Who Has Actually Watched Serbia & Montenegro?

[FlanInTheFace]

everyone talks about their great defense, but who has actually watched their qualifying games? how good is their "BIG 4 DEFENSE"?

im not trying to say they suck, i like them, i'm just wondering if they are worth all the hype

[Rakim_22]

Never watched them but giving up 1 goal in qualifying is pretty damn impressive.

[vancity eagle]

saw them against Uruguay, they look pretty good, but I think the one goal in qualifying is a little flattering and more down to not much competition in their qualifying group, and Spain not being on form. We'll see how they do against 3 high calibre attacking teams.

[argentine soccer fan]

Their numbers for the Euro 2004 qualification are not as impressive as their World Cup qualifier numbers.

For Euro qualifying, they scored 11 goals and allowed 11 goals in eight matches, finishing third in a group that included Italy, Wales, Serbia & Montenegro, Finland and Azerbejian. They allowed four goals in two matches to Azerbejian (losing 2-1 and a 2-2 draw.) They also lost to Finland 3-0.

I wonder, did they make a lot of changes since that time? I think the qualifiers were played in 2003.

[johan neeskens]

I watched a couple of qualifiers. They do look solid at the back but also very unimaginative going forward, very much counting on a bit of luck in the counter attack.

[football_addict]

Their numbers for the Euro 2004 qualification are not as impressive as their World Cup qualifier numbers.

For Euro qualifying, they scored 11 goals and allowed 11 goals in eight matches, finishing third in a group that included Italy, Wales, Serbia & Montenegro, Finland and Azerbejian. They allowed four goals in two matches to Azerbejian (losing 2-1 and a 2-2 draw.) They also lost to Finland 3-0.

I wonder, did they make a lot of changes since that time? I think the qualifiers were played in 2003.Of course there was a lot of changing. We hit the bottom in 2003. I think only 5 or 6 players from than are in this Serbia team. Coach is also new and didnt lose a competitive match so far.

[Plavi]

Of course there was a lot of changing. We hit the bottom in 2003. I think only 5 or 6 players from than are in this Serbia team. Coach is also new and didnt lose a competitive match so far.

Very true, when we lost to Azerbijan that was our lowest point, after that disaster in qualifying we fired Dejan and brought in Petkovic who saw our potential and since that as football addict said we've been undefeated as far as I know. I have personally watched the team play on more than a few occasions and the defence is solid, not saying that they are impenetrable but they certainly play their positions well and work together along with a good keeper behind them. Also the Uruguay game wasn't much of testimonial of how we really play, so I wouldn't rule us out because we drew against them, then again the Netherlands are not Uruguay so we will have to wait another 10 days before we see how they match up against them.

[uclacarlos]

In qualifying, I saw the 1 of the Spain games and a lot of highlights.

For the tough games, Serbia tried to score first and then bunker down. And even in their offensive mode, they were really a bunkering team.

So the one goal wasn't a function of the back 4 and a d-mid but of a... "back 9", if you will.

In this high-flying, they will be forced to attack, and their attack got admittedly better as the qualifying progressed.

Expect tight, low scoring games w/ S&M.

[Plavi]

Thats exactly my problem with the team, we feel that it's best to draw first blood and then play back, this wa evident in the Uruguay game for whoever say it, about 10 minutes after the Stankovic goal the entire game switched over to a more defensive mentallity, we played back and most of the play took place on our side of the field, now this can work sometimes but I doubt it will against teams such as Argentina. If we played a more balanced game and played the way we did for most of the first half we'd do much better. Also if anyone who saw the game noticed in the ten minutes following the Uruguay goal we played great football and got some amazing chances, like that great header from Zigic, another 5-10 minutes and we might have even won the game, this is the kind of mentallity we should play with more often because our attackers have proved that they can make it happen we just need to realize that we have just as much potential up front as we do in the back 4.

[uclacarlos]

Why are S&M fans shifting in their tones?

I remember at the end of qualifying and after the draw, they were quite voiceful in their insistance that they did have offense and that this strategy was a sound one. They were so convincing that I... kinda changed my mind about the team and thought that maybe they would be a darkhorse candidate to go deep.

But why this shift?

[European16]

since i am serbian i watched just about every game and yes their defence is solid. They are definitly more of a defencive team but is we manage to score first we could probably hold the game to a 1-0 win.

