Essential The Official Football (Soccer) Thread - We are SO back, the Premier League returns!
ROLLTIDE4EVER
Rookie
US will be good next decade, esp. if they go with a 3-5-2 formation. Have young players, focus on set pieces is key.
Dani Alves dropped some more heat to close out the Summer. This is Jay Z level bragging and cockiness on a track.
SamyTwoTimes
Rookie
If only he could be good at football instead
Ozil done with German team
My post world cup very early predictions for Euro 2020
France - Winners
Most of their key squad should be around in 2 years. The likes of Mbappe, Pogba, Griezmann, Kante, Umtiti et al. have cemented their status in the XI. A key position up for grabs will be the No. 9 as Giroud will likely retire from the national team after having an average world cup. Lloris should still be good for another run but Areola could see more playing time in 2020. Matuidi would also be at the cross roads for the national team. It'll be interesting to see how the players that didn't make the WC will play over the next 2 seasons. Martial, Bakayoko, Rabiot, Coman and Zouma are some names to keep an eye out for.
Belgium - Runner-ups
The Golden Generation of Belgium is approaching what could be seen as their last realistic chance of lifting silverware. The likes of Hazard, KDB, Lukaku and Mertens would be approaching their late 20'/early 30's by WC 2022, hardly ideal for a game that is increasingly more athletically competitive. Euro 2020 should see thier key players reaching the peak of their playing career. There will be a question of how to plug their defensive midfield as Witsel, Fellaini and Dembele may not have the legs needed for the engine room come 2020.
Italy - Semi-finalist
Italy is at an interesting juncture as it will need total revamping practically at every position. Here's the break: Italy has a crop of players that should peak come 2020. A midfield of Veratti and Jorgihno gives Italy to solid box to box players, and Gagliardini would provide defensive cover. Rugani and Romangoli look set to set up shop at the center of backline. Going forward there's a good mix of proven goal scorers in Immobile, Insigne and Balotelli as well as younger talent in Cuttrone and Bernadeschi. Donnarumma should be the first choice between the sticks. There is a question, however, about Italy out wide. There are no clear favorites for either the left or right fullback position and outside of El Sharawy, there aren't too many inventive Italian wingers at the moment.
Germany - Semi-finalist
Low and the Germans will want to forget the mess that was the 2018 World Cup. However, their disappointing display was not all too surprising. The German side was aging and had not done a good job of intergrating a lot of the promising young talent that won them the 2017 Confederations Cup and 2017 U-23 Euros. 2020 will be stage to right their wrongs. The likes of Sane, Werner, Goretzka and Kimkich should be no brainers for the first 11. Members of the old guard that could possibly retain their spots include Kroos, Reus and Draxler. Rudiger should provide ample replacement for Boateng who, after this last WC, should see his retirement with the national squad. Neuer should have another go with the squad but Ter Stegen could fill in as the first choice keeper should things go awry. What will be interesting to see is how Low adapts this German national side that will be feature many new faces into the winning machine of old.
France - Winners
Most of their key squad should be around in 2 years. The likes of Mbappe, Pogba, Griezmann, Kante, Umtiti et al. have cemented their status in the XI. A key position up for grabs will be the No. 9 as Giroud will likely retire from the national team after having an average world cup. Lloris should still be good for another run but Areola could see more playing time in 2020. Matuidi would also be at the cross roads for the national team. It'll be interesting to see how the players that didn't make the WC will play over the next 2 seasons. Martial, Bakayoko, Rabiot, Coman and Zouma are some names to keep an eye out for.
Belgium - Runner-ups
The Golden Generation of Belgium is approaching what could be seen as their last realistic chance of lifting silverware. The likes of Hazard, KDB, Lukaku and Mertens would be approaching their late 20'/early 30's by WC 2022, hardly ideal for a game that is increasingly more athletically competitive. Euro 2020 should see thier key players reaching the peak of their playing career. There will be a question of how to plug their defensive midfield as Witsel, Fellaini and Dembele may not have the legs needed for the engine room come 2020.
Italy - Semi-finalist
Italy is at an interesting juncture as it will need total revamping practically at every position. Here's the break: Italy has a crop of players that should peak come 2020. A midfield of Veratti and Jorgihno gives Italy to solid box to box players, and Gagliardini would provide defensive cover. Rugani and Romangoli look set to set up shop at the center of backline. Going forward there's a good mix of proven goal scorers in Immobile, Insigne and Balotelli as well as younger talent in Cuttrone and Bernadeschi. Donnarumma should be the first choice between the sticks. There is a question, however, about Italy out wide. There are no clear favorites for either the left or right fullback position and outside of El Sharawy, there aren't too many inventive Italian wingers at the moment.
Germany - Semi-finalist
Low and the Germans will want to forget the mess that was the 2018 World Cup. However, their disappointing display was not all too surprising. The German side was aging and had not done a good job of intergrating a lot of the promising young talent that won them the 2017 Confederations Cup and 2017 U-23 Euros. 2020 will be stage to right their wrongs. The likes of Sane, Werner, Goretzka and Kimkich should be no brainers for the first 11. Members of the old guard that could possibly retain their spots include Kroos, Reus and Draxler. Rudiger should provide ample replacement for Boateng who, after this last WC, should see his retirement with the national squad. Neuer should have another go with the squad but Ter Stegen could fill in as the first choice keeper should things go awry. What will be interesting to see is how Low adapts this German national side that will be feature many new faces into the winning machine of old.
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thatrapsfan
Superstar
He’s getting railroaded by an alliance of Turks who dislike Erdogan and Germans of many stripes. Many anti-Erdogan Turks dislike German Turks as it stands, because they’re often more conservative and vote AKP and he’s being treated as emblematic of all that.
Meanwhile Germans on right or otherwise, are using the German teams bad WC and this issue to assert their theories about dual loyalty and using him at the ultimate black sheep. He’s very right about citing the Lothar Matthaus example. Took a picture with Putin who has a HR record that is worse than Erdogan’s and also presented him a shirt and there’s no nationwide meltdown. He should quit the NT and focus on Arsenal.
EDIT: didn’t notice this latest statement, wow he’s actually retiring. Good for him. This whole situation has been a farce.
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My concern with Holland is their lack of a solid creative player and a lethal striker.
They have a good spine with VVD, de Vrij and Cillssen. Blind and Tete can cover both flanks and have enough experience to get by. Good wingers in Depay and Promes; that have pace and take on defenders. Here is where things get foggy.
Holland doesn't really have a world class, solid creative player that can pick out a pass like Sneidjer of old. Strootman is more of a deep lying playmaker and he's not very mobile, plus there he has fitness issues. Propper, Wijnaldum and Hendrix are box to box players but I could aren't known for their forward looking play. Klaassen has yet to fully develop at Everton and live up to his billed potential.
At the striker position is where Netherlands is particularly weak. Dost and Jansen are simply not up to level required if the Dutch are to make a deep run in the Euros.
2022 could be more favourable for the Dutch as some of the Ajax and PSV "wunderkids" woud have matured and hopefully developed well outside Holland. As of now, the Dutch representation at top clubs is much much slimmer than in the days of De Jong, Robben, Hunterlaar, van Der Vaart, RvP, Sneijder and the rest.
SamyTwoTimes
Rookie
He soft
J Money
No weapon formed against me shall prosper
Why the fukk would Ozil tapdance for German fans and the federation when they dont fukk with him? They love making him the scapegoat 9/10 times. Nah fukk that hes already won the World Cup, fukk themYeah I was thinking of the young cats do maybe for the next world cup
