To be fair, it's looking likely that all 5 asian teams will be going home at group stage again. We've yet to see Japan, but they don't have an easy group. And Australia have a chance, but the danes hold the advantage. Peru will not be an easy team to beat for them.
Day 5: Sweden vs South Korea, Belgium vs Panama and Tunisia vs England (19H00)
- Thread starter K2K
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
I've never heard him speak - what does he sound like?
European qualifications are far easier than African (who get only 5 teams to qualify ) and Asia. In Europe if you don't qualify from the group you get the playoff which is usually not that hard. Italy lost against Sweden, which is going to get crushed from Germany days later. It's their problem.
Belgium with the players they have really should play a 433. Get the best out of that attack and De Bruyne. Have players to really dominate, but you know theyll feck up with Martinez in charge. Could play:
Hazard Lukaku Mertens
De Bruyne Nainggolan
Witsel
Lukaku Vertonghen Alderweireld Meunier
Courtois
And in midfield have tielemens and Dembele you could rotate in. Either way, a perfect squad to get the most of that front 4 and with good depth. Classic case of the manager holding back the potential of the team with them imo.
Hazard Lukaku Mertens
De Bruyne Nainggolan
Witsel
Lukaku Vertonghen Alderweireld Meunier
Courtois
And in midfield have tielemens and Dembele you could rotate in. Either way, a perfect squad to get the most of that front 4 and with good depth. Classic case of the manager holding back the potential of the team with them imo.
Loving that Evra is on my TV all the time.
The guy is mad.
The guy is mad.
Italy are definitely better than South Korea. They were shit against Sweden but had a tough qualifying group with Spain in it. No shame in finishing second to them.
Like a slightly camp bloke from Sunderland. Which isn't Geordie but almost is, a bit softer.
Jordan Lukaku is really not good enough to play that LB position for the NT, as a matter of fact, we don't have any decent LB, hence the 3-4-3.
Nah, South Korea finished 2nd in the weaker group of Asian qualifying, well behind Iran.
As poor as Italy have been the last few years, they're still a much better side than South Korea.
He sounds like a character from a Charles Dickens TV adaptation, a slightly odd Geordie inflection.
Fellaini, Hazard and Alderweireld have more caps for Belgium than Kompany. That's genuinely surprising.
Like a very softly spoken, slightly nasal Geordie/Mackem (I can never tell the difference)
I've actually found him quite endearing on his little ITV bits.
Got Belgium in a work draw so their my team for the tournamaent. From what I've seen is that on paper they have the most balanced starting 11 with a good bench too but they don't play as a team? I mean Hazard has the ability to outshine anyone (including the big two) over a cup competition. They have a World Class keeper, great RB, best CB's in the Premier League, Lb?, best midfielder in the Premier League, Mertens is class, Lukaku is class, wingers I have at least heard of and meant to be good, good young players on the bench and the most talented player in the Premier League to boot, who can be devastating if he bothers.
Is it too much to think that they could win the whole thing if they play to potential?
Side note: I like Adnan and hope he gets a chance in the early games, very talented footballer if he can put it all together.
Is it too much to think that they could win the whole thing if they play to potential?
Side note: I like Adnan and hope he gets a chance in the early games, very talented footballer if he can put it all together.
Suppose Kompany's had a lot of injury issues over the years though. Not always the most reliable player when it comes to fitness.
Belgium vs Panama
Should be routine for Belgium. Panama better avoid a rout.
Is that Carrasco and Meunier as wing backs?
Anyone else think having Hazard as captain over the likes of Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Courtois, Kompany - to name a few - is weird?
The yellow and red cards get taken into consideration, and then their match, and if somehow it's still a tie it will be decided by a coinflip.Please let us keep Germany out 0-0.
Final table:
Sweden 5p
Mexico 5p
Germany 4p
Korea 1p
What happens if two teams end up on same points, and goals for/against?
