Euro: UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifying

[YNWA14]

For anyone who wants to see Wijnaldum's goal today:

It’s not that different than the hockey analytics. They could be a good tool to aid in analysis for things that may not be obvious on the surface but without the context of of visuals, they are often times misleading as well.

Statistics can tell you a lot in the right context. They don't replace 'understanding the game' or watching it, but likewise they provide a bigger picture than just the other as well. They should be used in tandem, and are by people with much higher stakes in football than what we have. A large part of the Liverpool 'revolution' so to speak was aided by advanced statistical analytics.

 

[Pouchkine]

Now those were two great goals. I watched the game and while the team is better than the last few years there's still at least 2-3 spot on the starting 11 that needs to be improved. Winning ugly is fine right now.

 

[koyvoo]

Yaremchuk puts Ukraine up 1-0 on Portugal in the 6th minute in Kiev. Rashford scores for England early too at Bulgaria.

 

[koyvoo]

Ukraine up on Portugal 2-0 very deservedly. Portugal looked as though they were getting their legs in the game but the defending has been seagulls and the Ukrainian forwards finds way to much space far too easily on counters.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Bulgaria could go winless and still make the playoffs One of the pitfalls of this new format

I think if you finish 3rd in the group you should at least get a playoff spot then fill the rest with NL rankings

 

[hatterson]

The England/Bulgaria match was suspended twice in the first half due to racist chants and behavior from the Bulgarian fans (chanting "monkey", Nazi salute, etc.)

 

[HajdukSplit]

France and Portugal likely to finish 2nd place now with one of Germany/Netherlands so there will be strong teams outside Pot 1

edit: Ukraine win the group already so Portugal if they qualify can only do it as second place. France need Turkey to drop points as Turkey has better h2h

 

[Jussi]

The England/Bulgaria match was suspended twice in the first half due to racist chants and behavior from the Bulgarian fans (chanting "monkey", Nazi salute, etc.)

They even booed the PA announcement of warning the crowd of the behavior. Even though it was a small number of people doing it, the rest of the crowd was like "hey, hands off our racists!"...

 

[Venkman]

England won 6-0. Could have been 10.

Bulgarian captain, Popov went over to speak to someone in the crowd. Not sure if it was before or after a group of fans left the stadium just before half-time. Apparently the racist abuse continued in the 2nd half.

 

[Blender]

The England/Bulgaria match was suspended twice in the first half due to racist chants and behavior from the Bulgarian fans (chanting "monkey", Nazi salute, etc.)

Bulgaria should have to play their next home game in front of an empty building for this garbage.

 

[hatterson]

Bulgaria should have to play their next home game in front of an empty building for this garbage.

They were already playing in front of a reduced crowd due to past racist issues.

Don't make it an empty stadium, just take away their home games.

Fans are repeatedly racist? Cool, you don't get to play national team games in front of them for a year.

 

[The Examiner]

England won 6-0. Could have been 10.

Bulgarian captain, Popov went over to speak to someone in the crowd. Not sure if it was before or after a group of fans left the stadium just before half-time. Apparently the racist abuse continued in the 2nd half.

The Bulgarians weren’t coming back in the game and if the chants did continue, the Bulgarian team should have walked off the pitch themselves.

While I can understand it might be dangerous for those players and their families, that would have made a hell of a statement. The ultras in Europe seem to have too much power.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Kane, quite a match

 

[HajdukSplit]

Group A
Bulgaria - England 0:6
Kosovo - Montenegro 2:0

England will have to wait at least a month to secure qualification as Kosovo's win means they still need one more result. Czech Republic - Kosovo next MD will likely determine 2nd place, Czechs with a win will secure it already, Kosovo pretty much must win. Bulgaria are rock bottom of the group but they will probably make the playoffs regardless

Group B
Lithuania - Serbia 1:2
Ukraine - Portugal 2:1

Ukraine qualify and win the group, they have a realistic shot at being a Pot 1 team at Euro 2020 but will probably need to get a result against a desperate Serbia on the final MD. For Portugal not a total disaster, they will finish 2nd as long as they don't drop points to Latvia (H) and Luxembourg (A). Serbia need to hope Portugal unexpectedly drop points in one of those two games but they have the playoff backup. Even Luxembourg have a chance at a playoff but they need Kosovo to qualify directly

