Re: Euro 2020 Qualifying Groups Thread

[rincon]

Greece threw the whole team on defense. Incredibly boring first half with Bonucci and Acerbi well into Greece's half and all their players around the box.

Tons of good moves in the second half to unlock their defense and 2 goals from the effort. Insigne finished a nice l team move in the box which a greek defender stretched out his arm to block, so penalty and Jorginho scored it. The second one was a Bernaedeschi long shot.

[rincon]

Spain is leading. But I can't say either of the sides been spectacular.

Thanks for the summary. I imagine we've created chances, but failed to score them since Haaland is injured and King blows hot and cold. Spain are an overall better side, anyway, so even his inclusion might not have made a difference.

Norway 1-1 at the 93rd

[halamadrid2]

Kepa

We NEED to beat Spain at home. Doable if we don't play negative football like in the away game

Spain rested most of their starters, they'll be more fresh than us. I hope Isak starts instead of that fool Berg. Isak can make a name for himself on Tuesday

[Thimmy]

Spain is leading. But I can't say either of the sides been spectacular.

Thanks for the summary. I imagine we've created chances, but failed to score them since Haaland is injured and King blows hot and cold. Spain are an overall better side, anyway, so even his inclusion might not have made a difference.

Norway 1-1 at the 93rd

Whoa, I did not expect that. I heard on the car radio that it was 1-0 to Spain going into injury time. Let me guess, Martin Ødegaard freekick? We literally have no reliable goalscoring strikers without Haaland, so it must've been a set piece or header.. or a long-range strike by a midfielder.


Edit: injury time penalty. I should've guessed that.

[Freeza]

There’s no better keeper for national teams than Schmeichel. He’s the main reason we’ve not lost for like 30 games in a row.

What a fucking run. Can’t believe we’re “firing” our coach when he’s not lost in forever

[futbol_bill]

Timmy, it was a good game by Norway. Really impressed with Odegaard. Although my bias says Spain was the better team, it was a close match with both teams having decent chances.

although, It was disappointing from my perspective, the penalty was deserved, actually the only mistake from Kepa all game. Our lineup except for Ramos, Busquets was all youth players from past 3 to 4 years plus a reborn Navas (in a different position), Abiol and Cazorla. We’ll likely see a different lineup against Sweden next Tuesday, a game that can clinch first place.

[Hapless_Hans]

Spain will not win anything until they start using their best player.

Not playing Thiago is just plain dumb. Thiago is the best midfielder in the world, and has been for years.

Busquets on the other hand was finished already in 2014. Xabi Alonso took the blame for the disaster, but Busquets was just as much to blame, he just had a better lobby apparently.

Of course, Spain NEED to play Thiago.

[Robespierre]

So after a good streak of tournament in a row Switzerland shouldn't get qualification this time. I feel I won't miss them though

I'd like Norway again in a tournament, my first football memories are we scary to face FLOnaldo.

Ah we 're back , ready to dominate Euro 2020 too .

[futbol_bill]

Spain will not win anything until they start using their best player.

Not playing Thiago is just plain dumb. Thiago is the best midfielder in the world, and has been for years.

Busquets on the other hand was finished already in 2014. Xabi Alonso took the blame for the disaster, but Busquets was just as much to blame, he just had a better lobby apparently.

Of course, Spain NEED to play Thiago.

Thiago will play the more important game against Sweden. Today was a B lineup. As to Busquets, he will eventually be replaced by Rodri.

Our real problem though is a very inexperienced coach! I just hope Luis Enrique gets over his grief enough to take his job back.

We’ll qualify, but we have to overcome the age old problem of finishing, plus we need one of the young CBs to break out from being average.

By the way how is Germany doing?

[Hapless_Hans]

Germany are meh, I'm told.

I'm not actively following since they scapegoated Özil for the WC disaster and then proceeded to kick out all of Boateng, Müller, and Hummels. The DFB is a disgrace, and so is Löw.

[halamadrid2]

Just found out Ramos is out against us

Fffs this is our chance. Albiol-Llorente CB pattnership

[Lex]

Don't think i've ever seen a team a man down from the 15th minute onwards and not only win 3-0, but with 70% possession.

[sportsczy]

Thiago is not the best midfielder in the world lol.  Come on.  There is no "best midfielder" today...  no player or players transcend that area of the pitch.  You just have a tier 1 group of 5-10 and then the rest.

[Thimmy]

Thiago is not the best midfielder in the world lol.  Come on.  There is no "best midfielder" today...  no player or players transcend that area of the pitch.  You just have a tier 1 group of 5-10 and then the rest.