I was just thinking exactly the same thing. I'd have picked Vertonghen.
Panama is my Redcafe sweepstake team, so at least they have one fan on the caf.
Probably want to give him more responsibility and try to elevate his performances. He is also pretty extrovert and funny and liked by everyone.
Danny Murphy is like a down-on-his-luck, buttoned-down, Panthro from Thundercats.
Going for 4-0 to Belgium.
Yeah, though here they'll basically be 2nd wingers. Dont need much more then the center backs and witsel sitting against Panama
Yep:
Courtois
Alderweireld Boyata Vertonghen
Meunier De Bruyne Witsel Carrasco
Mertens Lukaku Hazard
Will be interesting to see how De Bruyne does in this tournament. He's playing even deeper than he does for City and there's an even greater responsibility on him to dictate the tempo of games and help out defensively.Alderweireld Boyata Vertonghen
Meunier De Bruyne Witsel Carrasco
Mertens Lukaku Hazard
8-0 Belgium, heard it here first.
Come on Panama!!!!!!!
Well go on than you Belgians, entertain us.
Perhaps we can annex you lot to get some talent in orange.
Perhaps we can annex you lot to get some talent in orange.
That's what Belgium are going to do.
You get 14 spots for 54 associations and 20-22 of them have no chance of qualifying from the start, basically so out of those who are competitive half qualify. Some decent teams did not go to the World Cup but usually if you are in reasonable form during qualifying campaign you have a great chance.
On paper, Belgium have a side that can even beat Brazil, Spain and other WC favorites. Incredible depth in both attack and defense, and world class talent. Not a weakness on paper.
If they don't do well, it will be on Martinez.
If they don't do well, it will be on Martinez.
Belgium are fantastic at all the good things in life - cycling, chocolate, waffles, football and beer.
They're my team in this tournament. Hope they smash it today.
They're my team in this tournament. Hope they smash it today.
They have at least 3! Yourself, @Neo_Mufc & the legend that is @Mrs Smoker . It's only a matter of time until they take over the forum. Then the world.
Someone tell Danny Murphy he is not funny, with his annoying little laugh every time he try's a sh*t attempt at humour.
@Aboutreika18 @bosnian_red cheers guys. Presumably dembele would come in against a better team, perhaps at the expense of Mertens/Carrasco? Any news on Kompany’s fitness?
I find it wierd that they don’t apply this geographical fairness for CL qualifications. You’d think Europe consists of only 5 countries when watching the CL.
Why is KDB playing in a 2 man midfield? Should that not be Dembele and KDB plays number 10? Or even 4-3-3 like the Man City formation with Dembele playing the Silva role and Witsel holding?
Yep that's my point. Europe get 14/32 teams in World Cup, with several chances to qualify either from topping the group, coming second or winning the easy playoffs. It seems really strange to look to get some of seats Africa or Asia have, they both have 5 and 4.5 seats in World Cup respectively, with even harder and less space for mistake. In Africa you need to top the group, no other chances to qualify, and in Asia the playoff is played against a team from North or South America which is usually stronger than you.
Mate you gotta take into account the fact that an average European team will be far better than the average African team. In terms of purely quality you can't begrudge Europe getting the number of spots that they do, in fact you could argue in terms of quality only, Europe and South America deserve more spots. But in a WC there are other factors that dictate how many teams from each region qualify and its fair enough in my opinion as they bring a different color and joy to the occasion.
People on here seem to underrate the 2nd tier European sides for some reason. Last week when I said I'd back Croatia and Serbia to go through their groups I had been called out for underestimating Nigeria and Costa Rica and how they would beat the aforementioned teams. I don't know what these assumptions were based on but Nigeria were miles below Croatia in quality and same for Costa Rica as well. I know Egypt were missing their best player but they hardly threatened against an off the pace Uruguay side. Morocco lost to Iran in a piss poor game. Its not been a great advertisement for the merits of African teams so far.