As I understand it Costa Rica are not yet guaranteed top place in the group, and they will want to avoid Colombia, so it isn't a friendly.
Costa Rica can't be caught they have 6 points Uruguay have 3 Italy 3 and last games us between uruguay / Italy who can only get 6 points. And as cr beat both Italy/Uruguay
They can't be caught
Costa Rica can't be caught they have 6 points Uruguay have 3 Italy 3 and last games us between uruguay / Italy who can only get 6 points. And as cr beat both Italy/Uruguay
They can't be caught
Costa Rica can't be caught they have 6 points Uruguay have 3 Italy 3 and last games us between uruguay / Italy who can only get 6 points. And as cr beat both Italy/Uruguay
They can't be caught
Let's not forget that the reason we got an awful group this time around was due to our poor FIFA ranking. We've already lost two competitive games so we really need a win against Costa Rica to avoid slipping further for Euro 2016.
A win loss or draw will make basically no difference in four years time because of the weighting the rankings apply to results based on how recent they are. Also we didn't really get a tough group because of a poor ranking our ranking is pretty good, it was mostly the bad luck of Italy getting drawn with us (and Costa Rica, who knew?). We would have had to have been miles better to get one of the 8 seeded spaces. Likewise, as long as we qualify well we will comfortably be a top seed for the next Euros, if we struggle in qualifying then the result against Costa Rica won't help us.
France had a much worse ranking than us and have got a great group.
Easier qualification this time round, 23 places up for grabs (and France not involved) compared to 14 places (and two weak hosts who may not have qualified as of right).
Who cares what side it's on? England will get higher viewing figures but I imagine the Italy game will also see a healthy amount of viewers too. I'll be watching the Italy game as it's fascinatingly poised. Watching England beat Costa Rica would just make things more frustrating for me
Not watching England play in what is total nothing match is not 'fickle' either. For many fans it will just bring more torment and there's not even a chance of happiness at the end of it. England are out. It's finished. If a World Cup qualification decider of Italy v Uruguay was on at the same time as an England friendly millions of people would watch the former and that's the exact situation we are in now. England winning is irrelevant as is them losing
I will not be watching the England game, absolute zero interest. We had a works outing planned at the local sports bar but now none of us can be bothered. I'm not angry with our team, they tried but we are simply not good enough. I don't know anyone who is interested in this meaningless game.
I will not be watching the England game, absolute zero interest. We had a works outing planned at the local sports bar but now none of us can be bothered. I'm not angry with our team, they tried but we are simply not good enough. I don't know anyone who is interested in this meaningless game.
I can't understand why people would watch it other than through a sense of patriotism or maybe getting the chance to see the next overrated crop of youngsters get a game.
I can't understand why people would watch it other than through a sense of patriotism or maybe getting the chance to see the next overrated crop of youngsters get a game.
Will probably be watched by the people that say we were unlucky or had a tough group or any other excuses they care to trawl out. I think a lot of us have accepted this exit in a fairly expected matter of fact way, but make no mistake the future of the England team is in a terrible state. The smaller footballing nations are putting us to shame and things will only get worse.
Who cares what side it's on? England will get higher viewing figures but I imagine the Italy game will also see a healthy amount of viewers too. I'll be watching the Italy game as it's fascinatingly poised. Watching England beat Costa Rica would just make things more frustrating for me
Not watching England play in what is total nothing match is not 'fickle' either. For many fans it will just bring more torment and there's not even a chance of happiness at the end of it. England are out. It's finished. If a World Cup qualification decider of Italy v Uruguay was on at the same time as an England friendly millions of people would watch the former and that's the exact situation we are in now. England winning is irrelevant as is them losing
^^ This.
Costa Rica would probably like to win, but will probably field a weaker team, and rest players, they have qualified to the next round which is the most important thing. Given who is in the next group, I doubt they care who they play, if they can beat Uruguay & Italy the other group shouldn't hold any fear.
England v Costa Rica is as you say irrelevant, it is the World Cup, the matches that should be shown on the main channel are the key matches and in this case the main match is Italy & Uruguay, and in a way highlights why it shouldn't be on FTA channels if the main channel is not going to select the key match to show.
It's England, irrelevant or not, it'd get more viewers, advertisers will expect it to be on ITV1 (same if it was the BBC showing Englands last group game rather than ITV, they'd pick the England game rather than shoving it on the red button (given BBC3 doesn't start until 7pm and England kick off at 5pm).
It's England, irrelevant or not, it'd get more viewers, advertisers will expect it to be on ITV1 (same if it was the BBC showing Englands last group game rather than ITV, they'd pick the England game rather than shoving it on the red button (given BBC3 doesn't start until 7pm and England kick off at 5pm).
And perhaps why it shouldn't be free to air (ITV & BBC), nationality shouldn't come into it, it is a major sporting event, therefore the key matches should get top billing.
And perhaps why it shouldn't be free to air (ITV & BBC), nationality shouldn't come into it, it is a major sporting event, therefore the key matches should get top billing.
