Internationals June (Euro Qualifiers + Nations League Finals)

No Idea For Nickname said:
You just reminded me of a guy, what's his name, who said Brazil got their revenge on Germany for 7-1 at the WC, after they won them in Olympic Games final. :wenger:
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I agree with him.

We will have to had beaten Croatia, Spain, Holland and Portugal on their own patch to do it.

As a sporting achievement it would be better than any of our tournament runs outside of 66.

In terms of prestige, OK it wouldn't be.

I do think in years to come the Nations League will become more valued though. Teams have taken it very seriously in the elite group and essentially you are competing only against the very best sides in the strongest footballing continent in the world.

There aren't any easy passes in it.
 
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Dante said:
De Ligt said that Rashford is the most difficult opponent he's played against in his career. So you're correct.
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Think he might've mentally blocked the game where Sane completely obliterated him and Van Dijk then :)
 
No Idea For Nickname said:
You just reminded me of a guy, what's his name, who said Brazil got their revenge on Germany for 7-1 at the WC, after they won them in Olympic Games final. :wenger:
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Olympic football is a massive deal in Brazil. They had wanted to win the gold medal quite publicly for some time and recognised that as the missing trophy in their collection. They put everything into it and were ecstatic to finally win it at home.
 
SquishyMcSquish said:
No it isn't, it's not even close.

The World Cup is the ultimate tournament in world football. Kids around the world dream of playing in it, the pressure and occasion is 100x greater than a Nations League game and any kind of progression in that tournament is worth far more than progression in the Nations League.

I quite like the Nations League, it's better than friendlies and it would be cool to win, but it's nothing remotely comparable to the World Cup. It's just a quite nice alternative to friendlies.
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The World Cup might be the pinnacle, but ultimately it's a knockout competition where two teams qualify from groups of four after three games, and a competition riddled with mediocre North American, African and Asian sides. Topping a group with Croatia and Spain, playing both home and away, was a greater footballing achievement, than coming second in a group with Belgium, Tunisia and Panama. The Nations League as it currently stands is better suited to crowning the top European or World side than either of the World Cup or Euros are.

People, especially from the UK, dismissed the World Cup at first, the Euros at first, the European Cup at first. It might never have the glamour of the two major tournaments, due to not being a month-long festival, but it will be seen as a very worthy piece of silverware in the years to come. It's a proper test and perhaps it is a shame it isn't a just a little bit bigger somehow.
 
TMDaines said:
Olympic football is a massive deal in Brazil. They had wanted to win the gold medal quite publicly for some time and recognised that as the missing trophy in their collection. They put everything into it and were ecstatic to finally win it at home.
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Would never had guessed. Most of the european teams usually bring a mix squad between usual starters and new kids on the block. And since it's a competition not recognized by FIFA, major U20 players are not released by their clubs.
 
No Idea For Nickname said:
You just reminded me of a guy, what's his name, who said Brazil got their revenge on Germany for 7-1 at the WC, after they won them in Olympic Games final. :wenger:
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@fontaine. To be fair to him he was a great poster but a difficult personality.
 
roonster09 said:
It can be. Rashford is better than he was in 2016-17. Just saying it can't be argued doesn't make it a fact.

So 2 young players facing each other is same as young player (who was still developing physically) facing an experienced professional?
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Well what cannot be argued is that De Ligt has come on leaps and bounds as a player and has improved in every aspect to the point where if you can't call him world class you can call him 2nd tier, can you say the same about Rashford, honestly?

I wasn't talking about the comparison being the same, I'm talking about the delusion, just because Rashford played well against him in a one off match two years doesn't mean he's a better option than one of the best and most experienced strikers in the world whether 100% or 60%, also you're never going to be able to convince me that Rashford is the English Mbappe just because one half of the defensive duo said that, what has Van Dijk said about him?

I prefer to use analysis across the season and use a bigger sample period than 90 mins personally.

Pogue Mahone said:
Well I think you’re talking out your arse. Or have an appalling memory. Possibly both. CL final aside, there’s been loads of examples this season of Kane being an outright liability when coming back from injury. And - unless the Spurs physio team are incompetent - he’ll have been fully fit for those games. Just lacking “match practice”. So the mind boggles about just how inept a half fit Harry Kane would be.
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Well seeing as Kane has only come back from injury this season twice, the first time being in February, he scored 4 in 7 before he got inured again, the other time of course was the CL final where he was admittedly off the pace so I'm not sue that counts as 'loads' and I'm not even sure any of those games where he was an 'outright liability' but I guess you need to over exaggerate to desperately get your point across but okay...

