World Cup: National Team threads

[John Pedro]

Neymar just ended a guy's career

 

[cgf]

Jesus > Firmino

As long as it stays either-or & Tite doesn't realize that he could play both, we gucci

 

[Bon Esprit]

If there is no solution for Gündogan/Özil the Team can have a problem in Russia. You saw the discomfiture after the Gündogan booing. Because there was no reaction of Özil and just little of Gündogan the theme doesnt get quieter.

This crap has to stop NOW. I'm not a friend of Özil as a player, bt whattever I think of him, he is part of our team. Also Gündogan is our player. I personally think they did a mistake with the picture and the reaction afterwards, but it's enough.

 

[John Pedro]

Coutinho, 3-0

 

[ecemleafs]

Austria with an interesting defensive tactic of allowing Brazil to have more numbers in attack than austria has defenders.

 

[Suiteness]

As long as it stays either-or & Tite doesn't realize that he could play both, we gucci

Both? Who do you sit for Firminio? Neymar?

 

[cgf]

Both? Who do you sit for Firminio? Neymar?

If I was their coach and wasn't trying to sabotage the team from the inside, I'd take Paulinho off & play a 4-2-3-1:

Jesus
Neymar - Firmino - Coutinho
Fred* - Casemiro*
Marcelo - Thiago Silva - Marquinhos - Danilo

*Fernandinho
​

Neymar gets a free role with Coutinho and Firmino drifting around to accommodate him, Jesus takes the top off in front of that trio, and the FBs help deliver width.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

This crap has to stop NOW. I'm not a friend of Özil as a player, bt whattever I think of him, he is part of our team. Also Gündogan is our player. I personally think they did a mistake with the picture and the reaction afterwards, but it's enough.

The thing is that it won't stop..I mean it may stop in the stadium because there are no more friendlies in Germany, but it will probably stay in the public discussion. It feels a bit like France in South Africa 2010 with larger social issues creeping into the football team. Of course, one would hope that Löw is more respected by his players than Domenech was.

 

[cgf]

The thing is that it won't stop..I mean it may stop in the stadium because there are no more friendlies in Germany, but it will probably stay in the public discussion. It feels a bit like France in South Africa 2010 with larger social issues creeping into the football team. Of course, one would hope that Löw is more respected by his players than Domenech was.

Eh, I feel like it's getting smaller and smaller, the whistling was less this last match then when it first started, and by the time they get to russia I doubt we'll hear anything. Most people don't care and I'm sure their team-mates don't either, especially since there aren't the kind of cliques in the locker-room that france had in 2010. So I'm sure all will be forgotten once we thump Mexico, and everyone will be much to concerned with how we got held to a draw by the swedes.

 

[Cassano]

Adams: Tottenham players will cost England WC

 

[Bon Esprit]

Eh, I feel like it's getting smaller and smaller, the whistling was less this last match then when it first started, and by the time they get to russia I doubt we'll hear anything. Most people don't care and I'm sure their team-mates don't either, especially since there aren't the kind of cliques in the locker-room that france had in 2010. So I'm sure all will be forgotten once we thump Mexico.

Right, after a (possible) win vs Mexico nobody will talk about it. Bored people (fans) do boring things. All this has to do with the embarrassing performances vs. Austria and SA. I don't thinKk many german football fans care much about Turkey, human rights or Erdogan. Otherwise they would boycott the whole WC in Russia.

 

[Live in the Now]

Adams: Tottenham players will cost England WC

I'm now convinced that heading the ball does create brain trauma.

 

[Evilo]

Don't think was any social issue in the french lockeroom in 2010. More a feud between players and coach and some idiots that started the fire (Anelka, Ribery).

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Don't think was any social issue in the french lockeroom in 2010. More a feud between players and coach and some idiots that started the fire (Anelka, Ribery).

I remember the reports of the middle-class, soft-spoken Breton Yoann Gourcuff being bullied by the banlieue clique of Anelka, Ribery and so forth. The context of the social debate regarding the out of control banlieue, the notions of parallel societies in there who hate mainstream France etc. certainly was there.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I don't claim "friendlies". It's a good thing France lost, outside the Lloris mistake because goalies need confidence and I'm pretty sure Lloris' is at an alltime low.
This game reminds DD that Giroud and Mbappe don't work together. That Mbappe and Griez work perfectly together. That Tolisso brings more than Matuidi. That Sidibe can have defensive lapses while Pavard can provide assists (again). That Mendy isn't ready yet while Lucas is in full health.

There's no doubt to me that France should start yesterday's team except for Giroud and Matuidi (replaced by Dembele and Lemar against regrouped teams like the US or Dembele and Tolisso against better teams), and maybe also that the fullbacks are coming off injuries, both of them and that their backups are red hot.

I thought Mendy did well, actually. Besides that, I agree. Maybe Fekir instead of Lemar though.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

No Firmino & no Fred in the starting lineup is cool by me

Fred should play instead of Paulinho, and maybe Fernandinho should play over Casemiro. I don't know if their current midfield holds up. Agree with you about their attack though.

