both later games have a bit of promise to be interesting:
How bad or good will Panama look vs. the Belgian juggernaut and how much worse (or slightly better) a look will that be for the failed USMNT?
Tunisia has some talent, what is its side, 21 ranked by FIFA, FWIW, ahead of Senegal, US, Iceland and Costa Rica...and how will England fare in this WC?
Well established players playing with a lack of sharpness and hunger. Khedira and Ozil didn't look up to the level of the match, and Kroos didn't look interested.
Germany might still get out of the group, but I don't see them doing anything without major changes.
Maybe someone with more expertise than me can weigh in.... Â
midfield was definitely lacking. Khedira was a fine player in his day, and still can be effective in the right circumstances. But Mexico badly exposed his lack of pace. Their counter attack was lethal. Would think changes need to come there. Though I'm not sure there's an obvious upgrade. Think Reus should come in though, maybe for Ozil. The inconsistency of Ozil is maddening.
And I know that maybe Sane has not fit perfectly with this established squad, and those more familiar with the German team have explained this well. But man it sure seemed like they could have used someone with his one-on-one playmaking ability yesterday. Still wondering if they overthought that one.
They still should advance, though one more slip up and they're out. Margin for error is gone.
has consistently been less than the sum of its parts and I'm not sure Martinez is the manager to bring them together. Leaving Nainggolan home was a head scratcher
even for someone like me with a very limited understanding of the sport and no rooting interest. But listening to US sports fans talk euro football speak is even more entertaining. Please keep it coming.
I think they're underrated actually and that's because some of their past problems. But this is a good squad. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they eliminate someone in this tournament that is supposedly considered better.
They have a lot of speed but little quality on the ball. No one to unlock doors with a cutting pass or dribbling ability in tight quarters. Maybe Rashford can be that guy. They could have used Lallana as a different option, but injuries have obviously been a problem.
Their first two matches are Tunisia and Panama; you'd think Southgate's focus these past few months would have been on how to break down a packed defense. Instead we see a team built to counterattack. We're seeing the result.
It's also not ideal for Belgium. Belgium will have 3 CBs to cope with England's two forwards, but England will only have 3 CBs to cope with Lukaku, Mertens, and Hazard. No spare man, and one of the CBs is a converted fullback (Walker).
England should theoretically have numerical superiority in midfield, but De Bruyne alone is worth two of any of the English players.
Kane gets the win with a header, but I don't think England is anything to worry about.
and won going away. The penalty shot given Tunisia was also a joke. Tunisia was virtually tackling players and the ref calls that a penalty shot? Tunisia just sat back and didn't even try to score, they got what they deserved.
Fox has taken a lot of criticism for their coverage and their announcers but I thought the Derek Rae/Aly Wagner pairing today was excellent. She was spot on praising the RLC substitution, when he's surely one of the lesser known players in the squad. He had a definite impact.
is so opportunistic. Always moving to an empty spot, as he did on those two goals. But I don't understand how Tunisia could leave him unmarked at the far post on a corner kick, and right in front of the goal.
Fox has taken a lot of criticism for their coverage and their announcers but I thought the Derek Rae/Aly Wagner pairing today was excellent. She was spot on praising the RLC substitution, when he's surely one of the lesser known players in the squad. He had a definite impact.
+1 And Warren Barton and Cooliwell (sp?) were a welcome breath of fresh air for Belgium Panama. Listening to Barton gives the audience an entirely deeper, more nuanced insight into play. Aly Wagner and Derek Rae, also very good--
in addition to nailing that sub, she made good comments on the short space--and dangerous ticcy/tacky--play by Tunisian backs and when they went way wide, or addressing the point Terps made above how England needed to play off Kane or DelliAli to gain penetration. The four today, put the rest of the Fox pbp/commentators to shame by...what? Giving insight about the game, the way it's being played and defended, pace and feint. God forbid.
All that the US male announcers can do is recite meaningless statistics and tell you, maybe, who's on the ball and where the ball went--it's called ball watching and many fans know that if that's what you're doing, you're not grasping the whole of the game. Every set piece is a "great opportunity here for xxx"; sick of it.
both later games have a bit of promise to be interesting:
How bad or good will Panama look vs. the Belgian juggernaut and how much worse (or slightly better) a look will that be for the failed USMNT?
Tunisia has some talent, what is its side, 21 ranked by FIFA, FWIW, ahead of Senegal, US, Iceland and Costa Rica...and how will England fare in this WC?
Germany might still get out of the group, but I don't see them doing anything without major changes.
And I know that maybe Sane has not fit perfectly with this established squad, and those more familiar with the German team have explained this well. But man it sure seemed like they could have used someone with his one-on-one playmaking ability yesterday. Still wondering if they overthought that one.
They still should advance, though one more slip up and they're out. Margin for error is gone.
That ball from KDB is so nice
Panama wasn't even competitive.
1-0
Panama wasn't even competitive.
I do think this is the best squad England has had at a major tournament since maybe the 2006 WC.
Southgate seems to have a good idea of how he wants to set up his team and a number of top players are in good form.
Played a role there as he guessed correctly
Or as they said on Univision: "Tonto"
It's also not ideal for Belgium. Belgium will have 3 CBs to cope with England's two forwards, but England will only have 3 CBs to cope with Lukaku, Mertens, and Hazard. No spare man, and one of the CBs is a converted fullback (Walker).
England should theoretically have numerical superiority in midfield, but De Bruyne alone is worth two of any of the English players.
Kane gets the win with a header, but I don't think England is anything to worry about.
in addition to nailing that sub, she made good comments on the short space--and dangerous ticcy/tacky--play by Tunisian backs and when they went way wide, or addressing the point Terps made above how England needed to play off Kane or DelliAli to gain penetration. The four today, put the rest of the Fox pbp/commentators to shame by...what? Giving insight about the game, the way it's being played and defended, pace and feint. God forbid.
All that the US male announcers can do is recite meaningless statistics and tell you, maybe, who's on the ball and where the ball went--it's called ball watching and many fans know that if that's what you're doing, you're not grasping the whole of the game. Every set piece is a "great opportunity here for xxx"; sick of it.