Euro 2012: Day 12 Thread

[Duty281]

First topic message reminder :

Sweden v France (ITV 4, 19:45)
England v Ukraine (ITV 1, 19:45)

Current Group Standings:

France - 4
England - 4
Ukraine - 3
Sweden - 0


If points are level, sorting criteria is thus:

Equality of points after the group matches
8.07 If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches, the
following criteria are applied, in the order given; to determine the rankings:
a) higher number of points obtained in the matches among the teams in question;
b) superior goal difference in the matches among the teams in question (if MORE
than two teams finish equal on points);
c) higher number of goals scored in the matches among the teams in question (if
MORE than two teams finish equal on points);
d) superior goal difference in all the group matches;
e) higher number of goals scored in all the group matches;
f) position in the UEFA national team coefficient ranking system (see Annex I,
paragraph 1.2.2);
g) fair play conduct of the teams (final tournament);
h) drawing of lots.

And this is what each team needs to do:

France (v Sweden)
Win - Secures qualification. Top spot depends on the result between England and Ukraine. If England also win, top spot goes to the team with the superior goal difference.
Draw - Secures qualification. Will still progress as group winners if England v Ukraine ends in a draw courtesy of their superior goal difference over Roy Hodgson's men.
Lose - Through as second-placed team if England beat Ukraine. If England and Ukraine draw, France will still qualify courtesy of their better head-to-head record against the co-hosts. If both England and France lose the team which has the superior goal difference between the pair will qualify.

England (v Ukraine)
Win - Secures qualification and they will progress as group winners if France fail to beat Sweden.
Draw - Secures qualification and they will progress as group winners if France lose to Sweden. If both final group games end in a draw, France will qualify as group winners courtesy of their superior goal difference over Roy Hodgson's men.
Lose - Out if France win or draw against Sweden. If both England and France lose the team which has the superior goal difference between the pair will qualify.

Ukraine (v England)
Win - Secures qualification. They will qualify as group winners if France fail to beat Sweden.
Draw - Out.
Lose - Out.

Sweden (v France)
Already eliminated.

Final day of the group stages, we have 6 teams through to the Quarters, 2 teams will join tomorrow. Sweden are already out courtesy of losing to the Co-Hosts and England. Ukraine need a win against England to qualify, nothing else will do and on their home patch they will be feeling confident. England only need to avoid defeat and they will make it to the quarters, whether they will make it to top spot or not depends on the French game and how many goals England can score with a certain Wayne Rooney back in the team (of course England could make it through with a defeat but that's a pretty unlikely scenario in which Sweden will need to beat France by a bigger margin than Ukraine beat England). For France, avoiding defeat will guarantee them qualification, a defeat and they will need to rely on England drawing or beating the Ukraine. And similar to England, they could make it through with a defeat.

Winners of Group D will face Italy.
Runners Up of Group D will face Spain.

Come on England!

[Leff]

So, we lost only 2 top-ranked teams - Holland and Russia. The rest are alive in the quarters. Not bad.

[mystiroakey]

WELL DONE ENGLAND

[Josiah Maiestas]

Disgraceful that goal not being given. That could cost Ukraine a QF place

If Ukraine draw 1-1 against England and France lose against Sweden - would Ukraine go through in second place?

Well it would be 1-1 if the officials did their job

Go on, change your avatar to Italy, team hopping dobber!

[Duty281]

Job done. Top of the group, many didn't even we'd make it out the group so a fantastic team effort! As for today's game, well we barely got out of second gear and looked average but the same could be said of Germany when they played Denmark, Spain when they played Croatia or France when they played Sweden. Good to see Rooney on the scoresheet, he'll get confidence from that. As for Ukraine's 'goal', 2 wrongs make a right in this case. One Ukraine player was offside in the build up so the move shouldn't have got that far anyway.

Italy on Sunday? Bring it on!

[Breadvan]

Milner cannot start against the Italians!

[Guest]

England had to be well organised to get two wins and a draw despite not having the majority of the possession. I think it is accepted that England don't have any outstanding international players, and they are on the slow side. I guess they couldn't have done any better than what they have done. Excellent defensive to defensive-midfield performance. Gerrard seems to be Englands best player along with John Terry.

