Teams and Players that have impressed/disappointed you this WC

[cgf]

Speaking of Morocco, did Harit get injured? He didn't play another minute after that ridiculous substitution.

I kinda hope so, because if Harit wasn't too injured to play, then f*** Renard even harder than I already wanted to...

...wait, that didn't come out right...

...actually...

 

[brian70]

So far, only Belgium and England have been impressive among the top nations. Mexico is a nice surprise while Group H is tight but weak.

 

[Corto]

His wonderful FK goal and his ability to play wonderfully precise passes aside...Toni Kroos is the main reason they're so vulnerable on the counter, dude is a 6 in this formation but that's not what he thinks he should be playing..dude wants to be a deep-sitting playmaker, and the sitting part is barely an exaggeration.

You can blame Toni Kroos for being played in a position that demeans his strengths and emphasizes his weakness', or you can blame the manager who put him there.
2nd half vs Sweden, where Germany actually played like a team who first realized that, yes, they are being exposed on the counter, is a perfect example.

German issues start with the system and the fullbacks playing ridiculously high up field.
That, or they lack discipline. Kimmich, while already a great player, and a fantastic talent, either has complete freedom in movement from Löw - or is tactically undisciplined. Boateng, same.
Müller, the guy who is the token boy for basically existing on the field and then popping up for big goals, is so far away any scoring areas and scoring chances, he's basically wasted out there.
Draxler has been poor, and I still don't see why anyone would leave Sane at home and take Draxler.
Brandt has been excellent in his limited time, but if Löw plays him from the start, remains to be seen how their left flank will look like defensively.

 

[illpucks]

Does James Rodriguez even have 1 goal yet?

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I've been rather impressed with Japan as a whole, but particularly Inui.

Shamelessly going to mention Trippier and Henderson too.

 

[cgf]

You can blame Toni Kroos for being played in a position that demeans his strengths and emphasizes his weakness', or you can blame the manager who put him there.
2nd half vs Sweden, where Germany actually played like a team who first realized that, yes, they are being exposed on the counter, is a perfect example.

German issues start with the system and the fullbacks playing ridiculously high up field.
That, or they lack discipline. Kimmich, while already a great player, and a fantastic talent, either has complete freedom in movement from Löw - or is tactically undisciplined. Boateng, same.
Müller, the guy who is the token boy for basically existing on the field and then popping up for big goals, is so far away any scoring areas and scoring chances, he's basically wasted out there.
Draxler has been poor, and I still don't see why anyone would leave Sane at home and take Draxler.
Brandt has been excellent in his limited time, but if Löw plays him from the start, remains to be seen how their left flank will look like defensively.

Jogi is an idiot. We need to play a 4-3-1-2/4-3-3 or 3-4-1-2/3-4-3 and not the 4-2-3-1/4-4-1-1 with Kroos in a double pivot that is incapable of covering for Kimmich.

Brandt is very good defensively, he's a great presser & has even played as a wing back before.

Agreed about Müller; if he's on the pitch he needs to be near the goal running into spaces vacated by Werner's motions out wide...but at this point, he'd be behind Werner, Özil, Brandt & Reus for me when picking attackers, alongside Gomez.

 

[Edo]

Isn't Werner supposed to be great? What's going on Germans?

 

[cgf]

Isn't Werner supposed to be great? What's going on Germans?

Werner played a huge part in both german goals against Sweden and latched onto two throughballs against the mexicans early, that he usually scores on but just couldn't bury. I think the weight of the moment, those misses, and the shitty supporting structure got to him in the first game.

Luckily his confidence seemed to come roaring back against Sweden. So I'm hoping for a brace against Korea, or a goal + an assist (or penalty won), to build on that & get him going at this tourney.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I’ve been impressed by this guy

 

[Havre]

Disappointment Iran
That player doesn't hit the side netting and they win are through to last 16

Disappointment as in you being disappointed?

I would say Iran did really well. They are one goal away from qualifying from a fairly strong group (very strong if Spain had played better).

