Speaker 1: You're listening to Comedy Central. Hey, what's up everyone, I'm
Speaker 1: George Guntas. You love The Daily Show for its incisive
Speaker 1: political commentary, but did you know that our offices are
Speaker 1: filled with super soccer fans. I'm the lighting designer here
Speaker 1: at the Daily Show, and the only thing that I
Speaker 1: love more than our studio lights are the lights of
Speaker 1: the soccer stadium. I'm joined by Daily Show writer and
Speaker 1: super fan Joe Opio. The World Cup is underway, and
Speaker 1: we thought we dropped a bonus podcast episode breaking down
Speaker 1: the Round of sixteen and giving you our predictions for
Speaker 1: the quarterfinals. Will begin with a disappointing performance of the
Speaker 1: United States versus the Netherlands. The Dutch make easy work
Speaker 1: of the Americans with a three one victory. What are
Speaker 1: your take worries from the Game Show? First of all, George,
Speaker 1: it's a pleasure as always to join you and break
Speaker 1: down the games of the World Cup as it goes on.
Speaker 1: Um My take away from the US game? First of all,
Speaker 1: I thought the US was killed mainly by primary school
Speaker 1: boy eras in defense the Waki by cut backs from
Speaker 1: the Dutch. Nobody. You would think that a team at
Speaker 1: that level would know that when a ball goes on
Speaker 1: the side, there are two chances. Either you know the
Speaker 1: attack is going to smash it right across goal, or
Speaker 1: they're going to cut it back, and the US took
Speaker 1: the first option. They always went to defend the ball
Speaker 1: right across the first of goal, but then they forgot
Speaker 1: the trading runners and they ended up paying twice for
Speaker 1: their mistakes. The second goal. The first goal, I mean
Speaker 1: it was Tyler Adams who failed to track Memphis the
Speaker 1: Pie because Memphis the Pi started the move but then
Speaker 1: ran right past Adam. Adams has been America's best player
Speaker 1: by far, but I think in that moment he was
Speaker 1: caught napping. I think one of the central defenders should
Speaker 1: have stepped out, maybe to help him and make Memphis
Speaker 1: the play a bit more uncomfortable. But that was goal
Speaker 1: number one. Goal number two again, another ball to Denzel
Speaker 1: Damn Freeze. Again, another cut back, and this time it
Speaker 1: was another oh US is more talented players as a junior,
Speaker 1: Days was caught napping by Dell Blend. The last goal,
Speaker 1: I think I think they written by that point they
Speaker 1: had scored a very for truitous um first goal. But
Speaker 1: I think by that time they always had given up
Speaker 1: the game, and I thought, again it was more school
Speaker 1: boy errors in defense because when the cross came in
Speaker 1: from Dell blend Uh, the Americans all came into the middle,
Speaker 1: and I think Jedi Robinson is to blame. He came
Speaker 1: and squished into the middle. He never checked his mirrors,
Speaker 1: his side mirrors to see who was standing behind him again,
Speaker 1: Denzel dan Freese in acres of space, any professional player
Speaker 1: will put that chance away. So for me, that was
Speaker 1: very disappointing because the US conceded goals from school boy errors.
Speaker 1: My other tack I was how reactive Greg bell Halt
Speaker 1: was because I thought and I talked. We talked about
Speaker 1: this in our last last podcast. G ring should have
Speaker 1: started the game, especially because American laxis Wriker, so they
Speaker 1: could have played Geo maybe as a false night. Oh,
Speaker 1: they could have sort a team were into the number
Speaker 1: nine position and then let during a play as a
Speaker 1: number ten. But they didn't bring him on till they
Speaker 1: already turnel down. For me, that's very very reactive from
Speaker 1: the manager. I feel like the court should always take initiative.
Speaker 1: You try to take the initiative, try to force your
Speaker 1: opponent into playing, not not instead of your reacting to
Speaker 1: the way they play. And I think Louis and talked
Speaker 1: about it in his post much press conference. He said
Speaker 1: the US failed to adapt um and when Gregg bel
Speaker 1: to try to adapt, it was way too late. So
Speaker 1: for me again, I'm going to go back to what
Speaker 1: I hoped to about what I happened on about in
Speaker 1: the last podcast. I think Greg must go. I think
Speaker 1: he shouldn't be trusted with this golden generation of American players.
Speaker 1: I think the US is going to be looking at
Speaker 1: making a deeper run in the World Cup. I think
Speaker 1: the US has the tools and the resources to make
Speaker 1: a deeper run, but they need a far more brilliant manager.
Speaker 1: They needed far more proactive manager. And I think Gregg
Speaker 1: is way too reactive and way too conservative for his
Speaker 1: own good. I have to agree with you on that.
Speaker 1: I mean, starting with vanhal comparatively to Burr Halter, Van
Speaker 1: Halla guy coached I X Barcelona, US of Byron Munich,
Speaker 1: Manchester United, the biggest clubs in the world. He has
Speaker 1: he has forgotten Moska. Yeah first, yeah for sure. So
Speaker 1: now you sit there, and it was a simple game
Speaker 1: plan from Van Hall. He knew that the US would
Speaker 1: struggle to break them down. They allowed the US to
Speaker 1: have possession, US had of the ball to the Netherlands
Speaker 1: forty one. They just sat patiently and waited for their moments. Uh.
Speaker 1: That was the first note that I agree with you
Speaker 1: on his that Van Hall definitely how coached. Burr Halter
Speaker 1: again completely agree about the being reactive. I mean, we
Speaker 1: waited till almost stoppage time and down three one to
Speaker 1: pull a defender and play three at the back and
Speaker 1: just throw caution to the wind. In general, I feel
Speaker 1: like I wanted a more and more desperate performance once
Speaker 1: you went down from the Americans, and it just seemed
Speaker 1: like there was a little minute, a company spell where
Speaker 1: when they kind of scored the fortunate goal, there was
Speaker 1: there was another moment where someone rounded the keeper and
Speaker 1: probably should have done better. Uh. But yeah, for sure
Speaker 1: that led lack of desperation. And and then it was
Speaker 1: I think it was had you right again. It was
Speaker 1: a loose ball ball from Memphis, the pie that's around
Speaker 1: the keeper and he tried his best, but again his
Speaker 1: first touch to him too far away, too far, and
Speaker 1: basically you know, lost him the angle. But you're right, yes, yeah,
Speaker 1: And so again to go and then another thing, just
Speaker 1: to kind of continue what you said, is that the
Speaker 1: defensive mistakes. Obviously, you know optional defending, but I think
Speaker 1: when when you make one mistake, that can happen when
Speaker 1: you make three mistakes those kind of mistakes, I think
Speaker 1: that is a reflection of the manager. I think that, um.
Speaker 1: I think that's also an inability to communicate. I think
Speaker 1: that a center back, if you're like playing on a
Speaker 1: team with let's say a Sergio Ramos or or just
Speaker 1: and more expandence center back, they're gonna be yelling and
Speaker 1: directing and talking. I feel like it was like nobody.
Speaker 1: Nobody was talking, and in the end it's it's easy
Speaker 1: to blame the person who had that responsibility, but I
Speaker 1: think defending is a collective. Uh yeah, absolutely. And then
Speaker 1: the final thing that I'll say again agree that the
Speaker 1: two main storylines from a U S perspective, obviously the
Speaker 1: defensive lapses, and the second is that the USA were
Speaker 1: wasteball in front of goal. And when you're an underdog
Speaker 1: in this regard playing a better team, you have to
Speaker 1: you have to take your chances every chance. We all
Speaker 1: know this. The USA actually outshot the Dutch seventeen to eleven,
Speaker 1: seventeen to eleven, with more shots on target eight to six.
Speaker 1: The Dutch were clearly more clinical and deserve to win
Speaker 1: the game. But when you're playing, like we said, better side,
Speaker 1: you need to take in fort the opportunities. Had Poolicitch
Speaker 1: converted that early chance, it changed, it would have gained
Speaker 1: the complexion of the game. Yes, but also and I
Speaker 1: think this, it's crazy to talk about the US and
Speaker 1: not shooting well, shooting effectively given the gun virus for
Speaker 1: me in the country. But yeah, I think the US
Speaker 1: is this protect for a striker can put the chances away,
Speaker 1: and I feel like they're lucky because they have such
Speaker 1: a striker. Actually, Ricardo Peppy wasn't called up for the
Speaker 1: national team, but we can't go into the selections now,
Speaker 1: but I feel like Ricardo Peppy plays in the Dutch league.
