Euro: QF: Wales vs. Belgium, 7/1/2016

Replacement*

Checked out
Apr 15, 2005
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Yeah Belgium had never looked like a team. Just a lot of talented individuals.

Belgium looked suspect defensively the entire tournament, and they had only played Italy to this point.

The only test in the tourney to this point and they got undressed. Now they got undressed again.

How do you end up in the absolute gift side of the bracket and look this bad?

This would be a path to the final for any true contender.

Not taking away from Wales and a glorious another win for them but man is Belgium underwhelming international play.
 

The Examiner

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Jun 24, 2013
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Belgium looked suspect defensively the entire tournament, and they had only played Italy to this point.

The only test in the tourney to this point and they got undressed. Now they got undressed again.

How do you end up in the absolute gift side of the bracket and look this bad?

This would be a path to the final for any true contender.

Not taking away from Wales and a glorious another win for them but man is Belgium underwhelming international play.

I totally agree.

Aside from De Bruyne, their talent isn't as over-whelming as one might think. As talented as Hazard is, fat Hazard has been awful for over 1 year +. I'm not saying their team isn't otherwise talented but they don't blow me away.

Their defence isn't that great and their full-backs are terrible. A couple of injuries/suspensions and this team is really exposed at the back. I feel bad for Courtois as he's a world class goaltender.

The Dutch still have more talent than this team and Belgium has a long way to go, IMO, to be considered a top team in the world. A better coach would definitely be able to get more out of this team.
 

Deficient Mode

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Mar 25, 2011
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Shows how poor the premier league is. No tactics etc.

Coleman doesn't work in the Premier League and and all of Belgium's stars play there too etc.

The Dutch still have more talent than this team and Belgium has a long way to go, IMO, to be considered a top team in the world. A better coach would definitely be able to get more out of this team.

It's closer than most people think but Belgium still has more talent than the Netherlands. The Netherlands' midfield is really good and underrated and some of the Belgium midfielders are overrated, but other than that, I'd still favor Belgium.
 

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
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If the Netherlands team is fully healthy it's a top team, up there with Belgium, but I think overall a healthy Belgium is a top 3-4 team in the world on talent. Their coaching is just awful.

In about 3-4 years the Netherlands will be on the upswing again in general though. A few really nice talents will be hitting their primes or coming into the NT setup.
 

mmk786

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Mar 3, 2004
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Coleman doesn't work in the Premier League and and all of Belgium's stars play there too etc.

Ofcourse Coleman doesnt work in the premier league, he is coaching the welsh national team. :laugh:

And yeah one year in the premier league and now De Bruyne has forgotten all the tactical knowhow he acquired in the Bundesliga :laugh:
 

Deficient Mode

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Mar 25, 2011
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Ofcourse Coleman doesnt work in the premier league, he is coaching the welsh national team. :laugh:

And yeah one year in the premier league and now De Bruyne has forgotten all the tactical knowhow he acquired in the Bundesliga :laugh:

Well de Bruyne didn't play for a particularly tactically astute coach in the Bundesliga or at City last year. You overrate how much of tactics has to do with the players themselves and how much has to do with the coaches. Tactically faulty players can excel under a coach who uses them properly, and tactically good players can look awful under an inept coach. Ronaldo and Bale are similar players yet one of them is performing great this tournament and the other isn't. And Ramsey doesn't look half this good for Arsenal. But yeah, of course those who criticize the EPL are just motivated by their affiliation with another league, which they consider perfect and never criticize. :rolleyes:
 

mmk786

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Mar 3, 2004
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Well de Bruyne didn't play for a particularly tactically astute coach in the Bundesliga or at City last year. You overrate how much of tactics has to do with the players themselves and how much has to do with the coaches. Tactically faulty players can excel under a coach who uses them properly, and tactically good players can look awful under an inept coach. Ronaldo and Bale are similar players yet one of them is performing great this tournament and the other isn't. And Ramsey doesn't look half this good for Arsenal. But yeah, of course those who criticize the EPL are just motivated by their affiliation with another league, which they consider perfect and never criticize. :rolleyes:
You do realize that Chris Coleman has spent his entire playing and coaching career in the premier league save for a couple of 6 month stints in spain and greece, right? Curios guy to be using as your barometer of EPL tactical naivety.

