euro 2012

Well, one thing about Euro 2012 for sure, is that England won’t be led out in their matches by Chelsea’s John Terry. The Chelsea player has been stripped of the England captaincy yet again by the FA, who took the action as the results of Terry’s impending verdict in his racism trial, which won’t conclude until after the summer’s tournament. So the bookie have wasted little time in opening up a great betting market, asking who will be England Captain at Euro 2012? Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand has counted himself out, saying that he doesn’t want the captaincy back, and with him missing the majority of England’s matches anyway over the last year or so, he really wouldn’t have been a strong candidate in the betting market were he fit. Ferdinand apparently just wants to concentrate on playing for Manchester United, and there is no guarantee that he will be in the England starting eleven during the summer anywhere. So where, in all of this England captaincy chaos is the next leader? The obvious next person in line, and the name which has been bandied around the most, is that of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard. He is a quiet, proud and strong leader, and his style of play epitomises just what a captain of a national side should be. Gerrard is favourite in England Captain at Euro 2012 betting, trading at 5/6 with Ladbrokes, but with his injury problems and fitness issues, there is no guarantee that he is going to be the formidable force that he has become to be known as. Where was he when he captaining England through their miserable 2010 World Cup campaign? He went missing a bit there, and if he is handed the captaincy again, it would only be a short term fix because Gerrard is getting on in age. Gerrard has also often been overlooked by Fabio Capello when it has come to handing out the armband. But, the Liverpool star is the front runner, but there are still question marks about him.

Those question marks really highlight the fact that England are really lacking leadership on the pitch. Chelsea’s Frank Lampard is another man in the running, but like Gerrard is at the wrong end of his career to be taking on the mantle, and at 14/1 with Ladbrokes, the Chelsea midfielder doesn’t make a great option. He is also spending more time on the bench, and Capello may opt for youth in starting matches over Lampard, who has delivered goals, but not always top performances for his country. Again, like Gerrard a temporary fix. So is there any youngster likely to step up? We can’t look at Wayne Rooney of course, because of his ban, missing the group stage matches of Euro 2012, so where is the real leadership in the squad? Not only for Euro 2012 but beyond when Fabio Capello departs? Keeper Jo Hart is trading at 8/1 with Paddy Power in the England Captain at Euro 2012 betting market. Is the goalkeeper really the position of captaincy to lead a side through struggles? There’s no criticism over Hart, but goalkeeper captains really aren’t ideal when you can’t walk up to a striker in the middle of the game and shout in their face to get them motivated. But his Manchester City team mate Gareth Barry, from his holding midfield role could fit the bill. You don’t look at Gareth Barry and really see captaincy quality, because he is really understated, just going about his job quietly, and he is not someone you notice on the pitch. The Man City midfielder is 9/1 at SkyBet to take the armband at Euro 2012. He could be on the periphery of a starting too, with Scott Parker likely getting a start over him. What about Scott Parker at 5/1 with William Hill to Captain England at Euro 2012? The Spurs midfielder is highly respected, but another quiet man on the pitch. Hasn’t got the tournament leadership experience that England may require, but doesn’t make too bad of a shout in the betting market though to be honest.

So really, the punters aren’t exactly spoilt for choice in this market, and neither is England boss Fabio Capello in trying to make this decision. If Jack Wilshere was fit, he would probably make a very good candidate for the future, because he is a natural, enthusiastic leader. But putting him under the pressure of being England captain at a tournament? For 40/1 with Bet Victor, it doesn’t seem likely. But there is one name which has flown under the radar, and it is a wonder why this player has never gotten more of a look in when it comes to  leading his country, because more often that not he is the most reliable player on the pitch, and plays with a great fire. That is Chelsea defender Ashley Cole. The bookies are really split between him, with him behind as short as 12/1, but way out at 33/1 with Ladbrokes. It is Ashley Cole really out of the entire bunch who probably deserves the biggest shot at the England captaincy. He will motivate and get in the faces of his team mates, and he generally leads from the front in trying to push the team forward from the back. He is the most natural choice really but Capello hasn’t even ever considered him before and so he may get overlooked again. Could be worth an outside flutter though, especially at the price which Ladbrokes are offering.

There are some good prices around at online bookmaker Ladbrokes, who offer a free £50 bet for new customers registering an account with them. The bookie will match the value of your first stake on a new account with a free bet, up to the maximum value of £50. That gives new Ladbrokes customers a great bit of free betting cash to enjoy on their new account!

So the sixteen nations at Euro 2012 now know their first stage fates after the draw was made on Friday, December 2nd. Summing up the draw really, it should be a massively competitive tournament, with a lot of high quality nations in action. England boss Fabio Capello will have been pretty happy with the draw, as England were the last team out of the pot and they managed to avoid the two most difficult groups. England have draw joint host nation Ukraine, Sweden and France, a group in which England should be able to fancy their chances of progressing through to the next round. France are ranked 15th in the FIFA World Rankings, Sweden 18th and the Ukraine 55th. So a very good chance for England, who start off their Euro 2012 campaign against France, which is going to be the toughest match of the group. After a shocking 2010 World Cup, France have responded very well to qualify comfortably through to the finals and in their last Friendly International at the back end of last year, the new look France played England off the pitch at Wembley. England will face France on June 11th, Sweden on June 15th and the Ukraine on June 19th. With England’s opener against France, it is a repeat of their opening Euro 2004 match which ended in a 2-1 win for the French. England of course played Sweden in an International Friendly recently and won 1-0 at Wembley, and they definitely got the luck of the draw as they avoided some of the stiffer opposition. England will play in Group D at Euro 2012 and it means that they could set up a quarter final clash against Ireland potentially. Wherever England qualify from in their group, there is going to be a tough match in the quarter final, having to face Spain, Italy, Ireland or even the tricky Croatia.

