Euro 2004 Predictions

[diothoir]

Spain out, and now Italy.

Czech Republic play Denmark in the quarters now.

Czechs will destroy the Danes. They better.

[Wengerland]

Jesus

Didn't really deserve to go through really though, they've not looked special.

[Wengerland]

Czech Republic are going to rest Nedved, Koller and Poborsky. Hopefully they still win or draw with Germany and there's a winner in the other game.

**Cassano scores.

ITALY

Three seconds later:

[Rob]

How long before someone comes on here saying Italy were good enough to go through?

I just thank god I'm not Italian right now. Seeing Cassano score and then seeing the result of the Sweden game a couple of seconds later would of killed me.

[Wengerland]

Had to feel sorry for the lad though, i mean after he scored and was told the news he just lay down motionless on the floor.

[Rob]

Boo hoo for Italy. Try being Scottish.

[91]

Hey Rob, there was a piece in todays paper about how Gordon Strachan is unintelligible. Seriously. Told you.

[Rob]

What paper? The Sport?

Originally Posted by WWEngland Had to feel sorry for the lad though, i mean after he scored and was told the news he just lay down motionless on the floor.

Yeah, I was listening to the game on BBC and they said he didn't even want to play anymore after that.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Rob How long before someone comes on here saying Italy were good enough to go through?

Des just said he's sad to see them go,

[91]

Originally Posted by Rob Boo hoo for Italy. Try being Scottish.

Now they've gone out of the first round, they can sympathise.

[Wengerland]

England finishing second actually means we avoid Czech Republic until the final, if we get there, i think.

[91]

Daily Mail.

Did Italy surrender a penalty kick when they lost to Korea in the World Cup too? And what's the conspiracy about? Explain?

[Wengerland]

Originally Posted by Loose Cannon Yeah, I was listening to the game on BBC and they said he didn't even want to play anymore after that.

I don't think he touched the ball after the kick off following his goal, every player stopped trying their best after that, understandably.

[Rob]

Originally Posted by 91 Daily Mail.

The Sport has more credibility than that paper.

Okay maybe they don't but the Daily Mail's rep has been nothing but negative for the past 2 years (not just sport coverage).

[91]

"Ee yist tu pli fitba" saidGordon in a Daily Mail exclusive.

Originally Posted by Loose Cannon Did Italy surrender a penalty kick when they lost to Korea in the World Cup too? And what's the conspiracy about? Explain?

Denmark and Sweden playing out exactly a 2-2 draw meant that Italy could have won 37-0 and they'd still be out and the two Scandinavians would be through.

[Wengerland]

Originally Posted by Loose Cannon Did Italy surrender a penalty kick when they lost to Korea in the World Cup too? And what's the conspiracy about? Explain?

No penalty, they lost to a golden goal. Trappatoni would have been sacked then had it not been for the Italian public blaming the ref of that game more.

Conspiracy was basically that it (and i don't get this) was figured that if Sweden and Denmark drew 2-2 then both of them would go through. Some Italian players questioned whether those two might play out the 2-2 draw and an Italian TV channel had extra cameras put in the ground to check. Seeing as that game did end 2-2 and seeing the pictures of what looked like both sets of players holding hands and saluting the crowd, i think the Italians may look into this quite vigorously.

There was also an occasion years ago (when last games in the group didn't kick off at the same time) that Germany played Austria in the later game, knowing that a 1-0 Germany win would see both through. Anyway Germany scored and the last 20 minutes or something were played with little attacking and challenging. That game led to Fifa changing the rules so that the last games in group stages would be played simultaneously.

[Rob]

Both sets of players weren't holding hands though. It was the Danish players with the Sweden shirts they just swapped.

[91]

Originally Posted by WWEngland Anyway Germany scored and the last 20 minutes or something were played with little attacking and challenging. That game led to Fifa changing the rules so that the last games in group stages would be played simultaneously.

Last 20? Try last 85. And switch "little" for "absolutely no". Seriously, it was THAT bad. It's not like they scored and both teams thought "oh well, may as well sit back now", the game was rigged, plain and simple.

Oh shoot. That's crazy stuff.

[Wengerland]

Ok, i did only have the pictures from ITV1 and commentary saying stuff like "and both sets of players celebrating together" but seeing as they would have only seen those pics too,i believe you.

Don't think there's any conspiracy though, the two countries are rivals.

Relating to Italy going home, it will be interesting to see Totti being sodomised as much as Beckham was here after 98.

[Wengerland]

Originally Posted by 91 Last 20? Try last 85. And switch "little" for "absolutely no". Seriously, it was THAT bad. It's not like they scored and both teams thought "oh well, may as well sit back now", the game was rigged, plain and simple.

I only saw it mentioned on 100 Greatest World Cup moments briefly, i only said 20 because anything much longer sounded unrealistic

[91]

Oh yeah WWEngland, let me explain this 2-2 draw thing.

When two teams are level on points, the first thing used to seperate them in this tournament is the result between the two teams, yes? With three teams level on points however, they use the results all three teams had with each other. Essentially you make a little mini table as follows...

