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Day 17: England vs Germany | Sweden vs Ukraine (Ro16 7&8)

Shimo

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England will park the bus and play on the counter... which could work well against Germany. I think they'll lose ultimately as I think Germany will be more focused and motivated in the knockout stages, and they have plenty of quality in their team, but its one that could go either way.

Southgate would do well to pick his best counter attackers (Rashford and Sancho) in attack but I don't think he will. There will be space to run in behind Germany's defence so picking Foden would be a mistake IMO.
Said similar in the other thread. For England, this is the best possible match up seeing how Southgate has them playing not to concede rather than looking to create. Question is will he set up now to keep things really tight at the back against a team that will undoubtedly have majority of possession and then hit them on the counter.

He needs to start Rashford and Sancho for that but, he won't because he has his favorites. Rashford and Sancho will sit Hummels on his ass, and Rudiger / Ginter. Saw it against France, saw it on Portugal's goal and the few times Hungary broke, they were ultra vulnerable.

Being a lifelong German national team supporter, am so glad England have Southgate as their manager because he will absolutely cock up a game that will be there for the taking for them.
 

Rajiztar

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England will park the bus and play on the counter... which could work well against Germany. I think they'll lose ultimately as I think Germany will be more focused and motivated in the knockout stages, and they have plenty of quality in their team, but its one that could go either way.

Southgate would do well to pick his best counter attackers (Rashford and Sancho) in attack but I don't think he will. There will be space to run in behind Germany's defence so picking Foden would be a mistake IMO.
He will pick sterling and saka for counters but not foden or rashford or Sancho. Rashford will come for kane after first half.
 

SamVimes

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Why does that matter? Divock Origi, Yannick Carrasco and Marco Asensio all have scored a CL final goal recently as well.
It doesn't. My original point was never about the quality or standard of the Bundesliga.
 

diarm

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I'm 80% sure it will be 0-0 and Germany will win on penalties. The other 20% thinks it might be 1-1 and Germany will win on penalties.
 

sincher

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I think England will get through. Not in style... but might just get the job done.
 

Wolf1992

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Both Germany and England have looked shockingly bad even though they have been playing at home every single game like wtf??? and in Englands case against quite poor teams. I think we (Sweden) have a great chance of going through if we beat Ukraine, can't recall the last time Germany and England have looked this bad. Germany let in 5 goals in 3 games and England only managed to score twice in 3 games vs very poor opposition, dream chance for Sweden to go far this year.
Sweden is good defending, but they lack quality going forward.

What are they gonna do if the rival scores first and have quality attackers?
Sweden couldn't create anything against England in 2018, when the english scored first.

Best Sweden can do is score first and sit back.
 

Wolf1992

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Bundesliga is not a benchmark though. Werner do you remember. Even batshuayi scored 9 in 11 games.
Germany won the WC in 2014 with a squad full of Bundesliga players(and not only Bayern players).

England hasn't being close to win a trophy since Premier League exists, and it's always full of Premier League players.
And even though there were some Euro/WC winners with some Premier League players in the squad, they were never more than 3-4 per starting lineup.

So the argument of "Premier League players best for NT" doesn't work at all, considering that England(with a squad full of PL players) got knocked out last Euro by Iceland whose manager was a part-time dentist and goalkeeper part-time filmmaker.

A thread about a NT competition is not the best thread mock other leagues and praise PL players for their contribution to NTs(based on PL being the best league), considering
England has won nothing since Premier League exists and there isn't a WC/Euro winner with more than 4 PL players in their starting line-up...that would require England or Scotland(who just got eliminated in group stage for losing to Czech Republic) to win a trophy.
 
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Rajiztar

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Germany won the WC in 2014 with a squad full of Bundesliga players(and not only Bayern players).

England hasn't being close to win a trophy since Premier League exists, and it's always full of Premier League players.
And even though there were some Euro/WC winners with some Premier League players in the squad, they were never more than 3-4 per starting lineup.

