Useless International matches

[dashsnow17]

messi can't do it alone they just don't have the midfield or defense to compete

True, they don't have a great defence and their midfield isn't in the same league as Spain's for example, but they've got some good midfielders and they should certainly be capable of passing it around better and controlling games.

A 3 man midfield made up of either Mascherano, Biglia, Banega, Paredes or Di Maria should be able to compete. It's a better midfield than England's, that's for sure. Santiago Ascacibar should also be on the fringes at least. Play Mammana in defence and they'd really start to control possession. Sampaoli is so blinkered in his selections.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

True, they don't have a great defence and their midfield isn't in the same league as Spain's for example, but they've got some good midfielders and they should certainly be capable of passing it around better and controlling games.

A 3 man midfield made up of either Mascherano, Biglia, Banega, Paredes or Di Maria should be able to compete. It's a better midfield than England's, that's for sure. Santiago Ascacibar should also be on the fringes at least. Play Mammana in defence and they'd really start to control possession. Sampaoli is so blinkered in his selections.

Agree they could do it with lesser quality teams but sampaoli will have to be realistic against bigger quality teams and play more defensively also it's shame talented players like Parades and Mammana gone after money and end up in Russia

 

[fc honka]

Favourites for me in order.

1. Spain
2. Brazil
3. France
4. Germany
5. Argentina
6. Belgium
7. England
8. Portugal

For Germany it will be good not to be top favorite , but Brazil is nowhere near to second on my list. Todays game did not change my opinion at all. I will be very surprised if they win. Spain and Germany (playing with their A-team) are much better and play a more fluent football.
So my list:
1. Spain and Germany
2. France
----gap
Brazil, Argentina and England (if the manager keeps it together)
and add Colombia (who beat France) to that list

 

[dashsnow17]

For Germany it will be good not to be top favorite , but Brazil is nowhere near to second on my list. Todays game did not change my opinion at all. I will be very surprised if they win. Spain and Germany (playing with their A-team) are much better and play a more fluent football.
So my list:
1. Spain and Germany
2. France
----gap
Brazil, Argentina and England (if the manager keeps it together)
and add Colombia (who beat France) to that list

Nah Brazil are better than you give credit for. From what I've seen they definitely have some fluid football.

Alisson/Ederson, Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, Miranda/Marquinhos, Marcelo, Casemiro, Paulinho, R. Augusto/Fernandinho, Coutinho/Willian, Jesus/Firmino & Neymar. I think that's a damn good team.

 

[dashsnow17]

Nah Brazil are better than you give credit for. From what I've seen they definitely have some fluid football.

Alisson/Ederson, Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, Miranda/Marquinhos, Marcelo, Casemiro, Paulinho, R. Augusto/Fernandinho, Coutinho/Willian, Jesus/Firmino & Neymar. I think that's a damn good team.

Actually I'd go even more attacking:

----------------Alisson
D. Alves - T. Silva - Miranda - Marcelo
--- Paulinho - Casemiro - Coutinho
--- Willian -- G. Jesus -- Neymar

Only Spain is beating that imo.

 

[Jury]

Brazil are resurgent. They go there with as much of a chance as Spain or anyone imo. It's hard to fault their best 11, and they have the second best player in the world.

 

[nick gould]

Kane for Vardy (though I love Vardy) and yeah it's probably the strongest team, Lallana/Wilshere for Ox too. They just don't have the quality or experience to really do something at this tournament. Quarters is the best they can hope for but that'll be a good tournament for them in my eyes.

My team would be.

Pickford
Walker Stones Maguire
Trippier Lallana Dier Lingard Rose
Sterling
Kane​

Is Pickford better than Butland?

 

[dashsnow17]

Looks like Argentina still haven't figured out a way to play. They limped, lucked and Messi'ed their way to the last final, but in 4 years you've got to do more than just say "fingers crossed Messi does the business". I know the've got a lot of problems sorting between Messi, Dybala, Higuain, Icardi and Di Maria (even Lanzini, Pavon and Lautaro), but they've had 4 years to figure this out. Also need to play Banega further back maybe next to Paredes or Biglia, and Mammana in defence.

I'm aware that the Argentinian FA is a total shambles, but they've had the best player on the planet for over a decade and a few months before the World Cup they still look like they're scrambling around in the dark. Pisses me off, it's the one team I'd really love to see play well.

Hang on a sec, I completely forgot about Aguero. Jesus H. Christ those are some good forward options.

 

[SuperGoon]

Argentina will get far but bottle it as usual.

 

[Erlis]

Switzerland vs Panama 6-0
Switzerland vs Greece 1-0

Xhaka captaining the team. Some people are just born to be leaders, simple as that.

 

[Vinci]

Wow, if beating Panama wasn't impressive enough, they also brushed Greece aside.

 

[Erlis]

Panama have qualified for the WC so they are a serious team, no matter what people think. Greece aren't that bad either.

From their group, they can lose only to Brazil.

 

[samshere]

Good, we now know that Xhaka would be very vital for when Arsenal play panama and greece.

 

[Aevi]

I wont lie, womens tennis is where it begins and ends. I don't think I could watch any other womens sport The search for the next dominant female is more interesting than the mens game.

Watch some women's beach volleyball mate, that's where it's at.

 

[Jury]

Watch some women's beach volleyball mate, that's where it's at

If I'm going to have a perv when she leaves the house, 'beach volleyball' wont be the search.

 

[Jury]

Switzerland vs Panama 6-0
Switzerland vs Greece 1-0

Xhaka captaining the team. Some people are just born to be leaders, simple as that.

 

[Aevi]

If I'm going to have a perv when she leaves the house, 'beach volleyball' wont be the search.

Beach volleyball is actually a great sport tbf, I've watched a bit and it's one of my favorite sports to play. It's one of the biggest reasons I'm looking forward to the summer.

 

[Jury]

Beach volleyball is actually a great sport tbf, I've watched a bit and it's one of my favorite sports to play. It's one of the biggest reasons I'm looking forward to the summer.

It looks good fun tbf. Really good for your legs if you play it on deep, dry sand.

 

[Brown Gooner]

Favourites to win the WC in alphabetical order: Brasil, Deutschland and España.

France are a very good team but don’t have the best manager. Belgium look like the international version of PSG. Argentina too look like a team of superstars that lacks chemistry and is very heavily reliant on Messi.

Uruguay and Portugal can be tough to beat and are dark horses.

IF there are no big upsets in the main competition then this could be the potential QF lineup.

Uruguay vs France
VERSUS
Brazil vs Belgium

Spain vs Argentina
VERSUS
Germany vs England

 

[Slartibartfast]

Zack Steffen is going to be the next top American goalkeeper. Here's how he saved the draw against France today. Fekir's screamer, then Dembele on the rebound.