Euro 2024

[bluebanana83]

Why not just be 16 teams like it was instead of 24…oh that’s why to ensure all the big nations qualify so more people watch.

It used to be 8 pre 1996 which for me was too few. 16 was the perfect amount.

They are doing the same with the World Cup expanding it 48 teams. Absolutely ridiculous. 32 is more than enough.

All about the money I guess.

 

[supercity88]

The 2nd team in Group A is playing the second in Group B and 2nd in D is playing the second in E.

The third place is a bit of a disaster.
Point F below is ridiculous as it gives an advantage to a higher ranking team

According to Uefa, the four best third-placed teams are determined, in the order given, by the following criteria:

A. Higher number of points

B. Superior goal difference

C. Higher number of goals scored

D. Higher number of wins


E. Lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials in all group matches (red card = three points, yellow card = one point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = three points)

F. Position in the overall European qualifiers rankings

I just don't understand who sits in a room and thinks that this system would work. Germany playing a 2nd place team, whereas the winner of our group plays a 3rd place team.

It's not a fair system, it rewards mediocrity and leads to teams being happy to draw games because it gives them a chance to qualify. Just increase the number of teams to 32 so more get a chance to go to a tournament and then have the top 2 qualify.

I always find it funny when the English players or Southgate try to quantify their success by saying they're top of the group and almost through. This group stage is basically sifting out the filth and the round of 16 is getting rid of the rest of it before the tournament actually begins. The Euro's used to be a lot tougher - 8 teams and then 16, where it was a challenge to qualify.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

 

[SebastianBlue]

The 2nd team in Group A is playing the second in Group B and 2nd in D is playing the second in E.

The third place is a bit of a disaster.
Point F below is ridiculous as it gives an advantage to a higher ranking team

According to Uefa, the four best third-placed teams are determined, in the order given, by the following criteria:

A. Higher number of points

B. Superior goal difference

C. Higher number of goals scored

D. Higher number of wins


E. Lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials in all group matches (red card = three points, yellow card = one point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = three points)

F. Position in the overall European qualifiers rankings

I just don't understand who sits in a room and thinks that this system would work. Germany playing a 2nd place team, whereas the winner of our group plays a 3rd place team.

It's not a fair system, it rewards mediocrity and leads to teams being happy to draw games because it gives them a chance to qualify. Just increase the number of teams to 32 so more get a chance to go to a tournament and then have the top 2 qualify.

I always find it funny when the English players or Southgate try to quantify their success by saying they're top of the group and almost through. This group stage is basically sifting out the filth and the round of 16 is getting rid of the rest of it before the tournament actually begins. The Euro's used to be a lot tougher - 8 teams and then 16, where it was a challenge to qualify.

Let’s just scrap the Nations League and make the Euros a 48 nation tournament that runs year round with 8 groups of 6 nations with each playing home and away and the top 2 from each group going on to the knockout rounds to be played as two legged ties home and away until the final, which is a one off at a neutral venue…

 

[TinFoilHat]

Why not just be 16 teams like it was instead of 24…oh that’s why to ensure all the big nations qualify so more people watch.

It used to be 8 pre 1996 which for me was too few. 16 was the perfect amount.

They are doing the same with the World Cup expanding it 48 teams. Absolutely ridiculous. 32 is more than enough.

All about the money I guess.

Exactly.

I wouldn't begrudge UEFA doing a Europa League style tournament for the so called smaller teams to get a piece of the pie. The winner qualifies for next euros.

 

[Stephen230]

Let’s just scrap the Nations League and make the Euros a 48 nation tournament that runs year round with 8 groups of 6 nations with each playing home and away and the top 2 from each group going on to the knockout rounds to be played as two legged ties home and away until the final, which is a one off at a neutral venue…

The qualifying round’s whole purpose is to win a place at the finals.

With no tournament at the end to aim for it might as well be the Nations League.

 

[Gremlin]

Why unlikely? Group E: Both games end in a draw, Belgium and Slovakia both with the same amount of yellow/reds in this last game (they have the same amount now). Then it gets to the qualification round which both ended up tied at points.. But Belgium will then go through because they topped their qualification group due to a win and a draw against this Slovakia. It's crazy and not far stretched.

Belgium have a better goal difference than Slovakia in that scenario (+1 rather than 0) so no need to invoke the qualifying round rule.

 

[SebastianBlue]

The qualifying round’s whole purpose is to win a place at the finals.

With no tournament at the end to aim for it might as well be the Nations League.

You don’t say…

 

[LWashington]

The 2nd team in Group A is playing the second in Group B and 2nd in D is playing the second in E.

The third place is a bit of a disaster.
Point F below is ridiculous as it gives an advantage to a higher ranking team

According to Uefa, the four best third-placed teams are determined, in the order given, by the following criteria:

A. Higher number of points

B. Superior goal difference

C. Higher number of goals scored

D. Higher number of wins


E. Lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials in all group matches (red card = three points, yellow card = one point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = three points)

F. Position in the overall European qualifiers rankings

TBF, it's fairly unlikely that they'd have to resort to point F. You'd almost be in 'toss a coin' territory by then.

E. Lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials in all group matches (red card = three points, yellow card = one point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = three points)

F. Length of the manager's cock.

G. Position in the overall European qualifiers rankings

 

[I'm With Stupid]

It's not a fair system, it rewards mediocrity and leads to teams being happy to draw games because it gives them a chance to qualify. Just increase the number of teams to 32 so more get a chance to go to a tournament and then have the top 2 qualify.

Exactly. Same with the World Cup. If you want more teams, do it properly. 32 in the Euros and 64 in the World Cup. The third placed team in a group of four should never being going through to the knockout stages. It's pathetic.

Having said that, you then have the problem that qualifying becomes even more boring and pointless than it is already. No chance of a big country missing out with 32 teams (which is what they want, of course - no Italy at the World Cup will have hurt revenues).