Group of Death (F) - France, Germany, Portugal and Hungary | Took it too literally

Maciej

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The current World Cup winners
The current European Championship winners
The previous World Cup winners
and Hungary

Tue 15 June, Hungary v Portugal, 18:00 CEST, Budapest
Tue 15 June, France v Germany, 21:00 CEST, Munich

Sat 19 June, Hungary v France, 15:00 CEST, Budapest
Sat 19 June, Portugal v Germany, 18:00 CEST, Munich

Wed 23 June, Portugal v France, 21:00 CEST, Budapest
Wed 23 June, Germany v Hungary, 21:00 CEST, Munich
 

Dante

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The two teams that score the most against Hungary will go through on goal difference.
 

Samid

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The two teams that score the most against Hungary will go through on goal difference.
If all three teams beat Hungary and it comes down to goal difference between the three then 3rd place will 99.9999% also qualify.
 

DWelbz19

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What’s the path for whoever finishes third in this? I have Portugal as my dark horses (have to represent the status) but I could easily see them finishing third in this group.
 

TrustInJanuzaj

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My predictions are as follows:

France vs Portugal = 1-1
France vs Germany = 3-0
France vs Hungary = 3-1

Portugal vs Germany = 2-1
Portugal vs Hungary = 4-0

Germany vs Hungary = 2-0

Team / Points / For / Against
France = 7 / 7 / 2
Portugal = 7 / 6 (edit 7) / 2
Germany = 3 / 3 / 5
Hungary = 0 / 1 / 9

I just can't see anything other than France/Portugal 1/2 and I have them pretty close but also wouldn't be surprised if France just edges it and beat them. I don't think Germany are great at all and I see them struggling and losing both games against France & Portugal.
 
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saivet

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dont four of the third placed teams go through as well?
Wouldnt be surprised to see France Germany and Portugal all progress
I think so too. Looking at the last Euros Portugal and Northen Ireland progressed with 3 points and a GD of 0. I guess the key for whoever finishes 3rd is to beat Hungary comfortably and to not be on the end of a battering from either of the other two.
 

Cloud7

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My prediction is France and Germany to go through. Also everyone is completely writing off Hungary entirely, but I’m almost sure they’re going to pull off an upset result in at least one of their matches, be it a draw or a win.
 

Wumminator

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My predictions are as follows:

France vs Portugal = 1-1
France vs Germany = 3-0
France vs Hungary = 3-1

Portugal vs Germany = 2-1
Portugal vs Hungary = 4-0

Germany vs Hungary = 2-0

Team / Points / For / Against
France = 7 / 7 / 2
Portugal = 7 / 6 / 2
Germany = 3 / 3 / 5
Hungary = 0 / 1 / 9

I just can't see anything other than France/Portugal 1/2 and I have them pretty close but also wouldn't be surprised if France just edges it and beat them. I don't think Germany are great at all and I see them struggling and losing both games against France & Portugal.
Youve done your maths wrong.
 

saivet

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My prediction is France and Germany to go through. Also everyone is completely writing off Hungary entirely, but I’m almost sure they’re going to pull off an upset result in at least one of their matches, be it a draw or a win.
I can't say I know a great deal about him but Hungary are missing Szoboszlai, who is one of their only 'top level' players. Home advantage could help them against France or Portugal but I can't see it making much of a difference.
 

Rektsanwalt

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Extremely competetive group, even with Löw. France to go through for sure. Hungary won't. The battle really is between Germany and Portugal and even if the current german squad isn't that great, there's no excuse for Löw at all if the german national team doesn't make it out of groups again. Historic underachievement already last world cup, must not happen again.
 

Boavista

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It's not really a group of death if potentially 3 out of 4 teams can qualify. It's a shame they've diluted the format like that.
 

bosnian_red

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Portugal IMO is right up there with France with the strongest team. Germany I think will disappoint again, but due to the 3rs place thing will make it far.

3rd place in that group if they qualify as one of the best 3rd placed teams will have a huge advantage in terms of fixtures IMO, 2nd is the worst spot to land in.

Think it'll be:
  1. France
  2. Portugal
  3. Germany
  4. Hungary
And it'll be Portugal - England in the Ro16.
 

diarm

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I can't say I know a great deal about him but Hungary are missing Szoboszlai, who is one of their only 'top level' players. Home advantage could help them against France or Portugal but I can't see it making much of a difference.
Shit. I was really looking forward to watching him against such good opposition.
 

