World Cup 2018: Russia - General Chat

[Guest]

Great news for Mexico and it makes sense too. Why would he pick the USA when they aren't in the World Cup and he knows he has a chance for El Tri.

Mexico have a nice midfield but knowing them they will stagnate their side and continue to play Guardado and Dos Santos.

Mexico's best lineup in my opinion is this

Corona

Pizarro - Reyes - Alvarez - Layun

Gonzalez - Guardado

Vela - Corona - Lozano

Chicharito

 

They will probably go for

 

Ochoa

Alanis - Reyes - Moreno - Layun

Guardado - Herrera

Vela - Dos Santos - Lozano

Chicharito

 

[Guest]

On the topic, there is another NT who I think should try out players but more than likely won't. Australia

 

It should be:

Ryan

Risdon - Sainsbury - Milligan - Gersbach

Mooy - Luongo - Jedinak

Irvine - Troisi

Juric

 

With the alternate to Daniel De Silva and Brillante

 

It will be

 

Ryan

Sainsbury - Jurman - Milligan

Risdon - Luongo - Jedinak - Behich

Mooy - Irvine

Juric

[SirBalon]

I actually really like Mexico’s side for the oncoming edition of the World Cup. That side can give any team in the world a serious headache. There are some quality players there but their problem will be how the coach controls some of those egos. 

[Guest]

I'll do a few more

Should be

Ospina

Arias - Sanchez - Mina - Fabra

Cuellar - Barrios

Cuadrado - James - Cardona

Falcao

 

Will be

Ospina

Arias - Sanchez - Zapata - Fabra

C. Sanchez - Barrios

Cuadrado - James - Cardona

Falcao

 

Should be

Armani

Mercado - Otamendi - Mammana - Mas

Paredes - Kranevitter

Messi - Dybala

Higuain - Aguero

 

Will be

Romero

Mercado - Otamendi - Mascherano - Perotti

Biglia - Banega

Di Maria - Messi - Gomez

Aguero

 

Should be

Ederson

Sandro - Miranda - Marquinhos - Marcelo

Casemiro

Paulinho - Arthur

Coutinho -------------------- Neymar

Jesus

 

Will be

Alisson

Alves - Miranda - Silva - Marcelo

Casemiro

Paulinho - Augusto

Coutinho ---------------------- Neymar

Jesus

 

Should be

Campana

Pereira - Godin - Jimenez - Silva

Valverde - De Arrascaeta - Torreira

Suarez - Gomez - Cavani

 

Will be

Muslera

Pereira - Godin - Jimenez - Pereira

Rodriguez - Arevalo Rios - Lodeiro - Sanchez

Cavani - Suarez

 

Should be

Gallese

Advincula - Araujo - Rodriguez - Trauco

Aquino - Yotun

Farfan - Cueva - Flores

Guerrero

 

Will be

Gallese

Corzo - Ramos - Rodriguez - Trauco

Tapia - Yotun

Carrillo - Cueva - Flores

Guerrero

 

[Cicero]

Ive always rated Mexico since 2011. Talented players that are Very well drilled and organised as a team. Morocco are in the same category. 

[Guest]

Some of those were tough to guess (as in the will be lineups). Argentina was the hardest as they seem to be experimenting all the time. I think that's what they will go with though. 

Uruguay was fun to do because there are so many options that don't get a chance. They are so stagnant and could be so much better than they are now. They have talent, they are primitive as hell though.

Peru was also tough because the games vs New Zealand changed a lot. It would be harsh to bench Farfan due to his form, but I think Gareca will trust the side he's used all qualifiers.

I have way too much time on my hands.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Cicero said:

Ive always rated Mexico since 2011. Talented players that are Very well drilled and organised as a team. Morocco are in the same category. 

This current Mexico side doesn't play like a unit. That's not their fault though, they have some decent players although overrated and mostly just names. However, I can echo that Osorio isn't doing a very good job. The chemistry isn't there because he's always rotating and he's been a bit stubborn to see through a change.

I also think they've stagnated a bit. Vela and Chicharito aren't as good as they once were and they keep on playing. They need to give a chance to new blood such as Pineda, Lozano, Gonzalez and Alvarez.

[Cicero]

@Blue That's an interesting Argentine lineup. Could work but doubt Sampaoli will ditch 3 at the back. Also, Pizarro is first name in midfield for me. 

[Guest]

Just now, Cicero said:

@Blue That's an interesting Argentine lineup. Could work but doubt Sampaoli will ditch 3 at the back. Also, Pizarro is first name in midfield for me. 

Who would you have at left back? No one occured to me so I just put Mas.

I also forgot about Pizarro. I'd put him over Kranevitter but Paredes is a must.

[Cicero]

5 minutes ago, Blue said:

Who would you have at left back? No one occured to me so I just put Mas.

I also forgot about Pizarro. I'd put him over Kranevitter but Paredes is a must.

Rojo at LB. Height and at least he can cross. Somewhat. 

