When you’re lucky enough to have Lionel Messi on your team, you will always believe you have a chance. When you have Lionel Messi AND a fully balanced side, you should be extremely confident in your chances. Argentina used to be a powerhouse in only the forward positions with Messi, Aguero, Di Maria, etc. Nowadays, Argentina have a strong defense, a midfield full of workhorses, and a thrilling attack. La Albiceleste has scored 12 goals while only conceding 5. They are proving to be dominant in and out of possession. The main reason Argentina has been so dominant is because of the amount of players that have stepped up throughout the competition. Besides Messi, midfielders Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton) and Enzo Fernandez (Benfica) have controlled the center of the park fantastically and are now extremely popular names. Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica) has started all six matches at center back and has been dominant in his challenges. Up top Julian Alvarez (Manchester City) has played extremely well and has scored 4 goals overall. Expect these players to 100% be in the starting XI and to make a difference in this match. Expect Argentina to out-possess France, and to have more shots on target. However, don’t expect this match to have a flurry of goals.

France

It’s no easy task to win a World Cup, and it’s WAY harder to win twice in a row. Tomorrow, France will attempt to accomplish this very task. The French National team doesn’t look nearly as strong as in 2018, but they still have a ridiculous strike force. Mbappe, Giroud, and Dembele have been fed through ball after through ball from the left foot of Antione Griezmann. He is leading the tournament in chances created with 21 total. He’s been instrumental to the attacking fluidity of the team. This France side has been pretty good defensively, but several defenders have fallen sick in the squad. It’s currently unknown if they will be participating in the match or not. Argentina will have an easier time knifing through the defense if they are not fit in time. Kounde has also been playing at right full-back and he may face serious problems with Mbappe on the same wing as him. France will have to fight fire with fire if they want to compete in this game. Mbappe and Giroud are the true talisman for this France team. If they can hold-up the ball and bring teammates into the attack, they have every chance of winning. They will make this a tight match.

Prediction

Argentina 1 – 1 France (France win on Penalties)

The post Messi vs Mbappe : Argentina vs France World Cup Final Preview appeared first on The Xtra Time.

With what we saw in the group stages, everyone was rightfully waiting for an upset in this  Round of 16 and just as it looked like it might come from Japan vs. Croatia, the Kockasti eventually had the advantage over Japan by winning in penalties. Everyone’s hopes of having an underdog in the Quarter-finals were seemingly out the window, but we were all pleasantly (or unpleasantly, for some) surprised when Morocco managed to eliminate favorites Spain after a sensational round of penalties. 

Let us take away three points from what we saw in the match. 

1. Numbers DO Lie – Moroccos

In football, we are all aware of the famous saying: stats don’t lie. Well, in this particular case,  we might just say the opposite. If we look at the stats for this match, it is easy to spot the obvious domination by La Furia Roja. 

They have dominated in chances, with Spain getting more than double the amount of shots  Morocco did. Their numbers in possession are also surreal, acquiring 77% possession throughout the match. They have also done over 1,000 passes, 90% of which were actually completed, compared to Moroccos 305 with a measly 70% success rate. With these numbers,  it would be logical to assume that Spain would win the match. 

But as we have seen, this wasn’t the case… at all. Spain tried to repeat their success in 2010,  where they played possession football. This ideology is simple: if the opponents don’t have the ball, they won’t score. And if they don’t score, they won’t win. Well, while that might have been half-true in the sense that Moroccos didn’t score, the poor execution of attempts and passes from this Spanish side didn’t support the credibility of Luis Enrique’s preferred tactic.  

Needless to say, in football, numbers aren’t everything. 

2. Lucho’s Barcelona Bias– Real? 

After elimination in the World Cup, it is always inevitable to talk about the managers because they are, after all, the men in charge. Luis Enrique has proven time and time again that he is an astounding manager, with his successes during his time in charge with FC Barcelona and leading this Spanish side to the Semi-finals of the Euro as well as the final of the 2021  Nations League. A lot of people credit these international successes to the fact that he doesn’t just pick anyone. He curates his team based on who fits his plans and despite having had great results, there is one undeniable and common denominator: he just simply wasn’t winning tournaments. Of course, leading your country to an international trophy isn’t an easy task, but  with the addition of the annual Nations League added to the list of possible trophies, Spanish 

Fans were unsure whether the players Enrique was bringing to a stage as big as the World Cup were good enough. 

When the list of the convocation came out, the reactions of the Spanish fans were negative, to say the least. People were expressing their disdain online about Enrique’s decision to call up the likes of Eric García who hasn’t been performing for his club, Ferran Torres whose performances for Barcelona had been subpar, and an aging Jordi Alba. They were also furious about the omittance of former captain Sergio Ramos, Liverpool midfield maestro Thiago  Alcántara, goal machine Borja Iglesias and the experienced Iago Aspas, among many others.  