So in reality if he's averaging a 1 in 2 ratio when he comes back from injury as opposed to Rashford who's averaged a 1 in 3 ratio across the entire season with the majority of times he's been fit then that tells you all you need know, not to mention the obvious stuff like Kane just being much more seasoned and doesn't have the propensity to go hiding which is something you don't need to be fully fit for so...
 
Beefeaters everywhere over here, passed in front of supermarket in the city centre, and every english who went there came out with a case of 24 Superbock minis, that's doesnt bode well for the peace here in the afternoon. Worst is that it's raining alot now.
 
MagicKarpet said:
Well what cannot be argued is that De Ligt has come on leaps and bounds as a player and has improved in every aspect to the point where if you can't call him world class you can call him 2nd tier, can you say the same about Rashford, honestly?

I wasn't talking about the comparison being the same, I'm talking about the delusion, just because Rashford played well against him in a one off match two years doesn't mean he's a better option than one of the best and most experienced strikers in the world whether 100% or 60%, also you're never going to be able to convince me that Rashford is the English Mbappe just because one half of the defensive duo said that, what has Van Dijk said about him?

I prefer to use analysis across the season and use a bigger sample period than 90 mins personally
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Make a random argument and argue against it :lol:

No one argued De Ligt didn't improve, it's the point saying Rashford is worse than in 2017. Again, no one said Rashford is more suited to face them than Kane, it's your pathetic post that downplayed Rashford when one of the player who is facing him said he was his toughest opponent. After that you just made random points and argued against points no one even made.

Who said Rashford is better than Kane? Also saying player at 60% is more suited than a player who is completely fit is just laughable suggestion but not something surprising.
 
Champ said:
Good point, but to be fair the ref let the game play and went back to it after the next break in play, which just so happened to be less than a minute and another penalty shout. It looked as if the ref was in communication with the VAR room throughout.
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It was the fact that Portugal were celebrating an obvious pen and it was taken back to a pen against them that got me.

What if the ball had gone in the net? Not only do you take the goal of the attacking team but give their opponents a chance to score as well. It just doesn't sit right with me.
 
Fully Fledged said:
It was the fact that Portugal were celebrating an obvious pen and it was taken back to a pen against them that got me.

What if the ball had gone in the net? Not only do you take the goal of the attacking team but give their opponents a chance to score as well. It just doesn't sit right with me.
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48538731

Fans responsible for trouble in Porto before Thursday's Nations League semi-final are "not true England supporters" and an "embarrassment to the team", the Football Association has said.
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Helder-Carvalho said:
no, just plain english, here we call the english the Beefs, so far they are behaving
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The translation would be better as steaks. That nickname was born in Algarve, because most english people back in the days didn't know how to sunbath and they end up becoming human red steaks from day 1 to the last day of vacations. It still happens now, but not as frequent.
 
Fully Fledged said:
It was the fact that Portugal were celebrating an obvious pen and it was taken back to a pen against them that got me.

What if the ball had gone in the net? Not only do you take the goal of the attacking team but give their opponents a chance to score as well. It just doesn't sit right with me.
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That penalty shout wouldn't have happened had the ref blown for what was a stonewall pen 30 seconds previous.
The right call was reached, and reached at the next break of play, which just happened to be the penalty!
You couldn't have made it up though !!
 
André Dominguez said:
The translation would be better as steaks. That nickname was born in Algarve, because most english people back in the days didn't know how to sunbath and they end up becoming human red steaks from day 1 to the last day of vacations. It still happens now, but not as frequent.
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Not as frequently but it's still a huge percentage tbf. British tourists must all be alergic to sunscreen.

Where I'm from I always heard them being called lobsters rather than steaks.
 
André Dominguez said:
The translation would be better as steaks. That nickname was born in Algarve, because most english people back in the days didn't know how to sunbath and they end up becoming human red steaks from day 1 to the last day of vacations. It still happens now, but not as frequent.
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Peyroteo said:
Not as frequently but it's still a huge percentage tbf. British tourists must all be alergic to sunscreen.

Where I'm from I always heard them being called lobsters rather than steaks.
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:lol: That's brilliant.
 
Peyroteo said:
Not as frequently but it's still a huge percentage tbf. British tourists must all be alergic to sunscreen.