Group H
France - Turkey 1:1
Iceland - Andorra 2:0
Moldova - Albania 0:3

Turkey and France joint top, four points above Iceland but top spot is Turkey's due to h2h and that is important for seeding at Euro 2020. France will need to better Turkey's results in the final two games, France host Moldova then go to Albania while Turkey host Iceland then go to Andorra. Iceland in the most desperate situation, they need to win in Istanbul then hope somehow Turkey drop points to Andorra. They will have a playoff though

 

[MaxV]

That Turkey's equalizer screwed Iceland.

Are they a candidate for playoffs?

 

[HajdukSplit]

That Turkey's equalizer screwed Iceland.

Are they a candidate for playoffs?

Iceland will almost certainly be in the playoffs (its something like 95% certain), though their opponents will not be known until the entire qualification is complete

 

[Venkman]

A Bulgarian cameraman told Southgate to f*** off in his post-game press conference.

Mings deserves another look against better opponents. Wasn't tested defensively but looked decent on the ball. Winks and Chilwell should be 1st choice. Not sure why TAA didn't play.

 

[Chimaera]

Throw them out. I know it sucks for a few fans, but make a statement and punish the federation by limiting their money from the tournaments, and they'll crack down on stupidity.

 

[Riellyfan04]

Man kosovo played awesome! It coulda been 5 0 lol. Hope they make it!

 

[YNWA14]

Throw them out. I know it sucks for a few fans, but make a statement and punish the federation by limiting their money from the tournaments, and they'll crack down on stupidity.

I don't really feel like that's a fair response for the players or the fans who weren't involved in that kind of thing. I agree with @hatterson 's suggestion of just taking away their home games and not allowing travelling fans. It's still tough for the fans that don't participate in that abhorrent behavior but it's at least a heavier handed approach than calling time outs. I don't believe that walking out on the game by the players receiving the abuse is really the right approach because I feel like that just gives power to those idiots.

They were already playing in front of a reduced crowd due to past racist issues.

Don't make it an empty stadium, just take away their home games.

Fans are repeatedly racist? Cool, you don't get to play national team games in front of them for a year.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

The reality is that those fans dont care what you or I think about their activities or their beliefs. They wont stop and if anything the media attention likely emboldens them. “Noone likes us, we dont care” I wonder where they picked that up...

With regard to why the Bulgarian FA isnt just kicking them out on sight. Id guess that those are fairly senior guys in the big firms in the country who are likely all linked up with organized crime and thus local politics etc.

 

[Chimaera]

I don't really feel like that's a fair response for the players or the fans who weren't involved in that kind of thing. I agree with @hatterson 's suggestion of just taking away their home games and not allowing travelling fans. It's still tough for the fans that don't participate in that abhorrent behavior but it's at least a heavier handed approach than calling time outs. I don't believe that walking out on the game by the players receiving the abuse is really the right approach because I feel like that just gives power to those idiots.

I agree to an extent. But this isn't the first incident, and you have their own manager and a player coming out and basically trying to excuse it.

The only way the fans get the message is if the countries football association takes actual steps to make changes. Both for the players and for the fans. The only way I see to get that real action is by putting economic pressure on their FA. Sure, no home matches makes a difference, but not as much as banning them from the tournament revenue would.

 

[YNWA14]

I agree to an extent. But this isn't the first incident, and you have their own manager and a player coming out and basically trying to excuse it.

The only way the fans get the message is if the countries football association takes actual steps to make changes. Both for the players and for the fans. The only way I see to get that real action is by putting economic pressure on their FA. Sure, no home matches makes a difference, but not as much as banning them from the tournament revenue would.

I think limiting their revenue would also be fine, just not banning the team itself for the actions of idiots who probably don't care nearly as much about football as they do about being racist. If players and/or coaches act in that way individually they should be banned/fined as well.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

 

[Ajacied]

Now those were two great goals. I watched the game and while the team is better than the last few years there's still at least 2-3 spot on the starting 11 that needs to be improved. Winning ugly is fine right now.

Which two/three positions do you feel need upgrading the most and with whom? Just curious