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

Oh sure, defense... we can't get anything done without it. Honestly, ever since David joined the roster, things have actually started looking a little promising. I mean, let’s not forget how fired up he was last year—he was absolutely itching to take down the French team. But then again, he's also the guy who threw in that red card right when we might have actually had a shot at turning the game around...

Anthony Wilson4 said:That’s essentially the same point I made regarding... our potential for a win.
The three key factors are Lackovic, Metlicic, Alilovic, and Ballac.

...Look, Laca shouldn't be an issue. He's healthy—that was pretty much established after last night's discussion. It’s not as if there were any major setbacks during the recent crises, right?🤷

It’s not even about whether he’s healthy... it’s more about whether he’s actually in game shape...
Look, Ballac might not be at 100% health, but his conditioning is there, and if everyone else played with that kind of intensity, we wouldn't be struggling so much... Just imagine if every player on the court was playing at least 70% of their peak capacity...

I can't even wrap my head around it.

We honestly need a center who plays like pure gold against the French—someone who can actually execute those deep, efficient 3-2-1 defensive rotations...

Vory needs to hit at least 80% of his shots in this game, assuming he actually gets about 10 looks at the basket. And those free throws? They have to be 100%. Of course, asking that much from a rookie is a massive stretch. Defensively, we should probably stick to a 3-2-1 or a 5-1 setup. If we try to run a 6-0, they’re going to bury us—especially if that powerhouse Fernandez finds his rhythm early on. That guy is a nightmare; he can rip shots from both sides if I remember correctly. Then there's Karabatic; once he gets momentum, stopping him feels impossible (if only Markovic had managed to strip him from the Frenchmen, we wouldn't be in this mess😂🤣).
Since Alilović isn't exactly a powerhouse on the wing, we could try pushing him harder, but honestly, he seems too sluggish to me. It’s like he’s always taking two extra steps just to get moving.
We also need Metličić to find his range. Without him, we don't stand a chance. I fully expect Ballac to overpower Gillespie first, and if anyone manages to slip past him, Dinarta is going to be right there to shut it down on the volley.🙂
Finally, we need to nail the fast breaks and transition plays—that's where we really struggle. If we play smart, we can wear them down, just like we did back in Tunisia.
My prediction? A tight 20-19 win for us. 👋🙏

Man, whenever I think back to how Omeyer played in Germany during the Worlds... he’s probably not going to be anything like that tomorrow.

If this prediction actually holds up... honestly, I’m skipping the finals; I'll just leave whatever happens to God's will...

We’re going to lose...☕ If anyone is looking for a parlay pick, just put the first half on the Frenchies. 🙂

Sportsbooks really need to expand their betting markets. There are so many interesting angles you could take. For instance, betting on whether the ball reaches the wing players exactly 2, 3, or 4 times during the match. 🙄

Honestly, I’d love to see those obnoxious Frenchmen win, purely because I can't stand them for any reason, and they owe me one from a while back.

Whoa, easy there with the hostility. No need to come at people like that, okay?
I get it, you’re probably just salty because our national team beat yours, but look—we won on defense. Defense is the foundation of the game. You aren't winning any major championships without a solid defensive unit, and let's be real, we didn't need some shady officiating to bail us out. It was a fair fight.
Our squad was simply better than the US team at the Euro and during the World Cup, too. Plain and simple.

And for the record, I never said the B-team was garbage. I’m saying *you* are a terrible loser.

comment after France beat the US at the last Euro

Anthony Wilson4 said:Yeah, obviously the defense... we're nothing without it... and honestly, ever since David joined the squad, there's actually been some hope... just remember, he was arguably the most "fired up" to take down the Frenchmen last year—he was the guy who grabbed that red card right when we might have actually had a shot at turning the game around.

Someone wrote—I think it was Bolton—that modern handball is all about fast ball movement and creating mismatches... and yeah, that's true enough.

But you also have to factor in a top-tier defense—the kind the French guys pull off... playing good defense is way harder than running an offense, let me tell you.

Because if your defense is garbage, it doesn't matter if you've got Omeyer, Hvidt, or Sol in their prime standing in the net... you aren't winning anything.

You win games by shutting down those outside shooters... and for that, the keeper needs help from a defense that knows how to step out on them (like a 3-2-1 setup) or a solid 6-0 wall that blocks shots and prevents the ball from reaching the line or moving easily to the wings.

