N o o d l e s
Registered User
Sorry I was being sarcastic because as an Italian, I can tell you it was a miracle we won the euros
World Cup: National Team threads #2
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Sorry I was being sarcastic because as an Italian, I can tell you it was a miracle we won the euros
bluesfan94
Registered User
Yeah, and it was a miracle Greece won it. And a miracle Portugal won it. At some point, if it happens that often, it's not a miracle anymore, it's just the nature of the tournamentSorry I was being sarcastic because as an Italian, I can tell you it was a miracle we won the euros
Incubajerks
Registered User
Sorry I was being sarcastic because as an Italian, I can tell you it was a miracle we won the euros
Come on, Belgium, Spain and the hosts in the final who have never seen the ball in 120 minutes. The miracle will be when teams like England win something. You don't win international competitions with luck alone.
Italy was the best team in the last Euro. You can call that a miracle based on what happenned AFTER the Euro, but nobody had a doubt as to whether they were good enough during it. They outplayed everyone.
Greece and Portugal were fluke victories, yes.
Spain were among the favourites in both their victories.
All in all, in all of Euros in the 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s and 21, you had 3 teams winning that were not among the favourites :
Denmark 92, not even qualified. Played like champs, without pressure. But yeah not expected, but very not flukey.
Greece 04, outplayed in every game, defending well and hoping for a corner kick miracle.
Portugal 16, and even then they had a strong team. It's more of the way they played, and benefited from a new rule to even get out of their weak group. Also survived a miracle in the final. But again, quality team on paper that played like Greece 04.
Greece and Portugal were fluke victories, yes.
Spain were among the favourites in both their victories.
All in all, in all of Euros in the 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s and 21, you had 3 teams winning that were not among the favourites :
Denmark 92, not even qualified. Played like champs, without pressure. But yeah not expected, but very not flukey.
Greece 04, outplayed in every game, defending well and hoping for a corner kick miracle.
Portugal 16, and even then they had a strong team. It's more of the way they played, and benefited from a new rule to even get out of their weak group. Also survived a miracle in the final. But again, quality team on paper that played like Greece 04.
cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
I hear what you're saying, but Greece are the only ones it was really a miracle for. Italy and Portugal were 2nd tier teams heading into those tourneys so it wasn't a shock, especially with the way Italy played (outside of the SF) once the tourney got started.
Granted we have the talent to be a 2nd tier team too if JN can stabilize the defense; especially if we get lucky wrt form & fitness...even if Füllkrug can't keep scoring a goal every 50 minutes for the NT.
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Duchene2MacKinnon
In the hands of Genius
- Aug 8, 2006
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cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
Morata come up big for Italy...
And yeah, Pedri was a real beast at that tourney. He was basically as good at the senior euros as Wirtz had been at the U21s earlier that summer.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
I was being sarcastic but I do think that African nations going deeper and deeper in WCs/AFCON being on par with Copa or an AFCON winner being as strong a side as a Euro/Copa champion to being feasible. The depth of good squads won't compete with Europe though. Quality of pitches in some countries just isn't up to par either.
cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
We'll have to agree to disagree. I hyped Italy throughout that tourney, but they stole that SF because of Morata.
cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
Well it's official. Trying to keep my expectations in check because I know that JN will be limited in how creative he can get given the limited practice time, but Nagelsmann has always been a pragmatic who adapts to the talent pool at his disposal:
- Playing a lot of 3 and even some 4 forward shapes at TSG when their midfield wasn't skilled enough to create the chances they needed but he had a number of skilled forwards to play off of Wagner.
- Before going to Leipzig where he ended up playing with a double-false-9 after Timo left.
- Similarly at Bayern; Lewa had a fantastic year before leaving and then JN just adjusted to what he had left...turning ECMC into a machine while focusing on the band behind him.
...and he has been Süle's coach whenever Big Nik has put together extended stretches of focused & low-error football; while having a well-earned reputation for trusting and nurturing young talent.
So it's hard not to be a little optimistic. Even if I remind myself that a NT coach =/= a club coach.
- Playing a lot of 3 and even some 4 forward shapes at TSG when their midfield wasn't skilled enough to create the chances they needed but he had a number of skilled forwards to play off of Wagner.
- Before going to Leipzig where he ended up playing with a double-false-9 after Timo left.
- Similarly at Bayern; Lewa had a fantastic year before leaving and then JN just adjusted to what he had left...turning ECMC into a machine while focusing on the band behind him.
...and he has been Süle's coach whenever Big Nik has put together extended stretches of focused & low-error football; while having a well-earned reputation for trusting and nurturing young talent.
So it's hard not to be a little optimistic. Even if I remind myself that a NT coach =/= a club coach.
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gary69
Registered User
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
Missed posting this - Leverkusen's Amine Adli has chosen to represent Morocco. Great add for the NT and another step for an improved program. Ten years ago they would have had no chance.
cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
Nagelsmann has brought Hummel back into the side plus he has nominated both Behrens and Füllkrug for the US tour.
Duchene2MacKinnon
In the hands of Genius
- Aug 8, 2006
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The whole Lens squad but they're doing Better lately.
So has Medina.
So has Medina.
cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
Sending a strong squad to the U21s lead by Moukoko, Adeyemi, Beier, Knauff, and Gruda…though Martel & Weiper are injured.
Morgalla will be making his u21 debut. Guessing something like:
Morgalla will be making his u21 debut. Guessing something like:
Adeyemi - Moukoko - Beier - Knauff
Dardai/Breithaupt - Wagner/Rohl
Netz - Schmidt - Kleine Bekel - Morgalla
Atubolu
Dardai/Breithaupt - Wagner/Rohl
Netz - Schmidt - Kleine Bekel - Morgalla
Atubolu
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cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
I’m scared that he’ll end up as brittle as our last CB/RB that ended up in the Red Bull system lol (Klostermann), but he’s looked very mature so far and I could see a Schlotterbeck or Thiaw like ascent from him in the coming years.
cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
He’s certainly shown more offense than they had at the same age, but we’ll see if he can progress as well as they have at the senior level.
Still rate Nico most despite how unlucky he has been with the NT, but we’ve been producing interesting CBs again with those three + ABK, Schmidt, Gechter, Dardai*, Buchmann, and Arrey Mbi, all showing some really intriguing potential that could lead to senior NT futures.
Just gotta hope that they don’t all stall like Süle, Tah, & Kehrer did; or end up as fragile as Klostermann lol
*Although Dardai’s been playing as a 6 this season because Hertha has needed his ball skills in the midfield, I still see him as more of a ball playing CB than skilled-6
cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
Rocco Reitz has been called up to replace Marton Dardai. So happy for the kid. He impressed in some friendlies for BMG a few years ago but I lost track of his development on loan, he's been a pleasant surprise for them so far this season.