Speaker 1: He makes he has made a habit out of scoring
Speaker 1: against that your position. He should have been in the team.
Speaker 1: I think enough acres of ink have been wasted writing
Speaker 1: about Greg Baratta's decision not to call him. But he's
Speaker 1: young and I think he's going to be a great
Speaker 1: addition to this particular roster going into six. Let's move
Speaker 1: on to Argentina versus Australia. Argentina be Australia to the
Speaker 1: one to set up an interesting quarterfinal matchup with the Netherlands.
Speaker 1: Many expected this to be in walk in the park
Speaker 1: for Argentina, but it was anything but. Well organiz Australian
Speaker 1: side made Argentina work for the way. I think the
Speaker 1: thing I took away from this is again Messy delivered,
Speaker 1: and I think a Jentana are going to need him
Speaker 1: to deliver each and every game if they're going to
Speaker 1: have a chance. He has been delivering big, big, huge, huge,
Speaker 1: decisive goals in every game he delivered. His scored against
Speaker 1: ad Arabia. Of course they lost that game, it was
Speaker 1: a penalty put it away. Then he scored the game
Speaker 1: that broke the Mexican resistance, and I feel like in
Speaker 1: this game as well, he scored the goal that broke
Speaker 1: the Australian resistance. Of course, this time he didn't have
Speaker 1: the married Mary. I think had massle overload, don't need
Speaker 1: the Maria. Clearly, when if you watch this game, you
Speaker 1: could see why the Maria is so essential to this team.
Speaker 1: But Messy again delivering that was critical. I feel like
Speaker 1: this game turned out to be a lot more tense
Speaker 1: and a lot more nervous than should have been. We
Speaker 1: all experted. Australia is a bit like the US in
Speaker 1: that um the best Australians or the most athletic Australians
Speaker 1: don't normally go into football. They're either going to Australian football,
Speaker 1: or they're going to rugby, or they're going to cricket.
Speaker 1: So football in Australia's struggles in match the same way
Speaker 1: that football struggles in the US. It doesn't attract the
Speaker 1: best of the best. But I think those stradients acquitted
Speaker 1: themselves well. I think they put up a good resistance.
Speaker 1: When Messi scored, I thought that would really be destroyer
Speaker 1: broke then, but they kept coming back and then they scored.
Speaker 1: Of course, they considered the second goal, which was a
Speaker 1: gift from their goalkeeper. He was pressured trying to split
Speaker 1: the two Argentinians and you don't do that at that level.
Speaker 1: You're going to be punished if you make such a mistake.
Speaker 1: But they kept, you know, fighting back, They kept coming back,
Speaker 1: and then the scored, of course of a deflection, and
Speaker 1: I feel like I didn't had it in them to
Speaker 1: stretch the game away. Lou Tarro Martinez. I don't know
Speaker 1: what's happening, but his of firm, his confidence is totally short.
Speaker 1: He has lost his starting position to Union Alvareze, and
Speaker 1: consider that that's affecting him. He had three great chances
Speaker 1: in this game him. The first one he should have
Speaker 1: put away. It was a simple color into decide nating,
Speaker 1: but then he ended up skying it and sending it
Speaker 1: into the stands. The second chance, it wasn't him who
Speaker 1: should have taken it. Should have just back killed the ball.
Speaker 1: They played a great ball into him and then Montiel
Speaker 1: was running behind him. Should have just back killed the
Speaker 1: ball into Montreal would have been one on one with
Speaker 1: an empty net. He didn't do that, cause again the
Speaker 1: desperation and when your confidence is shot, you always snatching
Speaker 1: a chances. He snatched at that third chance Massy played
Speaker 1: him in again, he just shot straight at the goalkeeper.
Speaker 1: A player of lauter Rose experience and pedigree, and we've
Speaker 1: seen him light up the champions retirement again. He should
Speaker 1: have expected him for at least put one of those
Speaker 1: chances away and put the game beyond Australia. But he didn't.
Speaker 1: And as you could see at the end, they almost
Speaker 1: paid for it. There was amazing run back as his
Speaker 1: beach which should have put Away back again. Great defending
Speaker 1: from Alexandra Martinez. I think I should be playing back
Speaker 1: three because you need the three central defenders covering for
Speaker 1: each other. If if Lissandro wasn't in, that was a
Speaker 1: definite goal. And then of course Australia had a chance
Speaker 1: at the very end of the day down Yeah, yeah,
Speaker 1: aggressive by Emiliano Martinez. But this game again Igin not
Speaker 1: made such heavy work when should have been a w
Speaker 1: The only only only two positives. I feel that I
Speaker 1: should take it from this game. Actually three is one
Speaker 1: the Maria wasn't in and they still managed to win.
Speaker 1: Two Massy still derivering. And then three and most importantly,
Speaker 1: this was the first game this entire World Cup when
Speaker 1: I felt that Druggor Depot it was almost back to
Speaker 1: his very best. This is the road Depot that we
Speaker 1: all know and love. This is the drug depole that
Speaker 1: earned himself a transfer from Mudensis to athlete commadred. This
Speaker 1: is the Rodrigo depole that helped again now win the
Speaker 1: Copa America. And I feel like you could see that
Speaker 1: in the way he pressed the Austrian goal people to
Speaker 1: create that chance for union overies for sure. For sure.
Speaker 1: Before I get into my thoughts about Argentina, I just
Speaker 1: want to take my hats off to Australia. They were fantastic.
Speaker 1: This was the type of performance you were hoping from
Speaker 1: for from the Americans as under dogs. You were hoping
Speaker 1: for some intensive intensity, physicality, belief. Again, I think that,
Speaker 1: like you said, comes down to the manager. So now
Speaker 1: back to Argentina. Like you said, what a performance from
Speaker 1: your boy Leo Messi um I feel like in stoppage time,
Speaker 1: like you said, Argentina could have scored probably four goals
Speaker 1: in stoppage time before that final chance for Australia. And
Speaker 1: again to kind of jump on your criticism of Laotara Martinez,
Speaker 1: um is Lotar Martinez, Gonzale Iguayene all of a sudden, Jesus,
Speaker 1: I mean, he's gonna lose the tournament for Argentina if
Speaker 1: they get into a spot where they need him to
Speaker 1: put one away. You're right as confidence is in the Yeah.
Speaker 1: And again to your point about uh de Maria, I agree,
Speaker 1: and I think the coach agrees because soon after halftime
Speaker 1: they made an interesting substitution when they pulled Papu Gome
Speaker 1: as an attack in midfielder to bring all the sounder
Speaker 1: and play three at the back. And that's kind of
Speaker 1: really when Argentina became more fluid, and I think, if
Speaker 1: you know, uh, I think that going forward, that that's
Speaker 1: something that they will turn to. I feel frankly that, um,
Speaker 1: when you look at this Identina team, Yeah, they are
Speaker 1: facing the same issue. They at least they should use
Speaker 1: the same formula they used that the Copa America, and
Speaker 1: that's you can't afford to concede. So if they can
Speaker 1: keep it near near, they can always count on the
Speaker 1: moment of magic from Massy. But they also can't afford
Speaker 1: to because I don't think they have the character to
Speaker 1: come back. I don't think they have the fossil of
Speaker 1: weir to come back. So the best hope for me
Speaker 1: is to always keep it tight at the back. The
Speaker 1: only good thing I could say in their favor is
Speaker 1: their considered three goals, and all three goals have been
Speaker 1: absolute standards in a way that they were unavailable, unavoidable.
