World Cup: National Team threads #2

[Live in the Now]

The teams I miss the most are all of them, because the World Cup should be going on now.

Yeah this f***ing sucks tbh

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Yeah this f***ing sucks tbh

Blame Qatar and FIFA.

 

[John Price]

 

[Evilo]

Stars are aligning for Messi to win his WC!
@Duchene2MacKinnon

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Stars are aligning for Messi to win his WC!
@Duchene2MacKinnon

Not sure what this is in reference to but Argentinians are dropping like flies.

 

[Evilo]

To Mbappe

 

[Evilo]

Stars are aligning for Messi to win his WC!
@Duchene2MacKinnon

Now Kante out for the WC.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Now Kante out for the WC.

Probably better for france

 

[Evilo]

Given his efficiency when healthy, that is a weird comment.

 

[gary69]

If the Real guys stay healthy, I don't think center midfield will be France's downfall.

 

[Evilo]

Maybe, but Kante and Pogba together have never lost a game with the NT that they started together.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Given his efficiency when healthy, that is a weird comment.

If the madrid boys are as good as hyped ( so far they have been) france shouldn’t miss a bit better than to rely on damaged goods.

I’m hoping they stick with the old guard pogba, Varane and greizzy tho. Banking on it.

 

[Evilo]

They will (the old guard) . And they will perform.

 

[gary69]

Maybe, but Kante and Pogba together have never lost a game with the NT that they started together.

Well then, I think that stat remains forever, since they'll probably never start together for France again.

Juventus has 6 Serie A matches left before WC, and with a dysfunctional team they have, if Deschamps has any sense left in him, Pogba will have a bit-part role n the WC if he is selected.

 

[Evilo]

Small chance he goes at all...

 

[Evilo]

Hollannd should really take a look at VandenBoomen.

 

[Evilo]

No Maignan out for the WC.

 

[gary69]

Southgate will apparently name the maximum 55 player provisonal WC squad, which will have to submitted on Friday. And then the final 26 player must be selected from the provisional squad on Nov 13th.

 

[cgf]

Early guesses for your nation's final 26? For us, I think I'd go with:

ATT: Musiala, Sane, Havertz, Gnabry, Moukoko, Adeyemi, Werner, Nmecha, and one of Brandt / Müller / Burkardt / Reus (if he recovers in time) - (9)

WB: Hofmann, Raum, Gosens, and one of Knauff / Baku / Henrichs - (13)

MID: Kimmich, Goretzka, Gundogan, and one of Stach / Andrich / Arnold / Janelt - (17)

CB: Schlotterbeck, Süle, Kehrer, Klostermann (if he recovers in time), Rüdiger, and one of Ginter / Bella Kotchap / Tah / Hummels - (23)

GK: Neuer, ter Stegen, and one of Trapp / Baumann / Ortega / Müller / Nübel - (26)

Havertz*
Sane - Musiala - Gnabry/Hofmann*
Kimmich - Goretzka/Gundogan
Raum/Gosens - Schlotterbeck - Süle - Kehrer/Klostermann
Neuer/ter Stegen

*Moukoko, Adeyemi, Werner, Brandt/Müller/Burkardt, or Knauff/Baku


defend in a 4-4-2 but attack in a 3-4-3/3-2-4-1:

Havertz*
Raum/Gosens - Sane - Musiala - Gnabry/Hofmann*
Kimmich - Goretzka/Gundogan
Schlotterbeck - Süle - Kehrer/Klostermann
Neuer/ter Stegen

​

EDIT:
Though part of me wants us to just say f*** it and play a modern-day WM formation:

Sane - Moukoko* - Gnabry*
Musiala - Havertz
Kimmich - Goretzka
Schlotterbeck - Süle - Kehrer
ter Stegen

*Adeyemi / Hofmann / Werner / Brandt / Müller / Burkardt
​

Use the 5 subs and our attacking depth to press like a hockey team.

 

[Corto]

Croatia:

Livakovic, Ivusic, Grbic

Juranovic, Stanisic, Gvardiol, Sutalo, Erlic, Sosa, Barisic, Lovren, Vida / Caleta-Car

Brozovic, Modric, Kovacic, Sucic, Vlasic, Majer, Pasalic, Moro/Jakic

Perisic, Kramaric, Petkovic, Livaja, Orsic, Budimir/Musa

3 question marks are: Vida or Caleta-Car (Vida is past it, but a leader, Caleta Car only getting into the EPL groove at Southampton, the late move may cost him a spot)

Moro/Jakic - one of the two will back up Brozovic. Neither will play a minute unless Brozovic gets injured.

Budimir / Musa - Musa has much more potential and is probably the better player already, but limited playing time at Benfica and no debut yet for the NT (had COVID when was invited), Budimir might get the spot (even though I don't agree with it, he's just not good enough)

We will probably play a 4-3-3, skewed to the left side, similar to what Madrid do with Valverde - because we have no RW and will play one of Pasalic, Majer or Vlasic there.

