Euro 2016: The good, the bad and the ugly of the group stage

There was so much excitement and intrigue heading into this summer’s showpiece but the tournament has simply failed to live up to its hype. Alleged big teams have generally faltered and only a select few nations have impressed. World-beaters have turned into flops, dark horses are now underachievers and supposed minnows have punched above their weight.

There were 69 goals scored in the group stages at a rate of 1.92 per game, the lowest average for a group phase at the European Championships since 1992. Moreover, 45 of the 69 goals were scored in the second-half and 27.5% of the total goals scored came in the 80^th minute onwards.

Put short, UEFA’s decision to expand the tournament to 24 teams has been an unmitigated disaster. Teams have started off slow and conservative, and first half stalemates were a common practice. It is only in the 3^rd round of matches did push turn into shove and pragmatism finally gave way.

Below is the Euro 2016 group stage in a nutshell.

Group A analysis and predictions

Group B analysis and predictions

The Good

Both Wales and Hungary have been a breath of fresh air. Neither of the teams have set the pulses racing, but their spirit and collectiveness have been a surprising element of an otherwise lackluster tournament. Coincidentally, they are also the teams with the highest number of goals in the group stages (6 each).

Chris Coleman has undertaken a momentous task in molding his team around the dynamic duo of Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale. The former has now had a hand in 5 goals in his last 4 games for his nation (2 goals and 3 assists) and the latter became the first player to score in all 3 group games at the European Championships since Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Milan Baros in 2004. More significantly, Wales became the first debuting nation to top their group at the European finals since Sweden back in 1992.

Hungary too, have been a revelation.  Bernd Storck’s outfits have punched above their weight and their exploits in Group F have sent shockwaves across the continent. It is not far-fetched to say that the likes of Zoltan Gera, Balazs Dzsudzsak and Adam Szalai have a real chance of replicating the successful era of the “Magical Magyars”. Will they be another Greece?

Honorable mentions here to Albania; whose first-ever goal at a major tournament against Romania almost took them through to the next round, Iceland; a nation of 320,000 inhabitants who frustrated both Austria and Portugal and Northern Ireland; who have qualified for their first knockout stage in a major tournament since 1982.

Group C analysis and predictions

Group D analysis and predictions

The Bad

Germany, France, Portugal and Italy.

The reigning world champions have lacked momentum and, despite displaying their swagger in their last game against Northern Ireland (where they averaged 79% possession), have been nowhere near their dominant best.

The hosts as well have faltered, and it needed in the 89^th and 90^th minutes respectively in their first two games to ultimately spare their blushes. Both pressure and minor selection gaffes unduly played their part, but the jury remains well and truly out on this young and exuberant French generation.

More sadly, Portugal became the only nation to qualify to the knockout stages of this competition without a single win. Despite the abundance of talents throughout the team, Fernando Santos’ charges are farthest away from a cohesive unit than they ever were.

And that’s not to mention Italy, who Antonio Conte has transformed into an absolute bore to watch. Not only is his squad bereft of talent (mostly by choice) but his defensive-minded substitutions have made the football neutrals cringe.

Group E analysis and predictions

Group F analysis and predictions

The Ugly

It’s hard to look beyond Romania, Russia, Ukraine and Sweden for the most obnoxious of tournament participations. Not only were their performances lacklustre, but even their star names failed to turn up.  Ukraine, for example, were the only team to lose all of their group games and fail to score a single goal. That despite having the tournaments two most exciting wingers in the form of Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka amongst their ranks. Sweden, on the other hand, managed their first shot on target after 185 minutes of play; with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, being the guiltiest of their charges.

Most Impressive Team

62 year-old Ante Cacic deserves an honorable accolade for forging a formidable Croatian outfit that have been by far the most impressive team of the entire group stages. Ivan Perisic, Ivan Rakitic andLuka Modric have been particular standout performers.

Honorable mention here goes to Spain who treated us to a master-class in commanding performance in their first two games against Czech Republic and Turkey. If only they hadn’t taken their foot off the gas against Croatia, Vicente Del Bosque’s charges would have been lauded for their perfection.

Biggest Underachievers

Some would point towards Poland’s first qualification from the group stages since 1986 as a sign of accomplishment but the most lethal team during qualification managed a measly 2 goals.  Austria, surprisingly, were woeful and Turkey, despite a belated resurgence and a vast array of talent, failed to replicate most recent successes (they were semi-finalists in their last two major participations).

Team of the first round

Team of the second round

Additionally, it’s hard to feel sympathy for a much-hyped England who, coming into the showpiece, were lauded amongst the most exciting of generations in years gone by. Yes, they managed to dominate proceedings (averaging 61% possession) but their 65 shots in total (with only 16 being on target) have left Hodgson’s fledgling talents ruing their wastefulness.

