Strangest coaching decisions so far?

There was of course Domech's bizarre Nasri/Boumsong substituton.

Aragones taking out Torres against Russia didn't make much sense either.

But what about Scolari's persistence with that waste of space Simao? The guy has been absolutely dreadful the whole tournament and Scolari has refused to bench him. Last night was yet another bad performance yet he played 90 minutes. With Quaresma in the bench, does anybody else find it very strange that Scolari refuses to give him a run in the team?

De Rossi being dropped against Holland is the most obvious one for Italy.

And in answer to your question, i don't think Scolari really likes Quaresma that much, and he was didn't impress in the game against Switzerland. Still I agree that he's better than Simao.

I understand Quaresma can be a bit of a show pony at times, but at least he attempts to make things happen. Simao just does absolutely nothing. He never tries to get past his marker, he rarely puts in good crosses and when he shoots the ball usually gets nowhere near the goal.

I know the guy is in a bit of a slump right now since his mediocre season with Atletico and is generally capable of a lot more. But in Euro 2004 for example, Scolari had the balls to drop some of the established players after the first game. Simao has had one awful game after another, and Scolari did nothing.

Bruckner's tactics against Turkey! He subbed attacking players for defensive players.... That was the reason Turkey could come back into the game!

I hope Aragones won't sub all his strikers against Italy after taking the lead.... That would be typical Spanish if that happens....!

San Jol wrote:Bruckner's tactics against Turkey! He subbed attacking players for defensive players.... That was the reason Turkey could come back into the game!

I hope Aragones won't sub all his strikers against Italy after taking the lead.... That would be typical Spanish if that happens....!

That was just "sweaty armpits" Camacho being a retard against Ireland in 2002. I wouldn't say it's a "typical" Spanish thing.

Domenech's entire tournament has been a strange series of coaching decisions.

Others include Lagerback's reluctance to play Sebastian Larsson, or generally anyone young, in the Sweden team.

Or Donadoni consistently starting Camoranesi.

Poland's attempts at an off-side trap/the decision to play a high defensive line.

Torrente wrote:There was of course Domech's bizarre Nasri/Boumsong substituton.

Aragones taking out Torres against Russia didn't make much sense either.

But what about Scolari's persistence with that waste of space Simao? The guy has been absolutely dreadful the whole tournament and Scolari has refused to bench him. Last night was yet another bad performance yet he played 90 minutes. With Quaresma in the bench, does anybody else find it very strange that Scolari refuses to give him a run in the team?

Agree with this, it really spoiled my enjoyment of the game in that I found it difficult to abuse conaldo with simao on the pitch being worse than him.

De rossi not playing is not really a strange decision as pirlo, ambrosini and gattuso have played together all season and 2 of them are pure defensive midfielders while de rossi is a box-to-box type.

Not taking toni off and giving him a rest, or just replacing him for being $h!t is far stranger. At least he wouldn't be knackered for the spain game.

Low's persistence with his hybrid version of 4-3-3, especially with respect to keeping Gomes in the starting line up. They may not have beaten Croatia in the group, but they would not have been comprehensive outplayed if they played a similar formation to the one they started with last night.

Insisting on playing Podolski as LM in a 4-4-2 by Löw (together with Jansen on the left), and therefore interpreting our working, reliable and successful system in a different way for this tournament (pacy wingers instead of creative midfielders on the wings -> Löw made this change after the loss of Schneider, which was substantial). What should have never been more than one option against weaker or more defensive teams became our starting lineup in the group stages. While this worked against Poland (but even in that match the defensive weak spot on the left flank was obvious), it was a disaster against Croatia, and should have been corrected in the Austria match latest.

Fortunately, Löw drew the right conclusions from his mistakes in time.

Van Basten persisting with De Jong and Mathijsen and De Zeeuw + Heitinga shown the middle finger.

110% wrote:

Torrente wrote:There was of course Domech's bizarre Nasri/Boumsong substituton.

Aragones taking out Torres against Russia didn't make much sense either.