While I do agree, I think people should get used to Hans' hyperbolic statements and opinions by now. There's no in-between, just greatest of all time and cancer

[futbol_bill]

But the reality behind Hans statement is Thiago didn’t play in the Norway game. What he is ignoring is Spain has an abundance of options when it comes to midfield and Thiago is definitely an option. Whether or not he is the best is debatable. Reality is thus far none of them, to date, are not comparable to Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi. BUT midfield is not our issue! It’s a scorer or overall a lack of finishing, plus we are in need of an effective CB combination. We only have Ramos and several possibilities, none of whom have stepped up to the plate thus far.

Then there is the issue of a very inexperienced coach!!

[elfmeter]

Emre Can kinda ruined my Kanadian Thanksgiving Sunday. I figured I would watch the first 20 minutes, by that time it would be 3-0 to Germany and I could go out and kayak or fish or just enjoy the sun and fresh mountain air, well that and the weed and beer.

But no, Can not only created the play that lead to the red card, he was the guy who saw red, in about the first ten minutes. I then had to stay inside and watch until the second half, when Gundogan had two shots deflected in goal and Estonia were done. Estonia are not a very good team, just for the record.

This German team is also not very good , five years ago the team picked itself, now the only guy I would have as a certain on the team sheet, has been retired by J-Low (Hummels). I am not even sure about Kimich anymore, seems he is turning into a hothead, the rest of the players are interchangeable, even the keeper. Would not be surprised if NIreland get a result next week or whenever the next International break happens.

Kinda hope Germany do make it though, so Austria can eliminate them in the group stage next summer.

[Hapless_Hans]

But the reality behind Hans statement is Thiago didn’t play in the Norway game. What he is ignoring is Spain has an abundance of options when it comes to midfield and Thiago is definitely an option. Whether or not he is the best is debatable. Reality is thus far none of them, to date, are not comparable to Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi. BUT midfield is not our issue! It’s a scorer or overall a lack of finishing, plus we are in need of an effective CB combination. We only have Ramos and several possibilities, none of whom have stepped up to the plate thus far.

Then there is the issue of a very inexperienced coach!!

The reality is that because Thiago plays in the German league, pretty sure his performances are not appreciated in Spain, by the Spanish public and thus by extension to some degree also the coaching staff of the NT, the way they would be if he performed, as he does for us, week in week out, running the show magnificiently, working hard, passing, tackling, defending, at a Spanish club.
I'm sure were he to play for Real, for example (and believe me he is playing better than any of your midfielders), he'd make the FIFA team every year and be an undisputed NT starter. He'd be the first name on the NT team sheet.
Bayern players are usually underrated to some degree, compared to players of top clubs in England and Spain.

[Hapless_Hans]

Thiago is not the best midfielder in the world lol.  Come on.  There is no "best midfielder" today...  no player or players transcend that area of the pitch.  You just have a tier 1 group of 5-10 and then the rest.

Yeah well, that's of course true. But for the sake of making a strong statement, I might as well call Thiago the best. The only other midfielder about whom I'd say this btw is Kanté.

[Unique]

Germany are meh, I'm told.

I'm not actively following since they scapegoated Özil for the WC disaster and then proceeded to kick out all of Boateng, Müller, and Hummels. The DFB is a disgrace, and so is Löw.

the speed at witch you turned your back on your country is alaming. i expect that from kaz but not you

[Hapless_Hans]

Germany are meh, I'm told.

I'm not actively following since they scapegoated Özil for the WC disaster and then proceeded to kick out all of Boateng, Müller, and Hummels. The DFB is a disgrace, and so is Löw.

the speed at witch you turned your back on your country is alaming. i expect that from kaz but not you

In his defense, Betty is a full on USA! supremacist so you shouldn't name us in the same sentence

[Lex]

The way they're dealing with alleged racist chants in the England Bulgaria game is truly farcical

[RealGunner]

Nazi salutes and monkey chants in a football match in 2019. Incredible

[Unique]

the crazy thing is this never happends in any other internatinal sport. rugby boxing cricket olympics you never see this kind of thing so why only football.

[Thimmy]

It’s pretty much the only way for fans to influence the performance of opposing players. Racism is effective. Even if the perpetrators aren’t actually racist and it’s nothing personal, that doesn’t change it’s effect. Football is the most popular sport in the world, but I imagine racism is present to some extent in other sports, too. There are probably various reasons for why racist chants aren’t a thing in a sport like, Boxing.

[RealGunner]

Kane when the rest of the players walk off the pitch in protest but he’s just been awarded a pen pic.twitter.com/edBtfzBAbz

— (@thiemazette) October 14, 2019

[Robespierre]

Why Ben Yedder starts in place of Lacazette

[Sponsored content]