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World Cup squads


PMLF

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Strongest Brazil squad since 2002 imo. Don't underestimate them.

Germany:

Manuel Neuer, Roman Weidenfeller and Ron-Robert Zieler.

Durm, Boateng, Grosskreutz, Höwedes, Hummels, Jansen, Lahm, Mertesacker, Mustafi, Schmelzer.

Lars Bender, Schweinsteiger, Draxler, Ginter, Goretzka, Götze, Hahn, Khedira, Kroos, Meyer, Thomas Müller, Ozil, Reus.

Podolski, Schurrle, Klose, Volland.

Strong.

I'm actually not surprised Ter Stegen didn't make it. I'm actually mistified why Zieler is called up (again after making the Euro 2012 squad). Wouldn't Adler or Fahrmann be a better choice than him?

Looking at the squad, Durm, Mustafi, Howedes, Goretzka, Meyer, Hahn, and surprisingly Bender might not make the cut. Matthias Ginter is a decent defender and he might be a surprise inclusion. Is Sven injured? I know Gundogan is though.

Maximillian Arnold, what happened to him?

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Yes. 2nd best keeper in the league and heaps of experience. Great keeper but only short term. He'll be surpassed by Ter Stegen, Leno and co. by the next World Cup. Deserves to be 2nd choice.

Fair enough, I must have just caught the wrong Dortmund games to see Weidenfeller in. I'm not a regular viewer...

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Why would you drop Podolski from the German national team?

He's poor when the team needs to break down a side, which will happen a lot. Better options than him but he'll be included as Löw likes him.

I rate Kevin Trapp, not sure what's general opinion in Germany on him... anyway, why would anyone drop Höwedes, IMO he is Germany's best CB right after Mertesacker and Hummels.

Trapp a fine keeper but down the pecking order a bit. Leno (Hinrunde form) and Fährmann (Rückrunde form) have been the best imo. Höwedes has been injured for large parts of this season. He could be dropped depending on how he looks in training.

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Podolski always performs for Germany. Same way Klose does. Neither are particularly great for their club but for their country they're on another level most of the time. I expect Podolski will start most games with Klose coming off the bench when necessary (be surprised if Klose starts).

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Someone tell me why that Germany team's any better then the last few competitions.

Khedira's not gonna be at his best, O_Ozil's whatever, I think Gotze's a myth, and there's no top class strikers.

You say that, but there's no denying Klose's record or pedigree. He doesn't get the exposure because he's not in the Champions League, but I'd take a striker with his international pedigree, who's proven it over years and years, over multiple tournaments, than some guy smashing goals in the Champions League but with no international pedigree.

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Germany:

Manuel Neuer, Roman Weidenfeller and Ron-Robert Zieler.

Durm, Boateng, Grosskreutz, Höwedes, Hummels, Jansen, Lahm, Mertesacker, Mustafi, Schmelzer.

Lars Bender, Schweinsteiger, Draxler, Ginter, Goretzka, Götze, Hahn, Khedira, Kroos, Meyer, Thomas Müller, Ozil, Reus.

Podolski, Schurrle, Klose, Volland.

Strong.

Out goes the young bucks Goretzka & Meyer, Mustafi (not that much difference in talent between him and Boateng & Höwedes, just experience), Durm & Khedira (unless Joachim is really desperate). If Sami gets cut then a DM would need get called up, although I doubt he'd bet cut :D

Last cuts will be between experience (Poldi), some exp (Schurrle) & the young hot shots (Volland, Hahn, Draxler)

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Especially when you consider Costa is used to playing in such a different setup to most of the Spain side as well as having almost no game experience with them, could take him a while to get up to speed at the WC.

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Klose's club form has been very prolific over most of his career

Not sure I agree. He's been very consistent but prolific isn't how I'd describe his club form. In a dominant Bayern Munchen side he scored on average once every three games. That's not a bad record but I don't think it's prolific. Definitely consistent though. His first two seasons at Lazio were solid (16 goals in both, 35 and 36 appearances respectively) but this season he's found the net only 8 times so I don't think he's massively reliable for goals, especially with his age... but, like I said, he always performs for Germany no matter the circumstances so he is worth taking if he is fit (which I believe he is so why not). 68 international goals says it all really.

