World Cup: 2022 World Cup Qualifying Part II

[QuietContrarian]

Follow up...

Qatar 2022 chief tells Harry Kane the World Cup 'is no place for political statements'

Nasser Al Khater declares his opposition to the politicisation of the first Middle East World Cup and suggests some critics could be racist

www.telegraph.co.uk

Hope Harry stands his ground. If he gets reprimanded that's awful PR for Qatar and FIFA.

That Nasser Al Khater guy is really a muppet.

He pulled the racist card towards DBU and Hummel as well. He has no understanding of reality.
Actually tried discreditting Denmark, and pull parrallels to what Qatar are being blamed for.

Get back to reality you absolute mugg of a human.

 

[Evilo]

There's also no denying the rampant arab racism so he's flying through an open door there.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

If Portugal squad was all about form, Ronaldo doesn’t make it.

He’ll be on it because of who he is, but he’s not playing like one of Portugal’s 26 best players this season.

He might not be one of their best 26 anymore.

 

[cgf]

If Portugal squad was all about form, Ronaldo doesn’t make it.

He’ll be on it because of who he is, but he’s not playing like one of Portugal’s 26 best players this season.

He might not be one of their best 26 anymore.

"might"?

 

[GabeTravels]

Anyone know where to find specific seat maps for the stadiums?

My tickets are available today and I'm trying to see where I'll be sitting, but all of the seat maps I look at just have generic Cat 1/2/3/4 sections.

 

[hatterson]

If Portugal squad was all about form, Ronaldo doesn’t make it.

He’ll be on it because of who he is, but he’s not playing like one of Portugal’s 26 best players this season.

He might not be one of their best 26 anymore.

If he didn’t have the attitude issues, you could justify a spot because he still has value to throw on at the end of the game where you need a goal, but given how he’s acted at United this year, you absolutely cannot trust him not to torpedo the entire squad because he’s not starting and/or not getting the minutes he wants.

 

[Evilo]

He'll go.
And he'll start.
0 doubt.

 

[Savant]

If Portugal squad was all about form, Ronaldo doesn’t make it.

He’ll be on it because of who he is, but he’s not playing like one of Portugal’s 26 best players this season.

He might not be one of their best 26 anymore.

Shame that Diogo Jota is missing the World Cup

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

If he didn’t have the attitude issues, you could justify a spot because he still has value to throw on at the end of the game where you need a goal, but given how he’s acted at United this year, you absolutely cannot trust him not to torpedo the entire squad because he’s not starting and/or not getting the minutes he wants.

It’s a tough spot for the coach. It’ll be the main storyline any decision he makes. I think you take him and let him go out on his own terms because he’s one of the greatest of all time and he deserves that, but otherwise I agree with what you’re saying.

 

[hatterson]

It’s a tough spot for the coach. It’ll be the main storyline any decision he makes. I think you take him and let him go out on his own terms because he’s one of the greatest of all time and he deserves that, but otherwise I agree with what you’re saying.

The problem is that "let him go out on his own terms" means playing 90 minutes every game and hamstringing your chances of making a run.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The problem is that "let him go out on his own terms" means playing 90 minutes every game and hamstringing your chances of making a run.

If I was the Portugal coach, I take Ronaldo aside, explain to him that he hasn’t earned the spot on form, but tell him he will be an option for games and have a chance to earn playing time to help the team win a World Cup.

If he’s not grateful and throws a tantrum, send him home early and let him ruin his ending for himself. If you don’t take him, you’ll be questioned every game about it and it’ll be said that you disrespected the best Portuguese player ever and he would’ve made the difference.

There’s no way to come out of this without criticism for the coach in this situation, unless Ronaldo is taken and the team wins the World Cup.

 

[hatterson]

If I was the Portugal coach, I take Ronaldo aside, explain to him that he hasn’t earned the spot on form, but tell him he will be an option for games and have a chance to earn playing time to help the team win a World Cup.

If he’s not grateful and throws a tantrum, send him home early and let him ruin his ending for himself. If you don’t take him, you’ll be questioned every game about it and it’ll be said that you disrespected the best Portuguese player ever and he would’ve made the difference.

 

[Moncherry]

Great now I have to read this guy's clueless takes about Portugal too.