So the argument of "Premier League players best for NT" doesn't work at all, considering that England(with a squad full of PL players) got knocked out last Euro by Iceland whose manager was a part-time dentist and goalkeeper part-time filmmaker.

A thread about a NT competition is not the best thread mock other leagues and praise PL players for their contribution to NTs, considering
England has won nothing since Premier League exists and there isn't a WC/Euro winner with more than 4 PL players in their starting line-up...that would require England or Scotland to win a trophy.
I am not mocking Bundesliga and even said in subsequent posts about foden his premier league form and his performances in euro too. All I wanted to say is Bundesliga stats might mislead and can't be that all and end all.

Players like batshuayi,Werner,havertz struggled in pl. Plenty of examples before too. I said in context just because some great numbers in bundesliga didn't make a player to start for a national team.
 
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Blackwidow

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Actually the EPL has most players in the tournament but Serie A and Bundesliga players have scored the most goals in the tournament until now. I am not sure that what makes a good offensive player in the EPL is really that what is needed internationally.
 

Wolf1992

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Actually the EPL has most players in the tournament but Serie A and Bundesliga players have scored the most goals in the tournament until now. I am not sure that what makes a good offensive player in the EPL is really that what is needed internationally.
Just having the players doesn't mean anything.

Let's see how many of them go far in the tournament.

Scotland had many in their starting line-up, and got eliminated in group stage for losing against Czech Republic.
 

SteveCoppellFan

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Being Welsh, Im not that bothered what England do to be honest.

But it would be nice to see them actually appoint a manager that was not scared rigid to lose his job for once.

If the FA actually had any balls and appointed a guy that was willing to put his faith in his teams potential strengths rather than spend all his time concerned about his job or his opponents then even I would actually want England to do well.

England never really learn, they make the same mistakes every couple of years and expect a different outcome which basically never happens.
 

McTerminator

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Problem is, as United fans, back in the glory days, we used to go on about teams being game raising cnuts...

As England fans we should recognise that even if we do beat Germany, it is because we too are game raising cnuts and it is not an indication that we are finally going to win something.

Only difference is, England don't even raise their game that often. Should never be considered serious contenders.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Will be interesting. Germany's quality in midfield is much much higher, but on the other hand England should ideally have the players to hurt a dodgy Germany defence. But then again, will the team that Southgate pick's actually have the pace and dynamism to do that? Should be a good watch, especially if we get an early goal.
 

Suedesi

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Sweden have looked pretty decent, and I fancy them against the Ukraine. I like Isaac and Quaison, have no idea how/why Marcus Berg still gets picked
 

BalanceUnAutreJoint

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A team as uninspired and boring as England will probably benefit from playing Germany instead of a smaller side that parks the bus, at least they'll be able to use the pace of their forwards to create chances, rather than relying on a so-so tactical organization and having to suffer from the lack of creativity that plagued them in the groupstage.

Still Germany should be by no mean easy, I think that they were the best team in group F going forward, they may be inconsistent but if they show up like against Portugal, they could easily score 3+ goals.
 

Pexbo

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Sweden have looked pretty decent, and I fancy them against the Ukraine. I like Isaac and Quaison, have no idea how/why Marcus Berg still gets picked
:nono:
 

UweBein

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It should be doable for England to win.
Hummels is a disaster waiting to happen. Kroos, Neuer, Gundogan, Sane, Müller, Gnabry etc. are nowhere near their best.

Still expect Southgate to lose this one, somehow.
 

