World Cup: National Team threads

[HajdukSplit]

Still waiting on the Swiss and Serbia, Switzerland begin their preparations tomorrow with 15 players so you assume it will be announced by then. A 35-man list has been leaked but since the Swiss FA haven't officially published it I won't put it up yet. The only confirmed news from their team is Marwin Hitz will not be going to the World Cup

The more mysterious is Serbia: The squad was supposed to be announced today yet nothing. Serbian media supposedly leaked a 35-man provisional squad but the manager, Mladen Krstajic, said its wrong. They begin training this week so it should be named in the next coming days

 

[Albatros]

FIFA laws don't permit international retirement. If Belgium wants to call him up, he has to say yes. If he doesn't, he can be suspended from club activities.

That is not quite correct, active players are indeed obliged to join the national team when called up, but they can retire permanently or temporarily by submitting a written declaration in advance. In other words players that have properly declared their retirement for any period of time can not be called up, and for that reason the obligation to join when called up can never extend to them.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Romero suffered a knee injury in practice. Might miss all of the WC. One of the few players that play above their heads in the NT. Now it comes down to Willy... great.

 

[koyvoo]

Romero suffered a knee injury in practice. Might miss all of the WC. One of the few players that play above their heads in the NT. Now it comes down to Willy... great.

Confirmed. Out for tournament.

BREAKING NEWS: Argentina rule Romero out of World Cup

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Yeah, that sucks for him and the NT. He was 1 game away from Filol's record. Funny, I was just reading about that just before the news broke out. Figured it was certain he'd break it.

Initial reports saying his replacement is Armani from Riverplate. I don't think he's ever been capped lool.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Romero suffered a knee injury in practice. Might miss all of the WC. One of the few players that play above their heads in the NT. Now it comes down to Willy... great.

That sucks... Romero’s a decent keeper and definitely has the ability to steal a game or two. Obviously not a top tier guy but still much better than Willy.

 

[Evilo]

Rabiot might want to refuse his selection in the reserves

 

[BMann]

Yeah, that sucks for him and the NT. He was 1 game away from Filol's record. Funny, I was just reading about that just before the news broke out. Figured it was certain he'd break it.

Initial reports saying his replacement is Armani from Riverplate. I don't think he's ever been capped lool.

Armani should be the starting number one regardless. What is this lol ? He has been outstanding in Colombia (and was almost called up by them) and for River Plate. Argentina does not have a better keeper than him and he should have been called up long before than seat warmer Romero. Whether by luck or judgement the team may get it's best keeper at last. Far too many outstanding players are left out from the seleccion despite their form and given long overdue call ups like Campagnaro at the last World Cup.

The sole concern in Argentina's team is the lack of defensive midfield cover. Biglia should not be there. Asascibar part of the third best functioning defence in the Bundesliga should be along with Pizarro and even young Santiago Caseres of Velez. Sampaoli has chosen too many wide players. Understandable given di Maria's fitness record but Pavon, Meza, Messi and Acuna should be enough.

Icardi over Higuain is a given. The latter is a serial choker. In defence Rojo ? There are several far better choices. Pezzella a born leader for a start and several young centrebacks in the Primera. Franco and Lema for instance and Kannemann in Brazil who has played exceptionally at Gremio.

Personally I cannot wait for the Messi generation to come to an end. There is a wealth of exciting young players ready to come in for the next cycle on whom Sampaoli can fully imprint his style unlike this complete farce of a cycle started by that clown Bauza.

 

[Corto]

Rabiot might want to refuse his selection in the reserves

Apparently he did.

I will say that the headlines in the media are misleading. He didn't refuse being a reserve on the bench, he refused being a call-up reserve, in case of injuries etc. (I know you know, but maybe some others here don't, because - like I said - the headlines didn't give the whole story).

Either way though, it comes off as a bit entitled, being a reserve in a French side that deep is no shame.

 

[BMann]

Sampa contemplating a 2-3-3-2 system? WTF is this boy smoking. 3 defenders failed spectacularly in the qualifiers...solution less defenders? Where going to end up 4th in the group. lol.

He will play a back three or four. He will have a whole month to work with the players. He has not had the luxury of working a full cycle like most other teams with his squad. And remember this is Argentina. Not the Messi fan club as many so called fans of Argentina are. There are plenty of quality players in the squad. People who decry the quality of players in the Primera now Superliga obviously don't watch it or seem to understand that these players who then excel in Europe come from it.

Chile on paper had a so called mediocre squad aside from two world class players. Players who at times even struggled to get a game in their club team yet managed to come within a whisker of knocking out Brazil in 2014 and beat Spain. If you want to be Messi fan boys by all means do so. I blame him as well for continuing to defend his chums including Higuain and also for other doubtful inclusions like Mascherano and Biglia. On his own head be it.

 

[YNWA14]

Apparently he did.

I will say that the headlines in the media are misleading. He didn't refuse being a reserve on the bench, he refused being a call-up reserve, in case of injuries etc. (I know you know, but maybe some others here don't, because - like I said - the headlines didn't give the whole story).

Either way though, it comes off as a bit entitled, being a reserve in a French side that deep is no shame.

Most young players (or just players) are quite entitled these days. It's pretty sad.

 

[Chimaera]

I mean, I don't know that I want to basically have to stand around and not plan a vacation if you're not called.

I understand it's an honor and all that, but as expanded as the seasons are now, and throw in training camps, for some players, if you're not picked, being put on the will call, standby list, could be a pain to schedule around.

