France V Holland

[Phenotypic Dai]

Should be a goodie, this one.

France have really got to up their urgency a bit. They played their first game at a pace that suggested they were already through.

Holland, on the other hand, looked exceedingly groovy.



The Dutch at a canter, IMO.

 

[kained&able]

Go on france!

dave

 

[Sasaferrato]

This indeed should be a good one.

COME ON FRANCE!

( If Scotland had made it to the finals, I would have been supporting France after they got beaten. )

 

[Sasaferrato]

Ye gods, look at the number of Dutch supporters!

 

[TrippyLondoner]

Come on holland!

 

[Phenotypic Dai]

I'm still holding out a vain hope, against all the evidence, that somehow the "Metro Fantasy Football Doo-Dah" will sort itself out tomorrow.

Therefore I'm looking for a couple of goals from Van Nistlerooy, another from Van der Vaart and an appearance of any sort from Ribery.

 

[TrippyLondoner]

Kuyt!! 1-0

 

[Sasaferrato]

Van Bronkhorst must be getting on a bit now.

Oh bugger.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Fascinating fact: France and Italy, finalists in the last World Cup, cannot now both qualify unless - as well as a remarkable set* of last-round scores - France score at least four goals in this game.

[* Holland would have to have a low-scoring, preferably goalless draw with Romania and Italy beat France by exactly three goals with France scoring nevertheless.]

 

[Sasaferrato]

Holland certainly getting the run of play.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Fascinating fact: France and Italy, finalists in the last World Cup, cannot now both qualify unless - as well as a remarkable set* of last-round scores - France score at least four goals in this game.

[* Holland would have to have a low-scoring, preferably goalless draw with Romania and Italy beat France by exactly three goals with France scoring nevertheless.]

It's often the way though isn't it... Italy made the World Cup final in 94 and then went out at the group stage in 96, ditto germany in 2002/2004...

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Even more fascinating: if the Dutch win this, both France and Italy will go out if Romania beat the Dutch in the last round, The Dutch will have nothing to play for, having already clinched first place in the group.

 

[Sasaferrato]

Even more fascinating: if the Dutch win this, both France and Italy will go out if Romania beat the Dutch in the last round, The Dutch will have nothing to play for, having already clinched first place in the group.

I wouldn't have thought that you were a football aficionado.

 

[Bonfirelight]

Ye gods, look at the number of Dutch supporters!

The dutch always seem to create a sea of orange, but now you mention it, has anyone else noticed that every game seems to have massive numbers of fans in their team colours?

its like they're giving away replica shirts with every ticket

 

[rosa]

Am i going mental or did anyone else see the French fan with the actual live chicken?

 

[Sasaferrato]

Am i going mental or did anyone else see the French fan with the actual live chicken?

It wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

I wouldn't have thought that you were a football aficionado.

You say so because?

(More than a thousand games attended, ten straight years without missing a home game, many years writing for a football magazine, two books on the subject, etcetcetc)

 

[Donna Ferentes]

On the subject of being ill-informed: what's the tie-break if sides have identical records?

If France equalise and this game ends 1-1, France and Romania will be exactly level. If they then draw their last round games with identical scores they will be second and third in the group - but who will be which?

 

[Phenotypic Dai]

Odd first half. Started with a bang then faded dramatically.

Bit like most of my relationships.

If either of them showed a bit more cohesion, then it'd be there for the taking.

Makelele should be having a lonesome bath by now.

 

[Phenotypic Dai]

On the subject of being ill-informed: what's the tie-break if sides have identical records?

If France equalise and this game ends 1-1, France and Romania will be exactly level. If they then draw their last round games with identical scores they will be second and third in the group - but who will be which?

From UEFA:

Linky

Equality of points after the group matches
If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following criteria are applied to determine the rankings.
a) Higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question.
b) Superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question.
c) Higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question.
d) Higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played among the teams in question.
e) If, after applying criteria a) to d) to several teams, two or more teams still have an equal ranking, the criteria a) to d) will be reapplied to determine the ranking of these teams. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria f) and g) will apply.
f) Results of all group matches: 1. Superior goal difference 2. Higher number of goals scored 3. Higher number of goals scored away from home 4. Fair play conduct.
g) Drawing of lots.

 

[rosa]

You say so because?

(More than a thousand games attended, ten straight years without missing a home game, many years writing for a football magazine, two books on the subject, etcetcetc)

Which magazine? I'm curious now...

 

[Donna Ferentes]

When Saturday Comes

 

[Donna Ferentes]

From UEFA:

Linky

Ta. So what was all that about penalties if the Czechs draw with Turkey?

 

[mitochondria]

i like dutch pinball

 

[Sasaferrato]

You say so because?

(More than a thousand games attended, ten straight years without missing a home game, many years writing for a football magazine, two books on the subject, etcetcetc)

No real reason, just didn't.

Which team do you support?

 

[marty21]

i reckon the french are out - they ain't playing well enough to equalise


as i wrote that henry fluffed one

 

[Phenotypic Dai]

Ta. So what was all that about penalties if the Czechs draw with Turkey?

There's probably about 3 or 4 people who understand it all.

Us mere mortals have to rely on things like 'head to head' and goal difference.

After that it becomes a bit like quantum physics.

 

[TrippyLondoner]

2-0!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sasaferrato]

That was beautiful play from Holland.

 

[marty21]

the dutch are through now, without mathematics - that'll be 6 points then