OT: 2024 Soccer and Vancouver Whitecaps Thread

[Just A Bit Outside]

French should win it once they get their act together but who nose especially with Mbappe’s injury.

Germans looks good as well.

Spanish in the mix.

I think Spain wins the Euros.

 

[I Hart Conor Garland]

Belgium sucked once Kompany and Hazard dropped off a cliff.

France didn't look too spectacular today. It feels like the door is wide open for some random team to win it all.

Shoulda double entendred

Hazard and Kompany

 

[Nomobo]

Belgium sucked once Kompany and Hazard dropped off a cliff.

France didn't look too spectacular today. It feels like the door is wide open for some random team to win it all.

Belgium was unbeaten in something like their last 12?
The problem with the Red Devils is that there’s a divide in the team and that has its roots in the long standing rift between the Walloons and the Flemish.

 

[God]

georgia turkey game was incredible. sad result for georgia, who i think have a real shot against czechia and portugal.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

georgia turkey game was incredible. sad result for georgia, who i think have a real shot against czechia and portugal.

Incredibly hard loss for them. They hit the crossbar and post and deserved a better result.

Portugal is starting a 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo and 41-year-old Pepe today.

 

[God]

Incredibly hard loss for them. They hit the crossbar and post and deserved a better result.

Portugal is starting a 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo and 41-year-old Pepe today.

as i said in the last euros, i'm unsurprised that ronaldo is still around but eternally wowed at players like pepe (or chielini last time) being around as they were playing when i started watching international football.

credit to them though! sometimes pepe's face gives me a jump scare.

 

[Bubbles]

Belgium was unbeaten in something like their last 12?
The problem with the Red Devils is that there’s a divide in the team and that has its roots in the long standing rift between the Walloons and the Flemish.

Qualifying really doesn't matter. Only tournament performances. The best they did was 3rd in the WC 2018.

I don't think the "divide" matters too much. They're just another group of "golden generation" of countries that don't win anything. See England, Portugal in the early 00's, even Croatia from a years ago. They punch above their weight, but don't win.

Incredibly hard loss for them. They hit the crossbar and post and deserved a better result.

Portugal is starting a 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo and 41-year-old Pepe today.

It's Ronaldo's 6th Euros. It's insane to think about it, I remember his debut clearly. And also against Czechia too.

 

[Nomobo]

Qualifying really doesn't matter. Only tournament performances. The best they did was 3rd in the WC 2018.

I don't think the "divide" matters too much. They're just another group of "golden generation" of countries that don't win anything. See England, Portugal in the early 00's, even Croatia from a years ago. They punch above their weight, but don't win.



It's Ronaldo's 6th Euros. It's insane to think about it, I remember his debut clearly. And also against Czechia too.

The division in Belgium is so real that it was unable to form a functioning government for almost two years. The Red Devils unite the country as nothing else can but the team itself hasn’t been able to.
I lived there for 14 years, got a good sense of it.

 

[Lindgren]

The division in Belgium is so real that it was unable to form a functioning government for almost two years. The Red Devils unite the country as nothing else can but the team itself hasn’t been able to.
I lived there for 14 years, got a good sense of it.

Very off-topic, but what is it like for tourists in Belgium, especially tourists who are getting by with French when they happen into a city/town/neighbourhood in which the dominant language is Dutch or German?

 

[Nomobo]

Very off-topic, but what is it like for tourists in Belgium, especially tourists who are getting by with French when they happen into a city/town/neighbourhood in which the dominant language is Dutch or German?

Most of the Flemish are conversant in French and English is widely spoken. In the southern part, Wallonia, French is mostly the only language. There’s also a small area where German is the dominant language.

 

[Bubbles]

The division in Belgium is so real that it was unable to form a functioning government for almost two years. The Red Devils unite the country as nothing else can but the team itself hasn’t been able to.
I lived there for 14 years, got a good sense of it.

You're talking about the country more than about the national team. I'm talking about the team. There's been inner strife within the team, but not from politics.

 

[Nomobo]

You're talking about the country more than about the national team. I'm talking about the team. There's been inner strife within the team, but not from politics

I don’t think you quite get it. The team is the country and you see that when watching the crowds at these football tournaments. They’re very, very nationalistic, to a fault sometimes.

 

[Javaman]

So, are the Whitecaps still a good team? I honestly have no idea anymore.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

So, are the Whitecaps still a good team? I honestly have no idea anymore.

We have a few good players but are anchored by guys who have no business being in the MLS. You get rid of mid players like Russell Teibert but have guys like Ryan Raposo taking his place. Really hard to get results in this league when your depth sucks.

 

[Bubbles]

England have looked like crap in both games. They looked so tentative and scared the whole game against Denmark. Why would you play TAA in a spot where he's clearly not comfortable. Formation problems again....it reminds me of the whole Lampard/Gerrard days.

 

[MS]

England have looked like crap in both games. They looked so tentative and scared the whole game against Denmark. Why would you play TAA in a spot where he's clearly not comfortable. Formation problems again....it reminds me of the whole Lampard/Gerrard days.

They've looked like crap for basically the last 20 years through several generations of players. Even when they win it's always ugly and never convincing.

Spain, Germany, France always (or mostly always) look like a 'team' and England always looks like a bunch of individuals thrown together.

 

[God]

england are the toronto maple leafs of football. you absolutely love to see it.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Another Southgate special.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

They've looked like crap for basically the last 20 years through several generations of players. Even when they win it's always ugly and never convincing.

Spain, Germany, France always (or mostly always) look like a 'team' and England always looks like a bunch of individuals thrown together.

Southgate continues to be the most uninspiring coach I've seen for a top nation. Midfield is discombobulated in their own half, but they look good on the high press....goes up 1-0 and elects to get everyone reverting back to a conservative formation. This should never happen against mid opponents, there's way too much attacking talent on that squad....

 

[MS]

england are the toronto maple leafs of football. you absolutely love to see it.

Well, them and Spurs and that utter twat Harry Kane plays/played for both. And goes to Bayern and they impossibly start losing, too.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Really excited to watch Spain vs Italy. Spain should win this one but you never know with the Italians.

 

[God]

Southgate continues to be the most uninspiring coach I've seen for a top nation. Midfield is discombobulated in their own half, but they look good on the high press....goes up 1-0 and elects to get everyone reverting back to a conservative formation. This should never happen against mid opponents, there's way too much attacking talent on that squad....

subs off kane, saka, and foden in a 1-1 game scenario to play for the draw. insane behaviour. don't think england had a single quality offensive look after that sub.

also inexplicably leaves jack grealish off the squad, who is sort of their version of conor garland.

 

[Bubbles]

Really excited to watch Spain vs Italy. Spain should win this one but you never know with the Italians.

Italians are my team and it's always a great match between Spain.

also inexplicably leaves jack grealish off the squad, who is sort of their version of conor garland.

Grealish has been injured and didn't play well all season. That's understandable. But you don't give Cole Palmer a chance and he's been scintillating all season! Southgate sucks.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Italians are my team and it's always a great match between Spain.

This has been an ugly performance by Italy. Spain of course has been squandering a ton of chances.

 

[Bubbles]

This has been an ugly performance by Italy. Spain of course has been squandering a ton of chances.

They haven't played too bad IMO. Just poor passing in the middle. Spain has had chances but Italian team is super strong defensively and Donnarumma has been fantastic.

This has been an ugly performance by Italy. Spain of course has been squandering a ton of chances.

They haven't played too bad IMO. Just poor passing in the middle. Spain has had chances but Italian team is super strong defensively and Donnarumma has been fantastic.