EPTBut yeah, basically 1-1 is the worst result for everyone in fantasy, no points to be gained. So that day yesterday was really shit.... I only got participation points :D
2020 - 2021 Football Thread - Page 219
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mahrgell
Germany3943 Posts
But yeah, basically 1-1 is the worst result for everyone in fantasy, no points to be gained. So that day yesterday was really shit.... I only got participation points :D | ||
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Acrofales
Spain18086 Posts
On July 03 2021 16:43 mahrgell wrote: Haha, that's why I used it during group stages when the big ones were meeting the small ones, so there were clear-cut favorites. But yeah, basically 1-1 is the worst result for everyone in fantasy, no points to be gained. So that day yesterday was really shit.... I only got participation points :D Yeah, I was feeling really smart when I thought up the plan of saving limitless and wildcard to ensure I had no eliminated players at any point in the tournament. But in hindsight, limitless was probably way better in group phase and then just hope you have at least a squad of 11 left for the semis. I have to admit, with all the upsets I was also feeling a bit lost, so picked up players like Schick, Seferevic and Yarmolenko who have been amazing, despite expecting their team gets clobbered. Seferevic's team didn't really get clobbered, but he personally had very little contribution and then got subbed off by their scared spineless manager. Martinez's subs also seemed stupid. Chadli injuring himself half a minute after coming on didn't help, obviously, but why not field Carrasco then? I feel like that would have allowed Belgium to pressure more effectively than swapping Doku to that side, which Italy adapted rather easily to. That way maybe Lukaku would've gotten another goal  | ||
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sharkie
Austria18481 Posts
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Purressure
106 Posts
On July 03 2021 17:49 sharkie wrote: Lukaku only had himself to blame for lack of goals. The team created enough chances for him And KDB playing with a rupture, I mean.. props to him for trying but it showed. | ||
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WombaT
Northern Ireland25875 Posts
On July 03 2021 17:40 Acrofales wrote: Yeah, I was feeling really smart when I thought up the plan of saving limitless and wildcard to ensure I had no eliminated players at any point in the tournament. But in hindsight, limitless was probably way better in group phase and then just hope you have at least a squad of 11 left for the semis. I have to admit, with all the upsets I was also feeling a bit lost, so picked up players like Schick, Seferevic and Yarmolenko who have been amazing, despite expecting their team gets clobbered. Seferevic's team didn't really get clobbered, but he personally had very little contribution and then got subbed off by their scared spineless manager. Martinez's subs also seemed stupid. Chadli injuring himself half a minute after coming on didn't help, obviously, but why not field Carrasco then? I feel like that would have allowed Belgium to pressure more effectively than swapping Doku to that side, which Italy adapted rather easily to. That way maybe Lukaku would've gotten another goal Damn Fantasy. I was actually second in one of our leagues with friends having not touched my side since picking it, then when I started to tweak things it was a disaster! | ||
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gTank
Austria2584 Posts
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RvB
Netherlands6240 Posts
On July 03 2021 06:38 Purressure wrote: Can't expect a Dutch person to make an objective comment about Belgium, regardless of Belgium being superior the last couple of years. Outclassed by Italy is an overstatement, but at the same time Italy was definitely the deserving winner, regardless of their pitiful time wasting and faking injuries during the last 10-15 minutes, but whatever, as long as shit like that doesn't get punished, you can't blame them for doing it. Hope Italy wins the entire tournament, so far they've been the best team out there. You realise that most Dutch either don't care or actively cheer for Belgium to win. I just feel like Belgium has very little forward threat without De Bruyne and when he plays injured like yesterday it shows. They barely had any real goal scoring opportunities except the shot from De Bruyne in the first half and the miss from Lukaku. Their defending with the goals was also questionable at best. | ||
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WombaT
Northern Ireland25875 Posts
Partly because many clubs are too, or at least struggling. The teams that could both afford him and he could conceivably want to go to is small indeed, and even that small pool are already doing business that makes a push for Messi basically impossible. If City say, do make the big move for Grealish and Kane, then that’s them out of the running I’d say, for example. | ||
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Bacillus
Finland1973 Posts
On July 03 2021 20:59 gTank wrote: On a sidenote: Do you think Messi will go to another team or stay at Barca? My guess is that him staying will be announced somewhere after Copa is over for Argentina. It feels there are so many clunky pieces to fit together in what Messi wants salary and sporting wise that it's hard to see him and another team finding common ground. PSG seems busy elsewhere, City and Bayern aren't usually making that type of big moves and Juventus doesn't look like a UCL contender right now. I guess City is a possibility, but I'm not sure how Messi feels like moving to a country with different language, bad weather and notoriously tight schedule. | ||
Pandemona
Charlie Sheens House51493 Posts
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RKC
2848 Posts
On July 03 2021 18:08 Purressure wrote: And KDB playing with a rupture, I mean.. props to him for trying but it showed. On reflection, the game was closer than I originally thought. Possession and control were irrelevant. Both teams set up to strangle each other's play. Both teams were reduced to half chances. Italy converted theirs. Belgium didn't. So yes, fault has to lie on Lukaku for failing to score in open play. That said, main fault lies with Martinez. Why so rigid in tactics? Why put all eggs into a single basket (Lukaku and KDB)? Yes, the formula worked against Denmark and Portugal. But there's no better team than Italy which executes the same formula. And Italian players are well familiar with Lukaku. Also, starting Doku was a risk with KDB only half fit - both players can't really drop deep and help in defensive cover (which allowed Italy to dominate the midfield - Witsel and Tielemans clearly aren't cut out to stop Jorginho and Veratti). Maybe instead of Doku, should've started Mertens who is more experienced and can defensively pressure better. Or just switch to an even more defensive 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 with KDB behind Lukaku and an additional midfield cover. In short, Belgium lost by a thin margin. because their game-plan played into Italy's hands. (I've been cheering for Belgium since WC2014. But I've gone cold for them this Euro because I no longer have faith with Martinez. A sad end to an era. Hopefully, Belgium can rebuild with younger players and a more canny coach) | ||