England v  France Euro 2012 Betting
England 6/4, Draw 2/1, France 15/8 at Paddy Power

England v Sweden Euro 2012 Betting
England 4/5, Draw 5/2, Sweden 11/4 at SkyBet

England v Ukraine Euro 2012 Betting
England 11/10, Draw 9/4, Ukraine 5/2 at Boylesports

The Republic of Ireland, the only other home nation to be taking part, have been drawn in a tough group along with Spain, Italy and Croatia. So there is going to be a lot of hard work for Giovanni Trapattoni’s men, with the Italian no doubt looking forward to taking on his home nation. But with Euro 2012 betting tournament favourites Spain in the group, could Ireland be realistically chasing down a second place finish in the group, which would then pair them up with England in the knockout stage if Capello’s men win their group? Ireland will be playing all of their games in Poland, starting on June 10th against Croatia, before taking on Spain on the 14th and then rounding off the group stage against Italy on the 18th. So a tough ask for Ireland at Euro 2012, but it is a draw which will see them pit their wits against some of the best teams in Europe.

So England and Ireland now know what they have to face in order to progress through to the quarter finals of Euro 2012. Here is a look at the full group draws.

Ireland v Croatia Euro 2012 Betting
Ireland 2/1, Draw 9/4, Croatia 11/10 at SkyBet

Ireland v Spain Euro 2012 Betting
Ireland 9/1, Draw 10/3, Spain 1/3 at Paddy Power

Ireland v Italy Euro 2012 Betting
Ireland 3/1, Draw 12/5, Italy 10/11 at Boylesports

Euro 2012 Groups

Group A: Poland, Greece, Russia, Czech Republic.
Not the most exciting group to look forward too, and it looks as it will be a fairly evenly contested one for your Euro 2012 betting. Russia are the favourite to take it though, but Greece and the Czech Republic are both capable of mounting challenges. It is hard to gauge just what joint hosts Poland are going to be able to do, as they haven’t played competitive football for some time, qualifying as hosts. Worth a shot though taking Russia to top the pile, as they should be the strongest. Tough to call between the Czech Republic and Greece as to who would follow them through.
Group A Outright Winner Odds: Russia 6/4, Poland 11/4, Czech Republic 3/1, Greece 4/1 at SkyBet

Group B: Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal.
This is going to be an incredibly entertaining and tough group. Germany and the Netherlands are two of the main front runners to win Euro 2012 and so we will see a mighty clash here. They were two of the main teams which other nations will have wanted to avoid, and so that leaves a tough task for Denmark and Portugal. But Denmark showed a lot of promise though in qualification topping their group ahead of Portugal. So it will be interesting to see these two come together again in next summer’s finals. You would have to expect though that it will be Germany or the Netherlands who top the group, and they should have enough quality to both progress through.
Group B Outright Winner Odds: Germany 5/4, Holland 2/1, Portugal 4/1, Denmark 10/1 at Bet365

Group C: Spain, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Croatia.
What a cracker of a group this one should be. The reigning champions Spain have to square off against Italy, in what should be a great match, but the Spaniards are expected to win the group without too much hassle, and pretty much are still the team to beat. Spain and Italy should be the strongest two sides in the group here, leaving Croatia and the Republic of Ireland with a lot of work to do in Euro 2012 betting. Those two could well be left chasing the coat tails of Spain and Italy, but both have the potential of causing an upset along the way, so there is going to be a lot of tension and excitement in this group.
Group C Outright Winner Odds: Spain 4/7, Italy 10/3, Croatia 6/1, Ireland 14/1 at Paddy Power

Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, France, England
England should fancy their chances of getting out of this group. The draw certainly could have been a lot worse for them, that is a fact. They really need to make the most of this opportunity. England will be without the suspended Wayne Rooney for all of this, but with a potential quarter final clash on the cards against Spain or Italy, it is likely that the Manchester United striker will go with the squad, and come in fresh for the quarter final. The bookies seem pretty confident of England’s progress, and they are favourites to take the group. But there is going to be a stiff challenge from a rapidly improving France to come, and both the Ukraine and Sweden will be difficult sides to break down. It is a tricky, competitive group, but one which England have a good shot at.
Group D Outright Winner Odds: England 11/8, France 6/4, Ukraine 6/1, Sweden 6/1 at Ladbrokes

Euro 2012 Outright Winner Odds
Spain:5/2 at SkyBet
Germany: 7/2 at Paddy Power
Holland: 8/1 at Boylesports
England: 10/1 at Stan James
Italy: 16/1 at Blue Square
France: 14/1 at Totesport
Russia: 22/1 at SportingBet
Portugal: 20/1 at Bet365
Ukraine: 40/1 at Ladbrokes
Croatia: 40/1 at Bet365
Poland: 66/1 at SkyBet
Czech Republic: 66/1 at SportingBet
Sweden: 80/1 at Bet365
Republic of Ireland: 100/1 at Victor Chandler
Denmark: 125/1 at Victor Chandler

Euro 2012 Betting Tip: Going based by the draw, although they are paired together in the group stage, the path is really open for Germany and Holland. The bottom half of the draw is going to be much more competitive with Spain, Italy, England and France in the mix. Spain are still the best side out of those nations and it would not be any surprise to see them in the final. So you could be looking at a Spain v Germany/Netherlands final. Truthfully the best outside shot out of all the nations is going to be France. They have a lot of potential to build upon and should quietly go along under the radar.

What will England boss Fabio Capello do with Wayne Rooney, as it will surely have an influence on your Euro 2012 betting. The England striker kicked out at a player in England’s final Euro 2012 qualification match in Podgorica, against Montenegro, an action which the UEFA disciplinary committee described as an assault. That has led to a three match ban for Rooney, meaning that he will miss the next three UEFA national competition matches. Here is where the dilemma is. Does Capello still take Rooney to the finals, even though the Manchester United striker would miss all group matches, or does he take an extra eligible player who can help in trying to secure passage through the group stage? The debates about this are raging. England are currently trading at a best price of 12/1 with Ladbrokes win Euro 2012, but what are the implications of Rooney’s Red Card for England Euro 2012 betting? The price on England winning at Euro 2012 has not really fluctuated much, with Rooney’s ban. But naturally, he is the focal point of the attack, and the forward system has been built around, the link up man between the midfield and the attack. Him dropping off a little deeper behind is what creates a lot of space for the England forwards. So is it worth taking him to come into the latter stages of the tournament? It is a bit of a headache for Capello, who is missing arguably his best player. It is not just a matter of keeping Rooney until the latter stages of a tournament, there is also the handling of the mental attitude of the player. Rooney will have to be in tip top physical and mental shape to walk back in the side, if his stand in does well in the group stage of Euro 2012.

