I have fallen in love with this game and look for any opputunity to watch. Here is a thread to talk about the Euro.
Euro 2016 qualifying game thread
- Thread starter Luis Taint
- Start date
This England Vs. Switzerland is pretty good. Welbeck had a nice goal. Switzerland, really has no ability to finish. Switzerland has had 3 or 4 great opputunitues.
Yea, good news for Arsenal fans, Welbeck, like all strikers is a confidence player, two goals away V England's main rivals in the group will so him no harm at all. I can't remember i he was 16 or 18 Million but it was a steal at either price.
Ukraine May burn to the ground tonight. Ukraine down 1 in extra time, Ukraine's goalie playing forward in a scrum in front of Slovakia's goal, scores. It is ruled a no goal, for goalie interference.
I just looked this up after being terribly confused.Luis Taint said:
I see now: you meant the interference was committed against the _Slovakia_ keeper (by the Ukraine keeper).
I work overnight, so noon is essentially my midnight. Yet here I am watching Latvia Vs. Kazakstan. I definitely need help.cgori said:
Brought this up yesterday and a friend went ballistic about how Internationals are useless and these goals don't count for Arsenal. I don't like Internationals, but the confidence can translate into him scoring goals for Arsenal. I really hope Welbz scores on Saturday to shut him up. And to, you know, help Arsenal.fletcherpost said:
For me, personally, I care about club matches more than internationals, so internationals during the season are not something I look forward to. I think it would be different if I had roots with a top level international team or if the US had more of a challenge to qualify for tournaments. I enjoy internationals for the soccer, but I'd prefer to be watching a club match.Luis Taint said:
Andorra!
Their stadium looks like a Conference ground.
Edit: That didn't last long. Gareth Bale is a lot better than anyone on Andorra. Shocking, I know.
It sounded like Andorra has a player named Jordi Rubio, which could be the most Catalan name I could imagine. I'll just assume it's the case.
Their stadium looks like a Conference ground.
Edit: That didn't last long. Gareth Bale is a lot better than anyone on Andorra. Shocking, I know.
It sounded like Andorra has a player named Jordi Rubio, which could be the most Catalan name I could imagine. I'll just assume it's the case.
Andorra is playing a Sampsonesque 3-6-1.
We are advised that Andorra's domestically-based players may not be entirely fit because their season hasn't started yet. From my observations, it may also be because some of them are fat.
We are advised that Andorra's domestically-based players may not be entirely fit because their season hasn't started yet. From my observations, it may also be because some of them are fat.
Thanks to converting a penalty, Andorra have a goal despite having no shots in the first half. That's not shots on goal, they have no shots period.
JORDI RUBIO DISPOSSESSION SLIDE!!!!
The UK media is freaking out over Wales playing on a FieldTurf pitch. I haven't seen anything really odd yet. I think the Brits think of artificial turf being like what you'd find at the University of Oklahoma in 1985. I'll concede they probably overloaded the pitched with the rubber pellets, because the ball is slowing too quickly on the medium-length passes along the ground.
The UK media is freaking out over Wales playing on a FieldTurf pitch. I haven't seen anything really odd yet. I think the Brits think of artificial turf being like what you'd find at the University of Oklahoma in 1985. I'll concede they probably overloaded the pitched with the rubber pellets, because the ball is slowing too quickly on the medium-length passes along the ground.
DLew On Roids said:JORDI RUBIO DISPOSSESSION SLIDE!!!!
The UK media is freaking out over Wales playing on a FieldTurf pitch. I haven't seen anything really odd yet. I think the Brits think of artificial turf being like what you'd find at the University of Oklahoma in 1985. I'll concede they probably overloaded the pitched with the rubber pellets, because the ball is slowing too quickly on the medium-length passes along the ground.
I don't really know what their deal is... I guess it could be from watching late night NFL games from Veterans Stadium but I remember when England lost to Russia in a Euro 2008 qualifier on a plastic pitch - 2/3rds of the post game caterwauling was about the pitch, not whether England were shit.
But soccer in general outside the US has kind of a hair across their butt about fieldturf. Look at how FIFA are a bunch of sexist pigs because the women's World Cup will be played on turf in Canada, the one country that was interested in hosting it.
kind of interesting that Kazakhstan and Israel can qualify for Euro Cup...I guess they are pretty European
Kazakhstan is like Turkey, where one sliver of the country is technically in Europe. With Turkey it's the part west of the Bosphorus Straits, with Kazakhstan it's a small part west of the Ural mountains.