Seeing what is written online, people seemed to have the most trouble with understanding his choice of midfielders. Sure, one could argue that Luis Enrique had a trio with an amazing chemistry made up of Barcelona starters Pedri, Gavi, and Sergio Busquets, seeing as they play with each other week in and week out but with this, Spanish fans and neutrals alike couldn’t help but wonder, is Luis Enrique’s bias towards Barcelona players actually real? And if so, is it costing the Spanish national team? 

Singling those three names out, Pedri was undoubtedly the best player, the only one who hasn’t really put a foot wrong in the tournament as the young midfielder had been almost perfect in his matches. But Sergio Busquets isn’t just as sharp as he used to be– with the Moroccan players easily breaking down his passess which left little to no solid chances for Spain–, and Gavi is  an explosive player and a little bit too unexperienced to be starting every game in the World  Cup. Perhaps a midfield of Pedri as a creative outlet, Thiago to orchestrate perfect passes, and  Rodri (who Enrique, to the confusion of many supporters, played as a centre-back) to balance them out with his defensive work would be more fitting.  

The first three names in the penalty shootout are the last questionable things in this list.  Everyone knows that when a game comes down to penalties, it isn’t about skill or talent anymore, but it is a mental game where experience and composure play a huge role. Putting this pressure on Pablo Sarabia and Carlos Soler as the first two players just wasn’t the correct decision since these two players, without discrediting them, aren’t too familiar with this kind of pressure. In these situations, senior players like Jordi Alba and Dani Carvajal are needed in the list as they have faced circumstances with the same gravity of pressure. It is also in moments like these when Sergio Ramos’ absence is once again felt, as he is known to be an excellent penalty taker. 

With Luis Enrique stepping down as the coach of Spain, can La Roja supporters expect grave  changes in the selection of players?  

3. Defying the Odds 

By all means, credit should be given when it is due. As much as it was Spain’s responsibility  for losing the match, it was also Moroccos strong will and fighting spirit that won them the tie. Morocco entered the match as clear underdogs despite being one of the only teams to have not lost a single Group Stage match, ad it was even speculated online that Spain purposefully did not try to equalise against Japan in the last matchday as finishing second in their group would mean that they would face Morocco instead of Croatia, who on paper is a tougher opponent.

In the second half of the game, 26-year-old Fiorentina startlet Sofyan Ambarat put up a display  in midfield for the ages, causing countless troubles for Spain. Centre-back duo Romain Saiss and Naif Aguerd also impressed spectators, posing as a tough wall for the Spanish attackers to break through. And even if the Spaniards managed to get past them, they still would have to face the steady hands of Yassine Bounou, who deservingly collected his Man of the Match  Award after the full 120 minutes. 

Not a lot can be written or debated about the penalty shootout as it is undeniable that Morocco were the better side. Although not all of their penalties went in, the ones that did were sound and the confidence brimming from each player as they strode up to take their penalties for the badge, the nation by their hearts was inspiring. Achraf Hakimi’s calm composure during and after scoring his winning penalty– which was a Panenka, by the way– was astonishing. Bounou deserves recognition as well for his stellar performance, saving two of the three penalties taken by Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets. 

At the end of the day, the fact that Moroccos managed to defy the odds and eliminate a European giant like Spain proves that they are a force who shouldn’t be taken likely, and everyone around the world is no doubt looking forward to their Quarter-final match up against Cristiano  Ronaldo’s Portugal, another one of the competition’s favourites. With the right determination and heart, it is fair to say that Walid Regragui’s Moroccan side definitely has a chance of reaching the Semi-finals… and maybe even lifting the golden trophy, if they are allowed to dream.

The post Three Points to Take Away from Moroccos Round of 16 Win Over Spain appeared first on The Xtra Time.

Chelsea 

Pulisic’s Chelsea career has been somewhat chaotic. From being a supposed commercial signing from the club to a saviour under Frank Lampard. What is certain is Pulisic’s talent and right to feel aggrieved by a lack of opportunity, which he deserves. It was surprising to see Christian Pulisic fall out of favour with Thomas Tuchel. The German played a key part in Pulisic’s development at Dortmund and to see the American limited to scarce opportunities at RWB was baffling. Many expected Tuchel to reignite Pulisic’s career following steady progress under Lampard but this couldn’t be much further from the truth. 

