I think Japan is a ro8 team for sure.
If they get a world class striker and another Nakazawa-Tulio at the back they'll have a shot at winning the WC.

I also think the other Asian powerhouse South Korea has upped their level to become a likely ro16 team, although their more open and attacking style seems more fragile to all the bigger teams.

Don't know why people are talking up the South American teams, Uruguay and Paraguay needed sick amounts of luck to make it to ro8, Argentinia got the easiest group and ro16 opponent in Mexico, then got smashed by Germany.
Brazil didn't look that tough against the bigger teams, 0-0 with Portugal & 2-1 to Netherlands.

the whole argument all European national teams have similar styles?
- yes, if you mean kicking the ball around with your feet constitutes as a style

e. even Italy has changed their style and formation ffs -.-

Kotreb

Croatia1392 Posts

June 10 2012 16:49 GMT

#9647

very nice game so far. Italy is playing nicely.

Tazza

Korea (South)1678 Posts

June 11 2012 00:03 GMT

#9648

Even though it pains me to admit this, I do feel that Japan has a better team than korea that the moment. football works in cycles though, and korea was clearly the better team leading up to the 2010 world cup, beating them 3 times and drawing them once. korea is in a transition phase right now with the retirement of park ji sung, and lee young pyo. no one from the 2002 world cup squad is in the current roster anymore. but i do have faith because we do have young talent in the 20-23 range. its wierd because we have absolutely no one in the 24-29 age range except park chu young, and so we have a squad of youngsters and old veterans.

and i do feel that japan and korea are still both only ro16 teams, depending on the group. asia is still not as good as the european and south american teams of the world, although not by far

and i also feel that japan has better infrastructure, and better long term future plans. but i can't wait to see those korean kids at barca finally develop

Sanctimonius

United Kingdom861 Posts

June 11 2012 00:16 GMT

#9649

Japan has some nice talent making waves in Europe, and some good prospects up and coming. I don't know too much about the Korean team though, are there any potential future stars waiting to make their mark?

Surrealistic

311 Posts

June 11 2012 02:43 GMT

#9650

On June 11 2012 09:03 Tazza wrote:
and i also feel that japan has better infrastructure, and better long term future plans. but i can't wait to see those korean kids at barca finally develop

Yeah those two look amazing. There's also Son Heung Min at Hamburg in Germany. They've just lost Petric, so hopefully he gets more of a chance in the first team next season.

Steveling

Greece10806 Posts

June 11 2012 03:24 GMT

#9651

What korean kids at barca? wat?

Tazza

Korea (South)1678 Posts

June 11 2012 04:06 GMT

#9652

There's three kids at barca right now. lee seung woo, who is probably the most talented, plays forward and has been ripping it up lately. he's already worth more than 1 million pounds even though he's like 15. there's jang gyol hee who is a winger. and baek seung ho, who plays creative midfield. and there's like a bunch of other kids at valencia, atletico, and some others. also, check out lee kang in.

you can check all of these kids out on youtube or google. thats why im so excited.

japan has the better league i think, and the jleague let their players go for like half the price to teams in europe. this is why there are so many japanese players in bundesliga right now.

k-league's just been busted for match-fixing and just implemented a relegation system. and i don't think the people running the KFA are very competent, especially at getting managers and operation

Steveling

Greece10806 Posts

June 11 2012 04:13 GMT

#9653

Lee seung woo seems awesome, lets hope Messi will guide him like ronaldinho guided him, xP.

empty.bottle

685 Posts

June 11 2012 16:26 GMT

#9654

On June 11 2012 00:19 Goetzinho 23 wrote:
+ Show Spoiler +

Uruguay:

germany:
+ Show Spoiler +

Hemlighest

Denmark87 Posts

June 12 2012 09:41 GMT

#9655

Does anyone know, if Akinfeev is still out injured for Russia?

BeaTeR

Kazakhstan4130 Posts

June 12 2012 09:48 GMT

#9656

On June 12 2012 18:41 Hemlighest wrote:
Does anyone know, if Akinfeev is still out injured for Russia?

akinfeev is fine i guess
he played in some friendlies before EURO
malafeev played against czech cause advocaat thinks he is better option

Hemlighest

Denmark87 Posts

June 12 2012 09:54 GMT

#9657

No, Malafeev played because Akinfeev has a knee injury. I just cant find anything online, to see if he has recovered, or if i need to sub him from my Fantasy Football team :p

BeaTeR

Kazakhstan4130 Posts

June 12 2012 10:09 GMT

#9658

On June 12 2012 18:54 Hemlighest wrote:
No, Malafeev played because Akinfeev has a knee injury. I just cant find anything online, to see if he has recovered, or if i need to sub him from my Fantasy Football team :p

when did he got injured? i read he was ready to play against czech
anyway, before pre euro friendly vs uruguay advocaat said that who would play in that match - he will be #1 at EURO.
and it was malafeev

AIOL!

France962 Posts

June 12 2012 10:24 GMT

#9659

The problem with Bazil is that their offesive players never do he defensive job (pressing etc...). When you see Neymar playing it seems to continue, he never does that kind of work and in modern football you just can't have that kind of players anymore. But Hulk seems to do that kind of defensive job