Photocredit: standard.co.uk
International competition is sucking the lifeblood out of the season at times. Especially when we get to October and December. It gets frustrating as a fan to watch 4 weeks and then suddenly there is another break yet again. But it wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't so predictable what the outcomes would be. For all the controversy, the Nations League last year was a bit more exciting than Euro Qualifiers have been. Apart from Finland and maybe Turkey, absolutely every team across the 10 groups was what you would have expected. There is little excitement in Euro Qualifying if it has become so obvious who will get in. There used to be a time when you had to fight because even a good team may not make it.
Look down the groups and you will see there were no surprises. The sample size of 8 games (Or 10 games) is simply too big to have a real shot at finishing top 2. It's the same problem as the champions league. Group stage has too many games for an underdog to have a chance because even if they pull off the upset, the better team has plenty of time to sort it out. Thus, no surprises. Finland was the only real surprise. But if you look at their group, there was no one really that good. Greece and Bosnia have gone backwards. Yes, I would have expected it to be one of them but I'm not so shocked because they were vulnerable. Turkey finishing second over Iceland was only surprising based on recent history. Otherwise, you would have thought Turkey finishing second was exactly what should have happened. I'll admit, the playoffs in the spring will be more interesting, but these group stages are a formality. It's boring.
International football is only truly at its best when the best face off against the best or it's a one game affair so taking the day is taking it all. That's why the playoffs in the spring will be more interesting. That's why the major tournaments are huge. I'm not as opposed to the Nations League as some simply because you're playing countries of supposedly equal caliber. With just 3 games, one slip up can cost you. Remember Germany's world cup? If they had played 6, they likely were fine. But because they only had 3, they didn't have the time to sort it out.
For now I look forward to uninterrupted club football until March. Something interesting is happening constantly. The second internationals were over, Tottenham let the world know we're back to club football. Thanks for Reading!