Pulisic was integral in Lampard’s first season in which Chelsea secured top 4 thanks to his brilliance alongside Olivier Giroud. Given a run of consistent starts at his favoured LW, Pulisic thrived in big games against Manchester City and Liverpool. It’s a shame that he wasn’t afforded a greater role in  Tuchel’s sides who often looked lacklustre going forward. Some will unfairly highlight Pulisic’s performances at RWB and judge him accordingly. What do you expect from someone who not only favours the left-hand side, but in a role which he is unfamiliar with? Crazy. 

The critics will also mention his injury record which has no doubt hampered his progress at Chelsea but these issues seem to be behind him now. This has not led to a change in his fortunes. Graham  Potter’s questionable start to life at Chelsea has also highlighted Pulisic’s quality, Often left on the bench, Pulisic has made big impacts off the bench and in his rare starts with goals and assists. I’m in  no doubt that Pulisic is Chelsea’s best forward. Sterling has been underwhelming, Mount has been inconsistent albeit one of the better forwards, Havertz has shown glimpses but nothing substantial and Ziyech has hardly played. Pulisic has proved that he can be relied upon in key moments when entrusted with starts in his favoured position. One only has to look at his impact in Chelsea’s UCL  winning run to see what he’s capable of. Phenomenon against Porto and breathtaking against Los  Blancos. This is a real star. 

Christian Pulisic is a star that Chelsea will regret under utilising. He’s quick, agile, reminiscent of Lampard with his late runs into the box and resembles Eden Hazard in the way he manipulates the ball. The qualities offered by Pulisic are not easy to find, his directness and eye for goal is something Chelsea have been lacking but only Frank Lampard made use of it. Pressure is already mounting on Potter and his misfiring forwards are a huge reason, It’s simple, start Pulisic. 

USA 

Pulisic has captivated a nation and allowed many to dream. The boy from Hershey, Pennsylvania has found himself playing in Europe’s elite, One huge step for USA. This has translated into a RO16 tie with the Netherlands, led by who? None other than Christian Pulisic. Hat-trick in qualifying followed by  MOTM in the group’s v England with an assist and the goal to fire USA to the knockouts. Pulisic has led his nation admirably and given his team a chance to cause a major upset by beating the  Netherlands. This is the same Pulisic who cannot get a start at Chelsea. Strange. The impressive  USA side, who deserved more than a point against England, is youthful and exciting. Adams, Pulisic,  Reyna, Mckennie these names are here to stay.  

It’s early days in Pulisic’s promising career despite him being around for a while now. It’s time for him to kick on at club level. Time is ticking for Chelsea to realise the diamond they have in their hands or the American will make his mark elsewhere. As a Chelsea fan, I hope his mark is made in West  London sooner rather than later.

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The Real Madrid French midfielder played 77 minutes in France’s impressive 4-1 win vs Australia to kickstart their World Cup defense. Tchouameni is the player looked at to help soften the blow after France announced they would be missing both Paul Pogba and N’golo Kante. The player did not disappoint in the opening game and received a standing ovation from the French supporters in his first-ever World Cup start:

Aurelien Tchouameni vs Australia:

• 89 touches 

• 73 passes completed (96%)

• 6/6 duels won 

• 10 ball retrievals

• 4 tackles 

• 3 interceptions 

• Only lost the ball 3 times (!).

Antonio Rudiger:

Germany came into this tournament hoping to put the 2018 World Cup group stage exit behind them, however, they were on the end of a special Japan comeback. In the first half, Germany looked secure, starting from Rudiger. The Real Madrid defender played all 90 minutes which included 8 defensive actions, 125 touches, 107 passes, and 7/7 duels won but Germany’s defeat overshadowed his performance.

Marco Asensio:

The in-form forward started at false 9 in Spain’s opening game vs Costa Rica. The player showed why Luis Enrique placed trust within him. Two weeks prior to the World Cup, Asensio mentioned ‘I prefer playing more centrally’ and this game showcased this. Marco was fully involved in Spain’s play, his team-mates trusted him in the build-up and he scored Spain’s 2^nd goal in a historic 7-0 victory. Carlo Ancelotti praised Asensio’s performance within his post-game analysis, deservedly so. 

Luka Modric:

Croatia’s talisman, the 37 year old footballing legend became the first player to start in a EURO and a World Cup in 3 different decades – later matched by Cristiano Ronaldo. This was not an easy game for Croatia. Luka Modric after the game agreed: “We did not play our best game, but we will get better, we want to go far, we didn’t come here just to play in the group stage or just qualify to the round of 16.” Luka Modric did receive the official World Cup man of the match after the game, but knowing Luka’s mentality, this was not his main focus.

