World Cup 2018

[Husky]

Var is Great

Not sure if you guys following UK coverage (more suppressive) will have seen this, but it was shown on the coverage from the 'cameras on the other side of the pitch'.

Edited June 26, 2018 by Husky

[Tom]

Pictures of Maradona being seen to by Paramedics after the game either legless drunk or from drugs.

During the game he looked comically out of it but it’s obviously a real issue, he needs help.

[Audax]

1 hour ago, Husky said:

Var is Great

Not sure if you guys following UK coverage (more suppressive) will have seen this, but it was shown on the coverage from the 'cameras on the other side of the pitch'.

Suppressive? It's Russia who is 138th out of 180 countries for freedom of the press, I'm sure as heck not going to believe them. Non-free elections and on down the line.

[Miker]

Interesting to see who takes the spots in the semifinals. 

One of the spots will be taken by one of France, Argentina, Portugal or Uruguay. All strong teams. Pre-tournament my money would be on France, but they have been so poor in their group games. Argentina and Portugal both have a chance due to Messi and Ronaldo, but I would love Uruguay to win it as they deserve it the most after their performances in the group stage.

I expect the 2nd semi final spot to go to either Spain or Croatia, which is a really tough one to call. Croatia have been so impressive and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them defeat Spain in the quarterfinal. I can’t see Denmark or Russia progressing any further.

[Audax]

Croatia look like one of the best to me, I think Mexico is as well. I'm not positive if Mexico is going to route Sweden though later on. For the Swedes, win or go home.  The match has me baffled some.  Serbia's not a bad team either but they are playing Brazil.

 

[joey_big_nose]

4 hours ago, Miker said:

Interesting to see who takes the spots in the semifinals. 

One of the spots will be taken by one of France, Argentina, Portugal or Uruguay. All strong teams. Pre-tournament my money would be on France, but they have been so poor in their group games. Argentina and Portugal both have a chance due to Messi and Ronaldo, but I would love Uruguay to win it as they deserve it the most after their performances in the group stage.

I expect the 2nd semi final spot to go to either Spain or Croatia, which is a really tough one to call. Croatia have been so impressive and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them defeat Spain in the quarterfinal. I can’t see Denmark or Russia progressing any further.

Although they are dull as dishwasher France look a good bet to me. Very very difficult to score against, probably the physically strongest team at the tournament, and have half a dozen players who can score goals out of nothing.

They could grind it out I think.

[philipl]

Uruguay are the team which all round has been the most impressive thus far. Let's see if that has jinxed them!

[Mike E]

For those wondering just why England hate Argentina so much:

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/diego-maradona-world-cup-argentina-england-falklands-war-patriotism-a8419006.html?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1530095280

[perthblue02]

23 minutes ago, Mike E said:

For those wondering just why England hate Argentina so much:

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/diego-maradona-world-cup-argentina-england-falklands-war-patriotism-a8419006.html?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1530095280

2014

[Husky]

And here's me thinking it's because of moments like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWsEuczNj48

 

[perthblue02]

4 minutes ago, Husky said:

And here's me thinking it's because of moments like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWsEuczNj48

 

Bet the ref never had to buy a tin of corned beef ever again

[AllRoverAsia]

53 minutes ago, Mike E said:

For those wondering just why England hate Argentina so much:

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/diego-maradona-world-cup-argentina-england-falklands-war-patriotism-a8419006.html?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1530095280

It started way before Maradona had arrived on any scene.

In 1966 Argentina, by then an established retirement home for runaway Nazis, arrived for the WC in England and proceeded to give a shameful and brutal display of thuggery against their hosts moving Sir Alf to call them animals setting off a political crisis and fanning Argie anger. Not the main reason for Thatcher's later triumph but a part of it.

Still having said that they had great teams when winning their World Cups and in Messi have the best current player in the world.

Maradona, great player that he was, becomes more and more a figure of ridicule which is sad. Suffice to say his offer to give a team talk was not taken up.

