9 - Robert Lewandowski

[Tookien]

Poland in Quatar WC was the ugliest playing team...where Lewandowski hardly got any juicy shot. The team was, rightfully, criticized left and right.
Now, did it not coincide with his form drop for the club immediately after?

Absolutely it did.
I really wanted Lewandowski to retire from international football as there was nothing he alone could do to "save" that team.

It's so frustrating, unnecessary and obviously hurt his confidence.

When your team has all that hype going into the WC, you barely get a touch or shot in, and then you drop out in the first round, it's GOING TO HURT YOUR CONFIDENCE.

 

[Maradona37]

Good to see him doing well. Keep it up, Rab.

 

[ZenI]

No more NT pls, Poland suck and he ain't helping them anyway - just stay fit for Barca, can't make everybody happy...

 

[Tookien]

No more NT pls, Poland suck and he ain't helping them anyway - just stay fit for Barca, can't make everybody happy...

Agree. He had like two touches throughout the game and had to play midfield.

The problems with Poland's national team are beyond anything Lewandowski can repair.

Use him as a sub otherwise it's just risking injury for nothing.

 

[TemporaryFan]

I thought about that Poland - Portugal game yesterday. Initially, after the game, I was pissed off big time but with a cooler head, I'd say, they had a few good moments, had they only been able to utilize...but they did not, so shame on them. Robert's play was poor, no doubt, but such his performance will always look like if he can't be serviced, which is not too likely to happen against the likes of Portugal.

As long as he wants to play for Poland , they'll use him. He's too big a name and still makes his marks to be dismissed as of no good use... Portugal level is one thing but there are other teams like Hungary, Czech Republic, Sweden, Norway, Serbia, Scotland, Wales...etc. with which they'll potentially compete for the WC spot.
I am sure he thinks seriously about WC 26, which will be his last major event. Whether Poland qualifies or not is another thing.

 

[Maradona37]

He obviously feels a lot of pride in playing for his country too. Obviously Poland will never win anything but that doesn't stop Salah, Haaland and others playing for their national teams. Unless you are playing for a superpower nation most players (of all levels) accept they're playing international football for the love of the nation and to compete as well as possible.

He is 36 though so it's so demanding to be playing for two teams at his age, considering he's still playing at the very top level in Europe.

it's a tricky one.

 

[TemporaryFan]

A thought;
If a player at 36 decides not to end his NT play, especially, after a fiasco in a major event (Euro 2024), it means he thinks of the next major campaign (WC 26).
End of thought.

Otherwise what's the point of breaking sweat for these Nations Leage games?
As soon as March, they'll start WC qualifiers that will end in the Fall that year...if Lewandowski is involved, and Poland qualifies, I don't see him not going to the next Mundial.

 

[TemporaryFan]

He obviously feels a lot of pride in playing for his country too. Obviously Poland will never win anything but that doesn't stop Salah, Haaland and others playing for their national teams. Unless you are playing for a superpower nation most players (of all levels) accept they're playing international football for the love of the nation and to compete as well as possible.

He is 36 though so it's so demanding to be playing for two teams at his age, considering he's still playing at the very top level in Europe.

it's a tricky one.

A "normal" athlete would end his NT career at this age but evidently, perhaps rightfully too, he is confident about his physio-mascular durability.
Now, if you look at his career, all the clubs he played for, the money they spent on him was worth every penny, also on the account of him rarely missing on games due to a prolonged injury. Even if there were injuries, they were two or three weeks at the most but you could count those with no more than fingers of one hand.
Haaland, Mbbape, Kane, even Zlatan, compared to Lewandowski, look like they are made of glass.

 

[Maradona37]

A "normal" athlete would end his NT career at this age but evidently, perhaps rightfully too, he is confident about his physio-mascular durability.
Now, if you look at his career, all the clubs he played for, the money they spent on him was worth every penny, also on the account of him rarely missing on games due to a prolonged injury. Even if there were injuries, they were two or three weeks at the most but you could count those with no more than fingers of one hand.
Haaland, Mbbape, Kane, even Zlatan, compared to Lewandowski, look like they are made of glass.

Fair point. He is 36 still though so we have to watch if he can maintain his level at Barca in particular. But I generally agree with you, good post.

 

[ZenI]

He obviously feels a lot of pride in playing for his country too. Obviously Poland will never win anything but that doesn't stop Salah, Haaland and others playing for their national teams. Unless you are playing for a superpower nation most players (of all levels) accept they're playing international football for the love of the nation and to compete as well as possible.

He is 36 though so it's so demanding to be playing for two teams at his age, considering he's still playing at the very top level in Europe.

it's a tricky one.

Haaland at least scores, bulldozes himself through defenders like they're kids Lewa barely touched the ball against Portugal...

 

[Maradona37]

Haaland at least scores, bulldozes himself through defenders like they're kids Lewa barely touched the ball against Portugal...

Yeah that is a fair point. Plus Haaland is much younger. I would suggest as I said above though that Lewa is only playing for Poland out of love for the nation, as well as to keep his profile up. He knows he can't really do anything to make them too much better.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

No more NT pls, Poland suck and he ain't helping them anyway - just stay fit for Barca, can't make everybody happy...

 

[JustAnotherBarcaFan]

Haaland at least scores, bulldozes himself through defenders like they're kids Lewa barely touched the ball against Portugal...

Lewa also did that in the past and scored some great solo goals for Poland (like the ones against Denmark or Slovenia) but he is 36 now

Here are few of his goals (they didn’t show the whole action when he scored against Denmark but I recommend to watch it from the beginning.

 

[Grande]

Lewa also did that in the past and scored some great solo goals for Poland (like the ones against Denmark or Slovenia) but he is 36 now

Here are few of his goals (they didn’t show the whole action when he scored against Denmark but I recommend to watch it from the beginning.

I love that 0:32 solo Lewandowski goal. Ronaldo could never

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

That's why my guy forget nt and focus only on Barca

“I am not a midfielder and my job is not to drop down to receive the ball in my own half. I can do that in training anyway,” he said with more than a hint of irony.
“During matches I have to stay closer to the box and wait for crosses, passes and balls to come to me until something happens. This is something we need to improve or change, and not just against Portugal.
“We don’t seem to have the ball close to the opponent’s box and my role is to try to get something there.”