While Rooney’s absence is a massive blow for England, because let’s face it, if he is fit, you pick him, but the United forward doesn’t have a great history for his country at major finals. There was the injury at Euro 2004, the red card at the 2006 World Cup, the complete absence of desire and form at the 2010 World Cup. Would England miss him all that much? The fact of the matter is that England have grown considerably as a team. They are still not world beaters by any stretch of the imagination, but losing Rooney is unlikely to be too much of a disaster. Here is why. England have won a higher percentage of games without Rooney than with him. England are clicking at a 69% success rate when Rooney isn’t in the team, compared to a 60% success rate when he is. So now Capello has to decide what to do. England have good forward capabilities still, with the likes of Darren Bent, Bobby Zamora, Jermain Defoe, Ashley Young, Danny Welbeck, Andy Carroll, Theo Walcott and outsiders such Chelsea’s Daniel Sturridge, Villa’s Gabby Agbonlahor, Peter Crouch and even perhaps Michael Owen. But it is finding that link up between midfield and attack, replacing that special talent which Rooney is. Our prediction is that Capello will take him, and watching from the stands Rooney will probably get fired up for action, wanting to right the wrongs of his impetuous kick in Montenegro. England play Spain (12th) and Sweden (15th) in November, and there we will see what Capello will do. The England boss has a good eight months to try and figure out what to do with his starting line up for the group stage of Euro 2012

Euro 2012 Outright Winner Odds
Spain: 11/4 at Totesport
Germany: 4/1 at Bet365
Holland: 6/1 at Bet365
England: 12/1 at Ladbrokes
France: 12/ 1 at Bet365
Italy: 12/1 at Victor Chandler
Portugal: 22/1 at Stan James

Naturally, with the Rooney saga raging, you would expect to have a punt on whether or not Rooney will make the England Euro 2012 squad. Well the expectancy really is that high that Rooney will go anyway, that Victor Chandler, where a No for Rooney making the squad is trading at 3/1 is about the best option you will find anywhere right now.

But it is also a good time to look at the Stage of Elimination for England at Euro 2012 with online bookmaker SkyBet. How much will Rooney’s absence from at least the group stage effect how far they get? Well the favourite selection in this market is England getting Eliminated at the Group Stage for 6/4. You look at the teams which have qualified alongside England (like Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Holland, Russia, Denmark etc) and there really doesn’t look as if there are going to be any easy games to come at the finals. But England getting Eliminated from the tournament at the Quarter Finals stage is 9/4 at SkyBet, while a Semi Final exit is trading at 7/2 with the bookies. The odds really don’t show a lot of confidence in England, and ex England defender Gary Neville has been quite vocal in his stance that England are not good enough, not mobile or strong enough to win the tournament. It is time to put you money down on England’s chances at Euro 2012, with or without Rooney.

The Euro 2012 Play Off draw, with the ties to played on November 11/12 and the second legs on November 15, sees the last eight teams shooting for a place at next summer’s finals. Most of the excitement on the final night of Euro 2012 qualification was in Groups D and H, where France were trying to hold on to top spot against Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Portugal was trying to battle Denmark for that automatic place at next summer’s finals. So we know the identities of ten of the teams who will join the co hosts at Poland and Ukraine 2012 (nine group winners plus Sweden as the best runner up), and now the final eight have one last chance to book their place at the finals. There are strong teams left in here and there should be some very evenly matched contests. We have one home nation involved, with Giovanni Trapattoni trying to guide Ireland through to the finals, but having to contest against some poor major tournament play off history. Four places up for grabs, and the action will start up against on November 11th and 12th. Here is a look at the Euro 2012 play off draw and your early betting options.

Turkey v Croatia
Turkey did enough from Group A, finishing well behind Germany but holding on to second place. Croatia battled their way through from qualifying Group F, finishing two points behind Greece, with the Greeks squeezing out a 2-1 win in Georgia in their final game to book top spot. But Croatia were on a run of good form going into the final matches, and Turkey will need to take advantage of being at home in the first leg here.  There is good history here between these two, as Croatia were knocked out on penalties in the quarter finals of Euro 2008. Croatia coach Slaven Bilic has been eyeing revenge over the Turks for that, because Croatia had scored in the 119th minute, because Turkey replied right at the very death of extra time. Interestingly too, Turkey were Croatia’s first ever Euro 2012 opponents, after the Croats had made it to the finals for the first time in Euro 96. Croatia won 1-0. The two sides have met only four times in total, with one win each and two draws. Going to be a tough encounter for these two sides. Croatia probably just have a technical edge though.
Play Off Records: Croatia P2 W2, Turkey P4 W2 L2
Tip: Croatia to Qualify 4/6 at Bet365 (Turkey 11/10 at Bet365)

Estonia v Republic of Ireland
The Republic of Ireland secured their place at Euro 2012 with a 2-1 win over Armenia in their final match. That was the big crunch match on the final day, to see who would take second spot behind Russia in a very competitive group. Estonia pushed their way into the finals from Group C behind Italy, as Serbia failed to get the win they needed against Slovenia on the final day of qualifying matches, which sent Estonia (who had already completed their games) through. This is a massive chance for Estonia to reach their first ever major finals, and they have proved to be quite a handy side through qualification. Estonia pretty much got the play off draw that they wanted, eyeing up Ireland as the best chance that they would have to progress. Ireland was who Estonia coach Tarmo Ruutli wanted in the play offs, because they should be able to match styles with Ireland. Estonia play quite a fast paced, physical British style of the game, and therefore should fancy their chances. But Ireland, being one of the seeded teams have the advantage of playing away in the first leg. The goals dried up for Ireland in their group when they needed them the most, but fought their way to the play offs. However, the Irish do not have a great record in the play offs, but have beaten Estonia on their only two previous meetings. They were paired together for the 2002 World Cup Qualification, with Ireland winning both home and away. Only Shay Given, Richard Dunne, Damien Duff, Robbie Keane and Kevin Kilbane remain in the Irish set up since that last encounter with Estonia back in 2001. This has been quite an adventure for Estonia though, as they were on a five match losing streak earlier in the year (including a defeat against the Faroe Islands).
Play Off Records: Estonia P0, Republic of Ireland P5 W1 L4
Tip: Ireland to Qualify 4/9 at Stan James (Estonia 9/4 at Victor Chandler)

