Let's hope for the better then, Dandelion. But we actually didn't manage to have one single shot on goal during the whole game. Our goal was made by the Irish defender. Good to hear you're part Swedish by the way!

Final warning for the Russians, one more fight and the team is out.

[www.bbc.com]

Quote
Koen
Final warning for the Russians, one more fight and the team is out.

[www.bbc.com]

What do Russian fans say?

This is the country that will host the next World Cup.


"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"

Quote
Stoneage
Let's hope for the better then, Dandelion. But we actually didn't manage to have one single shot on goal during the whole game. Our goal was made by the Irish defender. Good to hear you're part Swedish by the way!

But it was close. Two words: Emil Forsberg... I don't know how he got the ball on the outside of the post. Quite an achievement.

Quote
DandelionPowderman
Torres up in the lead again. Well done!

Iniesta..

Barcelona FC

La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16
king´s Cup: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16
Spain Supercopa: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013
UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15
UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015
FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015

International

Spain

FIFA World Cup: 2010[92]
UEFA European Football Championship: 2008, 2012[92]
UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship: 2002[92]
UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship: 2001[92]
FIFA Confederations Cup: Runner-up 2013[92]

Quote
Koen
Final warning for the Russians, one more fight and the team is out.

[www.bbc.com]

and the same for England ! (dixit UEFA)

Quote
jpasc95

Quote
Koen
Final warning for the Russians, one more fight and the team is out.

[www.bbc.com]

and the same for England ! (dixit UEFA)

I don't know what the exact difference is in wording but Russia has been given a "suspended disqualification"

[www.bbc.com]

So, they have been dealt with a bit harsher than England.

The French Police pulled over a bus of Russian fans too.
[uk.soccerway.com]

Upset in the making here; Magyars!

Quote
BroomWagon

Quote
jpasc95

Quote
Koen
Final warning for the Russians, one more fight and the team is out.

[www.bbc.com]

and the same for England ! (dixit UEFA)

I don't know what the exact difference is in wording but Russia has been given a "suspended disqualification"

[www.bbc.com]

So, they have been dealt with a bit harsher than England.

The French Police pulled over a bus of Russian fans too.
[uk.soccerway.com]

According to the president of the Russian Football Association, they are very proud of the Russian troublemakers / they fought for the nation.

He mentioned that if the Russian sports minister had been in Marseilles, he (the sports minister) would have participated as well.

So Ronnie is up next. Will the shirt come off if he scores?=

belgium vs italy: count the saves of Courtois and those (that) of Buffon. that's an accurate picture of the game and make sense of the score. more accurate than ball possession

That's correct, maumau.

I'm in on a commercial prediction game. The thing is that I make the same mistake every time. Just before the games starts I'll change my prediction. And it always fails!
If I hadn't done that I would have been in a decent position in the ranks. Now I have squandered my chances. Deja vu for someone else?

What an achievement by Iceland! 40.000 out of their 350.000 inhabitants are in France, celebrating this draw. Amazing

great game and deserved draw for Iceland

That's amazing. But, big congrats to Iceland. No wonder they qualified.
A kick to Ronaldo's ego and my "dream-team". I had 4 Portuguese players, I thought it was an easy win on lots of points

Congrats to our viking friends! And they could have scored two more goals. Even though they were outplayed large parts of the game. Now, who predicted that outcome?
(By the way they have a Swedish coach who now is dearly missed here in Sweden!)

Quote
maumau
belgium vs italy: count the saves of Courtois and those (that) of Buffon. that's an accurate picture of the game and make sense of the score. more accurate than ball possession

So what are the numbers?

Quote
Koen

Quote
maumau
belgium vs italy: count the saves of Courtois and those (that) of Buffon. that's an accurate picture of the game and make sense of the score. more accurate than ball possession

So what are the numbers?

[www.skysports.com]

SkySports is very good with match statistics.