Where I'm from I always heard them being called lobsters rather than steaks.
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Lobsters is quite a posh nickname, I guess :D
 
Nations League is like a super cup. Nice to win, just some friendlies if you don't.
 
ctp said:
Nations League is like a super cup. Nice to win, just some friendlies if you don't.
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It will grow in importance as the years go by, it's definitely here to stay.

There is an international tournament every 2 years and this will mean an extra chance for countries that have never won anything to get a trophy. It's more like a domestic cup for international football.
 
The sooner we can promote more of the U-21 lot the better. Delph ffs.
 
Donny van de Beek isn't in the starting 11 tonight. De Roon is playing in midfield, he has made himself useful before and finished third with Atalanta in Serie A this season.
 
Rice, Delph and Barkley is a grim midfield, mind.

I love how we’re bringing through cracking full backs and attacking players. But we really need some midfield talent to push on. Foden, Gomes, Mount and Gibbs-White really getting it going would be great for us.
 
TMDaines said:
Olympic football is a massive deal in Brazil. They had wanted to win the gold medal quite publicly for some time and recognised that as the missing trophy in their collection. They put everything into it and were ecstatic to finally win it at home.
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I'm Brazilian and what you said is more of a media driven rhetoric than an actual feeling of the crowd.
Of course people were happy with finally winning the Olympic golden medal, at home on top of it, but believe me, people here would still want one World Cup over ten Olympic medals.
Long story short, Olympic football is not a massive deal in Brazil, and now that the wait for the golden medal has ended, it will be even less.
 
Why no Liverpool or Spurs players in the side for England? The CL final was 5 days ago so they should be fresh for this game and also more physically up for it. I can understand Kane not playing I guess to not risk new injuries, but not the others being out.

Looking at Englands team it is pretty poor apart from the wingers. Nice to see Rashford play though over Kane.
 
I reckon I must be the only person on the planet who likes Delph. I rated him at Villa and still think he's done well for City when he's managed to stay fit for for a spell.

He's never going to be the most glamorous player on the pitch but he's hardworking, reads the game quite well and uses the ball well.
 
England's midfield looks awful. Surely there's got to be better CM's available over City's third choice left back? Foden is ahead of Delph for City, yet he's not in the squad. I still have no idea how Maddison isn't in the squad either. Why are England resting the CL players but not Holland? Strange.

2-1 Holland, Wijnaldum, Depay, Sterling.
 
Kane isn't fully fit.
Dier shouldn't start.
Alli has been poor lately.
Trent is still second choice.
Gomez hasn't had much game time.

Henderson to me is probably the only one that should be there.
 
Schmeichel's Cartwheel said:
England's midfield looks awful. Surely there's got to be better CM's available over City's third choice left back? Foden is ahead of Delph for City, yet he's not in the squad. I still have no idea how Maddison isn't in the squad either. Why are England resting the CL players but not Holland? Strange.

2-1 Holland, Wijnaldum, Depay, Sterling.
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Foden and Maddison are going to the U21s Euros this summer so not in the squad. The next international break we'll have a better midfield and hopefully some more younger players can break through next sesson.
 
MagicKarpet said:
Well what cannot be argued is that De Ligt has come on leaps and bounds as a player and has improved in every aspect to the point where if you can't call him world class you can call him 2nd tier, can you say the same about Rashford, honestly?

I wasn't talking about the comparison being the same, I'm talking about the delusion, just because Rashford played well against him in a one off match two years doesn't mean he's a better option than one of the best and most experienced strikers in the world whether 100% or 60%, also you're never going to be able to convince me that Rashford is the English Mbappe just because one half of the defensive duo said that, what has Van Dijk said about him?

I prefer to use analysis across the season and use a bigger sample period than 90 mins personally.



Well seeing as Kane has only come back from injury this season twice, the first time being in February, he scored 4 in 7 before he got inured again, the other time of course was the CL final where he was admittedly off the pace so I'm not sue that counts as 'loads' and I'm not even sure any of those games where he was an 'outright liability' but I guess you need to over exaggerate to desperately get your point across but okay...

So in reality if he's averaging a 1 in 2 ratio when he comes back from injury as opposed to Rashford who's averaged a 1 in 3 ratio across the entire season with the majority of times he's been fit then that tells you all you need know, not to mention the obvious stuff like Kane just being much more seasoned and doesn't have the propensity to go hiding which is something you don't need to be fully fit for so...
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Hehehe...
 
The Dutch in a nutshell: "expectations are timid, only 56% think we will win".

We're such silly optimists.
 
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