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☝️another way of looking at it is poor Pulisic! Guy has little to no support.

I thought Portugal path was easy before... not anymore. @NikkiCFC yeah and reminder Brazil did not do too well against that same Argentina in copa am. Their "in your face" approach caused a lot of problems for this Brazil team. I don't buy the, "ah Poland had a bad game." Argentina made them have a bad game. It's akin to what Italians did in the past.

They are learning from American football: officials are never wrong... always protect the product you sell, and refs are part of it.

That’s in theory, but some think that the mere fact VAR called may generate an automatic bias in the refs mind. Like if VAR saw something then it must be true.

Mostly agree except bolded part. It's best to forget group stages from now on. I think Argentina will be tough opposition for anyone... reminder that this Brazil squad lost (soundly) to Argentina in the Copa America final playing at home in Brazil. You could see Argentina winning that match from start to finish. France will be a tough one for England too... It's like their strengths match England's weaknesses to the dot. Portugal and Germany (likely) will be tough as well - no easy games anymore hehe. Of course it's a "good" time to play Germany in theory, but they did look strong against Spain... plus loads of depth in the squad, which means they can make adjustments along the way and become stronger. That's another factor from now on: which teams can lose players to injury or even fatigue and remain just as strong?

😆 so true. Speaking of penalties, I wrote earlier about that VAR Portugal penally... was the worse I've in a while. I couldn't agree more with Joe Cole (dangerous precedent too may remove moves from the game): "Portugal were awarded a controversial penalty as they beat Uruguay at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The ball hit the hand of Uruguay defender Jose Gimenez in the box but he was trying to break his fall to the ground. Still, the referee pointed to the spot and Bruno Fernandes scored." https://www.eurosport.com/football/world-cup/2022/joe-cole-says-no-way-portugal-should-have-been-awarded-handball-penalty-against-uruguay-at-2022-worl_sto9249361/story.shtml

Argentina is toying with Poland. Top-shelf performance by them... they will be a nightmare to face in the single-elim.

Suppose you may be right in numbers, but perhaps irrelevant to the discussion. Also, if I only had a dollar for every time a NT head coach is criticized.... 😉 If they are too young, then they are only promising and not ready. My 2 points being discussed: 1. Portugal is not a contender. 2. From Chelsea's PoV, while some players may be promising, I pointed out that they'd be a gamble at the moment and that I don't think any Portuguese player would *significantly* improve Chesea atm--no one remotely close to CR7 (who is visibly past his prime) esp in attack. We were talking highly of William Carvalho and Neves not long ago... wouldn't want either even for the bench. As a Brazilian, Portugal usually has my support (Germany too bc mother side), which may make me a bit more critical of them to be fair. Still, I have to call it the way I see it. I agree with he notion: I prefer the stronger teams to go through. Upsets are bound to upset my eyes later on as we are forced to watch the bad team once again, and they usually don't repeat the initial feat (reason an upset is called that). So, yeah Argentina has players we'd like to watch again (Otamendi aside lol). And they will be tough to beat in the single-elimination stage. heh Mexico has to be the most overrated NT. They are considered a strong footballing nation by decree. And this particular crop of players is no better -- I wouldn't mind not having to watch that team play for a while... they are so bad.

Good game against Iran, but still too many naive decisions and weak links in the US team. Don't think they can go far esp due to their inability to score, esp when Pulisic is out. Weah isn't good enough at this level. Happy for Brazil and USA, but only have hopes for Brazil, and I don't see Brazil that strong tbh. Think my money would be on France to win it once again (despite the absences). Wales was the absolute worst team I've seen play this World Cup -- granted I haven't watch Qatar play (why would it?). I just couldn't see England not going through given the difference in overall quality in that group. England will be vulnerable in center CBs esp if they are chasing a result. Midfield is also weak compared to the top teams... good players there, but no world class like before.

Stand corrected with Dias, never caught my attention. Caveat that city plays in a very specific system, which demands players with very specific characteristics. Yeah, agree to disagree: the grass is always greener esp when comparing different leagues and standards. Even players already in the PL often struggle when joining an elite side, much more if players are coming from lesser leagues. It's very hard to get really good players to be a sub for a sure starter. What if Reese finally has a long injury-free spell for ex? TBF, Portugal is lucky and its side of the bracket will get either Serbia or Switzerland right? That's totally fair game for them.

The question is whether the players would significantly improve our team, and IMO (of course): Rubens Dias good player, but we have the best RB when he's not injured. Same applies to our starting LB. Ruben Neves I very much dislike this player. Youths are gamble so it can go either way Vitinha maybe... have to see more. PSG is tough to judge given the torrid league. Nuno Mendes (very young and same caveat regarding league) Bernardo Silva good player, and completely exchangeable with a number of other wingers/AMs. My fav winger at City atm is Foden (don't understand why he does not get more minutes w/ England). Rafael Leao is tall Goncalo Ramos also very young player in a lower tier league -- need keep an eye on. Regarding Portugal as a team, they are not clicking. The lines aren't compact enough and it takes them too long to transition (both attack and defense). Pepe is a huge weakness and will be exploited. They lack strength in depth at this level. Single elimination phase is where fitness levels drop a bit, and strength in depth starts playing a bigger part. Needless to say, CR7 is no longer the player he once was, and tbh he does not even look like a top player anymore.

Disagreeing is absolute fine, of course. I wouldn't like a single one of their players atm, but that can change in the future. Just that what you wrote implied a causation, where there was none here. Brackets are way too unbalanced, which is common at the group stages. Portugal is in one of the easier groups... perhaps the easiest. Uruguay has been struggling in SA with their aging squad. BTW, what I said about Otamendi applies just as much to Pepe. 😉

not sure I follow, which part are you referring to? not "They [Portugal] will prob find a way to win this match" I'm sure. did you watch the game? Fluke goal (goalie mistake) and a very questionable PK call. Meanwhile Uruguay hit the post and Suarez missed a sitter. Uruguay is hardly a strong team even in SA, BTW. I stand by what I said.... Portugal is shit and has no shot in this WC.

