Cybereagles

The new Albania is no joke either. If they (Albania) make it out of that group, I know which team to support.
Dua Lupa had better work on a Euro dance anthem.

Group B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania

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Italy and Spain will make it out. Croatia have too many old legs now, and Albania, while good, will fall short.

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:41 pm Italy and Spain will make it out. Croatia have too many old legs now, and Albania, while good, will fall short.

These big tournaments were built for old legs. The exception are the extra time knockout games.

I'm not familiar with the current Italian side. I know they won the last Nations League.
As for Spain, they are vulnerable at the back. The Rubiales investigation could also be distracting.
Albania could be the new Greece.

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:41 pm Italy and Spain will make it out. Croatia have too many old legs now, and Albania, while good, will fall short.

Straight question: who are the old legs?

mate wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 1:01 am

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:41 pm Italy and Spain will make it out. Croatia have too many old legs now, and Albania, while good, will fall short.

Straight question: who are the old legs?

Modric, Vida, Kramaric, Budimir, Kovacic, Brozovic, Budimir are all in their 30s. Quite a few of those are on the wrong side of 30. You have three other players on the verge of 30(Pasalic, Petkovic and Pjaca). Anyway, maybe their combined experience will be a plus. We will see.

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 2:01 am

mate wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 1:01 am

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:41 pm Italy and Spain will make it out. Croatia have too many old legs now, and Albania, while good, will fall short.

Straight question: who are the old legs?

Modric, Vida, Kramaric, Budimir, Kovacic, Brozovic, Budimir are all in their 30s. Quite a few of those are on the wrong side of 30. You have three other players on the verge of 30(Pasalic, Petkovic and Pjaca). Anyway, maybe their combined experience will be a plus. We will see.

Modric is still better than most midfielders, an outlier where you put aside the age. At least for 60 minutes. He starts with Brozovic (31) and Kovacic (30). Exceptional players known for their endurance actually. They are backed by Baturina (21), Sucic (21), Majer(26), Vlasic (26), Mario Pasalic (27). Age is not at all an issue here.

We have a world class defense. Check this out: Gvardiol (22), Stanisic (24), Pongracic (26), Erlic (26), Juranovic (28), Sutalo (24), and Sosa (26). Only Vida at 35 is old! And he doesn't start, if he will play at all.

BTW: on offense. Budimir is 32 but he's a poacher and 2nd leading scorer in La Liga. Kramaric is 32 and a leading scorer in the Bundesliga. Again, 32 is not that old. Marco Pasalic is 24 and Ivanusec is 25, both blazing fast.

So this Croatia is old = Western press punditry and ignorance. You as a Nigerian should know that. Anybody with even a cursory knowledge of Croatia would know this is not an old team..some older players push up the average.

Consider that at the last WC, Brazil and Argentina were older than Croatia. We beat Brazil and lost to Argentina in the semis. Trust me, Croatia is not pulling one of those old team playing their last hurrah.



That said...we're in a group of death. Capable of bowing out 1st round, as well as topping the group. But I think we've evolved past the village mentality we sometimes had...and that we will arrive with our A game, which is all I ask for as a fan.

Fingers crossed.

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 2:01 am

mate wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 1:01 am

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:41 pm Italy and Spain will make it out. Croatia have too many old legs now, and Albania, while good, will fall short.

Straight question: who are the old legs?

Modric, Vida, Kramaric, Budimir, Kovacic, Brozovic, Budimir are all in their 30s. Quite a few of those are on the wrong side of 30. You have three other players on the verge of 30(Pasalic, Petkovic and Pjaca). Anyway, maybe their combined experience will be a plus. We will see.

Did you see Croatia vs Portugal on Saturday?

If you did, you could see that Croatia has legs.

This is hardly an old team.

mate wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 9:34 pm

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 2:01 am

mate wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 1:01 am

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:41 pm Italy and Spain will make it out. Croatia have too many old legs now, and Albania, while good, will fall short.

Straight question: who are the old legs?

Modric, Vida, Kramaric, Budimir, Kovacic, Brozovic, Budimir are all in their 30s. Quite a few of those are on the wrong side of 30. You have three other players on the verge of 30(Pasalic, Petkovic and Pjaca). Anyway, maybe their combined experience will be a plus. We will see.