And Ramsey has looked this good for Arsenal several times including 3 years ago. He has been quite unlucky with injuries. I see you were listening to the idiot Taylor Twellman and forming your sophisticated opinion based on his "recollections".
 

Deficient Mode

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Mar 25, 2011
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You do realize that Chris Coleman has spent his entire playing and coaching career in the premier league save for a couple of 6 month stints in spain and greece, right? Curios guy to be using as your barometer of EPL tactical naivety.

And Ramsey has looked this good for Arsenal several times including 3 years ago. He has been quite unlucky with injuries. I see you were listening to the idiot Taylor Twellman and forming your sophisticated opinion based on his "recollections".

Yes well I reckon he picked up some ideas from elsewhere, like some other British coaches. Every important player on this Wales team apart from Bale and Ramsey also was developed at Swansea, a team that was an obvious anomaly in the EPL's tactical landscape.

Sure, I remember that year. I also remember nearly every Arsenal fan and their mother ****ting on him the past two years. I don't pay any heed to American commentators; they're even worse than the average European commentator. Please continue to make ridiculous assumptions about me to undermine my and others' criticism of the EPL. And continue to pretend that Wales' success somehow refutes that criticism.
 

Cassano

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Aug 31, 2013
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Yes well I reckon he picked up some ideas from elsewhere, like some other British coaches. Every important player on this Wales team apart from Bale and Ramsey also was developed at Swansea, a team that was an obvious anomaly in the EPL's tactical landscape.

Sure, I remember that year. I also remember nearly every Arsenal fan and their mother ****ting on him the past two years. I don't pay any heed to American commentators; they're even worse than the average European commentator. Please continue to make ridiculous assumptions about me to undermine my and others' criticism of the EPL. And continue to pretend that Wales' success somehow refutes that criticism.

Not me. :nod:

It's too bad he and Ozil like to occupy the same space on the pitch
 

mmk786

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Mar 3, 2004
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Every important player on this Wales team apart from Bale and Ramsey also was developed at Swansea, a team that was an obvious anomaly in the EPL's tactical landscape.
You should just stop posting. Flipping Manchester City has developed as many of these Wales players as Swansea city :laugh:

Wales Starting XI and where they started/spent their youth career:

Wayne Hennessey (Manchester City)
James Chester (Manchester United)
Ashley Williams (Stockport County)
Ben Davies (Swansea)
Chris Gunter (Cardiff City)
Joe Allen (Swansea)
Joe Ledley (Cardiff City)
Aaron Ramsey (Cardiff City)
Neil Taylor (Manchester City)
Gareth Bale (Southampton)
Hal Robson-Kanu (Arsenal/Reading)

And Ramsey doesn't look half this good for Arsenal.


Sure, I remember that year. I also remember nearly every Arsenal fan and their mother ****ting on him the past two years.

So you remember his excellent season yet you post drivel like "he doesnt look half as good for Arsenal" :laugh:

I don't pay any heed to American commentators; they're even worse than the average European commentator.
You have such a nuanced view of football it sure is commendable. No American commentator is worth your time simply because he/she is American. Bravo :shakehead
 

Deficient Mode

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Mar 25, 2011
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You should just stop posting. Flipping Manchester City has developed as many of these Wales players as Swansea city :laugh:

Wales Starting XI and where they started/spent their youth career:

Wayne Hennessey (Manchester City)
James Chester (Manchester United)
Ashley Williams (Stockport County)
Ben Davies (Swansea)
Chris Gunter (Cardiff City)
Joe Allen (Swansea)
Joe Ledley (Cardiff City)
Aaron Ramsey (Cardiff City)
Neil Taylor (Manchester City)
Gareth Bale (Southampton)
Hal Robson-Kanu (Arsenal/Reading)






So you remember his excellent season yet you post drivel like "he doesnt look half as good for Arsenal" :laugh:


You have such a nuanced view of football it sure is commendable. No American commentator is worth your time simply because he/she is American. Bravo :shakehead

And you should start reading. Every important player, not every player. I count Allen, Ashley Williams, and Davies as the other most important players on Wales.