Speaker 1: So the two goals that's Arabia put away. There's nothing
Speaker 1: in media or Martinez could have done about that. For sure,
Speaker 1: you're both like beautiful, brilliant goals. And then again as Australia,
Speaker 1: it was a standard in the sense that it deflected
Speaker 1: and went. It was not even close to being be
Speaker 1: not closed, but the way different than went into the
Speaker 1: same knitting. There's nothing it could be about it. So
Speaker 1: they haven't yet considered a goal that you would go like, oh,
Speaker 1: that was a mistake or the other team outplayed them
Speaker 1: in that way. And I feel like that's good if
Speaker 1: you're playing in the tournament, because tournament football is all
Speaker 1: about keeping it tight at the back and then picking
Speaker 1: your moment when you go forward. Agreed. Agreed. And then
Speaker 1: one more thing for our American fans that are new
Speaker 1: to watching the World Cap at this moment. One thing
Speaker 1: that happened in this game that is a technical term
Speaker 1: that we like to call squeaky bum time when you
Speaker 1: have yourpe, your to one late and the city and
Speaker 1: on the end of your seat. This game for the
Speaker 1: five for for savage time, we were complete squeaky bum
Speaker 1: time for the Australian fans, but they got through it.
Speaker 1: Argentina meets the Netherlands in the quarterfinal. We have gone through.
Speaker 1: That's going to be a tight one, but I think
Speaker 1: I know would have too much for the Dutch eventually.
Speaker 1: I think the Dutch benefited a lot from American's naivity.
Speaker 1: I don't think I, you know, will be as naive
Speaker 1: in attack. I don't think that would be as generous
Speaker 1: in defense as the Americans one. And I think the
Speaker 1: Dutch also struggle. They scored three goals against America, but
Speaker 1: as we saw, as we've said before, that was because
Speaker 1: America was too charitable in defense. I don't think they'll
Speaker 1: get as many chances against our getting and I don't
Speaker 1: think they have the kind of defensive middifielder or the
Speaker 1: kind of defensive discipline that can keep Leo Massy under
Speaker 1: the coach for ninety minutes. So I think you would
Speaker 1: have too much for them at the end of the day.
Speaker 1: I think Argentina is slowly going into the tournament. I
Speaker 1: think Messy and Ullian arab Braze that you can see
Speaker 1: their chemistry is beginning to build. The Mario probably be
Speaker 1: back for this game, and I feel like the Dutch
Speaker 1: the experience was what horses. Let's say that like the coach,
Speaker 1: from the coach or through their defense Van Dye the midfield,
Speaker 1: these are players who play the biggest games week in
Speaker 1: week out in Europe. But I think I think Mrs
Speaker 1: Brilliance will be a bit too much for them. And
Speaker 1: also like you have to remember that on the left
Speaker 1: side of the Dutch, that's where they'll bring a place
Speaker 1: and I think he's too slow. Actually think they'll bring
Speaker 1: against Messy and the Maria is the war crime waiting
Speaker 1: to happen. So unless it gets some kind of support
Speaker 1: from his wingers, I think it's going to be exposed.
Speaker 1: And if I were, if I were Lioness KARNI our
Speaker 1: specifically target they'll blind because I think he's the key
Speaker 1: weak weakness in that Dutch defense. I agreed, I have
Speaker 1: a Argentina going through as well. I just I what
Speaker 1: I hope is that as these as you get further
Speaker 1: in the tournament that um they don't tend to go
Speaker 1: conservative and in fear of not making a mistake, and
Speaker 1: I hope that they really go for because I think
Speaker 1: that they will outclass the netflace. Let's take a quick break.
Speaker 1: We'll be right back. So let's move on to France
Speaker 1: versus Poland. France be polling three to one in a
Speaker 1: pretty straightforward match A second half rade from Killy and
Speaker 1: bob Ay leads the French into the quarterfinals. I felt
Speaker 1: like the Polish will not be proud of themselves. They
Speaker 1: didn't really ton up for that game. They have one
Speaker 1: of the best strikers in the world at the moment,
Speaker 1: Robert Landowski. I don't think they fed him enough. I
Speaker 1: think he was stabbed of service um France. On the
Speaker 1: other hand, what can't we sak about France? But we
Speaker 1: have been said already them and Brazil and the favorites
Speaker 1: to win this particular World Cup. I think the final
Speaker 1: most likely, batting any upsens will be a rep with France, Vases, Brazil,
Speaker 1: Kirian Embapy oh man, we're were we are running out
Speaker 1: of compliments in this particular world They scored so many
Speaker 1: goals and it's just twenty four and I think the
Speaker 1: goals he scored against Poland what particularly brilliant in their quality.
Speaker 1: The first one he gave the keeper the eyes was
Speaker 1: going to go to the fair post, to the near Yeah.
Speaker 1: And then the second one he's playing he's like bringing
Speaker 1: with confidence and you need a player like that. But
Speaker 1: I feel like the calls made a mistake because if
Speaker 1: you're playing a team that has in Pappy on its wings,
Speaker 1: I think the only thing you have to do is
Speaker 1: concentrated on him, because the first goal was scored by
Speaker 1: Olivia Jero. But I think France doesn't offer as much
Speaker 1: going through the middle. I think the only creative outlet
Speaker 1: is to go through Bay. So if you crowd the
Speaker 1: wings and forced them to go through the middle, it's
Speaker 1: almost like the only way to narify France is to
Speaker 1: do the opposite of what coaches used to do when
Speaker 1: it came to Barcelona. So when Barslona was so good,
Speaker 1: when Chevy and in yes I used to play on
Speaker 1: the mass and they would all go through the middle,
Speaker 1: what would coaches do. They would flad the middle and
Speaker 1: force Barsona to play through the wings, because then Barsona
Speaker 1: was forced to swing in crosses and Barsona was absolutely
Speaker 1: important when it came to balls in the air. So
Speaker 1: I feel with France, because France is so devastating on
Speaker 1: the wings, with them bed on one wing and cleaning
Speaker 1: up on the other, I think coaches should be doing
Speaker 1: the opposite. They should be flooding bodies in the channels
Speaker 1: and forced France to go through the middle. I don't
Speaker 1: think France has enough creativity in the middle to actually
Speaker 1: damage any defense because they play too many and they
Speaker 1: also play ah adrianab rub your lax. They the creative
Speaker 1: now to unlock at defense, and so does so many.
Speaker 1: They can pass the ball, but they're always going to
Speaker 1: go through the wings. So flat the wings forced them
Speaker 1: through the middle, and I think you'll be able to
Speaker 1: notify Francis great. Yeah, for sure. I think that the
Speaker 1: way that France could get around that that they've done
Speaker 1: historically is too I think Drew needs to drop centrally deeper,
Speaker 1: hold up the ball and then play off to the wings.
Speaker 1: They've they've had a lot of success in that regard um.
Speaker 1: But as I mentioned Drew, it doesn't seem like France
Speaker 1: is missing Cream Pansaba. No they're not. And I feel
Speaker 1: like one player we're not talking about, and that's that's
Speaker 1: the beauty of France. They've got such such strengthened depth
Speaker 1: that they could easily switch out to playerff another and
Speaker 1: they don't almost see a drope in quality, which is
Speaker 1: something that most other teams can said. And so another
Speaker 1: thing I've've been talking about is Antoine Grisman. He hasn't
Speaker 1: been scoring goals, so he hasn't been getting any headlines,
Speaker 1: but I feel like his work rate and the way
Speaker 1: he helps link up the midfield with the attack has
Speaker 1: been absolutely important to France. I think he was the
Speaker 1: reason the squad the second goal that actually helped them
Speaker 1: get some kind of breathing room between themselves and depots.
Speaker 1: And I think he was back defending because the counter
Speaker 1: atta actually started from a ball that he cleared. You
Speaker 1: brought it down played in Embapy too near game over.
Speaker 1: And I think because he doesn't mean getting the goal,
Speaker 1: he doesn't mean getting onto the score sheet is very
Speaker 1: very easy and very tempting to overlook the amount of
Speaker 1: work and the amount of a link up play. He's
Speaker 1: basically the glue in that French squad, and I think
Speaker 1: if if you can, if you can just flat the wings,
Speaker 1: then the only adoption for instances to go through autoin Brisban.
