Under 21 Euros 2019

SCP said:
Let’s see in the next tournaments then. Last chance Belgium has to win a big tournament is 2020, after that not even close.
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Sure. They're a tiny country afterall, expecting them to have the generational turnover of Spain, Germany or Italy is unrealistic. But they do *currently* have a better generation in the national team than those countries. That's been pretty clear on the pitch. They still can't hold a candle to France btw
carvajal said:
:lol: don´t be weepy
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Never :lol: can't get over it. Clear best team, at home, and we pissed it away :mad:

do.ob said:
Where is Belgium's Waldschmidt?
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:lol:
 
giorno said:
Sure. They're a tiny country afterall, expecting them to have the generational turnover of Spain, Germany or Italy is unrealistic. But they do *currently* have a better generation in the national team than those countries. That's been pretty clear on the pitch. They still can't hold a candle to France btw

Never :lol: can't get over it. Clear best team, at home, and we pissed it away :mad:


:lol:
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I'd take Belgium's squad over France tbh. I also think they were the better team when they met at the WC last year.
 
Zehner said:
I'd take Belgium's squad over France tbh. I also think they were the better team when they met at the WC last year.
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Apart from Hazard and KdB, none of Belgian players will start for France team. Belgium don't even have proper LB, they break their best CB partnership to play Vertonghen as LB.
 
roonster09 said:
Apart from Hazard and KdB, none of Belgian players will start for France team. Belgium don't even have proper LB, they break their best CB partnership to play Vertonghen as LB.
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I don't know, France has so, so many indivualistic players and ball hoggers. You may say they have the greatest accumulated individual quality of any nation currently but as a collective they just don't convince me. They were very lucky to get past Belgium IMO. If I were to rank the teams of that WC, I'd have France third behind Belgium and Brazil. I also think that many French players are currently massively overrated because they are so talented but have very bad decision making. I'd say the only truly world class players they have are Griezmann, Kanté and Mbappe and I'd still put Hazard ahead of Mbappe and de Bruyne clearly ahead of Griezmann and Kanté.

Especially the French midfield is very weak IMO and it's no coincidence they were dominated quite a bit by Modric and Rakitic and also against Belgium. I haven't seen Ndombele play yet so maybe he's the missing piece but as of now I think they are in desperate need of one or even two midfielders that have their strengthes in pressing resistance, passing and ball retention/circulation. Kanté andSissok can't do that while Pogba could but refuses to do the simple things, always looking for the killer pass and letting opponents near him so he can shield the ball pointlessly.
 
Zehner said:
I don't know, France has so, so many indivualistic players and ball hoggers. You may say they have the greatest accumulated individual quality of any nation currently but as a collective they just don't convince me. They were very lucky to get past Belgium IMO. If I were to rank the teams of that WC, I'd have France third behind Belgium and Brazil. I also think that many French players are currently massively overrated because they are so talented but have very bad decision making. I'd say the only truly world class players they have are Griezmann, Kanté and Mbappe and I'd still put Hazard ahead of Mbappe and de Bruyne clearly ahead of Griezmann and Kanté.

Especially the French midfield is very weak IMO and it's no coincidence they were dominated quite a bit by Modric and Rakitic and also against Belgium. I haven't seen Ndombele play yet so maybe he's the missing piece but as of now I think they are in desperate need of one or even two midfielders that have their strengthes in pressing resistance, passing and ball retention/circulation. Kanté andSissok can't do that while Pogba could but refuses to do the simple things, always looking for the killer pass and letting opponents near him so he can shield the ball pointlessly.
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You just disregard set up and talk about dominating midfield. France manager was comfortable in setting up to hit the teams on counter attack considering how good they are defensively and use the pace of Mbappe.

Argentina dominated possession against Croatia (57% vs 43%) and lost 3-0. Mascha - Perez midfield had more possession than Modric, Rakitic, Brozovic. I won't say Mascha and Perez are anywhere near Croatian midfield.

In the nations league, England midfield completely dominated Croatia's, it was Dier, Barkley and Delph.

Remember we had this same discussion, teams's dominating possession depends on how coach sets up his team. I gave you examples too from the City side which is dominating possession wasn't so dominant before Pep.
 
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roonster09 said:
It's sort of moot to argue when you just disregard set up and talk about dominating midfield. France manager was comfortable in setting up to hit the teams on counter attack considering how good they are defensively and use the pace of Mbappe.

