News: Other Teams - WC 2022 / International Edition (R)

Beckenbauer played the entire second half against italy and both overtimes with a dislocated shoulder.

 

let's root for the Swiss, I actually have a soft spot for them. How far can this scrappy team make it?

if we end up 1st and Brazil 1st. I do not want to want to play Serbia.
Costa Rica or the Swiss are fine but not Serbia. I find we tend to struggle vs teams like Serbia, Croatia and Italy.

 

I tend to root for the Swiss too. They are an underdog but I think they will surprise this summer.

 

The Swiss are okay, although I prefer Austria a lot more. Shame the Ösi's didn't qualify.

 

I like Austria too but they have massive problems. Have not made a WC since the 90s, qualified for 2 Euros in their history. One was as co-host and the other was the extended Euro 2016 and that's pretty much it. It's even worse as they do have talented players.

It's a team that will benefit tremendously from expanded WCs and Euros.

they also have a German coach in Foda (the 1st German coach of Austria) and is already at 3 wins in 3 games.

 

Kosovo called up these guys who are either born in Germany or ex German youth players for friendly vs Albania.

Bledar Hajdini, Besar Halimi, Edon Zhegrova, Dren Feka, and Donis Avdijaj

They also have like another 3-4 that were called up to the senior NT in recent times.

99-Edon Zhegrova scored the 3rd goal of the game to make it 3-0 in todays win. This kid is always refereed to as the Kosovo Messi, lol. It's also his 2 goal in 3 games while playing for the Kosovo senior NT. He scored the only goal in their win vs Burkina Faso.

1001546715508375553 is not a valid tweet id

would not be surprised if a few more from Germany eventually end up playing for Kosovo. Just at the top of my head currently in the U19 Shabani and in the U17 Dautaj are German Kosovo. As of now both seem to prefer Germany but if they don't make it with us wouldn't be surprised if they switch.

 

Alessandro Schöpf scores to give the Ösi's a 1-0 lead vs Russia

https://streamable.com/jfda1

 

Does anyone think Russia will get out of their group?

 

I expect them to take second in their group, more so because of how weak the Saudi's and Egyptians (sans Salah) are + the usual host-nation shenanigans, rather than because they'll actually play good football. Though they have been integrating the likes of Miranchuk & Golovin alongside Dzagoev, and Smolov is in good form even if Kokorin will miss the tourney, so they should have some talent.

Salah could beat them on his own if he's fully fit, and few teams buy into their own hype like the russian NT would if Salah isn't, but I have them getting light up by Spain in the round of 16.

 

Brandt will stay on the bench for the whole of tournament, he doesn't deserve any chance

Neuer Kimmich Hummels Boateng Hector Khedira Kroos Ozil (Gundogan,Goretzka) Reus Muller Werner

 

The swiss have more talent than they are willing to play. I like a lot of their younger players, but I hate the way they operate as a unit. There's no reason to play so negatively when they could be a fun little team with something like:

Embolo - Shaqiri^
Zuber - Zakaria* - Freuler - Mbabu
Zakaria/Xhaka
RiRo** - Akanji - Elvedi
Sommer

^ Oberlin | Ajeti | Gavranovic | Mehmedi
*Edimilson | Rüegg | Bajrami
**Schär | Hefti | Bamert​

 

I took a look at their roster and how they've lined up over the past ~year:

-This was the first time they've started a game with a back 4 in a long time...though they have transitioned to a back 4 at times. Mostly they've been in 3-4-2-1 or 3-1-4-2 ish shapes.
-Generally, Smolov leads the line, either on his own or partnered with Aleksey Miranchuk or Cheryshev...which seems to be the favored shape since Kokorin got hurt & Poloz fell out of favor.
-Fernandes, Samedev & Smolnikov have been the main options on the right flank. With Fernandes seemingly third choice in a back 3, where Samedev looks to be the favorite & Smolnikov the more defensive alternative. But Fernandes playing behind Samedev, seems like the first choice when they play a back 4.
-Zhirkov, Kombarov & Rausch have been their primary guys on the left. Though Kombarov was passed over in favor of Dynamo's 23yo Tashaev, who had a very productive season and should provide some youthful dynamism to contrast Zhirkov's aged craftines & Rausch's veteran-but-not-yet-old industry...I was hoping that Naibullin would win this spot, as he's got some very interesting talent should he ever want to leave Russia to capitalize on it, but he hasn't been making the progress he needs to at club level.
-Their back three has been some combination of Neustadter, Granat, Kudryashov, Kutepov, Vasin & Dzhikiya; but Vasin & Dzhikiya didn't make the WC squad, though I like Dzhikiya quite a bit (he reminds me of Soyuncu), and Granat & Kudryashov seem to be the two most trusted options.
-Their midfield has been anchored by Dzagoev & some combination of Golovin, the Miranchuk brothers, Erokhin, Zobnin, Kuzyaev, Glushakov, Tarasov & Shvets; with the latter trio not making the cut. Dzagoev is a pivotal figure when fit, Golovin seems a favored starter; but the battle between Kuzyaev & Zobnin in a more defensive role, versus the Miranchuk brothers & Erokhin in a more creative one seems to be on.

