Euro 2004 predictions - first round

[Paul]

And my predictions for the last matches in the first round:

20-06-2004, Group A:
Spain - Portugal 2-2
Russia - Greece 0-1

21-06-2004, Group B:
Croatia - England 1-2
Switzerland - France 0-2

22-06-2004, Group C:
Italy - Bulgaria 0-2
Denmark - Sweden 2-2

23-06-2004, Group D:
Netherlands - Latvia 3-0
Germany - Czech Republic 0-0

[Solver]

So theoretically, passive offsides don't count now, but I'm in doubt to whether that's right. Being in a passive offside with a 5 meter margin and then scoring because of that...

[alva]

Yeah me too, I don't they should call for an off-side as long as that being is no longer involved in the attack. IE doesn't touch the ball anymore and certainly doesn't score.

[Dauphin]

I think the current offside law sucks, for a number of reasons.

I am of the school of thought that says "If you're not interfering with play, what are you doing on the pitch?"

[Chilean Presidentâ„¢]

@Alva

Exactly a pasive offside is when the guy don't get involved in the play. In this case Van Nistelrroij had several meters of advantage over the Czech defenses and that way the goal was easy to do. The referee should have stop the play at the moment Van Nistelrroij touched the ball.

Anyway a offside goal against two penalties not given isn't too much of advantage to Holland. What a crappy referee

[alva]

He was crappy with the penalty for sure, he was correct on the 'off-side' goal and I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt on the red card.
I'm not sure where he was, probably right behind the two players and from that position it more than likely llooked like a foul.

[Kropotkin]

We can be certain that hisperformance will lead to the referee getting to the world cup in two years. Sep Blatter will hear about this brilliant performance.

[Laertes]

Originally posted by Dauphin
I think the current offside law sucks, for a number of reasons.

I am of the school of thought that says "If you're not interfering with play, what are you doing on the pitch?"

I agree. Towards the end of the season in England, Bolton started using a free kick tactic of having several key attacking players standing way "offside" before the kick was taken.

As the taker started his run up, they would start to run back to an onside position. They were technically onside, but the keepers got so distracted that Bolton scored some "soft" goals from the free kicks because the goalie was not paying attention to the shot.

[Robert]

Originally posted by alva
I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt on the red card.
I'm not sure where he was, probably right behind the two players and from that position it more than likely llooked like a foul.

Don't give a card because something 'looks like a fool' from a position that doe'sn't give a good oversight.
Ask your help-referees.
I wonder if he remembered he already gave one yellow card, since it took some time before he realised he had to show the red card as well........

[Bereta_Eder]

Nice football holland vs tsehia. Tsehia is good...!

[Laertes]

Also, on van Nistelrooy's goal, the replay clearly showed that when he saw Hollland regain position and start to attack, he stopped trotting back towards onside and took one or two more steps backwards, and then turned and joined the play going forward. Very cynical.

[alva]

Originally posted by CyberShy


Don't give a card because something 'looks like a fool' from a position that doe'sn't give a good oversight.
Ask your help-referees.
I wonder if he remembered he already gave one yellow card, since it took some time before he realised he had to show the red card as well........

ok, I'll rephrase..he was convinced it was a foul..
Though you could be right on the the second part, if he was convinced it was a foul then it was a yellow-card offense too.

[TheBirdMan]

Originally posted by Paul
And my predictions for the last matches in the first round:


22-06-2004, Group C:
Italy - Bulgaria 0-2
Denmark - Sweden 2-2

I hope you are right Paul

[Zopperoni]

20-06-2004, Group A:
Spain - Portugal 1-2
Russia - Greece 0-1

21-06-2004, Group B:
Croatia - England 1-2
Switzerland - France 0-2

22-06-2004, Group C:
Italy - Bulgaria 2-0
Denmark - Sweden 2-1

23-06-2004, Group D:
Netherlands - Latvia 3-0
Germany - Czech Republic 0-0

[germanos]

Change in prediction

Denmark-Sweden: 2-2


side note:

If van Nistelrooij's goal wasn't off-side according to new rules then these rules should be dropped immediately, or the off-side rule should be dropped completely