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Obviously one must remember Ozil, Khedira & Muller had less than 20 caps between them so two or three of the inexperienced Germans might be taken

Wasn't 2010 Muller's first WC tournament where he ended up winning the golden boot?

Young'uns won't be discounted just because they're young. That's not Jogi's style.

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Someone tell me why that Germany team's any better then the last few competitions.

Khedira's not gonna be at his best, O_Ozil's whatever, I think Gotze's a myth, and there's no top class strikers.

So, what about the other players that they have (especially when you're naming Khedira when he might not even be making the cut)? Gotze probably won't even start for them as they've got Muller and Reus who are world class players and will, most likely, be operating on the wings.

They might not have a top class striker but, as mentioned above, Klose knows how to get the job done at major tournaments and his track record at that level is exceptional. Oh and whoever's saying Klose's not prolific, he's pretty much averaged 1 in 2 for his whole career (bar two of his seasons at Bayern) and his international goalscoring record speaks for itself.

As for the Germany side - Durm, Mustafi, Hahn, Meyer, Khedira, Draxler/Goretzka and probably Jansen is who I'd cut.

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He's been injured most of the year with Lazio, so of course he's not going to have that many goals.

He's played in only five games less than he played in his first season with Lazio. Goals this season in the league stands at 7 in 22. His first season he had 13 in 27. Injuries maybe play a part but he is playing games, clearly.

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So, what about the other players that they have (especially when you're naming Khedira when he might not even be making the cut)? Gotze probably won't even start for them as they've got Muller and Reus who are world class players and will, most likely, be operating on the wings.

They might not have a top class striker but, as mentioned above, Klose knows how to get the job done at major tournaments and his track record at that level is exceptional. Oh and whoever's saying Klose's not prolific, he's pretty much averaged 1 in 2 for his whole career (bar two of his seasons at Bayern) and his international goalscoring record speaks for itself.

As for the Germany side - Durm, Mustafi, Hahn, Meyer, Khedira, Draxler/Goretzka and probably Jansen is who I'd cut.

He averages two goals every five games.

I'm not doubting the quality of Klose, he's one of my favourite players and always has been. He's a great striker, legendary almost. But I don't think he's what I'd call prolific to be honest, not at club level. Although I don't think anybody can doubt his international record. He's something else internationally. Fantastic asset to have.

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Klose will start, Podolski won't imo. Reus is in the form of his life so is a certain starter, leaving Götze, Özil and Müller fighting for other spots behind Klose. Podolski and Schürrle next, I'd use Schürrle more. Both incredibly good on a quick break, as are most of the German attackers.

I don't think Durm will be dropped. I did a piece on him last month and statically he's a better defender than both Schmelzer and Jansen. Not much of a surprise as both aren't amazing defensively. Jansen should be cut. Great going forward, poor defensively and still injured. I rate Durm pretty highly and seen the majority of games he's played. He deserves a chance and I think he'll get it. Löw is suffering from not giving players like Sorg, Jantschke and Jung a chance during qualifiers. If Lahm is injured the fullbacks look pretty iffy.

Volland shouldn't, and won't get cut imo. He's named as the second striker, meaning Löw would need to use Götze, Müller or Reus as a forward for when Klose is rested/injured or subbed. Damn shame about Gomez being injured, even though he doesn't move, he sure can score goals. As with Lasogga, but he's a bit off leading the line just yet, and just as injury prone it seems.

The Poland game on Tuesday will be great. No Dortmund or Bayern players and tonnes of youth. Average age of squad is 22, and 12 uncapped players.

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'O Globo' described the Brazilian national team squad for the World Cup as being 'pretty old but without much experience'.

And they mentioned that Brazil never won a World Cup with such an old team (average age around 28 or so, similar to 2010, but far less experienced).