So it's looking like they'll enter the tourney with some iteration of:

Smolov - Al.Miranchuk/Cheryshev
Golovin - Dzagoev|Erohkin|Miranchuk(x2)
Zhirkov|Rausch - Dzagoev|Zobnin|Kuzyaev - Samedev|Smolnikov
Kudryashov - Granat - Neustädter|Kutepov
Lunev|Akinfeev
​

My guesses for the preferred starters in bold, and I kept it to only 2 alternatives, except for the midfield, where I listed 7 names for 3 spots.

I'm hoping the 23yo Tashaev wins the LWB job, and the 20yo Chalov becomes their joker up front if Smolov's form falters; but I don't think either is very likely unless they are just killing it in practice while some of the trusted vets in their way are slacking enough to anger the coach into major shakeups.

I'm not a huge Golovin fan, as I'm not sure he's a creative enough thinker, but he seems a lock to start & certainly has the raw talent to do a good job...even if I fear this next generation doesn't have an Arshavin or Dzagoev caliber talent if Aleksey Miranchuk isn't it. As this false rivalry for the crown of russia's most talented youth, that some Russians keep pushing, is nonsense. Golovin may be the better player in the moment at various points in their development, but the raw talent & creativity is incomparable.

The backline looks decent and isn't inept with the ball, though Neu getting the nod would help in that respect. Still far from a strength...if they have one it'ss their wingbacks & midfield...but definitely improvement from the Berezutski corpses they rolled out the past few cycles.

 

Granit Xhaka could miss the WC for Switzerland

BREAKING: @Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka a doubt for the World Cup with Switzerland due to knee injury. #SSN

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 31, 2018

 

OFFICIAL: Japan’s 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup. 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/gIVjExFTtF

— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) May 31, 2018

 

Re-watching some Colombia friendlies cause I'm very bullish on them & Uruguay at this tourney...and I'm trying to figure out just how far I wanna bet on them getting...and this Johan Mojica guy is impressing. Would love to see BMG make a move for him to replace Wendt at LB/LWB. Fast & skilled, with a nifty left boot, a willingness to take guys on off the dribble, and the kind of combativeness the position requires.

Fabra, who he's fighting for the starting gig, is talented & energetic as well, but this guy just has a dynamic quality that they could really use from their FBs with how conservatively Pekerman has played them in other areas. He is a very good trainer, and at the NT level I get erring on the side of caution because of the limited practice time & problems about players lacking chemistry/familiarity...but he's been coaching that core for a long time now, and they've have had some stabilizing pieces that he could have anchored a more proactive approach with the ball, around.

He's clearly been too conservative with his midfield both in this match against Egypt that I watched today, and the Aussie friendly before. Using Hamez on the wing with a midfield trio much better at disrupting play than participating in it, or playing him ahead of a purely destructive double-6...rather than as part of a modern midfield triangle. Taking midfielders off to lump more & more bodies into the box, hoping to get a chance for a bounce to go their way...instead of putting more creative midfielders on to try and help James craft real chances. How deeply they've defended against teams they dwarved in quality, etc.

I do have to say that I have liked their backline a lot. Feeling like Yerri Mina & Sanchez are poised to have a big impact at this WM behind Hamez, Falcao & co. And they have a good trio of FBs, with the aforementioned Mojica & Fabra battling for the job opposite the crafty & industrious Arias. They've got plenty of destroyers to help that backline be an absolute rock for them; with the younger Barrios & Lerma providing more skilled alternatives to oldtimers like Sanchez & Aguilar, or the prime-aged-vets like Cuellar & Uribe; but I think Pekerman overdoes it with his destructive midfield and that they'd benefit from rolling into the Japan match with something like:

Falcao
Izquierdo* - Racist* - James - Cuadrado
Barrios/Sanchez
Mojica/Fabra - Mina - Sanchez - Arias......
Ospina

*Quintero | Moreno | Muriel | Mojica
​

Replace Cardona | Quintero | Moreno | Izquierdo with Lerma or Uribe for the Poland & Senegal matches...where they'll spend a lot more time without the ball because they won't be able to outskill those teams enough to make up for their physicality...but if he wants to avoid another goal-less draw when they face Japan, they may need a 4-1-4-1, and that may be their best chance against more skilled teams that don't have the size & strength of the Poles or Senegalese.

 

I just hope Colombia are kicked out of the World Cup as soon as possible.

 

Carvajal could miss Spain's first two World Cup games admits Lopetegui

https://en.as.com/en/2018/06/08/football/1528490691_646715.html

 

I really hope France don't realize that Dembele & Tolisso need to start over Giroud & Matuidi if they want to be a real contender.

...if not Fekir/Lemar ahead of Pogba as well...

 

Denmark with a 2-0 win in friendly vs Mexico. Goals by Poulsen and Eriksen

 

That game highlighted a lot of my concerns with this interesting mexican team. Eriksen is better than Forsberg and the Danes have better forwards in front of their star, but the Swedes have a similar combination of organization & size against the ball that could frustrate the mexican attack...especially if we lay an egg in the 2nd match and give the swedes a point in our 2nd group match, like we usually do, so that they only need a draw out of the mexico match.

I'll be rooting for the mexicans though, they have more fun talent to watch and play a really interesting shape...as their nominal 4-2-3-1 functions more like a 3-4-2-1 or a 3-3-3-1 depending on whether Guardado & Herrera both start or if only one of them gets the nod.

 

South Korea and Senegal will play a "closed" friendly without spectators in Austria

http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=3048735