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First Set of 12 Games: Any Surprises?

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    #1

    First Set of 12 Games: Any Surprises?

    So every team has played once.

    Best side: I didn't see the Belgium game and Russia were very poor so it has to be France. As I posted yesterday, imagine you were watching that team for the first time. It's not perfect, the back line can be exposed by top players in form (which Germany didn't have) but I think you'd be very impressed

    Worst 3 teams: for me, Brian, it's Turkey, Poland and Scotland (who were certainly the poorest technical side even if they created chances). In theory, each of these could turn it around in their 2nd or 3rd match but I doubt it very much.

    Best goal: Schick, obviously.

    Surprises: Not that many. More goals than I feared there would be (tired defenders, teams knowing that a win + 3rd place makes you very strong favourites to go through). VAR was OK until yesterday, but that's more to do with the policy of not flagging offsides.

    Better than expected: Hungary are not a bottom 8 side IMHO, which I wouldn't have predicted.

    Worse: Poland, but we shouldn't really be surprised after their most recent tournaments

    Player: Kante is becoming part of the all-time conversation in terms of defensive midfielders. Not only his own play but how he liberates Pogba to do his thing. I think he's at least level with Patrick Vieira, say.
    Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 16-06-2021, 07:13.
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    #2
    The biggest surprise for me were Slovakia. They seem to be a team full of ball-jugglers and there were several times when Poland's defence looked like mugs. Very enjoyable to watch.

    Bit early to pick a best side but the speed that France go forward is frightening. I've not really seen Mbappe in action before and now see what the excitement is about.

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      #3
      No real surprise in Spain's stuttering start. Gerard Moreno scored 23 goals last season but ten came from penalties.

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        #4
        Biggest surprise was England not drawing their first game in a major tournament

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          #5
          Best: France were racing on the bridle last night and dealt with Germany comfortably, I can't remember Lloris being involved.

          I'm biased but Italy look exciting, Belgium seem to be in roughly the same place as 2018, very good but probably not good enough.

          I still have to be fake surprised that Poland were so lousy, but perhaps Slovakia have been under estimated, and Spain and Sweden didn't give them too much to worry about.

          Comment

            #6
            Originally posted by Guy Profumo View Post
            Biggest surprise was England not drawing their first game in a major tournament
            2018, 2006, 1998, 1982, 1970 and 1950 want their money back.

            (Not to mention all those tournaments where we lost the opening game: 2014, 2004, 2000, 1988, 1986, 1968 and 1962. Says he, mentioning them.)

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              #7
              It's their first opening non-draw at Wembley but the sample is very small (1966, 1996).

              I think the above means the three longest sequences with no win (excluding DNQs) are 1954-66 (4), 1986-1996 (4), and 2010-16 (4). Curiously they often scored first but couldn't hold the lead so Saturday was an improvement on that. 2018-20 is the first time they've won two on the bounce.

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                #8
                On one hand, anyone who suffered through Slovakia's WC qualifiers vs Cyprus and Malta will be incredulous at what they produced vs Poland. Those were two of the most inept international performances I can recall. They went and beat Russia three days after the Malta game though, so they do have good performances in them. Those games were all without Hamsik. Mak and Duda have undoubted skill, Hamsik has enduring class.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by jameswba View Post
                  On one hand, anyone who suffered through Slovakia's WC qualifiers vs Cyprus and Malta will be incredulous at what they produced vs Poland. Those were two of the most inept international performances I can recall. They went and beat Russia three days after the Malta game though, so they do have good performances in them. Those games were all without Hamsik. Mak and Duda have undoubted skill, Hamsik has enduring class.
                  Anyone who watched their playoff semi final against Ireland would have been stunned. I have no idea how ireland didn't win that game by a couple of goals. Poor alan browne missed so many great chances.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Definitely. They fired the coach between then and the N.I. game, so probably knew they'd got away with it.

                    Their issue has been that they basically have six consistent performers, five of whom are the wrong side of 30 by some distance. (Milan Skriniar is the other.)

                    The middle generation, the likes of Lobotka, Duda, Mak, even young Weiss (though he's 31 himself now) remain unfulfilled talents whose club careers either haven't really gone anywhere, or have gone everywhere with no real development, if that makes sense. Perhaps tournaments like this suit them.

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                      #11
                      Slovakia were the better side for all bar 5 minutes of the play off final (although they were the width of a post in injury time from going out to a Big Laugherty screamer)

                      Is Vladimir Weiss IV yet impressing in primary school football?

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Locatelli is a fan of Murder, She Wrote

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