Our Internationals 2020/21

[Ric Flair]

We can moan how bad todays friendly was and how much of a disgrace it is to have internationals in pre-season but the intensity of some of these Nations League games is likely more of a benefit for our players who have featured for the majority of the game than a dog shit friendly vs Blackburn having to babysit a load of kids.

[TheStig]

With Kasper, Tielemans, Praet and Castagne all playing in Copenhagen almost 20% of the players are City players. Our Belgians are playing well and Castagne will surely be a bonus in defence.

[Stuntman_Mike]

1 minute ago, Ric Flair said:

We can moan how bad todays friendly was and how much of a disgrace it is to have internationals in pre-season but the intensity of some of these Nations League games is likely more of a benefit for our players who have featured for the majority of the game than a dog shit friendly vs Blackburn having to babysit a load of kids.

Look no further than Youri tonight 

 

Absolute class. 

 

 

 

[TheStig]

1 minute ago, Stuntman_Mike said:

Look no further than Youri tonight 

 

Absolute class. 

 

 

 

3 players from the highest ranked team in the world play for us. A good feeling in all the moaning

[Dan LCFC]

Tielemans was absolutely superb. He is quality and we need to somehow find a way to get that out of him. I feel like he's a lot better when we don't congest the middle and he's allowed space.

[foxfanazer]

Tielemans has the potential to be our star player. Incredible talent

Edited 5 September 2020 by foxfanazer

[Ric Flair]

1 minute ago, Dan LCFC said:

Tielemans was absolutely superb. He is quality and we need to somehow find a way to get that out of him. I feel like he's a lot better when we don't congest the middle and he's allowed space.

When we went 3 at the back and more direct vs Palace and 1st half vs Bournemouth he looked very good again. In fact he was much better after the restart even though the team as a whole was all over the place with injuries and poor form. Ideally we get everyone back fit, Ndidi runs the deep midfield himself and frees up Tielemans and Maddison to have the space to cause plenty of problems in the opposition half like we saw regularly in 2019.

[foxes_rule1978]

6 minutes ago, foxfanazer said:

Tielemans has the potential to be our star player. Incredible talent

He is , we are lucky to have him... just looked out of sorts last season though, but glad he is getting it together again

[foxfanazer]

7 minutes ago, foxes_rule1978 said:

He is , we are lucky to have him... just looked out of sorts last season though, but glad he is getting it together again

Looked unfit for a large part of the season but the class is clear for all to see

Edited 5 September 2020 by foxfanazer

[Stuntman_Mike]

40 minutes ago, Dan LCFC said:

Tielemans was absolutely superb. He is quality and we need to somehow find a way to get that out of him. I feel like he's a lot better when we don't congest the middle and he's allowed space.

His game is strange really because he's at his best when the game is open and quicker, yet his biggest weakness is his lack of pace. It's almost like he can afford to be slower because he reads the game so well and takes up great positions. 

 

We need to get him playing with that tempo because he helps the whole team tick. 

[Dan LCFC]

42 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

When we went 3 at the back and more direct vs Palace and 1st half vs Bournemouth he looked very good again. In fact he was much better after the restart even though the team as a whole was all over the place with injuries and poor form. Ideally we get everyone back fit, Ndidi runs the deep midfield himself and frees up Tielemans and Maddison to have the space to cause plenty of problems in the opposition half like we saw regularly in 2019.

Definitely a better player when we're more direct, he's not the type to play a load of shorter passes, seems like somebody much more inclined to switch play, and shoot from distance.

 

He gets about quite a bit in a two as well. I feared that would be a problem with him but he seems to really flourish in it.

[StriderHiryu]

Castagne and Tielemans both started, Praet came on for Tielemans after 60 minutes. Dennis must be getting so pissed off with that having to do it at club and country level! Castagne started at right back over Meunier and was very good, as was Youri.

 

I feel quite privileged to see 3 such players at our club. In terms of personality, technique and footballing ability they are all very good. I wouldn't mind seeing a few more arrive actually, and with OHL our sister club I would imagine we will eventually see some more either through transferring from the around Europe or developing between the two clubs.

 

Let's hope the Belgian lads can play as well for us as they did in this game, it would really help us out!

 

 

 

 

[jeffschlupp]

Youri is just as good as Cambiasso for me, it's rare you see a player with the close control and vision he has. His pace lets him down and sometimes he can get frustrated a bit like Drinkwater used to, but he has taken on the mantle from Riyad Mahrez as being the 'moment of magic' player in the team.

 

Castagne looked steady tonight and certainly not out of place, I don't think he would have much of a problem in a four-man defence when he's got players as good as Ndidi, Evans and Söyüncü around him. Looks a far more technically well-rounded player than Chilwell to me, while still having his work rate. Fingers crossed he makes an impact for us.

