Euro: R16: Belgium v Portugal, 6/27/2021

[Savi]

Bad game but nobody in Belgium will care a single bit. We've played well in 2016, we've played well in 2018, and it didn't get us where we wanted to go.

Yeah Portugal were better. But only once they kicked KDB out of the game, at which point they already needed to be down to 10 men while trailing 1-0
And even then. I don't think they created that much clear cut chances. The post hit came out of nowhere and Courtois best save came from a corner kick.

Anyway. Wasn't pretty but love how the guys battled. Vermaelen was massive IMO. This guy has never disappointed when called upon, and he doesn't now. I am a bit disappointed in Tielemans, he was really bad, and Mertens was useless too when he came on.

But on to Italy and hoping they can patch up KDB

 

[Evilo]

But see LITN, NOW is what matters.
You can shit on NT football, but that's where careers are made or broken.
There's no bigger stage.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

I what to hear he’s reasoning for that made no sense.

He could simply say "fresh legs" but still doesn't warrant it.

 

[cgf]

He was great in the Nations League SF and F. Like Joao Felix was.

I think a lot of Portugal's bad play could possibly be linked to Felix moving to Atletico.

I'll take your word for it, but this wasn't the first time he's struggled for them at a major tournament

 

[GKJ]

Portugal often plays tough physical football while rolling on the pitch if you breeze by them.
But there's no denying there were better than Belgium.

Talent wins out sometimes.

 

[Moncherry]

Another evidence of Santos' incompetence. How are you going to sub off Renato? Bizzaro

For SERGIO OLIVEIRA of all players. One of the worse subs you will ever see.

 

[East Coast Bias]

Everyone has bad runs of form sometimes. But when Jota was shitting on Arsenal, Leicester, Atalanta, Leipzig, and Man United? I don't remember anyone coming in here and saying anything. Or when Fernandes was amazing this season or in the Nations League etc.

its silly season

 

[Adele Dazeem]

Everyone has bad runs of form sometimes. But when Jota was shitting on Arsenal, Leicester, Atalanta, Leipzig, and Man United? I don't remember anyone coming in here and saying anything. Or when Fernandes was amazing this season or in the Nations League etc.

The difference between a great player and a decent one is that great players perform when it matters most.
Those two were putrid today. Jota had a great opportunity early to make it 1-0 and failed miserable.
Fernandes had a terrible tournament, no show.

 

[Evilo]

Bad game but nobody in Belgium will care a single bit. We've played well in 2016, we've played well in 2018, and it didn't get us where we wanted to go.

Yeah Portugal were better. But only once they kicked KDB out of the game, at which point they already needed to be down to 10 men while trailing 1-0
And even then. I don't think they created that much clear cut chances. The post hit came out of nowhere and Courtois best save came from a corner kick.

Anyway. Wasn't pretty but love how the guys battled. Vermaelen was massive IMO. This guy has never disappointed when called upon, and he doesn't now. I am a bit disappointed in Tielemans, he was really bad, and Mertens was useless too when he came on.

But on to Italy and hoping they can patch up KDB

Disagree with the chances. Jota missed 2, the Felix shot, the Guerreiro post, the corner header... compared to Belgium's zero chance.
But yeah, as I said, a win is a win.
And Vermaelen was indeed very good.

Tielemans and Meunier though

 

[Live in the Now]

But see LITN, NOW is what matters.
You can shit on NT football, but that's where careers are made or broken.
There's no bigger stage.

Jota was strong in the first two games here though. Can't defend the last two though. Can't defend Bruno in them at all.

Jota's also scored 7 goals for his NT in the last year so it's not so simple as him being shit all the time. You don't score against Croatia/Germany/Sweden/Serbia in one year if you're shit.

 

[Evilo]

Talent wins out sometimes.

There's not a single person that will tell you there is more talent on that Belgium roster than Portugal's.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

Disagree with the chances. Jota missed 2, the Felix shot, the Guerreiro post, the corner header... compared to Belgium's zero chance.
But yeah, as I said, a win is a win.
And Vermaelen was indeed very good.

Tielemans and Meunier though

Pepe and Dias link was extremely strong. Portugal's midfield was patchy in the first due to Palhinha and Moutinho playing less than stellar, hence why they had the edge going into the half.

 

[Evilo]

Jota was strong in the first two games here though. Can't defend the last two though. Can't defend Bruno in them at all.

Jota's also scored 7 goals for his NT in the last year so it's not so simple as him being shit all the time. You don't score against Croatia/Germany/Sweden/Serbia in one year if you're shit.

