Games 27 & 28: Albania vs Spain live from the Düsseldorf Arena BBC2 8pm AND Croatia vs Italy live from the Leipzig Stadium BBC1 8pm

[sc91]

THE DRAMA

[Barry Cartman]

Great goal but not sure what the keeper is doing off his line 

[HOORAY HENRIK]

So many opportunities Croatia had to keep the ball in the corners 

[EdBed]

A classy strike to cut through the hearts of the Croatians at the death.

[GunmaN1905]

Just now, Barry Cartman said:

Great goal but not sure what the keeper is doing off his line 

That unsaveable.

It's what are two right-backs on the pitch doing up front in 98th minute.

Embarrassing, two games in a row.

[CFuller]

Full-time. Italy through, Croatia probably gone.

Italy only do it at the Euros. Croatia only do it at World Cups.

[georginho_juventusygr]

Inspired by Alessandro del Piero goal against Germany in 2006.

[skybluedave]

I hate this 3rd place nonsense

[kpain16]

We look like a third tier team. Glad we're out really. One crap goal and nothing else for the entire match. Deserved.

Edited Monday at 21:00 by kpain16

[titchuk]

2 minutes ago, Haguey said:

That is probably curtains for Croatia now isn't it?

We have to put 4 past Slovenia for gunman.

[The_jagster]

1 minute ago, Barry Cartman said:

Great goal but not sure what the keeper is doing off his line 

Cutting down the angle, margin of error for that finish is very small

[enigmatic]

That's a great finish, but how do you leave someone with that much space there at 1-0 up in the last minute? Considering the experience and possession players it's incredible they didn't just try to keep the ball beforehand as well 

Moral of the story is Dalic is too attacking 

[Rob1981]

6 minutes ago, Haguey said:

That is probably curtains for Croatia now isn't it?

Spain 9, Italy 4, Croatia 2, Albania 1

Croatia could still go through but their goal difference is also poor. So they need England to win by a few goals and then the Portugal group to finish with Georgia and Czechs both stuck on 1-2 points.

Great news for Hungary though, who now know there is at least one other 3rd place team with a worse record than them.

Edited Monday at 21:04 by Rob1981

[The_jagster]

3 minutes ago, The Amazing Dale Watkins said:

great hustle by Calafiori. Croats will rightfully wonder about the 8 minutes of added time.

Croatia had been time wasting since they took the lead

[Haguey]

Just now, titchuk said:

We have to put 4 past Slovenia for gunman.

I'd like us to do it because I imagine Gunman would hate nothing more

[Darren Moores Mum]

Croatia relying on us pumping Slovenia

[skybluedave]

1 minute ago, titchuk said:

We have to put 4 past Slovenia for gunman.

Release the handbrake Sir Gareth

[Pedwar Pump]

Fair result but that 8 mins seemed way too much

[The_jagster]

Just now, Haguey said:

I'd like us to do it because I imagine Gunman would hate nothing more

Nah the moaning at the manager/FA is just having his cake and eating it whether the team do well or badly.

[The Amazing Dale Watkins]

1 minute ago, The_jagster said:

Croatia had been time wasting since they took the lead

Italy was wasting time all of the first half and we had 1 minute of added time then

[enigmatic]

1 minute ago, Haguey said:

I'd like us to do it because I imagine Gunman would hate nothing more

I'm thinking we get to 3-0 up, have a pen and then BOTTLE...

[GunmaN1905]

2 minutes ago, kpain16 said:

We look like a third tier team. Glad we're out really. One crap goal and nothing else for the entire match. Deserved.

Am I idiotic to think that I know more about the dangers Zaccagni poses that our coaching staff?

Both Stanišić and Juranović nowhere to be seen in 100th minute.

I wouldn't have been able to take another sh*tfest and penalties against Switzerland.

[arenaross]

Spain not listening to Rob in the slightest by playing well and winning all three group games. How rude. 

[Rob1981]

1 minute ago, enigmatic said:

I'm thinking we get to 3-0 up, have a pen and then BOTTLE...

Football’s first 3-0 bottling because Croatia need us to score four  

[Lermon]

I quite liked Croatia. A shame they're out.

[Darren Moores Mum]

BBC now moaning about that being called a handball. That's been handball for years FFS.

[kpain16]

Just now, GunmaN1905 said:

Am I idiotic to think that I know more about the dangers Zaccagni poses that our coaching staff?

Both Stanišić and Juranović nowhere to be seen in 100th minute.

I wouldn't have been able to take another sh*tfest and penalties against Switzerland.

Exactly. We have nothing. Literally nothing. Would just prolong our suffering for another week. 

[Haguey]

1 minute ago, arenaross said:

Spain not listening to Rob in the slightest by playing well and winning all three group games. How rude. 

They've Grown Into The Tournament too early

[Rob1981]

Just now, arenaross said:

Spain not listening to Rob in the slightest by playing well and winning all three group games. 

Competing for the group stage trophy with Portugal. Fair play.

[Pukey]

If that handball happens 10 years ago and isn't given, pundits look at it as a key moment and argue it's a clear pen. No idea why they're pretending it's some crazy rule and it's sad it's given. His hand is miles away from his body, that's been a handball since I can remember.

[arenaross]

Just now, Rob1981 said:

Competing for the group stage trophy with Portugal. Fair play.

I guess. Or it could be exactly the same as 2008 when they last did this and then won the whole bloody thing. The absolute cheek of them. 

[titchuk]

I think this does mean that England are definitely through, no matter how badly we screw up tomorrow.

[GunmaN1905]

Say whatever you want about the quality, but every single day of this tournament has been top level entertainment.

