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"Back of the net!": The Football Thread

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  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    edited June 2019 Posts: 17,756
    Great comeback by the Netherlands tonight. Well played.
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    The unpleasant behaviour by the English fans during the Dutch anthem was another prove that the English fan is not a very welcome sight across the continent. I do hope the Swiss will send them home as well with a losing game.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756
    It's a shame if the English fans behaved inappropriately during the Dutch anthem and leading up to the match. Only watched the last 60 mins +added time myself, so I didn't see what happened.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,124
    Did not watch either game pointless tournement
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    Did not watch either game pointless tournement

    Internationals isn't my thing either, but in lack of league football it'll have to do!
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,124
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    Did not watch either game pointless tournement

    Internationals isn't my thing either, but in lack of league football it'll have to do!

    I don't mind qualifiers and real tournaments, the Nations League is just glorified friendly's I still don't know what the winner gets other than money and a naff trophy.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    Did not watch either game pointless tournement

    Internationals isn't my thing either, but in lack of league football it'll have to do!

    I don't mind qualifiers and real tournaments, the Nations League is just glorified friendly's I still don't know what the winner gets other than money and a naff trophy.

    They get a TROPHY? :-O
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,124
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    Did not watch either game pointless tournement

    Internationals isn't my thing either, but in lack of league football it'll have to do!

    I don't mind qualifiers and real tournaments, the Nations League is just glorified friendly's I still don't know what the winner gets other than money and a naff trophy.

    They get a TROPHY? :-O

    Behold...

    GettyImages-909619590.jpg
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    edited June 2019 Posts: 17,756
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    Did not watch either game pointless tournement

    Internationals isn't my thing either, but in lack of league football it'll have to do!

    I don't mind qualifiers and real tournaments, the Nations League is just glorified friendly's I still don't know what the winner gets other than money and a naff trophy.

    They get a TROPHY? :-O

    Behold...

    GettyImages-909619590.jpg

    What the…! That's just silly!
    (The fact that they get a trophy, not the trophy itself.)
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,124
    chartoftheday_15749_how_uefa_nations_league_prize_money_is_distributed_n.jpg
    The prize money is not much for the big country's, though it would certainly help smaller country's. Though if they keep doing this competition it will be the usual suspects
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    chartoftheday_15749_how_uefa_nations_league_prize_money_is_distributed_n.jpg
    The prize money is not much for the big country's, though it would certainly help smaller country's. Though if they keep doing this competition it will be the usual suspects

    That's probably unavoidable.

    I have yet to understand how the Nations League system really works. Every (detailed) explanation I've heard have sounded quite complicated.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,124
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    chartoftheday_15749_how_uefa_nations_league_prize_money_is_distributed_n.jpg
    The prize money is not much for the big country's, though it would certainly help smaller country's. Though if they keep doing this competition it will be the usual suspects

    That's probably unavoidable.

    I have yet to understand how the Nations League system really works. Every (detailed) explanation I've heard have sounded quite complicated.

    It would make sense for the winner to get automatic qualification for the Euro's which would create some stakes
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    chartoftheday_15749_how_uefa_nations_league_prize_money_is_distributed_n.jpg
    The prize money is not much for the big country's, though it would certainly help smaller country's. Though if they keep doing this competition it will be the usual suspects

    That's probably unavoidable.

    I have yet to understand how the Nations League system really works. Every (detailed) explanation I've heard have sounded quite complicated.

    It would make sense for the winner to get automatic qualification for the Euro's which would create some stakes

    The winner doesn't get automatic qualification?
  • St_GeorgeSt_George Shuttling Drax's lovelies to the space doughnut - happy 40th, MR!
    Posts: 1,699
    Fundamentally, the point behind the Nations League was to replace (some) friendlies across Europe with matches that are at least a bit more competitive. For Portugal, Netherlands, England and Switzerland, it's fair to say the idea's worked so far; given they threw themselves into it and, through the thing, have all evolved and progressed since the World Cup. Other nations' teams obviously haven't because they didn't really engage with it.

