It's insane. I'm convinced it's just a bad decision and not what the rules say, but if the rules truly say that's onside because the defender player it, then the rules need changing. The defender didn't take a touch and pass it to Lukaku, he misfit trying to intercept an awkward ball.
Euro 2020 general discussion
- Thread starter Sassy Colin
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Ranking based on squad ability, their performances IMO, and chances to go all the way:
- France - stacked squad, garbage style of play but it's effective in tournaments, especially with that defence and Kante in midfield, then Pogba, Benzema and Mbappe carrying the counter.
- Portugal - brilliant squad, took some time to get the goals but they still got 3-0 win after missing plenty in the 1st half. They tend to do well in big games I feel like too. Ronaldo.
- Italy - completely dominant game, the best coach, arguably the best midfield in the tournament once Verratti is fit. An actual goalscorer up top.
- Germany - honestly I was pleasantly surprised and thought they were quite good. France is the toughest team to play against but they had their chances. A brilliant squad, have the opportunity to use Bayerns entire midfield and attack minus Lewa... Can't put them lower, though risk is there that they drop out all together. Lack a goalscorer.
- Spain - can definitely move their way up, but they won't if Morata stays as the striker. I suspect Moreno will go in and they'll look very good and be a very tough team to play, but as of now, lack a goalscorer.
- England - good opening day win. But performance left a lot to be desired for me. Southgate seems like he'll make some very questionable lineup decisions (no Grealish, no Shaw), Kane seemed off it, most of the players seem to be struggling for injury or are knackered, especially in key positions.
- Belgium - a lot depends on how De Bruyne is and when he comes back. A lot of their lineup just doesn't convince me tbh, but could easily make a good push and Lukaku is on fire. But if KdB is normal, then I'd push them up to 4th above Germany.
- Netherlands - fun game to watch, and have some good players but a cut below the rest of the big sides. De Jong is brilliant though.
1. France
Showed scary strength in beating Germany in Munich without looking like they were trying very hard. Mbappe-Benzena-Pogba chemistry seems promising.
2. Belgium
Second best squad, crushed Russia convincingly with several key players missing
3. Portugal
Great squad. Not entirely impressive against Hungary, but it's a start.
4. England
Very solid, will be hard to beat. Won't know ceiling until they're in the knockout stage.
5. Germany
Ceiling uncertain. Looked much the weaker side against France IMO.
6. Italy
good squad, good first game.
7. Spain.
Lots of question marks. Style is very demanding both on individual quality and in needing a very cohesive well drilled collective. They look a bit short on both to me, relative to their own high standards. Arguably closer to losing than to winning their first game.
8.Netherlands
1st game underlined and reinforced well known question marks - too wasteful in attack, too little quality in defence.
Showed scary strength in beating Germany in Munich without looking like they were trying very hard. Mbappe-Benzena-Pogba chemistry seems promising.
2. Belgium
Second best squad, crushed Russia convincingly with several key players missing
3. Portugal
Great squad. Not entirely impressive against Hungary, but it's a start.
4. England
Very solid, will be hard to beat. Won't know ceiling until they're in the knockout stage.
5. Germany
Ceiling uncertain. Looked much the weaker side against France IMO.
6. Italy
good squad, good first game.
7. Spain.
Lots of question marks. Style is very demanding both on individual quality and in needing a very cohesive well drilled collective. They look a bit short on both to me, relative to their own high standards. Arguably closer to losing than to winning their first game.
8.Netherlands
1st game underlined and reinforced well known question marks - too wasteful in attack, too little quality in defence.
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Being a little cynical, I felt as if the emotion of the goal that was just dedicated to Eriksen who was in hospital made it a little harder to disallow. But it was a ridiculous decision, and if those are the rules, defenders are fecked.
Seems to be an awful lot of players ballooning the ball over the bar when you would expect them to score. Wondering is the ball a factor.
In 100% of those scenarios, if there was no ball, they would not have ballooned it over. So yes, I’m going to say the ball is a factor.
I knew it. Jubulani all over again.
Finishing in general has been garbage. Players turn to shit as soon as they get in the box.
Unless I've misunderstood is there an argument for England trying to finish second in Group D if by winning it they have to face either Germany, Portugal or France? A Group D second place takes on Group E second place (likely Sweden or Slovakia) .
Yes but I can’t see England not topping the group now that we’ve beaten Croatia. Also, topping the group means we play at Wembley in the 2nd round which will be an incentive.
The multi nation format is really annoying me to be honest. Takes away the "togetherness" feeling of a tournament where you have fans from multiple countries in the same cities in 1 host nation.
Kicking ten bells of shit out of each other while the Irish find little old ladies who need light bulbs changing and their lawns mowing.
Remember Stan Collymore running around France filming the English wanker hooligans and getting tear-gassed by the french police in the process? Absolutely glorious times
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UEFA to honor best own goal scorer
(Disclaimer: Der Postillon is satire. German 'Onion', basically)
Was this a random selection? Standing in the qualifiers?
It seems very one sided to give some teams home advantage thru the group stages and others having travel all over the place.
Wales goes to Baku and Rome
Belgium & Finland to St Petersburg and Copenhagen
etc etc
Munich and Bavaria pushing for lighting up the Allianz Arena in rainbow colours for the match vs. Hungary.
