Oli Mcburnie.
I jest, but I would like to see Shankland more. He's a natural goalscorer.
Day 6 | Croatia vs Albania | Germany vs Hungary | Scotland vs Switzerland
- Thread starter SilentWitness
- Start date
Oli Mcburnie.
I jest, but I would like to see Shankland more. He's a natural goalscorer.
First time watching scotland in ages and I thought they looked ok. At least, they pass the ball out from the back. Their attacks patterns are so limited, though.
Thought McTom did well tonight. Put in a real shift and covered huge amounts of ground. Probably Scotland’s best player.
Better performance and result.
But I’d like to have seen us commit more for the win. Clarke’s persistence with Ralston continues to cost us a goal a game and makes it difficult to build up play with his limited technical ability. If we don’t progress he has to carry responsibility for his selection choices. Thought both Forrest and Shankland should’ve been introduced earlier, but the in-game management was questionable again.
But I’d like to have seen us commit more for the win. Clarke’s persistence with Ralston continues to cost us a goal a game and makes it difficult to build up play with his limited technical ability. If we don’t progress he has to carry responsibility for his selection choices. Thought both Forrest and Shankland should’ve been introduced earlier, but the in-game management was questionable again.
Clarke defaults to his overly defensive instincts. It’s happened at both tournaments where he’s tried to play it too safe in the first game, mess it up, forcing him to commit more in the second game, which works because it plays to our strengths.
Couldn't agree more of I tried.
Annoying as well, considering our defense is the weakest link in all of it.
Our coach lost the plot completely. Changing the team again with no logic and we looked horrible. Everybody went to the middle, congesting the place and we didnt really have a plan how to make a chance, let alone score a goal. Albania was constantly dangerous and we looked suspect in defense. It all changed with the subs but when we should have hold the fort we collapsed and conceded.
Dalić believes too much in Modrić and especially Brozović who is taking it easy since he went to Saudi. Young Sučić when he came in completely changed the game and with him and Budimir and Pašalić it should be a recipe for Italy.
Playing Petković who isnt filling the box instead of Budimir, playing Perišić who's not the same since injury, putting Stanišić who had a great season with Bayer on the bench, putting the same midfield trio although they've been crap vs Spain, not giving a chance to left wingers Pjaca and Ivanušec. Dalić has lost the plot as I said and his teams and subs are more about a reaction to media than some football logic. You can be sure Spalletti will prepare his team for and will know our weaknesses, on the other hand Dalić will go with some logic of his, no matter who he's playing against.
I love Modrić, he's the best Croatian player ever and one of the best midfielders ever but he should know when its over and Dalić should know too. We shouldn't be their hostages.
Dalić believes too much in Modrić and especially Brozović who is taking it easy since he went to Saudi. Young Sučić when he came in completely changed the game and with him and Budimir and Pašalić it should be a recipe for Italy.
Playing Petković who isnt filling the box instead of Budimir, playing Perišić who's not the same since injury, putting Stanišić who had a great season with Bayer on the bench, putting the same midfield trio although they've been crap vs Spain, not giving a chance to left wingers Pjaca and Ivanušec. Dalić has lost the plot as I said and his teams and subs are more about a reaction to media than some football logic. You can be sure Spalletti will prepare his team for and will know our weaknesses, on the other hand Dalić will go with some logic of his, no matter who he's playing against.
I love Modrić, he's the best Croatian player ever and one of the best midfielders ever but he should know when its over and Dalić should know too. We shouldn't be their hostages.
He really did, bad decision making, dribbling into non-existent gaps, weak passes. You name it.
Maybe desperation at seeing himself being overtaken by all the exciting young German players?
He comes out of injury (was only able to start 2 of the last 10 matches of the season) and simply isn't in form. On top he wasn't allowed to play for Nagelsmann's "2024 team" which sets up a lot different then before (due to a red card last year). I don't think he worries that much about his status considering that Nagelsmann made very clear that he would be part of the team even while he was injured and suspended. He is the only player besides Neuer that got this kind of public backing from the manager.
Do you think he will get a start in the last group game?
Only if one of Wirtz/Gündogan/Musiala isn't fully fit. Nagelsmann very clearly trusts his first 11 and everybody else is there to come on in specific situations or to manage minutes.
There also seems a bit of a strategic approach to it - start with a front four that's focused on passing and tight spaces to be able to break through lower blocks (which we can also expect from Switzerland who won't try to dominate the match) and then when spaces open up change to more straightforward attackers (Sane, Führich, Füllkrug) that can pull off counter attacks well.
Füllkrug maybe doesn't fit this 100% as his physicality likely can also be used to force a goal against low blocks, but Nagelsmann seems to prefer Havertz for that situation who also has a good header in him and definitely is better at passing and moving in tight spaces.
Gundogan has been brilliant for Germany. Always composed and clever, quick passing and great movement, he brings so much fluidity into final third. Doesn't have flamboyance and swagger though, so he doesn't get enough plaudits.
Genuinely wouldn't surprise me if Le Tissier eventually came out and said something like this.
Gündogan throughout his Germany career has been a victim of better players around him. He never was able to establish himself as the main man in the team (and arguably still isn't that this time). But for the first time maybe ever he now has a role for "himself" in the team that allows him to shine. But when you don't fulfill high hopes for about 70 of your 78 caps it's not surprising it's not surprising that you get that much plaudits. But he has to change to finally turn that around.
Yeah I really don't think Gundogan played with better players than him though. He's had a weird trajectory though it must be said and has been underestimated and overlooked for years even as he was arguably City's best player, certainly the most decisive
Who is the better CM, Gündogan or Kroos? Most of his career they played in a double pivot and that never worked well. Putting Andrich besides Kroos and Gündogan in front of him just is better for both, and arguably including Andrich into the team has been the most important change to Germany's midfield (even more than Kroos coming back).
Didn't Kroos leave the NT after 2018?
Yes, but Gündogan/Kimmich has the same balance problem.
Kimmich isn't better than Gundogan though
During his (short) peak he was.
What
I think there's too many people in the attacking midfield, Musiala, Gundo and Wirtz .. and Havertz are basically stepping on each other or running on the same spaces. Too much crowding.
I didn't say he played bad, but his role/positioning looks a surplus of requirements for me. Of course, he played better than Wirtz and he's the captain so he's not the one being dropped if Nagelsmann wants to add width or another player lower in midfield.