Re: (recent) historical ranking of European countries

"James Allnutt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
> MMcC wrote:
>
> > "James Allnutt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> > news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> >>
> >>MMcC wrote:
> >>
> >>>You'd think the likes of
> >>>Andorra etc would find that more appealing than getting hammered all
the
> >>>time.
> >>>
> >>
> >>A bit like arguing that ugly people would only want to look at pictures
> >>of ugly naked people because looking at naked beautiful people just
> >>reminds them of what they can't have.  Surprisingly, life doesn't work
> >>like that.
> >>
> >>Anyway - Andorra lost all 8 games in qualifying by 0-1, 1-2, 0-2, 0-2,
> >>0-2, 0-3, 0-3 and 0-3.
> >
> >
> > Well that has to be their best record to date, because usually it's
upwards
> > of 3 or 4 goals a game.
>
> Certainly an exaggeration (see below)
>
> > Of course some "big" teams often field less than
> > full strength sides against the likes of Andorra, which may explain some
of
> > this.
> >
> Not by much really - they've done three qual programmes.
>
> EC2000 - P10 L10 F3 A28 - average loss 2.5 goals
> WC2002 - P10 L10 F5 A36 - average loss 3.1 goals  * only time over 3
> EC2004 - P 8 L 8 F1 A18 - aveaage loss 2.1 goals
> TOTAL  - P28 L28 F9 A82 - average loss 2.6 goals
>
> Losing margins
> 1 goal  x 7
> 2 goals x 8
> 3 goals x 7
> 4 goals x 2
> 5 goals x 3
> 6 goals x 1
>
> Again, nothing brilliant, but hardly the worst in the world.

Well, you got me there, can't argue with the facts. For some reason I
remember seeing them getting hammered by 8-0 scorelines by the likes of
Portugal and the Netherlands. Maybe I have them confused with someone else.



> >>That's not a great record but it hardly equates
> >>to "being hammered" - in fact its a better record than most of the
> >>"minnows" in other confederations will get in matches against lesser
> >>nations - ie the sort of results you see in "pre-qualification" like for
> >>the Asian Cup where Guam lost 5-0 and 6-0 to Mongolia and Bhutan.
> >
> >
> > The degrees of "minnow" in some confederations like AFC and OFC really
is
> > mindboggling when you think about it. Level 4 minnow hammers level 5
minnow
> > who later on is hammered by level 2 or 3 minnow.
> > I suppose it does make UEFA seems very tight by comparison.
> >
> >
> There's no "seems" about it - it is very tight. Teams can go from 0-1-7
> and last place in one qualifying tournament to 5-5-0 and make World Cup
> finals via a playoff the next (Slovenia in 98 and 02) or from 6-2-0
> group winners to 2-4-4 and finishing 4th the next (Norway same years).

Outside of the superminnows (Andorra/San Marino/Liechenstein etc) there are
no "easy" games left in Europe anymore. And even then the likes of
Leichenstein can throw up a surprise like they did when holding Ireland to
0-0 draw in the mid 90's.

Still, I'd say that 95 times out of a 100 a number one seed will beat a
bottom seed.

.........you will now undoubtedly post some results to prove me wrong here
:)

> >>James
> >>
> >
> >
> >
>