UEFA Nations League

Discussion in 'UEFA and Europe' started by CShine, Oct 10, 2013.

  1. Nico777

    Nico777 Member+

    Olympique de marseille
    Croatia
    Oct 19, 2017
    Croatian coach Dalic already warned that the most important are european qualifiers and arriving at euro 2020 full strength like for the world cup.
    He will use the nations league to try things...at the moment he doesn't use the u21 players that won in Belarus 4-0 yesterday and receiving Greece next month to top their qualifiers group.
    The likes of brekalo vlasic halilovic jakolis bistrovic sosa benkovic will get calls for the A from 2019.
    Meaning the players that are called with the A now and that replace the injured or retired players are kind of a' type of players.
     
  2. Blondo

    Blondo Member+

    Sep 21, 2013
    Seeing as NL games are broadcast on free-to-air channels in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Benelux countries, ... I assumed you'd have access in the UK as well. UK channels are available over here, alongside the other channels from across (Western) Europe, without paying extra. You should be able to watch all of those channels in the UK but it doesn't seem to be the case.

    Well, at least now you know. Not much help, I know. Still you can watch NL games online.
     
  3. Steve Page

    Steve Page Member

    Oct 30, 2013
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Interesting. The highlights show last Saturday did only show the England and Northern Ireland matches not Wales - Ireland. That is a bit of a farce. Wales - Ireland was a match of great interest in the UK. Was it on S4C? I've seen a couple of matches on there and the Welsh language commentary is enjoyable. Looks like highlights were on BBC 1 Wales https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/45177704. It is clear that UEFA's motives with the Nations League are not to increase interest.
     
  4. Felix Herve Caroll

    Jun 1, 2015
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    Ivory Coast
    Incredible.
    I'm watching Spain-Croatia and Spain is crushing Croatia.
    I don't recognize Croatia. I consider this natioanl team as competitive only during tournaments.
    Spain is rebuilding its team now many major players retiring. Don't count Spain out.
    I'm impatint to see Spain-France.
     
  5. cromagnum

    cromagnum Member+

    Aug 13, 2007
    World Cup hangover. Once Vrsaljko went out they completely collapsed. Missing a few key players in Rebic Kramaric and Lovren but the players just stopped running after 2-0.
     
  6. cromagnum

    cromagnum Member+

    Aug 13, 2007
    Young guys looked great yesterday. I'm expecting Vlasic Brekalo and Sosa to join the A team once under21 qualify is over. Once Kroviovic gets healthy he will be there as well. Plenty of good young talent coming
     
  7. ? There's no match planned between them. supposing both win the group they're in it still can be different because of the draw.
     
  8. Don Marko

    Don Marko New Member

    Manchester United
    Sep 11, 2018
    London
    Good game by Spain, Croatia looked very bad tonight, a lot of defenses have been relaxed, incredible.

    Interesting is the competition, but I think it's a bad option in the long run.

    By the way, greetings to everyone!
     
  9. Buffonfan

    Buffonfan Member

    Jun 26, 2018
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    #284 Buffonfan, Sep 11, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2018
    That second goal of Spain,--the goal of ASENSIO from outside the box. WOW! It was one of those goal that you only see in video games. Amazing! Asensio definately got potential.

    And regarding Croatia, I still have alot of hope for them. Alot of people jump straight into conclusion that Croatia is falling like Netherlands, Nahh! It take the Dutch "years" to fall to where they are today. It doesn't take ONE game.

    We only see Croatia fall this game, one. It can be a fluke. I refused to get worry until I see them continue losing every matches in this whole Nations League.

    They will go against Spain again in November, this time they the host. I think they will improve in the next game.

    Now, if they get trash again by Spain like today's game, then I will start worrying.

    --------------
    tbh, I'm more worry about my team Italy than Croatia. After seeing how my team perform against Portugal, I just want to cry. Everytime I look at the TV was I saw Portugal run straight into our side of the field and try to score. Portugal ran right through our midfield like we not even there, yes, Italy's midfield is that bad.

