It's time for the World Cup! The Pannini stickerbook is purchased, New Jersey is starting sports betting the day before, and the Univision guys are resting their voices.
No US, Italy or Holland takes some of the shine off of this particular edition, but it should still be a good tournament especially when you get to the round of 16. As of this morning, the betting favorites are Brazil and Germany, followed by Spain and France. Uruguay is an interesting longshot at anywhere from 25-1/30-1 to win and they are 7-2 to reach the quarters.
I think Spain is my pick right now, but they have the added wrinkle of Real Madrid naming the National Team coach as their next manager.
For resources, both the Totally Football Show and Guardian Football Weekly have full podcast breakdowns of each group.
Enjoy!
I'm more than a little worried about the news from Spain today. If things go even slightly sour on Friday against Portugal it could be a problem. Unlike four years ago, I don't think Spain's group is strong enough to see them eliminated before the knockout. However for different reasons the cross with Group A is littered with potential landmines:
1. Uruguay - rough and tumble and the type of team that gives Spain huge problems
2. Egypt - Salah/Ramos 2
3. Russia - hosts (even if they are generally held as a terrible side)
Any of those can be sticky or worse for Spain if confidence is less than 100%. Friday is absolutely enormous.
Elsewhere, there's some great matches to look for this weekend. Croatia-Nigeria, Peru-Denmark, and Poland-Senegal are three that I am really looking forward to.
Overall for the tournament, teams I like to do well: Uruguay, Colombia
Teams I like to disappoint: Brazil, France
Also, does anyone give any credence to the refs 'helping' home team Russia out of the round robin?
Will always foot for Argentina because it would be the icing on the cake for the incomparable Messi.
Link - ( New Window )
It will be interesting to see what horseshit calls Russia gets to advance out of their group.
Could even be worse than South Korea.
Don’t really like them up front. However, if Sané gets time, then he adds a different dimension with his pace.
As for Brazil, I've got them getting through their group but a few things worry me:
- Tite has been lauded for reducing their reliance on Neymar, but I have to see that to believe it once the bright lights are on. I wonder how much he wants to make up for missing the critical matches of four years ago with the back injury. He is a HUGE ego. And besides that, how fit is he? He's barely played since February.
- Dani Alves's absence through injury has been underreported IMO. He's still the best right fullback in the world, and I'd listen to arguments that he was the best player Brazil had. His replacement is slated to be Fagner from Corinithians, who twice couldn't hack it in Europe. If you believe that a tournament like this exposes weaknesses, this area has a big bullseye on it. If Brazil crosses with Belgium it could be a huge problem given their 3-4-3.
- I don't trust Casemiro to be defensively responsible. He has a tendency to roam forward and get too involved in the final third, which is a problem when Marcelo is your left fullback (in name only...he's a winger). Consider also that Tite appears to be going forward with Coutinho in midfield, and I'd worry about their defensive solidity.
Brazil has a reputation for flair and "the beautiful game", but the keys to their success have been strong central midfielders. Mauro Silva, Dunga, Kleberson...fierce guys that allowed creative players to be free. I don't think Casemiro is in their class.
Like I said I've got them getting out of the group, but I wonder if a defensively organized side like Sweden or a team with three at the back (Mexico) could give them problems in the first elimination match.
I believe so. I think the tournament is supposed to expand (48 teams?).
The Nigerian kits are apparently selling in droves.
Plus, the Chosen One has mentality beaten him to a pulp.
He may be the most overrated player on earth based on his pay.
Also, does anyone give any credence to the refs 'helping' home team Russia out of the round robin?
In general, south american teams just don't win the cup in europe. The last team to do it was Brazil in 1953 IIRC.
Also, Brazil infamously disappointed last cup, and that will probably never be forgotten. This year they appear to be loaded though.
I mentioned Belgium above.
Besides, I'd bet money that soccer is the second most popular sport in this country. It's just that the game has way more options (leagues from all over the world) to follow, so it doesn't show up in ratings and thus wouldn't generate major interest from the networks.
Terps - What do you think of Lopetegui as a manager? I don't pay much attention. To Spain, but I like the little I've seen. Also it seems his players love him.
I expect Julen to immediately look for upgrades at Striker, GK and RB.
