The game where the Belgian NT finally gets put out of its misery. I'm predicting 3-0 to Portugal, and that is already taking into account the fact that Deco won't play and assuming that Ronaldo won't be having one of his 'super' games.
There's always hope. I still believe there's more that can be achieved with this generation of footballers than is now being done. Part of the problem is that some talented players don't get called up by our current NT coach. And part of the problem is the attitude of those who do get called up.
I wish we would win 3-0. We have no replacement for Deco, and simao is supsended. not to mention maniche wasnt called and hes the heartbeat of our midfield, and quite frankly tiago sucks for the national team. Quaresma-almeida-ronaldo will be dangerous, but recently we are really toothless in attack..probably because postiga and gomes are quite avberage strikers so i again wish almeida would start, but scolari is stubborn and wont. Belguim has a chance, i dont know why you guys are so negative. vanden borre-kompany- VB- pocognoli is a superb backline which will not allow 3 goals although your midfield leaves alot to be desired players like buffel in the attack are clinical.! I think this will be an enjoyible game.
Vandenborre: frequently crap and has hardly played all season. Kompany: still injured Pocognoli: not called up for the NT So I don't share your confidence in our back-line.
Damn, kompany injured, hes a super talent Willl Dembele play? Pocognoli should be on the ntl team, i wouldnt mind him at benfica Also vanden borre was highly regarded once, what happened?
More Genk-players should have been called up but definitely Pocognoli. I think the EC is gone, but I still have high hopes for the WC 2010. I'm quite confident we can go to the tournament and impress the world. So, it would be nice to reach the EC, but on the other hand I wouldn't mind if VDE gets the sack and Gerets comes in. With the vast amounts of talent coming up (Defour, Kompany, Pocognoli, Bailley, Fellaini, Witsel, Van Gijseghem, Dembele, Martens, Maroufi, Kevin Baert, Lombaerts, Gillet, Cordaro,...) the future looks extremely bright. I have the impression that coaches aren't affraid to play youngsters anymore (in comparison to two or three years ago). Also, have a look at our U21's, who are going to the EC. Almost all the players are (semi-) regulars in the first team and Defour, Kompany, VdB aren't even included. Goalkeepers Logan Bailly Wouter Biebauw Frank Boeckx Michael Cordier Glenn Verbauwhede Olivier Werner Defenders Laurent Ciman Steve Colpaert Timothy Derijck Nicolas Lombaerts Martyn Monteyne Landry Mulemo Sebastien Pocognoli Jason Vandelannoite Günther Vanaudenaerde Egon Wisniowski Jan Wuytens Midfielders Maxime Annys Jonathan Blondel Tom de Mul Thibaut Detal Marouane Fellaini Guillaume Gillet Faris Haroun Maarten Martens Mohamed Messoudi Killian Overmeire Jeroen Simaeys Jan Vertonghen Forwards Tom De Sutter Stijin De Smet Jonathan Legear Sanharib Malki Sabah Kevin Mirallas Dieter Van Tornhout Jamaique Vandamme Jeanvion Yulu-Matondo
where in europe have you seen guys of a national team arriving(belgium)and 2 journalists photographers beat up with feets and punchs?declaration of war to portugal?there is pigs but your country is made of what?
What exactly are you talking about here? Please try again, so that we might actually understand what exactly it is your are upset about...
We're talking about one individual here. Who are you, Herr fascist, to condemn an entire nation you obviously know nothing about? If I follow your logic, I have to conclude that all Portuguese like to ******** their mates (isn't that what C. Ronaldo did to Rooney when he winked in the WC?). Besides, how big an honour is it to hear that the only way to stop you is by taking you out? You know damn well it's just something he says because he fears the player. But hey, I've already waisted enough words on this. Next time when you make an 'intelligent' comment, do know when to stop...
Not to add fuel to the fire (and not understanding corvo's drug induced comment), if you fear a player you really don't want to motivate him. We know how Ronaldo responds to taunts. Saying you want him stretchered off after two minutes is unprofessional and definitely punishable. I doubt he spoke for anyone but himself. The Belgium squad is most probably infuriated with him actually, as he has made the match much more difficult. Personally, I'm happy he said it. Match will be more interesting now. edit: just found this article. explains corvo's comments i guess. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/22/sports/EU-SPT-SOC-Portugal-Belgium-Scuffles.php
So much hassle about such a silly little quote. I would have thought you'd be used to much more than that. I guess not. This won't affect the result either way, Belgium is still going to lose, and Stijnen's quotes won't have anything to do with that. We've been crap for most of this qualifying campaign again.
we all had a good laugh this evening. First half : ok , portugal wasn't starting up yet and the Belgians really wanted to keep defending and hold on to the 0-0, which I think is a smart move. After the break however, the defensive mentality was gone and after the 1-0 (which was a very good example of how "high" we were playing) the motivation came to the portuguese. I saw some nice things, especially by Nani, great player. I've heard so much about Moutinho, but he didn't impress me at all anyway, it's obvious that our national team is crap. I don't think anyone really cared we lost 4-0 tonight. There is a glimmer of hope though. Bring in Kompany, Simons, Proto, Pocognolli (allthough he still has a lot of learning to do, he should move to a bigger club) Dembele and Vanden Borre (or Chatelle) and together with the good players that played tonight (mudingayi, defour, martens) we do have a team that can control a game and has enough quality to actually beat Kazachstan at home But we have to face the facts, beating Portugal or other topnotch teams like France, Brazil,.. is impossible.
