Shadow Scholar Syndicate: WM 2018--Day Thirteen Recap

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All of the calories and none of the intoxication!

This dog don’t bite ; )

Day 13: Recap

Record—

Spread: 15-25

Straight up: 22-13-5

Hot Girl Standings

Country	Tally	Games Played
Iceland	31	3 (finished)
Russia	29	3
Spain	28	3
Argentina	28	3
Nigeria	24	3 (finished)
Sweden	24	2
Mexico	23	2
Croatia	23	3
Iran	22	3 (finished)
Egypt	21	3 (finished)
Portugal	20	3
Brazil	20	2
Australia	20	3 (finished)
Poland	20	2
Denmark	19	3
Morocco	18	3 (finished)
Peru	18	3 (finished)
Columbia	18	2
Senegal	17	2
Belgium	15	2
Germany	15	2
Tunisia	15	2
South Korea	15	2
France	15	3
Japan	13	2
Uruguay	12	3
Switzerland	12	2
Serbia	12	2
Costa Rica	12	2
Saudi Arabia	11	3 (finished)
England	11	2
Panama	10	2

Looks like we’ll have to weigh in on the VAR controversy at the top of the post tonight, brothers. I’ll state unequivocally that, had your friendly bookie been the pitch arbiter, I would have ruled the takedown in the 76^th a penalty. However, the handball was subjective enough that it belonged in the ref’s hands. Rotten luck, Super Eagles.

I’ll eat some crow. Watching Messi belt out the national anthem, fire up his lads before the match, and ultimately lead by brilliant example on the pitch was a treat. Well done, captain.

Could have done without whatever the hell this was from Maradona.

Argentina vs. Nigeria: Messi anotó y desató la locura de Diego Maradona. (Foto: Captura FOX Sports 1)

Demented…but still a better coach than Sampaoli.

S.S.S. Tactical Breakdown

Two very poor teams advanced today. It makes your friendly bookie somewhat irate that one of them will have the privilege of playing in the Quarterfinals. The winner of Saturday’s France vs. Argentina clash might even get a smooth path to the Semis. Let’s preview what their clash will look like.

Lineup—Argentina—Match Two (3-4-3) (6/21/18)

Maxi Meza Sergio Aguero Lionel Messi

Marcos Acuna Eduardo Salvio

Enzo Perez Javier Mascherano

Nicolas Otamendi

Nicolas Tagliafgico Gabriel Mercado

Willy Cabaellero

Lineup—Argentina—Match Three (4-4-2) (6/26/18)

Gonzalo Higuain Lionel Messi

Angel di Maria Enzo Perez

Javier Mascherano Ever Banega

Nicolas Tagliafico Gabriel Mercado

Marcu Rojo Nicolas Otamendi

Franco Armani

It’s rumored that Messi and a clique of players actually selected this lineup. It more closely resembles my original projection with di Maria and Banega getting starting nods. Enzo Perez’s cap shows you just how desperate they’re getting. Mediocre play from everyone except Messi. Mascherano looks to be on his last legs. He couldn’t keep up at all. Rojo’s getting dirty. Otamendi did better, but one shouldn’t really classify his performance as solid.

The player/coach divide isn’t going anywhere. It won’t be healed merely because of a good result. This remains a bad team with subpar players.

About the only positive thing I can say is that Higuain and Messi seemed to gel a bit in the traditional 4-4-2. It’s rather refreshing to see a traditional 4-4-2. Everyone in this tournament wants to showcase their chic three-man-defense. Hell, even Tabarez and Uruguay are doing it now. This fad is getting out of control.