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Someone tell me why that Germany team's any better then the last few competitions.

Khedira's not gonna be at his best, O_Ozil's whatever, I think Gotze's a myth, and there's no top class strikers.

In WC 2010 they had second-youngest team out of all countries and still managed to reach semis. Neuer, Schweinsteiger, Özil, Müller, Kroos, Khedira, Podolski are all 4 years older and 4 years more experienced. I expect them to do very well.

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Will everything be ready in time though? I understand some stadiums are still partially under construction?

The stadiums will be completed, hard to say if they will work as intended though.

The infrastructure won't be ready though.

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Mexican squad:

Goalkeepers: Jesús Corona (Cruz Azul), Guillermo Ochoa (Ajaccio), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca)

Defenders: Rafael Márquez (León), Diego Reyes (Porto), Héctor Moreno (Espanyol), Paul Aguilar (América), Miguel Layún (América), Carlos Salcido (Tigres), Francisco Maza Rodríguez (América), Miguel Layún (América), Andrés Guardado (Bayer Leverkusen)

Midfielders: José Juan Vázquez (León), Juan Carlos Medina (América), Héctor Herrera (Porto), Carlos Peña (León), Luis Montes (León), Marco Fabián (Cruz Azul), Isaac Brizuela (Toluca)

Forwards: Oribe Peralta (Santos Laguna), Javier Hernández (Manchester United), Raúl Jiménez (América), Alan Pulido (Tigres), Giovani dos Santos (Villarreal)

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I posted in the Brazilian NT thread but it might be interesting for people here:

How the 'national teams' of each state of Brazil could/would look like (via Globo Esporte):

selecao-estados_1.jpg

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Just realised there's 6 English-based Brazilians in their national team - is this the most number of English-based Brazilians to play at a World Cup? I also think it might be the first time there's been more based in England than based in any other nation of the same WC squad (but I'm just guessing here).

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Just realised there's 6 English-based Brazilians in their national team - is this the most number of English-based Brazilians to play at a World Cup? I also think it might be the first time there's been more based in England than based in any other nation of the same WC squad (but I'm just guessing here).

Yes, it's the highest number ever, Brazil had only two England-based players until 2010: Gilberto Silva and Gomes.

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Interesting to find that out, actually!

I was surprised to see Paulinho in there. I know Scolari likes him and he was fantastic at the Confederations Cup but he's had an indifferent season at Spurs and I didn't think he'd get into the side. The fact he's in but Sandro isn't, for example, confuses me a little because I think Sandro is far better. But Fernandinho is there so I'm pleased at that :thup:

Is Fernandinho likely to find himself playing much at the WC? Or is he just a filler/squad player?

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Interesting to find that out, actually!

I was surprised to see Paulinho in there. I know Scolari likes him and he was fantastic at the Confederations Cup but he's had an indifferent season at Spurs and I didn't think he'd get into the side. The fact he's in but Sandro isn't, for example, confuses me a little because I think Sandro is far better. But Fernandinho is there so I'm pleased at that :thup:

Is Fernandinho likely to find himself playing much at the WC? Or is he just a filler/squad player?

Club form is pretty irrelevant only a player is at the national team. Paulinho has done relatively well for Brazil and for Scolari (and any Brazilian national team manager), that's all that matters.

As for Fernandinho, he will probably be a bench warmer but Scolari seems to have liked him a lot, I won't be surprised if he ends up in first team in Paulinho's place.

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Why do so many come from São Paulo?

It's because the state of São Paulo is the most populous and the richest state of Brazil.

The size of São Paulo's population and economy are similar to Argentina.

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Wouldn't it be super cool if instead of a single Brazilian national team, Brazil had 27 'state' national teams, just like there are England/Scotland/Wales/Northern Ireland national teams rather than a UK national team?

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No, it would be quite stupid.

Works for the UK and China. Rio vs São Paulo in the World Cup Quals or Copa América would be amazing. :cool:

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