WorldCup 2022 - Qatar

[ZAPHOD2319 4,483]

Wait…what?!

 

[Vesper 28,853]

10 hours ago, Johnnyeye said:

Mbappe with 2 great strikes, he’s so good, just a shame he acts like a cunt. Very unlikable character

I disagree

I do not think he is a cunt

I think he gets a lot of shit becuase he is the clear best player on the planet (would take him all day over Håland)

look at the egos he has to deal with

Neymar, who is poison, and Pessi, who is a focal point for attention, good or bad

[Vesper 28,853]

France looks unstoppable, IF they play like that

they really have no true weaknesses (CB perhaps, but it is not like they are rubbish there, shame that Presnel Kimpembe (especially) and Lucas Hernández are both injured, Fofana, post injury, is not at their level atm) Their fullbacks are fine. Madness that they have had so many injuries and just can plug in player after player, no other nation on the planet, not even Brasil, can do that

Rabiot took the Kante role, and was a MONSTER, so disruptive

they are polar opposites physically (especially height) but Rabiot put a hell of shift in

Mbappe is the best player on the planet, no one else is close, not even Håland atm

[Strike 7,217]

6 hours ago, Blue Armour said:

Would like Bellingham. But  he's probably going to Liverpool to revamp their central midfield 

If its between Liverpool and us, I think we have a shot of blowing Liverpool out with our resources

If Madrid is in the race, as has been reported widely, then I doubt our chances. Hopefully, Jude or Enzo ends up here - whoever Madrid does not pick up.

[Vesper 28,853]

Bellingham is the second best player at the WC, after Mbappe

magnificent MFer, probably the best non AMF MFer on the planet 

BUT

England have ONE massive issue

a huge one

SLABHEAD

he was horrific again, especially in the first half

he is SO SLOW and absolute shit on passing in a back 4

France will roast the cunt alive

madness that Southgate is going with him

other than the CB pairing, England were great

Mount needs to watch the game Henderson had and play like that

Henderson played EXACTLY how we all expect Mount to play

 

I swear to dog I would start every single one of these over Slabhead (this is not just players on the 26 man squad)

I think Magauire is utter dogshit other than a threat on set pieces, which HAS to be a huge reason Southgate plays him, slabby doesn't even carry the ball forward anymore, really

so, over slabby:

John Stones (of course)

  
Fikayo Tomori 
Ben White 
Marc Guéhi  
Eric Dier 
James Tarkowski  
Adam Webster  
Trevoh Chalobah 
Max Kilman 
Conor Coady   
Lewis Dunk
Dan Burn 

and if in a back 3

Kyle Walker (and use Trippier as the RWB)

 

[Vesper 28,853]

1 hour ago, Strike said:

If its between Liverpool and us, I think we have a shot of blowing Liverpool out with our resources

If Madrid is in the race, as has been reported widely, then I doubt our chances. Hopefully, Jude or Enzo ends up here - whoever Madrid does not pick up.

Bellingham is miles ahead of Enzo

not even close IMHO

Bellingham and Gvardiol at Real Madrid is the stuff of nightmares

they instantly have the best MF then on the planet (Bells, Tchou, Valverde, Camavinga), even better than Barcelona IMHO, especially defensively and athletically, where the chasm is massive

4 good to great CBs (and maybe even add Milan Škriniar (on a free if he doesn't renew) in the mix, as Alaba is soon 31 (6 months), and Rudiger 30 (less than 3 months), Škriniar is only 27 atm, 28 in February, so 2 to 3 years younger and the type of CB who is not utterly pace dependent unlike Alaba and Rudiger)

they will go gunning to pull back Hakimi and Theo for their fullbacks (and if not Theo, then up the game for Alphonso Davies (likely they are the only team who can pull him from Bayern) or maybe Nuno Mendes) If they fail on Hakimi (doubtful) then new contract or not, they will come for Reece someday

and, all their chatting shit aside, they WILL make moves for Mbappe and probably Håland down the road (within 2 to 3 years max) Thank fuck Rafael Leão is not a RWer and is not left footed, same for Vini Jr (Vini Jr doesn't potentially cause an issue with Mbappe IF RM use Mbappe as a CF, and I can see Vini Jr on the RW (If Mbappe is at LW) before Rafael Leão, who is massively a one sided player) and Rodrygo (2 years younger than Mbappe) is also close to becoming a WC RWer himself, despite being a right-footed player.

plus Cuntois is still only 30yo, and will remain the best keeper on the planet for at least 4 more years or so

terrifying potential team

I have NO idea why they are risking it all on this fucking Super League obsession, especially as next season their new billion plus stadium complex finally opens 100%

 

Edited December 5, 2022 by Vesper

[robsblubot 3,508]

2 hours ago, Vesper said:

Bellingham is the second best player at the WC, after Mbappe

 

oh wow! He's not even the second best English player for me (Kane and Foden are well ahead of him).

He's definitely promising, but he's still young and that's risky at this level. Wouldn't surprise me if he had another no show (like against USA) against stronger opposition and because he's now known. Speaking of which, England faced pretty shitty opposition thus far (Iran, USA, wales, and senegal that's the bottom of the barrel right there), so it's hard to compare performances esp in midfield when teams face completely different levels of opposition.

Aside from Maguire, I think that despite Bellingham, the midfield is also a weakness. While I've been holding a very unpopular opinion around here that Henderson was underrated, I also think he is not at the level of what france and other contenders have at their disposal. Rice, for me, is the midfielder version of maguire: slow and pendantic on the ball (he will get slower as he ages -- CB might suit him better long term).

Regarding France, they are better everywhere. It's more even in attack, but Mbappe is the best player in the world atm, and he's extremely hard to contain. Still, England has teeth, so it's certainly doable. They've been putting themselves in this position (to contend), and that's to be commended. The rest is up to the players, their will, strategy, prep, and lady luck.

