Introduction—“Another Group of Life”
(Poland, Japan, Columbia, Senegal)
Wide open group here, gentlemen. The mere fact that the
Poles mean business doesn’t mean they’ll get it done. It’s no secret that the
PZPN deliberately scheduled soft friendlies to increase the team’s FIFA
Ranking. The Red/Whites also benefited from a soft UEFA qualifying class. Beware
of how over-rated they are.
If we are to behold any major surprises, it should come from
here. An aging Polish Cohort faces stiff opposition from some very good squads.
The Colombians and Senegalese definitely possess enough offensive firepower to
shake up the standings. Only a Japan team that has clearly lost its way counts
as an outlier.
Sadly, harsh scheduling might ultimately preclude the
Senegalese Lions from overtaking the stronger sides. They must debut against a
Polish team that, overrated or not, vastly outclasses them in terms of talent.
There’s also the matter of Lewandowski’s unreal capabilities. The bookie
projects a first-place finish for the Poles and a dogfight for second place
between two evenly matched teams.
The Blue Samurai aren’t going anywhere. Deal with it…as I’ve
been forced to.
As this is our final preview section before the lines, bets,
and riffs, I’d like to convey my sincerest gratitude to all the Syndicate
Members who’ve checked in thus far. It’s been my great privilege to reconnect
with all of you. Another halcyon Summer awaits us. Great riffs thus far,
brothers. Now the fun begins in earnest.
You’ll never watch alone. Off we go.
Poland—“Bialo-Czerwoni”
A perfectly legitimate question centers around whether
Poland’s current “Golden Generation” hit their peak two years ago. In 2016 they
finally claimed their place among the traditional European Powerhouses with a historic
run to the Quarterfinals. There they only narrowly missed out on the Semis,
falling to eventual champions Portugal on penalties. A clever to return to the
classic crest disguises the fact that trainer Adam Nawalka hasn’t even
pretended to alter his system., All the major players return and it isn’t
difficult to forecast their tactical instructions. During the 2016 Euros you
friendly bookie correctly augured a Quarterfinals Place. I’ll now give them
straight up odds of getting there again, even if it’s a more tentative
prognosis.
Talk of the Polish Eagles being on the downward trajectory—a
fair amount of which is coming from 74-M—discounts the superhuman ability of
Robert Lewandowski to keep improving. He enjoys a late-career maturation not
unlike that of the rightfully deified “CR7”. All that we’re about to discuss
may be moot if the hard working Polish Prince puts in enough prep on the
training pitch. We know he will.
Not to say that there
isn’t plenty of cause for worry. Grosicki, Blaszczykowski, and Piszczek have
all undeniably passed their apex. One also needs to be concerned with Milik,
who may never be the same after those brutal double ligament tears.
Milik serves as the point man in Nawalka’s 4-4-2, moving
around Lewandowski in a semi-circular arc to either draw coverage or feed him
as the situation dictates. Should he falter in that task either Blaszczykowski
or Grosicki will need to step up. Teodorczyk looks more like a late game sub
and Kownacki has only recently joined the team. The veteran wingers should be
capable of such flexibility, given that they both still exhibit strong mobility
and switch fields all the time. The formation can easily be adapted to a
4-2-3-1 and we’ve even seen it done on previous occasions.
Of course having a short striker would still be ideal seeing
as how the midfield isn’t really designed to roam into the attacking third. It
might look a bit different now that Maczynski has been dropped, but I don’t
anticipate that either Piotr Zielinski or Karol Linetty doing much either than
hanging back with Krychowiak. Same strategy there unless your friendly bookie
is missing something. Wouldn’t rule that out.
The back four remains unchanged though it always seems to be
a mystery who will start at Left Back. Arthur Jedrzejczyk could switch sides as
he did last tournament. They could also dust off Rybus or give Bereszynski a
go. I’ll pencil in Rybus for now based on his extensive experience in the
Russian Premiership. He knows those pitches, be they actual grass or synthetic.
Though the system may prove all too familiar to opposing coaches,
Lewandowski always seems to find a way. This oddsmaker really needs a good look
at Milik to get a fair assessment of the squad’s Quarterfinal Chances. Top of
the group in any case.
Projecting the Pollack Lineup (4-4-2)
Robert Lewandowski Arkadiusz Milik
|
Kamil Groski
Jakob Blaszczykowski
|
G. Krychowiak P. Zielinski
|
Maiej Rybus Lukasz Piszczek
|
Kamil Glik Michal Pazdan
|
Wojciech
Szczesny
|
The Talisman—Robert Lewandowski “A Syndicate Classic—Polska, Polska,
Polska”
Editor’s
Retroactive Notes:
So
much hope accompanied coverage of the host nation at the beginning of Euro
2012. No small amount of money was lost backing them either. Despair quickly
set in as the hosts blew it big time. The so-called “Magical Trio” turned out
to be a tri-force of turkey. Smuda made all the wrong moves. They crashed and
burned harder than Lech Kaczynski’s pilot.
Your
friendly bookie genuinely hated watching their well-earned aspirations die.
Here are the highlights.