Did you see Croatia vs Portugal on Saturday?

If you did, you could see that Croatia has legs.

This is hardly an old team.

I saw the highlights. Congrats on the win, but

Portugal are not a team of spring chickens either

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 9:43 pm

mate wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 9:34 pm

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 2:01 am

mate wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2024 1:01 am

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:41 pm Italy and Spain will make it out. Croatia have too many old legs now, and Albania, while good, will fall short.

Straight question: who are the old legs?

Modric, Vida, Kramaric, Budimir, Kovacic, Brozovic, Budimir are all in their 30s. Quite a few of those are on the wrong side of 30. You have three other players on the verge of 30(Pasalic, Petkovic and Pjaca). Anyway, maybe their combined experience will be a plus. We will see.

Did you see Croatia vs Portugal on Saturday?

If you did, you could see that Croatia has legs.

This is hardly an old team.

I saw the highlights. Congrats on the win, but

Portugal are not a team of spring chickens either

Portugal is good. So good that Morocco had to work tirelessly to beat them.

Of course Croatia beat Morocco for 3rd place at the WC, tying them on our group stage.



Did you see my post reviewing Croatia and the ages? What say you to that?

Italy 0 - 1 Albania 24 seconds.

Meanwhile Croatia were embarrassing against Spain.

2-1 already!! Italia in vantaggio!

Never in my lifetime did I ever imagine that a whole Italia would be wearing Adidas.

Common Azurri

txj wrote: ↑Sat Jun 15, 2024 8:33 pmCommon Azurri

its absolutely beautiful when you have 2 CBs who are soooo comfortable with the ball at their feet and press resistant. Then you add midfielders who are also press resistant and the team just look so good in their build up.

Nobody preserves a one goal lead better than Italy. This one is done

Finally Los Folorunsho to Italy.

danfo driver wrote: ↑Sat Jun 15, 2024 8:39 pm

txj wrote: ↑Sat Jun 15, 2024 8:33 pmCommon Azurri

its absolutely beautiful when you have 2 CBs who are soooo comfortable with the ball at their feet and press resistant. Then you add midfielders who are also press resistant and the team just look so good in their build up.

What an absolute clinic in game management

The Italian no 5 reminds me of Maldini. He is very comfortable on the ball
Albania is rather lightweight. They seem to not know their way around a football field. They pass the ball around rather aimlessly most of the time.

danfo driver wrote: ↑Sat Jun 15, 2024 8:39 pm

txj wrote: ↑Sat Jun 15, 2024 8:33 pmCommon Azurri

its absolutely beautiful when you have 2 CBs who are soooo comfortable with the ball at their feet and press resistant. Then you add midfielders who are also press resistant and the team just look so good in their build up.

Croatia 2 - 2 Albania.
Albania could have won it at the end.

Don't swear 4 no one. This group is still open.

This group didn’t disappoint.
Albania had their chances against Croatia and Spain.

And of course, never, ever count out Italy or Germany until the final whistle.

Kabalega wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 11:32 pm

Scipio Africanus wrote: ↑Tue Jun 04, 2024 10:41 pm Italy and Spain will make it out. Croatia have too many old legs now, and Albania, while good, will fall short.

These big tournaments were built for old legs. The exception are the extra time knockout games.

I'm not familiar with the current Italian side. I know they won the last Nations League.
As for Spain, they are vulnerable at the back. The Rubiales investigation could also be distracting.
Albania could be the new Greece.

Spain. 3 games played 0 goals conceded. Rubiales? Who's that?

There is a reason you are called Kablablalega

YUJAM wrote: ↑Sat Jun 15, 2024 9:39 pm The Italian no 5 reminds me of Maldini. He is very comfortable on the ball
Albania is rather lightweight. They seem to not know their way around a football field. They pass the ball around rather aimlessly most of the time.

danfo driver wrote: ↑Sat Jun 15, 2024 8:39 pm

txj wrote: ↑Sat Jun 15, 2024 8:33 pmCommon Azurri

its absolutely beautiful when you have 2 CBs who are soooo comfortable with the ball at their feet and press resistant. Then you add midfielders who are also press resistant and the team just look so good in their build up.

You are on to something here!