WC 2018 Group B: Spain Portugal Iran Morocco

nothing surprising, they have always been making strong players especially in the midfield.

 

I don't feel as safe with him as I do with Hakimi and he did make a few bad passes against Serbia but I think that he is good enough to be a sub. We REALLY need our full strength defense (Hakimi, Benatia, Saiss, Dirar) in the WC though especially against Spain and Portugal because small mistakes can cost a lot at that level.

Renard wants Left and Right Backs that never get tired and that can go up and down non stop for 95 minutes, and it seems that the only two that fulfill his criteria on the left are Hakimi and Mendyl. I really don't think that we will see a change in that area. He didn't even like Lazaar when Lazaar was at his best in Serie A.

 

Yeah, i just saw it. Good work, and very interesting post too.

It kind of just goes over peoples heads though.

I find it weird how one set of fans can look at their result, and take nothing from it because 'starters were out' yet.. look at another team, who won.. and claim they are essentially shit and can be taken out.

Whatever, we will what happens at the WC.

Truth be told, i am not worried about Portugal. They are a team who reserves their best for tournaments/when it matters. Portugal has never truly been an elite 'friendlies' team.

 

Man I feel bad for Egypt. What a cruel way to lose. They played a perfect 92 minutes.

On the other hand, without being particularly impressive yesterday, Portugal showed why they are European champions. Part of being a great team is having the ability to come back at the last minute and win even in a bad day. Ronaldo's performances these last few weeks are kind of scary..

 

Portugal with out 4 starters yesterday, and 4 very important starters

 

Spain will sing like a bird lonely on the roof at this group.
As the other three teams having an equal chance of making it, all these games between these teams it will be end in a very close affairs, it needs a bit of luck too also depends on who's causing Spain's more trouble.

 

Yeah far from impressive by Portugal, but they are showing a penchant for late game goals over the last few years. Also the statistics do indicate that the end score is more a reflection of the game, rather than if Egypt had won.

I won't have a chance to watch Morocco until tomorrow night, but I'm looking forward to it. Though in truth these friendlies never really change my outlook much.

 

Which side would you guys say is more physical, Morocco or Tunisia?

 

Tunesia. IMO Tunisia is the Italy of North Africa. At least when it comes to matches against their neighbors they play Catenacio because Morocco and Algeria are technicaly stronger.

Morocco's June friendlies:
4th vs Slovakia in Switzerland
9th vs Estonia in Talinn

 

Yeah, they were a very rough side. This was the first time since the Sweden match in 2015 that I saw an opponent matching the physicality of our players. I’m just glad that none of our players picked up an injury. One of their players though, who plays in Saudi Arabia, was injured and Saudis, being typical Saudis , are spamming and cursing at our players on social media pages.

 

I think the Italy of Africa is Egypt. Strong tournament team. Tunisia are more like the Greece of Africa, but yeah, they are definitely more physical than Morocco.

 

Egypt would never play with their whole team in defence.

 

Mendyl is very generous on the pitch but there's a little problem with him :
1- He can't defend
2- He can't attack

Defensively he is very often late against his opponent and he sprints to compensate, but it's hit or miss, I don't feel safe with his defensive interventions.
Offensively, he is always going upfront but he doesn't have the technical quality to give a good cross, a good pass, make a good dribble...It's all about speed, pushing the ball forward and trying to get it back.
Overall he lacks technical abilities and game intelligence, he is not even good enough for Lille and that's not a surprise.

Hakimi is decent but I would not be surprised if Renard uses Amrabat as left back. Against Spain and Portugal he might go for a defence with three man + Dirar and Amrabat on the flanks.

 

Historically Tunisia, but Morocco does have some solid physical players now.

Benatia, Dirar ( underated beast), Amrabat, El Ahmadi and Belhanda are all good and strong athletes.

 

Neither does Italy.

 

Egypt under cuper maybe, but historically it was Tunisia.

 

I don't know if it was the rainy pitch, or the fact that Iran was also missing some of its stronger, physical players, such Ezatolahi, Dejagah and Taremi, alongside PAG and Hosseini, or if it was just how strong Tunisia are physically, but this was indeed the first time since Ibra and company outmatched Iran physically that I saw a side that seemed to pose problems for Iran physically as well.

As for the Shojaie incident, I hope the Tunisian player is alright. That was a bad tackle and while unintentional, it was the one blemish on an otherwise fine performance by Shojaie against Tunisia.

 

I had seen Tunisia before, including in a friendly against Iran in 2012, and I knew they were strong physically. But they outmatched Iran in that department and seemed to out-muscle an Iranian team which usually doesn't get out-muscled by anyone. Now, we were missing some of our stronger, physical, players but Tunisia just looked physically stronger than I expected.

 

Once Mskani returns to Tunisia's squad, I expect them to do well in Russia. They are capable of getting results against the likes of England and Belgium. And they are better than Panama. Indeed, as much as CAF fans generally underestimate Tunisia, they are still one of the best hopes for CAF to have a side in the R-16.

 

This is pretty much the full match video for Morocco's friendly against Tunisia at home.

This is the highlights from Tunisia's match against Algeria in the last AFCON.

 

fwiw...
Spain have struggled in their opening matches of recent major tournaments:
Euro 2016: 1-0 v Czech Republic (gol scored in 87')
World Cup 2014: 1-5 v Netherlands
Euro 2012: 1-1 v Italy
World Cup 2010: 0-1 v Switzerland

 

Not only that, but, all i hear is how Spain is going to run over Portugal.. this is a baseless statement.

Spain is not what they were during their 3 straight championships 08-12

Portugal has gotten better, and now knows what it takes to win a title.

Euro 2004: Portugal 1-0 Spain
WC 2010: Portugal 0 -1 Spain (David Villa offside goal.. no VAR in '10)
Friendly 2010: Portugal 4-0 Spain
Euro 2012: Portugal 0-0 Spain (Spain won in PK's)

Where everyone is getting this idea that Spain is some superior team in comparison to Portugal is beyond my understanding.

Sure, Spain may very well win the game, but, it isnt going to be easy.

 

to keep it some what relevant, taking into consideration the most recent match up in Euro 2012, where Portugal lost in PK's

Line ups are are follows:
Portugal
Rui Patricio
Bruno Alves
Pepe
Coentrao
Veloso
Moutinho
Joao Pereira
Nani
Meireles
Ronaldo
Hugo Almeida

Spain
Casillas
Alvaro Arbeloa
Pique
Ramos
Alba
Busquets
D.Silva
Iniesta
Xabi Alonoso
Xavi
Negredo

Subs:
Nelson Oliveira on for Almeida
Custodio on for Veloso
Varela on for Meireles

Fabregas on for Negredo
Navas on for Silva
Pedro on for Xavi

Returnees:
Portugal - likely 5
Spain - likely 8

 

I have always found that most opinions are grounded in wishful thinking rather than a rational view of things. The truth is, everyone and their grandparents and family dog hate Portugal(Ronaldo), so you never really get a completely objective opinion.

 

Portugal has started slow too. So I think this will be a wash between both of them if you ask me.

WC 2010: 0-0 vs. Ivory Coast
Euro 2012: 0-1 vs. Germany
WC 2014: 0-4 vs. Germany
Euro 2016: 1-1 vs. Iceland