Speaker 1: But then he's doing so much work off the ball
Speaker 1: that I doubt he would be as effective in the
Speaker 1: final fad for sure, for sure. And one last thing
Speaker 1: about this game before we move on is a pet
Speaker 1: peet mind that's been a trend lately, both in club
Speaker 1: and and international football is this stutter step Georgenio style penalty.
Speaker 1: Please stop, everybody. Goalkeepers stand on your line and do
Speaker 1: not move while they start a step and generate a
Speaker 1: penalty with zero power. Stand and wait. It is so
Speaker 1: frustrating to watch these penalties. I feel like a friend
Speaker 1: of I feel like it's a trend, as you said,
Speaker 1: and to set advisag you know, but I feel like
Speaker 1: what's opening right now is players betting on the goalkeeper
Speaker 1: going down fast before they even hit the ball. But
Speaker 1: then if the keeper doesn't do that, if the keeper
Speaker 1: decides this is going to be a staring contest, right
Speaker 1: then one of you is going to break a Normaldy
Speaker 1: because you don't have much of a run up and
Speaker 1: so you don't have that momentum before you strike the ball.
Speaker 1: Your penalty is going to be saved because it's going
Speaker 1: to be a slow ground up. We're talking about Messy
Speaker 1: last week and rather in our last podcast and we
Speaker 1: said he's not a great penner take up. We talked
Speaker 1: about Nama as well. But I think they're not isolated cases.
Speaker 1: I think, and that's the take away from me, that's
Speaker 1: the main take away from this round of sixteen. I
Speaker 1: think bad penalties an epidemic in football right now. It
Speaker 1: used to be that in a penalty shootout, one or
Speaker 1: maybe two people would miss, but now you had spain
Speaker 1: three people missing, all three people missing. The opening penalties
Speaker 1: yesterday Japan horrible, horrible penalties, all of them very very severable.
Speaker 1: And so I think we talked about Messi, but this
Speaker 1: is an epidemic and maybe we should be talking to
Speaker 1: Dr Fauci. Come, that's right, that's right for sure. Let's
Speaker 1: move on to England versus Senegal. Gary Southgate starts still
Speaker 1: voting and he rewards him with two assists and Jude
Speaker 1: Belling and puts in a man with a match performances.
Speaker 1: England cruise pass Senegal three, now setting up a mouth
Speaker 1: water and quarterfinal versus France. England that had been crying
Speaker 1: out for fear for then. We talked about this in
Speaker 1: my LA in the last podcast. I was crying out
Speaker 1: for fear for then. I feel a talent like him
Speaker 1: should always be on the pitch and Kulto us two
Speaker 1: a south Gate for starting game because otherwise a partform
Speaker 1: fuel for then. That was a very very conservative lineup.
Speaker 1: When I saw it and I saw he was starting,
Speaker 1: both they clan Rice and Henderson, and on top of
Speaker 1: that he was also starting Jude bearing Up. I couldn't
Speaker 1: believe it. I thought, wit is England facing Senegal or
Speaker 1: they facing Barcelona Barcelona. That's how conservative that lineup was.
Speaker 1: But he redeemed himself by starting field for then and
Speaker 1: I think it paid off. I feel like Senegal, much
Speaker 1: like the US, was very generous there. They were laid
Speaker 1: down by both their defense and their midfield. I don't
Speaker 1: think England would have gotten the goals they got against
Speaker 1: Senegal if you are playing against more experienced and more
Speaker 1: streetwise or street smart position. Look at the first goal
Speaker 1: they basically late Henderson ran untracked into their six year
Speaker 1: box the Senegal It's was very disappointing as an African
Speaker 1: because I like always the defensive discipline. You can't have
Speaker 1: a midfielder running trucks from the midfield into your six
Speaker 1: and box. The second goal was even more disappointing because
Speaker 1: it was towards halftime forty minute you're hoping and praying,
Speaker 1: let's take it back into the dressing room when it's
Speaker 1: one year. Then we can strate gaze and come up
Speaker 1: with a game plan. And then at that point you
Speaker 1: bring him, got the ball and they let him run
Speaker 1: through their midfield. They had two opportunities to commit tactical
Speaker 1: fouls to bring him down so that they could reorganize.
Speaker 1: They passed up both opportunities. I don't think a South
Speaker 1: American team or a more streetwise European team would have
Speaker 1: let you bring him get away with that. They would
Speaker 1: have side your remos would have cast. You would have
Speaker 1: put him on the day immediately. But the Senega showed
Speaker 1: there I think tournament in experience in that particular moment,
Speaker 1: and now you're going into halftime, you tinuer down game
Speaker 1: over third goal as well. Again, it beat like the
Speaker 1: US defensive nativity because the ball comes in from the
Speaker 1: side and Boaka waited for I think an edge. It
Speaker 1: felt like centuries in that box and the left back
Speaker 1: was off doing god knows what. Again, there's no where
Speaker 1: you're making that mistake at this level and you're not
Speaker 1: getting punished. And I felt like the Senegatives let themselves down.
Speaker 1: I feel like they missed having a player like said
Speaker 1: your money in the team. I feel like their defense,
Speaker 1: which is being marshaled by two very experienced players. You
Speaker 1: have a mending goal and calibody in in the heart
Speaker 1: at the heart of that defense. I think they should
Speaker 1: have done better. Again, you said defending is very collaborative.
Speaker 1: I think they should have screamed and yelled and talked
Speaker 1: a bit more. They paid the price, and for me
Speaker 1: it was very disappointing as an Africa and I guess
Speaker 1: the same Americans were disappointed by the U S. I
Speaker 1: feel like, if you're going to go out at this stage,
Speaker 1: it's better if you go out because the other team
Speaker 1: was too brilliant, as opposed to you going out because
Speaker 1: you're either in disciplined in defense or naive or otherwise
Speaker 1: through some kind of mistake. For sure. Obviously Senegal miss Saudioman.
Speaker 1: I think the world, all the fans in the world
Speaker 1: missed such a wonderful player. Um. But again, England were dominant.
Speaker 1: Like you said, you touched on a lot of the points. Um.
Speaker 1: A thing that really stood out to me, uh was
Speaker 1: Harry Kane and how Harry Kane is I think one
Speaker 1: of the two unique strikers in the world. I think
Speaker 1: here he is the only other player that you could
Speaker 1: call a nine and a half who drops so deep
Speaker 1: to facilitate and influences the game so much. When he's
Speaker 1: not scoring goals. The only difference between I think Harry
Speaker 1: Kane and Benzema is when Benzama starts to move deep
Speaker 1: and plays Vinny throu he somehow magically arrives in the
Speaker 1: box to also finish the move as well. Where here, obviously,
Speaker 1: uh Henderson comes in, like you said, unmarked, but the
Speaker 1: awareness to say, hey, my my number nine is at
Speaker 1: half field, let me occupy the center channel to give
Speaker 1: Belling him an option to cut it back at brilliant,
Speaker 1: brilliant from Henderson in that regard. Um I also again
Speaker 1: Jude telling him, Wow, man, this guy is the total package.
Speaker 1: He's he's he has announced himself at the big stage.
Speaker 1: But I think if you're a player who watches European football,
Speaker 1: rather if you're a fan sorry, who watches European football,
Speaker 1: you're not surprised. He has been the standout player at
Speaker 1: Publish Dottman for I think the last two seasons. He's
Speaker 1: a classic box to box player. He's so strong, he's
Speaker 1: so fast, and it's so physically gifted that he can
Speaker 1: muscle his way from midfield to the attack. I feel like,
Speaker 1: if you're English. Another great piece of news from this
Speaker 1: game is that hurricane a bench word finally got onto
Speaker 1: the score ship right, he got into the score shiet,
Speaker 1: And you need England needed hurricane somewhere rediscovering his scoring boats.
Speaker 1: If you are to have a chance going further into
Speaker 1: the tournament, you can't just have a hurricane assisting and facilitating.
Speaker 1: That's not his job description. His job descriptions. Put the
Speaker 1: ball in the net. And I feel like that goal
Speaker 1: because sometimes if you strike and struggling for goals, sometimes
Speaker 1: that one goal can just reopen the flaggates for you. Absolutely.
Speaker 1: Um So, now it's England France in the quarterfinal, it's
Speaker 1: going to be box office. Who do you have going through?