[StriderHiryu]

17 minutes ago, jeffschlupp said:

Youri is just as good as Cambiasso for me, it's rare you see a player with the close control and vision he has. His pace lets him down and sometimes he can get frustrated a bit like Drinkwater used to, but he has taken on the mantle from Riyad Mahrez as being the 'moment of magic' player in the team.

 

Castagne looked steady tonight and certainly not out of place, I don't think he would have much of a problem in a four-man defence when he's got players as good as Ndidi, Evans and Söyüncü around him. Looks a far more technically well-rounded player than Chilwell to me, while still having his work rate. Fingers crossed he makes an impact for us.

He's got the potential to be even better than that. I would agree that tonight that was a peak Cambiasso performance, the sort you saw around 2006-2010 when he was at Inter and playing for Argentina in between. They are a bit different, Tielemans has more finesse to his game, whereas Cambiasso had more bite. Cambiasso started off as a destroyer, but it soon became apparent that he was the complete player that had the intelligence not only to run the game, but to contribute to it too. He scored 6-8 goals a season for Inter despite playing quite deep at times, winning the scudetto SIX times (!) and the Champions League in a treble winning year. By the way during the time period Cambiasso played for Inter, Ancelotti was coach of Milan and they had the team with Kaka, Pirlo, Gattuso, Seedorf, Shevencho, Inzaghi, etc and they could not touch Inter in the league. It is frightening to see how good Cambiasso was for us given he had physical limitations at the end of his career. Make no bones about it, Cambiasso in the Premier League age 25-29 would have been right up there alongside Keane, Vieria and Kante. What. A Player.

 

Tielemans has I believe an even higher ceiling to his game. At this best he is honestly like the Belgian Xavi! But he needs to learn two things; consistency and how to run a game. Running a game is what the very best are able to do, they know when to slow the game down and play slower side-to-side passes (believe it or not, sometimes this is a good thing), but also when to step it up and inject pace into the play. Sometimes you need to leave a bit in on the opposition to fire up your team, sometimes you need to help out a teammate who is having a bad day by feeding them the ball and getting their confidence back, etc, etc. He is getting better and better at the second bit all the time, though consistency is an issue. As soon as he gets it, the 80m+ bid will come in and he will be off! At his best he looks like someone that should be lining up for Real Madrid, just like our beloved Argentine once did.

 

 

 

 

Edited 5 September 2020 by StriderHiryu

[1972 Fox]

1 hour ago, jeffschlupp said:

Youri is just as good as Cambiasso for me, it's rare you see a player with the close control and vision he has. His pace lets him down and sometimes he can get frustrated a bit like Drinkwater used to, but he has taken on the mantle from Riyad Mahrez as being the 'moment of magic' player in the team.

 

Castagne looked steady tonight and certainly not out of place, I don't think he would have much of a problem in a four-man defence when he's got players as good as Ndidi, Evans and Söyüncü around him. Looks a far more technically well-rounded player than Chilwell to me, while still having his work rate. Fingers crossed he makes an impact for us.

 

49 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

He's got the potential to be even better than that. I would agree that tonight that was a peak Cambiasso performance, the sort you saw around 2006-2010 when he was at Inter and playing for Argentina in between. They are a bit different, Tielemans has more finesse to his game, whereas Cambiasso had more bite. Cambiasso started off as a destroyer, but it soon became apparent that he was the complete player that had the intelligence not only to run the game, but to contribute to it too. He scored 6-8 goals a season for Inter despite playing quite deep at times, winning the scudetto SIX times (!) and the Champions League in a treble winning year. By the way during the time period Cambiasso played for Inter, Ancelotti was coach of Milan and they had the team with Kaka, Pirlo, Gattuso, Seedorf, Shevencho, Inzaghi, etc and they could not touch Inter in the league. It is frightening to see how good Cambiasso was for us given he had physical limitations at the end of his career. Make no bones about it, Cambiasso in the Premier League age 25-29 would have been right up there alongside Keane, Vieria and Kante. What. A Player.

 

Tielemans has I believe an even higher ceiling to his game. At this best he is honestly like the Belgian Xavi! But he needs to learn two things; consistency and how to run a game. Running a game is what the very best are able to do, they know when to slow the game down and play slower side-to-side passes (believe it or not, sometimes this is a good thing), but also when to step it up and inject pace into the play. Sometimes you need to leave a bit in on the opposition to fire up your team, sometimes you need to help out a teammate who is having a bad day by feeding them the ball and getting their confidence back, etc, etc. He is getting better and better at the second bit all the time, though consistency is an issue. As soon as he gets it, the 80m+ bid will come in and he will be off! At his best he looks like someone that should be lining up for Real Madrid, just like our beloved Argentine once did.

 

Two class posts. It's a pleasure to read two such well written contributions on here. 

