PBP Thread: Match #3, Russia vs. Egypt, 19 June 2018 [R]

I'm not a big fan of the foreign coaches, but Hector Cuper looks like a good fit for Egypt.

 

Egypt is under pressure...

 

Cuper looks like a good fit for anyone. He's a good coach, appreciated by everyone

 

Artem Dzyuba was on the bench last game and he starts this game...

 

Let’s go Mo!

 

The first 10 minutes, Russia is all over Egypt...

 

he's pretty isolated to be honest. Well marked, and his team is also having troubles passing the ball to him.

 

Salah with a lazy start defensively.

 

Wow...Egypt wakes up...

 

Egypt so far winning the aerial battles. This is going to be a fast game.

 

He looks a little bit slow. When he got the ball, Russia players are all around him...

 

maybe it's not required of him to defend.

 

Egypt now getting into this game. I think today has been the most enjoyable matchday for me so far.

 

End to end...

 

yeah, all games have been good today. It's the 1st time this happens at this WC

 

He's the star player and he plays hurt, so forget about defending job...lol

 

It looks that way. I would have preferred them to play him like they do in LFC though. But maybe he is a bit out of shape

 

Russia does a good job keeping Salah in check...

 

Every cross, they are looking for Dzyaba's head...

 

I meant to say that it's possible that Cuper has specifically told him to stay in Russia's half so he can convert any minor chance he gets.

 

I think the explanation is other: the Egypt team are NOT Liverpool. L'pool's players are overall better than this Egypt team and that helps, too because there's one thing to only have to worry about one player (Salah), but it's entirely a different thing having to mark other dangerous players like Mane, Firmino, or even Emre Can

 

Salah is so small, he disappears among Russian players...lol

 

great match, really. Box to box non-stop

 

Egypt is giving Russia too much time and space to put crosses in. Eventually one of them will connect.

 

MoSalah is playing at 50% at most.