 

[cgf]

Right, after a (possible) win vs Mexico nobody will talk about it. Bored people (fans) do boring things. All this has to do with the embarrassing performances vs. Austria and SA. I don't thinKk many german football fans care much about Turkey, human rights or Erdogan. Otherwise they would boycott the whole WC in Russia.

Nevermind that those folks that whistled Ilkay in the last match were doing so after having paid money that was shared with the Saudi FA. So if they really cared about political abuse they wouldn't have been at that match in the first place. It's just convenient for nativists to latch onto & try to blow into an actual "story", since there's a frustration with the team after their friendlies and some of Jogi's cuts, for them to capitalize on.

It's just as dumb & inconsequential as the kneeling debate in the NFL.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Right, after a (possible) win vs Mexico nobody will talk about it. Bored people (fans) do boring things. All this has to do with the embarrassing performances vs. Austria and SA. I don't thinKk many german football fans care much about Turkey, human rights or Erdogan. Otherwise they would boycott the whole WC in Russia.

Thank god it wasn't a Israeli-German taking a picture with Netanyahu

(Israeli the more apt analogy)

 

[cgf]

Fred should play instead of Paulinho, and maybe Fernandinho should play over Casemiro. I don't know if their current midfield holds up. Agree with you about their attack though.

In general, I take Fernandinho over Casemiro 9 times out of 10 for a team that has talent. But Casemiro is better suited for a pure destroyer role where he operates more like an advanced CB than an actual midfielder...which is what that spot would boil down to with Fred at the other deeper midfield spot & aggressive FBs. In possession, they would shift through something like:

Phase 1
(Casemiro falls back in the build up play & FBs start to push up)

Jesus
Coutinho - Firmino - Neymar
Marcelo -- Fred -- Danilo
Thiago Silva - Casemiro - Marquinhos
-------------------------------------
Phase 2
(Neymar moves up, as the ball is shifted forward through Fred & the FBs)

Jesus
Neymar
Coutinho - Firmino
Marcelo -- Fred -- Danilo
Thiago Silva - Casemiro - Marquinhos
-------------------------------------
Phase 3
(in the final 3rd the FBs keep pushing forward & Neymar drifts closer to goal)

Neymar - Jesus
Marcelo - Coutinho - Firmino - Danilo
Fred
Thiago Silva - Casemiro - Marquinhos
-------------------------------------
Phase 3b (maybe)
(Casemiro pushing back up alongside Fred in the final third to be better positioned to press)

Neymar - Jesus
Marcelo - Coutinho - Firmino - Danilo
Fred - Casemiro
Thiago Silva - Marquinhos
​

With their attacks coming more through the left with the hard-charging Marcelo and the wide-drifting Coutinho n Neymar; and cycling back through Fred & the rest of that deeper quartet. But the exact movements & positioning of Neymar, Bobby & Couts in the final third would be very fluid with Jesus the most advanced attacker & the FBs the widest attackers, being the only constants.

 

[Evilo]

I remember the reports of the middle-class, soft-spoken Breton Yoann Gourcuff being bullied by the banlieue clique of Anelka, Ribery and so forth. The context of the social debate regarding the out of control banlieue, the notions of parallel societies in there who hate mainstream France etc. certainly was there.

That's your interpretation.
Gourcuff was never part of the "clique". Saying it has to do with his social origin is only your more than biased interpretation. Gourcuff went along well during his career with several players from lower classes.
More than the origin, I think most of the problem was that Gourcuff was France's golden boy in the media. Beautiful, talented, called next Zidane, etc... Rumors also said the Wags were all in awe because of his good looks.

 

[cgf]

That's your interpretation.
Gourcuff was never part of the "clique". Saying it has to do with his social origin is only your more than biased interpretation. Gourcuff went along well during his career with several players from lower classes.
More than the origin, I think most of the problem was that Gourcuff was France's golden boy in the media. Beautiful, talented, called next Zidane, etc... Rumors also said the Wags were all in awe because of his good looks.

Hard not to see why Ribery might have had issues with this

 

[Suiteness]

Nevermind.

 

[cgf]

There's something about that post being made while quoting TMYK, that's just delicious.

Anyways lets put an end to this:

 

[Gecklund]

Of course it won't. When these unhinged leftists sink their teeth into something, they're not letting it go. Now the worst thing these two players can do is start pandering to them. You give a leftist mob an inch, they'll want a mile. If they apologise, they'll want them off the team. Kick 'em off the team, they'll want the German to drop out of the World Cup and so on.

I don't think anyone wants to read this shit on a soccer board.

 

[Nalens Oga]

That Brazil team to me doesn't look all that strong. They're offensively talented enough to blow some teams out for sure but honestly, I'm no more afraid of them than I was in 2014. The one good thing for them is that most of the other teams also aren't particularly strong and the Dutch & Italians aren't even there.

Just seems like a very ripe World Cup for a team outside of the top ones to at least make the final. Germany's the strongest to me on paper but Low's coaching never leaves me convinced though it's better than what France has.