Eden Hazard:

The Belgium captain came into this World Cup after not featuring in Real Madrid’s last 9 La Liga games but he came with a point to prove. Prior to the tournament, Eden Hazard apologised to Real Madrid fans that it has not gone the way all parties dreamed it would in an interview with Marca’s Mario Cortegana. Following on, he admitted his level is no longer the same: “The level of 2018, I no longer have it, I don’t show it, I suffered too much, im not ashamed to say it. In 2018, I was perhaps a top 10 player in the world.” [he did not do his 2018 self any justice with this statement – we all know you that year Eden!]. Belgium kicked off their campaign vs Canada, a final dance for the ‘golden generation of Belgium’. Eden showed some signs especially in the first half, with some clever flicks and turns before being taken off in the 62^nd minute, which shows he isn’t physically ready to play a full game as expected. But Eden wanted to show more as he stated after the game, he wants to do more and be more involved. He has Roberto Martinez’s trust to show that. 

Thibaut Courtois:

The Yachine award winner – regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world came into the 2022 World Cup as the reigning World Cup Golden Glove winner. The Real Madrid goalkeeper once again showed his elite level, saving Belgium countless times including a penalty save on Canada’s Alphonso Davies. But not only his saving ability, his ball-playing ability and leadership saw him receive plenty of plaudits from the footballing world, especially from Spain and Belgium media. The best goalkeeper in the world, what else can be said?

Federico Valverde:

The all-action Uruguay midfielder went into this World Cup as one of the very best players in the world this season. 8 goals and 2 assists including big goals vs Barcelona, Sevilla, and Atletico. To kick start their World Cup campaign, they faced Paulo Bento’s South Korea, a well-organised side who do not concede a lot of goals and this was on display once again. Federico Valverde’s trademark rocket from outside the box was the closest to making a breakthrough but it hit the bar. The midfielder did receive the official man of the match award for his display. 1st a World Cup game, 1^st Man of the Match award. 

Vinicius Jr:

This was also Vinicius Jr’s very first World Cup game, a proud moment for the player as we saw prior to kick-off. Brazil began their campaign vs a tough Serbia side but showed why they are the favorites during the second half. That is exactly when Vinicius began to shine, every dangerous attack was started by him, he was fearless, he was electric, his decision-making was sublime, and it resulted in him being heavily involved in both of Brazil’s goals. The winger created 5 chances, completed 2 dribbles, and was involved in 6 defensive actions which saw him receive plenty of praise around the media world. Gilberto Silva highlighted his performance: “Nearly every positive attack came from Vinicius’ side, he looked the most lively and likely Brazilian player the whole game.” [BBC Sport]. Following Neymar’s injury – who is now expected to miss the other two group-stage games, Brazil will hope Vinicius can take the mantle.  

Rodrygo:

Rodrygo replaced his Real Madrid teammate, Vinicius, in the 76^th minute to play on the left side and he impressed the coaching staff. Rodrygo’s preferred position has always been down the left but rarely given the chance to show his true self in that position. Following Neymar’s injury, Tite moved Rodrygo to a central position and every action was positive, involved in numerous attacking moves as Brazil and could have scored his first World Cup goal if it wasn’t for a solid save from Serbia’s goalkeeper. His cameo has put him with a chance to start Brazil’s next game vs Switzerland, as per Mario Cortegana.

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On the other side of the pitch, the Three Lions are fielding a fantastic team filled
with top quality players. The line-up still has their star players (Harry Kane, Raheem
Sterling, Jordan Pickford), but they’ve also added some brilliant young talent (Mason
Mount, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham). England has done well in
producing young prodigies and giving them the opportunity to play at the highest level.
They’ve also all come up through the same system, allowing them to gel as a unit in
quick fashion.

Whether you’re a fan of either side or a neutral looking for a good match, you’re
in for a true spectacle.
What happens today will be determined by the United States. England is a
superior side in debatably every position, and they won their first match in a 6-2 blowout
against Iran. On the other hand, the United States disappointed in a 1-1 draw against
Wales, who lost 2-0 this morning to Iran. The Americans lost that first match due to a
lack of commitment to one style of play. After dominating the first half, they seemed to
neither commit to attacking, or commit to defending in the second half. It was sloppy,
unorganized, and eventually led to a penalty that a past-his-prime Gareth Bale
converted from 12 yards out. The United States needs to play fast and aggressive today
to unsettle a confident English side. Hopefully head coach Gregg Berhalter will
implement this style of play, or the Americans might be going home sooner than
anticipated.

