by sussexpob » Tue Dec 20, 2022 12:55 pm
My team of the World Cup.....
Goalkeeper - Dominik Livakovic (Croatia)
The Dinamo Zagreb man was linked to some PL clubs recently, and one has to assume he that will become a reality after his display in the tournament. Kept Croatia in the game vs Belgium with some important saves, then kept Brazil at bay for most of the game, before becoming the penalty hero. Looks a top drawer shot stopper.
Right Back - Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
Zidane won the CL's for fun at Real Madrid, but his decision to sell Hakimi looks increasingly like one of those maddest decisions ever made by a manager. Hakimi was defensively solid in a system designed to play without the ball, but his real value was in surging forward and creating constant mismatches with Ziyech against left backs, which proved to be the heartbeat of Morocco's offensive game plan.
Left Back - Jordi Alba (Spain)
Spain flattered to live up to their top billing in the tournament, but that had nothing to do with Alba. For a man now at pension age for an elite level full back, he put others to shame with his work rate, buzzing like a wasp in defence, and constantly offering an option going forward with his intelligent, defence busting runs from deep. If only Spain had other players to unlock the havoc Alba created, they'd have not gone home as early.
Centre back - Josko Gvardiol (Croatia)
Out of all the top teams to make the latter rounds, Croatia's Borna Sosa at left back looked the player most of his depth - It speaks volumes of Gvardiol that, given a walking disaster on his side, he looked so solid. Built like a tank, but silky in his movements and on the ball, its no wonder why every single club in the world wants a crack at signing the 20 year.... the first high profile steps of a no doubt gliterring career. No doubt we will see him in a Real Madrid or Man City shirt sometime soon.
Centre back - Roman Saiss (Switzerland)
After Wolves flogged him off to Besiktas after turning 32 this year, one would be forgiven in thinking that Saiss was all but done at the top level of football - how wrong! Saiss was a warrior at the back for Morocco, putting in tackles everywhere and breaking up player, and offering no hint of aerial goals being given up. Took a knock early v France, and it says a lot that without him at full fitness France got the goal, before he had to go off.
Central Midfield - Jude Bellingham (England)
Never has an English prospect been so exciting in my lifetime. In recent times, Jude has added elite defensive steel to his mind blowing array of skills. Was about 5 tackles past the next best player when England got knocked out, testament to his transformation as a heat sinking missile off the ball, and when the ball was in his possession, his passing and vision was on display. Absolutely bossed the game v Senegal, and won the midfield battle with France. In 4 years time, he will be going to the tournament as one of its poster boys.... whisper it softly, very softly.... but this kid could be the next Zidane.
Central Midfield - Luka Modric (Croatia)
If you were to invent a drinking game where you downed a shot every time Luka Modric lost the ball or misplaced a pass, you would end the night sober enough to drive home at the end of the night. Against Brazil, they threw everything at him with the press, but each time he took a touch and found his man. And his ability on the ball is only part of the game, for an ageing man he still has an impeccable motor to counter press the opposition. While Croatia's defence found their level vs Messi, Modric was brilliant throughout - and back to back 3rd and 2nd place is testament to the difference he can make to a rather average Croatia side in places.
Attacking Midfield central - Antoine Griezmann
Its fair to say that before this tournament, Grezza had proved over and over again that he can only thrive with space to work with. In Madrid, he played as the focal point of an ultra defensive counter attacking team, but when confronted with deep set defences and having nothing to exploit, he was terrible... quite brutally. And he has never rediscovered this form of his earlier years as his career begins to fizzle out. Enter Deschamps, who switched him between the lines more centrally, and transformed Grezza into a total baller. Dropping into the hole between the two banks of defence and midfield, his touch in tight spaces drew defenders in and made space for others, and his passing was exceptional. One particular pass v Morocco was mind blowing, threaded through the eye of a needle. Has Grezza found a new lease of life as an advanced playmaker/10?
Wide Forward Left - Kylian Mbappe (France)
It speaks volumes of this young man's talent that, in a tournament where I thought for 90% of the time he was nowhere near his best and invisible for large stretches of some game, the net effect was he scored goals for fun, and in every single match made some contribution to France's success. One moment sticks out personally - late in the England game he took a touch and made Kyle Walker, one of the quickest players in the PL and a world class defensive right back, look like a statute..... if you can make such a player look like an amateur, then you aint that bad. The kid has fearsome strength, is unbelievably rapid, lethal in front of goal, and has a touch given to him by god himself. The footballing world is at this lads feet, and he seems a reasonably mature, good natured professional.... has everything to join the pantheon of all time greats, assuming of course at 23, he isn't already...
Wide Forward right - Lionel Messi (Argentina) - Player of the Tournament
When Messi was at his apparent peak, Argentina had the type of squad where picking who to play with him up the top of the field was a difficult task, and many a manager couldn't help but stack a fine array of talent all over the pitch with no care as to what system they would play. Weirdly, this time around Argentina had very little standout talent, but a system in place with proper assigned role.... oh, and Lionel Messi. Against Saudi Arabia, Argentina were woeful, but after that Lionel took the tournament by the scruff of the neck and the rest is history. By the knockouts, he was everywhere, turning up deep to collect the ball and spraying passes around on a dime, strolling past defenders, and most importantly, putting the ball in the net in every single match of the knockouts. If Messi is anywhere near top form, you can say goodnight to winning..... in the end, he dragged a pretty average Argentina side to a trophy win.
Centre Forward - Richarlison (Brazil)
The hardest spot to pick, because several played well, but no one really quite grabbed it. Giroud was subbed in the first half in the final he was so redundant, Kane fired the ball to Mars in his moment to stand up, and Alvarez's success had a lot to do with Lionel Messi prizing out space for him. So I went for Richie Rich
Brazil's champagne football met a wall in Croatia (and its goal keeper), but Richie left the game with no shame, having tee'd up Neymar for most the game only to watch him keep blasting it at the keeper. When it went well, it was sublime - two ridiculous goals that compete for the best in the tournament, and the link up play with others was brilliant too. Richie didn't really put a foot wrong
2010 French Open fantasy league guru 2010 Wimbledon fantasy league guru 2014 Masters golf fantasy guru 2015 Players Championship FL Guru 2016 Masters Golf Fantasy Guru
And a hat and bra to you too, my good sirs!