Match Day Thread EURO 2020(1?)

Donarumma off to PSG on a free. Hell of a signing that. Best keeper in the world.

 

He's a very good keeper and will be the best in the future but still behind Allisson, Oblak and Neuer for me.

 

At that point you might as well say **** it and have a capacity crowd?

 

So good to know that “dignitaries” are unable to carry the virus - presumably because of their lofty position …..
personally, I wouldn’t go anywhere near Wembley, even if (highly unlikely) one of the home nations are in the final

 

As much as Ukraine could desperately do with a goal, they could also do without conceding one. Every extra goal they lose by could become an extra goal which they need France to beat Portugal by, subject to what happens elsewhere.

 

Portugal will be delighted with this as it stands. Was really hoping this would be a draw.

 

Am I ring in thinking 3-0 France would have Ukraine as better?

Edit - Would have to be 4 actually cos of GS.

 

Excellent. Thanks Austria.

 

Four points and a zero GD moves from being the realistic qualifying bar, to the definite qualifying bar.

But almost certainly that will reduce to three points and a zero GD in a few hours.

 

Still think it's utter bollocks that you can play your last group game and not know whether you've qualified or not for 2 days.

They really need to bin this off next time round. Just bite the bullet and increase to 32, though that's farcical in itself having over 50% of teams qualify.

 

3-0 would do.

Portugal are +1. Ukraine are -1.

 

Oh I was right first time round.

Pepe red card in 5th minute please

 

If this was to happen, Spain could finish with a record which is sufficient to qualify (three points and a zero GD), but their 4th place finish would render it meaningless.

 

They want to avoid having 32 teams as you'd end up with so many pointless games where **** teams with no chance have qualified.

It also make qualifying a bit pointless because about 4 teams from each group will go through

 

Doing a thunderclap when you lose looks a bit pathetic TBH.

 

I know but this format is genuinely awful. 2nd placed teams getting easier ko ties than group winners. Teams failing to win a group match winning the tournament. Teams not knowing whether or not they've qualified after completing their group games.

It's nonsense.

 

Oh yeah, I agree this is crap and in need of changing. Just not sure what the solution is other than reverting to 16 teams

 

"We've lost six qualifying matches, including home and away to Bulgaria. And we've qualified!"

If they were to keep it at 24 teams next time, they could consider sending the top 8 seeds straight into the last 16? With a normal 4 x 4 group stage for the other 16.

(An alternative to that would be to introduce a preliminary KO round between the bottom 16, to play for the right to join the top 8 in the group stage. But in reality that concept already exists. It's called the qualifying play-offs!)

I think we're all on the same side of the current format being awful.

 

I agree, Hate the tension being watered down by "but we might still qualify if this happens". big final moments can be the best and you lose them like that.