English football fans are some of the most passionate sporting fans in the world,
and matches like these are some of the loudest ones. Fans will be looking for England
to see the net ripple multiple times, and don’t be surprised if this dream is satisfied.
England dismantled Saudi Arabia in their first World Cup match. The Three Lions had 5
different goal scorers, and Harry Kane didn’t even find the back of the net. England will
most likely possess the majority of the ball, and will have to patiently wait for openings
as this US side will be more structured after a collapse a couple days ago. Expect
Raheem Sterling to run rampant down the left wing as Sergino Dest will be caught out
of position too many times. Assuming Sterling and Shaw start on that left-wing today,
expect the both of them to be difference makers. This side has what it takes to make a
run in this tournament.

What should you expect? Look forward to the United States starting with a fire lit
under them. The first 15 minutes should be filled with a high-intensity gegen-press from
the Americans, but if England can subdue the pressure, it should be easy going from
there. Harry Kane will be the key playmaker for this side. Of course, he’s known as a
clinical goal-scorer, but he will be dropping deep to create space in behind for his
wingers. Trust Harry Kane to control the play from deeper today, and trust England to
win comfortably. It’s been said for years, but this year may be different. Is it finally
“coming home”?

Prediction: England 3 – 0 United States

The post A Tale as Old as Time: England vs United States Preview appeared first on The Xtra Time.

England has a good squad on paper, perhaps one of the most formidable ones in the tournament,  comprised of high-quality Premier League stars. Nevertheless, I expect numerous factors to dampen their prospects of succeeding in Qatar.  

England Recent form 

The last time England won a game of football was at the end of March in a 3-0 win over Ivory Coast.  Since then, England has failed to beat Hungary twice, Germany twice and Italy twice. Most will say that the previous form is nothing to be concerned about heading into a tournament. This is usually true, but with  England, the problem lies deeper. There’s no excuse for an England side filled with stars from supposedly the best league in the world to go 6 games without a win against 2 sides who haven’t even qualified for the World Cup. What’s more amusing is that England remains the 5^th ranked side in the World. Strange.  It’s true that they did well during the Euro’s and reaching a final is no mean feat. However, as the host nation, it is arguable that they should have gone on to win it and perhaps underachieved. Cast your minds back to the 2018 World Cup. Reaching a Semi-Final is again, a great achievement. Yet with the  ‘easy’ fixtures they had compared to other nations, they should have done better. Ultimately, England’s form is worrying to say the least and I truly expect them to continue the dire run of form through this tournament. 

Incompetent manager 

This leads on to a more pressing matter. Gareth Southgate has been lauded far too easily during his tenure at the slightest hint of success. This is counterproductive. Southgate has stars at his disposal, yet one would think he’s managing a Sunday league side with the uncertainty and worry of England fans heading into this World Cup. 

Southgate has yet to find the perfect system for this group of England players. Southgate has utilized a  3-4-3, 4-3-3, and 4-2-3-1 since the win against Ivory Coast in March. It is evident that he’s still unable to settle on a system and on the verge of a World Cup, that seems rather worrying. For a manager who was appointed in 2016, Southgate is still yet to instill an identity into the way they plays football. The focus on ensuring England is defensively compact, which worked wonders in England’s 4-0 defeat by  Hungary, has limited the impact of England’s truly quality forwards. The side has an abundance of attacking talent that performs to a high level in the league but has nothing to show for it when the lions come calling. 

World Cup Predictions  

England to go out in the group stages. The same issues have been facing will remain. I imagine their best chance of a result against Iran but will face issues against Wales and USA.

England 1-1 Iran

England 1-1 USA

England 0-1 Wales

The post England to make shock World Cup Group stage exit appeared first on The Xtra Time.

Qatar:

The host nation are ranked 50^th in the world by the FIFA rankings and will be competing on the biggest international football stage for the first time in their history. Felix Sanchez, Qatar’s manager has worked his way up from Qatar U19 to U20 to U23 teams to become the coach of the first team in 2017. The Spanish coach began his career in Barcelona’s La Masia where he was part of the staff for close to a decade and has been regarded to play with the ‘Barca DNA.’