    At this rate, I'm worry that Italy won't be able to qualify for Qatar2022.
    As for the Nations League, for sure we will be be drop to League B if we keep perform like how we did against Portugal. Hell, even if we make it to Euro Cup 2020, we be knock out like in the first round.

    I just have no words for Mancini. I be on my knees if Dalic was could be our coach.
     
  10. cromagnum

    cromagnum Member+

    Aug 13, 2007
    Croatia actually started the game well for the first 20 minutes. Forced Spain into a few turnovers and should have been up 1-0 as Santini missed a sitter. After Vrsaljko went off Spain scored 3 goals very quickly and Croatia just gave up really. Will see if it’s just one game or the veteran players maybe don’t have the desire to play anymore after a great World Cup.
     
  11. BocaFan

    BocaFan Member+

    Aug 18, 2003
    Queens, NY
    For me, there is no big mystery about how good Croatia are. They are obviously better than the 6-0 scoreline might indicate, but at the same time they are nowhere near as good as the title "WC finalists" suggests. They got far in the World Cup by beating 2 average teams on penalties, and another average team in extra time. All that after finishing behind Iceland in qualifying.
     
  12. BocaFan

    BocaFan Member+

    Aug 18, 2003
    Queens, NY
    What's the downside (in the long run)?
     
  13. Nico777

    Nico777 Member+

    Olympique de marseille
    Croatia
    Oct 19, 2017
    Disagree...
    We had the team to reach this level for a while...
    In 2008 we top the qualifiers ahead of russia and england, top the euro group stage ahead of germany and lose by miracle on pk against turkey when we were 10 times better than them and a real contender to win the tournament
    In 2012 we were in the same group stage with both italia and Spain, both ended finalists after we tied italia and outplayed spain that got saved in our game only due to partial referees...
    In 2014 everybody saw from the opening game against brazil what happened..
    In 2016 we finished ahead of spain and just lost to the eventual winner when people were all considering us as a threat...

    In both 2016 and 2018 we lost only against the eventual winner of euro and world cup...
    We are not a friendlies and qualifiers kind of team...but when an international tournament starts we can beat anyone...it was not the first time and it won't be the last. We won on pks against teams we dominated...non of our opponents deserved more to qualify than us.

    And we lost a world cup final against a team that scored twice in an half time from 1 shot on pk and one auto goal from a free kick got by simulating...and we also played this game with an injured goalkeeper that couldn't dive...

    We will come back again..just a matter of time.
     
  14. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That group had a big ending. On 17 November 2017, Croatia got their only loss, and it was at FYR Macedonia, who finished fifth out of seven. I wonder if Croatia is the only team to lose to FYR Macedonia but nobody else in their group. Four days later, Croatia qualified with a 3-2 win at Wembley, which eliminated England. That was the last time England lost a World Cup or Euro qualifier at home.
     
  15. Iain Maciver

    Iain Maciver New Member

    Inverness Caley Thistle
    Scotland
    Sep 29, 2018
    Have to say I love the nations league idea so far. Gives smaller countries a more realistic passage to a major tournament.
     
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  16. BocaFan

    BocaFan Member+

    Aug 18, 2003
    Queens, NY
    We already have one group where all 3 teams are tied on points midway through the group stage => League C, Group 1.

    So a lot at stake in the 3 remaining matches! They will determine which country has a realistic shot at qualifying for the Euros, and at the other end of the spectrum, which country will be buried in League "D" and be a #4 seed in the upcoming Euro 2020 qualifying draw (and maybe even an even lower seed for the WC 2022 draw).
     
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  17. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #292 EvanJ, Oct 13, 2018
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2018
    Israel was struggling. They got help from Scotland as the winning goal was an own goal. Scotland had won all 3 previous games against Israel. Israel hosts Albania next. Since C1 has 3 teams and C2 through C4 have 4 teams, finishing last in C1 doesn't guarantee relegation. The worst third place team gets relegated excluding games against the fourth place team in groups of four. Given how C4 has gone so far, if Israel vs. Albania has a winner, that team could finish last in C1 but would guarantee safety by clinching finishing ahead of third in C4. Albania won hosting Israel, and the tiebreaker is head-to-head, so Albania will clinch not finishing last if they beat Israel. Israel will clinch not finishing last if they win by at least 2.

