World Cup: National Team threads #2

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Argentina called up both their qualifier squad and the Olympic team Shame Barco is injured. He probably could start for the senior team already. At least part take.

Enzo playing in his 7th match for Argentina.... That's insane.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Cuti being sung out in the stadium. Absolute dynamo

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Lio being subbed off is always weird

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

With Musiala withdrawing too, I think I'd like to see:

Sane - Havertz - Wirtz
Kimmich - Gundogan
Can
Gosens - Schlotterbeck - Thiaw - Henrichs
ter Stegen

Bench

Hofmann - Schade/Müller - Gnabry
Brandt - Nmecha
Groß
- Süle/Tah - Rüdiger -
Trapp/Baumann
​

No mas! Hell, I'd rather see Behrens up top.

 

[GunkWinger]

Uruguay up 2-0 at the half. They're missing some key injured players (deArrascaeta, Araujo, Betancur) as well Suarez and Cavani who were not called up. Uruguay so far is a young team that's trying to find their way under Bielsa. They got better as the game went on.

 

[John Pedro]

Love that Ugarte-De La Cruz-Valverde midfielder. Arrascaeta when fit could add even more talent and creativity to this mid.

Finally free from Tabarez's shackles

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Brasil with a weak 11

 

[GunkWinger]

3-1 final. We played well and yeah that midfield will only get stronger once Bentancur and Arrascaeta come back. Nuñez was great with the assists and drove them crazy. Hopefully his finishing gets more consistent this year. The winger Araujo was very good too. I hadn't seen much of him so was pleasantly surprised. Most of the team got better as the game went along but at the same time I'm not convinced Chile are close to what they used to be.

 

[John Pedro]

Hard to judge given Bolivia's lack of resistance, but Brazil at least playing an enjoyable brand of football.

Still lots of names to come in and out (no way guys like Richarlison, Lodi, Raphinha, Gabriel should be starting, most shouldn't even be there)

Right now, I'd start Caio Henrique and Vanderson as FBs. Martinelli or GJ as CF, Richarlison is terrible

 

[cgf]

No mas! Hell, I'd rather see Behrens up top.

Wasn’t nominated.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Wasn’t nominated.

Should have been once Füllkrug and Musiala were ruled out. He's got no long-term prospects with the squad, but at least can emulate the same type of role that Füllkrug plays. Heck, give me Tim Kleindeinst or Philipp Hofmann...anybody but false 9 Kai.

 

[cgf]

Should have been once Füllkrug and Musiala were ruled out. He's got no long-term prospects with the squad, but at least can emulate the same type of role that Füllkrug plays. Heck, give me Tim Kleindeinst or Philipp Hofmann...anybody but false 9 Kai.

Injuries are a bitch. Lukas Nmecha probably would've gotten a call if he hadn't missed so much time over the past year. And Nelson Weiper (like Mouki) is in the process of making the jump to senior football but isn't yet a senior-NT candidate...and he had to withdraw from the U21s due to injury anyway.

As long as we don't start Müller at the false-9, I won't really mind. NT-Kai is an excellent & productive player, wherever we stick him. And though I want the NT to gel with Füllkrug, more practice with the plan-B isn't a bad thing.


My focus is more on the defense anyway. That's the part of the pitch that I'm less sure about for these euros...as any combination of Musiala, Wirtz, Havertz, Sane, Kimmich, Gundogan, Goretzka, etc. between Füllkrug and Can/Khedira should generate chances like crazy, whereas the D still has serious question marks.

...although I like how things are shaping up for future cycles with Martel, Schlotterbeck, Thiaw, ABK, etc...especially with Henrichs finally having figured the whole RB thing out and Netz / Rothe / Ullrich / Kabar coming up on the left.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

 

[John Pedro]

 

[cgf]

I bet we see a 4-2-4-0 today with Kimmich-Gundogan linking the back 4 to 4 of Sane, Wirtz, Havertz, Brandt, Hofmann, Gnabry, Schade, Müller.

