Euro 2016

[Flamin]

All the good teams in the same side of the draw table, **** this. Thanks to the referee behind the goal line who didn't have the balls to let Ramos retake the penalty. It's so annoying when keepers ALWAYS get away with that, but this one was just ridiculous.

Croatia did great though, nothing against them. I'm becoming a fan actually and, from the teams that are on that side of the draw, I hope they make it to the final.

 

[jsem94]

Re:

All the good teams in the same side of the draw table, **** this. Thanks to the referee behind the goal line who didn't have the balls to let Ramos retake the penalty. It's so annoying when keepers ALWAYS get away with that, but this one was just ridiculous.

Croatia did great though, nothing against them. I'm becoming a fan actually and, from the teams that are on that side of the draw, I hope they make it to the final.

Not an excuse for Ramos poor penalty though. But I agree, the goal line referees have got to become tougher.

 

[The Hitch]

A bit unfair that some teams' reward for winning easy groups is to face a 3rd place team. Italy's reward for winning the group of death is to face the 2nd team from the 2nd best group.

Especially France who if I understand correctly were guaranteed from before the tournament to face a 3rd place team, and got a piss easy group to boot. Home cooking.

 

[sniper]

Re:

A bit unfair that some teams' reward for winning easy groups is to face a 3rd place team. Italy's reward for winning the group of death is to face the 2nd team from the 2nd best group.

Especially France who if I understand correctly were guaranteed from before the tournament to face a 3rd place team, and got a piss easy group to boot. Home cooking.

the draw for the knock-outs is a total mess.
absolutely ridiculous.
i'm not sure anyone understands and I can't imagine they keep this format for the next EC.

 

[gooner]

Re: Re:

A bit unfair that some teams' reward for winning easy groups is to face a 3rd place team. Italy's reward for winning the group of death is to face the 2nd team from the 2nd best group.

Especially France who if I understand correctly were guaranteed from before the tournament to face a 3rd place team, and got a piss easy group to boot. Home cooking.

the draw for the knock-outs is a total mess.
absolutely ridiculous.
i'm not sure anyone understands and I can't imagine they keep this format for the next EC.

Agree, but I don't think anything can happen until the 2024 Euros.

With the stadiums decided for Euro 2020 for it to be held across Europe, it's already known how many games each stadium will have and at what stage of the competition.

There is no way they will change that now for 4 years time.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

All the good teams in the same side of the draw table, **** this. Thanks to the referee behind the goal line who didn't have the balls to let Ramos retake the penalty. It's so annoying when keepers ALWAYS get away with that, but this one was just ridiculous.

Croatia did great though, nothing against them. I'm becoming a fan actually and, from the teams that are on that side of the draw, I hope they make it to the final.

As an English fan I am even more gutted about Mondays poor performance now, The top half of the draw potentially only has Belgium and Croatia as strong sides left. The bottom half has Germany, Italy, Spain, France, England and maybe Portugal. In fact, only 1 of Germany, Spain and Italy will be in the semi-final!

It's a great opportunity for teams like Wales or Poland to perhaps make the last 4 of a major tournament.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Re: Re:

the draw for the knock-outs is a total mess.
absolutely ridiculous.
i'm not sure anyone understands and I can't imagine they keep this format for the next EC.

A draw can only be made to keep higher seeded teams apart: if teams fail to qualify in the position that their ranking/seeding would project, that is not the organisers' fault.

English and Spanish players are responsible for the presence of those teams in the bottom half of the draw, not UEFA.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

If we want a fair competition, seeding shouldn't even exist.

 

[sniper]

Re: Re:

the draw for the knock-outs is a total mess.
absolutely ridiculous.
i'm not sure anyone understands and I can't imagine they keep this format for the next EC.

A draw can only be made to keep higher seeded teams apart: if teams fail to qualify in the position that their ranking/seeding would project, that is not the organisers' fault.

English and Spanish players are responsible for the presence of those teams in the bottom half of the draw, not UEFA.