What was all the fuss about over there by the way ? did anybody in Portugal actually cared about what that peasant Stijnen said ? Everybody in belgium laughs at him and his team, it's incredible that a worldclass team like Portugal gets furious over these remarks. Were they then having doubts about wether or not they could beat belgium ?
Of course. Belguim is a team with good history and very good defenders, but as i found out a few days ago from belguim guy, kompany and pocognoli are shamefully not on the national team. I didnt really take the comments seriously, i knew it was blown out of preportion, and it was good to see those two shake hands and make up after the game. I have to say, belguims midfield is a shadow of what it was, do you have any decent prospects coming up? i hope so because i like belguims ntl team very much. PS: I thought Moutinho was superb, made some amazing runs, awesome give and goes, and dazzling passing, although he did get muscled of the ba;; 2/3 times..he is a midget so thats to be expected.
Well, our biggest prospects are Defour (he played tonight) and Vanden Borre (on the bench). Kompany can also play in the midfield, allthough he's more of a defender. And he's injured I actually think the midfield is not that big a problem. Mundingayi (the black man on the midfield today) is definitely a good player, kinda like Makelele . I just think the major problem in midfield is mentality and character. There isn't anyone who steps up and takes the lead, or who has much experience (since Simons was banned for tonight's game).
Bring in Proto? Seriously? You want to play a goalkeeper who isn't even the current first choice at his club? Look, I can understand people supporting their own club, but you have to be able to see the big picture too. If you want to replace Stijnen, the only real alternative at this point is Bailly. I have no problem with him starting over Stijnen. But Proto? Sorry, I want everyone who starts for the NT to be a regular starter for his club as well.
We sucked again. Not much more to say. It has been like that for the past four years. At this point, I think Gerets is the only one who might get us back on track again, and I'm not even sure he'd succeed.
BTW, if you want to blame Stijnen for the four goals we conceded last night, you must have been watching another game than I was. He saved us from further humiliation from where I was sitting.
Yes, Simons the former peasant... BTW, could someone explain to me how Mbo started ahead of Sterchele? Of the 11 starters last night, I only want to see 5 in the next game: Stijnen, Van Buyten, De Man, Defour and Mudingayi.
Simons might be a former peasant, he does have the experience by playing with PSV in the CL. In my opinion, he shouldn't be in the national team. Simons is an overrated player, but who can keep a match locked down. For the kind of games we played yesterday, simons is definitely someone who should be on the NT coach's list. BTW f course, Proto shouldn't be called up on right now. He hasn't found the matchrythm and Zitka is just outstanding at Anderlecht. But in the long run, should Proto regain his regain his statute as first keeper (at anderlecht or elsewhere), he is definitely the best keeper we have in belgium. And yet again, Belgian Guy, you are manipulated by the one good season Genk is playing (allthough now they seem to be crashin). Bailly is another media-hyped player like Sterchele. He has made more flagrant mistakes this season than Proto in his entire carreer. And yes, I understand why Mbo started. The only thing you need to have in order to understand, is football knowledge. And you seem to lack that and grade players on their individual achievements. I agree Mpenza is a very mediocre player, i hate him at Anderlecht, BUT : given the circumstances, he was the best choice if you want to play with one striker Mpenza played because he is a player who likes to receive the ball in front of him , taking advantage of the depth of the field. A bit like Tchite. Mbo is also the best counterstriker we had in the selection. That's exactly the kind of player we needed yesterday, since Vandereycken chose to play with one attacker. Were you going to put Vandenbergh in perhaps ? And Sterchele ??? are you kidding me ? Why not play Pieroni then ? (that's ironical btw ) every player that plays well for half a season in the f v c k i ng Jupiler League incites such a hype that he needs to be selected for the National Team. You saw what a chance he missed yesterday: why would you still want a player like that in a team with one striker, that has to finish the one chance that he gets ? I'm no fan of Mpenza, but he did his ungrateful task quite well yesterday.
You could make a clip of the last decade of the Mpenza brothers with them missing dozens of chances just like the one Sterchele missed last night. Exactly how many goals do they have between the two of them in over a decade? Mbo Mpenza has 3 goals in 51 starts. Yeah, he really is the guy that could have made a difference last night. So wait a second, you think that Simons, whom Cruijff recently called 'European class', isn't even worthy of playing in the joke that is the Belgian NT? In that case, I'd argue that none of our current selection is worthy of playing for the NT. Manipulated by the good season Genk is having? Um, what exactly do you think other NT coaches do? They look at the players who are in form and select those. That's why Andy Johnson got called up for England, that's why Van Basten calls up AZ players for the NT despite the amount of Dutchman who play in bigger leagues, that's why every other coach in the world selects the players who are performing best at the time of the NT selection.