To host the World Cup in Qatar has always been a controversial decision, with former FIFA president Sepp Blatter admitting that it was a mistake to host the tournament here just last week. The current FIFA President Infantino has made jaw-dropping headlines in the past couple of days regarding the outburst of holding that has been transmitted worldwide since Qatar won the World Cup bid in 2010. The FIFA president has stated ‘today I feel Qatari, today I feel Arab, today I feel African, today I feel gay, today I feel disabled, today I feel a migrant worker’ following on with ‘I know how it feels to be discriminated… I was bullied because I had red hair’ these statements have rightfully been met with an uproar around the world. Melissa Reddy, Sky Sports, branded these comments ‘disrespectful’ and ‘underpins how dirty the game really is’. The manager of Qatar, Felix Sanchez has stated the criticism wont affect the performance of his team, ‘We have been waiting so long for this moment to arrive, we are very much aware of who we are, who we are facing and how we want to play’

Felix Sanchez has taken charge of 70 games; winning 36 games, drawing 13 and losing 21. His side was the 2019 Asian Cup, beating Iraq, Korea, United Arab Emirates and Japan before claiming the trophy, with their manager receiving plenty of praise for the way they played their football, showing ‘personality’. Qatar even featured in the 2019 Copa America facing the likes of Colombia, Paraguay and Argentina before being knocked out in the group stage, a step too far for a side that’s only been in the works for two years at the time. Following on, Qatar also featured in the Gold Cup before losing to the eventual champions, USA 1-0 in the semi-finals but the spirit of their performance and the system of Sanchez’s side was on full display. His side finished 3^rd in the Arab Cup in 2021 by defeating Egypt in the 3^rd place play-off match via a penalty shoot-out. Felix Sanchez knows how he wants his side to play and that’s without any fear. Their World Cup group is anything but easy with Netherlands, Senegal; the current Afcon champions and Ecuador; one of the most exciting attacking teams within South America. The coach has mentioned that their sight is on ‘making history and getting out of the group’, it won’t be easy, but anything that history has taught us is to look out for the host nations. 

Qatar’s Expected XI: Al-Sheeb; Miguel, Al-Wari, Salman, Hassan, Ahmed; Hatem, Boudiaf; Al-Haydos; Ali, Afif. 

Netherlands:

The 8^th ranked nation going into the World Cup will be hoping to go the step further than they did in the 2010 World Cup and they do believe they can win the competition, as stated numerous times by their legendary coach, Louis van Gaal. The team has been unbeaten since van Gaal took over from Frank de Boer after the EURO defeat to Czech Republic in 2021. During the 15 game unbeaten streak they have beaten Belgium twice, Wales twice and Poland, all of these teams will participate at the Qatar World Cup. 

The Dutch qualified to the World Cup by finishing top of their qualification group that featured the likes of Turkey, Norway and Montenegro. For the qualification group standards, not a simple task. Their attacking talisman, Memphis Depay showed once again why he is one of the players to look out for going into the 2022 Qatar World Cup by scoring 12 goals in 10 games, the top scorer during the whole of the European qualifiers, whilst also registering 6 assists, joint most in the European World Cup qualifiers.  

Louis van Gaal has taken Netherlands to a 3^rd place World Cup finish in the 2014 edition, a team built around getting the best of Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie, whilst being very strong defensively, with only Argentina having a better defensive record during the 2014 World Cup. Louis van Gaal’s positional sense of football has always been noted with fitting the style of play in the international football. Fast forward to 2022, the defensive system seen in the 2014 World Cup remains at large the same. The Dutch are favourites to finish top of the group, but this is a tricky group and they wont take anything for granted, which should be helped by van Gaal’s experience. 

The Dutch have one of the strongest back line in the World Cup with the likes of Van Dijk, Timber, Ake, de Ligt and de Vrij, In the midfield, they look at Frenkie de Jong to deliver, with the midfielder being a strong performer for his nation and Teun Koopmeiners, from Atalanta who is an all action midfielder and having a stellar start to the season for the Italian side. In the attack, Memphis Depay is their main-man, he will be supported by the likes of Steven Bergwijn and Cody Gakpo, an exciting looking attack. Cody Gakpo is a player to look out for and will be watched by many of the top football teams during this winter World Cup with a view of a transfer. 

Netherland’s Expected XI: Noppert; Dumfries, Timber, van Dijk, Ake; Blind; De Jong, Koopmeiners; Gakpo; Depay, Bergwijn. 

NOTE: Depay has been declared fit, but may not start the opening game, with Janssen being the replacement. 

Senegal:

The current Afcon champions are ranked 18^th in the FIFA rankings. Their manager, Aliou Cisse has been taking charge of the side since 2015 taking them to two international finals during that time. His side has suffered a major blow before the start of the World Cup with their star man Sadio Mane missing the tournament due to injury, Cisse has stated that Senegal won’t change their system to compensate for the injury of Mane and will stick to the principles that got them to the World Cup after defeating Egypt on penalties. The side will aim to make it into the knockout stages for the second time in their history.

