ACON 2017

[the fox]

...

[the fox]

10 minutes ago, crazyleicester said:

It it just me who wanted Algeria to lose all their group matches?!

 

The first goal was the Mahrez of last season, the second goal was the David James of 12 seasons ago.

[MC Prussian]

Algeria were close to losing this 3-1. Zimbabwe had a glorious 2-against-1 chance just before Mahrez equalized. But the Zimbabwean attacker shot straight at the keeper.

[brucey]

36 minutes ago, MC Prussian said:

Algeria were close to losing this 3-1. Zimbabwe had a glorious 2-against-1 chance just before Mahrez equalized. But the Zimbabwean attacker shot straight at the keeper.

Could have been any score tbh, Zimbabwe had a shot come off the woodwork and I think Algeria had two. Riyad also made a few weak shots straight at their keeper. The Algerian keeper pulled a bit of a Schmeichel with some of his saves, Riyad got official MOTM but most Algerian media gave MOTM to the keeper.

[foxy boxing]

I just want Mahrez to come back and smash it for us like he is doing for Algeria. how do we get the best out of him and get him firing on all cylinders!

[ZeGuy]

41 minutes ago, foxy boxing said:

I just want Mahrez to come back and smash it for us like he is doing for Algeria. how do we get the best out of him and get him firing on all cylinders!

Holding midfielder problem is solved (Ndidi). A (good) CAM would be ideal if DD refuses to step up. You can't expect from him to put some magic out of his hat when the opponent knows that putting two or three men on him suffice to annihilate any attacking threat. 

[the fox]

. I remember people saying that mahrez is a one season wonder. He played great ( granted it is against an average defense) and scored because he had another player taking some of the attention away from. So, just imagine him playing with actual world class players like Sanchez and hazard. If we only can get a flair winger/CAM ( I want proven quality .not gray)

[Manwell Pablo]

57 minutes ago, the fox said:

. I remember people saying that mahrez is a one season wonder. He played great ( granted it is against an average defense) and scored because he had another player taking some of the attention away from. So, just imagine him playing with actual world class players like Sanchez and hazard. If we only can get a flair winger/CAM ( I want proven quality .not gray)

 

Average?  

 

What an absolute load of old drivel, he scored because he was playing against a side that would probably struggle in League One.  

 

EDIT: (Who you drew with, haha)

[the fox]

1 hour ago, Manwell Pablo said:

 

Average?  

 

What an absolute load of old drivel, he scored because he was playing against a side that would probably struggle in League One.  

 

EDIT: (Who you drew with, haha)

England drew with Algeria in the 2010 cup. So you can't say any thing

..and you seem to think very little of the African teams. We shouldn't have drew but the first game in an international competition in a environment that they are adjusted to can make the deference.

[AmarteyAndChill]

28 minutes ago, the fox said:

England drew with Algeria in the 2010 cup. So you can't say any thing

..and you seem to think very little of the African teams. We shouldn't have drew but the first game in an international competition in a environment that they are adjusted to can make the deference.

We also drew with Costa Rica B team 

[fuchsntf]

3 hours ago, Manwell Pablo said:

 

Average?  

 

What an absolute load of old drivel, he scored because he was playing against a side that would probably struggle in League One.  

 

EDIT: (Who you drew with, haha)

A case of overrating..then underrating.. AFCON has matured and improved quite a bit.

[ZeGuy]

3 hours ago, Manwell Pablo said:

 

Average?  

 

What an absolute load of old drivel, he scored because he was playing against a side that would probably struggle in League One.  

 

EDIT: (Who you drew with, haha)

That wasn't very nice. African teams have much improved and after the Iceland slap at the Euros, I think that a slice of humble pie is actually needed here.

 

P:S: I'm german, so no bias or butthurt here.

[Manwell Pablo]

29 minutes ago, ZeGuy said:

That wasn't very nice. African teams have much improved and after the Iceland slap at the Euros, I think that a slice of humble pie is actually needed here.

 

P:S: I'm german, so no bias or butthurt here.

 

We're shit I make no bones about that that's not the point, although I'll remind we were not the only team they "slapped" both at the tournament and in qualification, I'd certainly of preferred to have gotten to the tournament and lost to them than not qualify in front of them like the Dutch. As I've said on here before the negative comments towards the England team and their apparent sovereign right to beat Iceland detract from the well organised decent little side they have built up there and everything else they have achieved in the past 3 or 4 years, they nearly qualified for the World Cup. 

