Football

[Sinbabad 937]

Can Georgia do like Greece in 2004 ? We’ll see as they’re going to face Spain, to me the best team, next Monday.

[BuffaloPhil 729]

18 hours ago, Sinbabad said:

Can Georgia do like Greece in 2004 ? We’ll see as they’re going to face Spain, to me the best team, next Monday.

 

Quite honestly I'd be amazed if that wasn't the end of their road. But I just hope, if it is, that they go out the way they've approached the tournament thus far - they've been an absolute breath of fresh air.

 

It's interesting that while a large number of vocal English fans have been loudly proclaiming that we have no chance against any half-decent team, the bookies (who generally are pretty good at these things) still have England as favourites. Certainly that's going to be in part because we have an "easier" half of the draw, but how often do we see teams starting tournaments slowly, improving once we get to the knockout stage and ultimately winning it. Remember Argentina losing to Saudi Arabia at the last World Cup - whatever happened to them?

[DCI Frank Burnside 3,441]

Austria more likely to do a Greece IMO. 

[RoverAndOut 4,078]

1 hour ago, DCI Frank Burnside said:

Austria more likely to do a Greece IMO. 

 

I was going to say the same thing. Would not be surprised if we were playing them in the semi (assuming we beat Slovakia and Italy/Switzerland). Georgia would likely need to beat Spain, Germany and Portugal or France to get to the final. That's a big ask.

[RoverAndOut 4,078]

1 hour ago, BuffaloPhil said:

 

Quite honestly I'd be amazed if that wasn't the end of their road. But I just hope, if it is, that they go out the way they've approached the tournament thus far - they've been an absolute breath of fresh air.

 

It's interesting that while a large number of vocal English fans have been loudly proclaiming that we have no chance against any half-decent team, the bookies (who generally are pretty good at these things) still have England as favourites. Certainly that's going to be in part because we have an "easier" half of the draw, but how often do we see teams starting tournaments slowly, improving once we get to the knockout stage and ultimately winning it. Remember Argentina losing to Saudi Arabia at the last World Cup - whatever happened to them?

 

Spain lost in 2010 to Switzerland first up as I recall too...

[msc 18,045]

3 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

 

Spain lost in 2010 to Switzerland first up as I recall too...

Aye and then Spain bored their way to the title!

 

Austria have impressed me too. Before the tournament I heard folk talking them up and thought "in that group? Good luck". And they went and won it. Turkey have been fun too. Should be a good game, that. Watch it end 0-0 now.

 

The less said about Scotland the better. 

[The Old Crem 3,319]

1 hour ago, DCI Frank Burnside said:

Austria more likely to do a Greece IMO. 

Through other than the fact they a non big nation they rather different. Austria are enjoyable to watch. Greece 2004 were not. 

[Sinbabad 937]

The only future European Champion who, like Austria, lost his opening game, are the Netherlands in Euro 88, who was also hosted by Germany.

[maryportfuncity 10,239]

On 27/06/2024 at 18:17, DCI Frank Burnside said:

Austria more likely to do a Greece IMO. 

 

 

Yeah, was in Vienna a fortnight ago and having a beer with a few locals who reckoned their side lack stars but have organisation and a sense of their own strength, they fancied them as an outside bet to go the whole way

[Bibliogryphon 9,075]

1 hour ago, maryportfuncity said:

 

 

Yeah, was in Vienna a fortnight ago and having a beer with a few locals who reckoned their side lack stars but have organisation and a sense of their own strength, they fancied them as an outside bet to go the whole way

 

I was visiting a company in Austria just before the tournament started. They thought they had a group of Death so progress beyond the group stages would be a victory. 

[RoverAndOut 4,078]

Switzerland-Austria semi-final anybody? The Alpine Derby.

[Sly Ronnie 756]

Lineker pun incoming: Like taking Akanji from a baby.

[ladyfiona 2,267]

Thor seems to be having an input about how Germany v Denmark match will go.

