Poland has been slumming it out in every game so far but have been able to play up to their competition in every game in the last two years. Super excited to see how this plays out. Could see them losing to Switzerland just as easily as I could see them making the semis.
Croatia is a great team though. Tough to see a win there.
I'm thinking a Belgium-Germany final, with Germany to win it.
__________________ "We are no longer living. We are empty of substance, and our head devours us. Our ancestors were more alive. Nothing separated them from themselves."
The phony war at the European Championship is over. Let the games begin. Playing 36 matches for the expedient of reducing 24 teams to a final 16 proved as bad an idea on grass as it always looked on paper.
UEFA have essentially come up with a scheme to reward failure as four third-place teams sail into the knockout rounds.
A return of fewer than two goals per game is not good entertainment, and it's hard to believe the new format had nothing to do with that. France's tepid goalless draw with Switzerland is 90 minutes of our lives we will never get back.
Under the old system, Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo would be flying home. Now, with three draws, they are parachuted into the soft side of the draw for the knockout rounds.
so sick of the whining to be honest. The system is far from being perfect, but this has been an interesting tournament where the suspected "small" countries have done really well and made things interesting while most of the "big" teams have been disappointing.
Last edited by devo22; 06-23-2016 at 02:01 PM.
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so sick of the whining to be honest. The system is far from being perfect, but this has been an interesting tournament where the suspected "small" countries have done really well and made things interesting while most of the "big" teams have been disappointing.
I'll agree to a point but most of that success has been because holding 10 men behind the ball pays off. As for the whining, sorry but they took a great tournament and diluted the crap out of it.
Anyways, at least we're at the knockout stages now so Italy can bunker down to three 0-0 draws, win on penalties and win the tournament.
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diluted? Nope. On the contrary, I think the likes of Hungary, Iceland, Albania, Northern Ireland, Wales and so on have breathed some new life into it, including a lot of awesome and passionate fans. Meanwhile the big countries have just been complaining about the new system, but have added absolutely nothing interesting to this tournament so far. On the contrary, many of them have been outright boring and disappointing. Maybe that happens when you think it's your god-given right to be there every single time.
also more teams equals more games. I won't complain about that.
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so sick of the whining to be honest. The system is far from being perfect, but this has been an interesting tournament where the suspected "small" countries have done really well and made things interesting while most of the "big" teams have been disappointing.
The new system clearly has it's benefits actually. I think people forget how many meaningless games there normally are in the 3rd round of the group stage. This year there were none.
I think people are also somewhat ignoring how much conditions on the field affect the style of game.
France has seen heavy rains pretty much throughout the tournament so far, so many fields have been in poor condition and slippery. This encourages safe play all around, especially safe passing plays and controlling the ball. Anyone trying to make a quick run could slip at any time and the balls have bounced around quite a bit, making long accurate passes more difficult. The style of the game in this tournament, and the lack of goals, is IMO a pretty direct result of the conditions, not the tournament system.
I also don't think major countries have really been that disappointing. Italy, France, Germany, Spain are still strong candidates to win the championship. In fact it's not very often that all four of those look this dangerous in the same tournament.
diluted? Nope. On the contrary, I think the likes of Hungary, Iceland, Albania, Northern Ireland, Wales and so on have breathed some new life into it, including a lot of awesome and passionate fans. Meanwhile the big countries have just been complaining about the new system, but have added absolutely nothing interesting to this tournament so far. On the contrary, many of them have been outright boring and disappointing. Maybe that happens when you think it's your god-given right to be there every single time.
also more teams equals more games. I won't complain about that.
On those points we can agree.
I just find that its been lacking in quality. And thats the last I'll say about it. Knockout rounds now.
__________________ The Beatings Shall Continue Until Morale Improves!
This Post Has Been Distilled for the Eradication of Seemingly Incurable Sadness.
The World Ends when you're dead. Until then, you've got more punishment in store. - Flames Fans
If you thought this season would have a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention.
