Is that before or after they mutiny/ self destruct? Back in the day, the Netherlands used to always have best team on paper but seldom made it out of group.
Definitely. For a team that a lot of people think is one of the favorites, Germany has a few clear deficiencies. Several of their attacking players are redundant, there's question marks over the defensive pairing, and their only true #9 is an aging Klose. I also feel like people are overlooking Spain because they're just tired of them winning everything. On paper, they look like the most talented and well rounded team to me.
I would not put too much stock in the African cup of Nations. Remember Ghana, which is considered the best squad in Africa, has not won that title since 1982. Egypt, which won three straight tournaments (2004, 2006, 2008). and has not qualified for a world cup since 1990. Plus consider how the United States struggled has struggled with Ghana while beat Egypt pretty easily at the Confederations cup. Its a weird tournament that happens mid-season and once every two years which makes it very difficult for European based squads. Ivory coast however has always played well in world cup qualifying and while they did not make it out of their group the last two cups in my view played pretty pretty well give the fact that they were in the group of death.
This is an A team for sure. But this is also a 30 man preliminary roster. Interestingly, 2 goals came from Dempsey, 1 from Altidore and another own goal. The only scorer on the 30 is Daxler. We'll face much more talent this time. The match back then: USA: 1-Tim Howard; 6-Brad Evans, 3-Omar Gonzalez, 5-Matt Besler, 7-DaMarcus Beasley (2-Edgar Castillo, 56); 4-Michael Bradley, 13-Jermaine Jones, 19-Graham Zusi (18-Eddie Johnson, 56), 23-Fabian Johnson (24-Brad Davis, 46); 8-Clint Dempsey, 17-Jozy Altidore (25-Terrence Boyd, 81) Substitutions Not Used: 12-Brad Guzan, 11-Stuart Holden, 15-Michael Parkhurst, 16-Sacha Kljestan, 20-Geoff Cameron, 21-Clarence Goodson Head coach: Jurgen Klinsmann GER: 22-Marc-Andre ter Stegen; 4-Benedikt Howedes, 7-Marcell Jansen (6-Dennis Aogo, 46), 17-Per Mertesacker (23-Phillip Wollsched, 46); 3-Stefan Reinartz, 8-Julian Draxler, 9-Andre Schurrle (18-Sydney Sam, 65), 10-Lukas Podolski, 15-Lars Bender (5-Heiko Westermann, 46), 16-Sven Bender (20-Max Kruse, 46); 11-Miroslav Klose (13-Nicolai Muller, 79) Substitutions Not Used: 1-Rene Adler, 12-Ron-Rober Zieler, 14-Aaron Hunt, 21-Roman Neustadter Head coach: Joachim Low Here is their 30 man: GOALKEEPERS (3): Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich - Germany / 28yrs) Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund - Germany / 33yrs) Ron–Robert Zieler (Hannover - Germany / 25yrs) DEFENDERS (10): Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich - Germany / 25yrs) Erik Durm (Borussia Dortmund - Germany / 21yrs) Kevin Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund - Germany / 25yrs) Benedikt Howedes (Schalke 04 - Germany / 26yrs) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund - Germany / 25yrs) Marcell Jansen (Hamburg - Germany / 28yrs) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich - Germany / 30yrs) Per Mertesacker (Arsenal - England / 29yrs) Shkodran Mustafi (Sampdoria - Italy / 22yrs) Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia Dortmund / 26yrs) MIDFIELDERS (15): Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen - Germany / 25yrs) Julian Draxler (Schalke 04 - Germany / 20yrs) Matthias Ginter (Freiburg - Germany / 20yrs) Leon Goretzka (Schalke 04 - Germany / 19yrs) Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich - Germany / 21yrs) Andre Hahn (Augsburg - Germany / 23yrs) Sami Khedira (Real Madrid - Spain / 27yrs) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich - Germany / 24yrs) Max Meyer (Schalke 04 - Germany / 18yrs) Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich - Germany / 24yrs) Mesut Ozil (Arsenal - England / 25yrs) Lukas Podolski (Arsenal - England / 28yrs) Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund - Germany / 24yrs) Andre Schurrle (Chelsea - England / 23yrs) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich - Germany / 29yrs) FORWARDS (2): Miroslav Klose (Lazio - Italy / 35yrs) Kevin Volland (Hoffenheim - Germany / 21yrs)
The long term injury to Badstuber and the injuries/decline of Gomez has really created issues at CB and CF for them post Euro 2012. Put those two out there healthy and in form and I think it goes a long way to alleviating their current issues. For as much talent as Germany has produced in the last 5-6 years it's mostly a glut of midfielders, they really haven't produced any world class defenders or forwards during that time outside of Hummels. Badstuber was on his way to world class level though imo.