Speaker 1: I think I have France going through. But I think
Speaker 1: this game is ironically particularly suited to Gary stuff Gates conservatism.
Speaker 1: I feel like Gary stuff get always goes negative regardless
Speaker 1: of the opposition. But I think like, for once, if
Speaker 1: he decides to employ negative tactics to counter the threat
Speaker 1: of France, everyone in England will understand. So I think
Speaker 1: this game France will win because France, I feel, has
Speaker 1: got way too many weapons to have England, and England
Speaker 1: doesn't have the same amount of offensive weapons. I feel
Speaker 1: France has also the defensive weapons to actually neutralize England's attack,
Speaker 1: and Engan doesn't have the same the other side. But
Speaker 1: I feel like this game pays a game that was
Speaker 1: almost tailor made forgot to self gate and the negativity,
Speaker 1: got to self and the conservative tactics. I think it's
Speaker 1: this particular quarter final for sure. I agree great matchup.
Speaker 1: I do have France going through as well, um, but
Speaker 1: you never know what ends up happening in these games.
Speaker 1: I feel like it's gonna be nervy. I think it's
Speaker 1: gonna be like one of those Champions League final games
Speaker 1: where people are going to be hesitant to take chances,
Speaker 1: and I feel like it's gonna take a little time.
Speaker 1: People are gonna take a little time to get out
Speaker 1: of the the shell and then you know, all it takes
Speaker 1: is one mistake and everything changes. So again, going with France,
Speaker 1: but I think it's gonna be a great game. It's
Speaker 1: good for me. It's it's gonna be a mouth of
Speaker 1: running battle, an intriguing, mouth watering battle between Kelly and
Speaker 1: Mbopy and Kyle woke up because both of them are
Speaker 1: like super super passy. Both of them are probably some
Speaker 1: of the fastest players we are playing the game today
Speaker 1: and it's going to be an intriguing Titanic battle between
Speaker 1: the two of them. Let's move on to Croatia versus Japan.
Speaker 1: After beating Germany and Spain in the group stage, Japan
Speaker 1: fall to Croatia and penalties after falling behind one nailed,
Speaker 1: unexperienced Croatian side get themselves back in the match and
Speaker 1: force penalties where they come out victorious. I felt bad
Speaker 1: for Japan. I feel like they have put together a
Speaker 1: run in this particular tournament that deserved maybe a bit
Speaker 1: more reward, maybe another round, because remember they beat Spain
Speaker 1: and they beat Germany and they qualified as top of
Speaker 1: a group that had Spain and Germany in it. This
Speaker 1: was the group of death. They were not supposed to
Speaker 1: make it out of this group. They did, and then
Speaker 1: they ran into a Russian side that his experienced at
Speaker 1: this level. They've been there than that. They have so
Speaker 1: many old war horses, Modre each Brosovich. This players have
Speaker 1: been there, done that, and you could see it when
Speaker 1: they went one day down, they didn't panic, even parisick.
Speaker 1: They knew that they could bounce back. And remember the
Speaker 1: last World Cup, Koratia kept advancing simply by winning their
Speaker 1: penalty shootouts. Now they lost one of their best penalty
Speaker 1: take us back then, um, the former bassel on the midfielder,
Speaker 1: even even your even Racketica. He was always their last
Speaker 1: penalt taker, their best penalta. They lost him from that
Speaker 1: World Cup. But they're still as experienced and they still
Speaker 1: know what it takes. And guess what now they have
Speaker 1: a goalkeeper who stops penalties for fun. I felt that
Speaker 1: the Japanese penalties were all terrible. Again the thing you've said,
Speaker 1: they try to hope and play that the keeper goes
Speaker 1: the wrong way. You should pick your sport and you
Speaker 1: should put the ball in the spot, regardless of where
Speaker 1: the keeper goes. I was talking to a friend of
Speaker 1: mine and I was asking him why don't players try
Speaker 1: to put the ball in the roof, and they said,
Speaker 1: because there's always the risk that you might actually sky
Speaker 1: it and it goes over the cross bar. And that
Speaker 1: was of the opinion that I would rather my penalty
Speaker 1: goes over the cross bar then it'll be saved by
Speaker 1: the goalkeeper, because when you try to go high, the
Speaker 1: a keeper has no chance of saving the pen because
Speaker 1: not keeper dives going up. And I remember one of
Speaker 1: my favorite players, one of my favorite strikers and favorite
Speaker 1: penalty takers, Alan should I always used to go high
Speaker 1: and he never missed the penalty I think his entire career,
Speaker 1: or maybe missed one or two, but he had a
Speaker 1: consistent record of always always putting the ball in the net.
Speaker 1: And when you look at the Japanese penalties, all of
Speaker 1: them are on the ground, all of them easily, easily saved,
Speaker 1: and I it was heartbreaking because I feel like Japan
Speaker 1: deserved a lot more, not because not sorrely because they
Speaker 1: played such great football, but also because they have the
Speaker 1: best fans at any world gap. I agree. I think
Speaker 1: that the other thing that I don't know what it is,
Speaker 1: it's always a pressure, the most you know, one of
Speaker 1: the most pressure you can feels of fessional athlete any sport.
Speaker 1: It seems like it's easy, but it's it's all mental
Speaker 1: taking a penalty. I don't know, it's it's simple, it's
Speaker 1: it's a simple psychological butt between you and the goalkeeper
Speaker 1: and the goalkeepers and absolutely no pressure because the goalkeeper
Speaker 1: can consider five and they don't understand right. So the
Speaker 1: press is always on the kicka and the god just
Speaker 1: needs to save one or two and then they become
Speaker 1: the hero. Yeah. It's like I have this thing where
Speaker 1: I look at the face of the taker as they're
Speaker 1: lining up, and I predict if they're gonna make it
Speaker 1: or miss it. And I'm right more than I'm wrong.
Speaker 1: You see a guy like Christiano Ronaldo take a deep breath,
Speaker 1: and you're like, this guy is automatic, and he is.
Speaker 1: And then you see, like you see the look on
Speaker 1: some of these and again, some of these guys are kids.
Speaker 1: I mean they're like twenty years old years old. Like,
Speaker 1: it's a huge responsibility. It's a huge, huge responsibility. England
Speaker 1: and the Euro's prime example. Uh, you know, and you
Speaker 1: can just say, like the I would rather have a
Speaker 1: person my least skilled players take the penalties, who want
Speaker 1: to take the penalty, then my that are confident than
Speaker 1: my more skilled players who are afraid at the moment.
Speaker 1: Some people who all say the players are not chosen
Speaker 1: at random, you know, the practice the penalties and going
Speaker 1: by the results at the training ground, then the court
Speaker 1: decides who he is prime penalty as will be. But George,
Speaker 1: as we already said, I think we've talked about this
Speaker 1: before in the hallways of the daily Show. It's very,
Speaker 1: very hard to simulate the pressure and atmosphere in a
Speaker 1: life game when you're in the training ground, because you're not.
Speaker 1: When you're the training ground, you don't have fans bowing
Speaker 1: and chanting, you don't have that lonely walk, that lonely,
Speaker 1: very very lonely walk from the center line all the
Speaker 1: way to the box. So the conditions, the lab conditions
Speaker 1: at the training ground are far far removed from the
Speaker 1: real conditions on the pitch. So even when the coaches
Speaker 1: go like, okay, this is the player who converted the
Speaker 1: most penalties when we practiced the penalty kicks on the
Speaker 1: training ground, it feels like the penalty kicks on the
Speaker 1: training ground are in a more controlled environment and so on,
Speaker 1: are not a reflection of the pressure you're going to
Speaker 1: be under. The pressure is actually taking a penalty in
Speaker 1: a real game. Let's take a quick break. We'll be
Speaker 1: right back. Let's move on to see who Croatia will
Speaker 1: face in the quarterfinal matchup. Brazil put on a show
Speaker 1: and they dominate South Korea for the one setting up
Speaker 1: uh the quarterfinal match of Croatia. Can Brazil be stopped?
