Euro 2024

[Chris2K]

Georgia/Portugal was entertaining mainly for the result, the game itself wasn't much - Portugal's B team + Ronaldo failing to create any decent chances for 90 minutes whilst Georgia took their only two. The main fun was seeing how close Ronaldo was to getting sent off.

Some games were fun towards the end, Belgium/Ukraine for example, and there was one with a 98th minute equaliser that I enjoyed, but overall it was a massive let down compared to how great the first two rounds were.

[Kyle]

Lads, I don't know what to do with myself tonight now there's no Euros 'til Saturday.

[Szumi]

24 teams isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I like it. It gives smaller countries the chance to qualify AND then it leaves the room for them to maybe qualify for the Knockouts as a third place team. If you go to to 32 teams, yeah 8 more qualification spots for a smaller country to snag, but a much lesser chance of qualifying for the Knockouts.

Georgia, Romania, Slovenia, and Slovakia all in the Round of 16 is excellent and I'm here for it.

[gunnar hendershow]

Given the quality in Europe I think 24 teams winds up being a near perfect amount. It's a balance where you're including all the major nations & the ones that on their day can challenge them along with a handful of upstarts.

Format is up for debate. The 3rd place teams advancing does create more dull matchday 3 games than otherwise, but it also has teams come out swinging in their first 2 so they can get that "rest day".

[lanky316]

I didn't really get that there were more dull games in the third round of matches. Granted I could have been lucky with the match I chose to watch but generally it wasn't a complete borefest for me. It perhaps helped that only one team were eliminated before kick off - and they still managed to fight France to a draw - but didn't think it was a shit round of matches across the board.

[Colly]

I know scoreline isn't everything but there were three 0-0s and four 1-1s. Only two games of twelve managed more than 2 goals. Lots of teams were happy with draws to go through in third, or already qualified with 4 points after the second game.

[Twist]

On 27/06/2024 at 10:45, Chris2K said:

The only issue I have with 32 teams is that there are only 55 UEFA nations, and it seems crazy to have a qualification system that results in less teams missing out than competing in the tournament. Plus, as @The Lusophone implies, the extra 8 nations that weren't able to qualify when there are 24 teams already are likely going to be just making up the numbers.

 

 

I mean the NBA plays 82 games to eliminate less than half the teams for playoffs.

[gunnar hendershow]

Haha a fan spotted with a "Raclette is better than mozzarella" sign. It's on

[Chris2K]

Forza Italia. This is where I expected us to get to so anything else would be a bonus (or a massive personal negative if we lose to England).

Oh, we appear to have selected today's team using a random number generator. Insteresting appraoch.

[Kyle]

Knockout football here we go!

[gunnar hendershow]

15 minutes ago, Chris2K said:

Forza Italia. This is where I expected us to get to so anything else would be a bonus (or a massive personal negative if we lose to England).

Oh, we appear to have selected today's team using a random number generator. Insteresting appraoch.

No better time to throw shit at the wall than the knockouts I always say.

[Chris2K]

That's it. I can't hold it back. I have to say it.

Gianluca Scamacca is the worst striker to have played international football at a major tournament.

I'd be happier if he offered nothing, but instead he's just either getting in the way, standing offside, or giving the ball away.

 

[Kyle]

Game on.

[gunnar hendershow]

Domination by the Swiss so far and a very deserved goal.

Italy can't even have a semblance of possession, Jorginho can't be far off if only to stabilize that.

[Bobfoc]

With their current form compared with that of the other teams in their half of the draw, Switzerland should see this as a genuine opportunity to reach the final.

[Chris2K]

Completely deserved, we've got nothing.

I wish the commentators would stop talking up this team purely because of the country we are. Sure we're the holders, but only two of the starting XI from Euro 2020 are in this team, one of whom is the goalkeeper, and this new batch of players simply isn't as good. They need to stop being surprised at this point.

[gunnar hendershow]

1 minute ago, Chris2K said:

Completely deserved, we've got nothing.

I wish the commentators would stop talking up this team purely because of the country we are. Sure we're the holders, but only two of the starting XI from Euro 2020 are in this team, one of whom is the goalkeeper, and this new batch of players simply isn't as good. They need to stop being surprised at this point.

This may not be a question you have the answer to, but what exactly is going on with player development at Italy's big clubs? They have squads littered with non-Italians and best I can tell there aren't many young Italians clubs are eager to buy.

Oooh that was a lovely free kick and a lovely save.

[Colly]

All the good players are out on gambling bans.

[Baddar]

I said 1-1 and Italy on pens before the game, but the way this has been going, it'll be 2-0 Switzerland before too long.

[Chris2K]

6 minutes ago, gunnar hendershow said:

This may not be a question you have the answer to, but what exactly is going on with player development at Italy's big clubs? They have squads littered with non-Italians and best I can tell there aren't many young Italians clubs are eager to buy.

I can't say for certain, but there is a distinct feeling that Italian domestic football hasn't changed with the times, and the clubs are being run as if it was still the 1990s when it comes to youth academies and investment in the future. They'd rather spend the money (which they don't have as much of as other leagues) on experienced players than develop youngsters.

Then, because that lack of investment has resulted in a lacklustre generation of talent, the clubs are bringing in experienced players from abroad instead of Italian players. The only team that have gone against the trend slightly is Inter, who have Chinese ownership, and have more money from making meaningful sponsorship deals, and have developed players like Barella. 

The most annoying this is that I doubt it's going to change any time soon, especially given the state of Italian politics not being one that exactly welcomes foreign investment.