Argentina dominated possession against Croatia (57% vs 43%) and lost 3-0. Mascha - Perez midfield had more possession than Modric, Rakitic, Brozovic. I won't say Msacha and Perez are anywhere near Croatian midfield.

In the nations league, England midfield completely dominated Croatia's, it was Dier, Barkley and Delph.

Remember we had this same discussion, teams's dominating possession depends on how coach sets up his team. I gave you examples too from the City side which is dominating possession wasn't so dominant before Pep.
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I'm not suggesting they should turn into Spain 2.0. I just don't like their 'head through the wall' approach in midfield. Real wasn't a possession-oriented team either when they won those CLs but they could bring elements of it to their game with Modric and Kroos. Even Klopp's Dortmund played a typical Pep player in person of Gündogan in midfield.

That being said, even if you go solely by names, their squad side isn't as impressive as you'd think considering how people fawn about it. After all, players like Giroud, Matuidi and Pavard are regular starters for them. After all

Lukaku
Mertens - E. Hazard
T. Hazard/Carrasco - de Bruyne - Witsel - Meunier/Carrasco
Kompany/Vermaelen - Alderweireld - Vertonghen
Courtois

simply looks stronger to me, both on paper and regarding the collective/synergies between players.
 
Zehner said:
I'm not suggesting they should turn into Spain 2.0. I just don't like their 'head through the wall' approach in midfield. Real wasn't a possession-oriented team either when they won those CLs but they could bring elements of it to their game with Modric and Kroos. Even Klopp's Dortmund played a typical Pep player in person of Gündogan in midfield.

That being said, even if you go solely by names, their squad side isn't as impressive as you'd think considering how people fawn about it. After all, players like Giroud, Matuidi and Pavard are regular starters for them. After all

Lukaku
Mertens - E. Hazard
T. Hazard/Carrasco - de Bruyne - Witsel - Meunier/Carrasco
Kompany/Vermaelen - Alderweireld - Vertonghen
Courtois

simply looks stronger to me, both on paper and regarding the collective/synergies between players.
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You posted bunch of average players in most positions. Hazard and KdB are stand out players, rest all are inferior to French team. Rabiot can't even get a look in and he would be arguably Belgium's best midfielder. Same with players like Laporte, Mendy (couple of them), Digne who would start for Belgium team.

GK, Hazard, KdB are better than what France have.
 
roonster09 said:
You posted bunch of average players in most positions. Hazard and KdB are stand out players, rest all are inferior to French team. Rabiot can't even get a look in and he would be arguably Belgium's best midfielder. Same with players like Laporte, Mendy (couple of them), Digne who would start for Belgium team.

GK, Hazard, KdB are better than what France have.
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I think Witsel is significantly better than Matuidi and Sissoko. Also Thorgan, Mertens and Carrasco (not simultaneously, but if you drop one of them kn the French team, obviously) would start for France IMO. And Lukaku is definitely better than Giroud, especially for the role he's supposed to play. France also has great CBs, that's true, but their full backs aren't all that special. Of course France has some very talemted players, but that's what I mean. So often they simply play brain dead and frustrating football (Dembele, Pogba, Sissoko, at times even Mbappe).

Rabiot by the way can't get into that team because of their philosophy which is what I am criticizing. I think they'd be much better with him but Deschamps seems to see it differently.
 
Can’t believe Waldschmidt has been selected again. He’s been shit the whole tournament.
 
duffer said:
That Spanish number 15 had better not move to England. It took me long enough to learn how to say Azpilicueta.
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:lol: yes, basque surnames are complicate. I think in TV they say simply Aguirre
 
The Spanish press is enthusiastic about the appearance of Oyarzabal in the role of false 9.
Despite Fabián, Ceballos, Olmo, etc. I think the strongest hype in radio and several articles has been Marc Roca, the midfielder of Espanyol.
They consider that the change with Merino has given to the team another look
 
duffer said:
That Spanish number 15 had better not move to England. It took me long enough to learn how to say Azpilicueta.
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Really? Took you that long to learn how to say Dave?
 
Fabian is good :drool::drool::drool:

We should have signed him last year ffs :(
 
Great shot, but the kind of space he had was criminal.
 
Minor thing but the linesman in spain's half is blind and so is the ref :lol:
 
feck me, that's a straight red. Open sole, no chance at the ball, high foot.
 
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