Lineup—France—Match Two (4-2-3-1) (6/21/18)

Oliver Giroud

Blaise Matuidi Antoine Griezman Kylian Mbappe

Paul Pogba N’Golo Kante

Lucas Hernandez Benjamin Pavard

Samuel Umtiti Raphael Varane

Hugo Lloris

Lineup—France—Match Three (4-2-3-1) (6/26/18)

Oliver Giroud

Thomas Lemar Antoine Griezman Ousmane Dembele

Steven Nzonzi N’Golo Kante

Lucas Hernandez Djibril Sidibe

Samuel Umtiti Presnel Kimpembe

Hugo Lloris

Deschamps finds himself as confused as ever and now he’s running out of options. He’s tried Dembele, Lemar, Matuidi, and even Tolisso. Now he wants to experiment with the defense too. It’s too late for all that. Sidibe should have been the starter from the beginning. He’d be in better form now. Kimpembe might have deserved an audition at right back too, but not at this late stage.

Griezman’s form worsens with every match. Giroud isn’t connecting with anyone. Kante’s just not built for the offensive flow. Pathetic performance from this squad today. They’re completely lost without Pogba. That much is crystal clear.

Ugh. Wish you weren’t here, Froggies. If you came to play you’d be welcome, but this isn’t World Cup worthy stuff.

S.S.S. Salute to Fallen Comrades

Peru—“Los Incas”

-3 games played

-2 Goals scored

-18 Hot Girls

Appreciated the proud exit today, and the money accrued from it of course. Peru, along with the other nine CONMEBOL nations automatically qualify for the 2019 Copa America in Brazil. It’s still rebuilding side for this side as both strikers will likely retire. Hopefully it won’t be another 36 years before we see them again!

Lineup—Peru—PROJECTED (4-4-2) (5/30/18)

Jefferson Farfan Andre Carillo

Edison Flores Christian Cueva

Yoshimar Yutun Renato Tapia

Luis Advincula Aldo Corzo

Alberto Rodriguez Christian Ramos

Pedro Gallese

Lineup—Peru—Match One (4-2-3-1) (6/16/18)

Jefferson Farfan

Edison Flores Christian Cueva Andre Carillo

Yoshimar Yutun Renato Tapia

Miguel Trauco Luis Advincula

Alberto Rodriguez Christian Ramos

Pedro Gallese

Lineup—Peru—Match Two (4-2-3-1) (6/21/18)

Paolo Guerrero

Edison Flores Christian Cueva Andre Carillo

Yoshimar Yutun Pedro Aquino

Miguel Trauco Luis Advincula

Alberto Rodriguez Christian Ramos

Pedro Gallese

Lineup—Peru—Match Three (4-2-3-1) (6/26/18)

Paolo Guerrero

Edison Flores Christian Cueva Andre Carillo

Yoshimar Yutun Renato Tapia

Miguel Trauco Luis Advincula

Anderson Santamaria Christian Ramos

Pedro Gallese

Australia—“The Socceroos”

-3 games played

-2 Goals scored

-20 Hot Girls

Of course they won’t go away. They never go away. The reigning continental champions get set to defend their title on January 6^th. The Socceroos must first work their way out of the “Mesopotamian Group” featuring Syria, Palestine, and Jordan. CONMEBOL has also invited them to as one of the filler teams in next Summer’s Copa America. Former national team coach Graham Arnold takes over from Bert van Marwijk next week.

Lineup—Australia—PROJECTED (3-4-3) (5/30/18)

Tom Rogic Robbie Kruse Massimo Luongo

James Troisi Matthew Leckie

Aaron Mooy Mile Jedinak

Aziz Behich Milos Degenek

Trent Sainsbury

Matthew Ryan

Lineup—Australia—Match One (4-2-3-1) (6/16/18)

Andrew Nabbout

Robbie Kruse Tom Rogic Matthew Leckie

Aaron Mooy Mile Jedinak

Aziz Behich Josh Risdon

Mark Milligan Trent Sainsbury

Matthew Ryan

Lineup—Australia—Match Two (4-2-3-1) (6/21/18)

Andrew Nabbout

Robbie Kruse Tom Rogic Matthew Leckie

Aaron Mooy Mile Jedinak

Aziz Behich Josh Risdon

Mark Milligan Trent Sainsbury

Matthew Ryan

Lineup—Australia—Match Three (4-2-3-1) (6/26/18)

