WC Qualifers 2018 - Europe

khaled_a_d

Senior Member
Congratulations [MENTION=20286]El Flaco[/MENTION]
Fee bad for Buffon and other senior players like Chiellini, De Rossi etc.
Since they won the world cup in 2006 they had very poor campaigns in it
 

FinBarcelonafan

Well-known member
Sweden looks like a dark horse candidate for this WC. They've had by far the hardest campaign, with names such as France, Netherlands and Italy involved and they still overcame them. Their WC has already started.

Netherlands is on downslide. Not that good.
 

Trillske

New member
Woudnt really agree Sweden is a "dark horse candidate for this WC", thats really stretching it. However, its a very good team this year, if Zlatan plays or not. Its really not in the details.
People saying Italy was horrible havent really been paying attention to what team they played. Even tonight at San Siro, Sweden really rumbled them the first few minutes, and where rock solid after that. It was a much, much shorter time of pressure than the first game, but that little time of extreme pressure has so much impact when you make zero misstakes the rest of the game. The opponents never get a chance to get comfortable (even though they actually did for a few minutes late first half this game, same as France did late second half a few months back).

I seriously havent seen this kind of team performance since the best days of 2000-Barcelona. When they pressure buildup early in the game, they are like ants, telepathic. Sure, then they get tired much quicker than that Barcelona squad ever did, but then they have already set a perfect frame for the game. As long as they dont fumble, the opponent team will never really get into it after that.

Or well, regarding details, if there is one little detail this Sweden cant really do without its Forsberg. Even when he is not the best player on the field (which he normaly is) he is still the X factor that prevents the team from ever becoming easy to read. He covers 8/10 of the field and within that really has no short comings.
 
Last edited:

JerseyAddict

Well-known member
Congrats to Sweden and BIG BIG THANK YOU :) Now Croatia makes into the Pot2 from Pot3. That is a BIG thing. Thanks, Sweden :)
 

Windhook

Well-known member
Congrats, @El Flaco!

I believe it's all Ventura's fault. Conte basically had the same players with him at Euro 2016 and managed to reach the knockout stages.

Media's favorite for Italy NT coach is Carlo Ancelotti. It's about time.
 

khaled_a_d

Senior Member
Ancelotti is obvious choice, but if he refused there are some other decent names. Mancini,Capello could be respectable alternatives
 

Noex

The Swedish Wizard
Boy oh boy was i wrong and i have never been happier! we are back on the big stage! hard work pays off!
 
Last edited:

Windhook

Well-known member
Ancelotti is obvious choice, but if he refused there are some other decent names. Mancini,Capello could be respectable alternatives

Mancini also. But legendary coaches from the 90's era like Sacchi, Capello or Marcelo Lippi are doubtful to bring any success, actually most of them are retired or about to retire. The players available for Italy are not the quality Lippi managed 11 years ago, but nonetheless Ventura had adequate players to qualify for the World Cup and yet they underestimated Sweden due to their recent terrible display against Bulgaria and The Netherlands.
 

khaled_a_d

Senior Member
Mancini also. But legendary coaches from the 90's era like Sacchi, Capello or Marcelo Lippi are doubtful to bring any success, actually most of them are retired or about to retire. The players available for Italy are not the quality Lippi managed 11 years ago, but nonetheless Ventura had adequate players to qualify for the World Cup and yet they underestimated Sweden due to their recent terrible display against Bulgaria and The Netherlands.

This is what you get for NT coaches, either semi-retired, mediocre or a new coach. From time to time comes a perfect situation were you get a high notch coach like Conte available and has no other offers. That is situation for Ancelotti now.
 

Home of Barca Fans

Top