Gab & Juls Show: World Cup Preview Part 2

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0:32I'm Gab, he's Jules. This is the Gab and Jules show presented by Gusto. Jules, we've been going, we've been trying to prepare as we can for the largest World Cup in history. We've been going through the various groups. We're halfway there. Halfway there. Let's crack on. Let's crack on. We've got Group G getting into it. Pure basic. We have Belgium. Please, I know somebody again. Well, we are, oh, we're the golden generation. Could they ever look up? There's not much left of them. There are a couple of survivors, a couple of stragglers. Axel Witzel, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, the eternal Thibaut Courtois.

1:10I have them as favorites, clear favorites, in a group that includes Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand.

1:18Julien Laurens:Toss-up Egypt. Yeah, not the most sexiest of groups, let's be honest here. I mean, even Belgium under Rudy Garcia, who we're still not really sure what to expect, despite all the talent that they have. And some of the players have had really good season, like Uri Telemans, for example, and Aston Villa. But you still, I'm not sure, as well for Rudy Garcia, a bit like Carlo Ancelotti that we mentioned in the last show that we did when we previewed the first six groups of this World Cup. Rudy Garcia has never coached at international level in a tournament like this. And it's very different to club level, so let's see how he adapts.

1:53Julien Laurens:But you're right, they are absolutely hugely favorite to top the group. And then, you know what, behind that, I fancy Iran more than Egypt. really because I think this Iran side with everything that's going on back home we want to make their country proud and their people proud and I think they already have a lot of talent obviously maybe more than a Egypt team that didn't do well at Afghans and despite most Salah being there for his last World Cup I'm not sure I'm in great form yeah I think that's the thing with when we compare Iran and Egypt I mean look Iran there's obviously there is a political dimension to all this everything that's going on it's an elephant in a room, we don't know how it's going to affect the players, but what we do know is they've consistently been great in Asian qualifying until really over the last 10-20 years, maybe you could argue Japan and Korea have matched them, but they've still been right up at the very top.

2:44In Mediterrami, they have a veteran center forward, but a lot of the guys who play domestically in Iran, that is a pretty competitive league. Certainly more competitive, I would say, probably than Egypt. And then New Zealand. who are also in the group uh okay we'll get to new zealand darren basley boom uh that's right chris wood yeah boom done okay the guy who plays in mr old who plays in discipline france or belgium there you go in the france second division i mean again i don't want to minimize but this is what you're up again you're a small country three million people it's it's tough egypt i can see all the flaws like you can yeah you know the idea that historically did well in the afghan because they were tight, very disciplined defensively.

3:28They had great goalkeepers. They certainly do. Oshinawi, I think, is still a very good goalkeeper, even though he's now older. Hossam Hassan, I can personally take her leave, and then you leave it to Marmouche and Mohamed Salah to do something up front.

3:42Julien Laurens:Yeah, and we saw Afgan that he was probably not good enough. This is Mo Salah's last World Cup. And by the way, this is a big farewell World Cup too, when you think about Messi and Cristiano, the obvious one, but also Neuer and Modric and Salah and maybe Kane and those kind of guys. By the way, Cristiano, if you're watching, he's the one who said it's your last World Cup. Not me, not me, not me. Even you, you know, Cristiano. So, yeah, so there's that emotional side of it for Egypt to do well for Mo Salah for his last World Cup. But I think they will come short. Certainly for the top, they might finish second behind Belgium just ahead of Iran.

4:15Julien Laurens:But I would have Iran second, Egypt third, and then New Zealand fourth without even a point. Egypt playing Iran in the third group game. My boss says, hmm, maybe I'll send you out to Seattle for that game. I'm hoping he does. I hope you do. Also, because the alternative for me would be Uzbekistan and Atlanta. Not quite the same thing. Moving on to Group H. We have Spain, heavy favorites in this group. We have Saudi Arabia, who are led now by Giorgio Stonis. And we have Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay. and we have Cape Verde led by somebody named Bubista. Now, I got to say about Cape Verde, it's like they would be the feel-good story of this World Cup if it wasn't for Curaçao.

4:59So we almost have to judge them on footballing terms now.

5:02Julien Laurens:And they've done really well in the qualifiers to get out of the African qualifiers, if you want. They did really, really well. They have tiny country, but with a lot of players from the diaspora you mentioned. There's a few Paris-Borne-Bret in there too who played in all around the world, really. And the team spirit is their main strength, I think. And they will be led by Stopira, the centre-back, who is the captain who had this great cup win in Portugal, remember? With a second division club. Yes, exactly. And I think they will have nothing to lose. So it will be interesting. But Spain, obviously, hugely favorite.

5:40Julien Laurens:And for Uruguay and Bielsa, a bit of pressure because Bielsa, I think, has to deliver. a lot of pressure, I think, on Uruguay always. Obviously, he left out Luis Suarez. I'm not surprised Suarez had retired, but then Suarez said, hey, look, I'm available because, look, the other strikers there, you know, not much to write home about except for Darwin Nunez. It's almost a stereotype with Uruguay. Every game is a battle, blah, blah, blah. Fede Valverde and the teeth and whatever. But that's not really Bielsa football either. And there's a reason I think Uruguay and Bielsa I don't think they've been a great fit.

6:16I know it's like you're not allowed to criticize it and I know but I mean compared to Tabarez who said I'm going to embrace this this other grand old man of football not quite the same success.

6:27Julien Laurens:No although he had some good moments really and more disappointing ones obviously like in the last Copa America but I think there's potentially something there but he will need all those top players so Darwin and Valverde, Arojo to be really at their best for Uruguay collectively. Araujo will be well-rested. Yeah, that's true. I'm not sure they will be, but this is a good group for them because you think they would, against Saudi Arabia and Cap Verde, they should be ahead and they should finish second behind Spain. We say should. I think the Saudi Arabia one, I would write them off at their peril.

7:00I think people find them slightly difficult to judge because we look at the players and almost all of them, except for the guy at Lens, I think just about everybody else who's going to start plays in Saudi but let's not forget that is a pretty good league this is a league where the level's been elevated, they pay for the bigger clubs in Saudi they play alongside all these superstars who've come over and we'll see whether that makes them better I think it might I think it's really really tight and I think very difficult to call between Saudi and Uruguay Do you see Spain going all the way? Are they the main favorite we're going to repeat that over and over again in the tournament.

7:43No, they're not. I think at some point things tend to unravel. I think there are some weaknesses in the squad, but like we said, Jules, and to everybody else, let's try to talk more about the little guys than the big guys, because there will be a lot of Spain talk, because tell you what, they ain't going out this early.

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10:07It's France, led by Didier Deschamps. France, who came within a whisker of winning their third World Cup. That's right. Wow, moving past the little countries that have won too? Absolutely. Nearly moving up to the big boys. Just overtake what's in front of you. So they're in a group with Iraq, Norway, and Senegal. I think this is actually a tough group. Not that France are in danger, but Norway were absolutely devastating in qualifying. A lot's going to depend on fitness. Senegal also stacked with talent. Again, they won or didn't win or won the AFCON. And Iraq, who I think are actually a tough out, or can be a tough out.

10:58Hey, let's start, I think, with Senegal, because so many options up front, from Nico Jackson to Ivan Inja, to Sadio Mane, to Zmael Assar. There's like an abundance of riches. There's a lot of experience at the back with Koulibaly. You've got the strength of Nyakate. you got Edouard Mendy in goal this is really tight between them and Norway

11:21Julien Laurens:yeah I agree for me massive outsiders of this tournament dark horses that can go really far the best African team of the last 10 years maybe Morocco have been better over the last four years certainly in terms of results because they did the same for AFCON but Morocco were better than Senegal in the last World Cup but over 10 years outstanding generation and Papcho who like we said won AFCON didn't win win it, won it, etc. But a lot of talent at his disposal. France, I still think and first game is France against Senegal in New Jersey, where we were both big. I think that's a key game, really a key game, massive game.

11:59Julien Laurens:Remind you of 2002 and when Senegal upset France by beating them. Papabouba Diop! The big man! We won it four years before, so huge huge game. And also all the historically, the ties between the two countries socially in terms of the huge community of Senegalese in France and second and third generation of Senegalese in France as well. So, huge, huge game for both. But I would have Senegal finishing second and Norway third, although I think Norway could also beat our courses in this tournament. Yeah, what we've seen throughout qualifying is A, Norway against the little teams. They love running up the score.

12:36And against the four-time World Cup winners, they love just beating them. So, I don't think this is a Norway team that really plays without fear. Weirdly, I think sometimes the focus is less on Erling Haaland than it is at Manchester City for Haaland. Maybe. With other people who can take over. Obviously, we saw Antonio Nusa. Udegaard, if he regains his mojo, you know, he's a player and a half. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Although, obviously, it's been a long season for him and yada, yada, yada. I find Norway and Senegal impossible to separate. Jules, gun to my head. I'm going to say Senegal just because there's got to be some Norway schadenfreude.

13:16Julien Laurens:Yeah, and also they've been there before Senegal. This is Norway's first World Cup since Jan-Agrifjortov's generation back in 1998. It's a long time. They haven't played the Euros either because I think the Senegal team is more used to those big tournaments. That said, we would imagine Norway or Senegal, whichever one loses the head-to-head, advancing by beating up Iraq. Iraq coached by Graham Arnold. We say they're tough out because they can be tough to break down, but there's a reason they were the fifth team or maybe even sixth. Yeah, they had to go through all those playoffs, rounds, very difficult games and everything.

13:51Julien Laurens:So I think you're right. I think they will be fourth in that and it will be who beat them and on what score and what the goal difference is, maybe to separate Norway and Senegal. Group J now with the champions of the world, Argentina led by Lionel Scaloni. What, you thought I was going to say somebody else? No, obviously they're stacked. We expect them to win this group. For me, interesting is who can finish second because Algeria have Zidane, possibly between the sticks. I'm not sure if he's going to start. He's injured, so he might be fit enough. For the later phases. He's still there. They have Riyad Mahrez, of course.