Czech Republic v Montenegro
Montenegro, thanks to a couple of draws against Group Winners England will contest their play off match against the Czech Republic. The Czech’s squeezed their way into the play offs behind Spain, but really made hard work of things. Therefore this should be an evenly contested match. Montenegro showed signs of maturing into a good international side with their performances against England, notably how they played at Wembley, but new coach Michal Bilek, who only took over for their final two Euro 2012 qualification matches, may be a bit worried about their lack of goals. That is something they need to work on. As for the Czech Republic, well they were shown up by Spain and Scotland really in their group, as the Czech won only half of their eight matches (including a home loss against Lithuania). They don’t look very strong at all at the moment, and if they had been in a more competitive group, you would have to believe that they could well have missed out. Really hard to pick a winner out of these two, neither have a lot of firepower and both have leaky defences. The two nations have never met before at the senior international level, so it will be interesting to see who draws first blood. Good chance for Montenegro to take what they would consider to be a big scalp though, especially with playing the second leg at home. The Czech’s do have experience of play offs, while this is the first time that Montenegro will face the high pressure.
Play Off Records: Montenegro P0, Czech Republic P2 W1 L1
Tip: Czech Republic To Qualify 4/7 at Paddy Power (Montenegro 7/4 at Victor Chandler)

Bosnia and Herzegovina v Portugal
The final night of Euro 2012 qualifiers threw up some great excitement, none least in Group D where France and Bosnia met in Paris in a shoot out for top spot. After Manchester City’s Edin Dzeko has put Bosnia ahead in Paris, France just managed to hang on to the top spot in the group thanks to a equaliser by Dzeko’s club team mate, Samir Nasri who fired home from the Penalty spot, just twelve minutes from time. So that sent Bosnia through to the play offs, but they were oh so close to getting an automatic spot. This is the fixture than is perhaps the most attractive of the four. Most of the teams in the draw wanted to avoid playing Portugal, but from Portugal’s point of view, they have gotten one of the toughest opponents. Portugal blew their chance of securing the automatic place at next year’s finals, as they went to Copenhagen for their final match of qualifying, level on points with Denmark. However, it was the strong looking Danes who ran out 2-1 winners in the decisive match of the group leaving Portugal level on points with Norway, but just taking the play off spot because of goal difference. This should be an epic encounter as Bosnia and Herzegovina look to book their place at their first major final since gaining their independence. This is where the history between these adds a little extra spice to this match. The closest Bosnia have come to a major final was the 2010 World Cup, but they lost in a play off there against, yes, Portugal. Bosnia will start at home, which may work against them, and they have suspensions at the back which won’t help. Portugal boss Paulo Bento still has a lot of work to do with his side, as they were favourites to win their qualifying group, but failed to do so, in what was an arduously competitive campaign. Portugal won both 2010 World Cup qualification play off matches against Bosnia 1-0. A mouth watering encounter here. Portugal aren’t the strongest side, and the technically strong and organised Bosnians will present a real challenge.
Play Offs Record: Bosnia and Herzegovina P1 L1, Portugal P1 W1
Tip: Portugal to Qualify 4/9 at Boylesports (Bosnia 2/1 at Bet365)

Qualified Teams for Euro 2012
Poland and Ukraine (hosts), Spain, Germany, Russia, Italy, France, Netherlands, Greece, England, Denmark, Sweden (as best runners up).

Euro 2012 Outright Winner Odds
Spain 5/2, Germany 4/1, Holland 56/1, England 10/1, France 12/1, Italy 11/1, Portugal 20/1, Russia 28/1 at Bet365

The Euro 2012 qualifying betting is drawing to a close, with the final matches being played on October 7th and 11th. All of the home nations are in action, with England, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland holding out hopes of a place at next summer’s finals. Germany, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands have all booked their passage through, but there are so many tight races around to grab the remaining qualifying spots from the groups. Here we take a look at the football Betting Preview for the Euro 2012 qualifiers for Friday night.

Group A
Standings: Germany 24, Turkey 14, Belgium 12, Austria 8, Azerbaijan 7, Kazakhstan 3
Germany have already sewn up Group A in remarkable fashion, winning eight games out of eight and scoring 28 goals in the process. Germany have a big game against Turkey on Friday night, in what should be one of the best clashes of the week. Turkey are in second place at the moment, just two points ahead of Belgium, and will be at least looking for a point off Germany. Belgium have to play Germany in their final match, so this is an opportunity for the Turks to book a place in the play offs to reach next year’s final. They can’t catch Germany in the table, but they can do themselves a huge favour in beating them. Germany though ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in Berlin last October when they met. Belgium meanwhile take on Kazakhstan, hoping for a slip up from the Turks. The odds are against Belgium a little as they have to face Germany in their final match, and with a two point deficit to make up on the Turks already, they do need some help or a miracle result against the Germans. The Belgians won 2-0 away in Kazakhstan when they met earlier in qualification. With a win for Belgium and a defeat for the Turks, this could be an interesting final round of matches in Group A. Still, the Germans have crushed all before them so far, but wouldn’t be surprised to see a draw out in Istanbul, while Belgium pick up a vital win.
Germany 6/5, Draw 12/5, Turkey 11/5 at Bet365
Belgium 1/10, Draw 7/1, Kazakhstan: 28/1 at Bet365

