Euro 2020 - AH Official Thread *READ OP BEFORE POSTING*

wawaman

fair play to australia for qualifying for the euros

Bobblehats

Man that sniffing was on overkill there toward the end

Peter Flynt

Arghus wrote: »

I think the jeopardy is lessened considerably if you know if you finish third you're more likely to go through.

Let's not forget that we were playing an already qualified Italy side in that third game, resting a lot of players. It was nailbiting from our perspective whether we could do it, but I don't think the Italians were unduly bothered about the result - we put in a few reducers in the first ten minutes to remind them that they weren't supposed to care - a lot of them looked delighted for Ireland in the end.

So far the football has been good in this tournament, but there was definitely a lot of limited sides in 2016 hoping to eke their way through the group stage by finishing third on three or four points and it led to a lot of drab games in the group stages.

The standard of this tournament has shown it can take 24 countries. The problem is that it creates a lot of drab qualifiers because realistically there are about 26-28 teams fighting for 24 places with the rest making up the numbers. So Germany v Gibraltar ain't exactly a nail biting qualifier.

To counteract they should have 11 groups of 5 with top 2 qualifying with the hosts and holders to make 24.

It's a great thing for countries, like Republic of Ireland or North Macedonia, to have their citizens qualify for a Euros.

Major tournaments should not be for the bigger populated countries only.

Tilden Katz

Arghus wrote: »

I think the jeopardy is lessened considerably if you know if you finish third you're more likely to go through.

Let's not forget that we were playing an already qualified Italy side in that third game, resting a lot of players. It was nailbiting from our perspective whether we could do it, but I don't think the Italians were unduly bothered about the result - we put in a few reducers in the first ten minutes to remind them that they weren't supposed to care - a lot of them looked delighted for Ireland in the end.

So far the football has been good in this tournament, but there was definitely a lot of limited sides in 2016 hoping to eke their way through the group stage by finishing third on three or four points and it led to a lot of drab games in the group stages.

The winners of the tournament eked through though! Portugal weren't even in the top two third place finishers. But with these tournaments, the cream tends to rise to the top. The winning team is rarely surprising (exception: Greece 2004) and nobody was surprised that Portugal won. But in the old system, they wouldn't have got out of the group.

Tchaikovsky

ebbsy wrote: »

That is when Italy are at their most dangerous, when they are written off.


I also expect England to batter Scotland tomorrow.

It's well within Scotland's remit to sneak a 1-0 victory over England tomorrow and then lose to a last minute goal against Croatia in the third game, going out on goal difference.

Arghus

Tilden Katz wrote: »

The winners of the tournament eked through though! Portugal weren't even in the top two third place finishers. But with these tournaments, the cream tends to rise to the top. The winning team is rarely surprising (exception: Greece 2004) and nobody was surprised that Portugal won. But in the old system, they wouldn't have got out of the group.

People were surprised that Portugal went all the way and won it. They were bang average in the group stages, played a dire match against Croatia, beat Poland in a penalty shoot out and finally performed well in the semis against Wales and nullified France who couldn't handle the pressure in the final. Fair play to them, but I would dispute that it was a case of the cream rising to crop, they had an awful lot of luck.

Aside from Belgium, who somehow managed to Belgium it up against Wales, the side of their draw was extremely kind. Spain, Italy, Germany, England, France were all on the other side. Portugal weren't a total left field bet, but if you told someone that you reckoned Portugal were going to go all the way and win after their second group game, they would have told you that you were crackers.

Sure, yeah, if it was a 16 team tournament, someone else would have won it - yeah, so? I don't see the problem to be honest.

Bobblehats

A resounding no thanks; to Brussels

Bobblehats

Get in.

Hermy

If they really wanted to pay tribute to Eriksen they could stop lying on the ground pretending they're hurt!

AllGunsBlazing

Denmark zipping it around.

Bobblehats

The shackles are on Belgium’s #9 atm but only a matter of time

Bobblehats

A half-blooded effort from braithewaite.

AllGunsBlazing

Thought Belgium would power back into this once the emotion of the occasion subsided. Haven't been at it all though.

Bobblehats

Maybe the heat is a factor in Copenhagen?


-its bacon out there.

trashcan

Bobblehats wrote: »

Maybe the heat is a factor in Copenhagen?


-its bacon out there.

A real sizzler alright.

AllGunsBlazing

That was brilliant all around.

Bobblehats

Lukaku breaks away like that you’ve got problems.

Bobblehats

Scorchio!

AllGunsBlazing

oooph!

YAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

Bobblehats

The dribble Lukaku went off on :eek:

Sadler Peak

Cracker

humberklog

Larbre34

Braithwaite oooooooooo

AllGunsBlazing

Better sides than Denmark will eviscerate that Belgian defence.

Bloody bottles coming in to the Belgian goal

Bobblehats

LUKAKU!

Dedicates his goal to Eriksen, then tears his team’s hopes to shreds.

Bobblehats

Next up we have a pair of ferocious looking things altogether.

Bobblehats

Sure, Holland has has fierce set of claws but Austria has a hammer and sickle and won’t be tied down. Let the battle commence.…

Sadler Peak

Keane looked better with the beard.

Bobblehats

Walkin’ in Memphis. 1-0

Bobblehats

Denzel is covering some ground out there

Say Your Number

Does Dumfries qualify to play for Scotland?

Bobblehats

Say Your Number wrote: »

Does Dumfries qualify to play for Scotland?

Might do? Depends if he’s left out in the cold

Bobblehats

I actually thought his name was Humphrey for so long.

Humphrey Dumfries, hahaha!

Bobblehats

…my goodness what a miss.

AllGunsBlazing

Bobblehats wrote: »

…my goodness what a miss.

A nice little cameo of why Holland will not be winning this tournament. One striker refused the chance and the other one blew it.

Bobblehats

Need to start finding him down that left flank again. Pass the Dutchie pon de left hand side

mzungu

Quality stuff from Holland.

Bobblehats

Oh there it is..

Arghus

The keeper moaning makes no sense. If it's offside the goal won't be awarded.

AllGunsBlazing

Walk it off lad...

Arghus

Zero attempts from the Austrians all game.

Arghus

Well, apart from just there.

Bobblehats

That Austrian centre back got an earful from Schlagger there. Shudder to think what he said

AllGunsBlazing

Oh dear.

Bobblehats

They squander some chances.

Muahahaha

Micah Richards on the Swedish player Danielson -"I find it hard to talk about him without thinking of the Karate Kid"

Bobblehats

Czechs v Checkers; let’s go

Bobblehats

A dour afternoon at Old Wembley.