Speaker 1: I felt I have to begin by saying I felt
Speaker 1: bad for for South Korea. I felt like they had
Speaker 1: the misfortune, the terrible, terrible misfortune of running into this
Speaker 1: Brasilian team. No one wanted to run into this president
Speaker 1: team so early. If South Korea had somehow avoided Brazil,
Speaker 1: they probably might have made it into the next one,
Speaker 1: because then they would have been facing Switzerland. That's a
Speaker 1: far better prospect than facing Brazil. I think Brazil is
Speaker 1: a hard team to stop. I think we've talked about
Speaker 1: Brazil being the favorites in the last podcast, and I
Speaker 1: think I'll reach it the same message in this podcast.
Speaker 1: Brazil are, without a doubt, if one's favorites. Is such
Speaker 1: a solid team at the back, and yet they are
Speaker 1: also very devastating on the wings, and they're the creative
Speaker 1: to name in the middle of the park. And then
Speaker 1: they have Charison who is converting, and he converts at
Speaker 1: a far more efficient rate for his national team than
Speaker 1: needers for his clubs Motorspa. So I think they're very insuperable.
Speaker 1: And of course, if you manage to go past Casal,
Speaker 1: and you managed to go somehow past Tiago Silver in
Speaker 1: defense and Martinos, then you have to build who with
Speaker 1: the wall that's Alison, and Brazil has such strengthened depth
Speaker 1: that even the second best goalkeeper, the second they are
Speaker 1: second option as a goalkeeper, could be starting for most
Speaker 1: of the other teams in the tournament. So, without a doubt,
Speaker 1: Brazil and you can't see that they're in their groove now,
Speaker 1: they're having fun, they're dancing partaple it's disrespectful, but I
Speaker 1: don't think it is, because I think when you score
Speaker 1: a goal, then you've earned the right to celebrate anyway
Speaker 1: you want. If people don't want to celebrate, then they
Speaker 1: should be stopping you from scoring the goal. And I
Speaker 1: also feel like maybe there's a bit of a cultural misunderstanding.
Speaker 1: Some people see Brazilian players dancing and they think it's disrespectful,
Speaker 1: especially like I think pand is from the West. But
Speaker 1: Brazilians that's who they are. You know. They dance, they jiggle,
Speaker 1: they have fun. You know, they always they call them
Speaker 1: the sample boys because that's who they are. For them,
Speaker 1: Soccer is not so much a game as it is
Speaker 1: a lifestyle. You know, we talk about yoga, bonito. They're
Speaker 1: having fun and that's a very very dangerous Brazil. Every
Speaker 1: time you see Brazil having this kind of fun, that
Speaker 1: means the main business, and that's what my soub Brazil
Speaker 1: having this kind of fun was in two thousand two
Speaker 1: when they had the famous three hours you know, Ronaldo,
Speaker 1: Rivaldo Ronardino, and you remember they were dancing at the end,
Speaker 1: up winning the tournament. So for me, I think that
Speaker 1: the team to beat, and I think good luck to
Speaker 1: Croatia trying to stop this team. But of course pas
Speaker 1: I said, you know, Cosia experienced, they have been there,
Speaker 1: done that. They might just have the tools or the
Speaker 1: tournament know how to pose a threat or to pause
Speaker 1: at least a big enough road broke for Brazil. But
Speaker 1: this President team, man, I see them go and go
Speaker 1: their way. And remember I'm a guy who wants mess
Speaker 1: to who in it, but Messin needs to go past
Speaker 1: this Prasian team somehow. My one last question about this
Speaker 1: game is other than Brazilian manager Tita, who had the
Speaker 1: best goal day and celebration, who had you really see
Speaker 1: the thing about Tita dancing with his players, and again
Speaker 1: I'm going to happen about how much fun the Brasians
Speaker 1: are having. You really see coaches do that, so the
Speaker 1: players will go dance and all that, and then the
Speaker 1: coach will remain extremely professional and very battled up, and
Speaker 1: we're gonna don't know. The job is not yet done.
Speaker 1: We can't be having fun yet. But you could see
Speaker 1: when they ran to him that even he is going
Speaker 1: in the case of vote into this. I feel like
Speaker 1: we're here top pan so, which means the pressure is
Speaker 1: of both tactically and on the pitch, and that makes
Speaker 1: you don't want to fast an opponent because at this
Speaker 1: at this level in the World Cup, the nerves are
Speaker 1: always jangling. At this level in the World Cup, every
Speaker 1: match becomes a pressure cooker. So if you see your
Speaker 1: opponent having fun and enjoying themselves, then you just know
Speaker 1: you're in trouble. I felt I like I like frankly,
Speaker 1: I like to look as packet as dance because yeah,
Speaker 1: I just good to see a white boy with rhythm.
Speaker 1: He's Brazilian, he's white, but also you have to remember
Speaker 1: his Brasilian, so it was fun to see him having
Speaker 1: some rhythom. I think we can both agree that we
Speaker 1: have Brazil going through with our picks for the for
Speaker 1: the quarterfinal. Yeah, yes, I think it's going to be
Speaker 1: a Brazil again in a semifinal, which is a repeat
Speaker 1: of the Copa America and that is going to be
Speaker 1: extremely exciting for every football fan, not just in South
Speaker 1: America but all over the world. Moving on to Spain
Speaker 1: versus Morocco, and organized Moroccan side holds Spain to a
Speaker 1: nil nil draw. He goes to penalties, where Spain failed
Speaker 1: to convert a single penalty. Morocco or through the quarter finals,
Speaker 1: disappointing for the wiser and rickey. Disappointing for Spain. They
Speaker 1: thought they would, they hoped they would make a deeper run,
Speaker 1: but they went into the informed team for me of
Speaker 1: the tournament. Besides Brazil, Morocco have just considered one goal
Speaker 1: and beaten in this particular World Cup, top their group,
Speaker 1: which no one expected them to do, and they've been
Speaker 1: on a run ever since. This new coach came on,
Speaker 1: um Waldre. He replaced but Zeke, who had had a
Speaker 1: falling out with most of the squad that had a
Speaker 1: falling out with karim z. The first thing the new
Speaker 1: coach did was integrated z h, his most creative player,
Speaker 1: into the team and I think you could see how
Speaker 1: much it's paying off. The first thing I love about
Speaker 1: Morocco is there a proper tournament team when you come
Speaker 1: into tournament, and Americans already say this, but it holds
Speaker 1: true in soccer, especially when you talk to American football fans,
Speaker 1: they will tell you offenses win your games, but defenses
Speaker 1: win your championships. And Morocco has perhaps the tightest defense
Speaker 1: in the entire tournament. They don't give away goals, they
Speaker 1: don't give all chances cheaply. You have to work for
Speaker 1: almost every in rod you make in this team, and
Speaker 1: they're protected by for me, one of the most underrated
Speaker 1: players in this particular tournament, and that's a amber Bat,
Speaker 1: Sophie and amber Bat. He's been a machine in that midfield.
Speaker 1: He covers loads of ground, He covers almost every blood
Speaker 1: of grass every time he plays. And then they have
Speaker 1: the outlet you know in in in z h in
Speaker 1: all nursery, they have been enough in uh in Bufal,
Speaker 1: there have enough players who can also help them release
Speaker 1: the pressure when the ball is kicked upfield. But for me,
Speaker 1: I think the key to their success and the key
Speaker 1: that's going to be and what's going to remain key
Speaker 1: to their success going forward is their defense. So long
Speaker 1: as you're playing a tournament and you don't concede. You
Speaker 1: always have the chance, whether it goes into penalties or not.
Speaker 1: You always you can sneak a goal or maybe you're right,
Speaker 1: but you opened your opponent will make a mistake. So
Speaker 1: long as you keep it tight at the back, you
Speaker 1: always have a shot. And I feel like Morocco at
Speaker 1: least understood assignment when it comes to that. That's right.