[GSC]

Eh, Italy aren't exactly blessed with pace, Milner could be a decent start.

England vs Italy will be the worst game of the tournament.

Then again I said that about England Sweden haha

[Soldier_Of_Fortune]

Steffan hope you change your avatar to the Italy flag for Sunday. Seems to be a lucky oman.

[Crimey]

I've actually been surprised by how well Gerrard has played, I did expect him to struggle because he's not as fast or powerful as he used to be, but he's adapted his game and most things good for England come through Gerrard.

[Josiah Maiestas]

Come on Stephanie, put that Italian flag up pronto!

[GSC]

There you go, clearly offside. He was more offside than the ball crossed the line.

[mystiroakey]

Its been all gerrard so far

[Postie]

Far as I'm concerned, making the Q/Fs is a great result for us., topping the group was unexpected.Considering we have a new manager and a depleted squad, it's about as much I could of hoped for.

Hodgson has been spot on so far, in his team selection and substitutions, fair play.

Anything else from now on is a bonus.

[mystiroakey]

do you know what- yes completly offside so deffo no goal- but is the whole of the ball over- i couldnt see a gap between the line and the ball

[mystiroakey]

Far as I'm concerned, making the Q/Fs is a great result for us., topping the group was unexpected.Considering we have a new manager and a depleted squad, it's about as much I could of hoped for.

Hodgson has been spot on so far, in his team selection and substitutions, fair play.

Anything else from now on is a bonus.

QF's was allways an ok performance- we are ranked above all sides, so if we didnt get through it would have been pretty awfull in fairness. However semis is the good result- its what i have wanted from the start- gonna be underdogs again(as we were with france), but england allways look better v the better teams.. Fingers crossed against italy and getting to a semi v germany.

[GG]

do you know what- yes completly offside so deffo no goal- but is the whole of the ball over- i couldnt see a gap between the line and the ball

Yeah it was, whole ball was clearly over. Not that it really matters.

[Postie]

Fair play to Sweden too, for going out and beating France when they could of just folded with nothing to play for, but pride.

[Steffan]

I knew England would make it out of the group stages. They always do to be fair. Bring on the real matches now

[GG]

Steffan

[GSC]

Its really been what we all expected, and based on Chelsea's tactics vs more technically blessed teams.

Clinical enough and make it difficult for opponents to get behind the back 4. Thats why teams have plenty of long shots, they frustrate teams on the edge of the box. Nobody gets dragged out of position.

[Leff]

Was that really off-side? Alexi Lalas on ESPN doesn't believe it was. The more famous Michael Ballack says very little.

[mystiroakey]

do you know what- yes completly offside so deffo no goal- but is the whole of the ball over- i couldnt see a gap between the line and the ball

Yeah it was, whole ball was clearly over. Not that it really matters.

nah it doesnt matter at all, certainly not in this case- however did you see that one shot from the top when you came to your conclusion?- i couldnt see any gap. just discussing it from a theoretical purpose

[mystiroakey]

Was that really off-side? Alexi Lalas on ESPN doesn't believe it was. The more famous Michael Ballack says very little.

100%- you gotta be blind if you think it isnt

[Guest]

Steffan

Steffan, the one man banter bearer! Top stuff.

[azania]

The Radio 5 live commentators are saying that Englands performance has been poor - that they have played the poorest of the group - but have been effective. This suggests poor attacking players but a great manager?

Sweden 2 France 0.

Nah. Just lucky.

lucky how az??

Ukraine had more possession and better chances. They were the better team and were it not for goal line tech they would have drawn at least.

I can see England doing a Chelsea and playing anti football and go all the way. For the integrity of football I hope not.

I don't like rear guard, battling performances. I want to be entertained and see skill.

[mystiroakey]

The Radio 5 live commentators are saying that Englands performance has been poor - that they have played the poorest of the group - but have been effective. This suggests poor attacking players but a great manager?

Sweden 2 France 0.

Nah. Just lucky.

lucky how az??

Ukraine had more possession and better chances. They were the better team and were it not for goal line tech they would have drawn at least.