 

[Live in the Now]

If Jota was healthy they might have considered all of this, but he’s not. So he’ll go and he’ll start

 

[Evilo]

Great now I have to read this guy's clueless takes about Portugal too.

Takes period.

 

[les Habs]

So how do you watch in the US? I'm seeing Fox has the rights but it'll be on Peacock?

 

[Bures Elbow]

If Jota was healthy they might have considered all of this, but he’s not. So he’ll go and he’ll start

Jota is legitimately a big loss. When in form, and he was prior to his injury, he's a workhorse that can hold up the ball and stretch play, and is deceptively dangerous in the air and in the box. He could have helped carry Ronaldo, but now we have Felix who while insanely talented has had a falling out with Simeone, Andre Silva whose not a sure fire starter for RB Liepzig, and Leao whose not an out and out striker and honestly a bit lazy.

I'm not too hot about our chances or attack anymore....

Ronaldo at his age has to know he can't start a game every 4 days and still perform, he has to know his best bet was coming off the bench half the time against tiring defenses. And this was BEFORE how this season unfolded. Last season he was still excellent, but missing a pre season and acting like a immature idiot has really effected not only his legacy right now, but his overall play.

I just say pack our midfield with: Palhinha/Neves-Vitinha-Sanches/Otavio-Bruno Fernandes-Bernardo Silva with Leao or Felix up front and give license to Cancelo and Mendes to bomb up the flanks.

Ronaldo & Felix or Leao off the bench.

And by God if we call up Goncalo Guedes in his current form and actually play him?! Need to hope Trincao, Pedro Goncalves, Fabio Vieira, Fabio Carvalho has a good month to provide us a wildcard. Rafa retiring from the national team due to lack of playing time looks painful now with Jota's injury.

 

[cgf]

Is Pavel wrong? It's the same problem we have with Neuer. Since he won't step aside on his own, we can't move on to ter Stegen unless we'd win the cup because the instant something goes wrong a ton of people would crawl out of the woodwork saying "that wouldn't have happened to Manu..."

And Portugal can't start CR7 unless they're content to sabotage their chances at this tourney just to satisfy CR7's ego. So a coach would need to convince him to embrace a joker role and the opportunities to be a hero that it brings with it...


Fortunately for us, Manu can still start if fit without torpedoing things...but unfortunately for us, keeper isn't a position where the backup will get any/much PT, so selling him on a joker-role isn't even an option.

We just have to pray that he's ready to exit gracefully after this tourney and he doesn't go out kicking & screaming, like Kahn did...

 

[Live in the Now]

So how do you watch in the US? I'm seeing Fox has the rights but it'll be on Peacock?

Fox has a mobile app that works pretty well. Use it for college football all the time.

 

[les Habs]

Fox has a mobile app that works pretty well. Use it for college football all the time.

Thanks for the tip. I’ll probably go the Peacock route based on what I’m seeing.

 

[QuietContrarian]

There's also no denying the rampant arab racism so he's flying through an open door there.

As someone with Lebanese roots, I must admit, I am not feeling it.

Even if you disagree, pretty big difference from basically killing migrant workers, and what he descibes as racist imo.

 

[GabeTravels]

Got all my tickets for the tournament.

The two US games I'm in Cat 2 seats in the lower bowl.

Every one of the other 5 matches I'm in the upper bowl (a mix of Cat 1, 2, and 3). My Cat 1 tickets (South Korea v Ghana) are the furthest away from the pitch out of any of them.

 

[Rob]

Probably stupid question but is Lloris still considered the starting GK for France?

Got all my tickets for the tournament.

The two US games I'm in Cat 2 seats in the lower bowl.

Every one of the other 5 matches I'm in the upper bowl (a mix of Cat 1, 2, and 3). My Cat 1 tickets (South Korea v Ghana) are the furthest away from the pitch out of any of them.

Are accommodations expensive?

 

[GabeTravels]

Probably stupid question but is Lloris still considered the starting GK for France?


Are accommodations expensive?

I got in and reserved them right at the beginning, so I'm only paying around $110/night for a hotel in Doha. It's not fancy, but as long as it's clean and safe I'll be fine.

Transportation around Qatar is free, and I used miles for my plane tickets.

 

[Evilo]

Probably stupid question but is Lloris still considered the starting GK for France?


Are accommodations expensive?

Not stupid but yes until this WC. Maignan will take over after it.