14:32They have Ryan Ainuri. They have Mondi. Great squads. There's some experience here. And they have a veteran coach who's probably been better with national teams than he has been with club teams in Vladimir Pekovic.

14:44Julien Laurens:Yeah, and he's under pressure because obviously they underperformed at the last AFCON. And Algeria is a very demanding country from a fan base point of view. They expect their team to go far all the time. And this is, again, their golden generation. You know, the generation that won them AFCON six years ago or something. And a lot of them are still there. This is Riyan Mahrez's last tournament, last World Cup too. So they will want to do well. And in a way, I think this is a group that is good for them. I think it's good for them that way they can go from strength to strength. I think they will have good answers to a lot of the questions that oppositions can ask them.

15:24Julien Laurens:And I'm really hopeful for them to have a good World Cup. Obviously, loads of half French, half Algerian in that squad too. So we know a lot of them really, really closely. Austria, I thought they did well at the last Euro. and Ralf Rangnick, they have a guy who, I know, he's got like guru status in football as the minds of football. Manchester United fans may or may not agree from, you know, the little interim stint he had there. But he certainly clicked very well with his Austrian players, with the Austrian national team. He has some talent in Sabitzer, Romano Schmidt, these guys have been around the block.

16:03And at the back, Kevin Danso and others. However, up front, when I look at Marko Arnautovic, because that's him, really, really old and playing from a standstill, or Michael Gregorich, another one that sometimes has these brain farts, even though he's talented. I kind of see we're going to need a lot of Rangnick here, a lot of exploiting opposition. We need Rangnick to out-coach the opposition.

16:29Julien Laurens:Yeah, and I think they will do that to some extent. I think they will qualify for the knockout stages. I think they still have a good collective and a good unit and certainly a very good team spirit that Rangnick has created within that team. And I think, again, I think they will go to the next round. After that, it will depend who they face. But I think over one game with Rangnick and that kind of mentality, I think they can also be difficult to play against. I'm not sure they will go really far, but I think they can be difficult to play against. The fourth team in the group kind of came out of nowhere, I think, to qualify for the World Cup.

17:03Again, we look at somebody like Jordan. Yeah, we don't talk about them because we talk about Cape Verde and Curaçao and stuff like that. But this is a side that did ridiculously well and so unexpected. I don't want to say they have one outstanding player, but probably one player that's familiar. And of course, it's Moussa Altamari who plays for Rennes. They're really going to have to work to get out of the group.

17:27Julien Laurens:Yeah, and they will have that. They will be collectively strong with a great mentality. and then a bit of Altamari Magic, who's had a really good season with Rennes, especially after the change of manager halfway through the season. That's worked really well for him. It's exciting. And again, they have nothing to lose, you know, in a group where you don't maybe expect them to come out because Algeria, Austria and Argentina should be the three favorite above them. But still, you just never know. No pressure whatsoever.

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19:55We got our last two groups. group k and group l let's start with group k because cristiano ronaldo will be performing in group k of course portugal uh led by roberto martinez democratic republic of congo uzbekistan led by former ballon door winner fabio carnavaro and of course colombia with the eternal james rodriguez i think this is actually a fairly balanced group i don't know that there's an outright favorite in this group and I'm sorry Portugal no I disagree with you I

20:26Julien Laurens:think Portugal are by far the favorite in this tournament and we expect them all to go well if I said if it might not be a big if they for battle Martinez makes the right call and I think there's a lot of calls to making this team because there's a lot of talent in that team especially or including in the midfield and then attack yeah and it's like as well I guess Cristiano will be there and we'll start as a nine although he hasn't scored obviously in the last two big tournaments, the last World Cup and the last Euros as well. But then if they can find the right formula and everything clicked, whether it's Bruno, Bernardo, Vitinha, Joe Neves, whoever you want, or Leao, Neto, or whatever, Conceição, all that kind of talent that they have and they maybe have the most depth in their squad of all the teams in the tournament, then they'd be a threat to anyone.

21:16Yeah, what I do think is this is one where I don't think there's any pushover. in this group. I guess that's what I'm thinking. I think every game is going to take a lot out of you. A lot of opportunities for second guessing. Colombia, I guess, would be most people's second favorites. Yeah, there are my dark horses as well.

21:32Julien Laurens:Amongst my dark horses, a bit like Japan, a bit like Ecuador. You're talking about, now, we need to explain this. James Rodriguez, a guy who plays with one foot and plays from a standstill, but still makes a difference. It still works for them. He only plays every four years. It still works for them. Luis Diaz coming off a huge season for them. Of course, Daniel Munoz, maybe not as good as last season, but it's because last season he was out of this world. Luis Suarez, the other one, but who's done really well with sporting. So you put these bits together, and then you have to ask yourself, how do they rate versus the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, who had to go through the playoffs, but did beat the mighty Nigeria in the playoffs.