But what about Scolari's persistence with that waste of space Simao? The guy has been absolutely dreadful the whole tournament and Scolari has refused to bench him. Last night was yet another bad performance yet he played 90 minutes. With Quaresma in the bench, does anybody else find it very strange that Scolari refuses to give him a run in the team?

Agree with this, it really spoiled my enjoyment of the game in that I found it difficult to abuse conaldo with simao on the pitch being worse than him.

De rossi not playing is not really a strange decision as pirlo, ambrosini and gattuso have played together all season and 2 of them are pure defensive midfielders while de rossi is a box-to-box type.

Not taking toni off and giving him a rest, or just replacing him for being $h!t is far stranger. At least he wouldn't be knackered for the spain game.

De Rossi was probably the best player in Serie A and in the last coupe of years i'd say he's been amongst the top 5 midfielders in Europe. Instead he went for the all Milan midfield which had just had a horrible season.

Afellay wrote:Van Basten persisting with De Jong and Mathijsen and De Zeeuw + Heitinga shown the middle finger.

I honestly don't get why you guys insist on bashing Mathijsen and de Jong. Is that some sort of "personal" thing rather than about their actual performances?

I know, I'm pretty biased when it comes to them, but even some of the German media, who are not exactly known as HSV supporters (for example ZDF), basically praised those two after every Oranje game so far.

So....I know there are usually different opinions on every player in every game.....but this is getting a little....too weird.

Lesley wrote:

Afellay wrote:Van Basten persisting with De Jong and Mathijsen and De Zeeuw + Heitinga shown the middle finger.

I honestly don't get why you guys insist on bashing Mathijsen and de Jong. Is that some sort of "personal" thing rather than about their actual performances?

I know, I'm pretty biased when it comes to them, but even some of the German media, who are not exactly known as HSV supporters (for example ZDF), basically praised those two after every Oranje game so far.

So....I know there are usually different opinions on every player in every game.....but this is getting a little....too weird.

I think he just means that it's a surprising decision by Van Basten, not necessarily a bad one.

Lesley wrote:

Afellay wrote:Van Basten persisting with De Jong and Mathijsen and De Zeeuw + Heitinga shown the middle finger.

I honestly don't get why you guys insist on bashing Mathijsen and de Jong. Is that some sort of "personal" thing rather than about their actual performances?

I know, I'm pretty biased when it comes to them, but even some of the German media, who are not exactly known as HSV supporters (for example ZDF), basically praised those two after every Oranje game so far.

So....I know there are usually different opinions on every player in every game.....but this is getting a little....too weird.

Especially De Jong amased me. He clearly improved a lot this year! Well done HSV! I watched him sharply and he hardly made one mistake, he kept ball possession and defended well!

Mathijsen is not overconvincing but he at least didn't fall through the basket. He did exactly quite well. On the other hand if Bouma was playing there people would say the same. The thing is, because the whole team works for each other it is easier to defend. To put another words: Defending begins upfront!

Lesley wrote:

Afellay wrote:Van Basten persisting with De Jong and Mathijsen and De Zeeuw + Heitinga shown the middle finger.

I honestly don't get why you guys insist on bashing Mathijsen and de Jong. Is that some sort of "personal" thing rather than about their actual performances?

I know, I'm pretty biased when it comes to them, but even some of the German media, who are not exactly known as HSV supporters (for example ZDF), basically praised those two after every Oranje game so far.

So....I know there are usually different opinions on every player in every game.....but this is getting a little....too weird.

It’s nothing personal. The decision to drop De Zeeuw for the first two games was baffling, came out of the blue the man played in every game more or less this year for Oranje and he + Engelaar were getting a good understanding. De Jong has never cut the mustard at international level, but he has done okay so far. Mathijsen on the other hand, has caused my heart so much problems in the warm up games, at times he is all over the shop, doesn’t know if he is coming or going, whilst Heitinga is a leader, the 21st century Danny Blind, the reassuring thing is Mathijsen does have a brain and I may be overplaying this to a dramatic effect.

Donadoni's Milan bias.