While I agree the buzz is down without the US team, I don't think FOX has bailed on the World Cup considering that Port Authority in NY is draped in FOX World Cup advertising.
Wow. Thanks, Tony.
Anybody else shocked by this?
As for Spain, all goes back to Fiorentino Perez. Egomaniac.
Quote:
Sane was not nominated for the German team. He failed to make the cut.
Wow. Thanks, Tony.
Anybody else shocked by this?
I think just about everybody was shocked because of name recognition. If you look at Sane with the German team you wouldn't be. His numbers are not good. I think he has 12 caps for Germany. He hasn't scored a goal and only has 1 assist.
One thing Germany has not been sucked into doing is having guys on the team or keeping guys just for name recognition. They are very astute at roster management. I think it is one of the reasons they are so successful on the Int'l stage.
Even if they don't win it all, I almost always give them a shot because I don't think there has been a more consistent side in world soccer over the past 30 years. They don't always win, but they rarely fail to at least have a decent showing.
Overall, Germany has a good squad but they seem terribly out of form and that defense is suspect. Hasn't stopped them from advancing in the past. But we'll see.
For some reason, the German fans weren't too enthused about their chances. I watched Germany barely squeak by Austria in a bar where I was the only American and the fans at the end were buying me beers and letting me join in on their chants, but it got them to clinch their group.
The first match of the knockout stage was against Portugal and we had a work event set up to watch the match as a company at a local restaurant. Beautiful evening and I think Germany won 3-2. I had never seen such joy before as the Germans really thought their team would lose. Found out that German schnapps is nothing like American schnapps that night!!
I had to go up to Dortmund prior to the next match vs. Turkey and was surprised at the number of Turkish flags and supporters. Germany beat them in a close game and I think came from behind and won it very late. After each Turkish goal, you could hear nearby bars erupt. I landed back in the US the night they lost the final, so I didn't get to see that match.
What many Germans told me is that 2008 was one of the first times since the World War eras where the Germans started showing signs of nationalism. That the flag waving during the tourney was something not very common prior.
I really felt like I was part of that magic - and perhaps that's why I root for Germany.
Not the first time a national manager has had a club job lined up after a major tournament. Conte was announced as Chelsea manager while he was still the Italian manager for the Euros. It didn't happen three days before the tournament was starting, to be fair. But this feels like cutting off your nose to spite your face.
It was a scumbag move by Lopetegui and, unsurprisingly, Real Madrid...a shit club with fascist roots that has always taken from the game more than it has given. God I have always fucking hated that club.
My initial thought is obviously that Spain's tournament is probably over before it begins. They should still get through the group, but at this point I wouldn't know what to expect from them at all.
I'll defer to you on how the GNT operates. I saw Sane play the last few years for City and he's a real force. That speed and acceleration are terrific in my book. And he never seems to run out of gas.
Ozil, on the other hand, only plays when he cares. And it's anybody's guess when that will be.
It was a scumbag move by Lopetegui and, unsurprisingly, Real Madrid...a shit club with fascist roots that has always taken from the game more than it has given. God I have always fucking hated that club.
My initial thought is obviously that Spain's tournament is probably over before it begins. They should still get through the group, but at this point I wouldn't know what to expect from them at all.
Rubiales is a liar. Saying he found out 5 minutes before the announcement. They released a statement yesterday when it was announced.
Spanish Football Federation removed their 1st announcement about Lopetegui signing for Real Madrid from their official website: It said: "The RFEF has been at all times in contact with Real Madrid and the negotiations of our coach with his future team. The RFEF wishes best luck to Julen Lopetegui in his new stage and asks for utmost respect to maintain normality on the National team before their debut vs Portugal"
Rubiales is wrong. That's why the players (Madrid & Barca players) fought to keep Lopetegui. Even the guy who ended up getting the job (Hierro) didn't think Lopetegui should be sacked.
This is a hot take. Not sure I agree, but I do think France needs to change how they setup and rely more heavily on N'Golo Kante. Kante is the type of player who could do all the dirty work to allow Pogba to shine. The kind of player he doesn't have next to him at United.
Now if one of the most expensive footballers in the world needs the right players around him to succeed, then he's probably a bit overrated. I agree there. But he still brings a lot to the table. I'd try him and Kante together in a two man midfield, send Matuidi to the bench, and load up the attack up front.