[Dan LCFC]

4 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

Castagne and Tielemans both started, Praet came on for Tielemans after 60 minutes. Dennis must be getting so pissed off with that having to do it at club and country level! Castagne started at right back over Meunier and was very good, as was Youri.

 

I feel quite privileged to see 3 such players at our club. In terms of personality, technique and footballing ability they are all very good. I wouldn't mind seeing a few more arrive actually, and with OHL our sister club I would imagine we will eventually see some more either through transferring from the around Europe or developing between the two clubs.

 

Let's hope the Belgian lads can play as well for us as they did in this game, it would really help us out!

 

 

 

 

Stuff like that makes me question Whoscored. On what planet was Mertens better than him today, good finish for the goal from Mertens, granted.

[Ric Flair]

8 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

Castagne and Tielemans both started, Praet came on for Tielemans after 60 minutes. Dennis must be getting so pissed off with that having to do it at club and country level! Castagne started at right back over Meunier and was very good, as was Youri.

 

I feel quite privileged to see 3 such players at our club. In terms of personality, technique and footballing ability they are all very good. I wouldn't mind seeing a few more arrive actually, and with OHL our sister club I would imagine we will eventually see some more either through transferring from the around Europe or developing between the two clubs.

 

Let's hope the Belgian lads can play as well for us as they did in this game, it would really help us out!

 

 

 

 

Tielemans played 88 mins, Praet came on for someone else. Think it was Carrasco.

 

I agree, we really need to step up our recruitment of young Belgian players. Tap in to the market that is dominated by Genk and Anderlecht, so many good players come through year on year.

[st albans fox]

8 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

He's got the potential to be even better than that. I would agree that tonight that was a peak Cambiasso performance, the sort you saw around 2006-2010 when he was at Inter and playing for Argentina in between. They are a bit different, Tielemans has more finesse to his game, whereas Cambiasso had more bite. Cambiasso started off as a destroyer, but it soon became apparent that he was the complete player that had the intelligence not only to run the game, but to contribute to it too. He scored 6-8 goals a season for Inter despite playing quite deep at times, winning the scudetto SIX times (!) and the Champions League in a treble winning year. By the way during the time period Cambiasso played for Inter, Ancelotti was coach of Milan and they had the team with Kaka, Pirlo, Gattuso, Seedorf, Shevencho, Inzaghi, etc and they could not touch Inter in the league. It is frightening to see how good Cambiasso was for us given he had physical limitations at the end of his career. Make no bones about it, Cambiasso in the Premier League age 25-29 would have been right up there alongside Keane, Vieria and Kante. What. A Player.

 

Tielemans has I believe an even higher ceiling to his game. At this best he is honestly like the Belgian Xavi! But he needs to learn two things; consistency and how to run a game. Running a game is what the very best are able to do, they know when to slow the game down and play slower side-to-side passes (believe it or not, sometimes this is a good thing), but also when to step it up and inject pace into the play. Sometimes you need to leave a bit in on the opposition to fire up your team, sometimes you need to help out a teammate who is having a bad day by feeding them the ball and getting their confidence back, etc, etc. He is getting better and better at the second bit all the time, though consistency is an issue. As soon as he gets it, the 80m+ bid will come in and he will be off! At his best he looks like someone that should be lining up for Real Madrid, just like our beloved Argentine once did.

 

Nah, he’s sh1te ...... I read it on FT loads of times ...... 

[kyleolly]

1 hour ago, Ric Flair said:

Tielemans played 88 mins, Praet came on for someone else. Think it was Carrasco.

 

I agree, we really need to step up our recruitment of young Belgian players. Tap in to the market that is dominated by Genk and Anderlecht, so many good players come through year on year.

Maybe we could buy a Belgian football team and develop and pick up the talented players in that league 

[Corky]

Great to see Tielemans looked the part, if we can get him on form we'll tick. Praet again playing a part for Belgium yet doesn't fit in here?

 

Schmeichel always seems to play well for Denmark too. Agree with Ric that this sort of game is better preparation than a club friendly.

[Harry96]

Soyuncu just slipped trying to do his typical cruyff turn and nearly ended up conceding a goal  

[Lambert09]

 

Arghhh this could be trouble 

[st albans fox]

7 hours ago, Lambert09 said:

 

Arghhh this could be trouble 

yes it could 

 

at the very least the three guys will have to take an urgent covid test (they probably would anyway) and is suspect the protocol should have them isolating until they have a negative test but the issue is that at any point it the next two weeks they could test positive .....and if the virus is alive within the squad next 36 hours then some of them could easily be spreading it around ......

[Gevans_97]

fingers crossed. would be pretty disastrous to lose these three so close to the season starting.

[CosbehFox]

UEFA, the only continental federation what insisted on playing internationals have an absolutely stupid idea of making a load of professional footballers mixing amongst each other.