World Cup: National Team threads #2

[cgf]

Arguably second best teams missing one key guy up front shouldn’t be a big deal they shouldn’t go from second best team to horrible. That’s kind of my point you have some good pieces but overall the team just isn’t good enough.

If you say so

I never said we were so stacked we were guaranteed to finish in the top 2. I constantly acknowledge that we are dependent on a handful of key figures to be fit, with just a couple of options in other spots...though we have a number of guys who can shine as supporting pieces when the talismans are in.

We need some combination of these guys to be healthy to be really dangerous; AM: Musiala, AM: Wirtz, 8: Pavlovic / Stiller*, 6: Andrich / Nmecha, RB: Kimmich, LB: Mittelstädt / Raum / Schlotterbeck, CB: Rüdiger / Tah / Schlotterbeck, GK: Ter Stegen / Baumann. But we do have good depth up front with Kai, Kleindienst, Woltemade, and Füllkrug.

And we have a lot of options for that final spot...which is likely to shift based on the opponent / form / fitness...whether it goes to a shadow striker like Burkardt / Undav; a winger/creative like Sane / Führich / Leweling / Adeyemi / Beier / Schade / Wanner / Gruda / Brandt; a third midfielder Stiller / Goretzka / Amiri / Bischof; or a back 3.

Without either of our BdO caliber 10s, we're nothing special. When we're down to our 4th / 5th string CBs or don't have the right balance in midfield, we can be shredded. But if Musiala & Wirtz are both in, with Pavlovic or Stiller next to Andrich or Nmecha, and 4 of our 6 defenders, this team can play with anybody and win.

No guarantee that we do beat a team like Spain even if we are fit & the refs don't screw us so badly they have to apologize for it, but when we're (mostly) fit we're at that level. Same way the Pacers / Knicks / Wolves proved they were at the same level as the Thunder / Cavs / Celtics, once fit and in form...despite everyone telling me those first 3 didn't have a chance against the latter three, all season.


*maybe Bischof if he hits the ground running for Bayern and Nagelsmann is leaning towards playing with 3 CBs or midfielders rather than a front 4.

 

[luiginb]

Tuchel's mandate going great, 1-3 today at home in a friendly against Senegal

 

[PanniniClaus]

Tuchel's mandate going great, 1-3 today at home in a friendly against Senegal

Watched this one.. You know.. it may well be that many of England's players are just right shiite... decent individuals that just cannot do anything as a team. Is it possible Southgate was correct in playing the most drab crap possible as the only hope of achieving anything?

That was a brutal game from England. Following an atrocious game Saturday.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I watched the first half before my nephew overpowered me to watch a cartoon. I think Tuchel would’ve been better off watching looney tunes as well.

 

[TheGreatPandasage]

Big up to my Uzbek bros for finally qualifying. They are such a fun team to watch over the years and were so agonizingly close yet never quite reached the WC.

Cant wait to see the reaction of some brain dead folks seeing the bros show up at the air port with Russian sounding surnames

 

[Power Man]

I hate Petkovic

How do you lose to Sweden’s B team?

With terrible selection, that’s how

The Corpse of Mahrez getting starter minutes while Anis Hadj Moussa rots on the bench

Still calling up the likes pf Mandi who is finished, Benrahma who is ass, or Mandrea who is a terrible GK.
We have much better player on those positions in the Algerian league but Petkovic hasn’t been soing his homework

Defense and goakkeeping were comical, we lost 4-3 but it would have been 10-3 had Isaak and Gyokeres played

At least we scored the best goal of thr game

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Dominican Republic with a real strong showing against Mexico, despite losing 3-2, in their first Gold Cup appearance.

 

[robertmac43]

Overall a great first night of the Gold Cup. I'm intrigued to see how Guadeloupe and Curaçao do in the next 24 hours, both teams have come to Canada before and proven to be a handful.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Overall a great first night of the Gold Cup. I'm intrigued to see how Guadeloupe and Curaçao do in the next 24 hours, both teams have come to Canada before and proven to be a handful.

Amazing games.

Haiti and the Saudi's ran up and down the field for 90 minutes.. Blistering pace..

This is definitely not your father's Costa Rica.. pretty much a whole new team.

I should add that Trinidad and Tobago may be 10th in CONCACAF but I would expect a precipitous drop in the years to come. The USA were fine but T&T were stunningly bad.. I didn't like anything they did. Formation, tactics, horrid defending..

They will be lucky to qualify for future Gold Cups.

 

[bluesfan94]

Guatemala beating Jamaica is pretty shocking

 

[al secord]

Guatemala beating Jamaica is pretty shocking

Yet again, Jamaicans looked like they'd rather be anywhere else.

 

[Power Man]

And for some unknown hasn’t called him up.
f***ing hell