Especially after the outrage over Neuer's rainbow coloured captains armband, I'd love it.
Especially after the outrage over Neuer's rainbow coloured captains armband, I'd love it.
I keep going on about it but this group stage qualification method is a joke. Teams finishing second playing teams finishing third in other groups. For me it has just led to more negative football with teams knowing they have to do the bare minimum to get through.
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UEFA and all its pretty anti-discrimination campaigns are not actually interested in standing up for minority rights? I'm shocked, shocked, i tell ya
What's with all the permutation analysis? Just wait till other results are in and it'll be clear.
Absolute twats, but hardly surprising
They should make a 32-team-tournament.
UEFA should be happy with that too because "More matches = More money".
The drop of quality wouldn't be much.
Group A
France
Russia
Serbia
Northern Ireland
Group B
Germany
Poland
Czech Republic
Slovenia
Group C
Belgium
Austria
Turkey
Norway
Group D
Netherlands
Croatia
Iceland
Greece
Group E
England
Sweden
Ireland
Hungary
Group F
Italy
Switzerland
Finland
Romania
Group G
Portugal
Denmark
Slovakia
Scotland
Group H
Spain
Ukraine
Wales
North Macedonia
Sorry but that mean about all countries are playing 2 years of qualifiers only so that about 30% drops off for the actual end tournament..
Thats just as ridicusoulas playing 36 games this euro's only to eliminatie 8/24...
The Euro's should have 16 countries. Thats plenty enough of a large playing field given how many countries Europe has..
Nothing new with that lot. Would have been more of a shock if they had accepted it.
UEFA is such a scam...
Agreed, some of these group games already felt like another qualification round to be honest.
Of course the qualification must be short for every country.....3-4 matches for the top teams.
I mean the UEFA have now the Nations League and soon 4 more matches in the european competitions....therefore the UEFA must cancel some matches in their competitions too.
The UEFA will not go back to 16 teams.
But 24 teams is stupid.
32 teams is of course too much but much better than 24 teams with 6 groups.
Think you are right in the UEFA not going back, and I think I agree Id prefer 32 of 24 to have a normal tournament schedule which makes sense... Just pisses me off they went to 24 in the first place..
Can't remember a tournament with so many great goals and we are not even half way.
Why do they have to ask permission in the first place?
Probably, because UEFA has rented the stadium and as far as I know it's Bayern that owns and not the city in any case.
now the group games are coming to an end, likely qfs a bit clearer. Best guess ignoring 3rd placed which may impact (group F guesses bold);
Holland and the winner of Group F seem to have the easier R16 and R8 routes
- Italy v Belgium
- Croatia/Poland/Sweden v to France/Portugal/Germany (winner of Group F)... hardest one to call yet
- Wales (
) v Holland - Spain v England/France/Portugal/Germany
Holland and the winner of Group F seem to have the easier R16 and R8 routes
I don’t like this format of 3 teams going through. Just encourages negative football & playing for 0-0 in the group stages. Either go back to 16 or make it 32. 24 is just confusing.
The 2006 World Cup had about 4 worldies in the opening game alone. The 2014 World Cup had some unbelievable goals too. I remember Cahill scoring an absolute thundercnut against Holland, Rodriguez bagged a few worldies that tournament. Van Persies header against Spain too.
Götze's winner was a beauty too
Still somewhat early days but do people have their team of the tournament so far ?
--------------------------Pickford--------------
Dumfries----De Ligt--Bonucci-----Shaw
--------------De Jong---Locatelli-------------
-------------------------Wijnaldum------------------
Berradi---------Immobele-------Griezmann
Special mentions: Lukaku, KDB, Mings, Spinazolla, Ronaldo, Gosens, Kante, Pogba, Danielson.
--------------------------Pickford--------------
Dumfries----De Ligt--Bonucci-----Shaw
--------------De Jong---Locatelli-------------
-------------------------Wijnaldum------------------
Berradi---------Immobele-------Griezmann
Special mentions: Lukaku, KDB, Mings, Spinazolla, Ronaldo, Gosens, Kante, Pogba, Danielson.
If Sweden will beat Poland then this is the Last 16 Round!!!!!
Belgium vs 3rd Group F
Italy vs Austria
Winner Group F vs Switzerland
Croatia vs Spain
Sweden vs Ukraine
England vs 2nd Group F
Netherlands vs Czech Republic
Wales vs Denmark
Belgium vs 3rd Group F
Italy vs Austria
Winner Group F vs Switzerland
Croatia vs Spain
Sweden vs Ukraine
England vs 2nd Group F
Netherlands vs Czech Republic
Wales vs Denmark
Round of 16.....
Don't know about you guys but that left of the bracket is absolutely BRUTAL....Italy, Belgium, Portugal, France, Spain
Other side it's England, Germany.....maybe Holland
Looks like the winner of the England/Germany match could make the Euro Finals
Don't know about you guys but that left of the bracket is absolutely BRUTAL....Italy, Belgium, Portugal, France, Spain
Other side it's England, Germany.....maybe Holland
Looks like the winner of the England/Germany match could make the Euro Finals