2018 UEFA Nations League

[Evilo]

Portugal, England, Switzerland, Holland.
Goes to show you how the big boys didn't take this seriously.

As I said : friendlies.

 

[koyvoo]

Portugal, England, Switzerland, Holland.
Goes to show you how the big boys didn't take this seriously.

As I said : friendlies.

Ya France put in a 1/2 effort and played a lineup they would for a friendly the other day.

Just go look at the lineups the big boys have been playing since day one in this league and compare them to lineups played at pure friendlies. There is zero merit to this statement in the face of facts. They all always played “A” lineups.

 

[YNWA14]

Portugal, England, Switzerland, Holland.
Goes to show you how the big boys didn't take this seriously.

As I said : friendlies.

Whatever helps you sleep at night.

 

[koyvoo]

Ya France put in a 1/2 effort and played a lineup they would for a friendly the other day.

Just go look at the lineups the big boys have been playing since day one in this league and compare them to lineups played at pure friendlies. There is zero merit to this statement in the face of facts. They all always played “A” lineups.

You think Switzerland came back for 0-2 bs Belguim because Belguim just didn’t care?

You think today at home Germany didn’t want a result to avoid being placed with Scotland and Wales next league?

 

[koyvoo]

I can’t belive in the face of undeniable fact someone so familiar with soccer would present themselves as interpreting things so far from the actual reality.

 

[Evilo]

Ya France put in a 1/2 effort and played a lineup they would for a friendly the other day.

Just go look at the lineups the big boys have been playing since day one in this league and compare them to lineups played at pure friendlies. There is zero merit to this statement in the face of facts. They all always played “A” lineups.

Sure. Lineups don't tell the whole story.

Don't worry it doesn't make Holland's games any less good for them.
And if you think those are the top 4 european teams, then your statement has zero merit.

 

[Evilo]

I can’t belive in the face of undeniable fact someone so familiar with soccer would present themselves as interpreting things so far from the actual reality.

Again, your argument is those are the top 4 european teams?

Of course they're not. France stuggled, as they often do after WC. They didn't dress some half-injured players. They started some shaky players who are off form.
Germany never had the motivation. Spain and Belgium neither. Croatian players even admitted they didn't feel like those were competitive games.

It doesn't mean they didn't have the better players, it's just that everyone acted as if those were friendlies. Which was my whole point.

 

[Savi]

Germany never had the motivation. Spain and Belgium neither.

Belgium looked lazy against Iceland and downright arrogant against the Swiss. They did get a lot of media heat though and rightfully so.

 

[koyvoo]

Sure. Lineups don't tell the whole story.

Don't worry it doesn't make Holland's games any less good for them.
And if you think those are the top 4 european teams, then your statement has zero merit.

Again, your argument is those are the top 4 european teams?

Of course they're not. France stuggled, as they often do after WC. They didn't dress some half-injured players. They started some shaky players who are off form.
Germany never had the motivation. Spain and Belgium neither. Croatian players even admitted they didn't feel like those were competitive games.

It doesn't mean they didn't have the better players, it's just that everyone acted as if those were friendlies. Which was my whole point.

Were the final four at Euro 2016 the four best teams in Europe?

Were the final four at the World Cup the four best teams in the world?

The games are played out and the results are the results. Every tournament doesn’t need to have Brazil-France-Germany-Spain as a final four to maintain its legitimacy. The games are played, and many times the results don’t go as planned.

I’m sorry, no one is going to convince me, regardless of any quote or statement by players that Germany didn’t have any motivation not to be demoted into a league with teams 2-3 teams below them. Particularly after the World Cup they had. Germany being relegated into the B league is a massive embarrassment.

 

[koyvoo]

@Evilo

Germany shouldn’t have a problem next time to gain promotion back into the A league, but do you really think no one in the German outfit, be it players, managers or anyone, would not care whether they gain promotion or not? Do you think they’ll approach with a disinterested attitude, or do you think they’ll approach it like -“whatever. No biggie. A league, B league or even C league. We don’t care”?

 

[Belenos]

Just because Germany and France played some bad games doesn't mean the Nations League is crap. Pure envy...

 

[koyvoo]

Just because Germany and France played some bad games doesn't mean the Nations League is crap. Pure envy...

It’s not even thst it’s crap. It’s that the only possible reason they’d lose is from not taking it seriously. That’s the only reason.

The top 4-5 ranked teams in Europe didn’t take it seriously and every other country played like their lives depended on it.

 

[maclean]

Again, your argument is those are the top 4 european teams?

Of course they're not. France stuggled, as they often do after WC. They didn't dress some half-injured players. They started some shaky players who are off form.
Germany never had the motivation. Spain and Belgium neither. Croatian players even admitted they didn't feel like those were competitive games.

