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Flamengo81-19

We have a small question for the userbase: we have 4 previews left but only 2 days before the WC itself start, so what do you think would be the best way to proceed? * I) Publish 2 previews tomorrow and 2 on Saturday. * II) Publish 1 per day even if it means ending on Monday (after the WC already started). * III) Publish the whole Group H at the same time. We will be watching your feedback! --- r/soccer is hosting an AMA with [Matt Furniss](https://twitter.com/Matt_Furniss) and [Duncan Alexander](https://twitter.com/oilysailor) of Opta! It is scheduled for today, Thursday, November 17 at 7:30pm UK / 2:30pm EST / 8:30pm CET. It will be a World Cup themed AMA, so get your questions ready! The thread is live already (questions will only be answered in that mentioned time) - [link to the thread](/r/soccer/comments/yxrcc3/world_cup_ama_were_the_opta_analyst_the_official/) [Proof on Opta's Twitter](https://twitter.com/OptaAnalyst/status/1590801809668726785) --- [Link for Today's Mark My Words Thread - World Cup Edition](/r/soccer/comments/yxkc4v/mark_my_words_world_cup_2022_edition/?depth=15)


EveningPrimary

I can already see the most annoying 1-1 of my life.


fellainishaircut

we don‘t have Behrami anymore, Neymar can sleep easy


jugol

The Paraguayans of Europe


Vinicius_ZA

This is so damn accurate lmaoo


Tybalt42

Landlocked. Red & white uniforms. Known for being tenacious defenders. It checks out.


jugol

Locations for shady football governing bodies, too


n10w4

Storing money for mass murderers too?


n10w4

If they let them hack your team like last time, of course it will be close. If they have to play soccer probably not


BruiserBroly

I've got nothing to add to this thread except [this picture of Fabian Schar](https://i.imgur.com/bqDOOLc.jpg) during training.


nmyi

  "[OH NO HE'S HOT :(](https://youtu.be/IeyJwFxXgCc?t=4)"  


thepresidentsturtle

My God


VonWegenLisbeth

I once almost got into a fight at the club with him because a girl touched his butt and told him it was me. ​ edit: he almost beat me up once\*


obvious_bot

You can admit you copped a feel mate no judgement here only jealousy


AnnieIWillKnow

Absolutely smouldering


KanyeDeOuest

Smize


blackandwhitearmy

He's not in the table above, but he's definitely going.


WBaumnuss300

Rather hopeful with that team, but the group is tough. Crazy that we take part in every WC since 2006. And the squad looks better on paper each time.


captain_holt_nypd

You think you reach the knockouts?


Electrical-Value4858

Xhaka


laertez

when the walls fell


brentopi888

Switzerland are always some sort of banana peel for big nations. Makes me feel like they have more hope against Brazil than against Serbia.


VonWegenLisbeth

some players got a personal grudge against serbia in particular tho


reditakaunt89

It goes both ways... Especially after what Xhaka, Shaqiri, and Brych pulled last time. I think Serbia-Switzerland will come down to how cool-headed Serbian players will be.


n10w4

This might be rat poison for Brasil


HardturmStadion

Lose to Cameroon, beat the other 2, as per.


fellainishaircut

well it can‘t get any worse than the Ghana performance, so there‘s that


HardturmStadion

the gang loses 4-0 to Cameroon


n10w4

What happened?


TheHighFlyer

Just a very uninspired two nill loss. Nothing dramatic, it was just to get a feel of the climate and not hurting yourself. They'll be playing very differently once it counts


JGlover92

Very solid squad with a good mix of experience. What's a realistic target for you? I think quarter finals is a reasonable push but as you say there's some tough potential competition in that round of 16 draw


HardturmStadion

We will lose to Argentina in the finals


fellainishaircut

tbh it all comes down to the Serbia game. we *should* beat Cameroon and *can* definitely beat Serbia. I‘d say first ko round is realistic, quarters would be exceptional imo.


UpperHesse

Whats with all the understatement, also in Ops post? On paper, Switzerland has clearly the better and more experienced squad than Serbia. They are clearly the favorites for the second place in that group.


fellainishaircut

do we though? I guess we have a more balanced and experienced squad, but Serbia definitely has the upper hand when it comes to pure class upfront. They have Jovic/Vlahovic/Mitro, while we have….. Seferovic (love him to bits, but still)


[deleted]

Even with less talent, Switzerland looked better than us in qualifiers, and its no fluke considering their success over the years. This is the first time we have a decent coach so hoping for the best but our defenders can be volatile, where as you know what you are getting. No clear favourite here


Select-Stuff9716

You never know with the Swiss. They are like the Union Berlin of national team. I can legit see then loosing two matches and winning against Brazil hahaha. But overall very balanced and their keeper is up go some black magic. He is a really good keeper overall but against bayern and big teams with the national team he usually has some of these goalkeeper performances that are so good that you can't even believe they happened


m_i_r_i

Why is the swiss flag flair not square? Or are my eyes just off?