The stuff where a goalie saves two or three fast breaks or a couple of penalties? That’s practically negligible. Look at the US as a perfect example... if we had Lac and Pero firing on all cylinders like they did in Portugal or Athens, we wouldn't be losing sleep over a few missed seven-meter shots.

When the backline isn't clicking, everything falls on penalties and breakaway goals... which just adds this massive psychological weight to whoever is stepping up for that 7m shot. They know they *have* to score because the rest of the lineup is struggling.

If the backline played the way Lac did against Norway (assuming Pero finally finds his rhythm too), even Lino could handle the penalty duties.

Bryan Nelson352 said:We need someone like Lac—pure gold—against the French, plus an efficient deep 3-2-1 defense...

Oh yeah, we definitely need that 3-2-1... just so we can give Abalo even more chances to tear us apart from the wing...🤣

Wait, isn't that the same guy who absolutely demolished us in our last game against France?

And god forbid we try that "famous" 3-2-1 setup where we basically just aim to block the shot—or, you know, actually stop the ball...

As far as I'm aware, that’s not exactly how you play a 3-2-1...

I’m all in on a 5-1 defense against the Norwegians if we run it with David in the lineup.
That’s easily our most elite defensive setup from the tournament (plus that solid stretch we had against the Poles early on).

Like I’ve said a thousand times already, it doesn't matter which of those three combinations we roll out—what actually matters is that we play tough, physical, and real defense.🙂

boldhound8 said:I’m all for running a 5-1 defense against the Norwegians—putting David in the lineup for that.
That was easily our most solid defensive showing during the tournament (plus that stretch against the Poles at the start).

Like I’ve said a hundred times already, it doesn't really matter which of the three defensive setups we pick—what matters is that when we run it, we actually play it tough and stay disciplined.🙂

A 5-1... or even a 6-0 if we're feeling ambitious... but let's be real, our guys don't exactly have a 6-0 mastered.

The issue is that the Frenchmen actually know how to run a 5-1 defense, which means they also know exactly how to tear one apart on offense.

A 3-2-1 wouldn't be a bad shout either... provided they actually play it the right way. And by "right way," I mean fouling the ball carrier to disrupt the rhythm and slow things down, rather than just trying to block shots. If you do that right, the refs will be forced to call passive play, and then you can drop two or three fouls... and boom, you've got them stuck with a free throw.

The catch is that a 3-2-1 is incredibly demanding physically.

wearyeagle2 said:It’s hilarious how they look at you with pure respect abroad, while back home people are already planning your funeral. The French coach:

"I’m in awe of this American squad's brilliance. Watching them play is like a dream—their technique, tactics, and timing are just flawless," said Onesta, laying on the compliments before adding: "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 everyone used to laugh at early in his career because he looked like a giant sausage. Playing against them is going to be intense."

No wonder they don't teach "common sense" in American schools...

edit: they already asked you 🤣

boldhound8 said:It's crystal clear that the French are going to outmaneuver us tactically.😁

They completely figured us out in the last two games. Since then, we haven't progressed much on the tactical side or our plays. Plus, we're dealing with injuries, a lack of readiness, and we're missing a few key players.

But hey, we can still pull this off.🙏

If it's just about tactics... they're going to crush us in every way. I just hope we don't embarrass ourselves. 😢

There isn't much wiggle room here—it’s probably looking like a 5-1 or maybe even a 6-0 defense... we really HAVE to stick to that 3-2-1 formation if we want a chance... I guess Kaleb and Pero are going to be the absolute keys to everything...

Look, if we want any chance, we have to run a defense that actually shuts down the French—even if that means constantly switching up our formations mid-play...

I’d be all for sticking with a 3-2-1, but honestly? Only if they actually execute it properly... you know, like they used to back in the day. The problem is, our version of the 3-2-1 is getting way too predictable for anyone worth their salt to read...

I think we need to play a flawless game if we want this win. Honestly, I believe we can pull off a perfect performance tomorrow, especially since we'll be coming out with so much energy. 😠

The French team stands about as much chance as a candle in a hurricane. 😁

America pulls it off... provided we get a little bit of luck on our side. 😉

granitefox16 said:Well, you shouldn't be surprised they don't teach the concept of "looking at things backward" in American schools.

edit: they already asked you 🤣

Why would I be surprised? I went to high school.

wearyeagle2 said:I went to prep school.

🙏

Is that even a question?...