Tom Juric

Robbie Kruse Tom Rogic Matthew Leckie

Aaron Mooy Mile Jedinak

Aziz Behich Josh Risdon

Mark Milligan Trent Sainsbury

Matthew Ryan

Iceland—“Strakarnir Okkar”

-3 games played

-2 Goals scored

-31 Hot Girls

What’s next? Probably at least fourteen more mediocre documentary films I would suspect. The Qualification Process for the European Championships has been changed. Instead of beginning directly after the World Cup, it’s been pushed all the way back to March 2019. UEFA wants to try and make more money with a new “UEFA Nations League”. It’s a brand new tournament for National Sides set to debut this Autumn. No word yet on the Groups. It’s all in the nascent stages.

Your friendly bookie will be watching, mostly out of curiosity to see if it works.

Lineup—Iceland—PROJECTED (4-4-2) (6/1/18)

J. D. Boovarsson A Finnbogason

B. Bjarnason J.B. Guomundsson

G. Sigurosson A. Gunnarsson

H.B. Magnusson B.M. Saeversson

K. Arnason R. Sigurosson

H. Halldorsson

Lineup—Iceland—Match One (4-5-1) (6/16/18)

A. Finnbogason

B. Bjarnason J.B. Guomundsson

E. Hallfreosson G. Siguorsson A. Gunnarsson

H.B. Magnusson B.M. Saeversson

K. Arnason R. Sigurosson

H. Halldorsson

Lineup—Iceland—Match Two (4-4-2) (6/22/18)

J.D. Boovarsson A. Finnbogason

B. Bjarnason R. Gislason

G. Siguorsson A. Gunnarsson

H.B. Magnusson B.M. Saeversson

K. Arnason R. Sigurosson

H. Halldorsson

Lineup—Iceland—Match Three (4-2-3-1) (6/26/18)

A. Finnbogason

B. Bjarnason G. Siguorsson J. Guomundsson

E. Hallfreosson A. Gunnarsson

H.B. Magnusson B.M. Saeversson

K. Arnason S.I. Ingason

H. Halldorsson

Nigeria—“OUR Super Eagles”

-3 games played

-3 Goals scored

-24 Hot Girls

Very disappointed about this. They were certainly on par with Argentina today. Could’ve advanced had one or two more things broken their way. For the first time in these Goodbyes Sections, we arrive at a team previously analyzed in a daily. Having already drawn it up and discussed the Super Eagles in the Day Nine Recap, let’s see what happened today.

Lineup—Nigeria— Match Two (3-5-2) (6/16/18)

Ahmed Musa Kelechi Ihenacho

Brian Idowu Victor Moses

W. Ndidi O. Etebo

John Obi Mikel

Leon Balogun W. Trost-Ekong Kenneth Omerou

Francis Uzoho

Lineup—Nigeria— Match Three (3-5-2) (6/16/18)

Ahmed Musa Kelechi Ihenacho

Brian Idowu Victor Moses

W. Ndidi O. Etebo

John Obi Mikel

Leon Balogun W. Trost-Ekong Kenneth Omerou

Francis Uzoho

It was a good a good selection for Iceland, but Rohr banked too much on letting the momentum carry over. Idowu on the attacking flank for the second consecutive match wasn’t a clever trick anymore. It was foolish. Onazi might have been a better choice.

Horrible job on the adjustments too from the German coach. Ighalo in for Ihenacho at halftime? What? He also left tired legs on the field far too long. Moses and Idowu were flagging badly. Iwobi could have interjected some pace when it was needed most. What the hell was he doing making Zeitgewinn Substitutions when his team was behind? It made no sense. Perhaps he raided Maradona’s stash ; (

Next up for Team Green, it’s African Cup of Nations Qualifying. They’re actually in grave danger of missing out on their THIRD Straight tournament after winning the competition in 2013. They sit winless in a group that features a strong Libyan and South African side. They’ll likely change coaches too.

“Riffs of the Day”—Day Thirteen