Hey All, So UEFA is starting a new competitive tournament for all UEFA National Teams from the beginning of next season. It is called the League of Nations, and it will happen every other year. The years that we do not have European Cups or World Cups. I cannot wait. I really just want the World Cup to go by fast, and then this to start. I bet we all still have scars from the Ventura era. There will be 4 groups of 3 teams. The Draw is tomorrow and here are the Pots: Pot 1: Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Spain Pot 2: France, England, Switzerland, Italy Pot 3: Poland, Iceland, Croatia, Netherlands The winners of these 4 groups will enter the semifinals of the knockouts round, and there will be one winner of this entire tournament. The bottom team in each group will get relegated to League B. Who is excited for this? Best Possible Draw: Belgium, Italy, Netherlands Worst Possible Draw: Germany, Italy, Croatia Technically I want to avoid Spain, Germany, and Croatia. I am not sure between Belgium and Portugal though which one I'd rather face. Belgium have a better team on paper, but Portugal seem superior tactically and better organized.
UEFA Nations League draw: League A Group 1: Germany, France, Netherlands Group 2: Belgium, Switzerland, Iceland Group 3: Portugal, Italy, Poland Group 4: Spain, England, Croatia We finally get to wip Ronaldo's ass and a semi meaningful tournament !!!
Overall I am happy with the draw. It could have been a lot worse. Poland is downgrading with many of their players aging and quite a few key players currently suffering from ACL ligament tears. If we can keep Lewandowski quiet, we shouldn't have too much trouble. Portugal is sometimes strong, and other times not so much. Kind of just like us. It will be interesting to see if we can get the better out of them or not. A lot of this will depend on who the new coach is. Gosh I hope we don't get someone like Ventura.
Well Ventura ruined everything for us. I believe we will be better under the new coach, but it will take time which is why I predict Portugal to be first and we'll hopefully be good enough to beat Poland to second.
It's a good group for us but for a semi meaningful competition it would have been cool to see Germany-Italy-Netherlands.........something like that lol
Netherlands? I'd say Croatia. Gosh you gotta realize that Netherlands is not a powerhouse at the moment. If you want my honest opinion they are the weakest team in League A. Never even won a WC. It really is beyond me how people consider them a powerhouse right now. They were a powerhouse between 2010-2014, but not right now. Just like you can kind of say France has its ups and downs. They are considered a powerhouse at the moment but it will not always be that way. Although France did win a WC so they are more understandable.
Correct, but Poland and Iceland have had much better performances than Netherlands most recently. Both made quarters in Euro 2016 and tied Portugal (champions) 1-1, while Netherlands didn't even qualify.
Well Euro 2016 we were one of the best teams there, but Conte transformed the side. Although we were missing a bunch of key players through injury and many of our youngsters started to show talent like a few months prior to the tournament and it was too late for Conte to try and introduce them into the Azzurri right before the start of Euro 2016.
Yup I remember that. We really have no idea what we will be like with our new coach, whoever that may be.
We've been good at the euros in 2012 and 2016, you can't deny us that. Also in 2008 I believe if we had Pirlo we would have beaten Spain in the quarter finals. They destroyed us but we weren't without our chances. Taking them to penalties was a good feat seeing as we were missing our best player as well as our best defender Cannavaro who missed the competition and Gattuso also went down injured. Portugal won last euro and do quite well at that competition but at the world cup bar 2006 have did sweet ******** all in recent times. France have been up and down also in various competitions over the last decades and Holland as we're well aware are in that same boat. Croatia, England, worse than those mentioned. Spain before their success were seriel chokers and in 2014 crashed out after two games getting a hiding in both. 2016 they were well beaten by us and a second string Croatia. Germany had bad comps in 2000 and 2004 going out first stage. They're the best european team and most consistent. What I'm getting at is heaps of teams have had their ups and downs. At the world cup we've been shit now for the last 3 times, this time not qualifying but others had their hiccups. France 2010 - 1st round 2012 - quaters First round exit in 2008 euros. They crashed out in 2002 at the 1st stage also as defending champs and have just come back to form in the last two competitions. Holland 2012 - 1st round 2016 and 2018 did not qualify. Around that they were supreme. 2008 had an awesome group stage then fell to Russia in the qtrs. 2010 finalists and were a penalty shootout away from making back to back world cup finals. Teams fortunes go up and down in the last decades with really only Germany being the standout team. For all their dominance they have won only one trophy but without question the most consistent European team.
Finally, it will be 6 months, some tournament play for this gang of scrubs. September 7th vs Poland. (H) September 10th vs Portugal. (A) After their showing at the WC I think we can finish ahead of Poland and remain in League A.
I wouldn't say that Spain destroyed us in 2008. We gave them the toughest game, as Camoranesi almost scored to put them away.