tentan
Poor man's poster.
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2013
- Messages
- 4,568
Beating Germany and Spain in a world cup. Unbelievable.
Maybe they are the dark horses after all.
Maybe they are the dark horses after all.
I agree with this. Most definitely not a pointless team, though. A pointless team won’t top a group that has Germany and Spain in it.They will lose to Croatia, you heard it here first. Always raise their game against the big nations but go back to being shite when they face the smaller ones. Pointless team.
I mean what is the point of being so good in one game and then go back to being shite in the next game? If you're going to top a group that has Germany and Spain and even knocking out Germany, you better make sure you go all the way but this Japan team will inevitably lose to Croatia. This is why I always prefer all the big nations to progress as we can see high quality games between the big teams.I agree with this. Most definitely not a pointless team, though. A pointless team won’t top a group that has Germany and Spain in it.
Indeed. It is what I like from most Japanese national teams I have seen since I first took interest in them back in 2002.It's truly a team's game for them.
Since that is a rare mentality, they have an advantage over many other national teams.
Based on what I have seen from Japan after 2018, I think they changed their ways to defend better and to use a counterattacking game to great effect. However, the manager has often been accused of being reactive on top of choosing the wrong starters in so many matches. That could explain why Japan didn't look good against Costa Rica (who parked the bus all day) and yet knew how/when to exploit weaknesses against the likes of Germany and Spain. Croatia will be a physically demanding test for Japan, but the task is far from impossible as we have seen with the many chances that Croatia conceded (before Lukaku squandered all of them). I would be more afraid for Japan if they were set to play a high-pressure team like Morocco, who WILL make Spain sweat, instead.How the hell did they lose to Costa Rica ?!
Glad to see them through
Freak result, in the same way some other far bigger teams have had freak results.How the hell did they lose to Costa Rica ?!
Is Croatia a small team?They will lose to Croatia, you heard it here first. Always raise their game against the big nations but go back to being shite when they face the smaller ones. Pointless team.
Pointless? What a stupid thing to say. I have colleagues from Japan and they are chuffed this morning.They will lose to Croatia, you heard it here first. Always raise their game against the big nations but go back to being shite when they face the smaller ones. Pointless team.
I hope so!I fancy them beating Croatia.
Haha yes, wondering that too.Is Croatia a small team?
Ye I think that is it - shades of Ole's United who had a strong big game record but struggled against bus parkersIndeed. It is what I like from most Japanese national teams I have seen since I first took interest in them back in 2002.
Based on what I have seen from Japan after 2018, I think they changed their ways to defend better and to use a counterattacking game to great effect. However, the manager has often been accused of being reactive on top of choosing the wrong starters in so many matches. That could explain why Japan didn't look good against Costa Rica (who parked the bus all day) and yet knew how/when to exploit weaknesses against the likes of Germany and Spain. Croatia will be a physically demanding test for Japan, but the task is far from impossible as we have seen with the many chances that Croatia conceded (before Lukaku squandered all of them). I would be more afraid for Japan if they were set to play a high-pressure team like Morocco, who WILL make Spain sweat, instead.
Story to be continued. Going beyond the round of 16 is the next hurdle for Japan to overcome.
Odd comment, are you basing this on three games? If so it's a very small sample size, also are the previous world cup finalists now described as a small team?They will lose to Croatia, you heard it here first. Always raise their game against the big nations but go back to being shite when they face the smaller ones. Pointless team.
Japan aren't anything special and Croatia will most likely beat them, this I agree with you. I also think the love-in for them is a bit unwarranted. We see well-organised teams at major tournaments all the time and I feel they aren't any different. That said, your bolded statement here borders on arrogance: there is nothing inevitable with any team that manage to beat Germany and Spain in a World Cup regardless of luck.I mean what is the point of being so good in one game and then go back to being shite in the next game? If you're going to top a group that has Germany and Spain and even knocking out Germany, you better make sure you go all the way but this Japan team will inevitably lose to Croatia. This is why I always prefer all the big nations to progress as we can see high quality games between the big teams.
You talking about spain too rightI mean what is the point of being so good in one game and then go back to being shite in the next game? If you're going to top a group that has Germany and Spain and even knocking out Germany, you better make sure you go all the way but this Japan team will inevitably lose to Croatia. This is why I always prefer all the big nations to progress as we can see high quality games between the big teams.
I would say they're used to teams coming at them and then using their speed to attack. Costa Rica had 1 shot on target on Sunday and sat in for the best part. I expect their game with Croatia to be a very tight, low scoring affair.How the hell did they lose to Costa Rica ?!
I doubt they would have done that when beating Costa Rica would have guaranteed qualification. There’s no way they’d rest players against Costa Rica in order to play them against Spain. Wouldn’t make sense.Didn't they rotate players against Costa Rica, hence the dire performance?