 

[gary69]

Interestingly, Kimmich at RB and Wirtz behind the striker Havertz.

Schlotterbeck beaten on the left flank and the cross goes in nearpost via a deflection from Rudiger's leg.

Then Sane scores from Wirtz's assist.

Total collapse by Germany towards the end. Players don't even seem to be caring, and CB pairing Rudiger and Sule look like they playing first time at this level.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Auf Wiedersehen Hansi!

 

[gary69]

Auf Wiedersehen Hansi!

Has Matthaus sent an application yet?

 

[SimpleJack]

Germany LOLOLOL

They’re officially done being a world power in terms of football. They’re never gonna be what they once were. Too many other countries that are now far superior in terms of young talent and ability to produce more of that young talent in the future.

They’re only going to get worse. Yet their fans remain in denial and seem to think they have a bright future lol. It’s sad. Think of it like this….they’re STILL relying on scrubs like Sule and Rudiger to play defense. They can’t find replacements? It’s been YEARS. Pathetic!!!!!

 

[SimpleJack]

Auf Wiedersehen Hansi!

Do we really think changing the coach is gonna make any difference????

Its a talent issue.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Do we really think changing the coach is gonna make any difference????

Its a talent issue.

It's both. New coach isn't going to make them Euro winners, but might be able to stop them from embarrassing themselves.

 

[cgf]

Has Matthaus sent an application yet?

Luckily Nagelsmann is the favorite for the job and Lodar has already said he's not a candidate. Would be awesome if that came to pass, even if I'm skeptical there's enough time for the defense to gel by the euros despite how good JN is at getting a group to believe again.

I do like the idea of using Henrichs, Kimmich, and Groß/Can/Khedira as the FBs+6, to allow us to play 4 of Musiala, Wirtz, Havertz, Sane, Gundogan, Brandt, Adeyemi, Goretzka, Schade, Nmecha, Hofmann, Gnabry, etc., behind Füllkrug.

But we need to stop pairing Süle with Rüdiger. Both are too high-impact/-event defenders. Sure they can go out and make momentum changing challenges or offensive contributions, but both get too lackadaisical and need a more secure partner to clean up for them.



I do feel for Flick a bit, a year ago things looked bright and the team actually played well in Qatar, that tourney wasn't like 2018 or 2021, and was just undermined by the grandpas at either end of the lineup (Neuer & Müller). One goal against Japan or Spain would've changed the entire course of his tenure.

Ultimately I think he was brought down by the lack of time with his team to get guys trained enough in the new things he experimented with...because they weren't bad ideas and at the club level I think they could've worked, but with the lack of practice time the players were unsure.

 

[koyvoo]

 

[cgf]

Germany LOLOLOL

They’re officially done being a world power in terms of football. They’re never gonna be what they once were. Too many other countries that are now far superior in terms of young talent and ability to produce more of that young talent in the future.

They’re only going to get worse. Yet their fans remain in denial and seem to think they have a bright future lol. It’s sad. Think of it like this….they’re STILL relying on scrubs like Sule and Rudiger to play defense. They can’t find replacements? It’s been YEARS. Pathetic!!!!!

Some day I would love to know your story. Did a German steal your girl/man? Run over your puppy? What fuels this kind of obsession? Cause you care about the German NT failing more than germans care about it succeeding.

 

[al secord]

Germany LOLOLOL

They’re officially done being a world power in terms of football. They’re never gonna be what they once were. Too many other countries that are now far superior in terms of young talent and ability to produce more of that young talent in the future.

They’re only going to get worse. Yet their fans remain in denial and seem to think they have a bright future lol. It’s sad. Think of it like this….they’re STILL relying on scrubs like Sule and Rudiger to play defense. They can’t find replacements? It’s been YEARS. Pathetic!!!!!

I once walked in on my dad wearing lederhosen. I've never forgiven them for that since. I feel you.