With Israel, some Muslim countries wouldn't play them, so they were exiled from Asian qualification, so UEFA picked them up a few years later.
With Israel, some Muslim countries wouldn't play them, so they were exiled from Asian qualification, so UEFA picked them up a few years later.
The Soviet Union was also a part of UEFA, so that may explain why Kazakhstan is part of UEFA from a historical perspective.
Infield Infidel said:
The mountains don't go that far south, it's just the Ural River making its way to the Caspian Sea at that point.
I never made it that far west when I lived in Kazakhstan (clearly, I wasn't in the oil industry) but I've seen pictures of friends by the river in Uralsk and I've been to the border of Europe and Asia near Yekaterinburg in Russia. The Ural Mountains and River comprise a remarkably underwhelming and arbitrary physical border between the continents, by the way.
Anyway, Kazakhstan switched to UEFA because they thought it would be better for the quality of their football long-term. The AFC is very weak and although countries like Kazakhstan aren't the ones sucking down all that sweet Champions League and UEFA TV money, I think it's likely their switch was more lucrative than traveling to Tajikistan for club qualifiers.
The switch has definitely been beneficial for their clubs. When they initial made the jump to UEFA, they were a doormat. They've improved steadily, however, and last year sent a club to the group stage of the Europa League for the first time. On the national team front, the AFC would certainly have offered an easier path, but it's very plausible to argue that the Kazakh team would be weaker without having joined the UEFA.
Armenia is another country that lacks any European territory whatsoever. And really, Cyprus should probably be termed Asian as well, geographically speaking. It's in a corner of the Mediterranean right next to Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon. [Note: I have not been compensated by the Turks for this post.]
Titans Bastard said:
You are not missing much. The main highlight of my time in Atyrau was being able to walk across the Ural from "Europe" to "Asia". It was deeply underwhelming, and I am a tremendous geography nerd.
You are right the Ural River is not all that impressive, especially as Atryau is something like 40 kilometers upstream from the mouth on the Caspian. It was about the width of the Charles around the Western Avenue Bridge, maybe a bit wider. Nothing that special for a continent defining body of water.
Where did you live in Kazakhstan? I hope the charming Almaty rather than the windswept reject Dubai of Astana.
BigA27 said:
The Europe/Asia border in Russia is similar unimpressive. There's a monument off one of the roads out of Yekaterinburg, with the Asia/Europe split, but it's basically just a clearing in the woods.
Even elsewhere, the Ural Mountains aren't particularly big. The highest mountain in the range is ever so slightly smaller than Mt. Washington. It really emphasizes the fact that the mental division that we have between Europe and Asia is close to 100% cultural.
BigA27 said:
I was a Peace Corps volunteer, so even provincial mining cities like Karaganda seemed positively cosmopolitan to me by the end. I lived in Zhezkazgan, which was 13 hours from Karaganda on a rail spur towards the center of the country. Absolutely in the middle of nowhere and totally isolated. You could leave the city limits in almost any direction, walk for several weeks, and not encounter any sign of human life. The city has 100,000 people though, so life was a little more lively than in the village.
Astana is indeed a strange place, particularly the left bank. I spent the first three months of my time there in a small town outside of Almaty and frequented the city. Definitely a much more pleasant livable place relatively speaking. I miss those mountains.
Besides the short-term problems this should cause for Serbias defense, what does it say about the relationship Advocaat has with Subotic and why do you say that a player probably won´t play under you as a coach? Makes no sense to me.Titans Bastard said:
Subotic was injured for a long time. Advocaat could just come out and say Neven was injured for a long time. Despite being on our team for so long, we decided he should get back to regular match fitness and get his international matches while being with Dortmund.
Subotic could get his matches for Dortmund while being away from Serbia, Advocaat could leave him off the roster without any trouble. And most importantly, you say something that leaves the door open for a comeback anytime you want, but could also say: So far, we´re happy with the players´performances in this qualification and Neven is getting his regular playing time with Dortmund, so we decided to leave everything as it is.
DLew On Roids said:JORDI RUBIO DISPOSSESSION SLIDE!!!!