From
EM 2012—Group A Preview:
Poland
“Bialo-Czerwoni” (The
White and Reds) are bloody well fed up with being Europe’s bitch. As difficult
as it may be to fathom, this country was once one of the continent’s
heavyweights. During the Golden Era stretching from 1974 to 1982, they finished
third at the World Cup Finals twice and won an Olympic Gold medal. Everything went
to shit after a Round of 16 elimination in the 1986 World Cup. Within four
years the Iron Curtain would fall and Western Europe (notably Germany) pilfered
all of their most promising players.
The new borderless, integrated, and irreversibly globalized geopolitical age would eventually be defined as “The Generation of ‘Non-polarity’” Though the somewhat wonkish term refers to the information age’s capacity to disperse both power and populations, one might utilize it as the cruelest of puns when discussing Poland’s brain drain and football player flight. “Play for Poland?” players such as Borowski, Podolski, Klose, and Trochowksi surely asked themselves. Nah. Fuck that. “I’ll attain better prestige in my new country,” they surely concluded.
The new borderless, integrated, and irreversibly globalized geopolitical age would eventually be defined as “The Generation of ‘Non-polarity’” Though the somewhat wonkish term refers to the information age’s capacity to disperse both power and populations, one might utilize it as the cruelest of puns when discussing Poland’s brain drain and football player flight. “Play for Poland?” players such as Borowski, Podolski, Klose, and Trochowksi surely asked themselves. Nah. Fuck that. “I’ll attain better prestige in my new country,” they surely concluded.
Accordingly, the
pitiable Poles had to wait another sixteen years before they even qualified for
another major tournament. The Koreans humiliated them in 2002, while the Krauts
ran roughshod over their old nemesis in 2006 and 2008. Mostly they had the
misfortune to be drawn into very tough groups. Not this time. The “luck of the
draw” finally favors the team with the Candy Cane uniforms. A decidedly weak
group, an intriguing mix of talent, and a noticeably more confident/assertive
nation should see these Barber Shop Polls through to the group stages for the
first time in 26 years. In the event you haven’t been following the latest Euro crisis all that closely, the Polish government has proven remarkably adept at speaking truth to power. Yes, that’s Tusk and Komorowski chastising the German procrastination machine for their tendency to waste at least three weeks bitching, another three weeks closely scrutinizing the state election polls, and then finally proposing a halfhearted solution that will help nothing and satisfy no one outside of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Go ahead, Poles. Nice to see you’ve reclaimed some of your pride and courage.
Franciszek Smuda fears
no one, not even Hanalore Kraft. He’s put together a team anchored by a
“magical trio” of stars from German league and cup champions Borussia Dortmund.
Up front we have the young striker Robert Lewandowski, coming off a spectacular
season during which he scored 22 goals and was named Bundesliga player of the
year. Further back in midfield, Poland’s new captain Jacob Blaszczykowski is
Dortmund’s speedy and creative passing general. Keeping things in order at the
back, it’s Lukas Piszech, a former striker with blazing speed that Dortmund
converted to a versatile right back.
Editor’s
retroactive notes:
If
only this incarnation of the Polish Squad had somehow managed to rise to the
occasion furnished by such soaring rhetoric. Sadly, the hosts failed to even
register a win. Smuda was unceremoniously removed one day after the humiliating
failure of the Poles to advance past the group stage. He now coaches SSV Jahn
Regensburg in the nether regions of the German Bundesliga.
A
Public Service Announcement from your Friendly Bookie
So
you say you’re a casual American fan and find yourself inconsolably perturbed
by all the unpronounceable names printed above. I concede they look as if a
wayward cat sauntering across the keys could have typed them. Wishing you could
buy a vowel aren’t we? No worries,
dearest mates. Your friendly bookie to the rescue with “The Official Polish
Elocution Key”. Another year of watching entirely too much football allows me
to provide inflection assistance on a language more consonant-laden than a
vomited bowl of alphabet soup (for some reason a drunken liver metabolizes the
vowels first). Let us embark:
1)
Wojiech Szczesny = [Voy-Czech SHEZ-Nee] 2)
Lucasz Piszczek = [Luke-HAAS Pee-SHEK] 3)
Jakub Wawrznyiak = [YAH-kup Whoa-z-ni-ACK] (like the Apple co-founder) 4)
Grzegorz Wojtkowiak = [Gre-GORE Watch-cove-VEE-ACK] 5)
Jakub Blaszczykowski = [YAH-kup Blah-Sheh-cow-ski] 6)
Adrian Meirzejewski = [Adrian Meer-ZAH-jev-ski] 7)
Adam Matuszczyk = [Adam Maht-TU-Shook]
The
problem with Polish….er that is to say ONE of the problems with Polish, stems
from the inconsistency with which the letter “w” is treated. One can rely on
Germans to pronounce it like an English ‘v”, but the Polish remains
inconsistent with its consonants as brutally as English is with the vowels. The
“zn”, “cz”, “sz”, and “zc” groupings also cause major headaches as they fail to
lend themselves to a dependable rule of thumb.