Generally speaking I think it is a bit too early to speak about disappointments. I haven't been impressed by any of the big teams, especially Germany and Argentina, but they could all still get going. Expected more from Poland and also Egypt. I thought Egypt had a shot at qualifying for the play-offs, but they never looked close at all. Poland got a very decent team, but has clearly not played as well as they are capable of.

Yet to be really impressed by any team. Belgium have looked good, but they have also played two fairly weak teams. Croatia might be the one that has impressed me the most, but I don't think they got enough quality to win it.

 

[QuietContrarian]

Not really that suprised by any teams. I knew Iceland could hurt teams.. Maybe Peru, they deserve better, their football style looks like a remnant from the 70s, very charming, but does not fit todays game.

Senegal also, did not rate them at all before this tourney.
Colombia, their game against Poland was beautiful.

Dissapointed.

The entire Denmark team bar Andreas Christensen and Kasper aschmeichel.

The rest need to hope Australia wins and Denmark looses so they don't go to the last 16 and get embarrassed by Croatia.

Poland have also been dissapointing.

 

[Corto]

Isn't Werner supposed to be great? What's going on Germans?

He's not a target guy in the mold of Klose or Gomez. He's a runner, thrives in space, and Germany is usually so far up the pitch that the empty pockets of space are very limited.
His finishing is usually good, but he's coming off a season where he was sort of stagnant compared to 2016/17, and he's still developing.

TLDR; he's very good and promising, but he's not "great". Not yet, anyway.

 

[QuietContrarian]

So far, only Belgium and England have been impressive among the top nations. Mexico is a nice surprise while Group H is tight but weak.

Im on the fence with especially England, Panama is just a really poor team.

And Tunisia are nothing special either.

I do fancy Belgium to win it all tho.

 

[QuietContrarian]

And tbh, I die a little inside every time Brazil wins.

I absolutely detest that team and most of its players.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Im on the fence with especially England, Panama is just a really poor team.

And Tunisia are nothing special either.

I do fancy Belgium to win it all tho.

I mean, Belgium have faced the exact same teams as England.

 

[QuietContrarian]

I mean, Belgium have faced the exact same teams as England.

Yup, that is just based of previous let downs.

Like I wrote, we dont know about either untill they play better teams.

I just fancy Belgium way more.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

South Korea has flooded the highlights. Goalkeeper Jo with a great save against Mexico, and Son Heung-Min with a spectacular goal against Mexico.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

South Korea has flooded the highlights. Goalkeeper Jo with a great save against Mexico, and Son Heung-Min with a spectacular goal against Mexico.

Doesn't sound like much. There has been a very large amount of great goals.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Doesn't sound like much. There has been a very large amount of great goals.

BBC had Jo's save as ranked first so far in the tournament. Son Heung-min's goal: You need to watch; otherwise, you'll make false assumptions as you just did.

 

[cgf]

Kroos' goal > Son's goal

 

[bluumax]

Kroos' goal > Son's goal

No.
Just No.

 

[cgf]

No.
Just No.

One goal mattered, the other...not so much...

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

BBC had Jo's save as ranked first so far in the tournament. Son Heung-min's goal: You need to watch; otherwise, you'll make false assumptions as you just did.

Just off the top of my head I can name plenty of better goals, even if I am an immense fan of Sonny. Ronaldo vs. Spain, Quaresma vs. Iran, Rebic and Modric Vs. Argentina, Coutinho Vs. Switzerland, etc.

 

[bluumax]

One goal mattered, the other...not so much...

Doesn't make it a better goal/moment though. In that game alone, Toivonens goal was far more impressive.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Just off the top of my head I can name plenty of better goals, even if I am an immense fan of Sonny. Ronaldo vs. Spain, Quaresma vs. Iran, Rebic and Modric Vs. Argentina, Coutinho Vs. Switzerland, etc.

I know. Ronaldo had some great goals, Modric, Coutinho, yes, but I'm just saying Son's is just one of them.