Group B
Standings: Russia 17, Ireland 15, Armenia 14, Slovakia 14, FYROM 7, Andorra 0
Superbly wide open is Group B in Euro 2012 qualifying. Russia lead the way with a two point advantage over Ireland, who hold a slender one point lead over Armenia and Slovakia. These four have been trading blows throughout qualification in the most exciting group so far. All four are in with a chance of qualifying, but Ireland take on Andorra on Friday, which should guarantee them tree points. Catching Russia though could all come down to how well Russia fare on a tricky away trip to Slovakia on Friday, because the Russians play Andorra in their final match. Ireland play Armenia in their final qualifier, so everything is well up in the air. See our Andorra v Republic of Ireland betting preview here. Russia head to Slovakia, and if the Slovaks win, it would put them level on points with Russia, and assuming Ireland win, it would leave the Irish on top by one point. Slovakia stunned the powerful Russians with a 1-0 win recently, and Ireland will be hoping for more of the same so that they can keep their chances of topping the group alive. Still, if Slovakia win, that leaves two teams potentially on seventeen points, one behind Ireland, with a high possibility that Armenia will be on 17 as well come Friday, as they play at home against Macedonia. Those two drew 2-2 earlier in qualification. This group looks likely to go down to the wire with all teams still in with a very good shout of qualifying. Russia do hold the aces though, as long as they get through the Slovakia match unscathed. A draw for Russia, a win for Ireland and a win for Armenia looks favourite.
Slovakia 2/1, Draw 21/10, Russia 13/10 at Boylesports
Andorra 20/1, Draw 9/1, Ireland 1/16 at SkyBet
Armenia 3/4, Draw 13/5. Macedonia 22/5 at VC Bet

Group C
Standings: Italy 22, Serbia 14, Estonia 13, Slovenia 11, Northern Ireland 9, Faroe Islands 4
Group Winners Italy will still have a big say in who will finish in second place, as they have to play both Serbia and Northern Ireland in their final two matches. This is another close group, with four teams in contention for second place. It is Serbia who have the necks in front in that race, one point ahead of Estonia, two over Slovenia and they hold a game in hand over both of those nations. Northern Ireland are five points back of Serbia, but have played equal games. Serbia host Italy in the group’s big match on Friday night, and if Serbia lose there, it will give the other countries a chance at grabbing second place from them. You may remember that this is the game which Serbia forfeited when they met in Genoa because of crowd troubles and the match was abandoned, and Italy was awarded a 3-0 victory. Now Italy have to head out to Serbia, knowing that top spot in the group is pretty safe. If Italy lose their next two games and Serbia win their next two, the two would finish level on points. But as that would mean the head to head between them would be the same, it would come down to goal difference, which Italy dominates. So either way, Italy are going to win the group. Serbia need a win to try and make second place safe. How Estonia get on Friday night against Northern Ireland (see our full match preview here) will determine how much breathing space they have. But all four have a chance, and if Northern Ireland win their last two matches (their final one being against Italy though) they could squeeze into the play off if other results go their way. Slovenia take on Serbia next week in their final match, so everything still to play for here. A draw in both matches looks value.
Northern Ireland 21/20, Draw 9/4, Estonia 5/2 at 888Sport
Serbia 11/8, Draw 11/5, Italy 13/8 at Totesport

Group D
Standings: France 17, Bosnia and Herzegovina 16, Romania 12, Belarus 12, Albania 8, Luxembourg 4
Things at the top are as tight as expected, with just one point separating leaders France from Bosnia. Laurent Blanc’s France have been looking like a totally different team to the one which showed up at the 2010 World Cup. They actually look motivated and passionate. Anyway, they can secure top spot in the group with a win over Albania on Friday night. They met at the start of September in Tirana and France scraped through with a 2-1 win. Back in Paris, they should be a bit more comfortable, and they have played some decent football. Second placed Bosnia meanwhile have a home match too, against Luxembourg, who have only amassed four points. In terms of interest, it would be fascinating to see Bosnia win and France lose here, because the two meet on the 11th in the final group match, and that scenario would mean that it would be a shoot out for top spot. However, France should beat Albania taking all meaning out of the match against Bosnia to come. Romania, in third place, will be looking for a Bosnia defeat, as they start four points back of Bosnia and Herzegovina. They take on Belarus, who they are level on points with, but have a game in hand over. Expect a strong win for Bosnia and three points also for France, settling the top two spots in Group D.
France 1/9, Draw 7/1, Albania 25/1 at Bet365
Bosnia 1/12, Draw 9/1, Luxembourg 18/1 at SkyBet
Romania 8/13, Draw 5/2, Belarus 9/2 at Paddy Power

Group E
Standings: Netherlands 24, Sweden, 18, Hungary 18, Finland 9, Moldova 6, San Marino 0
Only one thing left to settle in the group, and that is who finished in second place. The Swedes and the Hungarians are tied on 18 points, but Sweden have a game in hand. That game in hand however is against the Netherlands, so that may not count for anything. Which means that they will want to go out on Friday and beat Finland. There is a fair chance that they will, because Sweden won 5-0 at home, so would be expected to grab all three points. Hungary will want Sweden to not win, because that would leave them in with a chance of leap frogging them next week when they host Finland and Sweden play the Netherlands. So Finland v Sweden here could be the decider for second place. Could still all come down to goal difference between them (because the head to head stands equal) if Sweden beat Finland and lose to Holland, while Hungary beat Finland next week .That would leave them level on points, but goal difference is hugely in favour of Sweden. Still, Sweden look full of goals and have a pretty tight defence, and can’t see Finland causing an upset. Finland’s only two home wins have come against the two teams beneath them, Moldova and San Marino. The Netherlands play Moldova in Rotterdam on Friday, knowing that they are going to win the group anyway. Mathematically Sweden could finish level on points with them, but that would involve the Netherlands, who have won all eight so far, losing their last two. Not going to happen.
Finland 5/1, Draw 11/4, Sweden 4/7 at Bet365
Netherlands 1/20, Draw 12/1, Moldova 25/1 at Bet365

