer plenty of intrigue. The Swedes are favored, but will be faced with trying to beat a home team.

If you will be watching today's matches, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action.

Comments

  1. teams have been trying to break down packed in defenses for over 100 years. if someone comes up with a new and better way to do it, it probly won’t be on this comments thread

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  2. I hope the directors of the Ukraine-Sweden game devote at least a third of the game on hot Ukrainian and Swedish girls in the stands.

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  3. Oh look, it’s yellow and blue vs, uh, blue and yellow?
    It’s got to be great as a player – everybody is supporting your team by wearing your colors in the stands!

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  4. Lalas does that to *everyone*. Yesterday it was Tommy, and he was *incredibly* rude and arrogant in stepping on him. It was embarrassing.

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  5. I’m withholding judgement about England until they play Ukraine and Sweden. They should be a bit more positive in those games.

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  6. This English side is very weak. They won’t make it out of this group.
    Was this France vs England or France vs Andorra? Because the way England played, it was hard to say.

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  7. I saw on a (in)famous website’s live chat that tickets were being scalped for 35L, which seems cheap to me. So probably there wasn’t a ton of demand…

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  8. we actually had a discussion about this in the bar i was at watching it. we were wondering why the stands looked so empty.

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  9. agreed. alexi is kind of a punk and is always interrupting. ballack is having enough issues making his points due to his english, but so many times lalas has cut him off as he is getting it across.

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  10. Can anyone think of any tactics or strategy for breaking down a packed-in team like England was? Other than playing Barcelona style ticki-tacka one-two passes with a superstar like Messi, what else is there? Crossing the ball and having an Ibra or Carroll trying to head it in?

    It’s such a popular tactic now, parking the bus, and I think the coach and team that innovates a new way to attack it will be called a genius.

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  11. Also, Alexi needs to be more considerate of letting a dude finish his sentences when Enlgish isn’t his first language. Once again, Alexi proves he’s a punk.

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  12. Were people late or was the bathroom line super-long because the stands only seemed 70% full. If people don’t want to travel to Poland or Ukraine what are the odds they’ll go to Qatar?

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  13. But what Ballack is saying in true…as just a fan of the game England’s philosophy is hard to watch. Sure they got a decent result, but that wasn’t great soccer to watch.

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  14. Yeah I really feel like Ballack is about to swing if he interrupts him one more time. I got all my money on Ballack although Alexi is wirey as hell.

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  15. Lalas won’t let Ballack finish a sentence. Poor Ballack is wounded every time Lalas steps on his lines. Not a good combination. Bring back Rossi!!! (jk) Ballack just wants to extend some of his insight (which has been good imo when he gets it out). Lalas just wants to fight.

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  16. lol the interaction btwn Lalas and Ballack is so awkward. Here I side more w/ Lalas in that they should be content to pull out the draw, no matter how many buses they parked.

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  17. yes, a lot of players do it, but it’s (kind of) a punk move because it’s more a taunt than a celebration, though certainly not the worst you could do.

    and i agree, it’s better than the brazilian dance in a friendly.

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  18. How is that being a punk? A lot of players do that, it’s just a celebration like everything else. Better than the Brazilians having a entire choreographed team dance when they score in a friendly.

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  19. It’s so sad it’s funny listening to Macca trying to come up with reasons why England could possibly win this.

    England might win but I would have to say that would be a wacky surprise.

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