It'd be no different if it was on Sky for example, they'd put England on SS1, Italy v Uruguay on SS2, same with BT/ESPN, same with anyone. Whether it's England, France, FTA, PPV, whatever country it was, their own countries game would get 'top billing'/be put on the most prominent channel regardless of if anything was riding on it or not.
It'd be no different if it was on Sky for example, they'd put England on SS1, Italy v Uruguay on SS2, same with BT/ESPN, same with anyone. Whether it's England, France, FTA, PPV, whatever country it was, their own countries game would get 'top billing'/be put on the most prominent channel regardless of if anything was riding on it or not.
That is a bit different though SS1-SS4 as is BTSports 1 & 2, are not hidden away as such. If BBC is putting matches behind the red button that is even more shocking than ITV putting matches on ITV4...if they can't do major tournaments justice then perhaps they shouldn't have them in the first place.
On the plus side of course hopefully Adrian Chiles & Andy Townsend will be sticking to the England match...means I don't have to listen to them on the key match.
That is a bit different though SS1-SS4 as is BTSports 1 & 2, are not hidden away as such. If BBC is putting matches behind the red button that is even more shocking than ITV putting matches on ITV4...if they can't do major tournaments justice then perhaps they shouldn't have them in the first place.
ITV putting matches on ITV4 isn't shocking. How else do you propose they show 2 games at the same time without putting them on different channels? As for the BBC, it's to do with timings. Games after 7pm would go on BBC3, before 7pm would be on the red button because BBC3 shares with CBBC. Nothing wrong with games being on the red button or ITV4, they're still viewable, it's not like you can't watch them at all. You (and others) are making a mountain out of a molehill.
Comments
They can't be caught
Not true. It comes down to goal difference.
Wrong it's on head to head results
Don't be daft, Costa Rica will put at least 6 past us
Head to head
No it doesn't. Goal difference, then goals scored, then head to head, then drawing of lots.
Doesn't matter how many times you say it, it's still wrong.
Goal difference and goals scored count before head-to-head results do.
Doesn't make a difference. We'd need Italy and Uruguay to both lose, which can't happen since they're playing each other. England are eliminated.
A win loss or draw will make basically no difference in four years time because of the weighting the rankings apply to results based on how recent they are. Also we didn't really get a tough group because of a poor ranking our ranking is pretty good, it was mostly the bad luck of Italy getting drawn with us (and Costa Rica, who knew?). We would have had to have been miles better to get one of the 8 seeded spaces. Likewise, as long as we qualify well we will comfortably be a top seed for the next Euros, if we struggle in qualifying then the result against Costa Rica won't help us.
France had a much worse ranking than us and have got a great group.
There isn't much danger us failing to qualify. Even an England team made up of Championship players would qualify from the group we are in.
Costa rica will win group no matter what their goal difference is
+3 Italy 0 Uruguay -1 so not likely is it ;-)
Easier qualification this time round, 23 places up for grabs (and France not involved) compared to 14 places (and two weak hosts who may not have qualified as of right).
Not watching England play in what is total nothing match is not 'fickle' either. For many fans it will just bring more torment and there's not even a chance of happiness at the end of it. England are out. It's finished. If a World Cup qualification decider of Italy v Uruguay was on at the same time as an England friendly millions of people would watch the former and that's the exact situation we are in now. England winning is irrelevant as is them losing
I can't understand why people would watch it other than through a sense of patriotism or maybe getting the chance to see the next overrated crop of youngsters get a game.
^^ This.
Costa Rica would probably like to win, but will probably field a weaker team, and rest players, they have qualified to the next round which is the most important thing. Given who is in the next group, I doubt they care who they play, if they can beat Uruguay & Italy the other group shouldn't hold any fear.
England v Costa Rica is as you say irrelevant, it is the World Cup, the matches that should be shown on the main channel are the key matches and in this case the main match is Italy & Uruguay, and in a way highlights why it shouldn't be on FTA channels if the main channel is not going to select the key match to show.
And perhaps why it shouldn't be free to air (ITV & BBC), nationality shouldn't come into it, it is a major sporting event, therefore the key matches should get top billing.
It'd be no different if it was on Sky for example, they'd put England on SS1, Italy v Uruguay on SS2, same with BT/ESPN, same with anyone. Whether it's England, France, FTA, PPV, whatever country it was, their own countries game would get 'top billing'/be put on the most prominent channel regardless of if anything was riding on it or not.
That is a bit different though SS1-SS4 as is BTSports 1 & 2, are not hidden away as such. If BBC is putting matches behind the red button that is even more shocking than ITV putting matches on ITV4...if they can't do major tournaments justice then perhaps they shouldn't have them in the first place.
On the plus side of course hopefully Adrian Chiles & Andy Townsend will be sticking to the England match...means I don't have to listen to them on the key match.
ITV putting matches on ITV4 isn't shocking. How else do you propose they show 2 games at the same time without putting them on different channels? As for the BBC, it's to do with timings. Games after 7pm would go on BBC3, before 7pm would be on the red button because BBC3 shares with CBBC. Nothing wrong with games being on the red button or ITV4, they're still viewable, it's not like you can't watch them at all. You (and others) are making a mountain out of a molehill.