CaughtOffside » Poland

Five Players Ready to take Euro 2012 by Storm: Group A

Paul Todd — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:47:35 +0000

With the Euro 2012 draw having taken place last Friday, we take a look at the five players from each group ready to take the tournament by storm next June.

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Running the preview in chronological order was the natural way to compile the players, although Group A is the polar opposite of a “group of death”.

Nevertheless here are my five players who could stand out in Group A.

Alan Dzagoev – Russia

Dzagoev currently plays his domestic football for CSKA Moscow. The little attacking midfielder has already played just under 100 games for CSKA and is still only 21.

Dzaoev has the pace and vision to sit in behind Pavlyuchenko and create the goals to see Russia into the Quarter Finals.

If Dzaoev plays to his potential expect a host of top European clubs to be in line for his signature.

Kyriakos Papadopoulos – Greece

One of many Papadopoulos’ in and around the Greek team. This one Kyriakos is a strong defender who is equally adept in playing as a holding midfielder. Kyriakos signed for Schalke last Summer from Olympiakos

Currently not yet a permanent fixture in the Greek squad but should he be called up he will be one to look out for.

Petr Cech – Czech Republic

An easy option I know, but in a group where games will be tight you need a goalkeeper you can rely on and Cech is a great keeper.

Not in the best of form this season for Chelsea but a lot of that lies to the poor defensive displays from André Villas-Boas’ men.

If Czech Republic are to progress from the group they will need their big players like Cech, Milan Baros and Tomas Rosicky to stand up and be counted.

Robert Lewandowski – Poland

The Borussia Dortmund forward, still only 23, is a goalscorer. I would put my mortgage on Lewandowski being Poland’s top scorer in the tournament.

Quick, strong and a cool finisher, the Polish forward has a cracking record in international football.

A goal every three games can’t be argued with.

Igor Akinfeev – Russia

Any Football Manager player will know the Russian ‘keeper. Whether you bought him, tried to lure him to your club or sworn at him when he has had a blinder against your side, Akinfeev had a FM reputation.

Akinfeev is a brilliant shot-stopper and commands his box well. In a group Russia should really win, they have a good backbone of the side in Akinfeev, Vasali Berezutskiy, Yuri Zhirkov and Andrei Arshavin and should they all perform they will no doubt be in the Quarter-Finals.

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Poland 0-2 Italy: International Friendly Highlights (Video)

Mad Dog and Glory — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:37:07 +0000

Italy comfortably overcame Poland in this friendly.

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Arsenal Striker Park Chu-Young Scores Twice for South Korea Against Poland (Video)

Mad Dog and Glory — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:54:31 +0000

Gunners new boy nets twice past team-mate Lukasz Fabianski.

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Poland 2-2 Germany: International Friendly Highlights (Video)

Mad Dog and Glory — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 08:33:53 +0000

An injury time goal from Cacau rescued a draw for Germany in this friendly in Gdansk.

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West Ham’s Carlton Cole Caught Up In Racial Slur Outrage On Twitter

Jack Atchinson — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:58:44 +0000

Upton Park striker makes ill-advised crack over Ghanaian, Polish and Albanian immigrants.

West Ham United striker Carlton Cole has been accused of racism over a joke he posted on social networking site Twitter.

The 27-year-old implied in his tweet that the Ghanaian football fans were to be deported after the game at Wembley by immigration officers.

The England international did not stop there and said the Football Association would organise friendlies with Poland and Albania to do the same thing.

Cole, who claimed the comments were just a joke, has endured a bad season so far for the Hammers only scoring five goals in 28 Premier League games.

“Immigration has surrounded the wembley premises! I knew it was a trap! Hahahaha,” @Carlton9Cole tweeted.

“The only way to get out safely is to wear an england jersey and paint your face w/ the St. George’s'flag!

“To my ghanian brothers dont take it so seriously, its just jokes! Youve played well! Done africa proud!

“Next friendly is gonna be Poland then Albania, government think their sly! I see it a mile away! Haha

“Why are there so many sensitive people out there! it was a joke & its not even racist!”

His comments are sure to outrage the 20,000 Ghana fans at Wembley who helped create an incredible atmosphere during the 1-1 draw with England.

A number of people voiced their anger at Cole’s comments on Twitter also.

“three words: “you are racist”…u deserved what Millwall fans did to you in 2009…u didnt deserve any sympathy at all” @phrympung posted.

“stick to the footy carlton, you’re not a comedian,” @keval7 said.

“you really are an idiot with these last couple of msgs,” @mnewman1982 tweeted.

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Now is the Time for Szczesny to be Given Arsenal Chance

Christian Goodbrand — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:10:19 +0000

With Almunia dropping clangers left and right and Flap-ianski not up to the task perhaps Wenger should turn to another of his Emirates custodians?

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Manuel Almunia has been ruled out of Arsenal’s trip to Partizan Belgrade tonight with an elbow injury apparently sustained during the penalty save against West Brom. Gunners fans would generally not be overly disappointed at his withdrawal following his latest bout of blundering but with fellow mistake-prone keeper Lukasz Fabianski set to come in, alarm bells will be ringing. With this in mind, surely it is time to give 20-year-old Wojciech Szczesny the opportunity to stake a claim between the sticks.

The Pole earned rave reviews for his performances on loan at Brentford last season where he kept ten clean-sheets in 28 league games. He was even substituted in the final minute of the Bees’ last match of the campaign against Hartlepool in order for the fans to salute his outstanding contribution to the season. Coincidentally that match also ended in a clean-sheet.

With Almunia and Fabianski already making amateur blunders this season, surely this a good time to blood Szczesny who has only made one appearance for Arsenal in a 2-0 Carling Cup win over West Brom back in September 2009. The only drawback for Arsene Wenger must be the player’s lack of experience and youth but the Frenchman has shown that in terms of selecting outfield players at least, age is not a drawback if you have the talent.

With Arsenal’s first choice keepers making glaring errors why not throw Szczesny into the side and give him the chance to shine? If he needed a reference to how good the Polish international is then Brentford manager Andy Scott’s quote last season provides a glowing reference. Scott said back in April, “His (Szczesny) performances suggest that he would not be out of place in the Championship or even the Premier League. It has reached the stage where when he lets in a goal we wonder why he hasn’t saved it.”

If now isn’t a good time for the young talented Pole to show what he can do for the Gunners, then when would be?

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Spain 6-0 Poland International Friendly Highlights (Video)

Mad Dog and Glory — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 21:58:33 +0000

Spain romped to victory over Poland in their final World Cup warm up game thanks to goals from David Villa, David Silva, Xabi Alonso, Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres and Pedro.

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Spain 1-0 Poland (Villa)

Spain 2-0 Poland (Silva)

Spain 3-0 Poland (Alonso)

Spain 4-0 Poland (Fabregas)

Spain 5-0 Poland (Torres)

Spain 6-0 Poland (Pedro)

Poland 0-1 Slovakia World Cup 2010 Qualifying Highlights (Video)

Mad Dog and Glory — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:06:31 +0000

A Gancarczyk own goal in the third minute gave Slovakia victory and top place in Group 3 that takes them to the World Cup finals next summer.

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Poland 1-1 Northern Ireland World Cup 2010 Qualifying Highlights (Video)

Mad Dog and Glory — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 07:32:21 +0000

A late equalizer from Mariusz Lewandowski gave the Poles a much needed point against Northern Ireland who had taken the lead through Rangers man Kyle Lafferty.

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