An all-Belgian team, how would they fare?

colly_06

It's getting scary just how much talent Belgium are producing, albeit I know this has been known for a while, how would this team fare in the PL, top four?


(3-4-3)

-Simon Mignolet-

- Vincent Kompany- Jan Vertonghen - Thomas Vermaelen -

- Mousa Dembélé - Marouane Fellaini - Dries Mertens - Eden Hazard -

- Kevin Mirallas - Romelu Lukaku - Christian Benteke -

Draupnir

They've got Thibault Courtois to come through fully into their national side in goal, looks likely to be one of the best keepers in the world based on his performances so far for Atletico.

Kess73

No Witsel, Courtois, Defour, or Alderweireld?

Knex*

Kess73 wrote: »

No Witsel, Courtois, Defour, or Alderweireld?

Courtois and Witsel definitely for me, whatever about the latter two.

Don't think Defour would make the starting XI for me personally.

ROCKMAN

friend has them backed Each Way for the world cup and also backed them to win next Euro's

Liam O

Kess73 wrote: »

No Witsel, Courtois, Defour, or Alderweireld?

It's strange because except for Mertens they all play in the PL. Thought he was going for the ones in the PL how would they fare type thing.

Dembele is very overrated imo and has Witsel anyway ahead of him.

Knex*

You hear no talk of how much Spurs are missing Modric. Dembele is very much part, if not all, of the reason for that.

Don't think he's overrated at all tbh. A quality player who wouldn't look out of place in the starting XI of any team in the PL.

colly_06

Yeah I'll admit I don't know too much about the players outside of the PL so just put them in, what would you put as the best possible team?

GavRedKing

Courtois would start over Mignolet and he does for the national side.

Liam O

Knex. wrote: »

You hear no talk of how much Spurs are missing Modric. Dembele is very much part, if not all, of the reason for that.

Don't think he's overrated at all tbh. A quality player who wouldn't look out of place in the starting XI of any team in the PL.

Probably due to the fact Modric was responsible for a lot of defensive frailties and his creative role has been taken over since Bale became the resident ball hog and moved to the middle. That and the rest of the players who've come in have made Spurs a far better team/squad with only their striking options significantly lacking.

I'd be interested to see if Benteke and Lukaku could play together. Pretty similar but highly skilled players who are playing at about the same level nowadays. Any formation/teamsheet that I would pick as Belgium's best would be reliant on that experiment.

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

carlop

colly_06 wrote: »

It's getting scary just how much talent Belgium are producing, albeit I know this has been known for a while, how would this team fare in the PL, top four?


(3-4-3)

-Simon Mignolet-

- Vincent Kompany- Jan Vertonghen - Thomas Vermaelen -

- Mousa Dembélé - Marouane Fellaini - Dries Mertens - Eden Hazard -

- Kevin Mirallas - Romelu Lukaku - Christian Benteke -

It's a very good side and as mentioned would be better with Courtouis in goals and possibly Witsel somewhere.

However I suspect the national team will suffer from some internal division along ethnic lines, a bit similar to the Dutch but with the added caveat of Walloon and Flemish.

GavRedKing

If I was picking the team I'd go with,

Courtois

Alderwield Kompany Vermalene Vertognhen

Dembele Witsel

Mertens Fellaini Hazard

Benteke


Although Mirallas, Vossen, Lukaku, Debruyne, Defour, Gillet could all easily replace players in the starting XI.

This is certainly a golden generation for the Belgians, hope they can captailise on it.

SlickRic

they look more like the English "golden generation" than the Spanish thus far, as talented as they are.

if you watch the national team play, they largely flatter to deceive.

do they believe their own hype?

stunningly talented group all the same.

markesmith

Liam O wrote: »

Dembele is very overrated imo and has Witsel anyway ahead of him.

I disagree, he's been very good for Spurs this season. The balance he has on the ball, for a guy his height, is amazing. Great dribbler of the ball as well. He's doing the Michael 'Unsung' Carrick thing at Spurs.

cson

Lack proper full backs. They're such a crucial part of the modern game that you'll suffer disproportionately by playing centre halfs there.

Liam O

markesmith wrote: »

I disagree, he's been very good for Spurs this season. The balance he has on the ball, for a guy his height, is amazing. Great dribbler of the ball as well. He's doing the Michael 'Unsung' Carrick thing at Spurs.

