[Johnnyspireite7]

There's some interesting teams qualified/about to qualify for next years tournament, Wales, Northern Ireland, Iceland & Austria are already there of course, but as things stand Albania are about to leapfrog over Denmark and qualify as well in Portugal's group! Who'd've thought that they would ever qualify for a tournament anywhere!

[ArcticSpireite]

Johnnyspireite7, on 11 October 2015 - 04:37 PM, said:

There's some interesting teams qualified/about to qualify for next years tournament, Wales, Northern Ireland, Iceland & Austria are already there of course, but as things stand Albania are about to leapfrog over Denmark and qualify as well in Portugal's group! Who'd've thought that they would ever qualify for a tournament anywhere!

And the majority of those teams would most likely beat England; who have the worst squad in my (albeit rather young) memory.

[JonB]

ArcticSpireite, on 12 October 2015 - 10:56 AM, said:

And the majority of those teams would most likely beat England; who have the worst squad in my (albeit rather young) memory.

Yet still qualified comfortably winning every game where as the likes of Wales, for exampe, got through despite losing on Saturday night!

Admit that we've had better sides over the years but lets not get carried away doing what folk normally do in berating an England side thats qualified.

This post has been edited by JonB: 12 October 2015 - 10:59 AM

[ArcticSpireite]

JonB, on 12 October 2015 - 10:58 AM, said:

Yet still qualified comfortably winning every game where as the likes of Wales, for exampe, got through despite losing on Saturday night!

Admit that we've had better sides over the years but lets not get carried away doing what folk normally do in berating an England side thats qualified.

I'm not particularly berating them, I genuinely do feel that way sir. I just look at that squad and sigh.

[CFC91]

ArcticSpireite, on 12 October 2015 - 10:56 AM, said:

And the majority of those teams would most likely beat England; who have the worst squad in my (albeit rather young) memory.

Good one - as if qualifying with 100% record wasn't enough..

Germany has struggled, Spain are struggling, Holland aren't going ot make it. Portugal and Italy have stuttered along the way yet England are the ones getting the stick.

Very much looking forward to my summer in France next year, going to be an exciting tournement with so many new teams taking part like Iceland, Slovakia, Wales, Northern Ireland, Albania etc.

The form of the bigger nations suggest it could be very open.

[azul]

JonB, on 12 October 2015 - 10:58 AM, said:

Yet still qualified comfortably winning every game where as the likes of Wales, for exampe, got through despite losing on Saturday night!

Admit that we've had better sides over the years but lets not get carried away doing what folk normally do in berating an England side thats qualified.

Both England and Wales benefited from incredibly easy groups but at leat Wales had Belgium in their group who have a "golden" generation. England's opponents in the group probably total a quarter of our population and apart from Switzerland and Slovenia have no track record whatsoever. A couple of drawn matches is the worst I'd expect.

I actually think the ease of England's qualification over the years contribute to the disenchantment surrounding the national game as much as the failures when they reach the final. Qualification is a turgid formality theses days `and isn't worth the time of day

This post has been edited by azul: 12 October 2015 - 11:28 AM

[Johnnyspireite7]

ArcticSpireite, on 12 October 2015 - 10:56 AM, said:

And the majority of those teams would most likely beat England; who have the worst squad in my (albeit rather young) memory.

and that squad are playing more like a team since 1990 when, but for a couple of badly taken penalties, could have won that tournament.

[Stockholm Spireite]

Austria might be worth a cheeky punt if you can bet on progression through the tournament, not just winning it.

I saw them beat - sorry, demolish - Sweden in a qualifier here (4-0), during the last round of matches. Before you say 'yeah, it's only Sweden, though' they hadn't lost a home Euro qualifier in 12 years previously.

Austria are a very well organised team, who play without a superstar/talisman and really work for eachother. Comfortable in changing formations for specific opponents and during the game, they've got good thinkers and players who are versatile and effective when the changes are made. Think Greece from '04 but with much more finesse, and you're there.

[JonB]

azul, on 12 October 2015 - 11:27 AM, said:

Both England and Wales benefited from incredibly easy groups but at leat Wales had Belgium in their group who have a "golden" generation. England's opponents in the group probably total a quarter of our population and apart from Switzerland and Slovenia have no track record whatsoever. A couple of drawn matches is the worst I'd expect.