Speaker 1: You gotta keep it site. In a tournament like Grease
Speaker 1: two thousand four year olds exactly one almost every game,
Speaker 1: one deal or they way to the final and then
Speaker 1: one the final as well. One deal. That was a
Speaker 1: proper tournamentum And I feel like almost Morocco is replicating
Speaker 1: that kind of form absolutely, And I'd like to say,
Speaker 1: for the record, it is on tape. I did predict
Speaker 1: this outcome Korea, and and before I get into Spain,
Speaker 1: I just want to say Morocco were absolutely fantastic. They
Speaker 1: executed the game plan to perfection, stay compact, let's Spain
Speaker 1: have the ball. Spain had seventy seven percent of the
Speaker 1: ball to their they were passing it sideways and back
Speaker 1: whar it rarely looked a threat. And they took to
Speaker 1: the game, the penalties and they won the game. By
Speaker 1: the way, their coach took over just last August, so
Speaker 1: he's been with the team barely three four months. But
Speaker 1: you can't see that they buy into his philosophy. You
Speaker 1: can't see the impact has had on the team. And
Speaker 1: he's a former differender, so he understands how important defense
Speaker 1: is when you're playing tournament football. Um, he hasn't closed
Speaker 1: the game. That's the most impressive thing. Because he came on,
Speaker 1: played a bunch of friendlies, but he hasn't lost a
Speaker 1: game even through the friendlies. So this run that he has.
Speaker 1: Some poles said, oh, this is a fairy tale. No,
Speaker 1: this is something that has had in place ever since
Speaker 1: he took over. And it's go to be very very
Speaker 1: interesting to watch Portugal try to break down this Moroccan team.
Speaker 1: Oh for sure. And you know, I totally agree with that.
Speaker 1: We'll get that into that into the into the quarterfinal
Speaker 1: and sect. I just want to say a final thought
Speaker 1: on Spain. I think they're they're too rigid with their philosophy.
Speaker 1: You know that the blueprint to beat a tiki tie
Speaker 1: tiki taka side is pretty well documented and they don't
Speaker 1: have the extra difference maker playing that style to make
Speaker 1: it work. They don't have a messy or Aldano, uh
Speaker 1: you know, someone who in you know, you know, or
Speaker 1: for that matter, Jobing and he Hasta, you know, those
Speaker 1: types of players to kind of really execute it. So
Speaker 1: it's really easy for teams to sit back, wait for
Speaker 1: the chances hit him on the break or in a tournament,
Speaker 1: you know, plays penalties win the game. And I think
Speaker 1: that they need to replace Louis Enrique with a new
Speaker 1: manager who's willing to play more keep the tiki taka
Speaker 1: elements of having the ball, but also in moments be
Speaker 1: prepared to be more direct when the situations are for themselves.
Speaker 1: I feel like that's Louis and Rookie's gift and classes
Speaker 1: so stubborn and when he's waddy toy style, he's wedded
Speaker 1: to the style. He won't add switch it up just
Speaker 1: because maybe things are not going well. Um in this game,
Speaker 1: I felt that there was lots of tooths possession based
Speaker 1: tic attack and just for the sake of possition. At
Speaker 1: some point you can you can't pass the ball possible,
Speaker 1: but at some point you need that forward thrust. You
Speaker 1: need to stab. You can't just pass the bocause then
Speaker 1: what the defense does is it just keeps its shape
Speaker 1: and keeps its structure, and they know you will never
Speaker 1: be able to go past them. So Spain too much possession,
Speaker 1: but not enough of the killer instinct to actually make
Speaker 1: it count. The final thing I'll say about Spain before
Speaker 1: we move on is that obviously some of the older
Speaker 1: players like Busquets and maybe Geordie Alba obviously probably World Cup,
Speaker 1: and even though I love the phenomenal talents of Padri
Speaker 1: and Gabby Uh, they sometimes struggle to compete with like bigger,
Speaker 1: stronger opponents, guys like telling him wilder day Uh to
Speaker 1: a many kind of more of the modern prototype of
Speaker 1: a modern day midfielder. So it's gonna be interesting to
Speaker 1: see moving forward how they can combine with some of
Speaker 1: these young talents and maybe try to adapt to kind
Speaker 1: of a more physical modern game, because obviously the town
Speaker 1: at Spain is there. I think I think Spain is
Speaker 1: facing the same issue going six that the US is facing.
Speaker 1: They need to find a striker. And as you say,
Speaker 1: the way they play, the way the game in Spain
Speaker 1: is evolving, it almost feels that clubs no longer needs
Speaker 1: strikers because they play force nines and half nins and
Speaker 1: they try to prom as many midfielders in every squad
Speaker 1: as they can, and so you can see that they're
Speaker 1: being left behind. Spain used to produce some of the
Speaker 1: best strikers in the world, but you can't see because
Speaker 1: of evolution of football philosophy in Spain, and that was
Speaker 1: started by paper, you know, it was started of course
Speaker 1: by you and Crick and then Peper moved it and
Speaker 1: modernize it to the next level. You can't tell by
Speaker 1: that evolution that Spain is paying the price because Spin
Speaker 1: doesn't have a striker at the same level as Hurricane.
Speaker 1: Spin doesn't have a striker who you can count on
Speaker 1: to come and make a difference because the league has
Speaker 1: evolved to become this midfield a heavy league that almost
Speaker 1: always makes strikers fuel Mexican citizens now for sure. So
Speaker 1: here we go. We had one more matchup in the
Speaker 1: round sixteen in Portugal. Start Gonzalo Ramos in the place
Speaker 1: of Christiano Ronaldo, who scores a hat trick and Portugal
Speaker 1: dominates with certain six to one and coasting the quarterfinals.
Speaker 1: The Gonzalo Ramos plowing performance earn him starting out in
Speaker 1: the court of quarter finals without a doubt. It was
Speaker 1: a gutsy, getsy bald call, almost risky call from the
Speaker 1: Portuguese manager. You don't ever bench your best player in
Speaker 1: such a critical game. But I think Ronaldo, despite everything,
Speaker 1: has done brilliant carrier, one of the best players I've
Speaker 1: ever played the game. He had a stinker against South
Speaker 1: Korea in the last game, and I feel like that
Speaker 1: gave the coach enough justification to put him on the bench,
Speaker 1: because ours felt like for all these gifts, he was
Speaker 1: holding a Portugo back. Because Portugal is a very dynamic,
Speaker 1: fluid team, very cohesive unit. But when Ronaldo is playing,
Speaker 1: almost every he's he's like he's like a black hole,
Speaker 1: because almost every player has to be channeled through him.
Speaker 1: He's that big of a character, He's that big of
Speaker 1: an influence that all the players keep looking for him.
Speaker 1: It's almost the same problem that sometimes Barcelona used to
Speaker 1: have with Messy, or that Agenda has with Messi. Now
Speaker 1: you try to channel every attacking play through your best player.
Speaker 1: And so when they took him off again, gotzicole. I
Speaker 1: didn't think that Santos had it in him to make
Speaker 1: that call, but when it's paid off, it took seventeen
Speaker 1: minutes for it to pay off. Brilliant Prian God. He
Speaker 1: had no angle, Gonzmos, but he somehow found the way
Speaker 1: past the goalkeeper and then he just went on school
Speaker 1: had also by they had an assist for me, probably
Speaker 1: the most complete performance by any player this World Cup.
Speaker 1: And I felt for the Swizz and maybe maybe the
Speaker 1: Gold Bamboozo by the fact that Ronaldo didn't play, because
Speaker 1: remember or throughout the last four days, they have spent
Speaker 1: every training session preparing and strategizing for a Portugal team
Speaker 1: that had Ronaldo in it. Now imagine their shock when
Speaker 1: they turned up and there was this player no one had,
Speaker 1: no one had ever had of because remember Gonzalo Remos,
Speaker 1: actually this was just his fourth Cup. He's the least
Speaker 1: experienced player in the Portuguese team. So when they were
Speaker 1: if they were going to bench Ronaldo, you expected maybe
Speaker 1: Andress Silver to come on, but Santos tramped and went
Speaker 1: the least experienced player. It played off, But I think
Speaker 1: I feel like Switzerland War bambooz One because the moment
Speaker 1: they crossed that white line, then they had the entire
Speaker 1: game plan went out of the window because the player
Speaker 1: they have been preparing for wasn't on the pitch, and
Speaker 1: then the player was taking this place was a player
Speaker 1: no one knew anything about. So if you had defended
Speaker 1: in that in that instance, you're going like, wow, no
Speaker 1: one told me about this guy. In the strategy meeting,
Speaker 1: you're all of a sudden trying to go through your
Speaker 1: phone to find out what's this guy's strength. Is he
Speaker 1: le footed or right footed? Is he couldn't air or not?
