World Cup: 2018 FIFA World Cup Draw (10am ET on 12/1/17, FS1, TSN, etc.)

[John Pedro]

I'll never forgive your FA for not inviting Raffael to the 2014 team when he should've been your starting striker between Neymar & Hulk. The goal tallies weren't otherworldly (though his efficiency was) but he's had a massive influence on german football and forwards who've developed in germany since his breakthrough under Favre (this includes Firmino) with his ability to create chances & space for his team-mates.

Is he really that good? don't know much about him. Is he better than what Marcelinho (Hertha) was?

 

[cgf]

Is he really that good? don't know much about him. Is he better than what Marcelinho (Hertha) was?

His age is catching up to him now as he had an even slower start than usual, but he's been a really special player since settling in gladbach and his return to form has been one of the drivers behind gladbach's recent charge back up the table...where they would've taken over 2nd if they hadn't s*** the bed in wolfsburg on the weekend.

He's a very odd bird who was never able to get comfortable amongst the hustle & bustle of Berlin or Gelsenkirchen, which is why he turns down Dortmund's overtures when they try to poach him from BMG every summer. But he's been a huge part of gladbach's renaissance and is the single biggest reason why they have been so utterly clinical in the box that advanced stats just don't work on them. They've consistently defied expected-goals and other newer metrics by a wide margin for years; to the point where it's widely accepted by the german stats nerds that that club will be an outlier for all such models that they are trying to develop. And the way BMG's efficiency shoots back to the mortal realm when he's absent is almost as pronounced.

Marcelinho was more of a midfielder who loved to get forward while Raffael is a natural forward who can drop deeper; so the comparison is a little tricky, but having acknowledged that, yes...Raffael is a perennial slow starter, but once he gets into form he has consistently performed at a level above Marcelinho's best. Marcelinho made me genuinely root for Hertha despite being an Union fan (they are not our Berlin rivals, but they're still a wessi team that no one usually cares much about) and was a ton of fun; but he wasn't as spectacular and his influence on the league at large wasn't as great. Raffael's control & passing in tight spaces is simply world class; even in a crowd of legs in the box he can weave his way out of trouble to slip the ball to a clever team mate or past the keeper.

I don't think he has the legs to go play a NT tourney after a long season anymore; but his non-selection in 2014 was a crime. Firmino is a greater athlete with more size, who I loved watching team up with Volland during his time in germany; but he dreams of having Raffael's touch & control.

 

[John Pedro]

His age is catching up to him now as he had an even slower start than usual, but he's been a really special player since settling in gladbach and his return to form has been one of the drivers behind gladbach's recent charge back up the table...where they would've taken over 2nd if they hadn't s*** the bed in wolfsburg on the weekend.

He's a very odd bird who was never able to get comfortable amongst the hustle & bustle of Berlin or Gelsenkirchen, which is why he turns down Dortmund's overtures when they try to poach him from BMG every summer. But he's been a huge part of gladbach's renaissance and is the single biggest reason why they have been so utterly clinical in the box that advanced stats just don't work on them. They've consistently defied expected-goals and other newer metrics by a wide margin for years; to the point where it's widely accepted by the german stats nerds that that club will be an outlier for all such models that they are trying to develop. And the way BMG's efficiency shoots back to the mortal realm when he's absent is almost as pronounced.

Marcelinho was more of a midfielder who loved to get forward while Raffael is a natural forward who can drop deeper; so the comparison is a little tricky, but having acknowledged that, yes...Raffael is a perennial slow starter, but once he gets into form he has consistently performed at a level above Marcelinho's best. Marcelinho made me genuinely root for Hertha despite being an Union fan (they are not our Berlin rivals, but they're still a wessi team that no one usually cares much about) and was a ton of fun; but he wasn't as spectacular and his influence on the league at large wasn't as great. Raffael's control & passing in tight spaces is simply world class; even in a crowd of legs in the box he can weave his way out of trouble to slip the ball to a clever team mate or past the keeper.

I don't think he has the legs to go play a NT tourney after a long season anymore; but his non-selection in 2014 was a crime. Firmino is a greater athlete with more size, who I loved watching team up with Volland during his time in germany; but he dreams of having Raffael's touch & control.

Thanks for the well-explained answer. Will try to catch some Gladbach's matches to watch him closely. ESPN streams about 3 matches from the Bundesliga per week, but it usually is from the same suspects (Bayern, Dortmund and now RB Leipzig/Hoffenheim) so it's hard to him get exposure.

 

[cgf]

He's been one of my favorite players to watch in the BuLi since the BuLi became a top league again around 2011; and Raffa deserved to win at least one player of the year trophy during his gladbach tenure. So I am just enjoying every last bit of brilliance we get from him, because I am afraid that his gas tank is going to give out pretty soon and the niggling injuries that take him in & out of the lineup are starting to become too common for him to continue at the top level for much longer. Last season BMG was winning one of the most attractive CL group stage matches in years by outplaying Barcelona until Raffael had to bow out to an injury.

I'm going to be really sad when he's done lol...unless gladbach can get a couple of germany's top forward prospects (aka Eggestein & Kühn) to come study under him before he goes, the way Kruse & Stindl got to. If that happened I would get enough joy from following his proteges to get over no longer getting to watch that tiny fella who always looks like he's profoundly disinterested or on the brink of tears regardless of whether he just got run over by a behemoth who's been kicking at his legs for over an hour, or if he just scored a brace to win the match for his team, or if he's just sitting on a bench at the airport while waiting on a massively delayed flight.

 

[YNWA14]

Firmino has insane touch and control, not sure he dreams of having someone else's. Maybe when he played in Germany but with Liverpool he routinely has jaw dropping touches and ball control.

 

[YNWA14]

People here still have the image of the player Felipe Anderson was when he left the country to Europe: talented but disinterested player, lacking heart and intensity so he's been overlooked by media, fans and coaches. He probably should've gotten more looks, now it will be tough for him with Malcom and Richarlison playing well in Europe... maybe if he moves to a higher profile team and performs there he gets another shot.

Firmino also is crazy underrated by the media here. Some even say that Jô (former City) should be called up to be Jesus' backup instead of Firmino. lol

Firmino is crazy underrated period. The type of freedom and space that guys like Neymar, Coutinho and Jesus would have on the Brazilian NT if they made Firmino their main striker would be insane. Firmino is an absolute beast and is probably the most "underrated" player in world football.

 

[cgf]

Firmino has insane touch and control, not sure he dreams of having someone else's. Maybe when he played in Germany but with Liverpool he routinely has jaw dropping touches and ball control.

He did in germany to, but Raffa's just on another level. I picked Firmino for that very reason. He's extremely skilled and plays a similar style, yet Raffael has still made Firmino look clumsy in comparison.

 

[Tryamkin]

Too bad Algeria did not make it. They are far more better than other arab nations like Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi.

Agreed, they don’t have an awful side. Mahrez and Slimani seem to do well on big stages.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Cardona has been suspended for 5 games for his gesture in the friendly against Korea, however, friendly games count towards the suspension so theoretically he won't miss any of the World Cup as there are two games to be played in March + 2-3 more pre-World Cup in May/June

 

[Panteras]

Algeria were last in their group...Tunisia didn't lose a game and Egypt have probably the current best African forward and an experienced coach, they have been knocking on the door for a long long time now. I think they actually have a decent shot at getting out of their group.