World Cup 2018 Group G BEL/PAN/TUN/ENG

With a month to go and squads starting to be announced I thought it would be an idea to start threads for the World Cup. I've put together a guide to all the teams and these threads can then be used to discuss any further developments and of course the games:

Group G

BELGIUM
PANAMA
TUNISIA
ENGLAND

Schedule
June 18th 16:00        Belgium v Panama
June 18th 19:00        Tunisia v England

June 23rd 13:00        Belgium v Tunisia
June 24th 13:00        England v Panama

June 28th 19:00        England v Belgium
June 28th 19:00        Panama v Tunisia

Team Overviews

Belgium

FIFA ranking: 3^rd

Star Player: Another star studded team but I’ll go have Eden Hazard Chelsea man can make something out of nothing and will be one of the danger men

WC History: 4^th in 1986 is their best finish

Odds: 10-1

Synopsis: Belgium qualified for the 2018 World Cup from a group where Bosnia-Herzegovina were their main rivals. They scored a record number of goals, 43, while conceding only six. With the talented team they have they will be looking to go far a dark horse if ever there was one the only worry for them would lack of depth in defence should they sustain any injuries then they may run out luck.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Koen Casteels (VfL Wolfsburg).

Defenders: Toby Alderweireld Tottenham), Dedryck Boyata (Celtic), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona), Thomas Meunier (PSG).

Midfielders: Youri Tielemans (AS Monaco), Axel Witsel (Tianjin Quanjian), Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), Mousa Dembele (Tottenham), Leander Dendoncker (Anderlecht), Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Monchengladbach), Dries Mertens (Napoli), Nacer Chadli (West Brom).

Forwards: Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea), Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad), Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid).

 

Panama

FIFA ranking: 55^th

Star Player: Captain Roman Torres who scored the goal which got them to WC is their key player and leads by example. Amílcar Henríquez would also have been a key player for them but he was terribly killed in a drive by shooting in April.

WC History: Debutants

Odds: 500-1

Synopsis: After coming very close in 2014 to qualifying, they finally done it this time, albeit through a ghost goal. Not expected to pull up any trees at the tournament but neither were Costa Rica in 2014.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Jose Calderon (Chorrillo FC), Jaime Penedo (Dinamo Bucharest), Alex Rodriguez (San Francisco FC).

Defenders: Felipe Baloy (CSD Municipal), Harold Cummings (San Jose Earthquakes), Eric Davis (DAC Dunajska Streda), Fidel Escobar (New York Red Bulls), Adolfo Machado (Houston Dynamo), Michael Murillo (New York Red Bulls), Luis Ovalle (CD Olimpia), Roman Torres (Seattle Sounders).

Midfielders: Edgar Barcenas (Cafetaleros de Tapachula), Armando Cooper (Club Universidad de Chile), Anibal Godoy (San Jose Earthquakes), Gabriel Gómez (Bucaramanga), Valentin Pimentel (Plaza Amador), Alberto Quintero (Universitario de Lima), Jose Luis Rodriguez (KAA Gent).

Forwards: Abdiel Arroyo (LD Alajuelense), Ismael Diaz (Deportivo La Coruna), Blas Perez (CSD Municipal), Luis Tejada (Sports Boys), Gabriel Torres (CD Huachipato).

Tunisia

FIFA ranking: 14^th

Star Player: Wahbi Khazri I know Sunderland fans will probably laugh at this one but Kharzri is one of Tunisia’s stars and they’ll be looking to him to shine should they have any chance.

WC History: Have yet to get past group stage on their 4 appearances

Odds: 500-1

Synopsis: Tunisia saw off the DR Congo in two key games over the space of five days and qualified for the 2018 World Cup unbeaten, coming through a preliminary round and then the group phase with six wins from eight games this has led to their lofty 14^th place in rankings. A tough group with Belgium and England they will need a little bit of luck progress.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Farouk Ben Mustapha (Al Shabab, Saudi Arabia), Moez Hassen (Chateauroux, France), Aymen Mathlouthi (Al Baten, Saudi Arabia)

Defenders: Rami Bedoui (Etoile du Sahel), Yohan Benalouane (Leicester City, England), Syam Ben Youssef (Kasimpasa, Turkey), Dylan Bronn (Gent, Belgium), Oussama Haddadi (Dijon, France), Ali Maaloul (Al Ahly, Egypt), Yassine Meriah (CS Sfaxien), Hamdi Nagguez (Zamalek, Egypt)

Midfielders: Anice Badri (Esperance), Mohamed Amine Ben Amor (Al Ahli Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), Ghaylene Chaalali (Esperance), Ahmed Khalil (Club Africain), Saifeddine Khaoui (Troyes, France), Ferjani Sassi (Al Nasr, Saudi Arabia), Ellyes Skhiri (Montpellier, France), Naim Sliti (Dijon, France), Bassem Srarfi (Nice, France)

Forwards: Fakhreddine Ben Youssef (Al Ittifaq, Saudi Arabia), Saber Khalifa (Club Africain), Wahbi Khazri (Rennes, France)

England

FIFA ranking: 13^th

Star Player: Harry Kane- any surprise the Spurs man is one the most lethal finishers in the game and will be key if England are to have a good tournament

WC History: Winners in 1966 at home.  4^th in 1990

Odds: 16-1

Synopsis: Never in any real doubt that they would qualify despite some lacklustre performances with Harry Kane sometimes single handily winning them games. Will fancy their chances due to having Kane and a favourable draw should see them at least make quarter finals

Squad:

Edited by lassassinblanc - 04 Jun 2018 at 7:02pm

lassassinblanc wrote: Tunisia Preliminary Squad updated

Panama squad updated

I'm well aware Roberto Martinez is a bad manager but not picking Nainggolan after the season he's just had is utter madness.

Belgian Squad updated

He's since announced his international retirement  He'll be back after the world cup once Martinez is bombed out

Just looking at their forwards now CF outside of Lukaku they are weak, Benteke hasn't been the same player since he left Villa and Michy Batshuayi will be nowhere near fit and you'd have to say will be dropped from the squad when they bring it down to 23

It seems crazy that someone like Martinez has been tasked with managing players of the calibre of De Bruyne, Hazard, Alderweireld etc. Definitely one of the strangest international appointments I can recall. A wasted opportunity really considering the talent they currently have at their disposal.

Big fan of Naingolan myself, it's a pity he's not involved as he's a great player to watch. Obviously a lot more to that than just a tactical issue, as Martinez has said. With that being the case, Martinez is probably better off not having such a big player in the squad sitting around, especially if he doesn't plan on playing him at all. Naingolan doesn't seem the kind to quietly accept that kind of situation either, and be all about the manager and the other players even though he's not playing.