The UK media is freaking out over Wales playing on a FieldTurf pitch. I haven't seen anything really odd yet. I think the Brits think of artificial turf being like what you'd find at the University of Oklahoma in 1985. I'll concede they probably overloaded the pitched with the rubber pellets, because the ball is slowing too quickly on the medium-length passes along the ground.
Spacemans Bong said:
I play in a league on FieldTurf, and honestly, it's pretty miserable. Any slide tackling results in terrible turf burn, and if you're unlucky enough to get turf burn on your knees you're out a week at least. In terms of how the ball plays, it's fine though sometimes a bit fast, but it's definitely not ideal. As a one off, it's tough to complain much, but I can totally see why the Women's World Cup has issues with playing a month long tournament on FieldTurf. It will limit their ability to go to ground and ultimately alter how aggressively they play.
So what is up with Spain? They're losing 1-0 to Slovakia, which happens. But only 35% possession? That is very un-Spain.
Morgan's Magic Snowplow said:
I was able to watch the game (thanks, Watch ESPN app!) and had a few observations:
1. It's time to end the Casillas era. Now. I don't know how well De Gea is playing at ManU, but assuming De Gea is playing consistently and competently, it's time to move on to the next chapter. Casillas made a mistake on the first goal and looked awkward on the second. In fact, as Casillas half-jumped, I thought, "Courtois would have made that save". Casillas has been way too error-prone, and his mistakes drain the confidence from the team.
2. The Costa experience still is not working. Costa is clearly talented and is demonstrating at Chelsea how good he can be. And at Chelsea, Cesc and Costa have been a great combination. This magic, though, has not yet made it to the Spain national team.
3. Bring back Llorente. Again, I don't know how well Llorente is playing at Juventus, but I think the team needs him. Costa is 6'2 and Alcacer, the young Valencia striker who has been playing great, is about 6'0. Apart from those two, the team is a bunch of short guys. There are almost zero opportunities for headers, especially with Ramos out. Llorente might give a different type of weapon -- the aerial game.
@bosox: i didn´t see the game, just 3:30 of highlights from Slovakia-Spain...it was enough to say that Spain wasted enough chances (especially Costa) to not blame the loss on Iker. I don´t think he is on the level where he was 5 years ago, but we i don´t know if Spain has a better keeper ATM and you don´t either and maybe they didn´t want to play de Gea this time...The 1st goal was touched slightly by the wall, which makes him look very bad, i agree. But on the 2nd, there is nothing he can do...That´s a cross and a header from 5meters coming at him in full speed. He can just guess where the ball might go and cover some space...The mistakes are made on the wing (stop the cross) or in the middle (cover the opposition closer), but not on the keepers side..
I agree they should try to bring in Llorente, to add another dimension, but Spain always was about their passing game and not about high crosses and headers. They scored some important goals afters corners, back when Pique and Puyol were coming forward, too. Let´s see how this will end.
I agree they should try to bring in Llorente, to add another dimension, but Spain always was about their passing game and not about high crosses and headers. They scored some important goals afters corners, back when Pique and Puyol were coming forward, too. Let´s see how this will end.
These upsets would have been more interesting under the old 16 team format. With 24, all of the second place and a over half of the 3rd place teams are going to get in anyways.
What blows my mind about yesterday is that Martin Odegaard at the ripe old age of 15 became the youngest player to debut in the Euros for Norway against Bulgaria. The kid is head and shoulders above any players in the U-21 squad. Talk about a precocious talent.
Scotland lose an early goal due to an error by bawbag Hutton, but come back nicely with a well worked goal for Maloney. Scotland getting a lot of postession. Stephen Fletcher doesn't do much for me. Hutton gets a lot of the ball for a donkey. Naismith, i really like this guy. He's improved so much under Martinez at Everton. Scotland always look like they have a mistake in them, but are getting a decent amount of ball in the Poland half so it's well balanced. A win away from home would be huge. I like that Scotland don't play long ball non football these days. But they need to keep looking for players who like the ball. I wonder when Ross McCormack is gonna get a run out for Scotland, same with Jordan Rhodes.
1-2 Scotland. Naismith with a deft touch from a free kick. I'd like the Jocks to keep doing what they're doing, keep the heed an all that. I hope they just stay composed.