Lelouch geass

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I hope Englands goes home as they will early sign Sancho and Rice for better squad preparation. Dont give horses*it about England in Euros.
 

justsomebloke

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Both Germany and England have looked shockingly bad even though they have been playing at home every single game like wtf??? and in Englands case against quite poor teams. I think we (Sweden) have a great chance of going through if we beat Ukraine, can't recall the last time Germany and England have looked this bad. Germany let in 5 goals in 3 games and England only managed to score twice in 3 games vs very poor opposition, dream chance for Sweden to go far this year.
Or you could put it the other way around and mention that England haven't conceded a single goal in their first three games, while Germany has scored six in their last two, both of which spells trouble for a Sweden team that is hardly primarily noted for their offensive dynamism.

Also, at least two of the teams England have faced are arguably better than Slovakia or Poland, while Germany has been up against an entirely different level of opposition than either England or Sweden.

It'll be interesting to see if Sweden introduces Kulusevski from start in the next game. If they do, then he, Forsberg, Olsson and Isak potentially gives them a level of broad offensive threat they've not had in a long time. If that pushes them to a fundamentally higher offensive level then they could be a threat. If not, they seem likely to be solid & stolid like they were in the last World cup, which I don't think will get them past any of the big teams.
 
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RobinLFC

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Scrappy really hates United.
Who'd you play him over, I guess Walker? Stones and Mings have been good as a duo and neither deserves to be dropped for a player returning from a (pretty lengthy) injury in such an important game imo. Also, how familiar is Maguire with playing with 3 at the back (genuine question)? I thought Utd always had 4 this season?

Don't think it has anything to do with Utd hate. Saka over Shaw is also defendable imo (but so would be the other way around).
 

PoTMS

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Who'd you play him over, I guess Walker? Stones and Mings have been good as a duo and neither deserves to be dropped for a player returning from a (pretty lengthy) injury in such an important game imo. Also, how familiar is Maguire with playing with 3 at the back (genuine question)? I thought Utd always had 4 this season?

Don't think it has anything to do with Utd hate. Saka over Shaw is also defendable imo (but so would be the other way around).
Maguire is our best defender and played in a back three for England in the World Cup with Stones and Walker next to him. I'd say he's pretty experienced at playing in a back three. Mings has done alright against Scotland/Croatia but he's nowhere near good enough to face Germany.
 

Zehner

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England sitting deep and defending well might hurt as. We tend to concede many chances against negative teams with quick players. If England plays 4 at the back, our 3-4-3 might work similarly well as in the Portugal game. If Southgate counters it with 5 at the back, too, I'd switch to a 4-3-3 and invite England to attack with their full backs so that we might get some space out wide.

All that wannabe coaching stuff aside, I expect Germany will go through after Pickford making a mistake and England missing a penalty.
 
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Sounds well. He has scored 4 goals in a match at Wembley 7 years ago...

More about him : https://www.goal.com/story/the-making-of-jamal-musiala/index.html
I always get him confused with Charly Musonda. Literally every time I read his name - including now - my first thought is 'wow, didn't realise he'd finally fulfilled his potential' before I eventually remember it's a different person. Despite doing it a dozen times I never learn.

On that tangent, I remember Musonda was hyped to the fecking moon after a loan move and then just disappeared.
 

Rajiztar

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I always get him confused with Charly Musonda. Literally every time I read his name - including now - my first thought is 'wow, didn't realise he'd finally fulfilled his potential' before I eventually remember it's a different person. Despite doing it a dozen times I never learn.

On that tangent, I remember Musonda was hyped to the fecking moon after a loan move and then just disappeared.
Musonda had career threatening injury and didn't play for past 1 and half years I think. Yes he was hyped up a lot which is true but very few flashes here and there and nothing else.

He is back to full fitness now. Hopefully he will have a good career without injury.

Musiala also chelsea academy product but chose to stay away from chelsea s professional contract. Split between their parents and his mother is German he chose to stay with her. It's little bit complicated with him. Chelsea did all to keep him but could not able to do with his family choices.
 
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croadyman

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Have already said it but we simply cannot let this game go more than 120 mins because they don't lose penalty shootouts, in fact after looking it up they have only lost one at a major tournament and that was the Euros final in 1976
 
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