Livakovic
Juranovic - Sutalo/Erlic - Gvardiol - Sosa
Modric - Brozovic - Kovacic
Pasalic/Vlasic/Majer - Kramaric - Perisic

 

[luiginb]

I'd take Jakic, just found out he's one of the most progressive passers in European football this season, plus he's very versatile (played right back in the last Bundesliga match) Don't even know who Moro is.

 

[Evilo]

I'd take Jakic, just found out he's one of the most progressive passers in European football this season, plus he's very versatile (played right back in the last Bundesliga match) Don't even know who Moro is.

My trivia are useful!

 

[cgf]

Croatia:

Livakovic, Ivusic, Grbic

Juranovic, Stanisic, Gvardiol, Sutalo, Erlic, Sosa, Barisic, Lovren, Vida / Caleta-Car

Brozovic, Modric, Kovacic, Sucic, Vlasic, Majer, Pasalic, Moro/Jakic

Perisic, Kramaric, Petkovic, Livaja, Orsic, Budimir/Musa

3 question marks are: Vida or Caleta-Car (Vida is past it, but a leader, Caleta Car only getting into the EPL groove at Southampton, the late move may cost him a spot)

Moro/Jakic - one of the two will back up Brozovic. Neither will play a minute unless Brozovic gets injured.

Budimir / Musa - Musa has much more potential and is probably the better player already, but limited playing time at Benfica and no debut yet for the NT (had COVID when was invited), Budimir might get the spot (even though I don't agree with it, he's just not good enough)

We will probably play a 4-3-3, skewed to the left side, similar to what Madrid do with Valverde - because we have no RW and will play one of Pasalic, Majer or Vlasic there.

Livakovic
Juranovic - Sutalo/Erlic - Gvardiol - Sosa
Modric - Brozovic - Kovacic
Pasalic/Vlasic/Majer - Kramaric - Perisic

Is Kovacic basically a lock or could he still lose his starting spot to Sucic or Majer?

Also is Ivanusec a NT option for you? I remember there being loose links connecting him to some BuLi clubs I like before he signed his extension this summer; so it would be interesting to see him in Qatar.

...and I'm assuming teenagers like Simic, Beljo, Biuk, Baturina, etc. will be on your U21 or U19 teams, right? Or do any of them have a chance of making it if they shine in the pre-tourney training camp?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Early guesses for your nation's final 26? For us, I think I'd go with:

ATT: Musiala, Sane, Havertz, Gnabry, Moukoko, Adeyemi, Werner, Nmecha, and one of Brandt / Müller / Burkardt / Reus (if he recovers in time) - (9)

WB: Hofmann, Raum, Gosens, and one of Knauff / Baku / Henrichs - (13)

MID: Kimmich, Goretzka, Gundogan, and one of Stach / Andrich / Arnold / Janelt - (17)

CB: Schlotterbeck, Süle, Kehrer, Klostermann (if he recovers in time), Rüdiger, and one of Ginter / Bella Kotchap / Tah / Hummels - (23)

GK: Neuer, ter Stegen, and one of Trapp / Baumann / Ortega / Müller / Nübel - (26)

Havertz*
Sane - Musiala - Gnabry/Hofmann*
Kimmich - Goretzka/Gundogan
Raum/Gosens - Schlotterbeck - Süle - Kehrer/Klostermann
Neuer/ter Stegen

*Moukoko, Adeyemi, Werner, Brandt/Müller/Burkardt, or Knauff/Baku


defend in a 4-4-2 but attack in a 3-4-3/3-2-4-1:

Havertz*
Raum/Gosens - Sane - Musiala - Gnabry/Hofmann*
Kimmich - Goretzka/Gundogan
Schlotterbeck - Süle - Kehrer/Klostermann
Neuer/ter Stegen

​

EDIT:
Though part of me wants us to just say f*** it and play a modern-day WM formation:

Sane - Moukoko* - Gnabry*
Musiala - Havertz
Kimmich - Goretzka
Schlotterbeck - Süle - Kehrer
ter Stegen

*Adeyemi / Hofmann / Werner / Brandt / Müller / Burkardt
​

Use the 5 subs and our attacking depth to press like a hockey team.

Do you think Mouki has a serious chance? He hasn’t once made the German squad yet. Would be a big call to include him for the first time at the World Cup.

 

[Savant]

Is Kovacic basically a lock or could he still lose his starting spot to Sucic or Majer?

Also is Ivanusec a NT option for you? I remember there being loose links connecting him to some BuLi clubs I like before he signed his extension this summer; so it would be interesting to see him in Qatar.

...and I'm assuming teenagers like Simic, Beljo, Biuk, Baturina, etc. will be on your U21 or U19 teams, right? Or do any of them have a chance of making it if they shine in the pre-tourney training camp?

Kovacic doesn’t really play the same position as Sucic or Majer. Kovacic players deeper than those guys. Not sure they are competing for the same spots but could be wrong.