Group F
Standings: Croatia 19, Greece, 18, Israel 13, Georgia 10, Latvia 8, Malta 1
We  are only looking to decide who will finish top of the group here, as Greece and Croatia will occupy the top two spots, we don’t know in what order yet. Thankfully we can get a clearer picture as the two sides go head to head on Friday in Rijeka (Croatia). A win for the Croats mean an automatic place at next summer’s final, while a win for the Greeks would put them two points clear ahead of the final matches. The two sides drew 0-0 earlier in the group, so it will be interesting to see what happens. Both have been going along very nicely, and this is a tricky trip for Croatia. A draw wouldn’t be out of the question here, and that would take things to the final round of matches. Croatia host Latvia next week, while Greece head to Georgia, both winnable games for the top two you would think, so Friday’s head to head showdown should be the game breaker. Latvia play Malta on Friday night in Riga, with nothing at all on the line.
Greece 6/4, Draw 12/5, Croatia 9/5 at Stan James
Latvia 1/4, Draw 9/2, Malta 11/1 at Bet365

Group G
Standings: England 17, Montenegro 11, Switzerland 8, Bulgaria 5, Wales 3
Fabio Capello’s England need just a point on Friday out in Montenegro to sew up top spot in the group. See our full Montenegro v England match preview here. Montenegro have dipped in form and have a new head coach for this match. They suffered a defeat against Wales on the back of a draw against Bulgaria, so they aren’t running hot. Wales play Switzerland (see full match preview here) on Friday as well, as they look to build for the future. There is a lot at stake for Switzerland, because if England beat Montenegro, Switzerland could draw level on points with a win, and with those two going head to head in Basel next week, there is a bit of a lifeline for the Swiss here. So the Wales v Switzerland match should be a pretty good one, and it’ll be interesting if the Swiss take three points.
Wales 15/4, Draw 12/4, Switzerland 5/6 at Stan James
Montenegro 4/1, Draw 5/2, England 8/11 at Bet365

Group H
Standings: Portugal 13, Denmark 13, Norway 13, Iceland 4, Cyprus 2
Doesn’t get much lose than this. Portugal and Denmark do have a game in hand over Norway, so that may just push the Norwegians out of the running. However, Denmark head to sunny Cyprus in the search of three points which will set them up nicely for their final match next week, against, yes, Portugal. Denmark beat Cyprus 2-0 earlier in the qualification group, and will be extremely hungry for three points to keep the pressure on Portugal. As for the Portuguese, they host Iceland in a game which the home side really should win. Just like for the 2010 World Cup, Portugal aren’t having things their own way in qualification and it has been a struggle at times (like the 4-4 draw against Cyprus, one of the weirdest results of Euro 2012 qualifying). Both Portugal and Denmark are expected to pick up the wins which will see them level on points going into next week’s head to head showdown. Norway have an easy last game at home against Cyprus, so they should end up on 16 points and in with a chance of finishing level on points with either Portugal or Denmark. However, it looks as if it is just going to be routine for the top two ahead of next week’s meeting.
Cyprus 13/2, Draw 16/5, Denmark 3/9 at Bet365
Portugal 1/12, Draw 10/1, Iceland 14/1 at SkyBet

Group I
Standings: Spain 18, Czech Republic 10, Scotland 8, Lithuania 5, Liechtenstein 4
Scotland need a win out in Liechtenstein on Saturday to keep their slim hopes of qualifying alive (see full match preview here). The Scots are twp points behind the Czechs, but Scotland have to play in Spain for their final match, so points there are going to be hard to come by. The big match on Friday in Group I is of course the Czech Republic v Spain in Prague. Scotland will really be hoping that Spain, who go without Iniesta and Fabregas, do a number on the Czechs. If the Czechs lose and Scotland can win, that will put the Scots one point ahead of the Czechs going into the final round of matches. Then Scotland would be hoping that the Czechs slip up again away at Lithuania. So there is a chance for the Scots, and with Spain unbeaten so far and averaging over three goals per game, it won’t be a surprise to see Spain beat the Czechs. The Scots still need help but Spain can do them a big favour. Spain beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in Granada back in March. Scotland beat Lithuania 2-1 at Hampden early in qualifying as well. A win for Spain and Scotland would make things interesting.
Czech Republic 4/1, Draw 5/2, Spain 4/5 at VC Bet
Liechtenstein 12/1, Draw 15/4, Scotland 5/18 at Bwin

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With just three games remaining in Euro 2012 qualifying, Bulgaria v England betting gives Fabio Capello’s men a chance to try and pull clear of Montenegro in Group G. England should be pretty confident of picking up three points against Bulgaria, as England thrashed them 4-0 at Wembley back at the start of September last year. Five matches into their qualification campaign, they now sit at the top of group G, level on points with Montenegro. England have stumbled a bit in their last few matches, drawing 0-0 against Montenegro at Wembley, securing a 2-0 win away at Wales before tripping up again at Wembley with a 2-2 win against Switzerland. England really should have been home and dry by now, by they have failed to capitalize on a good early start to the group. Now Fabio Capello has to secure a win for the country, in order to try and keep Montenegro off their heels. With just two remaining fixtures to follow after this one, one against Wales and what could be a big group decider away at Montenegro, there is not a lot of wiggle room for England if they want to book automatic qualification to next summer’s Euro 2012 tournament. Bulgaria v England betting is up next and here is the outright odds.

Bulgaria to win: 6/1 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 14/5 at Bet365
England to win: 8/13 at Boylesports

Squad News: Capello has taken a brave option at the back, by taking young Manchester United centre half Phil Jones in the party, ahead of Rio Ferdinand. Ferdinand has again struggled with injury at the start of the season, and although it looks as if Ferdinand is fit, Capello has left him out of the squad to face Bulgaria and Wales. There’s not a great deal of international experience in the defensive corps for England here, with Ashley Cole and John Terry the influential older statesmen there. Fellow United team mates Tom Cleverly and Chris Smalling also make their way into the England squad. There are some selection problems for Capello, with right back Glen Johnson out injured, so Capello needs to find alternatives in depth there. The midfield will be without Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere who is still out with injury, so we’ll likely see a Frank Lampard and Scott Parker partnership in the middle there. Aside from Wilshere, there is a good selection of attacking midfield options, with Adam Johnson, Theo Walcott and Ashley Young in there. Manchester United’s Ashley Young will probably walk into the starting line up on the back of some good form as well. Up front, there are the familiar figures, which will put Capello’s mind at ease after having striker selection problems before. Darren Bent, Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe (who hit a hat trick in the 4-0 thrashing of Bulgaria at Wembley) join up again with Wayne Rooney, who netted a hat trick against Arsenal on the weekend.

