Can Ireland ‘do a Leicester?’
There’s a fair few parallels with the Premier League champions. Here’s our guide to Group E…
Group E
Belgium
Star player: Take your pick, we’re opting for Kevin de Bruyne.
One to watch: Radja Nainggolan is tireless, a strong tackler and a very good passer. The Roma midfielder will provide the base for the more attacking players to flourish and could be at Chelsea next season.
Weak link: Playing Jan Verthongan and Toby Alderweireld, two of the Premier League’s best central defenders out of position at full-back is the best we’ve got. If they are to have a successful tournament, it’ll most likely be in spite of their tactically questionable coach Marc Wilmots.
What they hope will happen: Their golden generation will find some consistency and win the competition.
What will happen: Disjointed performances, redeemed by moments of individual brilliance before a quarter-final exit to Germany,
If they were a club side: Paris Saint-Germain. A squad packed full of individual quality who come up short when it counts and led by a tactically dubious coach.
Italy
Star player: Marco Veratti will miss the tournament through injury. Italy have no stand out names, but the back four of Gigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli will be extremely difficult to penetrate.
One to watch: Let’s hope Alessandro Florenzi doesn’t score against Ireland from 50 yards, as he did against the Barcelona. The 25 year old Roma full-back will most likely play as a wing-back for the Azzurri.
Weak link: Graziano Pelle will start up front. Let’s hope the game against Ireland isn’t the one game in 12 when he scores.
What they hope will happen: They grind their way to the latter stages of the competition.
What will happen: They won’t crash out in the group stages, as they did in the 2014 World Cup, but won’t make the final, as they did in Euro 2012. A respectable last-eight appearance seems possible, despite their limitations.
If they were a club side: AC Milan. They used to have squad of household names, but are now a pale imitation of their past teams.
Republic of Ireland
Star player: There is no star player, but Jon Walters became Ireland’s talisman in qualifying, and the team suffers a lobotomy when Wes Hoolahan isn’t present.
Weak link: Central defence. Zltan Ibramimovic won’t be worried about facing an ageing John O’Shea or Ciaran Clark – who couldn’t get a game for the worst Aston Villa team ever.
One to watch: Robbie Brady. His defensive positioning can be suspect, but the Norwich City full-back’s left foot will be a key weapon for Martin O’Neill’s side.
What they hope will happen: Beat Sweden, draw with Italy and get out of the group, thus exercising the demons of four years ago and taking their chances in the knock-out stages.
What will happen: We’re optimists, so we’re going to refer you to the above sentence.
If they were a club side: O’Neill’s Leicester City in the late 1990s. Direct and hard working with a sprinkling of quality, they possess no star players, but have a great team spirit and are capable of causing an upset.
Sweden
Star player: Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He may be 34 years old, but has scored 19 goals in his last 21 competitive international games.
One to watch: Emil Forsberg. The 24 year old RB Leipzig winger was reportedly a target for Liverpool last January. Forsberg also scored the opener against Wales in a recent friendly.
Weak link: Sweden’s two man central midfield, featuring 33 year old Kim Kallstrom, could, and hopefully will, be overrun by Ireland’s energetic midfield trio.
What they hope will happen: Zlatan’s swansong sees them through the group stages and they go from there.
What will happen: A narrow loss to Ireland will be followed by a draw with Italy and a loss to Belgium.
If they were a club side: West Brom… If Zlatan played for West Brom.
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