[Plavi]

I don't think a simply getting one early goal and playing back will do it for us because it didn;t work against Uruguay. I think we need to draw first blood and then keep the pressure on and try and get another before settling back, I think our coach shares the same vision because he will be starting Kezman and Zigic up front.

[Dutch Treat]

since i am serbian i watched just about every game and yes their defence is solid. They are definitly more of a defencive team but is we manage to score first we could probably hold the game to a 1-0 win.

I think it's a must for the Serbs to score first against any of the three teams in group C.If the other team score first,this could mean trouble as the Serbs will be trying to force something and leave some space at the back.Against the attacking forces of the other three this could prove to be deadly.

Good luck!

[vancity eagle]

with all due respect to Serbias supposed top defence, they never faced any offence with the quality of Argentina, Holland, or Ivory Coast in qualifying. I do not expect them to have the same kind of defencive record in this group. Like someone else pointed out, they could not shut out an experimental Uruguay squad at home after taking the lead. All three teams they face in the group are better than Uruguay. I just don't buy all this defence talk.

[uclacarlos]

I just don't buy all this defence talk.
I do.

THey have a really solid defense. I've seen it. Spain couldn't break it, and we (Spain) were playing well, for the most part.

The thing is that at some point, Serbs must open up in this group if they wish to advance. Say it happens in game 2, and they lose and are forced to go all out in order to advance.

'Course, it's conceivable that it never happens, but we shall see.

[ZeekLTK]

I have both Spain games and one of the Belgium games on my computer but never really got around to watching them. Too late now, the cup starts in ~9 hours!!

But everyone needs to remember, if you throw out the San Marino games, Serbia & Montenegro only scored 8 goals in 8 games during qualifying (16 in 10 if you count the San Marino slaughters)... draw your own conclusions.

[yellowbismark]

I have both Spain games and one of the Belgium games on my computer but never really got around to watching them. Too late now, the cup starts in ~9 hours!!

But everyone needs to remember, if you throw out the San Marino games, Serbia & Montenegro only scored 8 goals in 8 games during qualifying (16 in 10 if you count the San Marino slaughters)... draw your own conclusions.


I agree that the SCG offense was disappointing in qualifying. They were held 0-0 at home by Belgium and Spain, and 0-0 away to Bosnia-H.

Though on the other hand, they got it done in the crunch time of qualifying. They had a difficult series of games (having had their 2 cracks at San Marino in the first 3 games of WCQ) to end qualifying and lots of people expected Serbia-Montenegro to fold like a house of cards with Spain to swoop in and take first. It must be noted that SCG held firm and got the goals when they needed them (home and away vs Lithuania, who was the surprise team of the group; away at Spain, and at home in a charged match with Bosnia with 1st place on the line). Mateja Kezman, all complaints I have for him aside, was very clutch in finding the back of the net in those games...

[ZeekLTK]

I know they had to be tough & good to get this far, but I'm just trying to put a lighter spin on this thread where everyone is talking about Serbia's "doomsday defense".

I hope you guys can beat Argentina and Holland for second place and maybe give up a goal or two to Drogba for group champions Cote d'Ivoire. :D

[yellowbismark]

I know they had to be tough & good to get this far, but I'm just trying to put a lighter spin on this thread where everyone is talking about Serbia's "doomsday defense".

I hope you guys can beat Argentina and Holland for second place and maybe give up a goal or two to Drogba for group champions Cote d'Ivoire. :D

I was addressing your point about the lackluster offensive record.

I also agree that the defense is given perhaps more credit then they deserve. Serbia-Montenegro have good defenders and are good together as a unit, but people are making a bigger deal out of their qualifying record then should be made. I would be surprised if they record a clean sheet at all in this very tough group.

The thing that makes this SCG squad truly unique compared to previous installments is the team cohesiveness. They are a lot like what made the US 2002 team successful. Previous teams have had tremendous individual skills, but had the stability of a powder keg. Sinisa Mihajlovic in Euro 2000 comes to mind....This team has no super stars, but plays together very well.

[Fan123]

I do.

THey have a really solid defense. I've seen it. Spain couldn't break it, and we (Spain) were playing well, for the most part.

.

How are they playing well? Are you actually saying Spain's playing well????? The fact that a below-average team like Spain can score on Serbia, is what matters. Who else is in that group???? Lithuania? Bosnia?? How is defending against those team suddenly make you "BEST DEFENSE?"