World Cup Squads 2022

[Ghostrider318]

Mexico:

GK: Guillermo Ochoa (América), Alfredo Talavera (Juárez), Rodolfo Cota (León)

Defenders: Kevin Álvarez (Pachuca), Jesús Angulo (Tigres), Néstor Araujo (América), Gerardo Arteaga (Genk), Jesús Gallardo (Monterrey), Héctor Moreno (Monterrey), César Montes (Monterrey), Jorge Sánchez (Ajax), Johan Vásquez (Cremonese)

Midfielders: Edson Álvarez (Ajax), Roberto Alvarado (Guadalajara), Uriel Antuna (Cruz Azul), Luis Chávez (Pachuca), Andrés Guardado (Betis), Erick Gutiérrez (PSV), Héctor Herrera (Houston Dynamo), Orbelin Pineda (AEK Athens), Carlos Rodríguez (Cruz Azul), Luis Romo (Monterrey)

Forwards: Rogelio Funes Mori (Monterrey), Raúl Jiménez (Wolverhampton), Hirving Lozano (Napoli), Henry Martín (América), Alexis Vega (Guadalajara)

The man, the myth, the legend - Guillermo Ochoa. Cant wait for his masterclass performances in yet another WC

 

[NoPace]

Noppert is the penalty specialist,

I filled out a bracket today for an office pool and had the expected Netherlands group win and QF defeat to Argentina, but I love Van Gaal bringing a penalty specialist so damn much.

It's truly madness that about half the teams don't bring a penalty specialist. It wouldn't shock me if the best penalty keeper for most teams is on average like the 7th best keeper in the country and your #3 is never gonna play.

Also, the more I think about England and France lacking quality #8s, the more I take a longer historical view and think Frenkie De Jong just screams potential player of the tournament as a #8 like Xavi and Modric and Schweinsteiger before him (though 2026 seems more likely as he'll be 29 and in his international football peak (which I think is a year or 2 later than club football) and probably will have more talent around him you'd figure since the front 3 and GK spots can't really be any worse and Timber-DeLigt-Frimpong-DeJong-Taylor-Gravenberch-Koopmeiners-Simons-Gapko looks like a really solid core for 2026 who are already playing together, just lacking a #9 really, but such balanced and versatile midfield and hell maybe one of Malen, Brobbey, Lang, Boadu, Danjuma or someone else will come good in attack in their prime years) so I'll probably end up throwing a few bucks on the Dutch to make the final.

 

[NoPace]

Denmark:

Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Nice), Oliver Christensen (Hertha Berlin), Frederik Ronnow (Union Berlin).

Defenders: Simon Kjaer (AC Milan), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace), Joakim Maehle (Atalanta), Andreas Christensen (Barcelona), Rasmus Kristensen (Leeds United), Jens Stryger Larsen (Trabzonspor), Victor Nelsson (Galatasaray), Daniel Wass (Brondby), Alexander Bah (Benfica).

Midfielders: Thomas Delaney (Sevilla), Mathias Jensen (Brentford), Christian Eriksen (Manchester United), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur), Christian Norgaard (Brentford), Robert Skov (Hoffenheim).

Forwards: Andreas Skov Olsen (Club Bruges), Jesper Lindstrom (Eintracht Frankfurt), Andreas Cornelius (FC Copenhagen), Martin Braithwaite (Espanyol), Kasper Dolberg (Sevilla), Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford), Jonas Wind (VfL Wolfsburg) Yussuf Poulsen (RB Leipzig)

If Norgaard gets healthy by the knockouts having him to come off the bench for Delaney in the 2nd half looks really seamless for them in retaining a difficult midfield to play against.

And Bah is supposed to be a very good attacking RB/RWB so that's also a nice logical sub to bring on as well. Also Lindstrom for Damsgaard on the wing. Shame there's not a better goalscorer obviously, but I'm backing them for semis and if Skov Olsen or Wind or whoever misses a sitter in the Round of 16 or QF and they get knocked out, well I prefer that downside to England's CB issues and midfield balance problems (unless Bellingham just dominates they're in trouble and that's a lot to ask of a teenager surrounded by Englishmen in a tournament) and even France give me a mild headache with the reliance on Rabiot.

Be a shame for them if they draw Argentina though. They really need to win the group and just get a doable draw to the finals of Mexico/Poland, England/Senegal and then hope for one of Uruguay, Portugal or even Serbia sneak into the semi-final against them.

 

[NoPace]

Seems so (this is from a preview I read in the Guardian earlier): "Herdman experimented with the Bayern Munich man in his natural left-back position in the early stages of his tenure, but Davies has made it clear that he wants to be an attacking difference-maker for this team and his remarkable individual goal against Panama in qualifying shows no one else can do what he can."

Adekugbe, our left-back, who plays in Turkey but should really be in the mid-table of a top 5 league, is probably tied for being our 4th best player after the holy trinity of Davies-David-Eustaqio and then in a battle with Buchanan, who is more spectacular but less consistent.

I think Davies plays as a winger for us because he wants to, but it's also the only logical move for our team unless Adekugbe gets hurt.

The more interesting role for Davies for Canada that might help us and we might see for the 2026 cycle is actually as a left-midfielder doing the sort of job Ramires or Matuidi did but with far more attacking upside. We're weak in midfield, stronger at fullback and in attack on paper this sort of team gets in what should be our best players by 2024 or so:

----------------David---Attacker--
--------Davies--Eustaqio---Kone
Adekugbe-Miller-CB-Johnston-Buchanan

and it's very tough to say who the central CB or attacker will be as we have several semi-promising options for the latter (Koleasho, Corbeaun, Ugbo and then some solid types like Larin) and only really a kid at Nice who's on loan (Justin Smith) and looks a really promising CB/DM type at the former.

