World Cup 2022 - Team and Match Discussion

Brian? · 17-12-2022 10:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008595#Comment_120008595

I wouldn’t be surprised if it hard for Real Madrid or Barcelona or AC Milan.

gormdubhgorm · 17-12-2022 11:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008595#Comment_120008595

Stephen Kelly was joking about that earlier, no English men from spurs getting medals, says he.

breezy1985 · 17-12-2022 11:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008618#Comment_120008618

Pretty sure it never happened to Milan. Can't remember them having a German in 02 or 06 and we're out of the picture by 10.

They had Desailly and the forgotten Andre Cruz in 98 but both left mid tournament. They also had a Croat Smoje but he wasn't in the WC squad.

Inter have come close too but I can't find any direct hits.

johnnyryan89 · 18-12-2022 12:00am

johnnyryan89 · 18-12-2022 12:01am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008756#Comment_120008756

Boban captained Croatia at the 98 WC and played with Milan.

breezy1985 · 18-12-2022 12:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008802#Comment_120008802

Ya he was at Milan till 01 I read that wrong earlier.

adaminho · 18-12-2022 12:45am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008595#Comment_120008595

To answer my own question, Atletico Madrid will be the same with Grbic, Griezmann and De Paul.

dastardly00 · 18-12-2022 12:56am

Leonardo was in the Brazilian squad and at AC Milan in '98

Weepsie · 18-12-2022 1:07am

And desailly didn't go home, he was suspended for the final. That France team had 3 red cards to very significant players

Weepsie · 18-12-2022 1:10am

Real had Suker, Roberto Carlos and Karembeu on 1998/99 they also had seedorf so that's 1st to 4th place covered.

~Rebel~ · 18-12-2022 1:27am

Poor auld PSG nearly had all four this year too, if Brazil had been able to take care of Croatia - for a Qatari World Cup, having the Qatari-owned quad of Messi, Mbappe, Hakimi and Neymar (and Marquinhos) in the final 4 would have surely been their dream lineup.

The Golden Miller · 18-12-2022 1:37am

I really hope Argentina win and Messi puts in a huge performance, to truely cement his greatness alongside Maradona.

Not to compare them again but this is what it really comes down to. People can say the World Cup is no longer the benchmark in standard, there's better competitions, but that's not the point. It only comes around once every 4 years and the whole world is watching.

To have such a limited window, to produce your best stuff when it matters, is extremely hard to do, the pressure on piled on. Say what you want about Maradona, but when the occasion was the biggest, and the world watched, he came out all guns blazing, rose to the occasion and saved his best for when it mattered most. Few, if any players, can say that. When the occasion came, Maradona stood taller than the rest.

Messi has never really given that, that drive, leadership and force of will on a match for Argentina. But if he puts in a big performance, and they win in the final, that will be forgotten. He has this one last chance, which we thought would always allude him so poetic in a way, to rise to the occasion as Maradona did before him.

And deep down he knows this. Hopefully he produces the goods. This is his last chance!

The Golden Miller · 18-12-2022 1:41am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119998095#Comment_119998095

Going to Barca ruined him and his legacy. One of the truely great players... technical skill, vision, positioning, passing, Griezmann possesses it all.

Along with Reus, will be forgotten by the mainstream as time passes, but both were arguably the most gifted of their generation

NIMAN · 18-12-2022 8:29am

Totally agree. What a player, but perhaps was around at a time when so many others were just hyped and marketed better.

Reus another great player. Loved watching him play over the years.

Carcharodon · 18-12-2022 9:15am

The a..hole in me wants Messi to lose just to see the meltdown from people and also the reaction from Messi haters that will jump on it, would be pure comedy on every aspect.

Genuinely think France are a lot better, Argentina are riding a wave with Messi at the top of it so that’s obviously an X factor but if France play a very good game then they should win, I think Argentina need to play an exceptional game to win.

theoneeyedman · 18-12-2022 12:31pm

Gareth staying on at the FA until after the Euros.

Suits both parties I suppose, a relative safe pair of hands for the FA from a commercial POV, and he's not going to get any tip EPL gigs instead. Euros only 18 or so months away, so no point the FA rocking the boat, but another Semi final loss incoming once they meet their first inform team.

breezy1985 · 18-12-2022 12:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008932#Comment_120008932

I meant left Milan half way through. He was Officially a Chelsea player by the final.

NIMAN · 18-12-2022 1:04pm

Can see the final going into extra time.

If we don't get a winner there, it will be France on pen's for me.

I wonder how Lionels old legs are today? Will he have the energy to go the whole way through an intense 90 or 120 mins? At his age he has to be feeling it at this stage.

breezy1985 · 18-12-2022 1:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120009517#Comment_120009517

Probably the best option.

Hilarious watching people link international jobs to top level coaches in their prime. Tuchel and Potter have both been mentioned

Did you smash it · 18-12-2022 1:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120009517#Comment_120009517

All England gathered in this tournament is a new neurosis about penalties

Francie Barrett · 18-12-2022 2:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120009517#Comment_120009517

Well that's another chance at a major competition flushed away.

18-12-2022 2:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120009517#Comment_120009517

The press have been circling for a while now. I'm surprised he's staying on tbh.

The first bad result and he'll be slaughtered by the tabloids.