Speaker 1: What's so? It's it almost like throws your entire game off.
Speaker 1: And I feel like Switzerland paid the price because they
Speaker 1: had organized and sort of different game than they ended
Speaker 1: up playing. For sure. I mean I think Portugal looked
Speaker 1: really good both with the ball and then transition. Um,
Speaker 1: like you said, very complete performance. Uh it makes you
Speaker 1: think that they could go tone so with a Brazilia
Speaker 1: of France if they were to meet further in the tournament. Um,
Speaker 1: really really impressive stuff. I think Spain should take notes
Speaker 1: about how to play a more modern brand of football.
Speaker 1: It's a side way to see Ronaldo go because you
Speaker 1: you would have wanted him to have a primary role,
Speaker 1: to play a bigger, more prominent role at his World Cup.
Speaker 1: In fantasy, has carried this team or through the other
Speaker 1: World Cup, so maybe his dear rest. But when I
Speaker 1: was watching the game and with every goal that Romo squad,
Speaker 1: you could see the chances of Ronaldo actually making it
Speaker 1: back into the starting living dwindle with each goal. Like
Speaker 1: the last goal that was a goal scored by a
Speaker 1: player bringming with confidence in the World Cup for hart
Speaker 1: trick and it just dinked it over the goalkeeper. So
Speaker 1: for me, I feel like Portugal prior to this were
Speaker 1: facing the same problem that Manchester United has has been
Speaker 1: dealing with. How do you build your team around the
Speaker 1: player whose age, which by the way, is not thought
Speaker 1: of his because further time comes for us all but
Speaker 1: a player whose age makes him a liability when you
Speaker 1: don't have the ball, because Ronaldo can't track back the
Speaker 1: way same remors can. Ronaldo doesn't give you anything. He
Speaker 1: can't press the defenders because he has to conserve his energy,
Speaker 1: and he doesn't give you because Messy doesn't do that
Speaker 1: all that, but Messy gives you something off the ball
Speaker 1: or when he has the ball, Mexican create for the
Speaker 1: players are not the only contributes when he's scoring, and
Speaker 1: this World Cup he has only scored one goal, which
Speaker 1: was of a dubious penalty against Garner in the opening game.
Speaker 1: He has gone missing in all the other games. So
Speaker 1: if a player is not contributing through the only album
Speaker 1: you can contribute, then he has to go to the bench. Sorry.
Speaker 1: And then when you bring in a youngster that goes
Speaker 1: though remors and his scores with the kind of is
Speaker 1: that he did. Yet he can also give you other things.
Speaker 1: He doesn't have the ball when it's not scoring, you
Speaker 1: can't defend, he can't praise, he can track back. Then
Speaker 1: it becomes very hard for a player like Coronado to
Speaker 1: stay in the team. I think Eric tn Hag did
Speaker 1: the same when he brought in Michelle and preferred rushed
Speaker 1: forward and preferred even a laga Forronado was because of
Speaker 1: that a Lager world defend, Rushford world trap back and
Speaker 1: Ronaldo through no photo of his through no photo of
Speaker 1: his his you know, it's a father father time comes
Speaker 1: to our soul and it's sad to see a player
Speaker 1: of such greatness also succumbing too far the time, because
Speaker 1: sometimes you watch players a Coronado miss and you think, oh,
Speaker 1: they'll go on forever, But then this is the reminder
Speaker 1: that yes, at the end of the day for the time,
Speaker 1: there's no way running. There's no running from him. However,
Speaker 1: first you I want the pitch absolutely as a as
Speaker 1: a real Madrid fan, Christian Ronaldo has brought me. I
Speaker 1: love joy my life and appreciate all that. But it's
Speaker 1: time for Falamas to take more featured role. Um So
Speaker 1: it's leader to a prediction. A stout Morocco team, an
Speaker 1: organized Morocco team meet a really good looking Portugal spot
Speaker 1: on the quarterfinal. Who do you have going through? I
Speaker 1: have Portugal simply because they have the kind of tournament
Speaker 1: experience at this level that Morocco can only dream about.
Speaker 1: When you look at the player like Peppe was drafted
Speaker 1: in because Danio broke his ribs. He wasn't supposed to
Speaker 1: be starting this game. But I don't only start the game,
Speaker 1: but he was a rock in defense and then scored
Speaker 1: a towering header to put Portugal to lap. A player
Speaker 1: that Kim has played in way more world gaps than Morocco,
Speaker 1: any of them Rocan players has ever been in, and
Speaker 1: I feel like that's going to be critical. He plays
Speaker 1: alongside groups who plays big games a week in week
Speaker 1: arut for man City, and so I'll give it to Portugal. Portugal,
Speaker 1: where two cohesive unit today are so dynamic and so
Speaker 1: thrilling as a unit it that it would be almost
Speaker 1: full hardy to actually perform to them. But as I said,
Speaker 1: Morocco doesn't concede. They don't score as well, but they
Speaker 1: don't concede, and you know what they're going to be doing.
Speaker 1: If they take it into half time at Neil Neil,
Speaker 1: then Portugal will be facing the kinds of questions they
Speaker 1: didn't face against Switzerland. For sure. For sure, I've Portugal
Speaker 1: going through as well, though I do think that Morocco
Speaker 1: has the ability to make it interesting. Um, a few
Speaker 1: more questions before we go, Um, Joe, who do you
Speaker 1: think your best player of the tournament has been to
Speaker 1: this to this day, the best player of the tournament,
Speaker 1: I think clear Nimbappe without a doubt. I'm a messy
Speaker 1: fun but Kanimbappe is having way too much fun. He's
Speaker 1: scoring goals for fun and he is scoring brilliant goals.
Speaker 1: He also plays in a really good French team, so
Speaker 1: maybe that takes a bit away from him. Olivia Ju
Speaker 1: has also been contributing, but im Puppy has been unstoppable.
Speaker 1: He has produced the way everyone expected to produce, So
Speaker 1: without a doubt, I would go for him. Messy a close,
Speaker 1: close scare second, And I said close second, because Messy
Speaker 1: deals with the kind of attention from the opposition that
Speaker 1: him Mappy doesn't receive. So Massy every time he receives
Speaker 1: the ball, he's swammed by battalion of opponents. Mappy gets
Speaker 1: the ball first of all, he plays on the wing,
Speaker 1: so he's always isolated against his wing back, which makes
Speaker 1: it easy. If Messi was always facing one on one,
Speaker 1: I think it would cause a lot more damage. But
Speaker 1: mess always has like six five players always rushing towards
Speaker 1: him maybe time he gets the ball. So poppy for me.
Speaker 1: But Messi a very very very close acond. So are
Speaker 1: we both sticking by our predictions that it's it's it's
Speaker 1: looking like a Brazilian France final, and that's what we're
Speaker 1: all looking forward to. My heart, as I said, he says,
Speaker 1: A and a Gentina France final. But going by the
Speaker 1: results from the restaurant, I think brazila going to go
Speaker 1: past Croatia, which means they will face Argentina in the semis,
Speaker 1: and I think they will have way too much for
Speaker 1: that Agentina team. I feel like Brazil has the solidity
Speaker 1: to actually neutralize Missy the entire game, and then they
Speaker 1: have the weapons to hurt that Argentine back line. It
Speaker 1: needs to say. It will be an exciting uh round
Speaker 1: in the quarter finals. There's so much to look forward to. Joe,
Speaker 1: it's been great breaking down the round of six team
Speaker 1: with you. Or is a pleasure? My friend? Or is
Speaker 1: a pleasure? This has been the Daily Show recap of
Speaker 1: the World Cup. I'm George Guntas and I'm job See
Speaker 1: you next time. For more on the World Cup, listen
Speaker 1: to Joe's full conversation with Grant Wall at Daily Show
Speaker 1: dot com, slash Beyond What's the Daily Show weeknights and
Speaker 1: eleven Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime
Speaker 1: on Paramount Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast