Another Flaw in the Format

[Satchmo Distel]

I know we keep saying that's there's no perfect qualifying method, but again tonight we saw an anomaly. Had Ukraine got the draw, they would have gone out to a side that just lost 2-0 to the bottom team in the group after making no attempt to break sweat, perhaps because France knew that Ukraine were behind.

But then I don't like GD either. I just think that close groups are essentially random qualification systems.

[Janik]

Another Flaw in the Format

Ukraine needed two goals late in their game to oust France. If goal differene had been the first tie-breaker instead of head-to-head record, Ukraine would have needed... two goals late in their game to oust France. The format, in this case, didn't make an iota of difference. France would presumably have drifted through the end of their match in precisely the same fashion under goal difference as their position would have been exactly as secure.
Any group, with any set of tie-breakers, can end up in a position where it's going to take multiple late goals to alter the standings, and in those situations the teams progressing won't need to bust a gut.

A more interesting issue came up in Group C yesterday. Whilst they were drawing 0-0, Croatia needed one goal to progress. Then they conceded to go 1-0 down and... they still only needed one goal to progress. But once again, exactly the same situation would have pertained with goal difference/goals scored as the first breakers instead of head-to-head record.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Another Flaw in the Format

I don't necessarily see the situation(s) described as flaws. If anything, the wonderfully chaotic changing permutations of who will go through if so-and-so scores next, and the added drama it's given to the final group matches, has been one of the joys of the Euros so far.