Looking at the Germany squad for Poland not quite sure what the entire point of the friendly is, as its loaded with players not on the German preliminary roster...
Ivory Coast. Darkhorse for me. Goalie is still an issue. A 433/451 could be very entertaining. Yaya is hungry.
I think Spain is being underrated because they were beaten comprehensively by Brazil in the Confed Cup. Plus, I think the coinciding decline of Barca (similarly beaten comprehensively by quick, athletic teams recently) has many thinking tiki-taka is obsolete.
A back line of Philipp lahm - Mertersacker - Hummels - Schmelzer isn't bad at all especially with Neuer behind them... there real problem is who is going to partner Schweinsteiger in the middle, if Khedira was healthy it would be a no brainer, but as it stands its probably between L.Bender and Goretzka. I don't think they will play Lahm as a DM like Bayern does, but it could be a possibility... As far as attacking midfielders and wingers go there are few teams with better or more options. Gotze Muller Reus Schurrle Ozil Podolski Kroos, just about any of those guys would make it into any other team, and that without including young guys like Draxler and Meyer
ITALY in Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain), Mattia Perin (Genoa) Defenders: Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorigo Chiellini (Juventus), Gabriel Paletta (Parma), Andrea Ranocchia (Internazionale), Ignazio Abate (Milan), Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Matteo Darmian (Torino), Manuel Pasqual (Fiorentina) Midfielders: Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain), Riccardo Montolivo (Milan), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Marco Parolo (Parma), Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina), Romulo (Verona) Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Milan), Antonio Cassano (Parma), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Giuseppe Rossi (Fiorentina), Mattia Destro (Roma), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli) http://www.theguardian.com/football...d-cup-squad-chiellini-osvaldo-balotelli-rossi
Le Drama! She Begins! Nasri Left Out of France. Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Mickaël Landreau (Bastia) Defenders: Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle United), Lucas Digne (PSG) Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Eliaquim Mangala (Porto), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool), Raphaël Varane (Real Madrid) Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (PSG), Clément Grenier (Lyon), Blaise Matuidi (PSG), Rio Mavuba (Lille), Paul Pogba (Juventus), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille) Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad), Loïc Rémy (Newcastle), Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich) Stand-by players: Stéphane Ruffier (Monaco), Loïc Perrin (St Etienne), Maxime Gonalons (Lyon), Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton), Benoît Trémoulinas (Dynamo Kiev), Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon), Rémy Cabella (Montpellier) Not even among the stand-bys....
Ladies and Gentlemen....Samir Nasri's girlfriend: 466287560277639168 is not a valid tweet id That, my friends, is what you call a match made in heaven. For the record -- I am loving this to no end. Nasri is a shithead. A great footballer (when he feels like it), but a total douche. I'm also not a fan of Deschamps -- never liked him at Juve, don't rate him as a manager. A water carrier if ever there were, with little soul to his game. I have loved many a French player -- but this pre-Cup-meltdown media frenzy is way, way, way too delightful. "... Nasri, who has a reputation of being a troublemaker and was disappointing in France's play-off first leg against Ukraine last year... "Samir is an important player for Manchester City but he has not performed that well with France," Deschamps said. "He is a starter at City, which is not the case with France and he has made clear that he is not happy when he is not [a starter], and I can tell you it can be felt in the squad. I built the best squad, I did not pick the 23 best French players. ..."
Gotta love Twitter... In all seriousness, it looks like they're going for chemistry over talent. Which is not a bad idea given what happened in 2010. Maybe they should have canned Evra too though Digne is probably a little too inexperienced. Did Nasri miss out in 2010?