    Gibraltar got their first competitive win over a UEFA team! Before they were a member of FIFA, they beat Bermuda in the Island Games. Gibraltar had lost 10 Euro 2016 qualifiers, 10 World Cup 2018 qualifiers, and 2 Nations League games before today. Gibraltar won 1-0. Armenia, who was at home, had 72% of the possession and 85% of the shots. Shots were 34 to 6 and shots on goal were 9 to 2. Including a friendly win hosting Latvia, Gibraltar has two 1-0 wins in their four games this year.

    Edit: Gibraltar won at 26/1 odds. The odds gave them an 87.0% chance at losing, 9.4% chance of a draw, and 3.6% chance of a win.
     
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  18. Metropolitan

    Metropolitan Member+

    Paris Saint Germain
    France
    Sep 5, 2005
    Paris
    Club:
    Paris Saint Germain FC
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    I'm just noticing that the 3 teams of Nations League A Group 1 participated to the 6 world cup finals of the 32 teams era, and won half of them.
    • France (1998, 2006, 2018)
    • Germany (2002, 2014)
    • Netherlands (2010)
    ... and one of them will be relegated in League B.
     
  19. Metropolitan

    Metropolitan Member+

    Paris Saint Germain
    France
    Sep 5, 2005
    Paris
    Club:
    Paris Saint Germain FC
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    As a matter of fact, the world cup final 1994 between Brazil and Italy was the only one without any team from Nations League A Group 1 since... 1970! :eek:
    • Germany (1974, 1982, 1986, 1990, 2002, 2014)
    • France (1998, 2006, 2018)
    • Netherlands (1974, 1978, 2010)
     
  20. Metropolitan

    Metropolitan Member+

    Paris Saint Germain
    France
    Sep 5, 2005
    Paris
    Club:
    Paris Saint Germain FC
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    Netherlands vs Germany! 3-0 :eek:

    Löw is a great coach but he's very last chance to prove it will be on tuesday against France. If he loses next game, I would believe he should better move on and let someone else coaching the Mannschaft with newer ideas.
     
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  21. BocaFan

    BocaFan Member+

    Aug 18, 2003
    Queens, NY
    Could have the first relegated team confirmed today when Poland host Italy. Since the reverse fixture ended 1-1, if there is a loser in tonight’s match they would be 3 points behind the winner and also behind on the tiebreaker with one match to play.

    I really wish UEFA would move away from using the head to head as the first tiebreaker. Kinda silly that head to head away goals comes before overall goal difference in the tiebreaking process.
     
  22. Danko

    Danko Member+

    Barcelona
    Serbia
    Mar 15, 2018
    Let me ask to see if I understand this Nations League format right. The purpose of it is to organize games to replace friendlies. Teams are draw into four leagues from A to D based on team strength. So league A has all the big dogs and league D all the minnows. For Euro qualification, there will be a standard qualification process with 10 groups and the top two teams will advance from each group for a total of 20. The other 4 squads will surprisingly come not from qualification but from a playoff round played in each of the four leagues A to D. This basically means that there is a 100% chance we will have a minnow like Latvia, Andorra, or Gibraltar at the next Euro? Am I understanding it right?
     
  23. Hideo

    Hideo Member

    Newcastle United and Shimizu S-Pulse
    Apr 30, 2010
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Correct.
     
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  24. Skillachii

    Skillachii Member

    Chelsea
    Aug 23, 2017
    No, Georgia and FYROM are also down there... Georgia has been wiping the floor with minnows so far.
     
  25. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Unlike most minnows, Latvia has played in a Euro, which they did in 2004. In World Cup 2010 qualifying, they were third in their group behind Switzerland and Greece and had more points than Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, Hungary, Wales, Turkey, Belgium, Austria, Iceland, and Romania. Latvia had 12 more points than Azerbaijan. In qualifying for the last two World Cups, Latvia did much worse and had fewer points than Azerbaijan.
     

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