There’s no Sadio Mane, but Senegal still have a squad filled with talent including Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Ismaila Sarr amongst others. Aliou Cisse’s side is credited with a strong defensive unit highlighted throughout his 79 games in charge whilst only suffering 10 defeats. Senegal have kept 6 clean sheets in their past 8 official international games showcasing where their strength starts within a compact 442 defensive shape. On the other hand, Senegal have been struggling with finding the back of the net despite creating great goalscoring opportunities, within those last 8 official international games they have scored 12 goals from an xG of 17.2. 

Expected Senegal XI: Mendy; Sabaly, Cisse, Koulibaly, Ballo-Toure; Kouyate, N Mendy, Gueye; Ismaila Sarr, Dia, Diatta

Ecuador:

The South American side arrive to the World Cup ranked 44^th in the world by FIFA. They qualified for the World Cup above the likes of Colombia and Chile. Their manager, Gustavo Alfaro will take charge in his second international tournament after the 2021 edition of Copa America where they went out to eventual champions Argentina in the quarter finals. Alfaro’s side play exciting attacking football with non-stop running, fighting for every ball and duel. 

During the World Cup qualifiers, only Brazil outscored Ecuador’s 27 goal tally (equal with Argentina) and following on the theme, only Brazil created more big chances than Ecuador’s 37 tally. This portrays the type of side that Gustavo Alfaro’s team is; they want to attack the opposition as fast as possible, especially down the left hand side. This is where the left back, Brighton’s Pervis Estupiñán is expected the make the difference in regards to chance creation, he was the defender who created the most chances CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers region [Opta Analyst].

Ecuador have appeared at three editions of the World Cup, in 2002, 2006 and 2014. The only time they came past the group stages was in 2006, which is also the only time they won their first game hence a positive start vs the host nations Qatar is what Ecuador desire to build confidence and to play freely. Gustavo Alfaro has played down expectations for his side by making a comparison to the other three teams in the group: “They are teams that are superior to what we are, for a reason we were in pot number four in the draw, if we had been the best we would have been in pot one or two. Instead we must make things difficult for them.” A statement to relive pressure from his players or a statement to warn the opposition about Ecuador playing with no fear. Time will tell. 

Ecuador Expected XI: Dominguez; Preciado, Torres, Hincapie, Estupinan; Gruezo, Caicedo; Mena, Plata, Valencia, Estrada. 

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After a change in ownership at Chelsea Football Club, Graham Potter was hired to create a sustainable winning machine at Chelsea Football Club. Life at Chelsea Football Club started excellently for Graham going many games unbeaten which included beating Serie A champions, Ac Milan. Slowly, performance levels started to drop and Chelsea had gone 3 premier league games without any wins, the first time since 2012. This is an all-time low for Chelsea Football Club. Todd Boehly gave assurances to Graham that he had all the trust and would be given time to create his winning machine. Does Graham have what it takes to overcome this dilemma and bring Chelsea Football Club back to the top?

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However, despite this magical chokehold that the competition has put us all in, we cannot ignore the matter that has recently been troubling players, managers, and supporters alike: the tight scheduling and the eventual fitness crisis that has plagued a lot of European clubs. From Paul Pogba to Reece James to Alphonso Davies, we have seen a number of football’s biggest names get ruled out from playing the tournament of their dreams, and it is easy to find the common denominator in all of this– the aforementioned injuries. 

After appointing Qatar as host nation and for the first time since its inauguration in  1930, FIFA was left with no choice but to hold the World Cup in mid-November due to the naturally hot climate of the Arabian Peninsula during the European summers. Because of this,  club football in Europe naturally had to be crammed to accomodate this new arrangement. In  regular seasons, matches occur once every week. Twice, if it happens to be a European night but even then, there is usually several weeks’ worth of gaps between the matchdays in the continental competitions. Piling up on top of that is the domestic cups, which have wiggled their way into the already-packed weeks. This stuffed schedule pushed Europe’s top teams into having to play every three to four days– with starting players expected to compete at a high level just as often, which has, undoubtedly, taken a toll on them. 

If they are not getting serious injuries ruling them out of the World Cup completely,  they are sidelined due to small strains or fatigue. Karim Benzema, for example, has missed the  last six of Real Madrid’s games, only making a substitute appearance for just under thirty minutes against Celtic in the Champions League. While it is true that there isn’t a direct link  connecting the tight scheduling to the ever-growing injuries, we have never seen this kind of phenomenon before. Sure, there has been multiple injuries affecting different clubs, but never before has it happened at around the same time, coincidentally during the hectic months leading up to the World Cup. 

