Football UEFA Euro 2021- Tournament Discussion Thread

[Hermit]

The tournament starts this Friday, so we can use the few days before to get out any predictions we have for how the event will go. How the various teams participating will do.
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So over the course of the next month, who do you think will be -

The winner of the tournament:
Second place:
Third place:
Fourth place:
Best player of the tournament:
Best young player of the tournament:
Dark horse of the tournament:
Team that will underachieve:

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Join our EURO 2020 Pick'em League on ESPN. The 1st place finisher will win a badge. Reminder to rename your entry to include your MH username.

 

[xi0]

As far predictor league options go, it doesn't look like ESPN is doing one, and the UEFA one isn't a league.

I'm checking out pooltracker to see if it's good enough, but I don't see too many optrions.

--- Double Post Merged, Jun 8, 2021, Original Post Date: Jun 8, 2021 ---

Wait nvm I missed that you can make a Group on ESPN's site, looking into that now since it's what we've usually used.

--- Double Post Merged, Jun 8, 2021 ---

Okay, here's the link

https://fantasy.espn.com/games/euro...&joinKey=df17e6f3-c63f-348d-977e-4f3a1cbd3c0c

It's a bit limited since we're picking group stage winners and not each match and it's score, but it's better than nothing, I guess.

Make sure to rename your entry with your username so it can be identified.

 

[Raven]

Made my picks.

I hope i do better than the last time.

 

[Hermit]

Do I need a password to join the MH group? I made my bracket but I can't access it. I'm guessing it's the one with 5 members already?

A few thoughts on the participating teams so far:
-France are overwhelming favorites, but their group is the hardest one so far. Should be the most interesting one to follow all tournament. Though to be fair France's midfield options are woeful Their forwards are stacked like crazy but Kante is the only good midfielder in the team. Should have at least taken Tanguy as well to the tournament.
-Italy I think are the dark horses of the tournament. Can see a sneaky semi final run for them, of course depending on match ups so far. Their team is extremely well balanced this tournament.
-England I feel are going to end up being underwhelming >_> While I know friendlies aren't the best thing to gauge tournament performances of, the games they've played over the past 2 weeks have been.....depressing. Just hope they can fix up before Saturday at least.
-Spain/Netherlands/Germany are 50/50 in terms of performances. But Netherlands manager Would not surprise me if they crash out of the group stages. That team is really being hard carried by Depay right now.

Player wise, I think the best young player at the tournament will be Mason Mount/Phil Foden, though it depends on how much game time they get.

Edit: Joined successfully.

 

[Riku]

Made my bets yesterday.

I'm really excited for this tournament, since it's the first time we (Finland) made it there. I'm not expecting us to make it past the group stage, but with perfect performance I think we could tie Denmark and win Russia, just maybe that being enough to progress.

France is definitely the favorite to win. Italy is such an established football country that I wouldn't call them dark horses, even if it's been awhile since tournament success for them. England is strong, but they always tend to disappoint in the end. Spain, Netherlands and Germany are solid. If we talk about "dark horses", my bet is on Belgium - it's the last shot for their "golden generation". Though they also have enough recognition to be considered a pre-threat. Not really a dark horse either imho.

Group F is gonna be crazy. Poor poor Hungary.

--- Double Post Merged, Jun 9, 2021, Original Post Date: Jun 9, 2021 ---

As for the first spot discussion starters:

The winner of the tournament: France
Second place: Belgium
Third place: Germany
Fourth place: Spain
Best player of the tournament: Mbappe or Lukaku. Kane if England delivers.
Best young player of the tournament: I don't know. Foden if England delivers.
Dark horse of the tournament: Turkey, Ukraine, Wales. I don't know really.
Team that will underachieve: England. Always such hype, and never quite reaches the expectations imho. Hoping for the best though.

 

[Evil3ye]

Ok, no idea about the state of each national teams this season but submitted my picks anyway.

 

[Newkerzy]

This is probably going to sound in very bad taste, but.....should we set up prop bets or some alternative on which teams get knocked out/affected by Covid? I mean, the fact that some teams aren’t even fully vaccinated means we should definitely expect someone getting thrown into Covid protocols, which could make or break their chances in the tournament and affect our predictions.

 

[Hermit]

I mean, the fact that some teams aren’t even fully vaccinated means we should definitely expect someone getting thrown into Covid protocols, which could make or break their chances in the tournament and affect our predictions.

They already accounted for this, no? Iirc the team numbers was increased from 23-26 specifically because of COVID protocols.
Unless I am not understanding what you mean

 

[Hardy]

They already accounted for this, no? Iirc the team numbers was increased from 23-26 specifically because of COVID protocols.
Unless I am not understanding what you mean

Tbf the team I support got 25 cases and we ended up using a field player as a goalkeeper lol.

 

[Hermit]

Tbf the team I support got 25 cases and we ended up using a field player as a goalkeeper lol.

