Nation's League- Soccer/Footie

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,876
27,585
Carmel Valley, CA
Amazing. Here I am watching Azerbaijan play Belarus, live, in a match. Go Azerbaijan!! Beat the Belashittians.

It's on Vix.com, free at least in the U.S., decent picture, but in Spanish.

Almost all of Nation's League- at least the UEFA matches- are televised! But the question remains: Are these games more for real, or more like a fancy scrimmage? Some $ is involved, quite a bit of organization, so maybe.
 

DanWil84

Lifer
Mar 8, 2021
1,691
12,647
40
The Netherlands (Europe)
Nations league is there instead of friendly matches between countries, to give them a more competitive vibe and to create a even playing field. Countries also promote between leagues, there are 4, the top listed country in league B goes to A and so on. The 1st qualified in each group of league A have a mini tournament in 1 of the countries, 2019 Portugal won.

My Lions beat the Red Devils (Belgium, 100+ time derby of the low lands) 1 to 4 in a home game for Belgium, finally the strikers delivered a but still against a weaker defense where our defense is very good with star players from various competitions.

Curious to see they still play games and most competitions are due to start middle of August, where some even start earlier as they have to play qualify matches for European competitions. Not to be comparing the games on a physical abuse level (especially football and hockey), but even a MLB player playing game seven in the fall classic has 4 to 5 months "off" till spring training. If your unlucky and have to play game 3 in a wildcard, game 5 in a DS and game 7 in the NL/AL and WS you could play 185 matches, but a top player in for example Premier league soccer could also play 100 matches a season when they get far in their 3 cups, European competion and nation matches. They do some load management, put the second team on the field for less important or "easy" matches, but still....
 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,876
27,585
Carmel Valley, CA
You had an awesome game! Your man Virgil van Dijk who I see often watching Liverpool games, is a rock. And you have Stevie Bergwijn, who's on my Spurs team (but not for long apparently). (The two backs for Belgium are former Spurs stars.)

Keeping De Bruyne out of the equation was good work, too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LotusEater

DanWil84

Lifer
Mar 8, 2021
1,691
12,647
40
The Netherlands (Europe)
Bergwijn doesn't get enough time on the pitch. He wants to go back to the Dutch league and play at Ajax, but somehow Spurs think he is a great bench warmer. Im glad this coach has the balls to put 3 true defenders, two wing backs and let's the defenders play more towards the midfield as they are fast enough to intercept strikers. Only thing we really miss are 1 or 2 productive strikers and a van der Sar type of goalie, this generation goalies for us isn't that good, if Belgium had Courtois in the goal it wouldn't have been 4 goals.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jpmcwjr

mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,471
7,485
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
I had to look up 'scrimmage' :mad:

Sense 1. A bout of unplanned fighting, esp. between small groups of soldiers from opposing armies; a minor battle; a short war; = skirmish n. 1. Formerly also: †a fencing bout (obsolete rare).

Sense 2b. colloquial. A hand-to-hand fight, esp. between groups of people; a violent scuffle. Also: a chaotic struggle or tussle between members of a crowd; a mêlée.

But I finally got there.....sort of....

Sense 3c. American Football and Canadian Football. A sequence of play in which opposing players take up position on either side of an imaginary line parallel to the goal lines with the ball on the ground between them, and the centre, making a backward pass to a team member, puts the ball in play; (also) a play which begins in this way. Now chiefly without article, esp. in from scrimmage.

Sense 4b. A game which does not form part of a tournament, or whose outcome does not affect a team's position in a league; an exhibition game; a friendly game.

I already knew scrummage in case you might be wondering ;)

Regards,

Jay.
 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,876
27,585
Carmel Valley, CA
Bergwijn doesn't get enough time on the pitch. He wants to go back to the Dutch league and play at Ajax, but somehow Spurs think he is a great bench warmer. Im glad this coach has the balls to put 3 true defenders, two wing backs and let's the defenders play more towards the midfield as they are fast enough to intercept strikers. Only thing we really miss are 1 or 2 productive strikers and a van der Sar type of goalie, this generation goalies for us isn't that good, if Belgium had Courtois in the goal it wouldn't have been 4 goals.
I've always like that guy, and from some untimely injuries and turnover in the Spurs' coaching staff hasn't helped his time on the pitch. He can be a dynamo. Funny, one of his teammates who also scored after he did, appears to have the exact same physique as Bergwijn.

Good luck to him, wherever!

0_GettyImages-1400868757.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: OldVark
Jun 23, 2019
1,852
12,840
England - Germany and Italy - Hungary today was pretty interesting.

So these are qualification matches for the next Euro/World Cup?