Euro 2012 Thread

It's a fucked up system and will probably be made even worse the next euros when 2 more teams to each group get added.

I think the head to head result between the two teams should be used instead of goal difference personally. Like with promotion and relegation issues in the football league. You beat some team home and away but they conceded 2 fewer goals than you over 46 games so you finish below them.. no natural justice in that is there?

doffcocker wrote:This is absolutely crackers.

As it stands...

P GD Points
1 Spain 3 4 5
2 Italy 3 1 5
3 Croatia 3 2 5
4 Ireland 3 -7 0

Italy and Croatia drew with one another, both drew with Spain and both (assuming it stays this way) beat Ireland, only Croatia beat Ireland by a greater margin and it is them that go home. Judging from Gary Lineker's explanation, I think even he is puzzled.

It's on goal difference, but only includes the games between the three teams on 5 points.

By the way, I would LOVE it if Croatia scored.

Goal difference.

I get it now, but it's fucking daft.

What happens then if Croatia and Spain finishes 1-1? Will they have to go back to basic rules for them to be separated? God forbid.

God, this Spain v France match is terminally boring. I don't care for technical football when it is as painful as this.

I still think France could sneak it.

Can't believe how poor France were, was very impressed by them against England, their passing was very good, controlled possession.

Here they look totally disorganised, He left Nasri out? For what reason i don't know.

Spain were good first half, second half sat back.

i see the English media are already planning for Germany... Italy a walkover then?

I doubt it. I reckon 1-0 to us. I think it will be a close game but we will just edge it.

Ollie Holt is such a fantastic Journalist.

Not too much sympathy for Laurent Blanc. England might not be his idea of a decent team but they've lasted longer than France

England have lasted "longer" than france.

thanks to being scheduled to play a day later....

You and Ollie are both right, in a way. England are playing a day later because they topped the group France were in, picking up 3 more points.

Well i suppose you could say "at least England beat Sweden"

They haven't lasted longer though... unless of course they win tomorrow, which would have been a better time for that comment... IMO.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Can't believe how poor France were, was very impressed by them against England, their passing was very good, controlled possession.

Here they look totally disorganised, He left Nasri out? For what reason i don't know.

Spain were good first half, second half sat back.

i see the English media are already planning for Germany... Italy a walkover then?

It had to happen. For the first time since 1966 we went into a tournament without being touted as worldbeaters by the English press. The players seem relaxed and there was little pressure on them. We put together 3 defensive performances against equally poor teams and off we go again. After all, if the media can't hype them up in the first place, how will they get to fill their rags slagging them off afterwards? There be nothing to put in the papers, potentially threatening jobs for the media boys. The whole media industry would grind to a halt if they weren't allowed to create a story, pretend it's true and then rabbit on ad nauseum about where it went wrong. It's the only thing they know how to do whether they're writing about footballers, politicians, celebs or anyone else that doesn't manage to stay below the radar.

Some of you are such negative bellends. You moan when England play shite and get knocked out early, you moan when England do better than expected and get through.

Shame on you all. You are English, show some fucking pride in your county.

Hipster_Nebula wrote:Can't believe how poor France were, was very impressed by them against England, their passing was very good, controlled possession.

Here they look totally disorganised, He left Nasri out? For what reason i don't know.

Spain were good first half, second half sat back.

i see the English media are already planning for Germany... Italy a walkover then?

I agree with you about France, they went out without a fight which was a real shame as they went into this tournament looking very strong and full of attacking talent.
I was very surprised he left out Nasri and for him to include Malouda in a central midfield role was bizarre. Are Spurs really thinking Lawrence White is some sort of amazing manager? They could have beaten Spain last night if they brought their A game.
Is it just me who thinks Spain look rubbish? They pass it about nicely but never get anywhere. It is like Barcelona without Messi. Barcelona rely so heavily on Messi to get goals, play killer passes, create chances for others. They don't have the best back line and they seem to play without a striker against the stronger nations. They are there to be beaten IMO. I haven't been impressed with them against Italy, Croatia or France now.
I actually think England can beat them as England can defend and will attack Spain on the counter attack.

Should be a good game tonight. Italy and England look very evenly matched. I thought Italy looked really good against Spain. I think both teams defend well and will cause each other problems when attacking. It is a hard one to call.

Even though Spain have scored the most goals and conceded the least they've been labelled as "poor" by quite a few in the media, especially, for some reason by Adrian Chiles, who chided them last night calling them "boring"

They haven't been at their very best, which is so imperious it's almost unplayable.

Germany have been most impressive to me, probably to most. They have talent all over the place, and a word class star in Ozil to pull the strings. Their back line is also severely underrated.

Oh well, that is the end of that. England looked awful in midfield. Milner and Parker just gave the ball away time and time again. Young is and was shit. Gerrard looks a shadow of the player he once was.
Italy are nothing flash and yet they battered England tonight.

Bottled it on the penalties.

Again!