Ok that's.....unsettling.
--
Do you think they would postpone matches with infected people? Or just disqualify them altogether?

 

[Newkerzy]

Ok that's.....unsettling.
--
Do you think they would postpone matches with infected people? Or just disqualify them altogether?

That’s what I’m wondering. Which is why I’m asking how we’ll take Covid into account on bets/fantasies/predictions. Speaking of bets, there was one instance in a different sport showing how it can be dealt with. When Jon Rahm (golf) suddenly tested positive in the middle of a round (and in the lead, to boot), a betting site gave back all the money people bet on him.

 

[Hermit]

That’s what I’m wondering. Which is why I’m asking how we’ll take Covid into account on bets/fantasies/predictions. Speaking of bets, there was one instance in a different sport showing how it can be dealt with. When Jon Rahm (golf) suddenly tested positive in the middle of a round (and in the lead, to boot), a betting site gave back all the money people bet on him.

I think worst case scenarios, teams can appeal to UEFA to allow them to recall other players who were not called up for the tournament in the first place. There was a similar case today with Italy and one of their players. Well an injury happened, so they were allowed to provisionally call up a player as a replacement.

But this is before the tournament starts. Not sure how well it would work as the tournament is ongoing. Match fitness is a thing

 

[Newkerzy]

I think worst case scenarios, teams can appeal to UEFA to allow them to recall other players who were not called up for the tournament in the first place. There was a similar case today with Italy and one of their players. Well an injury happened, so they were allowed to provisionally call up a player as a replacement.

But this is before the tournament starts. Not sure how well it would work as the tournament is ongoing. Match fitness is a thing

I think the NFL (or at least some of its teams), had a system last season where some players were required to stay the heck away from them in case the line-up got wiped out by Covid. These players would be required to stay in a whole other town or back home and be prepared to get called up at any moment.

 

[Sky]

There is no third/fourth place though? The EC does not have that.

The winner of the tournament: France
Second place: England
Best player of the tournament: Kante
Best young player of the tournament: Ryan Gravenberch
Dark horse of the tournament: Netherlands
Team that will underachieve: Germany (Still betting on going home after three matches.)

 

[Hermit]

There is no third/fourth place though? The EC does not have that.

Oh crap, I had no idea
Then we'll take third and fourth place to be the losing semifinalists, haha. In whatever order.

 

[Riku]

Yeah, I did the national broadcaster tournament predictor, and realized that there in no bronze. Also realized, that France and Belgium can't meet in the finals. So Presume the other finalist is either Spain or England.

--- Double Post Merged, Jun 11, 2021, Original Post Date: Jun 10, 2021 ---

If we had moved on with the corona betting, I'd have won. Team Russia has a case of the COVID. Theres been a lot of Petersburg/Russia cover in media here, because we are in the same group, and there in the puclic image nobody wears masks and all comments taken from random passerbys are very corona carefree.

Hope this won't affect our team.

--- Double Post Merged, Jun 11, 2021 ---

Though apparently there have been already cases and players changes also on teams Spain, Nederlands and Sweden.

 

[Imperium]

For Covid, we saw this whole season pretty much go off with only a few minor problems in the bigger European leagues because clubs had successful bubbles. The issue is the players shifting to national team bubbles, and catching it in the time off between the two bubbles. I think once they settle into their national team bubbles it should be okay. If they get it in tournament, after being in a bubble for a while, then there was probably some negligence involved.

I missed out on Wembley tickets which is a shame, as it would have been consecutive euros I could go too and it was even easier now that so many games are in the UK. Damn covid.

England to win it all. It's coming home etc etc

 

[Hermit]

Fairly predictable start. Turkey did play well though. Just that own goal ruined everything.

Italy's defence was questionable all game though . I think any other team would have put one past them at least.

 

[Hardy]

Was hoping Italy would drop points as I predicted the Swiss leading the group, but Turkey was too shite

--- Double Post Merged, Jun 11, 2021, Original Post Date: Jun 11, 2021 ---

For Covid, we saw this whole season pretty much go off with only a few minor problems in the bigger European leagues because clubs had successful bubbles. The issue is the players shifting to national team bubbles, and catching it in the time off between the two bubbles. I think once they settle into their national team bubbles it should be okay. If they get it in tournament, after being in a bubble for a while, then there was probably some negligence involved.

I missed out on Wembley tickets which is a shame, as it would have been consecutive euros I could go too and it was even easier now that so many games are in the UK. Damn covid.

England to win it all. It's coming home etc etc

THREE LIONS ON A SHIRT

FODEN'S HAIR IS GLEAMING

 

[Hermit]

Was hoping Italy would drop points as I predicted the Swiss leading the group, but Turkey was too shite

This Swiss vs Wales game is far better than the one last night. The Italy vs Switzerland game will end up a draw.
Have a sneaky feeling Turkey might upset Wales