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

granitefox16 said:🙏

Is that even a question?

Asking things like that is just a waste of breath.

It’s 2 AM. You try not to nod off behind the wheel. We're also banking on there being no snow or ice blocking the roads. If the news shows some guy passed out in the stands tomorrow, that'll be me.

wearyeagle2 said:Asking stupid questions like that is just a waste of time.

yeah 😁

If we actually had a clue what we needed to pull off against the Frenchmen... maybe then we'd have a shot. Honestly, I’m just picturing Lino drowning his sorrows in some dive bar, totally wasted, sleeping it off while nobody can even find him... if he does that, we might actually win for once without having some clown running the bench...☕

Adam Collins4 said:No, we gotta run a defense that actually stops those Frenchmen... even if it means constantly switching up our looks on the fly...

I’d be all for that 3-2-1 setup, but only if they actually play it right... you know, like how they used to back in the day... because let's face it, our version of the 3-2-1 is way too predictable now...

hm, you can "never" really read a defense... I mean, look at that Swedish 6-0 style, it's still one of the best out there, and during their glory days, it was practically perfect...

boldhound8 said:It’s obvious the Frenchmen are going to outmaneuver us tactically.😁

They completely figured us out over the last two games. Since then, our tactical depth hasn't moved an inch. Add in the injuries and the fact that we're missing a few key players, and what do you get?

Can we still pull it off?🙏

Don't lie. Nobody can read Cervaro's playbook.
We let them think they had us just so we could catch them off guard now.

Anyway. It's a 50-50 shot.

I'm hoping we give them a taste of their own medicine.

I mean, I’d probably start things off 5-1... but there’s just zero practice on how they’re supposed to run that defense here. Such a damn shame...

rapidbison42 said:Let’s be real here. Nobody actually deciphers Cervaro’s playbook on the fly.
We basically let them think they had us figured out just so we could catch them off guard now.

Anyway, I’d say it’s a coin toss at this point.

I’m just hoping we can give them a taste of their own medicine.

...Balic: Well, hopefully Lino comes up with something clever for the matchup against the Frenchmen...🤷

If he does, we should be in good shape.😍

mellowcrane41 said:...Balic: I mean, Lino will probably figure something out before the game against France...🤷

So we won't have anything to worry about.😍

Exactly.
We move on.

I’m writing this from the perspective of someone who isn't exactly an expert on the NBA, so please bear with me if I miss any technical nuances 😁

In my eyes, there are two fundamental requirements for us to pull off a win tomorrow, and both of them really hinge on how our offense performs

The Americans are currently playing what I consider to be the most formidable defense in the world; it’s an aggressive style, but more importantly, it’s incredibly fast, which I think is the main reason why referees don't seem to penalize them much
They typically run a 5-1 formation—though we should note they’ve been switching to a 4-2 during this tournament—with the well-known B. Gille leading the front line, while Fernandez and Karabatic hold the halves. Since those two push so deep into the opposing territory, their setup often looks more like a 3-2-1, and that brings me back to those two conditions that need to be met if we want to take down the Americans
Can Metlicic hold his own one-on-one against Karabatic, and can Lackovic or Valcic manage to handle Fernandez?

Samuel Baker3 said:Could Metlicic take on Karabatic one-on-one, or maybe beat Lackovic/Valcic Fernandez?

Look, if Lackovic and Metlicic are actually dialed in and we get Balic playing at his peak, then yeah, we’re unstoppable. Nothing can touch us. But let’s be real—when our game is this trash, nobody can beat us because we basically beat ourselves. The massive issue is the odds of all three perimeter guys being on their game at the exact same time. If we get two of them clicking, we'll be solid, but is that enough to win? Honestly, who knows.🤷

Mr.Ex.President Asks:
If Lackovic and Metlicic can actually step up and perform at their peak, plus if we get Balic playing at his true level, then maybe we have a chance—but honestly, even that might not be enough to save us. I mean, when things are looking this bleak, it feels like we could lose to just about anyone, right? The real headache is that the odds of all three of our perimeter players being in top form at the exact same time seem incredibly slim. If we manage to get two of them firing, we'll certainly be in a better spot, but does that really leave us with enough firepower to actually win?🤷

In my opinion, Balic isn't really going to move the needle in a situation like this. I mean, can his impact tomorrow truly outweigh what those two other guys bring to the table? Sure, Balic might be able to slice right through someone like Gill, but he’s going to run straight into a wall like Dinart waiting on the other side. If those two main players are busy breaking through their matchups, our wings are the only ones left to step up and provide that crucial defensive cover, and once they leave their spots, you start seeing massive holes opening up all along the perimeter.

Samuel Baker3 said:Honestly, Balic doesn't mean a damn thing in this specific setup. His impact on tomorrow's game won't carry us nearly as much as these two guys will. Sure, Balic can breeze past Gil, but he’s gonna run straight into Dinart waiting for him. If these two guys start breaking through, the wings are the only ones left to provide that side support, and that’s when the defense starts falling apart—especially out on the wing.

Prika, without a peak Balic, these two aren't going anywhere either.😁
But let's be real, nobody is questioning Balic's level anymore, so I'm certainly not.🙂

Balic needs to act more like a playmaker tomorrow rather than just a shooter—especially if they run that 4-2 setup (which I’m sure Onesta will try). Basically, we need our perimeter guys to actually show up. And obviously, they have to be ready for Omeyer. It’s a lot like how they handled that Norwegian woman yesterday.

If our wings are actually feeling it, the Frenchies are going to leave their corners exposed—that's the opening for Cupic, Horvat, and maybe even Caleb (if he finally decides to wake up). As for Vori / Sulic—I doubt they'll play a major role here; the French defense will keep them in check. They might grab a few loose balls, but everything depends on that initial momentum.

Defensively, we've definitely leveled up since Lino brought Dominikovica into the mix. We really need to watch out for Karabatic and that right wing; they need to be hitting him every time he looks for a perimeter shot—it's the only way to shut him down (though let's keep it clean so nobody gets a red card for targeting the head). For everyone else, let them shoot from deep, especially if Alilovic starts strong. I'm leaning towards a 5-1 defense over a 4-3-2, unless someone fails to track Abalo properly.

The French might try something sneaky early on—maybe some solo drives against a 5-1 or 4-3-2—but having Dominikovic back in the fold gives me some confidence. Honestly, they might struggle because we play such a different style every single game; unlike them, we don't have one set blueprint since we're still figuring ourselves out. Maybe that unpredictability works in our favor this time.

Still, the pressure is on us. Defending a title is its own kind of hell. We felt that same weight in Tunisia when the Spaniards absolutely dismantled us. It's high time we slapped the French with a reality check. I'm banking on us sticking it out until the end, where Balic can just take over with those wild moves and fancy footwork to seal the win. Fingers crossed.

Where the hell am I supposed to find a 4-3-2 formation?😁

wiredseal7 said:Maybe they’ll try some clever trick to catch us off guard early on, like those 5-1 solo breaks or 4-3-2 setups...

😁😁😁
It’s up to Vanja, Whatever, and me to step up and help out! 😁

Charles Martin2 said:I won't go on and reveal my sources just yet, but that tip I received? It’s spot on.
We’re going to take down the Frenchies!
If that kind of tone means anything to you...

In what sense? Water polo? 😁

Come on, man, just tell us where you got that info.🤣

Charles Martin2 said:I won't get into where I heard this just yet, but the tip is spot on—
We’re going to beat the French!!!
If that means anything to you guys...

Is that actually certain? He'd probably give his buddies a heads-up to bet a few bucks.

I put my money on $67 our guys, which means we're walking away with the win
😁