If I see Di maria there I will pull my hair. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Cicero said:

Rojo at LB. Height and at least he can cross. Somewhat. 

If I see Di maria there I will pull my hair. 

Well then prepare to pull your hair because these days it seems he's indispensable for Argentina, for some unknown reason.

[SirBalon]

Well as I announced earlier on in this thread, the AFA (Argentinian football federation) has housed themselves in Spain.  Jorge Sampaoli was already spotted in the Barcelona v Levante game over the weekend but it’s now known that practically the whole technical team (a few remain to arrive in a few weeks time) have made residence in Barcelona so as to start planning the World Cup in Russia for this summer.  

The AFA have been negotiating with the RFEF (Spanish football federation) for a month so as to be permitted to use FC Barcelona’s training city after the domestic season has been completed in Spain and with Barça’s acceptance the official announcement has been made today that Spain will be Argentina’s headquarters before they head off to Russia for the World’s Cup.  In the meantime the intermittent reunions of the Argentina World Cup squad will be meeting in La Manga (Almería, Spain).

The AFA have also organised to high profile friendlies against two European giants against Italy and Spain respectively for March which will be played in Atlético Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium and Sevilla’s iconic Ramón Sánchez Pizjuan.

This is all very organised and great planning by Argentina, they’re really going all out for this oncoming World Cup.

[Stan]

Pretty sure most clubs are organised like this though? Finding a base to be at and then arranging friendlies. Nothing out of the ordinary?

And 'La Manga' sends shudders down my spine. 

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, Stan said:

Pretty sure most clubs are organised like this though? Finding a base to be at and then arranging friendlies. Nothing out of the ordinary?

And 'La Manga' sends shudders down my spine. 

But what’s not normal is for months in advance for a federation to house themselves in another country.  I just think it’s top planning.

[Stan]

Just now, SirBalon said:

But what’s not normal is for months in advance for a federation to house themselves in another country.  I just think it’s top planning.

will this affect Spain in any way? Surely giving a big nation like Argentina a head-start like this could backfire on them?

[SirBalon]

Just now, Stan said:

will this affect Spain in any way? Surely giving a big nation like Argentina a head-start like this could backfire on them?

Doesn’t affect Spain at all as they have their state of the art training city in Madrid, Las Rozas.

[Stan]

Just now, SirBalon said:

Doesn’t affect Spain at all as they have their state of the art training city in Madrid, Las Rozas.

what I meant was giving Argentina a training base like Barcelona with top class facilities no doubt will surely aid them. As opposed to maybe a vastly smaller club or base to be at.

[SirBalon]

Just now, Stan said:

what I meant was giving Argentina a training base like Barcelona with top class facilities no doubt will surely aid them. As opposed to maybe a vastly smaller club or base to be at.

Indeed... This is why I think their planning has been brilliant. Have the other Latin American federations done the same thing?

[Stan]

3 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Indeed... This is why I think their planning has been brilliant. Have the other Latin American federations done the same thing?

exactly, so there's a possibility that may backfire on the Spaniards.

Argentina at a good base means they are more likely to perform well as opposed to how they would perform after being at a mediocre/average base. Therefore giving them a better chance of success and potentially hindering Spain in their World Cup journey. 

[HK85]

Catalonia helping out a competition rival. That'll go down well. 

[SirBalon]

12 minutes ago, Stan said:

exactly, so there's a possibility that may backfire on the Spaniards.

Argentina at a good base means they are more likely to perform well as opposed to how they would perform after being at a mediocre/average base. Therefore giving them a better chance of success and potentially hindering Spain in their World Cup journey. 

Yeah, but Spain were always going to prepare where they will be doing and trying to think about what someone else is doing and possibly hampering them isn’t football. But I get what you mean.

[SirBalon]

11 minutes ago, HK85 said:

Catalonia helping out a competition rival. That'll go down well. 

The RFEF who are the ones that gave the permission aren’t Catalunya.  The RFEF are the Spanish football federation mate.

[Danny]

So I'll be in New Zealand when this kicks off.

England vs Tunisia I will be up at 07:45 to watch it.

England vs Panama I will be up at 01:45 on a Monday morning (won't be working that day....)

Then England vs Belgium I will be up at 06:45.

 

 

Also just worked out that if we make it to the quarter finals we'll either play Brazil or Germany depending on if we finish 1st or 2nd and assuming they both win their groups and make the quarters too. Belgium would be the other obvious choice to face one of them also.

Other expected quarter finals (expected by myself) are France vs Portugal and Argentina vs Spain.

[Toinho]

Australia hire Bert Van Marwijk for the World Cup campaign. Did well with the Dutch in 2010, got the Saudi's qualified this time round but I have my reservations. 

https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2018/01/25/van-marwijk-appointed-new-socceroos-coach

[Guest]

Good appointment. Now I think our group will be a dog fight for second. Australia aren't as good as us on paper (or Denmark for that matter) but they have a ton of personality and I expect that to go up with this guy.

France I don't think will breeze through the group but they should be finishing first.