Just to be perfectly clear, I think France is the best team in this world cup and the one to beat. While strong, Brazil is more hype than actual quality on the pitch. While they have a lot of quality sitting on the bench, they also have glaring weaknesses in their starting XI (FB for sure but also AM, and CBs).

[Vesper 28,853]

2 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

glaring weaknesses in their starting XI (FB for sure but also AM, and CBs).

Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Éder Militão, and Bremer are a 'glaring weakness'?

LOL

oki m8, you roll with that

😜

now, I will completely agree on their fullback situ (I stressed that before the WC even started)

they are fucked atm, just fucked:

Alex Telles out for the rest of the WC

Alex Sandro out for at least the next game

Danilo carrying a knock, but supposedly can play 

leaving only 40yo-in-5-months Dani Alves (who should NEVER have made the team) as their ONLY truly healthy fullback

 

Tite was crazy for not rolling with 2 of the following

LB Caio Henrique      
LB Renan Lodi  
LB Douglas Santos    
LB Guilherme Arana  
 
RB Vanderson       
RB Emerson Royal
RB Dodô
RB Matheuzinho

 

and NOT pick (at least, as Danilo was a suspect pick as well, crazy he did not roll with Vanderson for one of the 2 RBs)

Dani Alves  39yo RB
Éverton Ribeiro   almost 34yo CMF

[Vesper 28,853]

14 hours ago, Johnnyeye said:

im so envious of the amount of talent France has, its unreal. We will never come close to it, that’s a fact.

I said the same after they won in 2018

look at just the winger pool they have to choose from (players who would or could play winger in the French scheme)

and Leroy Sané could have chosen them too (as could many others, who now play for other nations due to no chance to make the final French squad, see at bottom)

    
Kylian Mbappé 
Christopher Nkunku    
Antoine Griezmann 
Kingsley Coman
Ousmane Dembélé 
Moussa Diaby
Allan Saint-Maximin 
Martin Terrier   
Marcus Thuram   
Randal Kolo Muani 
Nabil Fekir   
Thomas Lemar
Jonathan Bamba  
Sofiane Diop
Rayan Cherki 
Jonathan Ikoné  
Alassane Plea
Anthony Martial  
Michael Olise    

 

pnes who were eligible for France at one time

Leroy Sané  
Wilfried Zaha  
Riyad Mahrez
Bryan Mbeumo 
Saïd Benrahma 
Nicolas Pépé 
Ismaïla Sarr  
Kamaldeen Sulemana 
Jérémie Boga
Maxwel Cornet  
Hamed Junior Traorè

[robsblubot 3,508]

2 hours ago, Vesper said:

Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Éder Militão, and Bremer are a 'glaring weakness'?

LOL

oki m8, you roll with that

😜

now, I will completely agree on their fullback situ (I stressed that before the WC even started)

they are fucked atm, just fucked:

Alex Telles out for the rest of the WC

Alex Sandro out for at least the next game

Danilo carrying a knock, but supposedly can play 

leaving only 40yo-in-5-months Dani Alves (who should NEVER have made the team) as their ONLY truly healthy fullback

 

Tite was crazy for not rolling with 2 of the following

LB Caio Henrique      
LB Renan Lodi  
LB Douglas Santos    
LB Guilherme Arana  
 
RB Vanderson       
RB Emerson Royal
RB Dodô
RB Matheuzinho

 

and NOT pick (at least, as Danilo was a suspect pick as well, crazy he did not roll with Vanderson for one of the 2 RBs)

Dani Alves  39yo RB
Éverton Ribeiro   almost 34yo CMF

Lol fair point. 

So here the issue though: only 2 cbs play and Thiago and Marquinhos are just so similar and both aren’t that strong in the air (don’t have the height for it either), which does make Brazil vulnerable in set pieces esp. Marquinhos having to cover LB may fix that eh, but he’s vulnerable to pace.

yeah the fb situation was baffling and o a lot of ppl. Alves is really a joke one of those manager things.

The CAM is really paqueta and that’s it. Hardly a world beater. No KDB type in the selection. Neymar can roam there but Rodrygo is more of an attacker and also too young.

[Vesper 28,853]

32 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

No KDB type

not a lot of them on the planet

Luka Modrić is one that is in the same area code, even now, at least passing wise

 

[Special Juan 27,429]

Thought slab heads passing was poor and then I watched Koulibaly

[Vesper 28,853]

2 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

Thought slab heads passing was poor and then I watched Koulibaly

we were linked with slabby

could have had the matched pair set

☹️☹️

[Special Juan 27,429]

Clutching at straws but hopefully Korea create the upset of the tournament and send Brazil packing and the Japs beat Croatia

[Vesper 28,853]

6 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

Clutching at straws but hopefully Korea create the upset of the tournament and send Brazil packing and the Japs beat Croatia

if that happens and Japan play SoKo in the quarters, then I have a suggestion for the ball

and it is already chipped

[Johnnyeye 7,441]

10 hours ago, Vesper said:

I disagree

I do not think he is a cunt

I think he gets a lot of shit becuase he is the clear best player on the planet (would take him all day over Håland)

look at the egos he has to deal with

Neymar, who is poison, and Pessi, who is a focal point for attention, good or bad

maybe i’m being too harsh, but a lot of his antics piss me off.

[Vesper 28,853]

2022 FIFA World Cup, Round of 16

Japan     
Croatia   

https://www.sportfacts.net/sports/2022/world-cup-qatar-japan-vs-croatia-s1/

https://soccerworldcup.me/japan-vs-croatia-online-stream

[Vesper 28,853]

what a pass by Gvardiol, and totally wasted by their shit CF