[Caesar]

Just a question, now we're into the games - is anyone a fan of the new knock-out structure? (i.e. assigning groups to the top and bottom half of the draw, no complete crossover)

To me it's annoying. For starters, we're starting to see repeats of group fixtures, which is not my preferred way to watch a tournament. Additionally, the bottom half of the draw is overly heavy due to ending up with the stronger groups. If there was total crossover then the distribution of teams would probably be slightly better.

Not that I haven't enjoyed the tournament so far, don't get me wrong. Loving every second of it, some cracking games so far and more to come.

[blueguitar322]

Don't really like the new style, but as you said, this has been a spectacular tournament so far.

[glennaldo_sf]

I don't like this format but the problem is if you crossover, then you wind up with one team having 2 extra days rest... one has to turn around a play a semifinal game something like 72 hours later, while the other team gets a full five days rest. 2004 final was Portgual v Greece... ironically the two teams who got the more rest over their semifinal opponents.

It's either that or leave longer gaps of rest between the stages.

[benztown]

Originally Posted by glennaldo_sf

I don't like this format but the problem is if you crossover, then you wind up with one team having 2 extra days rest... one has to turn around a play a semifinal game something like 72 hours later, while the other team gets a full five days rest. 2004 final was Portgual v Greece... ironically the two teams who got the more rest over their semifinal opponents.

It's either that or leave longer gaps of rest between the stages.

That's exactly the way I see it. It would be better if teams from the same group couldn't meet each other before the final, but distributing rest-days more equally is the higher objective here IMHO.

People complain about easier paths for some teams, but that has nothing to do with crossing over or not. There'll always be easier paths and more difficult ones. If you want to be the best, you'll have to deal with it.

[FNU]

Originally Posted by Caesar

Just a question, now we're into the games - is anyone a fan of the new knock-out structure? (i.e. assigning groups to the top and bottom half of the draw, no complete crossover)

To me it's annoying. For starters, we're starting to see repeats of group fixtures, which is not my preferred way to watch a tournament. Additionally, the bottom half of the draw is overly heavy due to ending up with the stronger groups. If there was total crossover then the distribution of teams would probably be slightly better.

Not that I haven't enjoyed the tournament so far, don't get me wrong. Loving every second of it, some cracking games so far and more to come.

What repeat? I don't mind this format. The rest gaps are almost equal now. Some argue that you don't want to see teams face each other again in the semis, but what's the difference if they meet in the final? With this format, the final is guaranteed to have two teams that haven't played each other in the tournament.

Will the World Cup have a similar format?

[benztown]

Originally Posted by FNU

What repeat? I don't mind this format. The rest gaps are almost equal now. Some argue that you don't want to see teams face each other again in the semis, but what's the difference if they meet in the final? With this format, the final is guaranteed to have two teams that haven't played each other in the tournament.

Will the World Cup have a similar format?

With 32 countries it might be easier to give everybody more equal rest days.

[Todorov]

Regardless of the days of rest, this format sucks. It couldn't be more annoying, UEFA is doing its business as usal once again.

Cross-over is much more in the spirit of the competition, as it always was. I guess they just can't help but to change things that needn't be changed and leave unchanged things that need to be changed.

[Caesar]

Originally Posted by FNU

What repeat?

Spain and Russia in SF2.

[John K]

Rest? Russia had 2 days and Holland had 6. It really doesnt matter that much.

[Dage]

In my opinion the bigger problem is the trend to have two hosts at the same time with teams lacking skill. Unfortunately this time the champion was a weak team too, so three of four heads of groups were occupied by very low skilled teams.
=> the strong teams were condensed together in the same group and u need to be little lucky to play a normal tournament (like Portugal, Croatia or Germany).

That's the main problem, i thin and it won't be better next time in Poland and Ukraine.