There is no explanation why some nr1's play against nr2's, whilst other nr1's play against nr3's.
I tried to look up Germany's next opponent, and it said something like "nr3 of group A/C/D".
It's a mess.

 

[hrotha]

Re:

If we want a fair competition, seeding shouldn't even exist.

On the contrary, the point of seeding is to make all groups and sides of the bracket roughly equal, which is fairer for everyone involved.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re: Re:

If we want a fair competition, seeding shouldn't even exist.

On the contrary, the point of seeding is to make all groups and sides of the bracket roughly equal, which is fairer for everyone involved.

Nah, seeding is intended to keep the headline-grabbing teams in the competition for longer by having them play only against minnows in the early stages.

 

[hrotha]

Well, regardless of the intent, keeping things fairer is what it does in practice. How would those smaller teams like it if they ended up in a group with three top teams?

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re:

Well, regardless of the intent, keeping things fairer is what it does in practice. How would those smaller teams like it if they ended up in a group with three top teams?

Why would that be unfair?

 

[hrotha]

Because if some groups are stacked, others will be far too easy? It already happens with a seeding system; without it, it would be even worse.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re:

Because if some groups are stacked, others will be far too easy? It already happens with a seeding system; without it, it would be even worse.

As long as it's done randomly (and, therefore, everyone has an equal chance of being in an easy or difficult group), where's the problem with that?

 

[jsem94]

Everyone has the same chances before the draw emerges, so it is fair. But from a viewing standpoint it's not very pleasant if one half of the draw turns out to be stacked like now. Part of the problem of this Euros was the 24 group system which made latter groups have to face more difficult opponents in the round of 16.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re:

Everyone has the same chances before the draw emerges, so it is fair. But from a viewing standpoint it's not very pleasant if one half of the draw turns out to be stacked like now. Part of the problem of this Euros was the 24 group system which made latter groups have to face more difficult opponents in the round of 16.

You are right in pointing out that what's fair and what makes for interesting viewing are not always the same.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Because if some groups are stacked, others will be far too easy? It already happens with a seeding system; without it, it would be even worse.

As long as it's done randomly (and, therefore, everyone has an equal chance of being in an easy or difficult group), where's the problem with that?

No, I disagree completely. I would absolutely hate it to see Italy, Germany, France and Spain in the same group, while Ireland, Ukraine, Czech Republic and Romania are in another. It's unfair on a team that has been good for the last 4 years with semi finals in the World Cup and Euros, go unbeaten through qualifying to be drawn into an impossible group. It's not to let big teams go further; it's the meritocratic, just way.

 

[markene2]

Áfram Ísland!

 

[The Hitch]

Football is surely the only sport in the world where in a tie situation, both teams will willingly just waste time until the clock expires

 

[BigMac]

Too much to lose, I guess.

Meanwhile Iceland wins their match and Portugal falls to third in the group.

Good for England, not necessarily good for Portugal as we are facing Croatia.

 

[markene2]

Too much to lose, I guess.

Meanwhile Iceland wins their match and Portugal falls to third in the group.

Good for England, not necessarily good for Portugal as we are facing Croatia.

Island will win over England.

Áfram Ísland!

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Iceland - nice.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Too much to lose, I guess.

Meanwhile Iceland wins their match and Portugal falls to third in the group.

Good for England, not necessarily good for Portugal as we are facing Croatia.

Obviously it's good for Portugal, or would you prefer to be in the bottom half of the draw?

 

[gooner]

So if Ireland win, they will get France. In that scenario, Wales will play Northern Ireland. If the one of the best third place teams don't come out of this group tonight, Northern Ireland will play France.

That being said, I don't think Ireland will beat Italy. O'Neill playing Keogh and Duffy at centre back and they haven't really played together. Ridiculous to drop O'Shea and Hoolahan.

Bringing Murphy into the team up front alongside Long, I would hope it's not long ball nonsense and by pass the midfield in the process.