 

The apparent improvement I personally believe is nowhere near as much as people make out and the fact that their World Cup performances have been much of a muchness going back 30 years (one gets out the group and is knocked out one or two games later) 

 

The point here is scoring a brace against Zimbabwe proves very little about what Mahrez is capable of in this division, I am not exaggerating, their crap, plenty of domestic based players who would be lucky to play in front of crowds of more than 10,000 most weeks as only half the stadiums hold that many. Having looked into it they are ranked 103rd in the world (Iceland are 21 in the world Zimbabwe aren't even top 21 in Africa) they would get slaughtered in either of the English games top two divisions.

 

I personally detest it when people try and discredit certain teams that perhaps deserve more credit (as you have with Iceland above) however I'm afraid in this case you have to call a spade a spade.

 

[Manwell Pablo]

2 hours ago, the fox said:

England drew with Algeria in the 2010 cup. So you can't say any thing

..and you seem to think very little of the African teams. We shouldn't have drew but the first game in an international competition in a environment that they are adjusted to can make the deference.

 

 I think about as much of African teams as I think about the England team if that makes you feel any better. Especially at the moment talent very lean compared to say 10 years ago. (EDIT: Although as I will go on to say, how this has been made out to be about the whole continent I'm slightly unclear)

 

Although as shit as we are we still went through unlike you. 

 

In any case I would love to know what the credentials of England or Algeria has to do with any of this.

 

We're talking about Zimbabwe who regardless of what continent they come from are fcking shit. It is you and others that have made this out to be a question of belittling a whole continent I have merely stated one team are not very good. 

 

It's a bit like you claiming San Marino are the whipping boys of world football and me Jumping down your neck screaming "UEFA HAS SOME OF THE BEST TEAMS IN THE WORLD"  embarrassing  

[StanSP]

AFCON guarantees hilarious football moments

 

 

 

 

[the fox]

2 hours ago, Manwell Pablo said:

 

We're shit I make no bones about that that's not the point, although I'll remind we were not the only team they "slapped" both at the tournament and in qualification, I'd certainly of preferred to have gotten to the tournament and lost to them than not qualify in front of them like the Dutch. As I've said on here before the negative comments towards the England team and their apparent sovereign right to beat Iceland detract from the well organised decent little side they have built up there and everything else they have achieved in the past 3 or 4 years, they nearly qualified for the World Cup. 

 

The apparent improvement I personally believe is nowhere near as much as people make out and the fact that their World Cup performances have been much of a muchness going back 30 years (one gets out the group and is knocked out one or two games later) 

 

The point here is scoring a brace against Zimbabwe proves very little about what Mahrez is capable of in this division, I am not exaggerating, their crap, plenty of domestic based players who would be lucky to play in front of crowds of more than 10,000 most weeks as only half the stadiums hold that many. Having looked into it they are ranked 103rd in the world (Iceland are 21 in the world Zimbabwe aren't even top 21 in Africa) they would get slaughtered in either of the English games top two divisions.

 

I personally detest it when people try and discredit certain teams that perhaps deserve more credit (as you have with Iceland above) however I'm afraid in this case you have to call a spade a spade.

 

In the first half They played a better brand of football than Leicester and Algeria. They got us in the counter more than once and they have some skilled players that can run 90 minutes in a 35-40° heat, try to keep up with that

[the fox]

2 hours ago, Manwell Pablo said:

 

We're shit I make no bones about that that's not the point, although I'll remind we were not the only team they "slapped" both at the tournament and in qualification, I'd certainly of preferred to have gotten to the tournament and lost to them than not qualify in front of them like the Dutch. As I've said on here before the negative comments towards the England team and their apparent sovereign right to beat Iceland detract from the well organised decent little side they have built up there and everything else they have achieved in the past 3 or 4 years, they nearly qualified for the World Cup. 

 

The apparent improvement I personally believe is nowhere near as much as people make out and the fact that their World Cup performances have been much of a muchness going back 30 years (one gets out the group and is knocked out one or two games later) 

 

The point here is scoring a brace against Zimbabwe proves very little about what Mahrez is capable of in this division, I am not exaggerating, their crap, plenty of domestic based players who would be lucky to play in front of crowds of more than 10,000 most weeks as only half the stadiums hold that many. Having looked into it they are ranked 103rd in the world (Iceland are 21 in the world Zimbabwe aren't even top 21 in Africa) they would get slaughtered in either of the English games top two divisions.

 

I personally detest it when people try and discredit certain teams that perhaps deserve more credit (as you have with Iceland above) however I'm afraid in this case you have to call a spade a spade.