Polish
Fans
They
pound cheap vodka and speak in broken German. They’re essentially Russian fans
who take a few fewer smoke breaks. They’re unnatural love of sauerkraut,
schnitzel, and bratkartofflen, Wurstsalat, Eiersalat and pickled herring means
a German will find himself sitting next to them as he wolfs down some greasy
fetid concoction to chase the booze after a hard night. Finding myself in such
a situation more than a handful times, I cannot say I’ve had a disappointing
conversation with a Pollack. Also never quaffed with a traveling band I didn’t
like. In terms of the women…..must tread carefully here…let’s say they ALL
deserved the highest of marks. Very little differentiates Russians, Poles, and
Germans…at least not in East Berlin. You’ll almost never meet one that’s not
easygoing and fun loving. Of course that’s the underground for you.
From
EM 2012—Quarterfinals
Poland (3 games
played, 2 goals, 2 points, 51 Hot Girls)
Polska, Polska,
Polska. I did not anticipate having to write your necrology so soon. How could
you flounder so thoroughly? The chants of your fans, the unprecedented
euphoria, the most talented squad you’ve ever had, the unflinching love/faith
of a loser bookie…..WHY?!? Over the past ten years you’ve evolved from my
favorite subject for an easy barb to one my favorite EU countries. Now you’ve
let me down. You’ve let your country down. You let an absolute minimum of 51
hot girls down. Keep those heads down…where they belong.
In previous tournaments
you’ve been cursed in the group draw. Now you’ve summarily failed to break out
of the “Group of Life”. Difficult to ascertain where it all began to go to
shit, but I blame Perquis, Murawski and Wasilewski; three players you need to
dump faster than a girl with daddy issues. Smuda’s persistent neglect of
Wojtkowiak and Wawrznyiak rightfully earned him an unceremonious dismissal. The
defense was simply too soft up the middle.
All three opponents exploited it early and often. I’ve no interest in debating the merits of the goalkeeper controversy, for this was most certainly NOT the problem. In addition to having terrible fullbacks, Smuda never devised an adequate solution for central midfield or his wingers. Dudka, Polanksi, and Murawski never looked comfortable passing to one another. Pisczech, Rybus, and Obraniak rarely made it out to the flanks, let alone had the opportunity to work in crosses.
All three opponents exploited it early and often. I’ve no interest in debating the merits of the goalkeeper controversy, for this was most certainly NOT the problem. In addition to having terrible fullbacks, Smuda never devised an adequate solution for central midfield or his wingers. Dudka, Polanksi, and Murawski never looked comfortable passing to one another. Pisczech, Rybus, and Obraniak rarely made it out to the flanks, let alone had the opportunity to work in crosses.
While the outfielders
all possessed above average talent, there simply wasn’t any chemistry. At fault
may have been the lack of truly competitive matches during the qualifying
stages. Automatically qualified as hosts, the Bialo-Czerwoni played only
friendlies. The laid back pace of such meaningless matches appears to have
precluded any chance for the Barber Shop Poles to coalesce. One may assemble
all the capability one wishes. Teams crystallize only under pressure. Natural
diamonds don’t form in the crust.
Here’s where we’re
headed: Nowhere. The White Eagles need a new coach and a new mentality in less
than three months. The 2014 Qualifying Campaign does not look promising.
They’ll have to fend off England, the Ukraine, and (in all seriousness) a
decent Montenegrin side just to earn a playoff spot. Pisczech, Blaszczykowski,
Lewandowski, and Szczeny are all very young in addition to being especially
gifted. There we have the good news. The “magical trio” can carry Polska
through if nothing else. Holding out hopes of seeing you soon, brothers.
Editor’s
retroactive notes:
Polska may consider
themselves all but eliminated. Shitty performances from Lewandowski and
Blaszczykowski have them pushed down by the more menacing Ukrainians. It’s
unlikely we’ll see them next Summer.
Japan—“The Blue Samurai”
It’s been far too long since we checked in with your
friendly bookie’s “Spiritual Homeland”. Vicey fits in neatly to what the
Japanese term “The Herbivore Generation”. It’s a fantastic cohort for a
hardworking Shadow Scholar content to enjoy life’s rich but simple pleasures.
Unsure of what we’re talking about? Meh. Look it up. We’ve football to discuss
here. As always, all Syndicate must resist the innate temptation to overate
this team. Trust not your instincts. We all want them to progress in this
tournament, flooding the internet with clips of Japanese play-by-play announcers
giving themselves aneurisms when the Blue Samurai score.As lovely as that might be, it’s not happening. Not this time, anyway.
The country’s football program finds itself in disarray
after the recently parting company with Bosnian Manager Vahid Halihodzic. We
can likely agree that the old stubborn Slav had it coming. Nevertheless, it
should be noted that he did see a need to move the team forward by developing
younger players. Attempting to ease out tanking players like Keisuke Honda and
Masoto Hasebe didn’t constitute a crime. Space needed to be made for the likes
of Yosuke Ideguchi and Takuma Asano.
Such flagrant disrespect the elders didn’t fly in the land
of ancestral reverence. The JFA cut off its hand to put a stop to the “senior
abuse” some six weeks ago. New manager Akira Nishino, hitherto a total unknown,
assumed command and immediately brought back the old boys. How much does the
Old Guard truly have left? Not much in this bookie’s estimation.
It’s quite difficult to construct Nishino’s lineup, but
we’ll give it the old “college try”. Ideguchi, Asano would have fit in very
nicely. Also surprised to see that Yuya Kubo didn’t even make the initial
roster. These players would have, at the very least, added some intrigue to a
mostly harmless attack.