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sharkie
Austria18481 Posts
I dont understand why Belgium didnt kick him out? There was no result which spoke for him was there? | ||
Liquid`Drone
Norway28699 Posts
Unfortunate that their best player (and arguably best player of the tournament when in shape) got injured. Lost a tight game against an immensely impressive Italy - a team that hasn't lost in 31 matches now? I really can't agree with you that this is a particularly big indictment of Martinez. I especially can't understand criticism of Martinez that seems focused around him deciding to start a player who ended up being Belgium's best player. | ||
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RKC
2848 Posts
Doku's occasional great runs and creating half-chances was not enough to compensate the control and tempo of the entire game that Belgium ceded to Italy. Likewise for KDB. Italy's forwards were better in dropping deep to support their midfield. And if you ask me, Doku was just a like-to-like replacement of Eden Hazard. Martinez's entire game-plan was "Okay, let's hope KDB and Hazard/Doku can run circles around Italy's aging backline and create chances for Lukaku". A bold move to start Doku, but predictable and rigid. | ||
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DropBear
Australia4371 Posts
The Ninja Gaiden remaster came out recently and I keep thinking of the demon samurai character from that when I hear his name | ||
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RKC
2848 Posts
When a young player can control the flow of the central crowded midfield and play box-to-box, now that's truly impressive. | ||
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Liquid`Drone
Norway28699 Posts
On July 03 2021 22:55 RKC wrote: With due respect, your understanding of the game is rather simplistic. Just because one player played well in a match doesn't mean that the coach got it right in starting that player. Football is a team game. The job of the coach is to choose a team that performs well collectively. Doku's occasional great runs and creating half-chances was not enough to compensate the control and tempo of the entire game that Belgium ceded to Italy. Likewise for KDB. Italy's forwards were better in dropping deep to support their midfield. And if you ask me, Doku was just a like-to-like replacement of Eden Hazard. Martinez's entire game-plan was "Okay, let's hope KDB and Hazard/Doku can run circles around Italy's aging backline and create chances for Lukaku". A bold move to start Doku, but predictable and rigid. To me it honestly seems like you disagreed with the decision to start Doku and you're trying to justify that disagreement even in the face of him playing a great game. Italy played a great game, best game of any team in the tournament. They have a great team. Still, Belgium could've easily won, or gone to extra time, had Lukaku set one of his two absolutely massive chances. Not like Doku was useless defensively or not taking his part in running back either. KDB was a bigger problem in that regard - you actually saw him stop at a couple occasions because of tiredness/injury. Imo Martinez is a coach who has had one of the top 5 groups of players out of any nation, and he has made their team a top 5 team. I'm more impressed with Mancini's job - sure - but only one can be best, no matter how good of a job others do. | ||
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RKC
2848 Posts
On July 03 2021 23:32 Liquid`Drone wrote: To me it honestly seems like you disagreed with the decision to start Doku and you're trying to justify that disagreement even in the face of him playing a great game. Italy played a great game, best game of any team in the tournament. They have a great team. Still, Belgium could've easily won, or gone to extra time, had Lukaku set one of his two absolutely massive chances. Not like Doku was useless defensively or not taking his part in running back either. KDB was a bigger problem in that regard - you actually saw him stop at a couple occasions because of tiredness/injury. Imo Martinez is a coach who has had one of the top 5 groups of players out of any nation, and he has made their team a top 5 team. I'm more impressed with Mancini's job - sure - but only one can be best, no matter how good of a job others do. I'm not blaming Doku nor denying that he played well. My criticism against Martinez lies in his overall approach. As per my previous quote above: That said, main fault lies with Martinez. Why so rigid in tactics? Why put all eggs into a single basket (Lukaku and KDB)? Yes, the formula worked against Denmark and Portugal. But there's no better team than Italy which executes the same formula. And Italian players are well familiar with Lukaku. Also, starting Doku was a risk with KDB only half fit - both players can't really drop deep and help in defensive cover (which allowed Italy to dominate the midfield - Witsel and Tielemans clearly aren't cut out to stop Jorginho and Veratti). Maybe instead of Doku, should've started Mertens who is more experienced and can defensively pressure better. Or just switch to an even more defensive 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 with KDB behind Lukaku and an additional midfield cover. Please don't overstate and isolate my example of Doku starting from the larger point of my criticism. And as you pointed out, KDB being half-fit is a problem. So how do you solve it? Start another player who can't cover defensively? Drop KDB? Starting BOTH Doku and KDB is the mistake that Martinez made. Again, the issue is not whether Doku is good enough to start, but whether he should start given the entire context of the game (KDB half-fit, Italy solid and dominating in the midfield, etc.) Edit: Also, maybe Doku is good enough to run up and down the flank to attack and drop defensively like a marauding wing-back, thus allowing the Belgium midfielders to crowd the centre and dominate. But that's not Martinez's instructions to Doku, leaving him isolated and ineffective for long periods of the game. So perhaps the criticism against Martinez is not just about starting Doku, but not playing Doku correctly. | ||
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plasmidghost
Belgium16168 Posts
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gTank
Austria2584 Posts
On July 04 2021 00:51 plasmidghost wrote: Hot prediction take: Czech Republic wins by 2 You still wanna go with it? Also, it was no corner kick (as seen in slow-mo) but still, defending like that is really bad. | ||
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