So while England may be forced into fielding some younger players, it could be a good thing in the long run for them. The latter stages of qualification is not really the time to start experimenting, but sometimes brave calls do win the day. Between them, Manchester City and Manchester United are supplying eleven of the squad. After a couple of stumbles, England really need to show a positive attitude in Sofia, Bulgaria and push forward for maximum points. If England take maximum points from their next too matches, it should leave them in a comfortable enough position to take top spot, no matter what Montenegro do. If England and Montenegro both win their next two matches, then England will likely stay top because of their superior goal difference (+8 compared to +3 for Montenegro). That would leave the big clash against Montenegro for England to navigate. But England have won both of their away matches so far and will be expected to press on against Bulgaria. Bulgaria, under the guidance of former Germany legend Lothar Matthaus, have not won at home in Group G yet. In fact they haven’t’ scored a goal in either of their two matches in Sofia so far, which was a 1-0 defeat by Montenegro and a 0-0 draw against Switzerland. So there is nothing for England to fear. Bulgaria’s only victory so far was a 1-0 triumph away at Wales. Mathematically there is a chance that they could still qualify, but it’s highly unlikely.

If you want some more pointers for your Bulgaria v England betting, then a quick look at the head to head should paint a clear picture. In their last nine matches against England, Bulgaria have not won a match (drawing four and losing five). In Sofia itself in those nine matches, there have been two draws and one defeat, but Bulgaria have only hit two goals in those nine matches, while England have fired in 13. In Euro 2012 qualification so far, England have scored seven goals to Bulgaria’s one, even though attempts on and off target are pretty evenly matches. There has been a big difference in the clinical finishing though. So there really is no reason why England cannot go and secure a good three points, which will set them up nicely for their game against Wales. Fortunately this pair of matches could be the ideal two where the missing experience in the back line may not hurt England as much. So time for England to stand up and to try and take a good grip of Group G, while hoping Wales can help out against Montenegro.

Bulgaria v England betting tip: Well it is getting down to the wire now and this is where you want to see the class of England shine through. There are good attacking options in the squad, granted they don’t often get a lot of chance to flourish in a rigid formation, but England should have the fire power to pull three points out of the bag here. At this stage a 1-0 win would see them alright, as that will be half the job done before facing Wales next week. Bulgaria, who have improved over the past couple of years (certainly in 2010 World Cup qualification) just don’t look to have the edge to compete at the moment. The class up front should be the telling factor in the end for England, they just have to keep plugging away. England -1.5 Asian Handicap for 6/4 at Bet365 looks handily priced.

It is all going on in Group B of Euro 2012 qualification, highlighted by Republic of Ireland v Slovakia betting, with the Republic of Ireland scrapping to take control at the summit. Giovanni Trapattoni’s men are neck and neck with both Russia and Slovakia at the top of the group after six matches, so with just four games each remaining, the countdown is really on, and the question is, who will break away. Republic of Ireland v Slovakia betting is the perfect opportunity for the Irish to put some day light between them and one of their rivals. Top spot in the group will guarantee automatic qualification for next summer’s tournament, while second spot will have to rely on getting one of the best runner’s up spots in a play-off. This is the crucial stage of proceedings now for Ireland, as following their match against Slovakia, they have the long trip to Russia in midweek to take on their other group rivals, so this needs to be a successful few days for the Irish to keep their Euro 2012 dreams alive. Fortunately, Ireland have been going well, and have not suffered defeat on the road yet in three of their games. When they went to Slovakia earlier in the campaign, they came away with a 1-1 draw, which kept them in touch, but it could have been better for the Irish there. Ireland went in front and Robbie Keane missed a spot kick when the game was a 1-1, so this group could have had a different complexion at this point. But, with back to back wins over Macedonia, Ireland have put themselves in a great position. Now the real tough work begins, but they can look to their head to head record against Slovakia and take confidence. In three matches between the two nations, there have been two draws and a win for the Irish. In the one match on home turf, it produced the victory for Ireland back in 2007. Ireland are the top scorers in Group B and this is one of the big make or break games. With Russia to come, the Republic of Ireland really need to make the most of home advantage here against Slovakia. The Slovaks have won twice and lost once on the road in their Euro 2012 qualification campaign so far this year, and are a very solid, neat side. They are very organized, technically solid and are not afraid of the physical stuff. But Ireland just need to get at them with confidence and with speed in the match to unsettle their back line. There is a great opportunity here, even though the two sides do look as if they will be evenly matched and this will be a tight game. The Irish do look as if they have goals in them, and they are a bit sharper up front than Slovakia. There is not going to be a great margin between the two sides, so for Republic of Ireland v Slovakia betting, we are going to take the Irish to edge it by a single goal margin for 5/2 at Bet365 may be worth a crack.

Republic of Ireland v Slovakia Betting Odds
Ireland to win: Evens at Bet365
Draw: 27/11 at Unibet
Slovakia to win: 13/4 at Paddy Power

England fans will be keeping an eye on Wales v Montenegro in Group G of Euro 2012 qualification this weekend. With England hosting Wales next week, the Welsh can actually do England a huge favour in taking points off of Montenegro here. England and Montenegro are joint top of the group and are battling it out for the automatic qualification spot. As for Wales, they are bottom of the group without a single point yet, but with a place at Euro 2012 having gone out the window, there is a lot of pride to play for as Gary Speed’s men look to build for the future. The reverse fixture of this one, which ended in a 1-0 defeat for Wales out in Podgorica, was the end of former boss John Toshack in charge of the national side. Gary Speed has taken over, but Wales are still struggling to get a foothold in the game, and along with Andorra, Malta and San Marino, Wales have the distinction of being just one of four teams without a point in Euro 2012 qualification. So the Welsh side is not brimming with a great deal of confidence at the moment, but will they be able to get at least a point out of this? Surely the law of averages would suggest that they get a point soon, and this, what would be their sixth match of the campaign would be the perfect time to do so from an English perspective. But they face a tough Montenegro side, who are maybe not as potent up front as England, but are very organized and hard working. You can expect to see Montenegro try and stroke the ball around in space, trying to place with a good element of control. But while they are fighting it out with England in Group G, their form has dropped just a little bit over the past couple of matches as well. After holding England to a draw at Wembley, Montenegro failed to capitalise when they could only draw with Bulgaria in their following match. However, so organized and difficult to break down are Montenegro, that the 1-1 draw with Bulgaria saw them concede their first goal of qualification.