I can see England doing a Chelsea and playing anti football and go all the way. For the integrity of football I hope not.

I don't like rear guard, battling performances. I want to be entertained and see skill.

its not lucky tho- just because you dont like it it doesnt mean its lucky

[GSC]

Az, he was offside in the buildup, far more clearly in fact that the ball crossing the line. Ukraine never really opened us up, like France and Sweden.

[GSC]

For all the talk about how England's opponents outplay them, how many world class saves has Hart had to make?

[mystiroakey]

by the way az- one thing- they didnt have better chances!!

[Guest]

We were truly very lucky that Ukraine didn't have their finishing boots on tonight. Abysmal, lifeless performance from England and against better opposition could easily have been two or three behind and that's being kind. The QF's against Balotelli and co. is a step up in class from our group, however I actually think we've got a chance against them. We've certainly got to improve in all areas because at times tonight it was damn right poor.

Italy, Germany & then Spain is a tough ask for any team from here on in.

[azania]

The great and impartial Alexix Lalas (who) said it wasn't.

[Guest]

The great and impartial Alexix Lalas (who) said it wasn't.

Who is this lady?

[mystiroakey]

The great and impartial Alexix Lalas (who) said it wasn't.

lol az- have you seen it your self - can you not make up your own mind!!

[sugarNspikes]

1st goal by Sweden was a cracker. France could get a real shaming by Spain.

[Leff]

Was that really off-side? Alexi Lalas on ESPN doesn't believe it was. The more famous Michael Ballack says very little.

100%- you gotta be blind if you think it isnt

Was he in front of the ball, I wondered. I see that the ball was in England's half and there were less than two defenders ahead.

[GSC]

Wrong pass Leff, when they played it from their own half the striker was a yard past Terry

[Leff]

How could Terry not be ahead of the striker when he found himself digging from inside the goal post? I must be missing something.

[GSC]

It was a pass earlier than that.

[Postie]

So, we play Italy on sunday night.
Winning the group gives us an extra day to recover/prepare but can we beat them ?

Personally I think it's too close to call, but if it's still tight going into 2nd half I think our subs might make a difference.

[mystiroakey]

How could Terry not be ahead of the striker when he found himself digging from inside the goal post? I must be missing something.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/ukraine-goal-against-england-wasn-t-ruled-goal-205137115--sow.html

[JamesLincs]

az, leff, nore staat.. time to stfu, youre boring everyone here

[GSC]

Chiellini is out of the QF

[GG]

az, leff, nore staat.. time to stfu, youre boring everyone here

They might be boring you, but don't speak for all of us. Tolerance is needed.

[Duty281]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Eq-eFa1cmQ

It's poor quality but it shows a clear offside in the build-up to the goal at the 0:18 mark. Two wrongs make a right.

[JamesLincs]

just negative input in every post

[Postie]

England also have a few players on a yellow, Milner, Young, Ox, Gerrard and Cole.Which might cause selection problems if any of them get another v Italy.

"If" we go through.

[Postie]

I don't give a flip about their "goal", evens up Lampards v the Germans.

Bout time we had a bit of luck.

[Guest]

All I keep hearing is 'england are the best team without the ball'......load of rubbish! If we allow Italy or any decent team the amount of time, possession and chances that we allowed Ukraine then we will be going home. Our play is negative, lifeless and it's like watching paint dry but that's the only way we can play with the players available. I just think the QF is going to be too big a step up in class because Italy have naturally gifted finishers something we havent really had to face in my opinion in a poor group.

Welbeck & Young were poor tonight and I would probably go with Carroll especially as Chiellini is missing so someone will come in with a lack of match sharpness at the back for Italy. I don't like the England tactics there appaling but are understandable.

Prediction - Very close but Italians may edge it or possible penalties because of negative tactics and good defences on both sides

[Soldier_Of_Fortune]

I knew England would make it out of the group stages. They always do to be fair. Bring on the real matches now

Nice one Steff

Nice to see optimism

[mystiroakey]

postie it didnt even anything up.. we are still due one of them - fingers crossed in the semis v germany!!

the non goal decsion only evened up the non offside decsion..

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