Euro: UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifying

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Is that Pukki's EPL career?

 

[Savi]

But back to football, Belgium have a good thing going, very impressed with how many high caliber talents you have churned out the last deacade or so - Guessing it is the product of the red line project? If that is even the name.

While Belgium are rapidly improving their youth academies, it still remains to be seen what will happens once this generation of players retires. I think we're still not at the level of Portugal, Netherlands etc when it comes to development. Don't forget a lot of the current stars have been developed abroad, for example in Holland (Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Vermaelen, Dembele, Mertens, Chadli) or France (Hazard, Carrasco, Origi). Only Genk and Anderlecht were known for developing top prospects until recently, but when you look at Club Brugge for instance who have been the most dominant Belgian team this decade, they only recently started making serious investments into their youth development. But that's still nothing compared to Ajax or Benfica.
There are solid prospects on the way but my guess is in about 5-10 years we'll go back to being a Poland/Sweden/Denmark type underdog team.

 

[QuietContrarian]

While Belgium are rapidly improving their youth academies, it still remains to be seen what will happens once this generation of players retires. I think we're still not at the level of Portugal, Netherlands etc when it comes to development. Don't forget a lot of the current stars have been developed abroad, for example in Holland (Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Vermaelen, Dembele, Mertens, Chadli) or France (Hazard, Carrasco, Origi). Only Genk and Anderlecht were known for developing top prospects until recently, but when you look at Club Brugge for instance who have been the most dominant Belgian team this decade, they only recently started making serious investments into their youth development. But that's still nothing compared to Ajax or Benfica.
There are solid prospects on the way but my guess is in about 5-10 years we'll go back to being a Poland/Sweden/Denmark type underdog team.

This hasn’t created momentum in the youth development?
I know many Danes envy Belgian football atm, they tried implementing the same youth systems as Belgium, thru Morten Olsen, who lives in Belgium and admires the structure.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Looks like Belgium and Russia will meet again at Euro because of the stupid group pairings

 

[Savi]

Don't think anyone from our team will mind, they barely touched us in either game this campaign

 

[YNWA14]

Germany are 8/1 to win the Euros, and Belgium are 13/2. They are both clearly ahead of Portugal, who are 12/1. Belgium are ranked 3rd, which means leaving them out your tier 2 is an interesting take.

Belgium was an oversight. Portugal have shown a good ability to come together as a team and use negative tactics to stifle teams that might be slightly better on paper. I think they’re going to do better than Germany unless there’s a big change in the German camp/performance.

 

[YNWA14]

Also unsurprisingly bad lineup for the Netherlands. No Memphis you’d think Stengs or Boadu could get in but nahhhhhh lets go with Berghuis and Babel who are awful.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Belgium win the group, they will play Russia again at the Euros in St. Petersburg. Denmark will be in the same group should they qualify

Important win for Wales, they must hope now Slovakia doesn’t win against a Croatia side with both their standard CBs out and playing a debutant there today

 

[Savi]

Would Mitrovic have played tonight if he wasn't injured? He's done very well at Club Brugge this season.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Yes certainly, they basically had to call Caleta-Car back from “suspension”. He refused to play for CRO at the recent u21 Euros and hasn’t been called up until now (he claims Marseille pressured him not to go). His partner Peric today is making his debut from Dinamo Zagreb

 

[koyvoo]

Steven Davis skies a penalty attempt vs Holland. Still 0-0.

 

[Pouchkine]

Awful penalty to give and awful miss. Can someone explain why Babel, De Roon and Pröpper are playing for Holland? So many weak spots on the starting XI. Players sleepwalking this game.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

I don't know how many shots on goal Poland have, but I don't know that I've seen a 1-0 deficit flatter a side more than Israel right now.

 

[Outofbodyinhungary]

Bozenik = future of Slovak football

 

[HajdukSplit]

I can finally breathe, up two and Slovakia down to ten. Brekalo coming on was a big difference as Rebic was awful

 

[Pouchkine]

Awful qualifying format, the worst ever. Does Northern Ireland have a chance at the stupid playoffs. They played for the 0-0 all game?
Just terrible to watch.

 

[Lambo]

No and never won't be.
So long Finland producing NHL players and our national team wins medals IIHF tournaments
soccer and basketball won't become a threat of hockey in Finland.

A small country in whose sport it can become world champion again and again, this sport will always be at the top.

 

[YNWA14]

You know what I don’t mind it. What I do mind is Koeman’s asinine team selections. He’s alright tactically but he’s an absolute clown when it comes to the roster. I hope Barcelona take him.

 

[Lambo]

You know what I don’t mind it. What I do mind is Koeman’s asinine team selections. He’s alright tactically but he’s an absolute clown when it comes to the roster. I hope Barcelona take him.

Germany are happy now! A very good chance to win this group.

 

[MaxV]

Wales-Hungary and Ireland-Denmark are games to watch.

In both cases home teams need victories.

 

[koyvoo]

Wales-Hungary and Ireland-Denmark are games to watch.

In both cases home teams need victories.

Doesn’t Ireland need to beat Denmark by like 15 goals or something? Denmark leads them by 3 pts, an Irish win wold see them tied on pts and wins but what’s the second tiebreaker?

If Wales and Hungary end up with a draw Slovakia would leap over both with a home win vs Azerbaijan.

 

[Savi]

Tiebreaker is head to head result

 

[member 305909]

I quite like this tournament-system whereby there are matches all over Europe and only the semifinals and the final are in one nominated country.

Why not make this a permanent arrangement?

 

[HajdukSplit]

Awful qualifying format, the worst ever. Does Northern Ireland have a chance at the stupid playoffs. They played for the 0-0 all game?
Just terrible to watch.

Northern Ireland are in the playoffs regardless, they will likely play Bosnia-Herzegovina away in the semifinals

 

[HajdukSplit]

Group C
Germany - Belarus 4:0
N. Ireland - Netherlands 0:0

Both Germany and Netherlands qualify with Germany needing a win at home to NIR to win the group while the Dutch must hope for the Germans to drop points. Northern Ireland have the playoff backup as does Belarus.

Group E
Azerbaijan - Wales 0:2
Croatia - Slovakia 3:1

Croatia qualify after a come from behind win over Slovakia (were losing 1:0 at halftime but dominated the 2nd half) while Wales get a crucial win in Baku to put themselves in the drivers seat for 2nd place. Wales-Hungary is pretty much a winner take all for 2nd place on Tuesday with Slovakia hoping for those two to draw while they must beat Azerbaijan. Regardless all three are guaranteed a playoff spot if they fail to qualify directly

Group G
Slovenia - Latvia 1:0
Austria - Macedonia 2:1
Israel - Poland 1:2

Poland confirm the top spot in the group but still have an outside chance of being in Pot 1 while Austria officially qualify. In this group Macedonia and Israel confirm playoff spots, Slovenia eliminated despite possibly finishing ahead of both