Football Season 2017/2018 & 2018 Summer Transfers

[Henx]

Yep, that was also a horrible draw for Italy and Spain. Both teams belong on the WC.

EDIT: Also let's not forget, despite the fact Holland doesn't deserve shit: Holland has a better result against Sweden. Holland got a disallowed goal against Sweden in Sweden from Bas Dost which was a clear goal. Lloris made the biggest blunder in his career against Sweden in fourth minute in overtime.

Holland was really unlucky on top of being shite.

I completely agree. They don't deserve it but they had the worst of luck at crucial moments.

[Cairhiin]

When I saw that VP equalizer before half time I knew we were fucked. Great game.

If you pass 1000 balls like that to van Persie I doubt he scores more than once but it was a superb goal and probably one of the best games I saw Holland play on any world cup. Van Gaal somehow got the team working.

[Henx]

It's not other teams fault that the Netherlands went to shit after WC 2010. Sweden is also not good. I stand by it, only tougher group was Spain/Italy, then Portugal/ Switzerland and in third there's of course no contest; France, Sweden, Netherlands.

Euro 2012 was a disaster but qualified without any problems and then bronze at WC 2014. Wouldn't say they went to shit after WC 2010 but after WC 2014.

Very stupid to rate a group's difficulty on the top two teams. It's much harder to play in a group with a couple of average sides than in a group with one good team and bad ones as the rest.

[Sughs]

Serbia group? Really? You guys are confusing balanced groups with 2nd tier teams with actual tough groups with one top team and then another team that can actually put up a challenge.

Spain/Italy was no doubt the toughest, i mean, 1 of those teams actually had to go to a play-off from the start. That's crazy.

Then there's Portugal who had Switzerland, a team that grew a lot in the last few years.

And finally group A who had an obviously favorite, France and what? A shadow of Netherlands from 4 years ago and Sweden who doesn't even have Zlatan anymore? Come on...

Portugal's group also had Hungary who is a tough bone, only made 13 points only because Portugal and Switzerland were unstoppable. Hungary in the same group of the Netherlands and Sweden would give them both a run for their money.

But whatever, i guess i can at least say that, that group was not far from the Portugal one.

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Euro 2012 was a disaster but qualified without any problems and then bronze at WC 2014. Wouldn't say they went to shit after WC 2010 but after WC 2014.

I meant WC 2014, my bad.

[Cairhiin]

Portugal's group also had Hungary who is a tough bone, only made 13 points only because Portugal and Switzerland were unstoppable. Hungary in the same group of the Netherlands and Sweden would give them both a run for their money.

Hungary? Okay!

11-10-2013 WK-kwal. 7 Nederland-Hongarije 8-1

Very tough team. Also I am pretty certain that Portugal would have had huge issues with Holland instead of Switzerland. I am also certain if Holland would have been in that group instead of Switzerland they would have easily made it to best #2.

[Sughs]

Hungary? Okay!

11-10-2013 WK-kwal. 7 Nederland-Hongarije 8-1

Very tough team. Also I am pretty certain that Portugal would have had huge issues with Holland instead of Switzerland. I am also certain if Holland would have been in that group instead of Switzerland they would have easily made it to best #2.

Hungary is much better than 2013 while Netherlands is much worse.

[Cairhiin]

Hungary is much better than 2013 while Netherlands is much worse.

Holland is pretty much the exact same team minus van Persie who wasn't good enough. Granted we have had insane injuries during these qualifications but the base is entirely the same.

[Sughs]

Holland is pretty much the exact same team minus van Persie who wasn't good enough. Granted we have insane injuries during this qualifications but the base is entirely the same.

I know mate but even tough the players are the same that doesn't mean that they play as well as they did. Otherwise how do you explain the absence from the EURO and now the WC?

[Cairhiin]

I know mate but even tough the players are the same that doesn't mean that they play as well as they did. Otherwise how do you explain the absence from the EURO and now the WC?

I agree there is a difference, but you somehow make it sound like Holland is way worse than Switzerland, and I can assure you they are not. This WC qualification Holland had bad luck and a bad coach at the beginning (Blind), and France, well France was too tough.

[Soxoffender]

I can't believe in a world championship without Messi. I'm certain Argentina will somehow qualify. If not I'll be disappointed.

Have you seen them play recently? Messi is still brilliant but they look utterly bereft of ideas unless he does something. They're everything detractors accused Portugal of being at the Euros only it's actually true and I'd honestly rather see Chile/Colombia/Peru at the finals. That said, Ecuador are on a shitty run, Chile have to play Brazil and Colombia/Peru play each other so things are in their favour.

