World Cup: National Team threads #2

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Paolo Maldini's son Daniel (22 years, ex-Milan, currently Monza) has been called up into Italy squad for the first time.

If he makes an appearance, there can't be many families in the world, where three generations (grandfather Cesare, Paolo and now Daniel) have been NT players.

Marcos Alonso is not only the third generation to represent Spain. He is the third generation named Marcos Alonso.

 

[gary69]

Marcos Alonso is not only the third generation to represent Spain. He is the third generation named Marcos Alonso.

Should have remembered, as I saw his father play several times (most notably the CL/EC final in 1986 for Barca), although the father wasn't a star like the older Maldinis were. And the Alonso grandfather was part of the great Real Madrid teams of the 1950s.

Wonder if there are any other families like these two?

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Should have remembered, as I saw his father play several times (most notably the CL/EC final in 1986 for Barca), although the father wasn't a star like the older Maldinis were. And the Alonso grandfather was part of the great Real Madrid teams of the 1950s.

Wonder if there are any other families like these two?

The Alonsos cumulatively have, like, 1/6 of Paolo's caps, let alone adding in Cesare (or Cesare's appearances as coach, for crying out loud!). So makes sense that they'd be forgotten!

 

[Power Man]

Shame to lose Maza but I’m not shocked; just like I won’t be if we lose Wanner too. Both are really talented but they’d be in a ~15* man race for 2 attacking spots alongside Musiala & Wirtz.

*Havertz, Undav, Füllkrug, Beier, Moukoko, Kleindienst, Burkardt, Weiper, Moerstedt; Sane, Brandt, Führich, Gnabry, Gruda, Adeyemi, Brunner, Darvich, Bischof, etc.

yeah Germany has good depth

 

[cgf]

yeah Germany has good depth

At least in the front 4. Things get a lot thinner further back

 

[Power Man]

At least in the front 4. Things get a lot thinner further back

lol true

 

[cgf]

lol true

As if to illustrate this point, with Havertz dropping out of next week's international break, JN has called up Jonathan Burkardt. The former U21 NT captain has 12 goals in his last 17 BuLi matches after closing last season with 7 in his final 11 and starting this season with 5 in 6.

I'm a big fan of the kid and so happy that he's back on track after losing a year to knee surgery. He's not an unreal athlete or technician, but like Undav & Müller the kid just understands where to be, how to take his chances, and he's just tenacious.

I was so excited to watch him & Gruda together for Mainz this season...but, despite losing the tiny little magician as a creator for him, Joni is off to a killer start and I can definitely see him clicking very well with the senior NTers.

I'm sure we'll stick with the 4-2-3-1/4-2-4...subbing Burkardt or Kleindienst in for Kai, and Führich, Leweling, or Gnabry for Musiala...but given the roster we ended up with due to the absences, this could be an interesting time to test a 4-3-1-2 or 3-4-1-2:

Undav - Burkardt
Wirtz
Pavlovic - Stiller/Groß
Andrich
Mittelstadt/Raum - Schlotterbeck/Tah - Rüdiger/Tah - Kimmich
Baumann

Undav - Burkardt
Wirtz
Mittelstadt/Raum - Andrich - Pavlovic/Stiller/Groß - Kimmich
Schlotterbeck - Tah - Rüdiger/Anton
Baumann
​

Test the shape against Bosnia and if that goes well see what it looks like against a more talented team.

I feel good about our main shape if Pavlovic (or Stiller) can take over the Kroos role from Groß, but having an option that bolsters us against talented teams who flood the midfield, that the group is comfortable playing, could be very handy.