Euro 2024: Two thirds of round three

Netherlands - Austria 3-2

France - Poland 1-1

England - Slovenia 0-0

Denmark - Serbia 0-0

Romania - Slovakia 1-1

Belgium - Ukraine 0-0

Portugal - Georgia 0-2

Czechia - Turkey 1-2

I didn't really embed time to write about the Euros yesterday, so I'll cover how I saw the last 8 games in this one post. Well, last 4 games actually, I did talk in my previous post about enjoying choosing what to see when games start at the same time.

The first choice I made on Tuesday, to watch Netherlands - Austria, was the correct one, but also the obvious one. Poland was already eliminated, and France had already qualified, so their drab 1-1 draw with two goals scored from three penalties was very much a TV filler.

Austria delivered a surprise thrashing of Poland, so they had to get something, anything, out of the game against the Netherlands to qualify. The Dutch had 4 points in the bag, so last 16 qualification ensured, just a matter of where in the group they will finish. Now, the press makes a lot of finishing positions determining the strength of the opposition. The truth is, a team should not really care who the opposition is. If you want to win the trophy. you have to be able to beat anyone in the competition. The other thing is, if a team has made it to the last 16, they will not be a comfortable opponent, regardless of rankings.

So a case can be made for the Dutch not being too bothered about the result of this game, though I suspect the truth is this was the relative level of the teams on the day. Ralph Ragnick - master strategist. The worst United manager in my lifetime, I didn't think Ragnick would be capable of any notable achievement as a manager. But topping a group with France and Netherlands is no mean feat. And Sabitzer, what a player! How foolish were we to give him away so easily! I am hoping there is a way back for him to United, but it will probably never happen.

Scored a great goal, the only one of Austria's three that was a great individual action and was not aided by the Dutch defenders. Gakpo and Depay's goals were both great, but overall it was always Austria who looked like the better team and if the percentage of chances converted would be even then the score should be higher in the Austrian's favour.

Austria will now face Turkey, which feels like an easier adversary, but the Turks have really grown into the tournament and their fighting spirit is renowned. It will not be an easy game for either team, but spectacular to watch for the neutrals.

Netherlands is playing Romania. I'm cautiously optimistic, we will have to annihilate Gakpo, isolate Depay and punish them on the offense whenever we have the opportunity. They're favourites, but not by much.

As for France - Belgium, I don't know what to make of it. My gut says France, but a lot of it will depend on how teams show up on the day.

***

Ah, England... Was I too quick to praise Bellingham? He is a good player, but only really showed it in his first game. England dominated, but with so little creativity and so sterile that the end result was an incredibly boring 0-0. 

Now, I do think Southgate is being battered way more than he deserves by the English media. Yes, the team has been boring through the group games, but they did win the group, and I wonder whether English fans would rather they lose while playing spectacular football? They just like to moan, I think. They are English, after all.

He does have a good team, but he also has to deal with the most whiny, overpaid, egomaniac group of players at this tournament, and have his every decision challenged by 60 million people. Is he doing a good job? I'd wait until after the tournament to judge.

And if we're talking boring, I don't know... I didn't watch any of the Denmark - Serbia game, not even the highlights. Nor am I curious. I've seen the Danes play two games already, and if this is the most that the Serbs can do with their back to the wall, I'm convinced I haven't missed much.

Serves the Danes right that they now have to face Germany. England is served another relatively easy game against Slovakia, while Slovenia... best of luck against Portugal. You will need it!

***

Romania... who would've thought it, eh? Iordanescu, for one, I'd like to think. I have been called too cynical and overly critical of Romania's performances, and - while I don't have a duty to be anything else - I would like to clarify my position further: I had 0 expectations from this team, so they surpassed them a great deal. They have made history, whatever happens. Biggest win at a finals tournament, first time to top the group in a Euros finals, these are the facts that will stay and will be looked back on with hope and love. They won me back over, I haven't been a Romanian supporter since 2001, I was completely unimpressed with the 2008 and 2016 performances and, lest we forget, in 2008 we drew France and Italy.

BUT... (yes, I know) we were lucky to get the results we did and somewhat undeserving of winning the group. Against Ukraine, we scored two long-range goals, both brilliant shots, but also, both handled poorly by their keeper. Against Belgium, we never competed. And Slovakia, truth be told, was always gonna be a difficult game, but we were happy with the draw. We conceded on a poorly defended open play and scored from a penalty we have VAR to thank for.

So without diminishing the achievement in any way, based on the group games alone, this Romania team is not ready for the brutality of the knockout stages. We have to up our game. Luck is part of the game, but we might've drunk that well dry for now, so if we want to beat Netherlands we might have to simply play better than them. Not impossible, as Austria has shown, but no walk in the park either. Run in the park.

Elsewhere in Group E, I'm mildly surprised by the 0-0 draw. I thought Belgium is gonna win it, and I was hoping Ukraine does. But again, it's a game of results, and both teams were playing for that I suspect. Really unfortunate for Ukraine to go home with 4 points while other teams qualify with three, but hey, that's what you get if you lose to Romania.

Why don't you come on back to the war? That's right, get in it

Why don't you come on back to the war? It's just beginning

***

And save the best for last. Finally, two exciting games in Group F. Georgia beating Portugal, the joy of gamblers everywhere. Completely unexpected, but also, a bit ungentlemanly of Portugal to drop down like this, and I hope it comes back to bite them in the ass, one way or another. All congratulations to Georgia, it is an amazing achievement, but they also have the two Portugal victories to thank.

I watched Czechia - Turkey, the only game with something at steak, I thought. And it was a great game, marred somewhat by the early and a bit harsh red card received by the Czechs.

I've been saying in the previous rounds that the Czechs have been unfortunate (they have, both defeat to Portugal and draw with Georgia were tight and could've easily gone their way), while the Turks have been unimpressive.

But this was the final shout, this was the one game where you had to show up, and unfortunately for the Czechs, they didn't, really. Not as much as they needed, anyway. The Turks on the other side, really grew in the tournament. Funnily enough, I think the 0-3 defeat to Portugal might've been a better performance than the Georgia win. Arda Guler is really owning the field now, and he was the best player on the pitch against the Czechs. Kudos to Cenk Tosun too for creating the winning goal out of nothing, and those extra two points are the difference between playing Spain and playing Austria. Still not easy, but clearly preferable.

So the last 16 are all interesting games, but I will call them for the obvious winners: Italy to beat Switzerland, Germany to beat Denmark, England to beat Slovakia, Spain to beat Georgia, France to squeeze past Belgium, Portugal to thrash Slovenia, Romania can beat Netherlands and Austria - Turkey is the most interesting game, but I think Austria will edge it.

You heard it here first.