    It's the age-old adage; you get out what you put in. ;)

  • vzokvzok
    Posts: 4,044
    All the countries that didn’t make the semis of the Nations League are over the next few days playing Euro qualifiers.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756
    St_George wrote: »
    Fundamentally, the point behind the Nations League was to replace (some) friendlies across Europe with matches that are at least a bit more competitive. For Portugal, Netherlands, England and Switzerland, it's fair to say the idea's worked so far; given they threw themselves into it and, through the thing, have all evolved and progressed since the World Cup. Other nations' teams obviously haven't because they didn't really engage with it.

    It's the age-old adage; you get out what you put in. ;)

    What I haven't heard an explanation for yet (nor bothered to try and find out), is what the consequences are from being relegated from a group. That happened to Germany, right?
  • vzokvzok
    Posts: 4,044
    I think Germany ended up 3rd seeds for the Euro qualifiers
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    Posts: 3,126
    Has the Women's World Cup started?
  • St_GeorgeSt_George Shuttling Drax's lovelies to the space doughnut - happy 40th, MR!
    Posts: 1,699
    It starts tonight - France (the hosts) vs. South Korea.

    Quite looking forward to it, myself. The last one was good fun. :)
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756
    vzok wrote: »
    I think Germany ended up 3rd seeds for the Euro qualifiers

    Thanks! But they did get relegated to Group B, didn't they?
  • jobojobo
    Posts: 7,507
    Torgeirtrap wrote: »
    vzok wrote: »
    I think Germany ended up 3rd seeds for the Euro qualifiers

    Thanks! But they did get relegated to Group B, didn't they?


    It means they will play in a group with less giftet teams next time around, and they can no longer win the tournament as only the teams from the best ranked groups can advance to the final knock out stages. And relegation/promotion will also affect seeding as @vzok points out.

    All in all I think the Nations League is a nice concept, at least on paper. All those pointless friendlies we used to have every season was a complete and utter borefest... At least there has been a mild interest in those games now. Of course it is not perfect. But it just started out and can be improved through tweaks and adjustments.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756
    I see. Thanks for the clarification everyone! Friendlies are indeed a borefest, so it's a good thing they've made a concept around it. Football is an entertainment product after all.
  • St_GeorgeSt_George Shuttling Drax's lovelies to the space doughnut - happy 40th, MR!
    edited June 2019 Posts: 1,699
    Yes, indeed; I agree with these sentiments, for sure.

    Being an undisputed England follower once more, thanks to the great WC last summer (and England's great WC, in particular), the magic rolled on a bit longer with them managing to upset the apple-cart by beating both Spain and Croatia to top their group of three (in the Nations League top division, or whatever the correct terminology is for it).

    Far from all England fans/ followers feel like me, but it was an achievement and another couple of steps up in England's progress - highly worthwhile given the alternative could have been non-competitive snooze-fest friendlies. I'm sure the Dutch team feels the same, having bested both Germany and France to reach the semis and now, having beaten England, reaching the final.

    It's like any competition - whatever the perceived merits of the prize - if you give it a go and do well, it is worthwhile. Especially if it helps a competitor to test themselves and, hopefully, win and improve.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756
    Agree, if there's something at stake or to be won (a group, or a trophy even), then that's only a good thing. Better for the players involved and better for the audience watching.
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    Posts: 3,126
    Is it just me or the U.S. is in a easy group.
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,526
    Completely forgot England played last night. Oh well? Semi final syndrome again.
  • 007Blofeld007Blofeld In the freedom of the West.
    Posts: 3,126
    France destroyed South Korea 4-0 per usual.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,126
    Concerning the Nations League, I think it is also quite nice for countries such as Luxembourg and San Marino to compete against each other more often so they won’t get trashed 5-0 each time they play. I genuinely symphatize with those teams and applaud their moments of success, even though they don’t occur often. For their sake at least, the NC is a great idea.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    edited June 2019 Posts: 17,756
    Watching the Norwegian women's team sure is much more entertaining than watching the men's team! 3-0, 37 mins played.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    Posts: 17,756

    Palace away would be a tricky start to the season…
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