[Sughs]

I agree there is a difference, but you somehow make it sound like Holland is way worse than Switzerland, and I can assure you they are not. This WC qualification Holland had bad luck and a bad coach at the beginning (Blind), and France, well France was too tough.

I am not saying that Holland is WAY worse than Switzerland but they are worse, even if only slightly. The real thinker here is how do you guys lost the play-off spot to a Sweden without Zlatan.

[Cairhiin]

Have you seen them play recently? Messi is still brilliant but they look utterly bereft of ideas unless he does something. They're everything detractors accused Portugal of being at the Euros only it's actually true and I'd honestly rather see Chile/Colombia/Peru at the finals. That said, Ecuador are on a shitty run, Chile have to play Brazil and Colombia/Peru play each other so things are in their favour.

Yeah, I agree. Argentina is nothing without Messi but a WC without Messi is not a WC. I also agree I rather see Chile and Colombia (not certain about Peru) than Argentina but I just want to see the best players at a WC, and Messi is one of those.

[RobertoCarlos]

Have you seen them play recently? Messi is still brilliant but they look utterly bereft of ideas unless he does something. They're everything detractors accused Portugal of being at the Euros only it's actually true and I'd honestly rather see Chile/Colombia/Peru at the finals. That said, Ecuador are on a shitty run, Chile have to play Brazil and Colombia/Peru play each other so things are in their favour.

I remember when people in this thread like slenderman tried saying it was harder to qualify for European teams rather than south America which all started from a stupid Hazard vs Neymar debate

[Cairhiin]

I am not saying that Holland is WAY worse than Switzerland but they are worse, even if only slightly. The real thinker here is how do you guys lost the play-off spot to a Sweden without Zlatan.

Bad luck? Did you see the disallowed goal from Bas Dost? Did you see Lloris fuck up at fourth minute in overtime? You realize right that Sweden played 1-1 and lost 2-0 against Holland and only gets second spot because that 8-0 win against Luxemburg which started from a penalty that wasn't even a penalty. Still, Holland doesn't deserve it but Holland also had uber bad luck.

[Sughs]

Bad luck? Did you see the disallowed goal from Bas Dost? Did you see Lloris fuck up at fourth minute in overtime? You realize right that Sweden played 1-1 and lost 2-0 against Holland and only gets second spot because that 8-0 win against Luxemburg which started from a penalty that wasn't even a penalty. Still, Holland doesn't deserve it but Holland also had uber bad luck.

Well, why didn't you guys 8-0ed Luxembourg too? :P

[Cairhiin]

Well, why didn't you guys 8-0ed Luxembourg too? :P

Because scores like that don't really happen in Football anymore. Just like you said Hungary was tough (which it isn't). Those kind of scores are a rarity. Tactically teams are so strong nowadays. Look at France - Luxembourg 0 - 0.

[Sughs]

Because scores like that don't really happen in Football anymore. Just like you said Hungary was tough (which it isn't). Those kind of scores are a rarity. Tactically teams are so strong nowadays. Look at France - Luxembourg 0 - 0.

Well, they did it, but you also 5-0 Luxembourg... I guess the key was Sweden somehow beating France 2-1. Those 3 points were precious to them. I know it sucks to be out of the play-offs because of goal difference but... Oh well, I would have preferred the Netherlands in the play-off instead Sweden too but it's done now.

[Cairhiin]

Well, they did it, but you also 5-0 Luxembourg... I guess the key was Sweden somehow beating France 2-1. Those 3 points were precious to them. I know it sucks to be out of the play-offs because of goal difference but... Oh well, I would have preferred the Netherlands in the play-off instead Sweden too but it's done now.

Yeah, the key was that Lloris' blunder and the disallowed goal from Dost against Sweden. But in my opinion Holland really lost it when losing 2-0 against Bulgaria. That game should never been lost and that was really the worst game Holland played in qualifications where they threw it away themselves. You can't influence bad referee decisions or blunders from competitors but you are fully responsible for losing in Bulgaria against a mediocre counter team.

[Sughs]

Yeah, the key was that Lloris' blunder and the disallowed goal from Dost against Sweden. But in my opinion Holland really lost it when losing 2-0 against Bulgaria. That game should never been lost and that was really the worst game Holland played in qualifications where they threw it away themselves. You can't influence bad referee decisions or blunders from competitors but you are fully responsible for losing in Bulgaria against a mediocre counter team.

Yeah, losing to Bulgaria didn't help for sure.

[Cairhiin]

Yeah, losing to Bulgaria didn't help for sure.

Either way, nothing is really lost without Holland at the WC. Well maybe besides Robben not being there (though I bet many people are happy he's not there because of his diving). Holland is not the interesting team it used to be. Time to rebuild.