Newly signed Bremen striker Yuya Osako looks to be a
paper-tiger. Accordingly, I don’t see a place for him in the starting eleven.
That leaves 32-year-old Shinjo Okazaki alone up front, backed up by the
increasing innoxious Shinji Kagawa and Herta flop Genki Haraguchi. Honda,
Hasesebe and Innui take on mostly defensive positions at this point in their
career. No one in the back other than Yoshida have forward impetus in their
game.
Ugh. Never seen the Japanese create something so hideous that
didn’t involve tentacles. As much as upbeat about seeing this team back in
action, I fear that we won’t even see a goal out of this lineup.
Resist the temptation to wager on them, brothers. Boring as
us “Herbivores” ; )
Projecting the Japanese Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Shinji
Okazaki
|
Genki Haraguchi
Shinji Kagawa
|
Keisuke Honda
|
Masoto Hasebe Takashi Inui
|
Y. Nagatomo G. Shoji M. Yoshida H. Sakai
|
Eiji Kawashima
|
The Talisman—Shinji Okazaki 
Neither of the Shinjis had particular noteworthy years. My
Bundesliga Bias obviously leans toward. Kagawa. We’ll have to roll with Okazaki
here as he’s projected to lead the attack and the only one capable of sending
this team to overachieving heights. Since moving to Leicester in the
Premiership, he has demonstrated the ability to catch fire periodically. His
hot streaks are fairly sporadic, however, and they tend to come at the
beginning of the club campaign. When he cools he’s ice cold as he has been for
most of the second half of the season.
Still has a penchant for memorable goals. Be great if he
gave us one.
“A Syndicate Classic—The German
Connection”
Editor’s
Retroactive Notes:
So very fond of my
beloved Japs. They always receive extensive coverage in this Sportsbook, mostly
because of their Bundesliga connections.
For a good while there
your friendly bookie also found himself unhealthily obsessed with the
post-Koizumi political situation. Couldn’t get enough. Checking in with this
country was always a treat.
Looking forward to
adding another chapter.
From
CC 2013—Syndicate: Judgement Play:
Japan (Winning
Odds—Straight Up)
Under the tutelage of
a benevolent Wop, The Blue Samurai have staged a more improbable comeback than
Shinzo Abe. (Yes, beloved syndicate members, it’s THAT time). Regular readers
may wince at my persistent inability to discuss the Japanese team without
working in some reference to the current Japanese Prime Minister. I cordially
remind you that this obligatory reference would not prove necessary, if this
fucking country could straighten out its leadership situation! Our meditative
chant continues to grow:
Abe, Fukoda, Aso,
Hatoyama, Kan, Noda….Abe.
Abe, Fukoda, Aso, Hatoyama,
Kan, Noda….Abe.
Abe, Fukoda, Aso,
Hatoyama, Kan, Noda….Abe.
Hoooohhm. This year we
might as well add a mnemonic:
Assess Fate As Hefty
Karma Never…Aspire.
Wow. That was darkly
deep. Hooohhm.
Editor’s
retroactive notes:
One year on, I think
I’ll go with:
Apprise Failed Acts
Heuristically, Kid. Narcissistic…Asshole.
Still darkly deep.
Hoooohm.
The latest incarnation
of the Samurai features more German actors than a low-budget porn flick. Team
captain Makoto Hasebe has been lighting it up for VfL Wolfsburg for years. Lead
striker Shinji Okazaki turns in goals….not nearly often enough…for Baden giants
VfB Stuttgart. Newcomers from the German ranks include Gotoku Sakei (also of
Stuttgart) Takashi Inui of Eintracht Frankfurt, Hiroki Sakai of Hannover 96,
and Hiroshi Kiyotake of F.C. Nürnberg.
Editor’s
retroactive notes:
Interestingly enough,
the two top-tier Bundesliga players both switched clubs and took totally
divergent paths. Wolfsburg dropped Hasebe. He tanked and likely lost his
captain’s armband for good. HE has battled injuries whilst playing for
sure-to-be relegated German club 1 FC. Nürnberg. He hasn’t played for
Zaccheroni’s national squad since November. Conversely, Okazaki switched
addresses and finally began to realize his latent potential. He moved to FSV
Mainz, where he proceeded to break out with a monster 14-goal season. He’ll
surely get more lucrative contract offers this summer
Innui, Sakai, and
Kioytake all find themselves in mediocre form, unlikely to be selected.
The Bundesliga
presently evolves into a fine audition platform for many Japanese
internationals. Players will keep pouring in hoping to emulate the success
story of Shinji Kagawa. The former Dortmund superstriker secured a lucrative
deal with Manchester United last summer and spent the entire season in top
form. Kagawa spearheads an intriguing Japanese attack directed by midfield
general Hajime Hosogai (another Bundesliga contractor no less). Hosogai
receives assistance from ever mobile veterans Kengo Nakamura, Yasuhito Endo,
and Keisuke Honda. Atsuto Uchida anchors the defensive corps. Last
Kraut-centric reference, I promise: He plays for Schalke.
Editor’s
retroactive notes:
Hosogai is another one
presently stuck in a poor run of form. He remains likely to be selected,
however, as Zaccheroni faces a shortage of other options. Honda and Uchida have
struggled with injury, but are also probable call-ups. Endo and Nakamura are
officially retired.
