Football

[RayCee]

I see a friendly international between the Football Union of Russia and Brunei ended 11-0. 

[HawkMan]

Football has the opposite problem to RL as far as Internationals go, too much of it.

Another drab weekend of no club football. However enjoyed England against Greece, two powerful winger displays from Gordon and Madweuke and Watkins in for Kane was brave but the correct decision.

I'll watch Turkey v Wales if I can get an English commentary ,otherwise Georgia v Ukraine on Viaplay YouTube should be fun, I remember how attacking Georgia were in the Euros, and in front of their own fans it should be an exciting match, with something seriously riding on it.

Evening its Netherlands v Hungary,  another game with a fair bit riding on it, qualification for the finals but more importantly seeding places for WC draw next month.

[gingerjon]

Turkey v Wales has English commentary but you may need to find it on the iPlayer. The Sgorio or S4C accounts has links.

[HawkMan]

28 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Turkey v Wales has English commentary but you may need to find it on the iPlayer. The Sgorio or S4C accounts has links.

Tried Iplayer last match, only in Welsh. I'll try again then probably go for Georgia game with no commentary.

[Father Gascoigne]

1 hour ago, HawkMan said:

Football has the opposite problem to RL as far as Internationals go, too much of it.

Another drab weekend of no club football. However enjoyed England against Greece, two powerful winger displays from Gordon and Madweuke and Watkins in for Kane was brave but the correct decision.

I'll watch Turkey v Wales if I can get an English commentary ,otherwise Georgia v Ukraine on Viaplay YouTube should be fun, I remember how attacking Georgia were in the Euros, and in front of their own fans it should be an exciting match, with something seriously riding on it.

Evening its Netherlands v Hungary,  another game with a fair bit riding on it, qualification for the finals but more importantly seeding places for WC draw next month.

It's not that there's too much of it, it's that it doesn't fit well with the club calendar. Breaks in September, October and November kills all continuity. Would be better to have two major breaks that last for 2-3 weeks, one in March and then, say, September. You'd also improve cohesion with longer spells together. 

In addition, while the Nations League is a step in the right direction, I think it needs rejigging. They should use the new European club format for the NL. Have it as part of a league system, with a maximum of three divisions. Retain the six matches in the group stage but have it against different opponents. 

 

[gingerjon]

1 hour ago, HawkMan said:

Tried Iplayer last match, only in Welsh. I'll try again then probably go for Georgia game with no commentary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B4c9X82YIs

[HawkMan]

16 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B4c9X82YIs

Thanks, I'll start with that.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

2 hours ago, HawkMan said:

Football has the opposite problem to RL as far as Internationals go, too much of it.

Another drab weekend of no club football. However enjoyed England against Greece, two powerful winger displays from Gordon and Madweuke and Watkins in for Kane was brave but the correct decision.

I'll watch Turkey v Wales if I can get an English commentary ,otherwise Georgia v Ukraine on Viaplay YouTube should be fun, I remember how attacking Georgia were in the Euros, and in front of their own fans it should be an exciting match, with something seriously riding on it.

Evening its Netherlands v Hungary,  another game with a fair bit riding on it, qualification for the finals but more importantly seeding places for WC draw next month.

What do you mean no club football? I'm going to a club game in about an hour, granted it's 9th division but it's still clubs and still a bloomin' exciting match! C'mon Beavers!!

[gingerjon]

32 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

What do you mean no club football? I'm going to a club game in about an hour, granted it's 9th division but it's still clubs and still a bloomin' exciting match! C'mon Beavers!!

Futbology has 14 games listed for 'within 50km' of my house.

I am off to the nearest: Hastings United v Cray Valley PM.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

11 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Futbology has 14 games listed for 'within 50km' of my house.

I am off to the nearest: Hastings United v Cray Valley PM.

Let me know the score!

I'm just getting my shoes on to head down Beverley Town v Thackley.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

@gingerjon 

What a game of club football I have witnessed this afternoon! The Beavers ripped apart Thackley, going 3-0 up within half hour of kick off.

In the 2nd half, we scored a 4th and our superstar keeper, Jonathan Dash, made an incredible penalty save, ensuring a 4-0 win which propels us into the playoff places for now and because Penistone Church lost we are now only 1 point off 3rd place.

There was 382 fellow nonleague football fans in attendance!

There's a video of the penalty save on Beverley Town's Facebook page if you want to see it.

Edited November 16, 2024 by The Hallucinating Goose

[gingerjon]

39 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

@gingerjon 

What a game of club football I have witnessed this afternoon! The Beavers ripped apart Thackley, going 3-0 up within half hour of kick off.

In the 2nd half, we scored a 4th and our superstar keeper, Jonathan Dash, made an incredible penalty save, ensuring a 4-0 win which propels us into the playoff places for now and because Penistone Church lost we are now only 1 point off 3rd place.

There was 382 fellow nonleague football fans in attendance!

There's a video of the penalty save on Beverley Town's Facebook page if you want to see it.

I was standing in front of 1,337 people in Hastings - I was on club photography duties - for a not great game that the visitors won 1-0. Just starting my regular evening check up of scores of my teams.

[Gerrumonside ref]

Bev Town?

Hastings United?

Spot the glory hunters!

[17 stone giant]

I wonder if the Carsley critics who threw their toys out of the pram after one (yes, ONE) defeat, are maybe now feeling like they were a bit reactionary?