So there is a tough task ahead for Wales but they really need a boost, a big fillip for the future. While England will be hoping that Wales take something away from the match, they will be wary of Wales getting a lofty dose of confidence, because England host them at Wembley next week in their penultimate Euro 2012 qualification match. Can Wales steal a point? Well it may be worth backing here, although they have been pretty disorganized at the back. This is a big chance for them to prove themselves, especially with England on the radar. Wales will be underdogs, but perhaps the slump in form of Montenegro will correspond with Wales giving their home fans something to cheer about at last. We don’t see Wales going any further than a draw though, simply because Montenegro are a very tough nut to crack and Wales don’t have the kind of firepower to unlock them. Look for coverage with a draw in your Wales v Montenegro betting and a 0-0 draw fetches 6/1 at Bet365

Wales v Montenegro betting
Wales to win: 12/5 at William Hill
Draw: 23/10 at SkyBet
Montenegro to win: 7/5 at Bet365

Scotland are chasing down second spot in Group I, as they go head to head against current second place occupants the Czech Republic on Saturday in Scotland v Czech Republic betting. With Spain the runaway leaders of the group, second place looks to be the best that the rest of the teams in the group can hope for. This is the make or break deal for Scotland now, as they are currently five points behind the Czech Republic, but with a game in hand. A win at home on the weekend will start to put a great deal of pressure on the Czech Republic. Scotland are still outsiders and underdogs to get through, but haven’t been in competitive action since last October when they were edged out 3-2 by Spain at Hampden Park. Scotland’s only other home match in Euro 2012 qualification, ended in a 1-1 victory over Liechtenstein. But this is the perfect match for them now to give themselves a huge boost and something to play for in Group I. Craig Levein’s men definitely need a win and nothing else will really do at home. Apart from Spain, this has been a pretty low scoring group, something which has benefited the Scots. Even the Czech Republic are averaging just over one goal per game so far, with the Scots having hit just four in their four matches. So there has been a lot of good work by defenses so far, and Scotland are battling along and holding their own very well. They have put up a lot of resistance in their games, but they do need to find more of a punch up front to propel them forwards a bit. This is now their big opportunity and one of those occasions where home advantage must be a huge factor in the Scottish game. As well as making themselves difficult to beat, they must find a way to break down the Czech Republic (who will be without Chelsea’s Petr Cech in goal). The Czech’s will go into the match with confidence after back to back wins over Liechtenstein and they will still be favourites to win the match. They are a neat football side, but they do get stuck in a bit of a rut at times, almost being their own worst enemies. Scotland need to be brave against the Czechs and take any chance that comes their way. A narrow one goal win for the Scots would be one of their biggest of the campaign so far, pulling them within two points of second place. With another home game to come on September 6th against Lithuania, this is now or never for the Scots to make their move. Scotland boss Craig Levein will have good memories of the Czech Republic, as it was they who he faced first as Scotland boss. Scotland won that 1-0 at Hampden Park (but were largely out played). More of that would be perfect.

Scotland v Czech Republic Betting
Scotland to win: 13/8 at Stan James
Draw: 23/10 at SkyBet
Czech Republic to win: 19/10 at William Hill

Northern Ireland will try and keep their qualification hopes from Euro 2012 Group C alive, as they host Serbia on the weekend, queuing up our Northern Ireland v Serbia betting. This is a massively important game for Northern Ireland, who are still in touch for a second place finish. Of their six qualification games for far, Northern Ireland have suffered just one defeat, which was away to Serbia. Now the Irish must cancel out that deficit if they are to keep up the hunt for a second place finish. While they have tasted defeat just once, the biggest disappointment of their qualification campaign was a 1-1 draw away at the Faroe Islands. With main qualification rivals Italy, Serbia and Slovenia picking up expected wins against the minnows, that was a big two points dropped by Northern Ireland, which could come back to haunt them. With a win on the weekend, Northern Ireland would make qualification hopes for Serbia very difficult (as the Serbs are already one point behind Northern Ireland in fourth place) and will edge them past Slovenia. A win here for Northern Ireland could be crucial, because Slovenia travel to face Italy in midweek, and if they lose there, it will be Northern Ireland who just have the edge in second place. If Northern Ireland could then win out in Estonia in midweek, the Irish could be sitting extremely pretty after these next two matches. But as with anything, things are never quite as straight forward, because Serbia are not going to be easy opponents. But Serbia have won just one of their last three games (the one against the Irish), suffering a heavy loss to Italy and then being held to a draw by Estonia, so there is a good chance of Northern Ireland getting something out of this. The Irish defence has held up surprisingly well, having conceded just three goals in their six matches so far, including keeping Italy at bay in a 0-0 draw back in October of last year. Northern Ireland have played their way into a very good position so far and now this is the time in which they have to deliver. It wouldn’t be curtains for them if they lost, but it would mean that Serbia would leap frog them and that is the last thing they want. Neither of these sides give too much away in their game, so not looking at a high scoring match here one would imagine. Northern Ireland aim to keep their unbeaten record at home going in Euro 2012 qualification and even a draw would keep them in the hunt, but a win would really put them in the driving seat.

Northern Ireland v Serbia Betting
Northern Ireland to win: 13/5 at Paddy Power
Draw: 9/4 at Bet365
Serbia to win: 6/5 at SkyBet