Oh wow that might be the first time that anyone has ever said that. No really I think its Brazils cup to lose.
Renzo
If Messi plays like this for the Albicelestes, watch out.
TranceGiant
I've been absolutely thrilled by Nani's performance yesterday against Bayern. If he continues this form and if Ronaldo will be fully fit, the Portuguese might have the best two wingers of any national team. Definitely not to be underestimated!
Simon_N
quote:
Originally posted by Protege
USA will win!
Oh wow that might be the first time that anyone has ever said that. No really I think its Brazils cup to lose.
I think Spain has the best squad this time. Brazil have the worst squad since 1990 maybe longer. Still a great squad though.
SYSTEM-J
quote:
Originally posted by Renzo
If Messi plays like this for the Albicelestes, watch out.
He doesn't, though.
sensorium
quote:
Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
He doesn't, though.
You're right. He doesn't. The only memorable play I can remember of Messi playing for Argentina is this one:
noikeee
quote:
Originally posted by TranceGiant
I've been absolutely thrilled by Nani's performance yesterday against Bayern. If he continues this form and if Ronaldo will be fully fit, the Portuguese might have the best two wingers of any national team. Definitely not to be underestimated!
Yeah but then that's just two wingers, look at the rest of the team and we're very fragile. We have no keeper, no left back with our manager insisting in playing Duda there which is suicidal, our good right back is injured (Bosingwa), the midfielders that usually play the most are all doing a fairly below-par season (Deco, Moutinho, Meireles), and inexplicably even the centre-backs have done shaky games despite Ricardo Carvalho-Bruno Alves being a good pairing in theory. Also, there have been no successful substitutes for Deco and Liedson at the n.10 and n.9 positions (playmaker and striker). Both are over 30 years old and might not always last a game.
We do have a BUCKETLOAD of wingers, add Simão, Danny, Duda, Quaresma, Coentrão, all to the mix - but only 2 of them can play, perhaps 3 if someone is out of position. And notice that having the likes of Ronaldo and Nani as the team saviours doesn't quite work, as on the field they often feel they have to solve the match on their own and disregard the team-mates, the team chemistry just isn't there.
I think things could be partially fixed if Queiroz tries a different philosophy - personally I'd like to see a midfield composed of Pedro Mendes as a defensive-only minded player, Tiago and Deco ahead of him with a bit more freedom. But whatever he does, we have some very big issues that can't be solved.
noikeee
quote:
Originally posted by Simon_N
I think Spain has the best squad this time. Brazil have the worst squad since 1990 maybe longer. Still a great squad though.
Looking at the names, maybe. There is no Ronaldinho/Ronaldo/Romário/Rivaldo/Roberto Carlos on top form anymore, maybe Kaká is the only remaining big star. However, look at the actual squad and the way they've been playing lately, and they are definitely stronger than 4 years ago. That is the difference between a team that clicks together and a team that doesn't.
SYSTEM-J
quote:
Originally posted by sensorium
You're right. He doesn't. The only memorable play I can remember of Messi playing for Argentina is this one:
I still remember these:
The second one has the best pass I've ever seen, from Riquelme.
quote:
Originally posted by noikeee
Also, there have been no successful substitutes for Deco and Liedson at the n.10 and n.9 positions (playmaker and striker). Both are over 30 years old and might not always last a game.
Surely you can play Ronaldo as a striker flanked by two wingers? That's how Man United played when he was there and it worked really well.
noikeee
quote:
Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
Surely you can play Ronaldo as a striker flanked by two wingers? That's how Man United played when he was there and it worked really well.
We've tried, never worked. Basically that just ended up with Ronaldo having less of the ball and creating less danger.
In fact we haven't really managed to fit the team to Ronaldo (or Ronaldo to the team) for a while. Last time he played well for us must have been in the qualifying rounds for the Euro.
SYSTEM-J
quote:
Originally posted by noikeee
We've tried, never worked. Basically that just ended up with Ronaldo having less of the ball and creating less danger.
In fact we haven't really managed to fit the team to Ronaldo (or Ronaldo to the team) for a while. Last time he played well for us must have been in the qualifying rounds for the Euro.
That doesn't make sense, because Queiroz was the one who converted Ferguson from his trusty 4-4-2 to the cosmopolitan 4-3-3/4-5-1 that allowed Ronaldo to prosper. Further evidence that Queiroz is absolutely useless as a stand-alone manager, I suppose.