Dave0301 · 18-12-2022 2:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120009819#Comment_120009819

Beating a naïve Iran, a weak Wales and Senegal seems to have erased the memory of that shocking Nations League campaign.

England have an amazing squad to pick from right now. Southgate is what is holding them back.

breezy1985 · 18-12-2022 2:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120009819#Comment_120009819

Plenty of support outside the tabloids though.

Unless the manager has a complete disaster I think the question should really be about how good the possible replacement is rather than the current manager. I haven't seen a credible name mentioned who can do better.

Sudden Valley · 18-12-2022 2:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120009852#Comment_120009852

Simon Jordan in talksport was correct if a bit cruel about Southgate. He is a three time loser who doesnt know how to make changes at critical times of games. All the explayers seem to support Southgate though, similar to what happened with Solksjaer

gormdubhgorm · 18-12-2022 2:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120009185#Comment_120009185

That is why I am shouting for Messi - it would be some achievement if he can drag/inspire that Argentina team to a win. Plus it would put to be the Maradona or Messi debate once and for all, as they said on radio earlier this morning.

If France win it they will go down as one of the all time great WC teams. Funny thing is if Benezma was not injured would they have got this far? As it meant Giroud would not have been starting.

Agent Coulson · 18-12-2022 2:38pm

France not starting Konate seems like a mistake.

Ottoman_1000 · 18-12-2022 2:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120009911#Comment_120009911

His down as been unavailable due to illness. I think he will be a big loss as Upamecano has been pretty woeful this tournament...Messi will force a mistake out of him!

Dave0301 · 18-12-2022 2:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120009908#Comment_120009908

I think France would be stronger with Benezma to be honest. He has been unplayable at times over the last year.

Mr.Nice Guy · 18-12-2022 3:05pm

Di Maria and Tagliafico starting are calls that surprise me. Would have preferred Konate over Upamecano.

I hope the game is won by the better side on the day and doesn't come down to a dodgy ref decision. I'll go for 2-1 France.

breezy1985 · 18-12-2022 3:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120009957#Comment_120009957

Giroud has been pretty unplayable this World Cup.

BorneTobyWilde · 18-12-2022 3:17pm

Messi for the win

NIMAN · 18-12-2022 3:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120009898#Comment_120009898

Simon Jordan has been bang on about England.

Once again they lost to the 1st decent side they met. Same as the other tournaments. They have had very easy groups in the last 3 tournaments, and always beat teams they should beat. Its when they come up against a 50/50 game they always lose. They seem unable to make that step to actually beating teams their equal or better.

Not sure why the English public were so proud of this wc. For me they underachieved, again.

Mr.Nice Guy · 18-12-2022 3:24pm

The pressure on Messi ahead of this game is insane. It's like everything in his life and career has been built up for this one moment. Win and he achieves Maradona levels of worship back home; lose and he forever has his countrymen reminding him he never did what Diego did. I'm struggling to think of a sportsperson that had this level of pressure on them ahead of a sporting event.

BorneTobyWilde · 18-12-2022 3:25pm

Over the years Messi was expected to drag Argentina to World CUP success, his brilliance alone was going to win that trophy, but it never happened, it's impossible for one man to make a team, but now the tables have turned, now we have Argentina dragging Messi to a World Cup final, the fans, the manager, his team mates, all doing the work, so he doesn't have to, allowing him to simply sprinkle some magic, without the need of carrying the weight, this very much makes a team, and makes winning it possible.

breezy1985 · 18-12-2022 3:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120010051#Comment_120010051

Neymar for some bizarre reason seems to have this burden on him.

Brazilians and others talking like he would join the pantheon with Pele and Ronaldo if Brazil won.

Ridiculously over hyped.

BorneTobyWilde · 18-12-2022 3:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120010090#Comment_120010090

Is he, it's an opinion so many express, that Neymar is a self proclaimed genius, but that in reality he's just another player, nothing special.

siblers · 18-12-2022 3:44pm

The BBC build up is very good, much better than the misery on RTE

Dave0301 · 18-12-2022 3:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120010003#Comment_120010003

Agreed. Still think Benzema offers more, but the role Griezemann has been playing makes up for that.

breezy1985 · 18-12-2022 3:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120010116#Comment_120010116

Just look at the state of em when he was out injured in 14.

I watched a few Brazil games in pubs this year and Brazilians would that screeching everytime he got the no matter where on the pitch like he was gonna do a Maradonna 86 goal.

A lot of people also have the opinion you talk about including me. I don't think he is even the best player on that team never mind the world.

ctrl-alt-delete · 18-12-2022 3:49pm

I feel the French will pull the red carpet from under Messi and use it as their own superhero cape,

More so that is what I'd like to happen - Giroud to be the one signing off his International career in style.

Vive la République!

breezy1985 · 18-12-2022 3:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120010118#Comment_120010118

Who is the Mark Strong lookalike ?

Agent Coulson · 18-12-2022 3:53pm

Messi with a hand of God goal that VAR overlooks and ignores.

sligeach · 18-12-2022 3:53pm

I'm fairly sure I just spotted a Tipperary jersey in the crowd.

BorneTobyWilde · 18-12-2022 3:54pm

France were poor against England, won it against the run of play, but that's what winners do, would be no surprise if it panned out like that again today.