Additionally, we have also seen the quality of football on the pitch drop, seemingly as if the players branded as “world-class” aren’t themselves anymore. The reason for this is two fold: one, they are already fatigued from playing a game every few days and two, they aren’t  taking as much risks as they usually would, such as getting into duels or pushing themselves physically, in order to avoid injuries. In previous editions of the World Cup, only the  Champions League and Europa League finals have been remotely close to its opening day and  by then, only four clubs are competing, lessening the pool. Not to mention the one-month rest 

period they get just before the start of the competition. In this edition, however, players get around a week’s rest after playing an abundance of non-stop football for almost two months.  We can’t blame them either, for wanting to avoid injury seeing as the World Cup isn’t an opportunity that presents itself often. Playing in the World Cup is easily the dream of many footballers, and it is unfair to expect them to give that up for their clubs. 

Of course, since the Qatar World Cup has been planned for a long time, this situation is unavoidable right now. The only thing FIFA could do is to perhaps avoid making decisions that would consequently lead to something like this in the foreseeable future, or for them to innovate new ways to prevent this tiresome football because from what we have been seeing,  this tight scheduling has led to injuries and fatigue in footballers, and their apparent fear of being injured just a few weeks shy of the World Cup has also reflected itself in the quality of their game, which has been disappointingly substandard as of late.

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If we’re looking directly at betting odds, Brazil are the most likely to win the tournament at 4/1. France followed closely at 6/1, with Argentina just behind them at 13/2. These three are the countries you will probably see the most in everyone’s predictions, as they are home to some of the greatest young players and ageing icons, such as Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Neymar Jr. Form would also agree with these possible winners as Argentina have won 4 of their last 5 games, Brazil have won 5 of their last 5, whereas France have only won 1 of their last 5. This could be a worrying sign for France as the team they usually play tends to be the team that you’d expect to be up against in the World Cup, consisting of players such as Lloris, Mbappe, Benzema, and many more great assets. In addition to this, they currently sit at 4th place in the official FIFA men’s world rankings, with the top 3 consisting of Brazil, Belgium, and Argentina. Is it really outlandish for someone to think that France may have an early exit from the tournament? Maybe, but remember that we all thought the same thing during the 2020 Euros where they were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Switzerland on penalties. Will we see a repeat of that? Only time will tell. 

England. Beaten by Italy on penalties in the final of the Euros has surely made the squad want to bounce back in the World Cup, but will they make it far? Most people seem to think that they won’t. Now I get that it all depends on who you follow and watch on the internet, and of course English outlets are going to back their country, but looking at current form and the players that have been called up, this could turn out to be a very challenging tournament for England. In their last 5, they have recorded zero wins, with three draws, and two losses. They sit at 5th place on the men’s FIFA rankings, with France, Belgium, Brazil, and Argentina all being above them. It would be a surprise if England didn’t get out of their group as it consists of Iran, USA, and Wales, all of whom may be able to challenge in their own regard but England definitely appear to be the better team. As we all probably know by now though, football is very unpredictable, so you can never know who will go far, and who will fall at the first hurdle. England kick off against Iran on the 21st of November at 13:00, and this should give us a good idea of what is to come. 

With all tournaments, there is always a dark horse, and the World Cup will probably be no different. I’ve seen many different picks for the dark horse, but the most popular options appear to be Denmark, Serbia, and Senegal. In my opinion, Senegal will certainly make it out of their group, most likely competing with the Netherlands for the top spot. Denmark could battle for second place in Group D as the only extreme competition most people consider is France. Serbia has a tougher group consisting of Brazil, Cameroon, and Switzerland. Serbia have won 5 of their last 5, which is better than both Cameroon and Switzerland, so you never know what they could pull off. My pick for a dark horse would be Japan as I feel they have the ability to make an impact. Admittedly, this trust is probably misplaced as they have an incredibly difficult group consisting of Germany, Spain, and Costa Rica, and they are 24th in the FIFA rankings, but regardless of all of this, I still have faith. In their last 5, they have had one draw, two wins, and two losses. Wins came against the USA and Ghana, which I believe could be a good sign of what is to come. My second pick for a dark horse has to be South Korea, it feels as if people have already written them off because of their difficult group, but people are forgetting they scored two in added time to send Germany home in 2018. It definitely won’t be easy, but more shocking things have happened before in football. They have 3 wins and 2 draws in their last 5, and they are 28th in the FIFA rankings. Their form is also better than every other country

in their group. We’ll soon find out if one of these dark horses will shock the world, and I fully believe that one of them could. 

The World Cup begins on the 20th of November, 2022, and it’s going to be huge. Everyone is getting in their final predictions in hopes they will take home bragging rights, and millions around the world are going to be glued to their screens for every match. To recap, Brazil are the favourites to win the tournament, followed by France, and Argentina. The unexpected is to be expected in football however, so you never know what the outcome will actually be. It’s not long until we find out.

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