Cloud7

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I can't say I know a great deal about him but Hungary are missing Szoboszlai, who is one of their only 'top level' players. Home advantage could help them against France or Portugal but I can't see it making much of a difference.
I know nothing about them, but it’s an international tournament. Upsets here and there are bound to happen. I very much doubt they’re going to end the group on zero points.
 

anant

Correctly predicted Italy to win Euro 2020
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The 3rd placed team, if they progress, have a pretty easy route till Semis I believe
 

Jacob

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The 3rd placed team, if they progress, have a pretty easy route till Semis I believe
Yeah, that's why I think Portugal will reach the final to play France, having finished 3rd in their group.
 

Gio

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Just had a look, it's like this
  1. Higher number of points obtained;
  2. Superior goal difference;
  3. Higher number of goals scored;
  4. Fair play conduct;
  5. Position in the Uefa national team coefficient ranking system.
Seems silly.
Same as the 24-team World Cups in 1986 through to 1994. It was quite convoluted then. For example, at Italia '90 Scotland had to wait for the results of the other groups the day after their final match to see if they would go through. They were qualifying until the final minute of the group stages when Uruguay grabbed an injury-time winner against South Korea to squeeze through. The cnuts. @antohan.

Format worked better though purely because the depth of quality at World Cups was greater than what we have in the Euros now. Most groups had 3 strong teams in it from across the world. And 2 points for a win in 1986 and 1990 meant they were tighter, which helped to generate more drama.
 

Samid

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What's that shite? You can go through if you're 3rd? Missed that
Did you live under a rock in 2016? That's how the eventual winners qualified. They failed to win a single game in their group and only won one game in 90 minutes throughout the tournament.

Large parts of that tournament was dull as dishwater thanks to the change in format.
 

Scorpy

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Hungary are the obvious outsider in this group, but they're still a decent, well-organised team, so can see them nicking a couple of draws. Don't think they'll get battered by anyone.
 

Siorac

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Imagine Hungary upsets everyone and finish first or second :lol:
That would be comparable to Greece winning Euro 2004.

I'll be there in the stadium for our games against Portugal and France. It would be nice to somehow snatch a draw in one of them but I don't have high hopes though we managed a 3-3 against Portugal in 2016.
 

Swiss_Red89

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That would be comparable to Greece winning Euro 2004.

I'll be there in the stadium for our games against Portugal and France. It would be nice to somehow snatch a draw in one of them but I don't have high hopes though we managed a 3-3 against Portugal in 2016.
How is the quality of your current team then? Would you be optimistic to go through if you were in one of the other groups?
 

Siorac

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How is the quality of your current team then? Would you be optimistic to go through if you were in one of the other groups?
As someone said above, it's a solid team and unlikely (though it's not impossible) to get battered but we've qualified by the skin of our teeth, winning knockout games with so-so performances. With Szoboszlai and Kalmár both out of the squad, midfield creativity is going to be a huge issue - even with Szoboszlai in the team, we had tremendous difficulties with breaking down Iceland in the playoff final. We don't really have reliable goalscorers either.

I took a look at other groups and I wouldn't fancy us in any of them. There might be a chance in Group C if we were there instead of North Macedonia. Maybe in Group B, at a pinch. But in any groups, it would be a huge achievement and a surprise if we qualified. In this one, it would be nothing short of a miracle.
 

SuperiorXI

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Did you live under a rock in 2016? That's how the eventual winners qualified. They failed to win a single game in their group and only won one game in 90 minutes throughout the tournament.

Large parts of that tournament was dull as dishwater thanks to the change in format.
Yes, have you got a problem with people living under rocks? Reported

Shite rule, rewarding average-ness.
 

jetlee

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Yeah, I was looking forward to causing a bit of an upset in this group (Hungary). But with Szoboszlai out I can see maybe 1 point against either Portugal or Germany.
I have to say though that this is a ridiculously difficult group, so even 3 tight losses are good enough I think.
France I think will win this group and I'm not sure the Germans will even qualify for last 16.
 

Pexbo

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Just drew Hungary in my work sweepstake :drool: