andygullagain wrote:He works hard, he trsacks back, he attacks players, he never falls over or really dives, he always finds an opponent and he scores goals - EVERY WEEK! The man is a genius.
True, but football is a team game. Have you seen Argentina recently? They look like they should be world beaters but the other day the could only draw at home (in the Copa America, so a 'proper' game) with Bolivia. Bolivia! Messi was pretty good, but if the rest of the team can't support him it really doesn't matter. I actually think the team will improve, and I had a sneaky £20 on them to win the next world cup (in Brazil, heh) when I was last in England, but as things stand Messi being the best player in the world doesn't mean much.
This is fun, so here's my current top 8.
1. Spain (saw them play the US and they were...just..brilliant. USA are no mugs either)
2. Holland
3. Germany
4. Mexico (seriously - they have genuinely exciting team)
5. Brazil (couldn't beat Venezuela yesterday)
6. Argentina (see above)
7. France
8. Italy
Beyond the top 8, there are several teams who are great one day, crap the next. I include England in this group of half a dozen or so teams; teams who on their day are capable of upsetting the other 8, but just as capable of drawing at home to Macedonia.
England, USA, Portugal, Russia, Japan (ok, but they're imprvoing), Paraguay, Colombia.
I don't think England should be too upset at being in this particular bunch. We have to accept that playing England is a huge thing for countries that would otherwise probably not play very well - even though they've won nothing for ages, being the birthplace of the game, and playing at Wembley, and having the Premier League gives the England team a level of respect that it very rarely deserves.
I don't but that England doesn't have the players. There are very few team who have "world class" (a phrase that I hate, btw) players in every position. Spain is maybe the only one. It's a team game, and for years England's biggest problem has been getting the collection of *extremely* good players to play together. For a while a few years back, Lampard and Gerrard would would into most club sides in the world, but they could never (and I mean *never*) play together. But instead of working out a system to get the best out of one of them, successive England managers insisted on having them in the same team. Part of the issue is, I think, that players are coddled in the comfortable environs of the Premier League, which we know doesn't translate well to the international game, but because they are getting paid so much they won't try a move abroad. That's why I think you have to hand it to Beckham (shh, ok), Woodgate and even Michael Owen who at least gave it a go. And 2 of those players were pretty successful, despite what the Sun might have you believe (Owen had a better strike rate than any player in La Liga for that season). Woodgate was unfortunate with injuries, as always, but he's still a cult hero there, mainly because on his debut he scored an own goal and got sent off
Regarding the U-17s - they have potential but it's the same old story; they look good now but will they get more than a handful of sub Prem appearances before being shipped out on loan? They need to realise that they next couple of seasons could make or break their careers, but you just know most of them will happily take the money and see that potential go to waste. It's quite sad, really .
haha but in all seriousness being of mexican desent and follower of the mexico national team i would say we are 9th in the world, when it matters argentina brazil italy ect would beat us (we do have a decent record against brazil tho) tho i must also say the potentail of mexican football is great since i was a kid the progress has been excellent to the point where there a plenty of mexicans playing over here now, we play good football for sure but i'd say as long as we are in the top 10 (and above usa) we are doing well!