I actually think the ease of England's qualification over the years contribute to the disenchantment surrounding the national game as much as the failures when they reach the final. Qualification is a turgid formality theses days `and isn't worth the time of day

Fairly sure Switzerland were ranked pretty highly in the FIFA rankings recently and had a very good record in recent games yet England have dealt with them twice pretty comfortably. Can you imagine the fuss had we done what Germany have done and stuttered into the finals with a 2-1 win over Georgia thanks to a late penalty!! As mentiond there are some sides that are idolised by our media and some fans as who we should be more like that either arent going to qualify, still to qualify or just about struggled through whilst we've comfortably beaten what was put in front of us.

[Bluekent]

Great. Another thread bashing England and playing down our unbeaten qualification campaign.

[azul]

JonB, on 12 October 2015 - 12:59 PM, said:

Fairly sure Switzerland were ranked pretty highly in the FIFA rankings recently and had a very good record in recent games yet England have dealt with them twice pretty comfortably. Can you imagine the fuss had we done what Germany have done and stuttered into the finals with a 2-1 win over Georgia thanks to a late penalty!! As mentiond there are some sides that are idolised by our media and some fans as who we should be more like that either arent going to qualify, still to qualify or just about struggled through whilst we've comfortably beaten what was put in front of us.

They were, for what that is worth.

Actually it is worth something due to the over seeding in competions, especially in finals

[Tha Knows...]

azul, on 12 October 2015 - 11:27 AM, said:

Both England and Wales benefited from incredibly easy groups but at leat Wales had Belgium in their group who have a "golden" generation. England's opponents in the group probably total a quarter of our population and apart from Switzerland and Slovenia have no track record whatsoever. A couple of drawn matches is the worst I'd expect.

I actually think the ease of England's qualification over the years contribute to the disenchantment surrounding the national game as much as the failures when they reach the final. Qualification is a turgid formality theses days `and isn't worth the time of day

Not exactly - Holland aka the Netherlands

[azul]

Spire-Power, on 12 October 2015 - 01:23 PM, said:

Not exactly - Holland aka the Netherlands

In most part they are - and to be honest I was really referring to England's group which has been utterly turgid and arguably the weakest on paper

However I'm not the one complaining about turgid games, other people are.

I'm complaining about the format of the competitions. if they allow England to qualify without breaking sweat and without playing particularly well so be it. But it doesn't do much for the game.

[brianclose]

Lucky that England managed to get the hardest game (Swiss away) out of the way first and to win that made the whole group a bit of a formality.

[azul]

brianclose, on 12 October 2015 - 02:11 PM, said:

Lucky that England managed to get the hardest game (Swiss away) out of the way first and to win that made the whole group a bit of a formality.

Going back to Holland's group, Iceland must be the most amazing story of all, What with 500,000 hanging on to rock in the North Atlantic and they qualify with ease. No flash in the pan as they only missed out on the world cup finals

[Norton Blue]

azul, on 12 October 2015 - 02:40 PM, said:

Going back to Holland's group, Iceland must be the most amazing story of all, What with 500,000 hanging on to rock in the North Atlantic and they qualify with ease. No flash in the pan as they only missed out on the world cup finals

Their Under 21s seem to be doing ok too, although the tables dont give an accurate pic due the differences in games played. They currently top their under 21's table with 10 from 4 games.

Interesting to see how they have achieved this - U21's and full

[calvin plummers socks]

Bluekent, on 12 October 2015 - 01:03 PM, said:

Great. Another thread bashing England and playing down our unbeaten qualification campaign.

It's madness isn't it- there are some miserable fekkers around

[Goku]

Stockholm Spireite, on 12 October 2015 - 12:51 PM, said:

Austria might be worth a cheeky punt if you can bet on progression through the tournament, not just winning it.

I saw them beat - sorry, demolish - Sweden in a qualifier here (4-0), during the last round of matches. Before you say 'yeah, it's only Sweden, though' they hadn't lost a home Euro qualifier in 12 years previously.

Austria are a very well organised team, who play without a superstar/talisman and really work for eachother. Comfortable in changing formations for specific opponents and during the game, they've got good thinkers and players who are versatile and effective when the changes are made. Think Greece from '04 but with much more finesse, and you're there.

Alaba is their closest thing to a talisman, excellent player.

[Cartman]

why are the play offs seeded?

Each team finished 3rd in a seeded group so surely it should be a free draw

[newboldsteve]

Cartman, on 12 October 2015 - 06:08 PM, said:

why are the play offs seeded?

Each team finished 3rd in a seeded group so surely it should be a free draw

platini change the rules a few years ago when france finished in the playoffs