FIFA World Cup: Qatar 2022

Yeah from what I’ve seen from Argentina they’re playing some good stuff. Brazil are also a quality side under Tite. International football can’t be compared everywhere with some of the top club stuff we’re watching every few days. Needs to be put into context.

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What will be your starting XI, more or less?

Not sure where the spelling has come from I’ve got dyslexia and I’m generally pretty bad on here.

Unless it’s the in joke

I just thought a dismal tournament pretty much what Bolosarno deserved with Argentina winning it.

I think all international football is bad. Even the good versions of it. In that context, what you can say positively about this version of Argentina is they finally have what looks like a complete team with a coherent team. For all the stars they have had over the past 20 years they’ve rarely had that. It’s a reality of Messi’s time in international football that probably the most complete Argentina side he has been involved in was the one in 06 when he was still only a bit part player.

Frenkie looks like he’s just been told his only way out of Barca is Utd.

stop GIF

Stop being interested this bullshit world cup!

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I could start one…

but I don’t give a fuck about the World Cup, so I won’t.

Ooh- that gives me an idea. How about a TAN Alternative World Cup, to be run with polls à la the “Greatest” series?

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Bijlow

Frimpong-de Ligt-Timber-van Dijk-Malacia

De Roon-F. de Jong

Xavi Simons

Bergwijn-Gakpo

Those two are upfront, not because they are so good, just because they are fast. Van Gaal will park the bus.

Matty, spellung or not. You’re a legend.

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Is deVrij not fit enough or has fell down the pecking order?

Depay is a miss, I think the Dutch had good results in recent years when he played as a forward.

Same goes for their attackers as well :grimacing:

Will both of them start? How do they (Serbia) generally line up?

Nikola will know better, but they usually do start both of them.

Serbia are pretty offensive on paper.

3 at the back, mostly offensive solutions at wing backs, Milinkovic-Savic playing as one of the double pivot midfielders, Tadic as the #10 and then Vlahovic and Mitrovic up top.

We’ll see if they have a more defensive version if needed.

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That Dutch squad is all kinds of shit.

Spain’s isn’t much better in truth.

It’s basically what Zoran said. This has got to be the most unbalanced side Serbia has ever had - yet the funniest one, too, for both right and wrong reasons.

Serbia mostly play formations with three man defence because there are no fullbacks of any notable quality - wingbacks are actually converted wingers and the right side is especially problematic (Lazović is injury-prone, Živković is naturally a playmaker on the wing, while Radonjić is a classic pacy winger who dribbles too much and makes wrong decisions but his pace scares defenders).

Fitness permitting, I expect Piksi to stick with a midfield two of Lukić and Milinković-Savić, with Tadić operating in between them and Mitrović and Vlahović. It’s a crazy side, it shouldn’t work but it somehow did. I feel that the only way they can get out of this group is if they try to attack their opponents, rather than sit back and wait for a counter or set-piece like previous Serbia sides.

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Crazy to think how 1 of the best clubs in the world might only have 3 starters at the World Cup

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Depay is never a miss.

Never been a big de Vrij fan. Timber is an excellent footballer, lack height but that will be compensated by de Ligt and van Dijk. When they play 4 in the back I will play Timber next to de Jong in midfield.

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When I remove myself from the emotion of my team wanting to win, there are certain things about sports that are comforting to see and emotionally destabilizing when they’re not. NZ being a powerhouse in rugby. The WIs being a fast bowling terrifying menace in cricket. The Dutch having a team of proper footballers, the sort you’d want to show videos of to your kid is another. There has been some dark times in the past 15 years or so (Van Bommel and De Jong in a midfield 2 :face_vomiting: ) With some of these younger players we’re maybe getting back to something that feels right.

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First match could be goals galore if Serbia go out and attack Brazil with that XI.