Either you made it or you didn't.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Armani should be the starting number one regardless. What is this lol ? He has been outstanding in Colombia (and was almost called up by them) and for River Plate. Argentina does not have a better keeper than him and he should have been called up long before than seat warmer Romero. Whether by luck or judgement the team may get it's best keeper at last. Far too many outstanding players are left out from the seleccion despite their form and given long overdue call ups like Campagnaro at the last World Cup.

The sole concern in Argentina's team is the lack of defensive midfield cover. Biglia should not be there. Asascibar part of the third best functioning defence in the Bundesliga should be along with Pizarro and even young Santiago Caseres of Velez. Sampaoli has chosen too many wide players. Understandable given di Maria's fitness record but Pavon, Meza, Messi and Acuna should be enough.

Icardi over Higuain is a given. The latter is a serial choker. In defence Rojo ? There are several far better choices. Pezzella a born leader for a start and several young centrebacks in the Primera. Franco and Lema for instance and Kannemann in Brazil who has played exceptionally at Gremio.

Personally I cannot wait for the Messi generation to come to an end. There is a wealth of exciting young players ready to come in for the next cycle on whom Sampaoli can fully imprint his style unlike this complete farce of a cycle started by that clown Bauza.

It's funny because he's never been capped and now the expect starter.

He will play a back three or four. He will have a whole month to work with the players. He has not had the luxury of working a full cycle like most other teams with his squad. And remember this is Argentina. Not the Messi fan club as many so called fans of Argentina are. There are plenty of quality players in the squad. People who decry the quality of players in the Primera now Superliga obviously don't watch it or seem to understand that these players who then excel in Europe come from it.

Chile on paper had a so called mediocre squad aside from two world class players. Players who at times even struggled to get a game in their club team yet managed to come within a whisker of knocking out Brazil in 2014 and beat Spain. If you want to be Messi fan boys by all means do so. I blame him as well for continuing to defend his chums including Higuain and also for other doubtful inclusions like Mascherano and Biglia. On his own head be it.

There are better options than Pavon and oh look its the Messi picks the squad argument. Yeah, that's not a real thing no matter how many people want it to be.

BTW I don't cheer for Argentina because of Messi... it's the opposite actually.

 

[Havre]

I mean, I don't know that I want to basically have to stand around and not plan a vacation if you're not called.

I understand it's an honor and all that, but as expanded as the seasons are now, and throw in training camps, for some players, if you're not picked, being put on the will call, standby list, could be a pain to schedule around.

Either you made it or you didn't.

I’m sure he could afford rescheduling a plane ticket.

That is obviously up to him though. And I’m not sure if we know the full story.

The French squad though. Ridiculous amount of talent.

 

[Chimaera]

Yeah, if it's just a plane ticket, I get it. But if he's on the will call, he still has to go and train with the squad right?

That's a lot of extra work for basically being a guy who won't even get to go.

I'm not saying that he shouldn't want to play for the team, but I do understand some of feeling like that's a slight, and not wanting to put out that work for it.

 

[Havre]

A lot of extra work? I don´t see it, but there isn´t a right and wrong answer to that.

My guess is his pride is hurt. But that is just speculation of course.

 

[Chimaera]

Oh I'm sure pride is something of it.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

How could someone say that Argentina squad isn't 100% about Messi?

Take him out, and that team is not a contender to win. They aren't any better than England, Belgium, Colombia, Uruguay or teams of that ilk without Messi.

 

[cgf]

How could someone say that Argentina squad isn't 100% about Messi?

Take him out, and that team is not a contender to win. They aren't any better than England, Belgium, Colombia, Uruguay or teams of that ilk without Messi.

...England isn't a team of that ilk. Belgium, Colombia, Uruguay, & Argentina are the best teams behind the big 4 contenders.

 

[YNWA14]

Belgium is on the same level, at least on paper, as the other top 4 teams. Talent wise anyway.

 

[cgf]

Belgium is on the same level, at least on paper, as the other top 4 teams. Talent wise anyway.

Eh, they're not as deep as Germany or France and I don't think their best 11 matches Spain or Brazil's...granted a good bit of that comes to Lukaku being over-rated. They're the most talented second tier team IMO, but not a top tier team...hell, I'd bet on one of the SA teams to make a run to the finals ahead of them.

 

[Eye of Ra]

england is on the same level as denmark, sweden and poland. i am so sick of all the hype that england gets, they are really average. they where very good beetween 1994-2010 on the paper but they never got it working fulltime.

just look at england 2006:

Robinson
neuville - ferdinand - terry - cole
lampard - gerrard - scholes - beckham
owen - rooney

thats insane, what a team they HAD.

 

[koyvoo]

One of the reasons England gets overhyped is that people look at at bookmakers odds, which have more to do with covering potential losses than it does with ranking the competition possible winners by merit.

The fact remains that in the history of international tournament football, aside from tournaments held at home (1966, 1996) England have never, ever even once beaten a top team in the knockout stages. Not once. Ever.

This is the list -

• 3-0 v Paraguay, 1986 World Cup
• 1-0 v Belgium AET, 1990 World Cup
• 3-2 v Cameroon AET, 1990 World Cup
• 3-0 v Denmark, 2002 World Cup
• 1-0 v Ecuador, 2006 World Cup

 

[The Abusement Park]

England’s biggest issue in the 2000’s was trying to fit Scholes, Gerrard, and Lampard into one midfield and it was just never going to work. They didn’t compliment each other well enough to fit in one midfield and no one had the balls to drop one of the three.

 

[Evilo]

Pride. And idiocy. He's an injury away from playing the WC. Now even with an injury, he won't go.