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FIFA World Cup 2026
- Thread starter daneoni
- Start date
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Lord Blackadder
macrumors P6
Tah’s goal should’ve stood. But once it didn’t, and Havertz missed the first pen, it sort of set the tone really.
Also a bit cruel that Tah misses the decisive pen…that’s gonna leave a scar.
Also a bit cruel that Tah misses the decisive pen…that’s gonna leave a scar.
Bodhitree
macrumors 68030
Morocco wins over the Netherlands, also on pens. Terrible game by the Dutch, just 34% possession. Neither side put together a good penalty series, three misses by the Dutch, two by Morocco.
Heartbroken, but am used to it. We’ll try again in two or four years.
Hup Holland!
Hup Holland!
This is Virgil's last WC so this was the best ever chance to win through play quality. Also give Koeman the boot as his playing style is a true embarrassment to the Dutch 1970s reputation.
Bodhitree
macrumors 68030
Silencio
macrumors 68040
Germany is a bit short of talent, and that was stretched even thinner with Schlotterbeck and Brown getting injured. They were never amongst my favorites to win it all this year, but Nagelsmann should've been able to get a bit more out of that group of players.
Interesting slate of games today. Ivory Coast / Norway and Mexico / Ecuador both feel like even matchups, though I worry about Mexico's home field advantage playing at the Azteca. Apparently Enner Valencia handed the captain's armband to Moises Caicedo, so I expect he'll play a smaller role on the field going forward, which will hopefully make Ecuador's attack more dynamic. Cristiano Ronaldo would never!
Interesting slate of games today. Ivory Coast / Norway and Mexico / Ecuador both feel like even matchups, though I worry about Mexico's home field advantage playing at the Azteca. Apparently Enner Valencia handed the captain's armband to Moises Caicedo, so I expect he'll play a smaller role on the field going forward, which will hopefully make Ecuador's attack more dynamic. Cristiano Ronaldo would never!
It is a time-honored tradition to fire coaches after a poor result, but I think Koeman did the best with what he got.
He felt that our defense had given away too much space and chances in previous games against lesser opponents, and that a strong team like Morocco would surely exploit that relentlessly.
So he made a choice to play with five defenders and only two midfielders. One can argue it worked, it went all the way to penalties and that has never worked in our favor, but they didn’t beat us in regular time.
I would have preferred to play our usual game, but who knows? Maybe they would have beat us 4-2 or 4-3 in regular time.
The hard truth is, maybe Oranje wasn’t as good as we hoped it to be, and Koeman played the hand he was dealt. Injured players, some guys not fit enough, I think our team was good, but they never looked particularly convincing.
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Actually, Senegal beat them in the final 1-0, only for the federation to overturn the result TWO MONTHS LATER, on account of the Senegal team walking off the field in protest over a penalty.
Bodhitree
macrumors 68030
Let’s face it, Koeman is not a great coach. He never really made it coaching a big club team in a major league outside of the Netherlands, and I feel his national sides didn’t really play with belief either. Maybe it’s time for the Netherlands to appoint a non-Dutch manager as national team coach.
Yes, his international coaching career is not exactly stellar. Maybe someone else could have gotten more out of this team, but I never felt our selection was particularly strong.
Key players injured, others not fit. Our star players were all inconsistent, including van Dijk, de Jong and Gakpo. I think the positive exception for this team was the debut of Summerville, excellent player.
And let's face it, we lost on penalties, a crap shoot. That could have gone either way, but it usually doesn't go our way.
Key players injured, others not fit. Our star players were all inconsistent, including van Dijk, de Jong and Gakpo. I think the positive exception for this team was the debut of Summerville, excellent player.
And let's face it, we lost on penalties, a crap shoot. That could have gone either way, but it usually doesn't go our way.
France finishing tonight was pretty poor. They could have won by double the amount but their shooting was wild. Sometimes a team peaks too early.
Lioness~
macrumors 601
Lots of opinions, including Zlatan’s, after the game between France and Sweden.
Yup, it could’ve been a lot better in many ways.
The guys have to continue to work on things. But at least they have a pretty good coach that believe in them now, for the last ~half year.
They will break down and continue to build the team.
Yup, it could’ve been a lot better in many ways.
The guys have to continue to work on things. But at least they have a pretty good coach that believe in them now, for the last ~half year.
They will break down and continue to build the team.
I think you nailed it: when France plays poorly, they win 3-0.
keksikuningas
macrumors 6502
only caught the first half of the France match cause it was late, but some great saves from the Swedish goalkeeper. But writing was on the wall for a 3-0 result, it felt like ball crossed onto the french side only when the GK kicked it too hard, otherwise France was camped up , dominating the swedes in their half of the field :/
Bodhitree
macrumors 68030
Silencio
macrumors 68040
Koeman stepped down yesterday, so there's that.
Asking Ecuador to get a result at the Azteca was too much. They don't have the attacking talent to overcome a 2-0 deficit. Hopefully they develop some competent central attacking midfield and forward talent in four years' time, as their great defensive core are all 24 and under.
Mexico is simply a very good team. No big names playing in top leagues around the world, but they play the most consistent and cohesive football I've seen in the tournament so far. Can they keep it up playing away from their home stadium against tougher competition?
Asking Ecuador to get a result at the Azteca was too much. They don't have the attacking talent to overcome a 2-0 deficit. Hopefully they develop some competent central attacking midfield and forward talent in four years' time, as their great defensive core are all 24 and under.
Mexico is simply a very good team. No big names playing in top leagues around the world, but they play the most consistent and cohesive football I've seen in the tournament so far. Can they keep it up playing away from their home stadium against tougher competition?
keksikuningas
macrumors 6502
Just saw that Norway team did the rowing thing again after winning. It doesn't get old, half of the reason I want them to get as far as possible in the tournament is just so that i can see them do it again and again
Lioness~
macrumors 601
Some great saves from our young goalmeeper Widell Zetterström, indeed.
He have a great future. Only played 4 matches for the national team (if AI are right not telling if it has been partly or full matches).
Personally I haven't seen him play earlier - not often our free channel broadcat men's football unfortunately. Glad they send this Word Cup now.
I'm definitely cheering on Norway 🇳🇴 now, but I wouldn't be sad if Argentina winns either.
Apple fanboy
macrumors Ivy Bridge
Oh dear oh dear. Yet another frustrating England performance.
Can we turn it around in the second half?
Can we turn it around in the second half?
Kane is carrying a team of pretenders. It only gets harder from here.