Perhaps the most
notable absence is that of the Brazilian born playmaker Tanaka. The electric
center back suffered a debilitating injury that, coupled with his advancing
years, virtually ensures the end of his international career. Takayuki Morimoto
has been left off after experiencing a nose-dive in form. Ditto Yuko Nagatomo
and Yasuyuki Konno. Daisuke Matsui and Junichi Inamoto are likely retired for
good.
Editor’s
retroactive notes:
Tanaka is currently
attempting a comeback with third-tier German Bundesliga Club FFC Frankfurt.
We…er…wish him all the best with that.
The new-look Japs
appear poised to turn a few heads. This oddsmaker will be watching closely to
see how well Alberto Zaccheroni’s bizarre 3-4-3 works.
From AFC
2015—Geo-Syndicate Redux
Japan
(Winning Odds—Straight Up)
The Alberto Zaccheroni
Era lies behind us. A Dago hasn’t been more deserving of a solid shitcanning
since Berlusconi decided that 11 monthly “Bunga Bunga” parties just weren’t
enough. Christ. It seems like only yesterday that your friendly bookie touted
an epic turnaround, spearheaded by all those Japanese internationals flooding
the German Bundesliga (See below). My rapacious “Kraut-Bias” left me with egg
on my face…and not for the first or last time.
The Blue Samurai
emerge from a nightmarish cycle of adversity that leaves few convinced they
have a shot at capturing their fifth continental championship. New head trainer
Javier Aguirre showed no mercy in dumping plenty of underachieving Zacherroni
pets. Hosogai, Okubu, and Hiroki Sakai have been pitched. Makoto Hasebe has
been welcomed back into the fold and his captaincy restored.
Hmmmm…is there truly
any way of completing this section without prattling on about the Bundesliga
club players? I suppose not. I’m a Hun and everyone will just have to deal with
that.
Shinji Kagawa returned
to Borussia Dortmund over the Summer and the whole Fatherland went nuts. We
genuinely thought his arrival would offset the Lewandowski departure and that
Dortmund would pose a legitimate challenge to Bayern over the course of the
season. Now that Kagawa has managed an impressive total of one fucking goal,
Dortmund finds itself in the relegation zone, and Jürgen Klopp is one loss away
from taking that job as the Produce Manager at the Aldi in Garmisch-Parkenkirschen…all
is lost. ; ( ; ( The whole damn Bundesliga campaign is lost. ; ( ; ( I’ve been
watching the Swiss Alpo Super League. ; ( ; (
Otherwise, the German
“Guest Workers” maintain relatively fine form. Shinji Okazaki continues to tear
it up for FSV Mainz 05. Takeshi Inui, Hiroshi Kiyotake, Gotoku Sakai have been
stellar for Eintracht Frankfurt, Hannover 96, and VfB Stuttgart respectively.
Schalke’s Atsuto Uchida had to withdraw after a last-minute injury. Huge loss.
Ye-ouch.
In non-Bundesliga news
(as if it matters), striker Keisuke Honda has successfully revived his career
over at A.C. Milan. Across town, Yuto Nagatomo struggles at Inter. Yasuhito
Endo is still around! He even netted six goals this year in the J-League!
34-years-old and still kicking ass! New call-ups from the domestic league
include Naomichi Ueda, Gen Shoji, Yu Kobayashi, and Gaku Shibasaki. The first
two haven’t even been capped yet heading into the tournament.
Aguirre makes a few
leaps of blind faith. Will he succeed? Hell if I know. The Kraut-Bias leaves me
simultaneously blinded and perplexed. Your friendly bookie cannot even begin to
speculate on this team anymore without feeling like Helen Keller.
Who the hell knows?
Let’s play some football.
Columbia—“The Coffee Growers”
Radamel Falco returns to the lineup, surely rapacious at the
chance to redeem himself. How rapacious is “too rapacious”? A fair question.
They did just fine without him in 2014. Fitting in an older center-forward
coming off the best season of his career won’t be so smooth. As evidenced by
his underwhelming loan spells at Chelsea and Manchester United, “El Tigre”
doesn’t do so well in a crowded field. It took him nearly three years to adjust
to the other strikers at Monaco. Simply stated, Radamel needs room to be at his
best. James needs to fit into the puzzle to now that he’s rekindled his mojo at
Bayern. Pekerman’s tactics require suppleness to ensure success.
Clearly the plan is to build around Falcao. Jackson Martinez
and Teofilo Gutierrez weren’t included in the final squad. The former wasn’t
even considered. So committed to this plan of action that Edwin Cardona didn't
survive the final cut. Wingers Luis Muriel and Juan Cuardado won’t stray too
far from the touchline. Insofar as I can tell, they’re meant to remain out wide
rarely venturing inside the box. James patrols outside the 18 mostly looking to
snipe.
Not entirely sure that Muriel stands as the optimal choice
to fill Cardona’s shoes. Pekerman may do better to insert Juan Fernando
Quintero or even Jefferson Lerma on the quiet wing. Abdel Aguilar and Carlos
Sanchez are quiet enough as it is. Expect little to no action out of the
central midfield. Speed and ingenuity are needed laterally if James or Falcao
are to receive any useful crosses at all.
