What a strange and beautiful game it is - Hungary will probably reach the last 16 owing to a combination of scoring with the last kick of the game v Scotland, and Italy scoring with the last kick of the game v Croatia. For them to go out Slovenia would have to beat England, among other things.
Still hate 3rd placed teams going through, though!
I agree 100%. Pedestrian possession based football from Scotland, while playing most of the game with a flat back 5 in a game they needed to win…crazy.
Why don’t they play League One football with ‘long passes’ added in?
Agree it's an odd system where 2 points might be enough to progress, whereas in the Belgian group they could all have 4 points and whoever is bottom wouldn't progress.
I haven’t been enjoying the games either, modern football has coalesced into a single system of every man behind the ball, gentle nudge just enough to put the player off when receiving the ball but not enough for the ref to call a foul, fall over whenever you lose a 50/50, stop play at set pieces by falling over and holding your head, nip the break in bud early with cynical block, always kick/carry/throw the ball away, get some cramp to run down the clock. It has been turgid fayre.
Selfishly hoping for Slovenia, Slovakia, and Austria to all get through - I’m on holiday in those three countries over the next 10 days so would love to be able to watch one of them play whilst I’m there!
That moment when you realize that all of the group stage palaver has just been to remove 8 (rather mediocre) teams, and that if it was a 16 team tournament like it used to be, they would not have been there to begin with.
BTW, if France can't find a way to score in this half, they will join Germany, Spain and Portugal in the other half of the draw (assuming England win the group).
The permutations seem to be changing every 30 seconds. Now the Dutch have equalized and Poland have a penalty which they miss, but is going to be retaken...
...edit, and Austria score right as a finish writing that!
...double edit, and Poland score the retaken pen. Austria now winning the group!
And there is another soft one, but this time the defender at least makes contact with the attacker rather than the other way around. But isn’t there a rule against stopping during the run up? Farsical stuff.
Southgate does work his flukey magic! Barring upsets, QF lineup in other half will be Germany v Spain and France v Portugal.
That being said, we could have to go Netherlands, Italy/Switzerland, and something like Belgium/Austria, and some of those teams may actually be in better form than the favourites.
I am sick of the stutter runup with pens. Against the spirit of the law if not the letter. I think players should have to maintain a consistent speed throughout the runup.
Comments
England have reached the last 16
What a strange and beautiful game it is - Hungary will probably reach the last 16 owing to a combination of scoring with the last kick of the game v Scotland, and Italy scoring with the last kick of the game v Croatia. For them to go out Slovenia would have to beat England, among other things.
Still hate 3rd placed teams going through, though!
I expect England to play well in the last game now, because of the pressure of qualification being off and to answer the critics. 3-0 or something.
Am I right in thinking that Croatia (love ‘em) can still go through if England beat Slovenia by 3-0 or more ?
I think Serbia would also need to lose and results in the Czech group would also have to go their way.
I agree 100%. Pedestrian possession based football from Scotland, while playing most of the game with a flat back 5 in a game they needed to win…crazy.
Why don’t they play League One football with ‘long passes’ added in?
Agree it's an odd system where 2 points might be enough to progress, whereas in the Belgian group they could all have 4 points and whoever is bottom wouldn't progress.
But thems the rules so ..
Sounds like another country I can think of
This Time
More than any other time
We're going to find a way
Pure poetry.
It's a truly woeful format really.
But do we really want to go up to 8 groups of 4 instead of 6? As that'd be their next move.
Yes. More football = good.
Would be more sensible. At least teams would know they have to finish first or second
I got the feeling you weren't enjoying a lot of games so far. Maybe that was just England and Scotland.
Those have been easily the worst games. Been loving watching Spain though, and all the late drama we've been getting.
I haven’t been enjoying the games either, modern football has coalesced into a single system of every man behind the ball, gentle nudge just enough to put the player off when receiving the ball but not enough for the ref to call a foul, fall over whenever you lose a 50/50, stop play at set pieces by falling over and holding your head, nip the break in bud early with cynical block, always kick/carry/throw the ball away, get some cramp to run down the clock. It has been turgid fayre.
Selfishly hoping for Slovenia, Slovakia, and Austria to all get through - I’m on holiday in those three countries over the next 10 days so would love to be able to watch one of them play whilst I’m there!
Isn't that where it's headed anyway?
That moment when you realize that all of the group stage palaver has just been to remove 8 (rather mediocre) teams, and that if it was a 16 team tournament like it used to be, they would not have been there to begin with.
BTW, if France can't find a way to score in this half, they will join Germany, Spain and Portugal in the other half of the draw (assuming England win the group).
Can Southgate work his draw-opening magic again?
Dembele found a way to fall over in the area.
England may get whoever comes 3rd in this group, which would actually be a very hard R16 draw, whether it is Austria or the Netherlands.
The permutations seem to be changing every 30 seconds. Now the Dutch have equalized and Poland have a penalty which they miss, but is going to be retaken...
...edit, and Austria score right as a finish writing that!
...double edit, and Poland score the retaken pen. Austria now winning the group!
And there is another soft one, but this time the defender at least makes contact with the attacker rather than the other way around. But isn’t there a rule against stopping during the run up? Farsical stuff.
Keown is on a mission to get it all wrong in this France - Poland game.
Didn't think it was a pen. Didn't think the keeper moved.
Lewandowski is a lucky fella though. Horrible stop start pen technique, just about squeezed the 2nd go in.
Austria are a joy to watch. Having them in our side of the draw instead of France may actually not be any kind of reprieve!
Rangnick's 5D chess will be your downfall.You'll easily beat the Dutch
Southgate does work his flukey magic! Barring upsets, QF lineup in other half will be Germany v Spain and France v Portugal.
That being said, we could have to go Netherlands, Italy/Switzerland, and something like Belgium/Austria, and some of those teams may actually be in better form than the favourites.
Surely that start-stop-start technique from Lewandowski is against the rules? If it isn't it should be...
I am sick of the stutter runup with pens. Against the spirit of the law if not the letter. I think players should have to maintain a consistent speed throughout the runup.