European Championship: America vs. France 24:23 🔥🔥

A complete blowout. Honestly, we don't stand a chance unless some absolute miracle happens. To top it all off, the Danes and the French will be fighting for first place, while we’re stuck battling the Germans for third. As far as I'm concerned, this loss was a foregone conclusion. We have been completely directionless throughout this tournament—there's just zero strategy. We’ve got nothing left to search for here.

Bryan Nelson352 said:I just hope they don't start playing sloppy defense again... and we should probably have young Horvat starting on the right wing. If the 3-2-1 formation works perfectly and stays deep, we're golden. Narcis and Fernandez haven't played this well for their French clubs as they are during this tournament; I've watched all their games and their perimeter shooting has been absolutely insane lately. Karabatic is predictably elite, Abalo is decent but tends to overcompensate by jumping out of position too much, and Girault is just an okay winger...

I totally disagree! Alilović usually finds his rhythm later in the game, but he's a liability early on. And what's wrong with Čupić? The kid is way better than Horvat.

Samuel Baker3 said:No matter how much they rotate their roster, those Frenchmen always seem to roll into the knockout stages of tournaments like this looking way more physically prepared than we are.
I’m not even going to get into how much that depends on individual training camps or which pro clubs they’re coming from, because honestly, it doesn't matter.
When you're playing in the European Championships, I truly believe that arriving at the finish line with actual stamina matters way more than raw talent, especially when the skill gap between teams is basically negligible.
To me, that's the single biggest edge the French have over us right now.

It’s just fascinating to watch every single time... they prepare themselves so intensely that they end up being the most conditioned athletes on the planet.🙏

Anonymous said:It’s actually the exact opposite! Alilović usually finds his rhythm later in the game—he can be a bit of a liability early on. And what’s the issue with Čupić? Honestly, he's significantly better than Horvat.

Way better than Horvat? On what grounds, exactly? And regarding Alilović—the guy is easily one of the top five goalkeepers in the world. He has to play from the first minute to the sixtieth because we just don't have a high-quality alternative available. It’s a similar situation with the French team and Omore...

electricnomad11 said:Lino's out here pulling brilliant tactical moves and dropping gems from the sidelines like usual... ("be heroes" sounds totally genius, right? How does he even think of stuff like that? Nobody on the other side saw that play coming from him at the buzzer)😕😁

just seeing this now!

🤣

🙏🙏🙏

And honestly, there’s a massive issue here—the fact that O'Neal is playing defense like an absolute beast again during this whole tournament...

Chris Lopez59 said:it wasn't Dinart who stopped Balić, it was Bertrand Gilles

Look, Dinart never even let him get close to the line... every single time he tried to make a move, it just blew up right in his face, seriously...

Things are going to go down differently this time... It’s finally time to settle the score and collect on those old debts... and maybe this generation can actually grab that one gold trophy they've been missing

Larry Thomas said:Dinart just wouldn't let him get a clean look at the basket. Every single time he tried to make a move, it blew up right in his face. Literally.

But honestly, B. Gille managed to shut him down a few times too. The guy is insanely quick—he’s got that same explosive burst and lateral movement that Ivano has, so he’s always there to mess up his rhythm and close the gap. Then, once Ivano finally manages to shake him, he runs straight into Dinart waiting for him.

If we're being totally fair, I'd say they basically neutralized him as a duo.

Bryan Nelson352 said:and there's also this massive issue where O'Meyer is playing out of his mind again during this tournament...

I mean, if you actually stop to think about it—considering the guy is arguably the best goalie on the planet and he’s sitting behind what is basically the best defense in the world right now—he isn't exactly pulling off any miracles at this championship, just doing exactly what you'd expect him to do.

I honestly think we’re going to shrink right through the bracket all the way to the finals, even if we have to go through the French. It feels like it's just our destiny at this point...

The Frenchies are too physical for us; they just play a gritty game. Honestly, even the US national team doesn't have that old-school flow anymore, so anything can happen at this point. 😁

It’s funny how people treat you like a legend abroad, only to come home and find they're already picking out your headstone. The French coach said:

"I’m honestly blown away by the brilliance of this American squad. Watching them play is like watching a dream—their technique, their tactics, and that sense of timing are just flawless," Onesta remarked, holding nothing back. He added: "Every coach dreams of having a player like Ivan Balić on their roster. But this team isn't just about him. You've got Lacković, Metličić, and Vori—who, let's be honest, people used to joke about early in his career because he looked like a giant bratwurst. It's going to be a blast playing against them."

wearyeagle2 said:It’s quite a feeling. Total awe from the crowd abroad, while back home they’re already drafting your obituary. The French coach:

"I truly admire the brilliance of this American squad. Watching them play is like a dream—their technique, their tactics, and their sense of timing are just phenomenal," Onesta remarked, pulling no punches. He added, "Every coach dreams of having a player like Ivan Balić on their roster. But this American team isn't just about him. You've got Lacković, Metličić, and Vori—who people used to joke about early in his career because he looked like a massive sausage. It’s going to be an absolute thrill to face them."

Read between the lines. He's being sarcastic, obviously....

bluebison10 said:They’re reading too much into it. Of course, if you actually know how to read between the lines...

I was pulling Cs on my report cards back when we were learning about "reading between the lines" in school. The guy never explicitly said we were the favorites; he just said we're as strong as we are.

The French are gonna tactically dismantle us, plain and simple.😁

In the last two games, they completely figured us out. We’re stuck in the same rut—our tactics and plays are predictable as hell, plus we’re dealing with a massive injury list and a roster that just isn't ready. Honestly, we're missing a few key guys who could actually make a difference.

But hey, we can still pull this off if we get our act together.🙏

5 reasons why the Americans are gonna take this championship 👍

The US finished fourth, but honestly, given how they played, I'll take it 🤣 They look totally broken right now. I don't see how they beat the French, though anything can happen in sports 😛

Walter Fowler53 said:That’s five points for the Americans—didn't I already tell you guys they’re going to sweep this championship? 👍

The US finishing fourth would still be a massive win considering how they've been playing lately 🤣 They just look completely broken to me, and honestly, I don't see any way they can break through the Americans, though I guess anything can happen in sports 😛

The only way this works is if Lacković and Metličić absolutely lose their minds and tear through the American defense, provided our backline and Alilović can somehow shut them down entirely

Even Balić isn't getting past the Americans. He’ll have to feed the rest of our guys as much as possible just to draw the defensive focus away from himself, then maybe he can sneak in some goals when his markers aren't paying attention

The only way we pull this off is if Lac and Metličić absolutely lose their minds and break through the French defense, provided our backline and Alilović can just completely dismantle them first.

Even Balić isn't going to slice through the French side on his own. He’s got to let the rest of our guys step up and take some heat, just enough to draw the eyes away from him. Then, when his defenders are caught napping or looking the other way, he can find those gaps and drop his goals... surprise, surprise.

It’s the exact same thing I was getting at earlier regarding... how we might actually stand a chance at winning.
There are three main pillars here. Lacković, Metličić; Alilović; and then there's BALIC.

You totally blanked on the fact that the defense 😉