Loads of fresh faces in the defense leave your friendly
bookie unable to really foresee what they have in mind protection-wise. An
injury to Frank Fabra necessitates some restructuring. I’m unfamiliar with
either Joahn Mojica or Fardi Diaz. Sanchez and Mina can play fullback too with
Ospina in net. Curious to see how it will work. In any event it’s not such a
problematic loss.
Overall, the Coffee Growers aren’t projected to deliver true
“team football”. Everyone has their lane and assignment. Spontaneity will
transpire, but they mostly rely on a cadre of individualistic players. A
breakdown of the squad’s chemistry isn’t out of the question. A sluggish start
will sink this team’s prospects.
That’s why we play the matches, gentlemen. Keep a close eye
on how comfortable James and Falcao seem working in such close quarters. They’ll
need to get off to a screaming start against the Samurai to get this engine in
gear.
Projecting the Columbian Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Radamel Falcao
|
L. Muriel J. Rodriguez J. Cuadrado
|
Abel Aguilar Carlos Sanchez
|
Johan
Mojica Santiago Arias
|
Y. Mina D. Sanchez
|
David Ospina
|
The Talisman—James Rodriguez
No excuse not to execute.
“A Syndicate
Classic—Treasured Re-introductions”
Editor’s
Retroactive Notes:
Who
could have predicted that this warm welcome would only be the beginning?
Let’s
hope this tournament supplies us with a worthy Cinderella. Football enthusiasts
can’t sell the game without a story.
From
WM 2014—Group C Preview
Trying
to make sense out of this group proves harder than writing a dissertation on EU
Agricultural Policy four Pißwassers deep. If the FIFA Rankings are to be
believed (and they’re not) the debutante Coffee Growers are the favorites to
claim top spot. That’s simply ludicrous, as uplifting a story as it may be.
Former
Argentine National Coach Jose Pekerman has done a fantastic job turning the
entire program around. He’s pulled the country out of obscurity with an
innovative approach to team building. He’s benched his highest paid players,
only inserting them as late subs in crucial games. He’s experimented with no
fewer than six distinctly different formations all throughout qualifying. He’s
tired Guarin at striker, moved Falcao way back in the midfield, and given
Armero a shot on the wing.
All
of Pekerman’s enterprising moves have been undertaken whilst he keeps a core
group of about 35 players together. Most national managers employ three times
as many call-ups over the course of a two-year qualifying campaign. Pekerman
may send the message to his players that sacred cows are intolerable, but he
simultaneously instills in them the belief that they are part of a valued
close-knit group. While their roles are a subject of speculation, their
presence certainly isn’t.
The
“Coffee Growers” constitute the “Feel Good Story of the Summer” for a whole
confluence of reasons, two of which even casual Stateside fans will find
immediately familiar. First, Columbia hasn’t qualified for a World Cup since
1998, back when Carlos Valderama was playing for now defunct MLS teams named
(no joke) “The Miami Fusion” and “Tampa Bay Mutiny”. Everybody remember Carlos?
You’ll recognize him immediately if I put his picture up.
Valderama
was among the first crop of foreign stars recruited to play in MLS during its
nascent fledgling days. Back in those days there were no “Soccer Only”
Stadiums. Matches were played on American Football Astroturf, with the
yardlines and hash marks clearly visible. The clock stopped when the ball went
out into touch. ; ( : (
There
are plenty of football fans who still consider MLS a joke, but you should have
seen it in its early days ; ( Hideously ugly uniforms. Teams with ridiculous
names. Empty stadiums. Own goals galore. We were all certain that Vince
McMahon’s XFL had a better chance of surviving. Just when we were absolutely
certain that MLS would go the way of the NASL, Valderama and other higher
caliber players showed up.
They made their contributions to the foundering league with a significantly higher style of play that made the fixtures (almost) watchable. Fans also began to show up, curious to see how more experienced international veterans would perform Fifteen some odd years later, the games are still fairly choppy, but eminently watchable thanks to loyal fan bases that wave flags, chant songs, and beat drums Valderama deserves a lot of credit for getting the league a professional footing.
They made their contributions to the foundering league with a significantly higher style of play that made the fixtures (almost) watchable. Fans also began to show up, curious to see how more experienced international veterans would perform Fifteen some odd years later, the games are still fairly choppy, but eminently watchable thanks to loyal fan bases that wave flags, chant songs, and beat drums Valderama deserves a lot of credit for getting the league a professional footing.
Secondly,
as pertains to Columbia, U.S. fans will always have a heart for the national
tragedy upon which interest in their national team was built. American football
enthusiasts wanted their team to garner more domestic attention, but definitely
not at the cost of another man’s life. During the 1994 World Cup in the USA,
the country took a brief respite from “O.J.-Mania to watch their team advance
past the group stage for the first time since the inaugural World Cup in 1930.
The Yanks barely went through after eking out a narrow victory against
Columbia. (Back in those days only 24 nations competed in six groups. Third
place teams advanced).