Likewise, "he doesn't look half as good for Arsenal" is in present tense, implying recent events, not his play from three years ago.

And no, I never said anything implying all Americans are ignorant of the sport. Just like I said European commentators are awful; that doesn't mean I would ignore a European's opinion on the sport for the fact that they're European. It doesn't take that long watching an ESPN or FS1 feed to get a sense of how their analysts view the sport, and they don't have many analysts. And my comment was directed toward commentators on American television, many of whom are not American. If anyone is making sweeping generalizations, it's you, Mr. Perma-seethe.

Anyway, you're not worth my time.
 

mmk786

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Mar 3, 2004
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And you should start reading. Every important player, not every player. I count Allen, Ashley Williams, and Davies as the other most important players on Wales.
You can count whatever you like. Fact is more players in the starting 11 were developed by Cardiff City including your favorite Ramsey.

Likewise, "he doesn't look half as good for Arsenal" is in present tense, implying recent events, not his play from three years ago.
You were comparing Ramsey's national team and club performances to shyt on EPL coaching. Yet now you admit he played just as well for Arsenal for a full season.

This was ofcourse before you knew that Chris Coleman himself is a product of English football, much more so than Hodgson actually who spent numerous years coaching in mainland Europe. Keep shifting the goalposts to hide your ignorance.

Anyway, you should stick to discussions regarding Borussia Dortmund. The third best club in the world according to you until they are eliminated in the Europa league by an EPL team.
 

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
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I see where he's coming from with the Ramsey comment. Ramsey hasn't been up to it for Arsenal recently which is what matters more than his time two years ago.
 

jekoh

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Jun 8, 2004
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Uruguay's population of late for their Copa America and 2010 runs is bigger than Wales now as well.

If we are going to be picky and disregard the Copa America or the fact that half the Welsh team is actually from another country, let's at least be accurate and note that 1970 Uruguay was also smaller than Wales is now.
 

Evilo

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Mar 17, 2002
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Aside from De Bruyne, their talent isn't as over-whelming as one might think. As talented as Hazard is, fat Hazard has been awful for over 1 year +. I'm not saying their team isn't otherwise talented but they don't blow me away.

Hazard was vastly superior to KDB in this tournament IMO.
 

Evilo

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Mar 17, 2002
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Hazard had more assists in this tournament than in his EPL season.
He was better than just one game.
KDB OTOH, had one single good game IIRC.
 

ProPAIN

I am the DANGER!
Nov 3, 2009
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KDB was god damn travesty this tournament. Hazard was not dominant in all matches like he was against Hungary but he was one of the only players pulling this team up from the group stages until yesterday.

The Belgian media was all over KDB because of his pathetic form.

I'd say only Courtois, Vermaelen :)amazed:) and Hazard (maybe Nainggolan to some extent) had a decent tournament.
 

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
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Hazard was vastly superior to KDB in this tournament IMO.

I agree, and I'm a big KDB fan.

That said Hazard was never going to be able to carry Belgium past Wales with Allen hounding him all game. =3
 

mmk786

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Mar 3, 2004
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Because Hazard likes to run with the ball and dribble through defenses he looks the busier player when compared to KdB who's game is more about quick passing and one touch combinations. KdB played some lovely passes/runs that either his teammates didnt expect or couldnt continue the combination thus making it look like KdB was off.
 

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