ROI 0-2 England

England 2-0 Finland

England 1-2 Greece

Finland 1-3 England

Greece 0-3 England

England 5-0 ROI

P 5 W 4 L 1. 80% win rate. Scored 16, conceded 3. All Nations League too, which is a step up from old style friendlies.

Thanks for your work, Lee. Some of us appreciated it.

Over to you now, Thomas. Try not to lose a game or the usual suspects will conclude you're useless.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

11 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Bev Town?

Hastings United?

Spot the glory hunters!

To be fair, GF, I suppose us Bev Town fans are hunting glory, the glory of being promoted to the Northern Premier League!!!! 

[Father Gascoigne]

7 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

I wonder if the Carsley critics who threw their toys out of the pram after one (yes, ONE) defeat, are maybe now feeling like they were a bit reactionary?

ROI 0-2 England

England 2-0 Finland

England 1-2 Greece

Finland 1-3 England

Greece 0-3 England

England 5-0 ROI

P 5 W 4 L 1. 80% win rate. Scored 16, conceded 3. All Nations League too, which is a step up from old style friendlies.

Thanks for your work, Lee. Some of us appreciated it.

Over to you now, Thomas. Try not to lose a game or the usual suspects will conclude you're useless.

England haven't had troubles pre-tournament for as long as I can remember. Every single one of those opponents is, pound for pound, way below the level of England's squad. It goes without saying that England should not be playing in League B of the Nations League under any circumstance, as they have this edition. 

The litmus test for any England manager is to advance past the quarterfinals of a major tournament, as reaching that stage should be the minimum expectation. 

Edited November 18, 2024 by Father Gascoigne

[17 stone giant]

11 hours ago, Father Gascoigne said:

England haven't had troubles pre-tournament for as long as I can remember.

We've still lost games in the past that most people would have expected us not to lose. Australia at home under Sven in the early 2000's, Iceland at home prior to the last Euros, to name just a couple.

The reaction to Carsley losing one game was absurd, and I'm glad he's shoved it down the throats of the reactionary types.

He can leave with his head held high. Job done. Back in the top division and with a good record.

We won't know if he would have done a good job long term, but one thing is certain, you don't judge someone after one poor performance/defeat.

[Griff]

On 16/11/2024 at 11:23, HawkMan said:

Tried Iplayer last match, only in Welsh. I'll try again then probably go for Georgia game with no commentary.

Just learn Welsh.

Seriously, the players' names are the same in any language. What more do you need from a commentary?   Some inane chatter, describing what you've just seen with yur own eyes?

[HawkMan]

2 hours ago, Griff said:

Just learn Welsh.

Seriously, the players' names are the same in any language. What more do you need from a commentary?   Some inane chatter, describing what you've just seen with yur own eyes?

Yes basically I want commentators. For Nations League games that I'm not totally invested in, ie not England,  the commentary gives a bit of colour and background to the players that  I'm not familiar with.

As it happens I went for the Georgia Ukraine game with no commentary,  and loved it, will watch Georgia tomorrow as well.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

San Marino have beaten Liechtenstein and been promoted to League C of the Nations League!

[Father Gascoigne]

11 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

We've still lost games in the past that most people would have expected us not to lose. Australia at home under Sven in the early 2000's, Iceland at home prior to the last Euros, to name just a couple.

The reaction to Carsley losing one game was absurd, and I'm glad he's shoved it down the throats of the reactionary types.

He can leave with his head held high. Job done. Back in the top division and with a good record.

We won't know if he would have done a good job long term, but one thing is certain, you don't judge someone after one poor performance/defeat.

Australia match was a friendly (and, in hindsight, contained the bulk of the players that made up the greatest Australian team ever, one which was robbed against Italy three years later in a match that could have seen them play Ukraine in a World Cup quarterfinal).

Hodgson resigned--and probably would've been sacked--after the Iceland debacle.

I'm agreeing with your broader point that reactionism after one result in unwise. I'd only add that the subsequent good results are in line with expectations. 

An England manager shouldn't be judged adequately until they have succeeded/failed in getting to or beyond the quarterfinals, which should be a baseline considering England's typical squad quality in any given World Cup. Carsley's never going to get that opportunity, so I suppose your conclusion is on point. 

Edited November 19, 2024 by Father Gascoigne

[sam4731]

9 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

San Marino have beaten Liechtenstein and been promoted to League C of the Nations League!

This is the real success of this format. It was designed to give nations more competitive matches at their level to help them improve. Worth pondering in RL terms.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

17 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

This is the real success of this format. It was designed to give nations more competitive matches at their level to help them improve. Worth pondering in RL terms.

To a certain extent we had this in rugby league terms when we had the Four Nations and the European Nations Cup and Pacific Qualifiers, where it alternated between the European champion and Pacific champion for the team that qualified for the Four Nations. As with everything in rugby league though, we had a format that was working well and we scrapped it... 

[gingerjon]

10 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

San Marino have beaten Liechtenstein and been promoted to League C of the Nations League!

I believe that, in their entire history, San Marino have now won three matches.

And all three against Liechtenstein.

Nations League is really proving its worth. Would anyone really care about, say, Scotland getting late results against Croatia and Poland in friendlies?

[The Hallucinating Goose]

1 hour ago, gingerjon said:

I believe that, in their entire history, San Marino have now won three matches.

And all three against Liechtenstein.

Nations League is really proving its worth. Would anyone really care about, say, Scotland getting late results against Croatia and Poland in friendlies?

This latest win was San Marino's first ever away win as well!