The
hosts wouldn’t have even gotten that far were it not for an own goal by
defender Andres Escobar. That mistake cost Escobar his life. He was
assassinated by the Columbian drug cartel two weeks later. They evidently
placed enormous sums of money on a Columbian victory. Gambling losses outside
the Syndicate are evidently just a mite more serious ; ( ; (
So
we have a human-interest story. After sixteen years of torpor the Columbians
are finally back under a magician of a manager. Their Kader features genuine
international stars like Radamel Falcao, Jackson Martinez, Adrian Ramos,
Christian Zapata, and Pablo Armero. They blazed through COMNEBOL Qualifying,
finished a mere two points behind regional powerhouse Argentina. Do they
deserve to be #6 in the world? YOU’RE CRAZY!!
One
reason I appear to be dragging my feet on these odds (apart from the very real
hindrance of “having shit to do”) is that I continue to scour my sources for
news on Monaco striker Radamel Falcao. The former Atletico man blew out his
knee shortly after the New Year. He presently attempts a comeback. In betting
parlance, his return would be listed as “questionable”. There’s hardly been an
injury this closely followed since Rooney’s in 2006. Pekerman still has him
listed on a squad now three players from final cutdown. We’ll just have to wait
and see.
“El
Tigre” means so very much to this team. He’s incredibly explosive off the ball,
smashing scoring records in virtually every league or cup competition that he
participates in. One still shouldn’t describe him as an “indispensable cog”
given that the Coffee Growers have a plethora of other options to fill the
attacking third. FC Porto Center Forward Jackson Martinez is a very serviceable
big-target man with impeccable heading ability. Herta BSC point man Adrian
Ramos possesses similar skills. Teofilio Gutierrez may not be quite as tall,
but he adds speed to the equation. Falcao’s Monaco teammate James Rodriguez is
the extremely mobile and highly technical midfield playmaker. The ball
perpetually appears to be glued to his left foot. He typically accumulates as
many assists as goals in any given season.
With
James Rodriguez projected to serve as a sort of “pseudo-striker”, it falls to
Freddy Guerin stay back and aid the defense. Guarin generally likes to roam, so
it will be interesting to see if he can stick to this assignment. The Columbian
back four counts as among the best in the tournament. They should have no
problem closing ranks when necessary.
Senegal—“The Lions of Teranga”
A wonderful pick for anyone seeking a Dark Horse Candidate.
Aliou Cisse knows his game and he knows his country. He actually captained the
surprise 2002 side; the one that gave us the memorable opening upset of France.
Your friendly bookie got a great look at his tactical aptitude during the 2017
African Cup of Nations. He’s as deft a tactician as he is a motivator.Cisse arrives in Russia with an overflowing kader of offensive weapons. Most notably, he brings with a Sadio Mané in positively brilliant form. The new crest may be ugly as sin, but this year’s Teranga Lions remain are unequivocally gorgeous. Pick them for the Quarters if they start off right.
Mané works in a variety of positions. He did well on the
left in AFCON 2017, but also turned in bright performances as the lead and
anchoring short striker. Best results were generated when working in tandem
with Henri Saviet, who won’t be part of the team this time. Shouldn’t matter.
Sakho or Diouf can work alongside him or support him. Moussa Sow also returns
for what will surely be his last tournament. Cisse can get inventive with his
forwards as the roster features NINE natural strikers who have tallied a
combined 61 times for country.
Unlike the 4-5-1s and 4-5-2s we saw in the continental
championship, the Lions roared through qualifying predominantly with an
old-fashioned no-holds-barred 4-3-3. Sakho pairs with Ndiaye, Mané, M’Baye
Niang, or even new kid Ismaila Sarr sometimes. The effects were explosive,
especially during the final stages of qualifying.
Recent friendlies have been less inspiring, but that’s
typical of such experimental fixtures. After scouting the Croatia match, I got
a fairly decent sense of the game plan. Mané teams up with Sakho in attack.
Diouf moves back a bit but not much. Kouyate is given some lateral license to
join M’Baye Niang on the right, while Gueye and new fullback Sabaly frequently
trade places on the left.
Kouyate also receives instructions to move forward at the hint of a counter while Koulibaly joins him, rushing ahead of collapsing fullbacks who shore up the defense.
Pace and power everywhere. Bam. It can work. Trust your
bookie. If they salvage a point against the Poles they should be well on their
way out of the group and a repeat of their 2002 run.
Projecting the Senegalese Lineup (4-3-3)
Sadio Mané Diafra Sakho
|
M. B. Diouf
|
I. Gueye C.
Kouyate M. Niang
|
Y. Sabaly L. Gassama
|
K. Koulibaly S. Sane
|
Abdoulaye Diallo
|
The Talisman—Sadio Mané 
What an astounding second half he’s just had. The hat-trick
against Porto and the blazer in the UEFA Champions League Final are but two
examples. Early on in his career, everyone notices his precise ball control and
clinical finishing. Now he’s also developed a keen eye for openings on the
pitch and impeccable timing on his forward runs. Were it not for his teammate
Mohamed Salah, we’d be calling him the best African footballer in the game
today. “A Syndicate Classic—They Shall
Overcome”
Editor’s
Retroactive Notes:
Some re-hashes from
the 2017 African Cup of Nations and a premature obituary written by your
friendly bookie. Had a ball writing about this tournament, the third AFCON
covered by your Syndicate and the first 100 percent covered by and American
Sports outlet.
No longer did we have
to fight through the profoundly irritating “lonely-dude-pop-ups” of
peer-to-peer websites. All clear, sharp, in-color, and in-focus.