Nasri's price tag probably went down when he was subbed off after 16 minutes, so Domenech did Arsenal a favour. It also showed what type of character Nasri has to come off calmly and shake the hand of the man who subs you off for Boumsong of all people after a few minutes.

@Lesley - Mathijsen is terrible, De Jong is average.

Gigi Buffon #1 wrote:

110% wrote:

Torrente wrote:There was of course Domech's bizarre Nasri/Boumsong substituton.

Aragones taking out Torres against Russia didn't make much sense either.

But what about Scolari's persistence with that waste of space Simao? The guy has been absolutely dreadful the whole tournament and Scolari has refused to bench him. Last night was yet another bad performance yet he played 90 minutes. With Quaresma in the bench, does anybody else find it very strange that Scolari refuses to give him a run in the team?

Agree with this, it really spoiled my enjoyment of the game in that I found it difficult to abuse conaldo with simao on the pitch being worse than him.

De rossi not playing is not really a strange decision as pirlo, ambrosini and gattuso have played together all season and 2 of them are pure defensive midfielders while de rossi is a box-to-box type.

Not taking toni off and giving him a rest, or just replacing him for being $h!t is far stranger. At least he wouldn't be knackered for the spain game.

De Rossi was probably the best player in Serie A and in the last coupe of years i'd say he's been amongst the top 5 midfielders in Europe. Instead he went for the all Milan midfield which had just had a horrible season.

Exactly, that was a weird decision... Gattuso has had a miserable campaign, while De Rossi was the best midfielder in Serie A last season... Luckily, the Gods have not spoken, De Rossi has to start instead of Gattuso

The decision to persist with Toni is fine... Italy do not have a replacement for him as Iaquinta is injured, Amauri hasn't sorted his passport, and Inzaghi is not there.

Damiano Tommasi™ wrote:@Lesley - Mathijsen is terrible, De Jong is average.

Bull$hit. Sorry.

Lesley wrote:

Damiano Tommasi™ wrote:@Lesley - Mathijsen is terrible, De Jong is average.

Bull$hit. Sorry.

it really isn't, sorry. For the Nederlands, they are poor, not sure about how they do for Hamburg, although when I have seen De Jong wearing the colours of Hamburg he has impressed me.

I like the pic in ur sig BM

Still makes me sad to look back at how good that 2002 team yet how it all ended so badly.

My favourite Italian squad yet. Trap should have put Delveccio alongside Vieri, or put him on the wing instead of Zanetti. Montella as an impact sub, and also if Totti could keep his head..... So many what Ifs......

What an awesome jersey though, bloody brilliant, so simple, so elegant, so original.

If I was Van Basten I will do these following improvements:

* The defence must defend high up the pitch and rely heavily on the offside trap
* Both fullbacks bomb forward
* The central defenders must contribute to all attacks, if not some.
* The central midfielders go forward and switch position with the advanced personal
* The side must press collectively.

Vierzehn wrote:If I was Van Basten I will do these following improvements:

* The defence must defend high up the pitch and rely heavily on the offside trap
* Both fullbacks bomb forward
* The central defenders must contribute to all attacks, if not some.
* The central midfielders go forward and switch position with the advanced personal
* The side must press collectively.

Rai, isn't that a bit too efensive...?

San Jol wrote:

Vierzehn wrote:If I was Van Basten I will do these following improvements:

* The defence must defend high up the pitch and rely heavily on the offside trap
* Both fullbacks bomb forward
* The central defenders must contribute to all attacks, if not some.
* The central midfielders go forward and switch position with the advanced personal
* The side must press collectively.

Rai, isn't that a bit too efensive...?

If all that is placed together and works like ‘clockwork’, it will create a well know football philosophy we once loved .. I wonder if anyone can guess

Amazed that Quaresma didn't feature much, but then again, hasn't this happened in the past? Scolari doesn't get on with the Porto manager apparently

Donadoni's 4-3-3 with the players he used against Holland .

Taking Kuyt off for RVP

After that there were waves of attacks coming down that side of the pitch.