Our most promising prospect is probably a RWB in Marshall-Rutty too, so flipping Buchanan out left once Adekugbe loses a step and bringing him in there might be the likeliest move anyways.

So yeah, Davies is a winger for now, he's basically Gareth Bale without the headers for us, but I'd be tempted to make him a left midfielder and play 5-4-1 or 5-3-2 in time.

 

[steve zizou]

Ghana 26 man squad

Goalkeepers: Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen), Danlad Ibrahim (Asante Kotoko), Abdul Manaf Nurudeen (Eupen).

Defenders: Joseph Aidoo (Celta Vigo), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City), Alexander Djiku (Racing Strasbourg), Tariq Lamptey (Brighton & Hove Albion), Gideon Mensah (Auxerre), Denis Odoi (Club Bruges), Baba Rahman (Reading), Mohammed Salisu (Southampton), Alidu Seidu (Clermont).

Midfielders: Mohammed Kudus (Ajax), Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (Freiburg), Elisha Owusu (Gent), Thomas Partey (Arsenal), Salis Abdul Samed (Lens).

Forwards: Daniel Afriyie (Hearts of Oak), Andre Ayew (Al Sadd), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace), Osman Bukari (Red Star Belgrade), Issahaku Abdul Fatawu (Sporting Lisbon), Antoine Semenyo (Bristol City), Kamal Sowah (Club Bruges), Kamaldeen Sulemana (Rennes), Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao).

 

[steve zizou]

Ghana 26 man squad

Goalkeepers: Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen), Danlad Ibrahim (Asante Kotoko), Abdul Manaf Nurudeen (Eupen).

Defenders: Joseph Aidoo (Celta Vigo), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City), Alexander Djiku (Racing Strasbourg), Tariq Lamptey (Brighton & Hove Albion), Gideon Mensah (Auxerre), Denis Odoi (Club Bruges), Baba Rahman (Reading), Mohammed Salisu (Southampton), Alidu Seidu (Clermont).

Midfielders: Mohammed Kudus (Ajax), Daniel-Kofi Kyereh (Freiburg), Elisha Owusu (Gent), Thomas Partey (Arsenal), Salis Abdul Samed (Lens).

Forwards: Daniel Afriyie (Hearts of Oak), Andre Ayew (Al Sadd), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace), Osman Bukari (Red Star Belgrade), Issahaku Abdul Fatawu (Sporting Lisbon), Antoine Semenyo (Bristol City), Kamal Sowah (Club Bruges), Kamaldeen Sulemana (Rennes), Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao).

Both 1st and 2nd choice keepers were injured a week before the tournament. Also Baba Rahman over Jeffrey Schupp?? hmm
Interestingly though both Inaki and Nico Williams represented at this world cup but for different countries. With the lineup will probably go with

Ati-Zigi
Amartey --Djiku -- Salisu
Lamptey -- Partey -- Kyereh --- G.Mensah
A.Ayew (c)
Inaki Williams -- Kudus
​

 

[Berbaclass]

 

[Mr Smith]

Big blow for him, has been in incredible form, there was a serious chance of him starting. Big blow for France I think too as he offers industry that a lot of their other forwards (Mbappe, Dembele, etc) don't provide.

 

[Remember the geese]

With Nkunku out of the World Cup, is there any chance that Martial will be called up as his replacement?

 

[antk]

With Nkunku out of the World Cup, is there any chance that Martial will be called up as his replacement?

Really small. Current rumor is Kolo Muani.

 

[Remember the geese]

Really small. Current rumor is Kolo Muani.

Ah fair enough.

 

[Mr Smith]

With Nkunku out of the World Cup, is there any chance that Martial will be called up as his replacement?

Not sure but I hope not. He'll probably injure himself in a warm-up and be out for the rest of the season.

 

[awop]

With Nkunku out of the World Cup, is there any chance that Martial will be called up as his replacement?

Marcus Thuram has been called up but Martial would have to really really explose for United to be considered again. He just hasnt shown anything to warrant more call-ups.
Benzema, Mbappe, Dembele, Griezmann, Coman, Giroud, Thuram, Nkunku, Moussa Diaby even Ben Yedder are in front of him. And as antk said we should soon see Kolo Muani be given a chance.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Ah fair enough.

Good for us really, can't afford him getting injured given the Ronaldo situation

 

[Rozay]

Both 1st and 2nd choice keepers were injured a week before the tournament. Also Baba Rahman over Jeffrey Schupp?? hmm
Interestingly though both Inaki and Nico Williams represented at this world cup but for different countries. With the lineup will probably go with

Ati-Zigi
Amartey --Djiku -- Salisu
Lamptey -- Partey -- Kyereh --- G.Mensah
A.Ayew (c)
Inaki Williams -- Kudus
​

Not for the first time with Ghana of course.

 

[BlackShark_80]

With Benzema already confirmed out, who will Deschamps call up next? Ben Yedder, Martial, Terrier, or even Diaby?

 

[awop]

With Benzema already confirmed out, who will Deschamps call up next? Ben Yedder, Martial, Terrier, or even Diaby?

Probably between Ben Yedder and Diaby. Terrier is possible but would be quite a surprise. I can't see Martial getting the call given his fitness record and all around performances.

 

[Ramos]

With Benzema already confirmed out, who will Deschamps call up next? Ben Yedder, Martial, Terrier, or even Diaby?

Probably between Ben Yedder and Diaby. Terrier is possible but would be quite a surprise. I can't see Martial getting the call given his fitness record and all around performances.

No replacement will be called for Benzema.

 

[awop]

No replacement will be called for Benzema.

Weird not to use a free option. At least Diaby after his season and being snubed in the initial list.