Couldn't agree more. A terrible showing from the Latvian side. It might sound weird, but the game against Russia looked better to me.Latvia does not deserve anything in this game.
It's not ''terrible'', it's ''realistic''. And I can tell you why the game vs Russia looked better- because Russia didn't need squat 35 minutes into the game, it's a whole different game when one of the team just quits playing (as you could in Dinamo Riga's performance vs Wolsburg)...Couldn't agree more. A terrible showing from the Latvian side. It might sound weird, but the game against Russia looked better to me.
the main factor should be the overall skill level of this team compared to the opposing teamsIt's hard to win when you start playing when half game is already gone and even when they played, their play was very inconsistent. Not to make any excuses, but tiredness and confidence could be factors in this games performance as well.
Somehow people assume that it's a better team than we had few years ago when we last played in the elite... the team is carried by 1994 that's good for future but gives nothing much here and now where they play against two years older opposition.
Yeah, if look at our top scorers up till now, Jevpalovs 1+3 is 1994, Andersons 2+0 is late 1993 and Lipsbergs 2+0 also 1994. And that even not mentioning Girgensons and Bļugers.Exactly, this roster can flat out be the most talanted roster ever, though "the potential" of this team is spread whithin our 17-year olds. There is only so much you can do in hockey with skill alone, you need size and experience which comes with age. I can admit that I overvalued Girgensons impact on the team - it's one thing to be a potential first rounder on talanted Canada team, where team has the control over the puck 90% of the game, but whole different, when you have to skate towards your own goal more often than opponents, because your defenders can't deal with forecheckers at all.
And the guys are saying Switzerland has the best U20 team they've ever had. We, as I already said, hardly...
Agreed, Switzerland should be considered stronger (more complete?) team in this years WJC, but I'm also left with a feeling we really could have put up more of a fight in this game.the main factor should be the overall skill level of this team compared to the opposing teams
one shouldn't try to find excuses for losing to Switzerland in WJC. I understand that some people maybe follow only men's hockey and don't know much about WJC, but today's game is pretty much where we and Swiss are at U20 level... And the guys are saying Switzerland has the best U20 team they've ever had. We, as I already said, hardly...
well Pelšs for us is probably as important as Bartschi for you and he also didn't play today so that evens things a bit, Niederreiter- yeah that's a shame that he is not playing but many other big teams don't have their NHL stars so you couldn't avaid it, Scherwey??? Isn't he 1991?Maybe if we would have Bärtschi, Niederreiter and Scherwey. But without them, i don't think so.