UEFA Nations League

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

In fairness to Pep, Stones was doing the same things at Everton.

He lost his man for the first goal, fell over for the second, put Barkley in diificulty for the third. I'm sure part of it is to do with the inabilty of others to receive in situations like that, but still.

[RobW]

He put Barkley in difficulty, but it seemed to me that Barkley ran back, Gerrard style, demanding he have the ball, despite the fact there was a Dutch player tracking him. Was the pass to him that poor?
I got so mad at watching England last summer attempt to pass the ball out of the back despite the fact nobody but McGuire looked comfortable on the ball. Are they so afraid at giving it the odd hoof when there's nothing short on? It's like a reverse John Beck plan. Will Southgate punish them for playing it long by making them run round the pitch or giving extra press ups in training?

[Wouter D]

Well, they had Luuk de Jong on the bench. Koeman is a nutter.

Fucking hell, you really are impossible to please.

In the Hiddink/Blind/Advocaat years the Dutch national football team didn't even qualify for both the 24-team 2016 Euro Cup, and the 2018 World Cup, losing to Bulgaria along the way.

The expectation was that the Dutch national football team would drop out of the nations league group A with zero points. Instead, since Koeman was appointed, they've beaten Portugal*, Germany, France, and England, and drew with Italy, Belgium, and Germany again.

Comparing before and during Koeman's reign, the difference in the quality of football played and results obtained is ridiculous. But no, he's a nutter because he's not playing Luuk de Jong.

*only for the second time ever, in fourteen games.

[ursus arctos]

You've only just noticed, W?

He makes Eeyore look like a hyped-up motivational speaker

[Nesta]

I don't think Pulisov is exactly displeased by Koeman not maiximizing his playing resources

[anton pulisov]

Nah, not displeased at all.

Koeman is an absolute nutter though. I didn't say he was bad. He has random ideas that sometimes work spectacularly and other times they fail spectacularly. There's a reason that he usually lasts no more than 12 months in a job.

[anton pulisov]

You've only just noticed, W?

He makes Eeyore look like a hyped-up motivational speaker

And, to think, at my job I'm the one considered the optimist.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Ronald Koeman is basically just steve bruce with an accent, and an extraordinary level of self regard.

[blameless]

Ronald Koeman is basically just steve bruce with less of an accent, and an extraordinary level of self regard.

FTFY.

[Satchmo Distel]

Isn't he just copying what Ajax have introduced at club level?

[longeared]

Koeman must be fucking brilliant, then.

[tee rex]

I thought this was England's first ever third place, but no: the Euros had a 3rd/4th back in 1968, and England won it. I hope they all have reunions and anniversary documentaries.

[Tony C]

If just a small proportion of the morons who follow England are saying to themselves "I'm not spending time or money following them again after watching this dreck" then the UEFA Nations League finals will
have been a worthwhile exercise.

[Diable Rouge]

Portugal peppering the Dutch goal here - should be at least two ahead by now.

[Diable Rouge]

Guedes deservedly gives Portugal the lead, but Cilessen should have saved it.

[longeared]

France Football is reporting that Portugal have qualified for Euro 2020 as a result of winning this. Anyone know if this is correct? That's the first I've heard of it and I can't see it being reported anywhere else.

[ursus arctos]

As far as I can figure it out their reasoning is as follows:

1) Portugal will continue to contest the qualifiers (next match in Belgrade in September)If
2) If Portugal do not finish in the top two of the qualifying group, then
3) They will qualify as the "lucky loser" from this tier of the Nations League, as that tier will not play another round-robin (unlike each of the other three tiers).

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

If just a small proportion of the morons who follow England are saying to themselves "I'm not spending time or money following them again after watching this dreck" then the UEFA Nations League finals will
have been a worthwhile exercise.

I don't know how many of "the lads" kicking off, ruin their weekend by actually going to the match though?

I seem to have missed both the matches today. and it doesn't seem that I missed much god knows. One thing that struck me about the England/netherlands match was that if the Dutch had england's front three from that game, they would hammer everyone by five or six goals

[Satchmo Distel]

As far as I can figure it out their reasoning is as follows:

1) Portugal will continue to contest the qualifiers (next match in Belgrade in September)If
2) If Portugal do not finish in the top two of the qualifying group, then
3) They will qualify as the "lucky loser" from this tier of the Nations League, as that tier will not play another round-robin (unlike each of the other three tiers).

They have incorrectly inferred that this week's games doubled as the Tier A play-offs. UEFA are clear that there will be 16 teams in the playoffs next March, probably on the basis that doing otherwise would make a mockery of Portugal's ECQ group. It seems harsh because Portugal won their tier fair and square and should not have to be made to win it again. The group issue could be resolved by expunging Portugal's results to date in the group and reclassifying them as friendlies. I think this issue will rebound on UEFA at some future point.

[ursus arctos]

Just wait until all four teams in Tier A (or any of the other tiers) either win their qualifying group or finish second.

[Satchmo Distel]

My understanding is that if all 12 original Tier A teams qualify via the groups then the Tier A play-off will be contested by teams 5-8 in Tier B (or whichever 4 teams in Tier B didn't get through from the groups, whilst 5-8 in Tier C will get the Tier B play-off slots if all 20 finals slots from the groups go to Tiers A and B.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018%E...ying_play-offs

It's really a safety net to Tier A but it has the side-effect of pissing off Portugal fans who feel they should already be in the finals, as holders of two trophies now.

[Sporting]

I'm loster than ever now!

[Duncan Gardner]

It's really a safety net to Tier A but it has the side-effect of pissing off Portugal fans who feel they should already be in the finals, as holders of two trophies now

Balance their 2 trophies against qualifying for next year's finals being easier than ever.

Meanwhile, the Hapless Hollanders' hoped-for hubris - a hat-trick of home-watching- remains real. They'll be keeping a possibly anxious eye on Belarus- Norn Iron tomorrow

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

My understanding is that if all 12 original Tier A teams qualify via the groups then the Tier A play-off will be contested by teams 5-8 in Tier B (or whichever 4 teams in Tier B didn't get through from the groups, whilst 5-8 in Tier C will get the Tier B play-off slots if all 20 finals slots from the groups go to Tiers A and B.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018%E...ying_play-offs

It's really a safety net to Tier A but it has the side-effect of pissing off Portugal fans who feel they should already be in the finals, as holders of two trophies now.

If all 20 teams in tiers A and B (aside from the 4 set aside for the tier A playoffs) qualify direct, then 5-8 from tier C will make up the tier A playoffs.

[Satchmo Distel]

I think that should be "aside from the 4 who have qualified for the tier B playoffs"