A lot of games I've seen he looks very sluggish and not too positionally aware. His passing isn't quite up to the level it should be for the position he plays. He looks good once he gets up a head of steam and is still learning how to play the deeper role but not convinced on him yet.

noodler

An all-Belgian team?

You're crazy.

homerjay2005

SlickRic wrote: »

if you watch the national team play, they largely flatter to deceive.

this sums them up to be honest. good players with their club, but something is missing at international level, they just dont seem to gel to the level they should be at.

right now, they are a long way off the top 10 teams in the world and are, unlikely IMO to be in the shake up to win a tournament given how strong some of the other teams are.

should qualify handy enough, BUT their group is a mess.

LuckyLloyd

It's no real surprise that they aren't gelling at International level thus far given the political situation in the country at present and consequent cultural divisions.

The Internet

Phoenix wrote: »

No De Bruyne either?

He's probably the most important player for them since he's one of the few that keeps up his club form for the national team

LuckyLloyd

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

It's no real surprise that they aren't gelling at International level thus far given the political situation in the country at present and consequent cultural divisions.

The old Yugoslav republic pre breakup were a solid team though and they had a different mixture amongst the 6 nations that eventually broke away. Few Croats, Montenegrans, spring to mind

The USSR was another case. Granted they had predominately Russians but they werent afraid to pick talent from Georgia or Ukraine, etc should it be there

AdamD

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

It's no real surprise that they aren't gelling at International level thus far given the political situation in the country at present and consequent cultural divisions.

Its football, it really shouldn't be hard to gel with team mates, sure they're probably playing with 7/8 different nationalities in their club teams..

mike65

The Dutch have managed their 'cultural differences' quite well

Kess73

mike65 wrote: »

The Dutch have managed their 'cultural differences' quite well

Same could be said for a few of the Spanish national teams of the late 70's and 80's.:)

Rhys Essien

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

It's no real surprise that they aren't gelling at International level thus far given the political situation in the country at present and consequent cultural divisions.

But they are top of their Euro Qualifier group with Croatia.

Imagine how the Republic of Ireland would do so if we didnt have all the different cultures in the team.Ya know,with the English lads,the Scots,the lads from the North,all the Dublin lads,no Cork lads being included etc.

JPA

An all Belgian team? Like Belgium?

roanoke

Rhys Essien wrote: »

Imagine how the Republic of Ireland would do so if we didnt have all the different cultures in the team.Ya know,with the English lads,the Scots,the lads from the North,all the Dublin lads,no Cork lads being included etc.

We did a lot better in the 80's and 90's when we weeded the Irish element out of the team.

EdenHazard

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

It's no real surprise that they aren't gelling at International level thus far given the political situation in the country at present and consequent cultural divisions.

and when they do deliver, like they are now? sorry but thats such a cliché about the disjointed team because of the political situation.

SlickRic

EdenHazard wrote: »

and when they do deliver, like they are now?

they've delivered nothing yet.

EdenHazard

cson wrote: »

Lack proper full backs. They're such a crucial part of the modern game that you'll suffer disproportionately by playing centre halfs there.

This.

LuckyLloyd

mike65 wrote: »

The Dutch have managed their 'cultural differences' quite well

They have? Seems like they've had a few tournament blow ups over the years.

Kess73 wrote: »

Same could be said for a few of the Spanish national teams of the late 70's and 80's.:)

Not sure what you're referring to here.

Rhys Essien wrote: »

But they are top of their Euro Qualifier group with Croatia.

Imagine how the Republic of Ireland would do so if we didnt have all the different cultures in the team.Ya know,with the English lads,the Scots,the lads from the North,all the Dublin lads,no Cork lads being included etc.

Yeah, they're top and look like they might finally qualify this time round. Would be a huge disappointment if they didn't to be fair.

I think there is a core Irish spirit that permeates across all Irish teams historically - even recently with the likes of the Cricket and Hockey squads. The Belgians are quite different culturally and I'm not sure they have demonstrated an ability to overcome ongoing political questions.

That said, people aren't buying this as an issue and they are top of their group right now as you've noted.

LuckyLloyd

EdenHazard wrote: »

and when they do deliver, like they are now? sorry but thats such a cliché about the disjointed team because of the political situation.

What have they delivered?

EdenHazard

what do you consider delivering? they won't win anything with this set of players more than likely but it won't mean they haven't delivered. they're joint top, well clear of third place, it represents a significant improvement for a team who hasn't qualified for anything since 2002.

Rayne Wooney

They're coming together at the right time, can't see them going past maybe Semis in competition though.