Argentina 30-Man Squad. Dimichelis In. Tevez Out. Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (Sampdoria), Mariano Andújar (Catania), Agustín Orión (Boca Juniors) Defenders: Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Federico Fernández (Napoli), Ezequiel Garay (Benfica), Marcos Rojo (Sporting Lisbon), Hugo Campagnaro (Internazionale), Martin Demichelis (Manchester City), José Basanta (Monterrey), Nicolás Otamendi (Atlético Mineiro), Lisandro López (Getafe), Gabriel Mercado (River Plate) Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Fernando Gago (Boca Juniors), Lucas Biglia (Lazio), Éver Banega (Newell's Old Boys), Ricardo Alvarez (Inter), Augusto Fernández (Celta Vigo), José Sosa (Atlético Madrid), Angel Di María (Real Madrid), Maxi Rodríguez (Newell's Old Boys), Fabián Rinaudo (Catania), Enzo Pérez (Benfica) Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuaín (Napoli), Sergio Agüero (Manchester City), Rodrigo Palacio (Internazionale), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris Saint-Germain), Franco di Santo (Werder Bremen)
Holland 30-Man Squad Goalkeepers: Jasper Cillessen (Ajax), Tim Krul (Newcastle United), Michel Vorm (Swansea City), Jeroen Zoet (PSV Eindhoven) Defenders: Daley Blind (Ajax), Stefan de Vrij, Daryl Janmaat, Terence Kongolo, Bruno Martins Indi (all Feyenoord), Karim Rekik (PSV Eindhoven), Patrick van Aanholt (Vitesse Arnhem), Paul Verhaegh (FC Augsburg), Tonny Vilhena (Feyenoord), Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa), Joel Veltman (Ajax) Midfielders: Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord), Jonathan de Guzman (Swansea City), Nigel de Jong (Milan), Leroy Fer (Norwich City), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray), Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV Eindhoven) Forwards: Jean-Paul Boetius (Feyenoord), Memphis Depay (PSV Eindhoven), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04), Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahce), Jeremain Lens (Dynamo Kiev), Quincy Promes (Twente Enschede), Robin van Persie (Manchester United)
Netherlands 30 man provisional squad announced: No Strootman. Goalkeepers : Krul, Cillessen, Vorm, Zoet. Defenders : Verhaegh, Van Aanholt, Rekik, De Vrij, Martins Indi, Kongolo, Blind, Veltman, Vlaar, Janmaat. Midfielders : Sneijder, Fer, Nigel de Jong, Clasie, De Guzman, Van der Vaart, Vilhena, Wijnaldum. Forwards : Depay, Boetius, Lens, Van Persie, Kuyt, Huntelaar, Promes, Robben.
Falcao has been included in Colombia's provisional squad. If he's selected, he would most likely miss the group stage, and maybe be ready for the knock-outs. There's a big risk -- but possibly worth it. Colombia 30 Man Squad Goalkeepers: David Ospina (Nice), Faryd Mondragon (Deportivo Cali), Camilo Vargas (Independiente Santa Fe) Defenders: Mario Yepes (Milan), Cristián Zapata (Milan), Pablo Armero (West Ham United), Camilo Zúñiga (Napoli), Aquivaldo Mosquera (America, Mexico), Santiago Arias (PSV Eindhoven), Luis Amaranto Perea (Cruz Azul), Éder Álvarez Balanta (River Plate), Carlos Valdés (San Lorenzo) Midfielders: Fredy Guarín (Internazionale), Juan Cuadrado (Fiorentina), Victor Ibarbo (Cagliari), James Rodríguez (Monaco), Abel Aguilar (Toulouse), Juan Fernando Quintero (Porto), Carlos Sánchez (Elche), Macnelly Torres (Al Shabab), Aldo Leão Ramirez (Morelia), Edwin Valencia (Fluminense), Alexander Mejía (Atletico Nacional), Elkin Soto (Mainz) Forwards: Radamel Falcao (Monaco), Luis Fernando Muriel (Udinese), Jackson Martínez (Porto), Carlos Bacca (Sevilla), Adrián Ramos (Hertha Berlin), Teofilo Gutiérrez (River Plate)
Clichy has also been left off the France squad -- is that a 'chemistry' decision as well? Or a football decision? Hasn't Evra lost a step? Or four? Clichy is still crazy fast. Also: He may not be much of a footballer, but Emmanuel Frimpong is definitely hilarious. Raaaah nasri mrs is on some gangster stuff You go girl— EMMANUEL YAW FRIMPONG (@IAMFRIMPONG26) May 13, 2014
Yup. Then he was included for the 2012 Euros -- and proceeded to douche it up all over again, pulling this angry finger-to-the-lips stunt toward the media after scoring against England (instead of celebrating for f/ck sake) ... ..and then laying into a reporter with a foul mouthed tirade after France was eliminated by Spain, resulting in a three match ban.