If there was a year for Peru, Uruguay, Mexico, Colombia, or someone like that to really make a deep run, I think this could be the year.
Real Madrid didn't mind fucking over the national team when they didn't really have to. But they're Real Madrid, so why should they care? Florentino's is and has been a scumbag; the examples of him being one are too many and too well documented to deny.
Good for the RFEF for firing Lopetegui. Have fun dealing with Ronaldo's whining and not being able to find anyone to buy him.
Link - ( New Window )
If there was a year for Peru, Uruguay, Mexico, Colombia, or someone like that to really make a deep run, I think this could be the year.
I picked Uruguay to win the whole thing in a pool I'm in. They've got the best central defense pairing - Godin is the best CB in the world and his Atletico teammate Jose Maria Gimenez is a rising star. They've got the best strike partnership with Suarez/Cavani. A good goalkeeper in Muslera whose played a million times for them. An improved midfield from previous teams - Betancour from Juve could be really good though he's still young. And their coach is hugely experienced.
Easy group to start, and could be looking at a path of Portugal and France in the first two elimination matches. Winning the whole thing may be too far but I could easily see Uruguay in the semis or the final.
Quote:
don't feel very confident about anyone in this tournament. Everyone seems to have warts. I would have been most comfortable with Spain, but with the coaching news they're certainly in flux.
If there was a year for Peru, Uruguay, Mexico, Colombia, or someone like that to really make a deep run, I think this could be the year.
I picked Uruguay to win the whole thing in a pool I'm in. They've got the best central defense pairing - Godin is the best CB in the world and his Atletico teammate Jose Maria Gimenez is a rising star. They've got the best strike partnership with Suarez/Cavani. A good goalkeeper in Muslera whose played a million times for them. An improved midfield from previous teams - Betancour from Juve could be really good though he's still young. And their coach is hugely experienced.
Easy group to start, and could be looking at a path of Portugal and France in the first two elimination matches. Winning the whole thing may be too far but I could easily see Uruguay in the semis or the final.
You're stealing my picks, dude.
I've been reading/listening to podcasts about this all day. The story from multiple sources has been, as far as I can tell, pretty consistent:
1. Florentino contacted Lopetegui on Friday
2. Lopetegui told Florentino he was interested, and to work it out with his agent (the ubiquitous Jorge Mendes)
3. On Monday Lopetegui agree to take the job
4. 5:40PM Moscow time Rubiales (FA President) is informed
5. 5:45PM Real Madrid publicly announced the hiring
6. Over an hour later the FA releases a statement that sounds positive, then changes it to sound less so
7. Rubiales (in Moscow for the FIFA congress) flies to Krasnodar
8. Wednesday morning Rubiales, Lopetegui, Hierro, and Ramos meet - they try to convince Rubiales to keep Lopetegui
9. Rubiales emerges from the meeting and announces Lopetegui is sacked
Guillem Balague, Sid Lowe, Gab Marcotti, Marca, and AS all reported that, with varying opinions on whether or not Rubiales acted correctly.
Personally I think Rubiales did the right thing. Given the history of Madrid/Barca, Spain could not have a situation where there was speculation that Lopetegui was favoring a Real Madrid player or slighting a Barca player. Even in the likely event that it would be bullshit, just the perception of such behavior could have huge consequences. The situation could be salvageable had Lopetegui taken a job in England or in Italy or something...but Real Madrid? No. The same would have applied had he taken a job at Barcelona.
Further, and I can't say this strongly enough, fuck Florentino Perez and Real Madrid. Their gall and arrogance make Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder look like class acts. This was a move beyond the pale, even for their already pathetic standard. And they deserve the guy they got - I understand that managing Real Madrid could be a once in a lifetime opportunity, but Lopetegui signed an extension to 2020 with Spain 3 weeks ago. You'd think Spain was some kind of joke job instead of a team that's legitimately within the 4 or 5 best teams at this World Cup.
Scumbag move from a club that's been a scumbag since Franco was buying their European titles back in the '50s. Hopefully Hierro (another guy that got fucked by Real Madrid) does a good job and shoves it up their ass.
5. 5:45PM on Tuesday Real Madrid publicly announced the hiring