It's like England in 2004 iirc, when they supposedly had a team full of the best players in the world but nothing materialised from that.

noodler

EdenHazard wrote: »

what do you consider delivering? they won't win anything with this set of players more than likely but it won't mean they haven't delivered. they're joint top, well clear of third place, it represents a significant improvement for a team who hasn't qualified for anything since 2002.

Not directing this at you but its amazing some people can consider being top of qualifying group after four games "delivering" whilst others would question Trap's record as Ireland manager with a weaker squad.

maximoose

EdenHazard wrote: »

what do you consider delivering?

Something significantly more than joint-topping a poor world cup qualifying group anyway.

SlickRic

EdenHazard wrote: »

what do you consider delivering? they won't win anything with this set of players more than likely but it won't mean they haven't delivered. they're joint top, well clear of third place, it represents a significant improvement for a team who hasn't qualified for anything since 2002.

for a "golden generation" that really doesn't represent delivering anything.

AdamD

I really don't think that people understand the age group of this generation. Most of them are in the early to mid twenties, they haven't had a chance to deliver anything yet.

Kess73

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Not sure what you're referring to here.

The exact same thing that Mike65 was saying, save that I was saying it about the Spanish. Basically we were both agreeing with your point, but I think it went a little over your head when you read it.

LuckyLloyd

Kess73 wrote: »

The exact same thing that Mike65 was saying, save that I was saying it about the Spanish. Basically we were both agreeing with your point, but I think it went a little over your head when you read it.

Ah, okay.

Wasn't aware that Spanish underperformance in the late 70's and early 80's was related to such issues but it was before I was born like!

Kess73

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Ah, okay.

Wasn't aware that Spanish underperformance in the late 70's and early 80's was related to such issues but it was before I was born like!

Was quite a few reports on squabbling within a few of the Spanish squads of yesteryear that was put down to sociopolitical differences. Would imagine that it had to have an impact on how they performed at major tournaments and help them get the bottler rep they had for so long. Very similar to what has gone on within some of the Dutch squads in more recent times or even to what has happened in some of the French squads over the years (albeit to a much lesser degree within those French squads by comparison).

Rhys Essien

I think Gary Neville said there was also divide in the England squad over the years between the lads from the north of England and the London lads.I suppose its happens in every international squad.

LuckyLloyd

Kess73 wrote: »

Was quite a few reports on squabbling within a few of the Spanish squads of yesteryear that was put down to sociopolitical differences. Would imagine that it had to have an impact on how they performed at major tournaments and help them get the bottler rep they had for so long. Very similar to what has gone on within some of the Dutch squads in more recent times or even to what has happened in some of the French squads over the years (albeit to a much lesser degree within those French squads by comparison).

Makes a lot of sense!

As I say, Irish sporting outfits across the board somehow manage to avoid letting this stuff take over. You would think issues of class or religion would come to bear but incidents like that have been a real rarity. People may of course have sharply differing theories as to why that is the case mind.

G.K.

As a point to whoever put Vermalen at CB and Vertonghen at LB - has to be other way round for me. Both aren't bad going forward but there's only one I'd want at CB.

AdamD

G.K. wrote: »

As a point to whoever put Vermalen at CB and Vertonghen at LB - has to be other way round for me. Both aren't bad going forward but there's only one I'd want at CB.

Meh, people analyse Arsenal's defence far more than Spurs. Vertonghen's getting huge plaudits and Vermaelen plenty of stick but when you look at the defensive records for both sides Arsenal have actually conceded 5 less goals in 1 less game. And Spurs actually use holding midfielders like Sandro and Parker.
I wouldn't say they're too far apart, one is just in better form.

GavRedKing

G.K. wrote: »

As a point to whoever put Vermalen at CB and Vertonghen at LB - has to be other way round for me. Both aren't bad going forward but there's only one I'd want at CB.

That was me, Vertonghen looks more comfortable on the ball and given the chance would be a a better attacking option at LB IMO, although they could easily interchange if needs be.

Red Crow

A solid side but nowhere near the top level of international football. Hazard can be very good at times and is still young.

A couple of levels below Germany, Spain etc.

BOHtox

LOL at people giving out about no fullbacks. 3-4-3 is a more than successful formation.

roryc

ROCKMAN wrote: »

friend has them backed Each Way for the world cup and also backed them to win next Euro's

I backed them last year to win the World Cup at 100/1

Nuri Sahin

Shame popcorn gifs and the like are banned from here.