It doesn't mean they didn't have the better players, it's just that everyone acted as if those were friendlies. Which was my whole point.

I think Germany in particular had incredible reason to be motivated. They could've shown that the World Cup was a fluke, and I can't say the reason they didn't was because they didn't want to.

 

[member 305909]

The timing was not good to start this competition. Right after the World Cup when people have been overfed with soccer.

The better time would be the odd years when there is no WC or the euros.

 

[maclean]

I have been pleasantly surprised and entertained by something I thought I would find no interest in. The dynamic of the small evenly matched groups is quite engrossing as it happens, though I can understand why people, especially those outside of Europe itself, don't find it so. Opinions also seem to be quire coloured by how well one's team did

 

[Evilo]

Were the final four at Euro 2016 the four best teams in Europe?

Were the final four at the World Cup the four best teams in the world?

The games are played out and the results are the results. Every tournament doesn’t need to have Brazil-France-Germany-Spain as a final four to maintain its legitimacy. The games are played, and many times the results don’t go as planned.

I’m sorry, no one is going to convince me, regardless of any quote or statement by players that Germany didn’t have any motivation not to be demoted into a league with teams 2-3 teams below them. Particularly after the World Cup they had. Germany being relegated into the B league is a massive embarrassment.

Well if I can't convince you fine.
Yes you do have always at least one or two giants in a Final four.
When none is there, the point is obvious.

 

[Evilo]

@Evilo

Germany shouldn’t have a problem next time to gain promotion back into the A league, but do you really think no one in the German outfit, be it players, managers or anyone, would not care whether they gain promotion or not? Do you think they’ll approach with a disinterested attitude, or do you think they’ll approach it like -“whatever. No biggie. A league, B league or even C league. We don’t care”?

Because of media they'll want to reach Group A.
But they don't care no.

 

[Evilo]

It’s not even thst it’s crap. It’s that the only possible reason they’d lose is from not taking it seriously. That’s the only reason.

The top 4-5 ranked teams in Europe didn’t take it seriously and every other country played like their lives depended on it.

Not really. No team took it very seriously. Some even admitted it.
Friendlies that's what they are.

 

[Evilo]

Just because Germany and France played some bad games doesn't mean the Nations League is crap. Pure envy...

Envy?
Lol. You think someone is jealous of team x because they reached the final 4?
Come on...

 

[BruinLVGA]

What? I'm not interested in this useless frendlies. There's a football overkill happening. I don't need this.

A crappy world cup and now relegation in NL soured the mood in Germany, uh?

 

[BruinLVGA]

Portugal, England, Switzerland, Holland.
Goes to show you how the big boys didn't take this seriously.

As I said : friendlies.

So much arrogance in your statement. Show some respect, if you have any class.

 

[HajdukSplit]

The timing was not good to start this competition. Right after the World Cup when people have been overfed with soccer.

I think that a big issue especially for teams who went far in the tournament or had unexpected success. I know Croatia didn't take it overly serious until the last two match days when things fell to them once they controlled their own destiny for 1st place.

Overall it's better than friendlies but still needs some fixing. Games are too close together and we still don't know how this will impact World Cup qualifying and the draw is already next summer I think

 

[YNWA14]

Look at the reaction of the German players after the game and tell me they didn't take it seriously. Same to the Netherlands players, France as well was pushing hard at times and was very rash at points.

Netherlands, England and Portugal are not some no name teams. Portugal is 2 years removed from winning the Euro over France and Germany just went out in the group stages to Sweden and Mexico lol.

Anyone saying they weren't trying or didn't care was just making an excuse.

 

[Evilo]

Look at the reaction of the German players after the game and tell me they didn't take it seriously. Same to the Netherlands players, France as well was pushing hard at times and was very rash at points.

Netherlands, England and Portugal are not some no name teams. Portugal is 2 years removed from winning the Euro over France and Germany just went out in the group stages to Sweden and Mexico lol.

Anyone saying they weren't trying or didn't care was just making an excuse.

People need to stop about "envy" or "excuses".
We don't care about the NL. Deal with it. It's friendlies to us. And anyone with an ounce of objectivism can see for many players, those were friendlies too (heck, people keep on ignoring here that many players SAID IT). They'd rather win than lose, but won't risk an injury playing those games.

Anyone who think players were pushing hard for that competition are clearly living a pipe dream.

 

[koyvoo]

So do you think Germany cares, for the next edition to gain promotion?

Or do they not care if they play multiple seasons with teams 2-3 tiers below their pedigree?

And I suppose they also wouldn’t care if they got relegated to the C league either.