[Husky]

If you believe that teams look ahead to who they might play in the knock out stages and try and act accordingly then Belgium v England could end up being a Monty Python match with Belgium playing for a draw and England trying to lose.

Also, do Brazil care who they play next? Surely they would want to avoid Germany? If they do they might end up playing for a draw against Serbia and let Switzerland take the group.

What do people think? Surely teams and coaches etc. must think in the same way that the media and fans do?

[Husky]

Also, how the hell was this not a penalty?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIQunAQosAs

It seems getting the ball first and then following through IS a penalty (France v Australia), yet taking a player out with a clear goalscoring opportunity ISN'T. Did they all bottle the red card scenario? It seems so.

VAR is as clear as mud.

Edited June 27, 2018 by Husky

[Audax]

Yes, that's a penalty:

 

[Audax]

This is not a politics forum, I will say, Argentina seem to have a decent president now.  I don't know if this current president would be into this Falklands/Malvinas activism but I doubt it.  In May, Boris Johnson went to Argentina to honour the war dead, I thought on both sides of the conflict (this is also the 2nd time a British dignitary has done something like this: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/may/19/boris-johnson-to-lay-falklands-wreath-in-argentina-latin-america-trip  

Argentina were a troubled country for quite a number of years or decades. They have also had good basketball teams in the Olympics and so on. They seem to be on the right track now.

[Audax]

Maradona is from my era when I started watching football. He's larger than life, I don't even mind him as a human being with his personal foibles; but it appears pretty clear, doping and not just cocaine probably influenced his play. He may not be by a long shot the only footballer who has.  It would not surprise me if some other 'stars' might have done some blood doping.  So, Maradona has an asterisk by his name. I don't think he did it in an overly sinister way, I think a lot of "speed", amphetamine was used in South America during that time.

No way to I consider Messi, without a billion dollar half of the Spanish world/euro champion midfield, the best player in the world.

 

 

Edited June 27, 2018 by Audax

[DE.]

Germany looking poor again. I imagine they'll win as South Korea are significantly worse in terms of talent, but this isn't the Germany I'm used to seeing at tournaments. 

[Husky]

1 hour ago, Audax said:

it appears pretty clear, doping and not just cocaine probably influenced his play.

 

 

That certainly would explain how a midget was able to out-jump a 6ft goalkeeper.

Super Maraio

 

[Audax]

Swedes given a chance at a PK, it looks real to me..... that would make it 2-0 if they make it....

[Audax]

14 minutes ago, Husky said:

That certainly would explain how a midget was able to out-jump a 6ft goalkeeper.

Super Maraio

 

Let me be clear, it is in Maradona's background, whether he did that in Mexico,  I certainly do not know.  Maradona is a ton of talent,  sort of revolutionized the game and also with an asterisk. Those Tour de France cyclists did that blood doping, I personally wonder about Zizou, I don't mean to knock him. Just the way things are.

[perthblue02]

Just now, Audax said:

Swedes given a chance at a PK, it looks real to me..... that would make it 2-0 if they make it....

As it stands Germany going home , my heart breaks

[Audax]

Germany 0 0 Korea, sorry, I had it up with my picks....let's see....

[jim mk2]

28 minutes ago, DE. said:

Germany looking poor again. I imagine they'll win as South Korea are significantly worse in terms of talent, but this isn't the Germany I'm used to seeing at tournaments. 

This exactly how Germany plays at tournaments. Always finds a way through, despite not playing well, and ends up in the semi-final or final. 

Would love to be proved wrong though !

Edited June 27, 2018 by jim mk2

[Audax]

I watched South Korea play Mexico, they were pretty good. I wouldn't always be talking down these other teams....I turned the Germany/Korea game on, that Sweden Mexico match is really something though, memorable....especially after the way Sweden got swatted down just this past weekend, heartbreaker.