[RoverAndOut 4,078]

1 hour ago, ladyfiona said:

Thor seems to be having an input about how Germany v Denmark match will go.

 

Not as much as Michael bloody Oliver and Stuart bloody Atwell. Always the English refs (except when it's the Argentinian and Romanian ones).

[En Passant 3,213]

7 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

 

Not as much as Michael bloody Oliver and Stuart bloody Atwell. Always the English refs (except when it's the Argentinian and Romanian ones).

 

I gave up on it when it went to 2-0. You just knew it wasn't Denmarks day.

These ball-to-hand(arm) in natural position penalties just look ludicrous to me as a non football afficionado (I know I keep putting this disclaimer, but, well, y'know).

It also leads to those bloody silly views of defenders bouncing about with both hands clasped behind their backs like they were pogo-ing in a mosh pit or something.

[msc 18,045]

29 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

 

Not as much as Michael bloody Oliver and Stuart bloody Atwell. Always the English refs (except when it's the Argentinian and Romanian ones).

The VAR was working like a charm these Euros until the English refs started using it.

[Master Obit 527]

Absolutely ludicrous to get a penalty for that. Clearly not intentional and only barely skimmed in any case (unless my eyesight failed me.)

 

Not a fan of all these "offside by a fingernail" decisions either. I wonder what the goal tallies of Pele, Ronaldo, Messi etc would be if all their "offside" goals were removed. I get that you could say that they have to be consistent, and the only way to do that is to be extremely strict, and even a millimetre offside must be called offside, but it just seems so ridiculous when a brilliant goal is disallowed on the basis that they were a fingernail offside when the ball was played to them. I'd like to see it changed to "clearly ahead", where the whole of their foot has to be further ahead as opposed to just their big toe.

[gcreptile 10,453]

Have a feeling the quarterfinals of Germany vs. Spain (sorry, Georgia) is a very early final match. Germany isn't there yet, so that will be it for us.

Austria on the other side seems to have a clear path. Turkey might be stronger than Switzerland, because Italy was just not a good opponent this year. But Turkey will get out-coached.

 

[YoungWillz 19,906]

*looks on in disbelief at those who ever thought football wasn't rigged ever - Chinese betting markets, anybody?*

[DCI Frank Burnside 3,441]

 

 

 

[BuffaloPhil 729]

Both those contentious decisions last night were correct - the officials had a very good game.

With offside, there has to be a definite line beyond which a player is offside. If you change the law to say that there must be daylight, or if it's within six inches, or whatever, you're simply moving that line which will have no effect on the number of tight calls, but will make it harder for officials to get it right.

 

The handball law however I agree is not fit for purpose as it stands and needs to be rewritten from scratch. How it should be worded in order to get the "right" decision in all (or even 95% of) eventualities, however, is not something that I would be able to do and I don't know how the lawmakers can do it. I'm certainly not a fan of giving the referee much discretion, because that will just lead to claims of cheating or bias, or at the very minimum inconsistency between referees - which we see already with fouls.

[Master Obit 527]

If football is coming home, can Cole Palmer pay me a visit after he arrives?

[Toast 15,394]

This was impressive.  How considerate of them to think of deaf viewers.

 

[YoungWillz 19,906]

"How long will you need to equalise Mr Southgate?"

 

"Oh, I'd say 10 minutes added on?" 

 

"I'm going to say that's pushing it, even 6 minutes is at the edge of what I can give you, but that's all".

 

Linesman holds up 5 minutes added on.

 

"6 minutes added" says ref. 

 

England score in 96th minute.

 

Also, tactics seemed to be fall over every time a Slovak was within breathing distance. Admittedly, with the connivance of the officials, won a free kick every time.

 

Yeah, it's not rigged you know.

[ladyfiona 2,267]

Another own goal in the Spain V Georgia match.

 

Spain can't keep up with the stamina of the Georgian players.