Group F Opponent Watch (Belgium, Croatia, Morocco)

[Aird25]

17 minutes ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

Belgium moving with speed through the midfield and up top, slicing Wales open.

Still there is some joy to be had on the flanks and over the top against Belgium.

If you have the players to find it. We'll have to be very good against Belgium to get anything out of these games.

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

1 hour ago, Aird25 said:

If you have the players to find it. We'll have to be very good against Belgium to get anything out of these games.

Of course.  Wales have decent team even with some injuries and could have been 5-0 down in the first. 

But in the second, they moved the ball quickly then beat Vertongen with some skill and pace, went wide and crossed to the far post. The kid Belgium put with Vertongen and Alderweireld got beat in the air and Wales were back in it.

Three men involved in the move and back to front quickly. 

Thats the recipe for us.  We just have to figure out how not to give up the chances they did. 😉

Edited September 22, 2022 by WestHamCanadianinOxford

[kacbru]

Recap from the Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/sep/22/de-bruyne-and-batshuayi-help-belgium-hold-off-wales-in-nations-league

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

22 hours ago, NotCanadian said:

Denmark is playing with 3 centre backs and 4 central midfielders to shut us down. Gonna be a pretty boring game I think. Joachim Andersen is on right back just to shut down Perisic while Wass and Delaney are gonna hunt down Modric. Fun.

Any word on whether Perisic coming off is serious?

[NotCanadian]

2 hours ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

Any word on whether Perisic coming off is serious?

Doesn't look like it was.

[narduch]

Morocco beat Chile 2-0 today 

[Gian-Luca]

So every Group F team won their games thus far in this window. The same cannot be said about Group B...

[phil03]

Worth noting that Qatar tied Morocco 2-2 not too long ago so the game today definitely make me believe in our chances against them.

Edited September 24, 2022 by phil03

[RJB]

Croatia are currently Unofficial Football World Champions, and with matches against Austria, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco before they play us, there is strong potential that our second group game will be a title match.  In those games, they just need a draw to hold onto the title. 

[Blondo]

19 hours ago, phil03 said:

Worth noting that Qatar tied Morocco 2-2 not too long ago so the game today definitely make me believe in our chances against them.

That wasn't the Moroccan side you'll face in the World Cup but one that's limited to domestic league players. Qatar have played some unusual teams, incl. losses to lil Linfield and a Croatian youth team.

[NotCanadian]

1 hour ago, Blondo said:

That wasn't the Moroccan side you'll face in the World Cup but one that's limited to domestic league players. Qatar have played some unusual teams, incl. losses to lil Linfield and a Croatian youth team.

Yeah, they lost 3:0 to some young players from our league who never played together before. But it's not surprising considering all Qatari players come from their domestic league as well which is very low quality.

[narduch]

Croatia play Austria and Belgium play Netherlands today 

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

Another very close to first string line-up for Belgium. Should be a good game.

Edited September 25, 2022 by WestHamCanadianinOxford

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

A decent line-up for Croatia with a few changes. Nikola Vlasic gets a rare start after doing well in Italy (and not participating in the current trash fire - tip blaze? - that is West Ham United)

 

[Free kick]

 

24th min.  1-1 scoreline.  Modric has the goal

Edited September 25, 2022 by Free kick

[Free kick]

 

Edited September 25, 2022 by Free kick

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

Netherlands have decent players up front but nothing amazing - Janssen, Bergwijn, and Klaassen.  They have not converted or really had much of a final pass but there are openings there in the Belgian defence I think we could exploit on a good day.

 

Edit: 1-0 Netherlands - 2 games but second time I have seen Debast get beat in the air. Don't think he is their answer to pair with the veterans in a back 3 - yet at least.  

Edited September 25, 2022 by WestHamCanadianinOxford

[eramosat]

even though they lost, that was sobering for me to watch Belgium play another top side.  when I think about Canada trying to defend that same squad.  

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

5 minutes ago, eramosat said:

even though they lost, that was sobering for me to watch Belgium play another top side.  when I think about Canada trying to defend that same squad.  

That's the issue, but I also continue see a defence that can be done for pace.  Hold very strong and tight, then hit them on the break.

Edited September 25, 2022 by WestHamCanadianinOxford

[eramosat]

10 minutes ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

That's the issue, but I also continue see a defence that can be done for pace.  Hold very strong and tight, then hit them on the break.

yes, there are some openings.  but jeeze the margins for error seem so much slimmer than every match  i watched over the last 2 years.   we have eustachio holding the middle, and he's crucial..they have an octopus!

by all reports the coaching staff is uber-prepared, and the players have all the info they need to succeed.  i'll watch everything unfold, and hope for success.

[Free kick]

The schedule really helps Canada.   Playing Belgium first is ideal because if you are going to surprise a team like that then playing them in the first game of a tournament is the best scenario.

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

2 minutes ago, eramosat said:

yes, there are some openings.  but jeeze the margins for error seem so much slimmer than every match  i watched over the last 2 years.   we have eustachio holding the middle, and he's crucial..they have an octopus!

by all reports the coaching staff is uber-prepared, and the players have all the info they need to succeed.  i'll watch everything unfold, and hope for success.

That our oponents have players that are both skilled and physically dominant in midfield worries me.  I have said Eustaquio-Piette is a midfield of two good passing and very hard working players but could get bullied.  Might need three or four in there, play Davies as a wing back, three/five at the back, and 1 up front.  Swallow our pride and keep it ugly for the first match.

[eramosat]

14 minutes ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

That our oponents have players that are both skilled and physically dominant in midfield worries me.  I have said Eustaquio-Piette is a midfield of two good passing and very hard working players but could get bullied.  Might need three or four in there, play Davies as a wing back, three/five at the back, and 1 up front.  Swallow our pride and keep it ugly for the first match.

all i can say is Canada needs to test as much capability as they can in their remaining 2 high level friendlies.  with close to their best 11, to see how it performs.  and then broad-tune their approach...not fine-tune.  there's just about zero time for introducing newbies to the squad

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

23 minutes ago, eramosat said:

all i can say is Canada needs to test as much capability as they can in their remaining 2 high level friendlies.  with close to their best 11, to see how it performs.  and then broad-tune their approach...not fine-tune.  there's just about zero time for introducing newbies to the squad

Kone is on 2 caps but addresses our issues in midfield and needs to be seen, in my opinion.  I think most other places if not positions are set.  That said, giving guys minutes late prevents injuries and lets you know what you have when you lose a member of the first 11.                                                                                             

[ensco]

Having binged out on DAZN the last three days... I am certain we can give Belgium a game. They are nowhere near the second best team in the world, I doubt they are in the top 10. I really think we need to go all out up front to try to get a result against Belgium by outscoring them.

Alderwield and Vertonghen are not who they were - the Dutch broke them down repeatedly today. I think we can score a goal or two. Of course Belgium could score four, but they seem to be missing something...  They are a one trick pony show, everything goes through De Bruyne, Eustaquio can man mark him I think. 

Croatia look superb, pretty much invincible to me, tons of flowing play, we actually play a lot like them -but they are better everywhere. 

 

Edited September 26, 2022 by ensco