Er…there’s another one
coming up soon, brothers. Try and talk me out of it if you must, but recall how
recalcitrant a recondite rube can be ; )
From CAN
2017—Quarterfinals
Senegal
vs. Cameroon
vs. 
What a game! Two West
African Powerhouses, neither of whom have any real successes to tout over the
last fifteen years. Why, oh, why does this have to be a Quarterfinal? This
would make an epic Semi. One of these squads will de-shackle themselves from a
decade and a half of obscurity. Accomplishment has finally arrived for
whichever Lions come out ahead. Hell yes! So much at stake. The winner of this
one will undoubtedly enjoy a big boost and elevated exposure over the next two
years.
Let’s begin.
Aliou Cisse has really
put together an excellent team. He rested most of his regulars in the Algeria
Match and gave Moussa Sow a most splendid opportunity to punch his weight. The
“projected lineup” that I’ve placed below assumes no place for Ismaila Sarr,
Saliou Cisse, Zargo Toure, or Mohamed Daimé. Sow’s tomahawk finish won't factor
in during the match that stands before us.
I’ll project a return
to the 4-5-1 put forth in the second match. This time Diouf spearheads the
attack whilst Mané serves as a “Sprinting Anchor”. That should leave Saviet,
Balde Diao, and Cheikou Kouyate enough space to open things up laterally. Gana
Gueye and Papa Alioune Ndiaye fall back into “semi-sweeper” roles.
Projecting Hugo
Broos’s lineup proves much more challenging. He initially put Moukandjo and
Zoua up front. He then dropped the Lorient forward back, dusted off Aboubakar,
and moved N’Jie and Bassogog forward. The suspension of Georges Mandjeck led to
a third unique lineup with Tambe, Salli, and Bassogog up top in what looked
like a modified 4-2-1-3.
Hmmm..what to do? What
to do?
Moukandjo, N’Jie, and
Bassogog are all in the midst of splendid tournaments. Might as well reap the
advantages of their confident play by assigning them striking roles. Aboubakar
deserves to start at center forward with Moukandjo directly behind him,
prepared to step up should the offense fail to get going. This bookie likes the
look of Mandjeck on the right and Siani on the left in defensive midfield.
They’re comfortable in those roles and stand a decent chance of neutralizing
Gana Gueye and Alioune Ndiaye.
From a tactical
standpoint we have a very tight match, one almost certain to come down to
penalties. Our greatest hope, of course, is that the way these teams match up
doesn’t lead to a prolonged midfield stalemate.
So hard to pick a
winner between these two, but I think Aliou Cisse simply has a deeper bench
from which to draw. The Terrangans should prevail late.
Projected
Lineups:
“The Lions of
Teranga”—(4-5-1)
Mame Biram Diouf
|
Sadio Mané
|
Keita Balde
Diao H. Saviet Cheikou Kouyate
|
Idrissa Gana Gueye Papa Alioune Ndiaye
|
C M’Bengue K. Mbodj K. Koulibaly L. Gassama
|
Abdoulaye Diallo
|
THE LINE: Senegal
+1 Goal
From CAN
2017—Semi-Finals
5th
Place—Senegal
Ach…so close!!
Wouldn’t want to be in Sadio Mané’s turbulently maelstromming head at the
moment. It’s a long flight back to Anfield and even a surfeit of Business Class
Cocktails won’t abet his attempts to put that horribly soft penalty behind him.
Ouch! The emergent favorites exit despite a brilliant run and hard-fought
last-minute efforts from Keita Balde, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Kouyate, and Moussa
Sow. I honestly thought they had it in the last second of normal time. How the
hell did that effort end up in the side netting?!?
The Terrangans
progressed further in this tournament than they had in over a decade. Oh how
one wishes to declare their prolonged dormant period over. Regrettably, the
long latent Lions are currently fighting for their very lives in a tough 2018
Qualifying Group that also features South Africa, Burkina Faso, and Cape Verde.
Now 31-years-of-age Moussa Sow shows signs of slowing down considerably.
Diouf’s best days are likely behind him as well. A core group of
players—notably Cheikou Kouyate, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Kara Mbodj and Henri
Saviet—have either reached their peak or just passed it.
Mané will continue to
flourish and Keita Balde Diao is an excellent long-term prospect. The obstacles
this team has to overcome over the next eighteen months will simply prove too
daunting. I’ve no clue when we’ll see these proud Lions again.
Depressing stuff. Time
for a stiff drink and commiserate phone call to Syndicate Member 103-M. ; ( ; (
Football can really
break one’s heart at times. “Thems the breaks”. ; (
Vicey’s
Fearless Group Prediction (2 to 1 Odds for bookie)
1)
Poland 2)
Columbia 3)
Senegal 4)
Japan
Overall
Championship Odds
Poland (8 to 1) Columbia (12 to 1) Senegal (20 to 1) Japan (30 to 1)
Round
of 16 Odds
Poland (Straight Up) Columbia (Straight Up) Senegal (Straight Up) Japan (3 to 1)
Quarterfinal
Odds
Poland (Straight Up) Columbia (Straight up) Senegal (4 to 1) Japan (8 to 1)
Semifinal
Odds
Poland (3 to 1) Columbia (10 to 1) Senegal (12 to 1) Japan (15 to 1)
