France Euro 2016 Thread

[clash]

I actually think Arnau is right, despite the fact that if the tournament wasn't expanded Hungary wouldn't be there either. This is very poor. The lack of goals, plus there is nobody who watches the EC (apart from the countries involved) because of the smaller countries, mine included, every neutral wants to see the biggest nations against each other, which we will see anyway, but after a semi-pointless group stage

I actually see it as a good chance for players of smaller teams to stand out, get a contract at a club outside your own league. The competition on the market is tough, chances of getting bought from Videoton are much bigger after you play at the EUROs. Italy vs Belgium obviously get more audience than Hungary vs Iceland, but the latter will definitely get more audience during a major tournament than it would if it was a friendly.

 

[Arnau]

So, now the Euro is not only a tool for UEFA to make money but also a showcase for clubs to sell his pkayers...

 

[clash]

So, now the Euro is not only a tool for UEFA to make money but also a showcase for clubs to sell his pkayers...

My post was a reply to crswind re: nobody watching Hungary playing. Also kind of works for your argument that the expansion was only for financial reasons. This will not only make UEFA and the sponsors richer, it also helps smaller teams financially, a help they need to have the slightest of chance to break the annoying pattern of same NT's and clubs winning everything.

But you think it should just be Spain, France, Italy and Germany playing each other every EURO? Or just have one or two groups and winners playing in the final again? People were moaning about Greece in 2004 just the same, maybe it's finally time to realize that not all teams are able to attack. We lost 0-7 to Portugal just weeks ago because the Estonian defence is shit even when we try to play 10 behind the ball, proper defending takes skill as does unlocking it.

We've seen Portugal, France and Spain totally choking in previous tournaments. Likes of Latvia reaching the group phase, Greece winning it. You've had Brazil getting destroyed in the World Cup semis. Big teams don't always mean quality. Also, getting through the group stage with 4 points nothing new. In 2008 you got Russia going through with just one point before the third match. Blaming the new format on anything is a fucking straw man imo.

 

[Arnau]

At the end are those teams who are going to win it anyway.

 

[Arnau]

Bonucci and Motta are 1 yellow away to be suspended, why is Conte playing them?

 

[crswind17]

You are right about the tournament being important to the more modest countries, quite a few players emerged from such after a good EC/WC so it is definetly a huge opportunity for them but this is supposed to be about Europe's best competing against each other, not being a flea market. It not neccessarily should be about Spain, France, Italy etc, rather the best 16 teams who qualified. If a small nation did that against all odds, then no problem, we are all happy for them, but raising the numbers from 16 to 24 did nothing but add a completely pointless group stage where those 8 extra teams get ousted immediately while even teams don't even have a win can go through finishing 3rd. After today we will have 16 teams, some lucky, some strong enough to be there, but this is where the EC starts. But I want to stress, I'm not saying you are wrong, just looking at it from a different viewpoint

If I'm correct Greece was being bitched at because of their anti football, not the fact that they won the EC.

 

[Arnau]

That Greek team recieved more praise than bitching, what they achieved was awesome. They started to criticize them years after when Spain/Barça won stuff with the opposite style.

Greece 2004 became the paradigma of the modern "anti-football" which is praise IMO.

 

[Sir Didier Drogba]

I would love to win a European cup like Greece did.

 

[Arnau]

They beat the hoster and favourites Portugal twice, on the opening and final game, it was so poetic.

Their path wasnt easy: France on 1/4, a great Czech Rep. Team in the semis with Nedved, Rosicky, Poborsky and Baros on fire and Portugal on the final.

 

[MaSsiVe]

Wow how wrong was I and that was too fucking close...laughable performance, this team is clueless as a whole at least CR finally showed up to save the day. Croatia will murder us.

 

[Arnau]

The winner from Croatia-Portugal will reach the final.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

The winner from Wales-Northern Ireland will win the competition.

 

[Arnau]

Will griggs on fire, your defense is terrified nananananana

Best chant ever

 

[Sir Didier Drogba]

Will griggs on fire, your defense is terrified nananananana

Best chant ever

Will Grigg heat map verses Poland:

 

[Arnau]

 

[Arnau]

Everyone started playing like Greece and important clubs bought their average players.

 

[cdicicco]

Brexit

 

[yoyo913]

 

[Sir Didier Drogba]

poor attention to detail many of those over 35 would also be fans in the stadium or sick or sheep herding etc so there will be many many instances of the same person being counted twice

 

[bangus]

poor attention to detail many of those over 35 would also be fans in the stadium or sick or sheep herding etc so there will be many many instances of the same person being counted twice

You can't go by those population totals. Britain has 400 people per square mile. No place to hide so it's easy to properly count everyone. Iceland has 8 people per square mile. There may be Icelanders hiding out in forests and mountains and fjords and such, nobody really knows. So they just guess what the population is.