All things Football (soccer) related

[warspite1]

Sweden 1-2 Ukraine

Footbal is nuts. Ukraine were toilet in the group stage. They qualifed with 3 points and a minus goal difference and........

Sweden will see that as an opportunity lost. Easily the better team, but a couple of players weren’t firing on all cylinders.... oh and they hit the woodwork many times. Small margins.

Brutal last half hour.......

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

I did say I wouldn't comment but........... England fans moan (rightly) because invariably they have no star players that can unlock a defence. And in the old days of Hoddle or Le Tissier, we never played them when we actually did have them once in a blue moon....

We now have Mount, Foden and Grealish. Apparently none of these will start tonight. Right.

Can't wait for balls in behind the German defence, the incisive passes that carve up the German midfield etc etc..... Well I'll have to wait. Indeed I'll be waiting a long time with this team....

warspite1

And Grealish was involved in both goals....... just sayin’

[shunwick]

And so England and Ukraine go through to the quarter finals.

Germany and Sweden go home.

Best wishes,
Steve

[shunwick]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: warspite1

I did say I wouldn't comment but........... England fans moan (rightly) because invariably they have no star players that can unlock a defence. And in the old days of Hoddle or Le Tissier, we never played them when we actually did have them once in a blue moon....

We now have Mount, Foden and Grealish. Apparently none of these will start tonight. Right.

Can't wait for balls in behind the German defence, the incisive passes that carve up the German midfield etc etc..... Well I'll have to wait. Indeed I'll be waiting a long time with this team....

warspite1

And Grealish was involved in both goals....... just sayin’

One of England's strengths. When you can bring the likes of Foden, Mount, Grealish, Henderson, Rashford and Sancho off the bench....

Southgate's is making the most of his squad. He knows the games come thick and fast. He knows that extra-time is brutal in international tournament play. I don't always agree with his safety-first strategy. He has got away with it so far but it is strategy that can bite your bum in the end. I hope it works out for him but I worry about it.

Best wishes,
Steve

[IslandInland]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkRjxIUpNsA

Hopefully.

[shunwick]

Grr Argh...

No football today...

... or tomorrow...

Is this what the end of civilization feels like?

Best wishes,
Steve

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: shunwick

Grr Argh...

No football today...

... or tomorrow...

Is this what the end of civilization feels like?

Best wishes,
Steve

Go unplugged and in the woods for a week or two, you will find out just how liberating that is.

[Piteas]

Well, the America Cup is football too.
10 teams, 2 groups. Tomorrow the most interesting... Peru-Paraguay! [:D]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Piteas

Well, the America Cup is football too.
10 teams, 2 groups. Tomorrow the most interesting... Peru-Paraguay! [:D]

warspite1

So they have two groups of five and all play each other once so that.... one team can be eliminated from each group.

I thought the Euro groups was bad enough where only 6 of the 24 teams were eliminated at the group stage.....

[shunwick]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Piteas

Well, the America Cup is football too.
10 teams, 2 groups. Tomorrow the most interesting... Peru-Paraguay! [:D]

warspite1

So they have two groups of five and all play each other once so that.... one team can be eliminated from each group.

I thought the Euro groups was bad enough where only 6 of the 24 teams were eliminated at the group stage.....

[/quoteThe big problem for CONMEBOL (apart from being as corrupt, useless, and ineffective as UEFA, and FIFA)) is that there are only ten nations in South America. To organize and pay for international tournaments one needs TV interest and people putting bums on seats. That means as many matches as possible in the brief window of opportunity that exists. Football and money... whodaguessd.

Best wishes,
Steve

[shunwick]

ORIGINAL: Piteas

Well, the America Cup is football too.
10 teams, 2 groups. Tomorrow the most interesting... Peru-Paraguay! [:D]

Interesting game certainly.

Peruvian Ceviche takes on the Paraguyan Sopa Paraguaya (which despite its name is not a soup.)

I fancy the Paraguayans in this quarter final. The Peruvians can mix it up but I still think the Paraguayans will prevail.

Best wishes,
Steve

[shunwick]

Oops.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: shunwick

The big problem for CONMEBOL (apart from being as corrupt, useless, and ineffective as UEFA, and FIFA)) is that there are only ten nations in South America. To organize and pay for international tournaments one needs TV interest and people putting bums on seats. That means as many matches as possible in the brief window of opportunity that exists. Football and money... whodaguessd.

Best wishes,
Steve

warspite1

They invited a couple of North/Central Americans to play in the tournament to build out the numbers - I guess Covid stopped that this time around?

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: shunwick

The big problem for CONMEBOL (apart from being as corrupt, useless, and ineffective as UEFA, and FIFA)) is that there are only ten nations in South America. To organize and pay for international tournaments one needs TV interest and people putting bums on seats. That means as many matches as possible in the brief window of opportunity that exists. Football and money... whodaguessd.

Best wishes,
Steve

warspite1

They invited a couple of North/Central Americans to play in the tournament to build out the numbers - I guess Covid stopped that this time around?

