#770

The like is purely for your grammatical edit. On the subject concerned, I refer you to my previous post.

#771

This book is really good:

Wish there was an equivalent from an African author however.

2 Likes
#773

That looks great. There’s a documentary on Netflix covering the French side from a similar angle as well which is meant to be excellent. Have had it on my watchlist for ages now, need to get round to it.

www.netflix.com/title/80164075

1 Like
#774

BBC highlights just gibbing off the entire first half of Germany-South Korea. Like it👍

#775

I’d watch that

#776

I read this and think it mad to suggest Löw oversee a transition period where older players are moved on and younger ones take their places. The guy didn’t pick Sané even

#777

“From a neutral’s point of view it is also exciting that there will definitely be a new world champion.”

Sorry to break it to you Brazil, Uruguay, France, England, Spain…

5 Likes
#778

Guys a thought just occurred to me which helped me feel quite a bit more relaxed. What i or any of you think about whether England should ‘try’ to end up on one side of the draw has literally no bearing on what will actually happen.

Really took the weight off my shoulders that.

4 Likes
#779

Pretty sure Gazza Southgate reads the boards actually

1 Like
#780

That feels nice… waiiiit a minute, what you saying?!

#781

FAO gaz sazz, let’s have Phil jones in midfield tomorrow and ensure our route to the semis, cmon!

1 Like
#782

I for one welcome our new Swedish Champions.

#783

Word :+1:

#784

but he did take Brandt (22), Sule (22), Kimmich (23), Werner (22) all of whom had been proven more consistent at international level than Sané…

I appreciate Sané has had a great season, but I honestly don’t think he would changed a damn thing.

3 Likes
#785

sorry, should add, obviously Sané should continue to have opportunities going forward, especially after this campaign, if he keeps playing well at club level and in place of older players, but the problem of having such a deep squad and not having a consistent plan with them was a big factor here which Sané probably would have only made things worse

1 Like
#786

this is for me as much as anyone else, but I think we should definitely moderate the ‘banter’ in these threads to make them enjoyable for everyone.

3 Likes
#789

Aye, I’d agree with that. Reactions to the game, fine. Taking it to a personal level, not so much

3 Likes
#790

Reckon he probably should have gone just as something a bit different from the rest of their attacking options (quicker, more direct). But using his omission as the scape goat would be completely laughable. Really weird that a squad that stable and successful looked so disjointed and incoherent in a properly toss group

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#791

Yes although I will say Julian Brandt managed to do exactly that and was basically the only decent attacking player in the whole squad (other than Kroos but he’s not strictly attacking), and he was used as a sub in each game ffs.

But yeah, I’ve no idea what the fuck is going on, given they were quite rightly touted as one of the favourites with that squad? I’m just having a quick look at the differences between here and 2014 and 16 though and I guess they are missing guys with the experience of Lahm, Klose and Schweinsteiger to hold things down as well as the last world cup winning goalscorer Götze. That leaves Kroos (who was great), Özil & Müller (who were disappointing but part of an ever changing frontline and neither have had a great couple seasons) Neuer and Hummels (both great) as your “leaders”, three of whom play for Bayern and the other two outside of Germany.

I’m not really sure what point I’m making anymore, but anyway, the lack of Sané didn’t do it, the lack of cohesiveness did.

1 Like
#792

But I guess if the last few world cups have taught us anything its that international teams declines arent gradual but pretty sudden. Even on a much smaller scale Poland were ranked 8th in the world before the tournament

1 Like