otm
― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Monday, 11 July 2016 00:01 (eight years ago) link
yup.
― Blandings Castle Magic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 11 July 2016 00:03 (eight years ago) link
I you had asked me beforehand which teams I really didn't want to get to the final I would have answered France and Portugal. So that was the worst possible final for me. I didn't even watch it. But I guess I'm happy for Portugal, a small country that had never won anything before. And I won't have to suffer the arrogance of the French media and I won't have to see Griezmann's rejoiced face. So yeah, it's the best possible outcome for this terrible final.
― cookware regression (Dinsdale), Monday, 11 July 2016 08:09 (eight years ago) link
Wow, a lot of chips falling off shoulders since last night. Obvioulsy gutted, but France didnt really look like a Europen champion (Portugal even less but whatever). Griezmann has always struck me as good guy - surprised to see the amount of schadenfreude directed at him (and the rest of the French squad - who apart from Evra and Pogba - was a pretty humble side by french standards).
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Monday, 11 July 2016 08:14 (eight years ago) link
Portugal deserved to win last night. France weren't good enough. Aren't good enough. What was Pogba doing last night? He was like Ray Wilkins reincarnated. Why was Giroud left on the pitch for 80 minutes to trundle about ineffectively? Why are Evra and Sagna still playing? Etcetera.
― They could have been Stackridge. (Tom D.), Monday, 11 July 2016 09:29 (eight years ago) link
Pogba playing out of position but also largely over-rated fundamentally. Evra and Sagna still playing because of lack of younger and better options - they are definitely the weak links and wingbacks have been a weak spot for France for nearly 10 years.
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Monday, 11 July 2016 10:07 (eight years ago) link
If you can't beat a worse side, you deserve to lose. It's probably better for France not to be allowed to pretend Deschamps is doing a good job.
― Bein' Sean Bean (LocalGarda), Monday, 11 July 2016 10:09 (eight years ago) link
any team that made Sissoko look like your MOTM can't have been a good team
― ^ 諷刺 (ken c), Monday, 11 July 2016 10:45 (eight years ago) link
Griezmann has always struck me as good guy - surprised to see the amount of schadenfreude directed at him
It was the shit dance that he did to celebrate his goals
― ^ 諷刺 (ken c), Monday, 11 July 2016 10:47 (eight years ago) link
bit bemused by all the guardian hacks giving robson-kanu goal of the tournament. shaqiri's was way better imo.
― pandemic, Monday, 11 July 2016 10:54 (eight years ago) link
better technically but less satisfying than 3 defenders getting foxed with one move.
― ^ 諷刺 (ken c), Monday, 11 July 2016 11:03 (eight years ago) link
final was irritatingly dull (i could have gone to the cinema instead) until extra time. i didnt see every single match this year but did seem like most matches had this air of semi-lifeless and playing it safe.
― StillAdvance, Monday, 11 July 2016 12:18 (eight years ago) link
I know he had that bad performance against whoever in the group, but Deschamps preferring Gignac over Martial all tournament was weird. Surely when Giroud isn't working you go for something different, rather than an even shitter version of the same thing
― Number None, Monday, 11 July 2016 12:21 (eight years ago) link
Martial has been consistently hopeless with the national team - he's had his chance during the pre-tournament friendlies
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Monday, 11 July 2016 12:35 (eight years ago) link
final was irritatingly dull (i could have gone to the cinema instead) until extra time. i didnt see every single match this year but did seem like most matches had this air of semi-lifeless and playing it safe.― StillAdvance, Monday, 11 July 2016 12:18 (19 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― StillAdvance, Monday, 11 July 2016 12:18 (19 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Tournament finals are ususally crap though.
The group games were the worst bit, how do you get motivated to win a game if you know not losing 3 games is almost definitely good enough to get you through?
― ^ 諷刺 (ken c), Monday, 11 July 2016 12:40 (eight years ago) link
Really? Didn't see the directly pre-tournament games but it seemed like he did well in his first few games. Picked up a few assists iirc
― Number None, Monday, 11 July 2016 12:42 (eight years ago) link
Yup. That and his nazi haircut.
― cookware regression (Dinsdale), Monday, 11 July 2016 13:12 (eight years ago) link
We turned over for about 10 mins, saw the change ends after the first ex-tim period, then the goal. Match looked quite good.
I take it the rest of the match wasn't.
Still, what's all this about Poland 'shouldn't have won' business? what do you want, another ballot? Um, I mean, a replay?
― Mark G, Monday, 11 July 2016 13:30 (eight years ago) link
jamie jackson the worst guardian writer?
What now for England? Forget the Sam Allardyce or Gareth Southgate route. Find an absolute managerial wizard and ask his price. Sit back and watch England become the world and European champions.
― Bein' Sean Bean (LocalGarda), Monday, 11 July 2016 14:21 (eight years ago) link
lol
well, we do have to admit: anybody can become European champions, and the new booooring 24 teams seemingly further increased this, with Wales reaching the semis.
now world champion, that's a totally different story.
― Ludo, Monday, 11 July 2016 14:35 (eight years ago) link
they simply need to "find an absolute managerial wizard"
what do people think of the 24-team format anyway? i think it's highlighted how poor the supposed big teams really are.
― Bein' Sean Bean (LocalGarda), Monday, 11 July 2016 14:37 (eight years ago) link
I like the 24 format, but think the group stage should be arranged differently. Eight groups of three, first two to progress, group winners play a number two from a different group, third place goes home. No shenanigans like 'best number three' to go through or whatever.
― Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 11 July 2016 14:47 (eight years ago) link
24 team format execrable - lack of clarity and drama during teh first round, overall too many games also penalising forceful attacking play. Next edition without an organising country should be even worse
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Monday, 11 July 2016 14:48 (eight years ago) link
next three tournaments will probably kill international football - russia, everywhere, qatar
― Bein' Sean Bean (LocalGarda), Monday, 11 July 2016 14:52 (eight years ago) link
^^ otm
― Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 11 July 2016 15:06 (eight years ago) link
The 'big teams' are especially weak at the moment.
― They could have been Stackridge. (Tom D.), Monday, 11 July 2016 15:09 (eight years ago) link
A lot of seemed to come down to poor management imo
― Number None, Monday, 11 July 2016 15:16 (eight years ago) link
verall too many games also penalising forceful attacking play
this. i mean Northern-Ireland was 1-0 down against Germany, and didn't attack so they would advance, and could play another dreadful game. Imagine when they hád to attack and try to equalize, and Germany scoring 3 more beautiful goals. Maybe even Muller would have scored in this scenario. Ok probably not. :P
― Ludo, Monday, 11 July 2016 15:17 (eight years ago) link
Big tearmsMean nothinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEQj_xniiJg
― Blandings Castle Magic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 11 July 2016 15:19 (eight years ago) link
Eight groups of three
Instinctively think three-team groups (esp with two qualifiers) are a dubious solution, but the only time they were used (WC82), they only really produced one duff game (Poland happy to hold USSR at bay to go through on goal diff). Elsewhere we had Rossi & Boniek hat-tricks, "it only takes a second to score a goal" - neither Keegan nor Brooking mustering one in 20min, Maradona red, Giresse & Rocheteau. But that was just a fantastic tournament.
― Michael Jones, Monday, 11 July 2016 15:21 (eight years ago) link
Another detail I'd forgotten - order of matches in that second group phase at WC82 was determined by result of opening game. There was a provisional order that was adhered to if the opening game was a draw, but if there was a positive result, the winners didn't play again until match #3.
― Michael Jones, Monday, 11 July 2016 15:27 (eight years ago) link
that is pretty cool.
― Bein' Sean Bean (LocalGarda), Monday, 11 July 2016 15:31 (eight years ago) link
I agree that the laws should be changed so that defending is outlawed and all games are passing and tricks exhibitions, win awarded to the prettiest team
― and the Gove maths out Raab (Noodle Vague), Monday, 11 July 2016 15:33 (eight years ago) link
Isn't it accepted wisdom that squads and fans of any qualifying team deserve more than two matches in a tournament?
― Tim, Monday, 11 July 2016 15:33 (eight years ago) link
― Bein' Sean Bean (LocalGarda), Monday, July 11, 2016 2:21 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
given that every other writer's answer is a variation on "forget it they're fucked" I could believe he might have gone for a challop just for a bit of colour, but he actually says the same thing earlier on in his bit as well. so in conclusion, yes Jamie Jackson the worst Guardian writer
― Pat Umunna Glass (DJ Mencap), Monday, 11 July 2016 16:17 (eight years ago) link
24 teams
First round = 12 groups of 2 Winners go through
12 losers play in 4 groups of 3 for the final places
sorted.
― ^ 諷刺 (ken c), Monday, 11 July 2016 17:08 (eight years ago) link
(12 groups of 2 will play to extra time/penalties etc)
― ^ 諷刺 (ken c), Monday, 11 July 2016 17:09 (eight years ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CnGYIa7WEAA3qZF.jpg
― Number None, Monday, 11 July 2016 18:42 (eight years ago) link
Kimmich was shit.
― Le Bateau Ivre, Monday, 11 July 2016 18:50 (eight years ago) link
Boateng wasn't all that either
― Number None, Monday, 11 July 2016 18:55 (eight years ago) link
feel like that team deserves one more Frenchman (not sure who though)
― Ludo, Monday, 11 July 2016 19:04 (eight years ago) link
No brady fuck off
― poor fiddy-less albion (darraghmac), Monday, 11 July 2016 19:09 (eight years ago) link
Guardian put Clark AND Whelan in their Flops of the Tournament team, but only had Sterling and Hart from England...
― Number None, Monday, 11 July 2016 19:11 (eight years ago) link
what a bizarre list
Griezmann was selected by UEFA's 13-strong panel of technical observers, also including Sir Alex Ferguson, Alain Giresse, David Moyes, Packie Bonner, Mixu Paatelainen, Savo Milošević, Peter Rudbæk, Gareth Southgate, Thomas Schaaf, Jean-François Domergue, Ginés Meléndez and Jean-Paul Brigger.
― Number None, Monday, 11 July 2016 20:26 (eight years ago) link
packie bonner
― ^ 諷刺 (ken c), Monday, 11 July 2016 22:34 (eight years ago) link
Mixu Paatelainen! WTF? How did he get that gig?
― They could have been Stackridge. (Tom D.), Monday, 11 July 2016 22:53 (eight years ago) link
deeply resent me having to be the one to point out that krychowiak pissed over everyone but kroos
― r|t|c, Tuesday, 12 July 2016 04:32 (eight years ago) link
defenders defender award goes to domagoj vida
― r|t|c, Tuesday, 12 July 2016 04:38 (eight years ago) link