I think a lot of these Portuguese players are overrated as fuck. The NT is weak and their big name players are really only good players... while others not even that good tbh. They will prob find a way to win this match, but honestly, Portugal is fair game to anyone in the single elimination stages.

Fair enough, but that was meant as a general comment esp when you go into younger (than 20) and youth systems. It gets progressively more difficult to assess "talent." I was one of the few people here who thought Salah was a top player -- wrote here too, but in the end it's all opinions and guesswork. Regarding Pato, precisely, it show how much physique affects "talent" (skill, technique) esp in the footballing elite. Some of the players who we deem not good enough at Chelsea would absolute dominate a tier lower. It's that split second decision and time on the ball that you don't get at this level. And that's why I think Mount can indeed improve: a slight improvement in that split-second decision making could make him a much more influential player. I do see plenty of skill in his game too: good first touch, passing, very quick feet. He has good technique striking the football, and for that reason I think he can do better than he does atm. Salary discussion is more about the market than a perceived quality. Wages in football are crazy these days... City one of the worst offenders, so it's hard to criticize players/agents and clubs with so much investment in the sport.

Not taking away Morocco's win -- an important win for sure, but while KDB shouldn't have said what he said, he's right: Belgium missed their chance (if they had any) and now are an old beat up team past their prime. It's really only KDB pulling strings and Courtois at the back... the rest is the rest. It should get a bit better with Lukaku back -- nothing worse than bats lol -- but not enough to go far. Argentina should be banned from the WC for having Otamendi as their starting CB. 😅

Heh, as a Brazilian, KDB was my biggest fear in that game. Not only did he pull all strings, but also actually scored from afar pretty much winning the match with that second goal. While I've always thought he was overrated here, evidently Eden was once a word class player. He's just a joke today and there is zero excuse for him to be playing at this level at 31.

it’s extremely difficult to determine ceiling of young players — how much talent they have. If it were easy salah and KDB would be our top players right now. Paid professionals get this wrong all the time! I’m still not sure what you define as talent. This is odd because ability isn’t even the defining characteristic of player like Messi to me: he just thinks and acts half a second faster than his opponents. I’ve seen very talented young players fail because they were lost in a football pitch—great first touch, passing ability, dribbling and still no career. Very young players like you said, don’t even have their physique developed yet. Sometimes that final change makes or breaks a player alexandre pato had all the talent in the world and diminished as a player once he grew older. Happens with many players. Also, physique definitely has an affect on players technique: it can affect response time which in turn can be the difference between skipping past a player versus losing the ball to that same player. suppose we can agree to disagree here, even if we are talking about slightly different things eh.

Cry me a river. Lol He’s a player who does not let the opposition play. Now, you may think that’s not that important that anyone can do that, but I disagree. I think having players who can both 1. Not let the opposition play and 2. Make his team click is a rare thing… but that’s just me. I agree that this is definitely something that the numbers you posted don’t show. So, can we agree that you are the oddball here? We are going into the 3rd manager with mount as a key player—no to mention England. So, either you are right and everybody else is wrong or, more likely, most coaches and managers see something you don’t, something your numbers don’t show. Sorry, but I think the latter is far more likely. Finally, regarding the perceived lack of creativity in the starting XII fiz that in a different position! Plenty of spots to get a creative player for. Really don’t see what mount has to do with building the squad to be honest.

That's exactly my point: blaming Mount for us not being competitive in the league does not make sense to me. I rate what he does even when he's not influencing games with a pass, or a goal. I do not rate a loved player in this forum, Mata, exactly because he was a zero when not clicking. Personally I think Mount is a typical big game player... My point remains, if the team lacks creativity add that in a different position. Mount if fine and a strong player in his own right and his own characteristics. Some suggested moving to a CM position, perhaps then fans will stop whining? 🤷‍♂️

I strongly disagree that 23yo don’t improve. Maybe you are referring to skill alone, but don't think I can agree with that either. to my eyes mount possesses good technique on the ball, quick feet and good control. Therefore a slight improvement in, say decisions, could make him a much more influential player. Come to think of it, I’ve seen players improve much later than that. Luka Modric being the most obvious example, but there are many others. regarding fans… lol they also love grealish who is shit. Stick Mount in City's starting XI and they win the league all the same. 😉

Sure, but I did not really mean that it was a premediated strategy, an idea proposed by the headcoach, but rather that that was the motivation level of each team. USA matched England by working harder than they were. I was expecting the young USA team to tire and reduce their intensity in the second half, but that never happened--to my surprise.

USA played at 110% and England at 70% -- at least that was my feeling watching the game. England felt comfortable with a draw and to not stress/risk their players in group stage considering they will be first in group anyway.

The fullbacks are indeed a weakness and some even have suggested moving militao to RB as a defensive minded rb. the strength in depth is there, but I think Neymar is still too frail at this level and struggles in physical games like today… same in CL. not taking anything away from that Richarlison goal—incredible technique!

Netherlands was and is the far better side... normal result for me. Mendy is also just showcasing his current poor form. Pulisic is definitely carrying his poor Chelsea form over to the WC. I have a hard time criticizing him though, because he's one of the few lucid players in that team. Watching commentary here in the US is funny: they talk about players with energy "who are all over the place" as if that was the key to win... and yet they can't do simple one twos with Pulisic. Also, not a word on that ridiculous penalty on Bale... the US defender clearly does not know what sport he's playing. 🙂 Second half showcases how important strength in depth is.