But scoring in the group stage is fine.
That's not where he will be judged though.
If Belgium goes out 1-0 against Italy, Lukaku will have scored 1 goal in 10 KO games.
I'm sorry, but nobody will convince me he's a top 3 striker if that happens. No matter how many shitty goals he scores against Bologna.

 

[Live in the Now]

There's not a single person that will tell you there is more talent on that Belgium roster than Portugal's.

A lot of the talent Belgium has is washed up too. And then there's the ones that are made of glass (de Bruyne and Hazard), and the ones that went to play in stupid leagues and killed their talent (Carrasco).

 

[Moncherry]

I still can't believe he took off Sanches. Like wtf man.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

But scoring in the group stage is fine.
That's not where he will be judged though.
If Belgium goes out 1-0 against Italy, Lukaku will have scored 1 goal in 10 KO games.
I'm sorry, but nobody will convince me he's a top 3 striker if that happens. No matter how many shitty goals he scores against Bologna.

Similar to how Mbappe scores againt farmers in the french league? The absurdity in playing down Lukaku's ability looks foolish when we use a French player though, correct?

 

[Evilo]

Pele, Beckenbauer, Platini, Maradona, Zidane, etc...
Where would these guys rank without their NT?

This is especially true in nowaday's superclub eras.
You need to perform with the NT to be considered an alltime great.

 

[Live in the Now]

But scoring in the group stage is fine.
That's not where he will be judged though.
If Belgium goes out 1-0 against Italy, Lukaku will have scored 1 goal in 10 KO games.
I'm sorry, but nobody will convince me he's a top 3 striker if that happens. No matter how many shitty goals he scores against Bologna.

Oh I agree. I'm just saying jumping from someone being a good/great player to them being shit based on one game? It's pretty ridiculous. In Lukaku's case in these games it would be a lot more than one game. That being said he will have nobody to create for him next match and I don't expect him to do anything.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Portugal played Lukaku pretty well and Belgium didn't put him in good positions. There always was at least one guy in front of him and he basically got the ball with all the work to do. Not many strikers in football these days who will produce when they're not getting balls in space or usable crosses.

 

[Live in the Now]

Portugal played Lukaku pretty well and Belgium didn't put him in good positions. There always was at least one guy in front of him and he basically got the ball with all the work to do. Not many strikers in football these days who will produce when they're not getting balls in space or usable crosses.

It also shows how old Belgium's team is. They don't have anyone running forward because the other attackers they have know they're likely to get hurt if they do it too much. The beauty for KDB at City is he doesn't really have to run at all.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

Portugal played Lukaku pretty well and Belgium didn't put him in good positions. There always was at least one guy in front of him and he basically got the ball with all the work to do. Not many strikers in football these days who will produce when they're not getting balls in space or usable crosses.

Pepe was on him and put pressure physically; he was silenced.

And when I said that makes Pepe world class, which he is - that one expert over here who has no clue what they're talking about made a fruitless comment.

 

[Evilo]

Similar to how Mbappe scores againt farmers in the french league? The absurdity in playing down Lukaku's ability looks foolish when we use a French player though, correct?

Maybe you need to take a look at WC 18.
He already has 3 goals in 4 KO games.

As for the "farmers' league", it has clearly outperformed Serie A in the CL over the last two years. Just sayin'.

 

[Evilo]

Pepe was on him and put pressure physically; he was silenced.

And when I said that makes Pepe world class, which he is - that one expert over here who has no clue what they're talking about made a fruitless comment.

I mean you're the one who said France was all bark and no bite after they finished top of their group.
Then you proceeded to counter my Lukaku in the KO stage stat (1 in 9) with Mbappe (who has 3 in 4). Tremendous argument

Your expertise is very clear to everyone.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

Maybe you need to take a look at WC 18.
He already has 3 goals in 4 KO games.

As for the "farmers' league", it has clearly outperformed Serie A in the CL over the last two years. Just sayin'.

Serie A has 4-5 teams that compete every year, Ligue 1 has PSG + a team who has good form one year (Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Monaco)
You mean Paris who is easily the most disappointing team of the past decade? No other french team has come close to being competitive (for several important reasons).

As far as WC 18 goes, the French were lucky that Pavard scored that screamer and changed the entire outlook of the game. Argentina should've advanced.

 

[Evilo]

Damn, you really need to look up before you post crap. It's showing.
Like when Lyon eliminated the 7 or so times champion Juve less than a year ago.

France was lucky against Argentina. OK chief.