The International Football Thread

[Leif 6,006]

43 minutes ago, Leif said:

'Chelsea are shit with youth' - well, quality over quantity. England's best player tonight is Loftus-Cheek. How many United, Man City & Arsenal youth products have been MOTM-worthy for their national side in recent years? I think Wilshere was, in a friendly against nobodies, a few years ago. 

It can be argued that Tammy Abraham's one of the best players today too - at least one of the most dangerous. Both have been with us for ages. Real ages.

And now Bertrand, another youth product on. Is that 3 to United's 1, Tottenham's 0, Arsenal's 0, Liverpool's 1?

[Leif 6,006]

I despise Lingard simply because he's so bad. 

He wouldn't play for Portugal. Or Sweden. Or Italy. Or Belgium. Or Germany. I don't think he'd even play for Wales or Poland. Yet he plays for England. Scandalous. 

[Leif 6,006]

Eric Dier honestly has a look of someone who eats glue and small plastic toys for children. 

[Leif 6,006]

Ryan Giggs really understands what's needed to nurture the mindset of a player. Much better pundit than most, with no other pundits talking about athlete psychology.

[Beigl 1,387]

11 hours ago, Leif said:

I despise Lingard simply because he's so bad. 

He wouldn't play for Portugal. Or Sweden. Or Italy. Or Belgium. Or Germany. I don't think he'd even play for Wales or Poland. Yet he plays for England. Scandalous. 

His miss against Germany was Torres-esque. 

[Leif 6,006]

Neymar crying after his NT manager Tite defended him with strong & beautiful words in a press conference is one of the best moments i've seen. Instantly I have faith in Tite. That's a manager. Very special what he did there, and i've not seen it from any other manager.

[El P. 1,354]

I am watching second leg, Greece - Croatia, Manolas could be one of the best center backs under right manager. Monster defender. Rudy is good-ish, but think this guy is level above.

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[Leif 6,006]

This Italy game is definitely the most important game I've watched since our Champions League-winning campaign. Forget random teams winning titles, even ourselves winning the Premier League - games like this are so much more important. Like, once or twice in a lifetime level of importance. 

2 sides to this coin tonight. Embarrassing if Italy don't get through - but getting through puts paper over the cracks; losing out is the reality check they need, sorely.

[Leif 6,006]

Incredible. First time with my own eyes that I've seen genuine cheating in this game. We're not talking getting away with challenges because of a clumsy ref, but actual pre-determined cheating. 

It was already being said pre-game that there was worry of cheating - Fifa would lose 100m+ with Italy not being in the World Cup, and, pressure was already being put on refs post the previous game.

So far, 2/3 rather obvious penalties denied for Sweden. And the Swedish players are acting like they know. The ref definitely knows.

And a yellow card for good measure, for Forsberg, after denying him a rightful clear as day penalty He didn't even contest it.

[Leif 6,006]

Ventura is literally the most unqualified guy I've ever seen manage a top international side. This is shambles. How is this the guy who turned Torino into a Serie A mainstay?

[Leif 6,006]

Can't believe Candreva for over 5 seasons has been considered a worthy recruit for any top side each transfer window. If he was any worse at crossing he'd be circling.

[Leif 6,006]

Ventura better run after this game. I fear for his safety.

[Leif 6,006]

Russia's shit anyway.

[edetarod 2,155]

wow, Italy are so shite 

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Italy sweden was so weird...three clear handballs no penalty, Olsen punching the ball back in play instead of cathching it when he had all the time and space, and Thelin literaly passing the ball towards Buffon instead of taking the shot...

On another day you could say it was match fixed to end with no goals...

Feel sorry for Italy though, they were shit, but its still italy and they often spark the tournaments. Will be big loss not to see them in world cup. Kudos to Sweden, they fought well.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Also you can say Sweden eliminated Italy in typical good ol' park the bus italian style.

Irony.

[Jase 43,479]

5 hours ago, BlueLyon said:

Feel sorry for Italy though, they were shit, but its still italy and they often spark the tournaments. Will be big loss not to see them in world cup.

Debatable. They were rubbish in the last 2 World Cups, getting knocked out in the group stage and winning just 1 match. Though bizarrely, they have done better in the last 2 Euros, reaching the final in 2012 and quarter finals in 2016.

[Leif 6,006]

So excited to see Brazil tonight. It's a rubbish claim that they lack the brilliant players they used to & are getting results due to being a 'team'. Gabriel Jesus is probably as good as Neymar, Coutinho's no slouch at all, Paulinho's found his stride, and Marcelo/Alves is still the best international full-back pairing there is in my opinion.

Nevermind Alisson Favourite goalkeeper around. 

Glad to see Bertrand start - he'll surely be solid. 

Wouldn't have started Loftus-Cheek - it's a great compliment to him, but he hasn't got the most stamina in the world, and his mentality's always been fickle. Jerking him around a bit like Ryan Giggs alluded to, making him crave more and throwing him on later in the game, would be better for his development. It could knock the wind out of his sails putting him up against perhaps the most in-form international side around; hopefully there's no pulling him off at half time antics.
I THINK England are replicating our new 5-3-2 tonight, at least on paper, so if RLC is indeed in a midfield 3, we'll get to see exactly what we need to see. Pretty pathetic to start Livermore though; he makes the players around him worse.