Tuesday, June 26, 2018

WM 2018--Day Thirteen Recap

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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 76th 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 6th. 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

Related image

Reader: Detailed lineups on all the teams. Vice, could you be any more German?

Vicey: I sure can, 11-M. Next I’ll write a blog on train schedules.

Reader: Can we get Paolo Guerrero tested again?

Vicey: Perhaps you’ll have what he’s having after your loss today, 82-M

.
DAY FOURTEEN—PREVIEW

Deutschland vs. South Korea

 vs. 

I’m confident again. Talked myself into it. More in the Lines section.

THE LINE: Deutschland +2 Goals (debuting)

Mexico vs. Sweden

 vs. 

Even Osorio can’t fuck it up here. An easy win for the Group Winners.

THE LINE: Mexico +1 Goal (debuting)

Serbia vs. Brazil

 vs. 

Keep an eye out for the upset here. The White Eagles are a good team. Just not good enough in my estimation.

THE LINE: Brazil +1 Goal (debuting)

Costa Rica vs. Switzerland

 vs. 

Will be watching this one closely. Could be the next opponent of team Kraut. I’d actually rather face the Brazilians at this point.

THE LINE: Switzerland +1 Goal (debuting)


GENTLEMEN, ENTER YOUR WAGERS