Chief Creators

Toni Kroos made the most successful passes during the entire group stage (323) and is now Germany’s prime midfield orchestrator. Additionally, Dimitri Payet has endeared himself to the French faithful and has taken the competiton by storm. His 2 goals and 1 assist tell part of the story but his 14 chances created are 1 shy of Zinedine Zidane’s record of becoming the most productive Frenchman in a campaign since 1980. Furthermore, although Wales’ run to the knockout stages has been a collective effort, talisman Gareth Bale was instrumental as he completed the most successful dribbles during the group stages (13).  His 12 shots on target are also a record high since Michel Platini’s recorded 15 back in 1984.

And finally the legend that is Andres Iniesta. The Spanish magician has now earned a record 9 man of the match awards for his nation in major tournaments and has carved himself a place in the pantheon of greats in the modern international era (a select list of players that includes Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo).

Fall From Grace

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robert Lewandowski were the biggest names to disappoint.  The former managed a single shot on target in 270 minutes of action and garnered the unwanted accolade of being the player who attempted the most shots in the tournament without scoring a solitary goal. To add salt to the wound, he also managed a feeble 63% and 64% pass completion rates in his first two games in the tournament.

Robert Lewandowski, on the other hand, cast his lethal club form aside and managed 0 attempts on target in his total games combined.

Other names to disappoint where Xherdan Shaqiri, Harry Kane, Thomas Muller, Sergio Ramos, Eden Hazard and David Alaba.

Biggest Redemption

Who else but Cristiano Ronaldo? The Portuguese talisman went from being the most wasteful and profligate player of the Euros (he scored his first goal with his 24^th shot of the tournament) to the legend who has become the only player in the history of the continent to score in four different editions of the tournament. And what of his first finish that broke the curse? Blimey was it exquisite.

Notable mention here to the paradox that is Paul Pogba. Didier Deschamps took the admittedly bold move and dropped France’s midfield lynchpin for the second group game against Albania and the answer was an emphatic and imperious performance against the Swiss (he was unlucky not to get on the score-sheet with three thumping shots in the first half with one hitting the crossbar). Beware all, for Didier Deschamps has created a monster.

Unforgivable Gaffes

Ladies and gents, we have a dossier full of inexplicable shenanigans.

Hodgson pulled out all the stops to infuriate a nation by selecting 4 in-form forwards in his squad but playing with just the one (Harry Kane). Raheem Sterling was also given more than his share of playing time despite doing his utmost imitation of a headless chicken. Wayne Rooney was England’s best player on the night against Russia yet was bafflingly substituted midway through the second half.

Over in Germany, a sub-par Mario Gotze was constantly preferred over the more natural Mario Gomez. And to make matters worse, Thomas Muller was shunted out wide on the wings to accommodate both under-performers. And more cruelly, Leroy Sane, Germany’s most talented inside forward in a generation, was left rotting on the bench mulling over what he had to do to gain a foothold over the ever-predictable Andre Schurrle.

And what to make of Marc Wilmots’ preference of Marouane Fellaini over Yannick Carrasco in the Belgian’s group opener versus Italy?

And of course there’s the curious case of Cesc Fabregas. Why a player who has had his poorest season on English soil is starting ahead of an in-form pass-master in Koke is unfathomable to the most reticent of football observers.

Honourable mentions here go to Marcel Koller for deploying David Alaba in three different positions in three games (the last of which being the farthest of the team forward versus Iceland) and Antonio Conte for playing the indispensable Leonardo Bonucci in the most meaningless of games walking a significant suspension tightrope.

Worrying Trends

There’s not a single striker that has set the tournament alight. Oliver Giroud has blown hot and cold. Switzerland have tried and tested their forwards to no avail. Harry Kane has been a peripheral figure. Hal Robson-Kanu is a tireless yet makeshift striker. Robert Lewandowski and Arkadiusz Milik are getting in each other’s way. Mario Mandzukic is a bundle of energy with little to no end product. Italian strikers are the thing of the past. Romelu Lukaku is too inconsistent and Zlatan Ibrahimovic is clearly past his best. The only striker who has shown anything resembling decent quality is Alvaro Morata.

On the other end of the field, and in years gone by, we could count the likes of Iker Casillas (2008 & 2012), Petr Cech (2004), Francesco Toldo (2000), Andreas Kopke (1996) and Peter Schmeichel (1992) as stars of the European championships. Nowadays though, goalkeeping heroics are somewhat sporadic. Alleged “top class” keepers in the tournament were either untested or somewhat erratic. Hugo Lloris, Gianluigi Buffon and Thibaut Courtois fall under the former.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are Joe Hart and David De Gea who were both culpable for at least two of their respective nation’s goals conceded. And that’s not to mention Manuel Neuer who has not only believed his hype, but looks very much like an accident-in-waiting.

Heroic performances came intermittently in the form of the less-heralded likes of Yann Sommer, Etrit Berisha, Matus Kozacik, Michael McGovern, Robert Almer and Hannes Halldorsson to name a few.

Team of the Group Stage:

Subs: Michael McGovern (Northern Ireland), Mats Hummels (Germany), Darijo Srna (Croatia), Grzegorz Krychowiak (Poland), Granit Xhaka (Switzerland), Zoltan Gera (Hungary), Aaron Ramsey (Wales), Ivan Rakitic (Croatia), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) and Jakub Blaszczykowski (Poland)