Internationals March (World Cup Qualifiers + Friendlies)

Shaw, Kane, Foden and Smith-Rowe coming on.
Waste of time. Made me laugh when Martin Tyler said time for England to be ruthless around the 70th minute mark. Then on 80 saying a final flourish to the finish? Southgate gets on my tits with his play it safe attitude no matter the opposition. It's a friendly ffs. Go for the kill.
 
Ooh yes I think to reach the higher levels we need more top players, but I think the defenders often do a job for the national side.

I think we better hope Isak can turn into a top striker. He got the tools.

I think we can compete with the best with smart tactics, but to beat countries like England, Germany, France on talent we have no chance right now.

Players like Kane, Sterling, Mbappe, Benzema, Kimmich, Sane etc are way above our best players.

Actually not worried about our future at the front, with Elanga, Kulu, Isak, and probably few more, think at least 1- 2 of them will become more clinical as time goes by :angel: Although, Elanga hasn't really been given any decent chances to play yet, but the fact that he is competing for attacking position in a club of Man Utd's stature bodes well!
We need to hope for a new generation on the defence... and even though Olsen can make few worldly saves I'd prefer to have a keeper that plays regurarly for his club.
 
Since Black Panther we all know africa is secretly way ahead of us in tearms of tech, but what the hell was that in the egypt - senegal shoot-out? Where they having light-saber fights in the stands?
 
We can still defend well and press as a team. Janne is coaching well, but up front we are really toothless.

I had hope Kulusevski would finally deliver for us after his good Spurs form when he scored some nice goals.
Really inefficient today though. Isak is not clinical at all for club and country this season. He plays well without scoring a lot similar to Berg before him, but you need the goals. Quaison nice player, but not a top striker.

We could really need a better striker. In terms of creating ok chances we are always doing that even agaist top sides, but you need to take those chances.
We did not have amazing chances today, but should have scored a goal and taking it to extra time at least.

Elanga is the big hope for us, but so far he is not really a goal scorer. Hopefully the new United manager improves him a lot.

I thought you had pretty decent young options upfront?
 
Raum is not a LB.

What else is he then?

My own hot takes:
Musiala looked fantastic today, while Gündogan for years and years just cant really cut it in the national team for some reason. Rüdiger tossed Depay all around the pitch and Schlotterbeck is seriously impressive. Werner shouldnt start for Germany and Kehrer hasnt got anything to offer our other more progressive RB´s dont. Hope its Hofmann at the World Cup.
 
 
Cameroon score in the last minute to win on away goals. Deserved for the pathetic time wasting by Algeria.
 
Cameroon score in the last minute to win on away goals. Deserved for the pathetic time wasting by Algeria.
There was about 45 minutes of pathetic time wasting from Cameroon prior to that. :lol:
 
Can Senegal qualify from the group in world cup?

Feels like the african sides are really week right now.

European sides will dominate again.
 
I find it unfair that the 2nd leg away team has 120 mins to get an away goal while the home team only got 90 in the first leg. I don't think the extra 30 mins of home advantage properly accounts for that. Anyway, it is what it is.
 
There was about 45 minutes of pathetic time wasting from Cameroon prior to that. :lol:
Algeria managed to fit in the same amount of time wasting and shithousery in those 3 minutes after their goal.
 
Cameroon score in the last minute to win on away goals. Deserved for the pathetic time wasting by Algeria.

Algeria seriously underachieving, last made a world cup in 2014.

Just looking at Cameroon NT and only players I know are the keeper, Choupo-Moting and Toko Ekambi so miles off what they were in late 90s so does feel Senegal and perhaps Morocco are the only hope of making last 16. Both will be praying they get put in Qatar's group I think as hosts usually get a soft draw.
 
I think it is good that they removed the away goal rule, but why not in africa?

I really think the home advantage is more significant in Africa. I'm not necessarily a fan of the away goal rule but without it you weight things in favor of the home side of the second leg.
 
Can Senegal qualify from the group in world cup?

Feels like the african sides are really week right now.

European sides will dominate again.
I unfortunately don't see any of the African teams do well except for maybe Senegal and that will depend on what type of group they find themselves in.

This is the end of an era for the Algerians though IMO and they don't seem to have a lot of promising young prospects from what I've seen so far.
 
I just had to sit through an explanation from an "expert" panel that away goals count double therefore Cameroon won the tie 4-2. I died inside. And I am still trying to figure out that math.
 
That was brutal. Belmadi in tears on his knees was a sad sight.
 
Can Senegal qualify from the group in world cup?

Feels like the african sides are really week right now.

European sides will dominate again.

Maybe. Depends on the group they get put in.

Senegal and Morocco have a good chance. Maybe Ghana and Cameroon if they get their act together. Tunisia is an easy out.
 
Can Senegal qualify from the group in world cup?