Denmark 0-0 Italy
Italy 1-1 Sweden
Sweden 2-2 Denmark

Sweden [2 0 2 0 3 3 2]
Denmark [2 0 2 0 2 2 2]
Italy [2 0 2 0 1 1 2]

That's played, won, drawn, lost, for, against and points there (the reply box won't let me make a little table). The three teams are all level on points and goal difference, so you go next to goals scored, on which Italy are bottom.

Just be grateful than the Danes and the Swedes didn't draw 1-1 and the Italians didn't win 2-0, else Italy and Denmark would have been dead level, and THAT would have gotten confusing.

[toxic rooster]

NORDIC VICTORY

2 - 2

=

CIAO ITALIA

[Wengerland]

That's just it though, everyone was saying it was impossible for them to go through if the other game finished 2-2. Surely if Italy had won by 4 or 5 goals then they would be through anyway? Seeing as its results against (nothing between) and then goal difference and then goals scored, something which had Italy won by a few goals, they would have been through because of.

Thanks for trying though.

[91]

Originally Posted by WWEngland Don't think there's any conspiracy though, the two countries are rivals.

Agreed entirely. It'd be like if England and Scotland were playing in the same scenario. You think they'd sit back and happily settle for a draw? Hell no, asides from the glory of victory that accompanies the game, both teams have a chance to eliminate the other and screw them other, then get bragging rights for the next six months. Denmark and Sweden don't like each other, in footballing terms, they were both out for nothing less than a victory.

Originally Posted by WWEngland I only saw it mentioned on 100 Greatest World Cup moments briefly, i only said 20 because anything much longer sounded unrealistic

It was unrealistic, hence why everyone jumped on them right away. Lord knows why they didn't try and be subtle about it, let the West Germans score a late winner or something. Hell, they should have played out a 5-4 thriller. Asides from the fact it'd have the same effect, it would have given everyone a great game to watch, people might have fallen for it and their players stood a better chance of winning the golden boot.

[toxic rooster]

Originally Posted by 91 Oh yeah WWEngland, let me explain this 2-2 draw thing. When two teams are level on points, the first thing used to seperate them in this tournament is the result between the two teams, yes? With three teams level on points however, they use the results all three teams had with each other. Essentially you make a little mini table as follows... Denmark 0-0 Italy Italy 1-1 Sweden Sweden 2-2 Denmark Sweden [2 0 2 0 3 3 2] Denmark [2 0 2 0 2 2 2] Italy [2 0 2 0 1 1 2] That's played, won, drawn, lost, for, against and points there (the reply box won't let me make a little table). The three teams are all level on points and goal difference, so you go next to goals scored, on which Italy are bottom. Just be grateful than the Danes and the Swedes didn't draw 1-1 and the Italians didn't win 2-0, else Italy and Denmark would have been dead level, and THAT would have gotten confusing.

But Italy would have had a +2 goal difference, and Denmark 0.

Unless I'm mistaken, which I probably am

[toxic rooster]

Originally Posted by 91 It was unrealistic, hence why everyone jumped on them right away. Lord knows why they didn't try and be subtle about it, let the West Germans score a late winner or something. Hell, they should have played out a 5-4 thriller. Asides from the fact it'd have the same effect, it would have given everyone a great game to watch, people might have fallen for it and their players stood a better chance of winning the golden boot.

But they wouldn't trust the other team to put 3 or 4 goals on them and allow them to come back, though.

[91]

Originally Posted by Wee Gooner But Italy would have had a +2 goal difference, and Denmark 0. Unless I'm mistaken, which I probably am

They would have had a 0-0 draw with each other, both teams would have beaten Bulgaria 2-0 and both teams would have drawn 1-1 with Sweden, tying them.

[toxic rooster]

My bad, forgot about Bulgaria

[91]

Originally Posted by Wee Gooner But they wouldn't trust the other team to put 3 or 4 goals on them and allow them to come back, though.

Why not? They trusted each other to play out a 1-0 victory. All they'd have to do is make sure the West Germans kept scoring and the Austrians kept equalising, one at a time, so nobody could easily screw the other.

[Skeletor2]

It's only the goal difference between the 3 sides. You look at it as if you were ignoring the results against Bulgaria.

Denmark would have scored 2 conceeded 2
Sweden would have scored 3 conceeded 3
Italy would have scored 1 conceeded 1

That's why no matter what Italy couldn't get through if it finished 2-2 or any higher of a draw.

[toxic rooster]

Here's the final group C table.

[toxic rooster]

Originally Posted by Skeletor It's only the goal difference between the 3 sides. You look at it as if you were ignoring the results against Bulgaria. Denmark would have scored 2 conceeded 2 Sweden would have scored 3 conceeded 3 Italy would have scored 1 conceeded 1 That's why no matter what Italy couldn't get through if it finished 2-2 or any higher of a draw.

That's only because the 3 teams finished equal on points?

I'm confusing myself.

[Skeletor2]

Yes

[toxic rooster]

So how would they have decided had Italy beat Bulgaria 2-0 and Denmark and Sweden drew 1-1?