England's Euro 2020 Exploits

[strung out]

I agree and I wouldn't in his place. I'm not actively suggesting they play to lose as such. Nevertheless, if they are drawing 75 minutes in, I wouldn't bust a gut to go for a winner. Ultimately though, a shit format. There aren't really any good formats if you have 24 teams, but the problem was the money grabbing bastards expanding it to 24 in the first place.

This happens in a 16 and 32 team format too.

 

[Wilf]

This happens in a 16 and 32 team format too.

Not the last WC - 32 teams, 8 groups, top 2 go through. Nor Euro 2012, which was the last time there were 16 teams (4 groups, top 2 go through).

 

[strung out]

I'd expand it to 32 teams. It's all well and good fans of big nations going on about diluting the quality of the tournament, but you try telling that to fans of Wales, Iceland, North Macedonia and Finland, who never would have seen a major tournament without it. I think the inclusion of smaller nations has added loads to this and the last tournament.

 

[strung out]

Not the last WC - 32 teams, 8 groups, top 2 go through. Nor Euro 2012, which was the last time there were 16 teams (4 groups, top 2 go through).

You were talking about playing tactically to try and finish second to avoid the better teams. It's happened loads.

 

[Wilf]

You were talking about playing tactically to try and finish second to avoid the better teams. It's happened loads.

Oh, yes, that's unavoidable. I meant the arsery that follows from there being 4/6 3rd place teams going through. It extends the tactical stuff to events outside your own group. It even gives a tiny advantage to teams playing later in the week as they know exactly what they'll need to do to beat the other 3rd place teams (as in where we are at now, where they all know 4 points and 3rd gets you though, along with some other formulation for goal difference if you come 3rd).

 

[Wilf]

I'd expand it to 32 teams. It's all well and good fans of big nations going on about diluting the quality of the tournament, but you try telling that to fans of Wales, Iceland, North Macedonia and Finland, who never would have seen a major tournament without it. I think the inclusion of smaller nations has added loads to this and the last tournament.

Must admit, I find the qualifying matches entirely tedious. Anything that got rid of that or cut it right down would get my vote.

 

[strung out]

Is it too late to invite Iceland, Northern Ireland, Norway, Bosnia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia in to make up a couple of groups and get rid of this third place nonsense?

 

[belboid]

This happens in a 16 and 32 team format too.

I was thinking this, but then realised why I was wrong. Sure, in this and various other examples we could choose, second may well get an 'easier' route than a group winner. But that is only because the expected winner didn't win, not because of an inherent problem with the system. The group winners will be unfortunate in playing the runners up in the strongest group, but the runners-up will (in this case) only have an easier tie because they too are runners-up. There is (in abstract theory) no advantage in winning the group because you will be playing a runner-up anyway. A runner up should always be playing a winner, it makes the only sense.

 

[Wilf]

Is it too late to invite Iceland, Northern Ireland, Norway, Bosnia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia in to make up a couple of groups and get rid of this third place nonsense?

Yeah, let's get uefa handing out wild card invites. I'm sure they'd do it on the basis of sporting merit and Corinthian fair play.

'And the team awarded the Cola Cola Marketing Award Free Pass is...'

 

[strung out]

UEFA do come up with good ideas sometimes - the Nations League is excellent.

 

[BristolEcho]

I'd expand it to 32 teams. It's all well and good fans of big nations going on about diluting the quality of the tournament, but you try telling that to fans of Wales, Iceland, North Macedonia and Finland, who never would have seen a major tournament without it. I think the inclusion of smaller nations has added loads to this and the last tournament.

I quite like watching the smaller teams. The stupid thing about this tournament has been that 3 teams qualifying removes a lot of of the tension.

 

[Wilf]

Anyway, after making numerous statistical claims about England's fortunes, I'll probably watch the Scotland game tonight.

 

[Rebelda]

Must admit, I find the qualifying matches entirely tedious. Anything that got rid of that or cut it right down would get my vote.

You don't have to watch them

 

[Wilf]

You don't have to watch them

 

[Lord Camomile]

Super fun fact of the day: far as I can tell, it's not possible to recreate the current England squad in FPL as you need to have 3 forwards in your squad, and Kane and DCL are the only England players listed as forwards in the game.

 

[Lord Camomile]

If this is right, it's a lot better than it could have been.

Except for the fact we're playing Germany next, of course

 

[littlebabyjesus]

It's an easier potential route than Belgium, also group winners, for sure. Portugal then potentially Italy, France to get to the final.

 

[Kaka Tim]

Wobbly Germany at Wembley. Totally winnable. 2nd place would have meant playing spain.


1-1 England win on penalties.

 

[ruffneck23]

i agree, but just cos its fixed lol

 

[tommers]

Shitehawks.

 

[Kaka Tim]

If we get past the germans - its a totally winnable route to getting tonked by Italy in the final



Quarters - Sweden or Ukraine

Semis - Wales, Netherlands, Czech Republic or Denmark

 

[imposs1904]

I don't see why Southgate shouldn't throw in Sancho and Bellingham into the first 11 for the game against Germany. What's he got to lose?

 

[Steel Icarus]

The fruits of this lukewarm progress are clear enough. As things stand selection for the knockout stage will involve picking whichever of England’s attackers are playing least badly. So many of these prized creative footballers look as if they’re trying really hard to remember something.

Harry Kane, such a romping, vital presence in the Premier League, has been wandering around these Euros looking glazed and sad, a consumptive Victorian undertaker bravely seeing out his duties.

From England’s meandering Euro 2020 journey is about to bring its first note of jeopardy

 

[Rebelda]

I'm working 12-8pm next Tuesday

 

[Rebelda]

Might see if I can swap to a 10-6 at the very least.

 

[1927]

Might see if I can swap to a 10-6 at the very least.

As long as you’re home for the inevitable loss on penalties you’ll be fine!

 

[Wilf]

If this is right, it's a lot better than it could have been.

Except for the fact we're playing Germany next, of course

Not entirely surprising with the format, but not a single big name was knocked out. Poland getting the boot was probably the nearest there was to a shock (21st in the Fifa rankings)?

 

[strung out]

Not entirely surprising with the format, but not a single big name was knocked out. Poland getting the boot was probably the nearest there was to a shock (21st in the Fifa rankings)?

All the fash scum got knocked out at least though. Erdogan, Orban, Putin.

 

[Lord Camomile]

Not entirely surprising with the format, but not a single big name was knocked out. Poland getting the boot was probably the nearest there was to a shock (21st in the Fifa rankings)?

We did come close in Group F, but aye, pretty much everyone got through in the end.

 

[Wilf]

We did come close in Group F, but aye, pretty much everyone got through in the end.

Yeah, that was great last night watching the table shift round. Hungary's 2 points worth 4 or 5 in any other group.