Feels like the african sides are really week right now.

European sides will dominate again.

Probably not. Don't think any African sides got through the groups last time. Concacaf and Asia are probably in better shape currently.
 
Maybe. Depends on the group they get put in.

Senegal and Morocco have a good chance. Maybe Ghana and Cameroon if they get their act together. Tunisia is an easy out.

Yeah like last time we had the Colombia, Japan, Poland, Senegal.

That group did feel very open.
 
Pots are shaping up. It's a prevision, but should be very close.

Pot 1: Qatar, Brazil, Belgium, France, Argentina, England, Spain, Portugal.

Pot 2: Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Mexico*, USA*, Switzerland, Croatia, Uruguay.

Pot 3: Senegal, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Serbia, Poland, Korea R, Canada.

Pot 4: Tunisia, Cameroon, Ecuador, S. Arabia, Ghana, (Wales/Scotland/Ukraine), (Costa Rica/N.Zealand/Solomon Island), (Peru/Colombia/Chile/UAE/Australia).


Canada's position is assuming they win tomorrow.
 
Pots are shaping up. It's a prevision, but should be very close.

Pot 1: Qatar, Brazil, Belgium, France, Argentina, England, Spain, Portugal.

Pot 2: Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Mexico*, USA*, Switzerland, Croatia, Uruguay.

Pot 3: Senegal, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Serbia, Poland, Korea R, Canada.

Pot 4: Tunisia, Cameroon, Ecuador, S. Arabia, Ghana, (Wales/Scotland/Ukraine), (Costa Rica/N.Zealand/Solomon Island), (Peru/Colombia/Chile/UAE/Australia).


Canada's position is assuming they win tomorrow.

Group of death.

France, Germany, Serbia?, Ecuador.

Easy group.
Qatar, USA, Korea, Costa Rica.
 
Maybe. Depends on the group they get put in.

Senegal and Morocco have a good chance. Maybe Ghana and Cameroon if they get their act together. Tunisia is an easy out.
Just like Tunisia, they're too weak IMO if not for the GK error, there was no way they would have qualified. No threat what so ever in their attack, a lot is lacking in the team.
 
Can't have more than two UEFA teams in one group.

Ok maybe Brasil, Germany, Serbia then. Feel all teams in third pot is quite weak.

Struggle to see any of them advance from the group unless they get Qatar.
 
Chuffed with Poland result, didn’t expect us to win this game especially with this fraud of a manager :lol: that finish from Zielinski was pure sex, Qatar here we go!
 
Pots are shaping up. It's a prevision, but should be very close.

Pot 1: Qatar, Brazil, Belgium, France, Argentina, England, Spain, Portugal.

Pot 2: Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Mexico*, USA*, Switzerland, Croatia, Uruguay.

Pot 3: Senegal, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Serbia, Poland, Korea R, Canada.

Pot 4: Tunisia, Cameroon, Ecuador, S. Arabia, Ghana, (Wales/Scotland/Ukraine), (Costa Rica/N.Zealand/Solomon Island), (Peru/Colombia/Chile/UAE/Australia).


Canada's position is assuming they win tomorrow.

Hosts always get a kind draw. Probably best for Qatar is Swiss/Mexico, Canada, Tunisia or Costa Rica/New Zealand.

Possible Group of death would be Brazil, Germany, Senegal and perhaps Australia but even that wouldn't be too bad. Pot 3 and 4 pretty weak unless one of Mexico/USA gets bumped down into it?
 
Hosts always get a kind draw. Probably best for Qatar is Swiss/Mexico, Canada, Tunisia or Costa Rica/New Zealand.

Possible Group of death would be Brazil, Germany, Senegal and perhaps Australia but even that wouldn't be too bad. Pot 3 and 4 pretty weak unless one of Mexico/USA gets bumped down into it?
One of them would need to fail to qualify directly to end up in pot 4, which is still mathematically possible but not very likely because of goal difference.

Only real question mark is Canada pot 3 or 4. A win is 3, everything else is 4 and Tunisia take their spot.
 
Huge respect for Gareth Southgate for what he is doing with the England national team.
Not just the results, but the culture he has been responsible for implementing.

Something Manchester United realty need to learn and understand.
 
I think it is good that they removed the away goal rule, but why not in africa?

Probably because they can’t change the rules mid-competition. This change came in July while the qualifiers started a few months earlier.
 
I just had to sit through an explanation from an "expert" panel that away goals count double therefore Cameroon won the tie 4-2. I died inside. And I am still trying to figure out that math.

@Pexbo is an expert nowadays?! :eek:
 
I just had to sit through an explanation from an "expert" panel that away goals count double therefore Cameroon won the tie 4-2. I died inside. And I am still trying to figure out that math.
Away goals are worth double mate. Thats why Senegal had to score the third penalty to win the shootout 3-2.