 

Actuly Egypt won the 2006-2008 and 2010 AFCON with mostly domestic players. They played against world class players (yaya,drogba and eto'o and many great footballers)

[Manwell Pablo]

57 minutes ago, the fox said:

Actuly Egypt won the 2006-2008 and 2010 AFCON with mostly domestic players. They played against world class players (yaya,drogba and eto'o and many great footballers)

 

how is the Egyptian league comparable to the Zimbabwean league. Aren't Al Ahly one of the biggest teams on the continent. 

 

I'll say again, you need to actually keep the arguement to what it is specifically about and that's the Zimbabwean team and this case league. 

 

You can try and convince yourself you've held a decent team to a draw if you want. Truth is your under performing (why your bottom of your World Cup qualifying group) and Zimbabwe are are not comparable to any team in our league, or even close. They'd not be  below st Kitts and Nevis in the FIFA rankings if they were

 

 

[USFox]

Algeria is the England of Africa, for all those who are wondering. Big enough on paper, come game time they disappoint. Nonetheless, going back to Leicester City, The problem with Ndidi is that he is a holding midfielder but not much of a hassle on offense. Meaning he won't really detract defenders from Mahrez. I think Leicester would do well to try Mahrez as a CAM playing in the false 9 role and aiming to attack more than pass, because for Mahrez passing is second nature, he is darn good at it and wouldn't struggle much to find Vardy or Slimani either way. I want to see what Kapustka and Gray can do on either wing. If the team is losing anyway but is scraping right above the line of relegation maybe its worth a shot to give it a try in an FA Cup game and see if it works. It could also be an interesting way of fixing our defensive errors, because if Mahrez is holding the ball more in the middle, it gives less time for opponents to play on the ball, meaning less attacks for the opposition. What do you guys think?

[the fox]

1 hour ago, Manwell Pablo said:

 

how is the Egyptian league comparable to the Zimbabwean league. Aren't Al Ahly one of the biggest teams on the continent. 

 

I'll say again, you need to actually keep the arguement to what it is specifically about and that's the Zimbabwean team and this case league. 

 

You can try and convince yourself you've held a decent team to a draw if you want. Truth is your under performing (why your bottom of your World Cup qualifying group) and Zimbabwe are are not comparable to any team in our league, or even close. They'd not be  below st Kitts and Nevis in the FIFA rankings if they were

 

 

ok. we are not the only underperforming team on the competition (go look in the results) . our starting RB had a disastrous first half (gave away a pen. and the first goal was from his side) but after we subbed him off we looked solid . the ref didn't give a pen to us for more than once. but that is not an excuse. the players looked tired after 70 minuts. just give them time and they will go back to playing great

[MattCan]

Playing African teams on their home turf is very hard. Many conditions play against you including home refereeing in general. Many decent European countries would not even beat the second tier African teams (the likes of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Burkino-faso, etc.) if games are played on African teams home soil.

[Manwell Pablo]

5 minutes ago, MattCan said:

Playing African teams on their home turf is very hard. Many conditions play against you including home refereeing in general. Many decent European countries would not even beat the second tier African teams (the likes of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Burkino-faso, etc.) if games are played on African teams home soil.

 

Yeah it's definitely an impossible task

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_World_Cup

 

first hosts in history not to get of their group I believe?

[USFox]

22 minutes ago, Manwell Pablo said:

 

Yeah it's definitely an impossible task

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_World_Cup

 

first hosts in history not to get of their group I believe?

Did some research, Algeria seem to be going through a rough managament problem right now, 3 coaches in 6 months I believe. Nonetheless when you amass that much talent on a side there is no excuse for their performance in World Cup Qualification and to tie to Zimbabwe. Looks almost like the players aren't well coordinated at the moment.

[USFox]

To quickly add a point, South African pitches are much more modern and wide (similar to Europe) than those in other African nations. North African teams play similar to European teams in the sense that they need more pitch to manuever because they pass the ball in a build up play to score. African sides generally long ball/bulldoze through the pitch, which is more suited for the more narrow pitches that are played on in the African Cup of Nations. Nonetheless, it's always nice to see suprises in football (see Leicester City) so no complaints here.

[MattCan]

57 minutes ago, Manwell Pablo said:

 

Yeah it's definitely an impossible task

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_World_Cup

 

first hosts in history not to get of their group I believe?

 

South-African hosting conditions are much closer to European than to the African standard conditions. So, I would not read much into that exception. Also, an ordinary game in the qualifying stages for AFCON does not get the attention and scrutiny that a World Cup tournament game gets. I see this trend in some South-American venues as well. The only thing is that Brazil and Argentina are dominating and usually capable of winning away from home.  This remains only my humble opinion concerning fixtures in African venues. Has nothing to do with any comments (which I haven't read entirely) you have made above.