Belgium National Team

Protik Roychowdhury · September 6, 2013

I just realized that Belgium have a monster team on paper for the next WC. Just off the top of my head, you have

Courtois, Mignolet

Kompany, Van Buyten, Vertonghen, Vermaelen, Alderwireld

Fellaini, Hazard, Dembele, Witsel, De Bruyne, Mirallas, Mertens, Simons, Defour, Chadli

Benteke, Lukaku, Mboyo

And Bakkali (PSV, look him up), Januzaj, Perrera, and the younger Hazard (Thorgan, who is apparently as good as Eden) in the wings coming up. And all in the team are pretty young as well. I think they have the best team on paper outside the super nations in football. Exciting times if you're a Belgium supporter, I'd hazard

(sorry, I'll leave now :unsure:

).

centralTon · September 6, 2013

They're playing Scotland tonight too...

Protik Roychowdhury · September 6, 2013

All's not lost yet... Scotland have got Naismith! (y)

bluejock · September 6, 2013

BMNT...

Mikey_Fitzgerald · September 6, 2013

What a crap group for Wales and Scotland to find themselves in

They never had a chance with that line up

Give it time though.

I think Wales can make the Euro's. 24 slots and I think UEFA has about 53 teams. I'm sure Wales can sneak in with that. Scotland might have to wait till 2018, but they are taking steps to improve their set up

Protik Roychowdhury · September 6, 2013

Mikey_Fitzgerald said:
What a crap group for Wales and Scotland to find themselves in

True.

Mikey_Fitzgerald · September 6, 2013

Friendlies actually matter to Wales and Scotland, they would be able to get some wins and improve their ranking, thus meaning they get less difficult groups

It's still disappointing for me not seeing the Scots make the World Cup. They used to do it so regularly in my younger days

Still an outside chance for Ireland this time of course, but it's not going to be easy

That Austria game may haunt them

Bungle · September 6, 2013

Mikey_Fitzgerald said:
What a crap group for Wales and Scotland to find themselves in

They never had a chance with that line up

Give it time though.

I think Wales can make the Euro's. 24 slots and I think UEFA has about 53 teams. I'm sure Wales can sneak in with that. Scotland might have to wait till 2018, but they are taking steps to improve their set up

You could make 24 runners up places available and neither would qualify

Mikey_Fitzgerald · September 6, 2013

Bungle said:
You could make 24 runners up places available and neither would qualify

I think Wales have been steadily improving for a while

If Gary Speed had not sadly passed away, I think they would have done better in this group right now. They probably wouldn't have made it due to the difficulty, but they would have had a good stab at it I think

There's certainly potential there

Scotland needs a lot of work but I'm more optimistic with Strachan in charge than I have been at other points recently

toffeejack · September 6, 2013

Mikey_Fitzgerald said:
I think Wales have been steadily improving for a while

If Gary Speed had not sadly passed away, I think they would have done better in this group right now. They probably wouldn't have made it due to the difficulty, but they would have had a good stab at it I think

There's certainly potential there

Scotland needs a lot of work but I'm more optimistic with Strachan in charge than I have been at other points recently

you jynxed us mickey lad ha. wales dominated even without bale, really should have won, should never have lost thats for sure. Still take them at home, anything worse than 4th is a terrible failure though.

Mikey_Fitzgerald · September 6, 2013

toffeejack said:
you jynxed us mickey lad ha. wales dominated even without bale, really should have won, should never have lost thats for sure. Still take them at home, anything worse than 4th is a terrible failure though.

I saw about 5 minutes of it and Wales looked the better side

Sorry mate

Azzurri · September 6, 2013

Thorgan Hazard as good as Eden?

One's the main man at Chelsea and the other's on loan at Zulte Waregem in the Belgian second division.

noharmdone · September 6, 2013

Defour.. Always liked him.

centralTon · September 6, 2013

centralTon said:
They're playing Scotland tonight too...

Thought we gave a decent account of ourselves tonight, however, we were always gonnae be struggling against a team of that quality. I agree with Mikey that there seems to be more optimism under Strachan and although it may take a few years, I genuinely think that qualifying for a tournament will be possible within the foreseeable future.

toffee matt · September 6, 2013

centralTon said:
Thought we gave a decent account of ourselves tonight, however, we were always gonnae be struggling against a team of that quality. I agree with Mikey that there seems to be more optimism under Strachan and although it may take a few years, I genuinely think that qualifying for a tournament will be possible within the foreseeable future.

With euro 2016 beeing expanded for more teams, it would be a big disappointment if you lot didn't make it