UEFA Nations league

Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff:

"We still trust Joachim Löw, no question."#ESPGER pic.twitter.com/gtj0y3eY7l

— DW Sports (@dw_sports) November 17, 2020

futbol_bill wrote:Not bad for such a mediocre team as Myesyats called them. And @Hans don’t call me Dear!

I didn’t watch the match, but based on what I’ve seen from most of the current, young stars on the team, they seem more about hard work than talent. And that’s fine as long as it produces results, but I don’t think the impression of mediocrity is farfetched, considering Spain’s lofty standards. I watched Oyarzabal a lot when Ødegaard played for Sociedad, and I still don’t quite get his hype.

Maybe you’re right or maybe not.

Could it be that your judgement is based upon who is “good” enough for Madrid?

You have Canales, Morata, Reguilion, Llorente all playing well for NT. All of them rejects by Madrid. You also have perennial starters being successfully replaced DeGea, Carvajal, Busquets, Ramos. If you remember back to the team of 2008 - 2012, you had the staters and then a big drop in talent to the B team. This current team has a roster of 30 - 40 almost all interchangeable. Enrique keeps making new call-ups leaving out whoever isn’t playing, injured or out with possible covid and constantly changes starting lineup and yet, the team seems to be always up to the task.

This team may not have the recognized top talent as in that period of 2 Euros and a WC, but it does appear as if they can challenge.

I wouldn’t place any bets on them yet, but at same time I wouldn’t underestimate them either.

I judge them like I judge most players, based on their average performance level for their club teams. Granted, I’m not familiar with all of these young players. Some of them may be hidden gems, for all I know. It is hard to determine how a national team will perform based on the talent they have at their disposal, though.

Greece didn’t have a particularly talented squad back in the early 00s, yet they won the Euros. Internationals are a different environment from club football. I mentioned this in a different thread. I’ve seen many players in their late 30s who performed far above their club level, on the national stage. History had also seen many high-profile players flop for their respective countries. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.

With that said, I still think it’s interesting to observe and discuss these players, even though internationals are so much more unpredictable than club matches.

Due to covid, Norway were handed a 0-3 loss by FIFA for not participating in the match against Romania. They need 1 point against Austria, in order to top their group, and again, due to Covid, an emergency team consisting of young, mostly debutants on the national level who have had Covid over the past 11 months (which allows them to travel in and out of the country without going through quarantine), will be playing against them.

Jens Petter Hauge of AC Milan was expected to get his national team debut, but was ultimately not allowed to do so, as a previous Covid test he took was a "false positive". We need at least a draw, and we're fielding a lot of players I've hardly even heard about

What a goal
Made in Sassuolo

Magic Manuel. #BosniaItalia pic.twitter.com/VPPxdWpCK7

— Wesley Victor Mak (@WesleyVictorM) November 18, 2020

THE FINAL FOUR

Italy
Belgium
France
Spain #NationsLeague finals set! Who ya got?

— UEFA Nations League (@EURO2020) November 18, 2020

Put a thumb up on this post if your National Team is going to play the Uefa Nations League semi-finals.

Robespierre wrote:Put a thumb up on this post if your National Team is going to play the Uefa Nations League semi-finals.

They are all my teams

I win no matter what

Well, the UEFA Nations League still exists almost a year later and the final four play midweek semi final matches. Seems like years ago since they played last. Its like I have been in some weird quarantined world for the past couple of years.

Their tiki taki is so boring Lloris literally fell asleep

Lukaku making mince meat out of our defense.

Goddamn it i knew they werent gonna keep it up

Well... talent is coming up finally.

Game on.

And the heart of a champion shows....

Benz and Mbappe is a lethal partnership

Belgium would have won if there was no VAR.
That said, great 2nd half by France. I knew they were gonna take enhancing drugs at half time.
OLE out

Is it fair to say Belgium should have done better with their golden generation or is this the level you expect them to be at with the players they have?

That defense is shaky now. Aderweireld - Denayer - Vertonghen is actually very meh.

The opportunity was lost when Vincent Kompany was still playing well. 2018 was their last great chance imo.

Their WBs are also very average, same goes with the MF actually Old Carrasso have improved but not much offered on the right side through the yrs. Menuier was ok but not enough. Witsel is old n slow, Tielemans is ok but not enough as well, n not to mention old Hazard Their prime was prolly a while back n didnt make it then so no surprise they cant make it now.

Casciavit wrote:Is it fair to say Belgium should have done better with their golden generation or is this the level you expect them to be at with the players they have?

I see a lot of deficiencies in that team still. As Sports said the defence is questionable, Hazard has fallen off (never been that good to being with arguably), players like Carrasco, Witsel, Lukaku or Mertens above average but not world class. Roberto Martinez is a short-sighted manager. It may be a golden generation but I dont see it as a tournament-winning team.

France had a sleepy first half last night but they absolutely turned it on in the 2nd and totally overwhelmed Belgium. It's also worth noting that Kante was absent. France is a better team in every department by a considerable margin

Kante not being available is ahuge problem obviously.  But I really think Tchouameni is the heir apparent and you still have Camavinga that will come up.

This 3-5-2 is temporary until we get some kids to grow up and Kante healthy.  Our midfield is temporarily very thin.