Euro 2020

[Throbber3]

good effort with ten men from Wales but Italy controlled that. Wales should have scored through Bale but they did not deserve more

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The tournament structure is such a ridiculous mess, it really is. Totally imbalanced amongst many other faults.

 

[Tony Towner]

Basically we are spending a fortnight weeding out the real shit, whilst keeping some shit in there. Which then leads to some unbalanced last 16 games Wales will may well play Finland in the last 16. Neither are in the best 8 sides in the tournament

 

[Throbber3]

Basically we are spending a fortnight weeding out the real shit, whilst keeping some shit in there. Which then leads to some unbalanced last 16 games Wales will may well play Finland in the last 16. Neither are in the best 8 sides in the tournament

Surely then the seeding is what screwed it at the draw? Portugal France and Germany in the same group ?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Having 24 teams is what screws it, on various levels.

 

[Law's Bus]

Basically we are spending a fortnight weeding out the real shit

True. England are still in, after all...

;-)

 

[big mean bunny]

I quite like the 24 to be honest, it's nice to see some different sides in it and it's been busy for me with work last week so missed nearly all the 2pm and 5pm games so did enjoy there being more 8pm ones.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Structurally it just doesn't work though. It's basic maths, and the problems it causes are myriad.

If you have a 16 team tournament then you generally don't get 2pm weekday games in the first place, so there's one problem solved for you off the bat

 

[Derby Wolf]

Its never been about competition, its all about those sponsorship and TV revenues whether enlarged numbers water down the tournament doesn't really matter to UEFA.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The irony being though that this format inevitably leads to negative and/or contrived football at the end of group stages, then teams who don't belong in the knockout stages making it there.

They are a turn off to viewers, not an enticement.

 

[Throbber3]

The irony being though that this format inevitably leads to negative and/or contrived football at the end of group stages, then teams who don't belong in the knockout stages making it there.

They are a turn off to viewers, not an enticement.

That depends if they go and win a last 16 game. Greece is an example. Should not have really done anything but won it. Denmark back in 92 won it as a substitute team. I have actually enjoyed this group stage and I think it has worked ok . Great for telly revenues too , as always

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

You haven't seen the final group games yet.

Slovakia playing for a 0-0 when they should have had to go for a win and Northern Ireland playing for a 0-1 defeat were what we ended up with in 2016. I strongly suspect Austria vs Ukraine will be 0-0, put it that way.

Greece qualified to the knockout stages on merit, they got more points than Spain. No problem there.

 

[jd1981]

Yep the format is brain dead Italy come top have to play a second placed team, Wales come second also get to play a second placed team.
Dividing the draw pots so it allows a group to contain Portugal, Germany and France and another that contains Ukraine, Austria & N Macedonia.
36 games to eliminate 8 teams, if your are 3rd in a group and getting 4 points or less on negative goal difference then you’re out your depth.

 

[jd1981]

Problem is UEFA were under pressure for a while to allow more teams to the party. Current format has generated a situation of 4 points being the first aim which is crap.
Only other option from here is to increase to 32 they can’t revert back to 16 now. Don’t think it’ll be to long before it’s a 32 team tournament meaning over 50% of Europe at the finals.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I'd prefer 32 even if it meant some proper dross (hi Ireland) being there, as at least it would work.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Would make qualification utterly pointless though. 10-12 games to eliminate the part timers and the former USSR states (except Russia and Ukraine obvs).

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I'd just put it back to 16 as it was ideal, but they won't. In a straight choice between 24 and 32 then it has to be 32, if nothing else for the sake of sporting integrity. 24 team tournaments just don't work, it's like trying to juice an orange with a potato masher. Sure, you'll get *some* juice. I wouldn't choose that method though.

 

[Throbber3]

Football 2021 is about money so it’s no real surprise.

 

[PuntsWolf]

It’s a shambles. The whole some runners up play runners up malarkey is just bizzare. Particularly when it’s pre planned.

Wouldnt be so bad if the best two positioned runners up played a runner up rather than having “group A runner up plays group B runner up” regardless of performance. Made worse by groups A and B being two of the worse in the tournament.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I mean yeah, it's more money, but they have to share more out. It's a false economy.

2008 and 2012 made more than enough, surely.