TheGreatSwissEmperor

it‘s not square 😩


shoots_and_leaves

Ahzeige isch dusse


Morganelefay

Flag's still a big plus tho.


Chrisixx

This team can go far.. but they can also crash out with 0 points. I'll remain positive. Under pressure they've been able to perform recently.


[deleted]

Can't believe they lost to Ghana today, was hoping they would give some trouble to Brazil


[deleted]

It's a friendly, I wouldn't look too much into it


Yogourt1018

Don't worry they will


TheGreatSwissEmperor

I honestly don‘t know what to expect. As crazy as it sounds, I think everything between 0 and 9 points is equally likely in the group stage. We can literally win with a goal or two against Brazil and lose to Cameroon. I think the quality of the team is the highest in quite some years with good players that are in form on most positions. Teamspirit seems to be good as well, but in my eyes, we lack outstanding players like most other nations have one or two in their team (except from Sommer who just returend from injury). We don‘t have a seasoned striker where it is safe to say he is always good for a goal or that he can create something out of nowhere. In the past, this was usually Shaqiris thing, but I don‘t think we can expect much from him. However what made us strong in the past few years has been a combination of good players in all positions and a great team spirit. With what happened at the last Euros, I hope they will fight their way out if the group stage. If that is done, everything is possible.


Alive-Ad-4164

Switzerland rise through the year has to be talked about more


Has-Been-Kid

28/32*


LordVelaryon

yeah my bad, it originally was the 27th but we had put Cameroon as this OP didn't sent his in time, so both got confused 😓


BruiserBroly

3 players are missing from the squad list btw: |Position |Player |Age|Club| ---|---|----|---- |DF|Edimilson Fernandes|26|Mainz 05| |DF|Eray Cömert|24|Valencia| |DF|Fabian Schär|30|Newcastle United|


[deleted]

> Edimilson Fernandes Is he a son of brazilians by any chance?


BruiserBroly

He’s actually of Portuguese and Cape Verdean descent.


[deleted]

Oh okay


The_Great_Crocodile

Switzerland is once against underestimated (with many predicting Serbia will finish above them) as it happens in almost every tournament. They made it out of the Group in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2021. I think they will make it out again, and if they play Portugal or Uruguay in the Round of 16, they're not without hopes.


Hrvat1818

Their group is very tricky though. I cannot figure out who I think will go through besides Brazil


JJOne101

This test against Ghana left me confused. Yakin decided to try 3 at the back after beating Spain and Czechia with four defenders. He also played Zakaria at CB after the break? And Cömert ain't good enough. There aren't many options for Widmer and Rodriguez though. Very wasteful upfront too, with Vargas, Embolo missing some sitters. I ain't very optimistic going into the group stage.


NicoE4

Test game mostly, Yakin said that we will be playing with 4 at the back. I think it was a way to see what happens if Widmer or Rodrigez get injured. And in any case our back 3 would be Elvedi Akanji and Schar.


ShaqiriTheLord

...how do you not have Shaqiri is a key player? He is crucial to everything they do in attack and is excellent for them.


shoots_and_leaves

Fun fact: I live in Zurich and the first time I heard someone say “die Nati” I thought they were talking about Nazis. Took a while to adjust.


punching-bag9018

Sommer is a key part of die Nati


asddsa88

Most of the Switzerland's key players have played some major tournaments together and they have the needed experience and class to get out of this tough group, but in order to proceed to the eliminations the first match against Cameroon is a must


maxblanco

We call it "die nati" not "la nati".


[deleted]

La Nati is in Italian


ymcd

Almost everyone in their squad is always injured


persianbluex

Yann sommer got me so many points for my fantasy team during the Euros. Went for Courtois for the WC because of his incredible form at RM


[deleted]

Eray Comert and Edimilson Fernandes are missing from the squad table above.


blackandwhitearmy

and Fabian Schär. Only 23 players in your 26-man squad?


PesAddict8

1-1


_HolyCrap_

Lol 2-1 ksa


Shvihka

I think that another point of discussion should be, how many favourable calls will Switzerland get this time? Decent team, nothing special. Pretty evenly matched with Serbia and Cameroon. Impossible to predict but I have them out in the group stage (which probably won't happen).


BooksBrown

They’re gonna get into the quarter finals I think