Well, I suppose you could say that Australia, and Qatar, is a couple of North/Central Americans that were invited to play. And while you might be right that they were invited, I claim that you are wrong in that they are from North/Central America. [;)] [:D]

Australia, and Qatar, were invited, and had accepted. But they had to withdraw when the delay in this tournament, and the delay in their own qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, made the events clash.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: shunwick

The big problem for CONMEBOL (apart from being as corrupt, useless, and ineffective as UEFA, and FIFA)) is that there are only ten nations in South America. To organize and pay for international tournaments one needs TV interest and people putting bums on seats. That means as many matches as possible in the brief window of opportunity that exists. Football and money... whodaguessd.

Best wishes,
Steve

warspite1

They invited a couple of North/Central Americans to play in the tournament to build out the numbers - I guess Covid stopped that this time around?

Well, I suppose you could say that Australia, and Qatar, is a couple of North/Central Americans that were invited to play. And while you might be right that they were invited, I claim that you are wrong in that they are from North/Central America. [;)] [:D]

Australia, and Qatar, were invited, and had accepted. But they had to withdraw when the delay in this tournament, and the delay in their own qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, made the events clash.

warspite1

I was talking about previous Copa Americas. I had no idea anyone would be invited with Covid around, but it seems the net was trawled further afield this time.... and not surprisingly the invitation was not taken up.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: warspite1


warspite1

They invited a couple of North/Central Americans to play in the tournament to build out the numbers - I guess Covid stopped that this time around?

Well, I suppose you could say that Australia, and Qatar, is a couple of North/Central Americans that were invited to play. And while you might be right that they were invited, I claim that you are wrong in that they are from North/Central America. [;)] [:D]

Australia, and Qatar, were invited, and had accepted. But they had to withdraw when the delay in this tournament, and the delay in their own qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, made the events clash.

warspite1

I was talking about previous Copa Americas. I had no idea anyone would be invited with Covid around, but it seems the net was trawled further afield this time.... and not surprisingly the invitation was not taken up.

It is my understanding that the tournament was planned pre-covid, and then delayed one year because of covid. Qatar has appeared before, I think, in Copa America. Anyway. Both teams had accepted. But the one year delay made their own world cup qualifications clash with the Copa America so they had to withdraw. So, in my understanding, the reason for Australia, and Qatar, to withdraw was rather indirectly cause by covid.

A lot of sporting events were delayed last year, so now there is a lot. And some of it simultaneously.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Orm


Well, I suppose you could say that Australia, and Qatar, is a couple of North/Central Americans that were invited to play. And while you might be right that they were invited, I claim that you are wrong in that they are from North/Central America. [;)] [:D]

Australia, and Qatar, were invited, and had accepted. But they had to withdraw when the delay in this tournament, and the delay in their own qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, made the events clash.

warspite1

I was talking about previous Copa Americas. I had no idea anyone would be invited with Covid around, but it seems the net was trawled further afield this time.... and not surprisingly the invitation was not taken up.

It is my understanding that the tournament was planned pre-covid, and then delayed one year because of covid. Qatar has appeared before, I think, in Copa America. Anyway. Both teams had accepted. But the one year delay made their own world cup qualifications clash with the Copa America so they had to withdraw. So, in my understanding, the reason for Australia, and Qatar, to withdraw was rather indirectly cause by covid.

A lot of sporting events were delayed last year, so now there is a lot. And some of it simultaneously.

warspite1

You are right. According to Wiki Qatar and Japan were invited in 2019.

[shunwick]

Now that we have established that Australia and Qatar are not in North/Central America...

The quarter finals start today.

Euro 2020

Switzerland v Spain
Belgium v Italy

Copa America 2021

Peru v Paraguay

Three intriguing games. I would love to see Switzerland, Italy, and Paraguay victorious. Tough games for all of them.

Best wishes,
Steve

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: shunwick

Now that we have established that Australia and Qatar are not in North/Central America...

Best wishes,
Steve

warspite1

That is so typical of you shunwick. How very dare you assume Australia's geographic position vis a vis the imperialist notion of what is or isn't a continent.

If Australia wants to be South American then that is their right.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: shunwick

The quarter finals start today.

Euro 2020

Switzerland v Spain
Belgium v Italy

Copa America 2021

Peru v Paraguay

Three intriguing games. I would love to see Switzerland, Italy, and Paraguay victorious. Tough games for all of them.

Best wishes,
Steve

warspite1

We are in agreement. Although in some ways I wouldn't mind Belgium getting through because if, by some miracle, we do get to play them, then I still believe their Spurs and ex-spurs central defence is suspect - not to mention that the right back Meunier is the worst player to play for Dortmund in the history of German football.

But best not to worry about that. Yes, Forza Italy.

Got to be honest about Peru vs Paraguay. I am sort of in couldn't care less corner on this one..... in fact no. I am going for darkest Peru on the basis that that is who Paddington Bear supports.