Undefeated so far together in something like 27 games.
Day 5: Hungary vs Portugal | France vs Germany
- Thread starter Samid
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France showing why they are the favorites still. Class performance from them without hitting the peaks they can. Nice to see Pogba doing well.
So far the team that impressed me the most are Belgium England and France. Looks like one of them will win it and they are the favorites before the tournament by bookies and most experts.
Still not sure if the likes of Spain, Netherlands or Germany can go far feels like they have too many flaws. Italy impressed, but it was against a weak Turkey. Portugal won near the end, but looks like they might struggle to create enough.
So far the team that impressed me the most are Belgium England and France. Looks like one of them will win it and they are the favorites before the tournament by bookies and most experts.
Still not sure if the likes of Spain, Netherlands or Germany can go far feels like they have too many flaws. Italy impressed, but it was against a weak Turkey. Portugal won near the end, but looks like they might struggle to create enough.
He had two as well. Another great one two Benzema. Man of the half for sure
Very often plays as well or better than this for Man Utd.
Unfortunately the loudest people are the United fans who hate him because of his agent and expecting him to be Roy of the Rovers for a number of pretty average teams in his time and pundits who absolutely hate him because hating him is an easy and acceptable way to get press coverage.
He has been very good and this is probably around his mean performance for United if you look at just his performance.
Mertesacker and Kramer in the german studio speechless about Rüdiger's stupidity
This is such an underwhelming, odds and sods German team. Be surprised if they go far.
Is it mentioned that often? Genuine question. As an Englishman in England I don't feel like it is. Maybe a dozen years ago? When the media was trying to squeeze the last drops of 'golden generation' narrative out of the then-England squad. Apart from the pundits, who care mostly cos a lot of them played in it, I don't really see it spoken about. If we drew Germany in this tournament, sure they'd bring it up, as you bring up big wins against any opponent you play in knockouts. However, in reality nobody cares.
As for France, its underrated how well the French sit in and absorb pressure. At the World Cup against Belgium they did it magnificently. Mourinho and Simeone couldn't have done it better. Tonight they are also doing it pretty well. Deschamps gets criticism, a lot of it rightly. However, to construct a team of such solidity at international level is a fantastic achievement. Especially because international games are so often decided by a moment of quality or a mistake.
Yeah seems weird but nothing in it at all. I don't see him biting.
He's done well for us when he doesn;t have to babysit fred or mctominay too to be honest.
Adding a Rice to replace matic and being brave with pogba and bruno further forward is where this squad is heading I should think.
feck I love Roy Keane
Yeah Kante's been great aside from that feck up when Kimpembe save his arse. Kante and Pogba are made for each other.
Exactly. And the only reason we don't use him at CM is because our DM options are crap and can't do the job alone like a normal DM can.
Nah I wouldn't say that, it's an intense game and there's not a whole lot of time in midfield, he's just doing his moments but has better options to give it to (and Kante around him who is the best possible midfield partner to Pogba alive). And Benzema doing brilliantly to hold the ball up.
I'd like to substitute Hansi for Jogi at HT
France need to get Mbappé more often against Hummels into a running duel. They can counter-attack now, wouldn't be surprised if France gets some counter attacking goals in the second half, especially considering how sloppy we (Germany) are often ate the ball.
Pogba's a great player but come on, babysitting McTominay and Fred? Quite often it's the exact opposite for us.
Germany need a fit Goretzka and Kimmich in the middle to overcome Kante and Pogba
Sometimes. He has lapses in concentration, but when he doesn’t, he’s had many good games in the centre of midfield for us, as recently as this season. He won our POTM before he was really moved to the left, for example.
Playing him in the pivot has risks, but those risks are luckily not always realised. And when they are not, he’s had many good games there. But I agree that the lowest risk is in a 3 (not that Rabiot has done anything at all tonight!).
Mark Clattenberg is on analysis duty for ESPN in US...he sounds like an F1 spotter over the radio...box, box...box, box...yellow card confirmed, box, box
Germany eating more than the ball in this first half.
Look at the defending on France’s goal though, where did the right side of their defence go to? And then a terrible OG. They’ve transitioned the ball through pitch better than France but have been terrible where it counts. Second half should be better though as space opens up.
End of season tournament coming from a compressed season and usually the pace of international football is lower. Let’s face it, if one didn’t liked to watch his country no one would watch national teams to expect high quality games.
Great run.
Hummels did well against Mbappe there
Mbappe is so loose technically
Most germans expected pretty much exactly this, except that we didn't concede as many chances off counters as I'd though.
This setup won't work against strong teams, there's nothing urgent and dangerous about it.
Definitely.
Mbappe has to get a shot off in those situations against Hummels, well defended.
Nobody else will
Very reminiscent of the first game of the World Cup vs. Australia for me. Tried to fit in the three best attackers but the team balance wasn't quite right, so they'll revert back to something less talented but more balanced for the next game. You just hope for a lot more with that front three's talent but things don't really work that way. Just not enough games in international football to click within 4-6 weeks of playing with each other.
Varane pure class so far.
Idiotic dribbling
Neat
Havertz the invisible man so far. Surely Sane or someone else would be a better option.
If anything I think he was trying to use the mask to cause some discomfort.
Yeah, commentators are too busy talking about Kante.
I think they had Ousmane in that game against Australia, no? The balance was definitely off, but I don't think Deschamps will move from the Mbappe-Benz-Grizmann front three, it is balanced IMO (at least compared to the one against Australia), just missing those game-time automatisms.
what is the purpose of rabiot?
Varane is a top player
Germany eating more than the ball in this first half.
Well Rüdiger definitely tried to.