 

[HOORAY HENRIK]

15 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

That unsaveable.

It's what are two right-backs on the pitch doing up front in 98th minute.

Embarrassing, two games in a row.

Juranovic was pathetic there. Drifted into the middle of the pitch following the ball, leaving the attacker completely free out wide.

[Lucas]

2 minutes ago, titchuk said:

I think this does mean that England are definitely through, no matter how badly we screw up tomorrow.

Probably means we play well in a fairly meaningless game  

[GunmaN1905]

Just now, HOORAY HENRIK said:

Juranovic was pathetic there. Drifted into the middle of the pitch following the ball, leaving the attacker completely free out wide.

He's not known for his football intelligence.

Media already reporting about a biased ref who stole the win from Croatia.

I hate NT fans with burning passion.

[Darren Moores Mum]

4 minutes ago, titchuk said:

I think this does mean that England are definitely through, no matter how badly we screw up tomorrow.

Yes, we're definitely through.

[Rob1981]

6 minutes ago, titchuk said:

I think this does mean that England are definitely through, no matter how badly we screw up tomorrow.

Yeah.  England, Netherlands and France are all through now because none of them can finish lower than third in their groups with four points.  And two of the third place teams have now finished with less than four points already.

Edited Monday at 21:21 by Rob1981

[The Amazing Dale Watkins]

5 minutes ago, HOORAY HENRIK said:

Juranovic was pathetic there. Drifted into the middle of the pitch following the ball, leaving the attacker completely free out wide.

Someone needed to stop Calafiori with a tactical foul. He started his run from the edge of the Italian box.

[craigcwwe]

Some finish that was. Thought the subs were poor at the time from Dalic, especially in the case of subbing of Kovavic that early. 

[Federico]

We're just prolonging the agony. We're just pathetic at the back. Bastoni showed how limited he is AGAIN. Calafiori does great and does ****, the wingbacks... wingbacks? I mean, we're fielding Darmian. DARMIAN FFS. And we have literally no strikers.

Ah, the midfield. Meh. We lack in decisioning, quickness, rythm, technical quality.

We are where we are thanks to Donnarumma, and that's all said.

[Rob1981]

Lads.  This is great.  Now we also know that some of these combinations of third place teams definitely CANNOT happen:

Because if Croatia were to get through from Group B, the third place teams from Group A, D and E would have to get through as well.  Croatia only have two points, but Hungary have three.  And before MD3 even starts we know the third place teams  in Groups D and E will have a minimum of three points.

So down to only 6/15 possibilities left.

Either Croatia get through from Group B but they would HAVE to get through as part of ABDE.  Or it's one of the other combinations where Group B are knocked out.

Then from the six remaining combinations, this guy's modelling is enough to convince me that some are a lot more likely than others:

So Hungary are now almost certain to play Portugal if they get through.  They could only get through and play E1 if Croatia can somehow squeeze through with them.

And Spain now have about an 84% chance of playing E3.

The group C winner, potentially England, looks like the one where the third place opponent is still most up in the air.  51% chance it is D3, 15% chance of E3, 34% chance of F3.

 

[Baptista_8]

2 minutes ago, Rob1981 said:

Lads.  This is great.  Now we also know that some of these combinations of third place teams definitely CANNOT happen:

Because if Croatia were to get through from Group B, the third place teams from Group A, D and E would have to get through as well.  Croatia only have two points, but Hungary have three.  And before MD3 even starts we know the third place teams  in Groups D and E will have a minimum of three points.

So down to only 6/15 possibilities left.

Either Croatia get through from Group B but they would HAVE to get through as part of ABDE.  Or it's one of the other combinations where Group B are knocked out.

Then from the six remaining combinations, this guy's modelling is enough to convince me that some are a lot more likely than others:

So Hungary are now almost certain to play Portugal if they get through.  They could only get through and play E1 if Croatia can somehow squeeze through with them.

And Spain now have about an 84% chance of playing E3.

The group C winner, potentially England, looks like the one where the third place opponent is still most up in the air.  51% chance it is D3, 15% chance of E3, 34% chance of F3.

I'd be interested to see how different things would look if every team is put into one big league of 24, and the top 16 progress, once MD3 is complete.

[GunmaN1905]

11 minutes ago, Federico said:

We're just prolonging the agony. We're just pathetic at the back. Bastoni showed how limited he is AGAIN. Calafiori does great and does ****, the wingbacks... wingbacks? I mean, we're fielding Darmian. DARMIAN FFS. And we have literally no strikers.

Ah, the midfield. Meh. We lack in decisioning, quickness, rythm, technical quality.

We are where we are thanks to Donnarumma, and that's all said.

With that tone and profile picture, I'm imagining you smoking on your balcony and yelling this post at innocent bystanders on the street. 

Bastoni is not a central CB, it will look better with Buongiorno in the middle and Bastoni on the left.

Darmian on the left flank was puzzling. Dimarco was injured and shouldn't have played. Jorginho is beyond washed. Strikers are useless.

[Federico]

19 minuti fa, GunmaN1905 ha scritto:

With that tone and profile picture, I'm imagining you smoking on your balcony and yelling this post at innocent bystanders on the street. 

 

That's exactly what I did.

Di Marco was injured alright, did he do better in the Albania and Spain games? Nope. Even Barella evaporated, easy to do the lion part in a game with sheep. This generation is just poor, it happens and we have to move on and wait for better times. And maybe more trust on italian youth whom are achieving wonderful results.

Edited Monday at 22:08 by Federico

[oche balboa]

Lucky Italy