"Ball possession" - reminds me about Manchester United this season, lots of ball possession, but no goals. You don't win a match without goals.

been a bit disapointing these euros. few goals, too much defensive football and top players not performing, some due to believing their own hype.

watched tonights portugal v iceland match, all prematch it was ronaldo this and ronaldo that and all these ronaldo stats, no mention of the fact ronaldo has played in 6 previous tournaments and has not once lived up to his reputation of one of the worlds best.

tonight he was his usual in tournament football, didnt influence the game, didnt take the game by the scruff of the neck and try to get crosses in, he as usual waited around for his teammates to deliver the ball to him.

ronaldo has never done anything in tournament football that others havent done, and at least others can pass the ball better or cross the ball better.

if ronaldo was german, germany would not be world champions because ronaldo would upset their system.

ronaldo is the most overrated, overhyped player ever, he is just not a game changer at the highest level,if portugal dont play well, ronaldo goes missing, great players make their team play better.

even tonight he got mentioned as almost matching michel platinis record in the euros of 9 goals, platini got his 9 goals in 5 games, including a semi and a final. ronaldos 6 goals have come in 3 euro campaigns and much more than 5 games and v inferior opposition in some cases.

wonder why the media are scared to critisise ronaldo, its disresepectful to portugals other players to always be overlooked.

Just a note, it looks like we are into stage 2 of predictions!

Just letting everyone know, if you haven't made picks, try to make them by game time.

Matches, 15 June 2016:

Russia Slovakia
Romania Switzerland
France Albania

At the picks website listed on page 1, this is now stage 2 of the first round; I guess one can still join even if you missed the previous. Just saying.

----------------------

Congrats to Iceland but also to Hungary for very fine matches.

Portugal loses 1-1, Iceland wins 1-1.

Upsets are what I like in the game; and that's just my view;

It's great that Real Madrid's, Brazil's, etc. trophy cases are filled but that's not what I like the game for.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2016-06-15 05:26 by BroomWagon.

It won't be stage 2 before every team has played three games, surely?

I must admit I was impressed by Iceland and their solid collective team !
I didn't know them.
They were considered as the "little Poucet" of the competition and actually they're more than that. So you shouldn't mess with these Vikings !

Quote
Stoneage
Congrats to our viking friends! And they could have scored two more goals. Even though they were outplayed large parts of the game. Now, who predicted that outcome?
(By the way they have a Swedish coach who now is dearly missed here in Sweden!)

...Wish they would have. I predicted 1-2 final score in their favour.

Quote
DandelionPowderman
It won't be stage 2 before every team has played three games, surely?

Stage 2 of Round 1 (or vice versa; whatever you fancy... >< )

Quote
jpasc95
I must admit I was impressed by Iceland and their solid collective team !
I didn't know them.
They were considered as the "little Poucet" of the competition and actually they're more than that. So you shouldn't mess with these Vikings !

They were marvelous in the qualifiers, and they put up a more than decent game in almost every match they've played in recent years - a really good team (out of the max. 75 professional football players the country has in store!!...), and one of the potential upsets/ revelations of this tournament, imo.

Quote
mtaylor

Quote
Koen

Quote
maumau
belgium vs italy: count the saves of Courtois and those (that) of Buffon. that's an accurate picture of the game and make sense of the score. more accurate than ball possession

So what are the numbers?

[www.skysports.com]

SkySports is very good with match statistics.

"Ball possession" - reminds me about Manchester United this season, lots of ball possession, but no goals. You don't win a match without goals.

thanks mtaylor for the numbers. pretty clear if you just look at the shots. belgium had a 33% ratio of shots on target, Italy had a 50%. On target / off target are specular (3/6) in favour of Italy while general numbers of shots and ball possession are in favour of belgium. That is Italy had less possession and made less shots but was way more efficient.

Quote
maumau

Quote
mtaylor

Quote
Koen

Quote
maumau
belgium vs italy: count the saves of Courtois and those (that) of Buffon. that's an accurate picture of the game and make sense of the score. more accurate than ball possession

So what are the numbers?

[www.skysports.com]

SkySports is very good with match statistics.

"Ball possession" - reminds me about Manchester United this season, lots of ball possession, but no goals. You don't win a match without goals.

thanks mtaylor for the numbers. pretty clear if you just look at the shots. belgium had a 33% ratio of shots on target, Italy had a 50%. On target / off target are specular (3/6) in favour of Italy while general numbers of shots and ball possession are in favour of belgium. That is Italy had less possession and made less shots but was way more efficient.

And if your attacks are quicker, more counter-attack-oriented, your team will never have the most possession.

I must admit that I do not understand how to find where to predict round 2.

2 1 2 0

Quote
Come On
I must admit that I do not understand how to find where to predict round 2.

It's not possible before they have finished their three games in round 1