lol
― Alan Alba (Tom D.), Tuesday, 10 July 2018 22:40 (five years ago) link
idk, few things grate as much as a player not passing the ball to the other team for a corner kick and such
― gospodin simmel, Tuesday, 10 July 2018 23:09 (five years ago) link
It blows my mind that not only wasn't Mbappe alive when France won the WC... he also wasn't alive when Hanson hit with "MMMBop"
― Josefa, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 04:00 (five years ago) link
MMMFlop
― fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 04:09 (five years ago) link
Tomorrow the three lions roar lads
― F# A# (∞), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 05:12 (five years ago) link
sentimentality leads me to cheer for CRO
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 05:13 (five years ago) link
the prospect of losing to france in the final is not filling me with much excitement tbh, third place play off against belgium might be more fun
― ogmor, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 08:07 (five years ago) link
apparently quite a chilly atmosphere at the game last night? and indeed p much every france game, they've only had one good one
― ogmor, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 08:41 (five years ago) link
^ feeling this
― I'd Rather Kecak (NickB), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 08:49 (five years ago) link
some morning huevos are needed
― FernandoHierro, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 08:56 (five years ago) link
the just match up would surely see croatia and france spinning a boring game into extra time, maybe punctuated by a couple of set piece goals before they finish it on penalties, while england lose 5-3 to belgium
― ogmor, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:03 (five years ago) link
3rd place game still counts towards the golden boot right?
― I'd Rather Kecak (NickB), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:13 (five years ago) link
it did for muller in 2010
― ogmor, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:18 (five years ago) link
It’ll be interesting to see who gets the Golden Ball. I’m not sure anyone has been head and shoulders above competition this time around. Mbappe is the favourite at the moment but a lot of that is probably down to one truly exceptional performance.
― Wag1 Shree Rajneesh (ShariVari), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:22 (five years ago) link
I genuinely think Trippier must be close to Golden Ball thinking.
― Bimlo Horsewagon became Wheelbarrow Horseflesh (aldo), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:27 (five years ago) link
Luka's still got 2 games to make a claim for it too tbf
― he's one of our pwn (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:37 (five years ago) link
I'm afraid Kieran Tripper is not a Golden Ball winner. It's simply not how things are done
― Number None, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:38 (five years ago) link
Is the Golden Ball a new thing? Not heard of that before
― groovypanda, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:38 (five years ago) link
i don't think i've ever been arsed to sit thru a 3rd place match and actually pay attention to it, it's perhaps the most pointless event in all of professional sport and i'm including cycling in there
― he's one of our pwn (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:38 (five years ago) link
It'll probably be Kante, result depending
― Number None, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:39 (five years ago) link
Kante would be a good call but the first defensive midfielder to ever get it, I think.
― Wag1 Shree Rajneesh (ShariVari), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:41 (five years ago) link
they'll just give it to a big star that makes the final, probably mbappe tbf
― nxd, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:42 (five years ago) link
^ not an endorsement obvs
― nxd, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:43 (five years ago) link
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jul/11/luka-modric-croatia-world-cup-england-miracle-worker
― groovypanda, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:43 (five years ago) link
huh, the last time it was actually awarded to a tournament winner was Romario in 1994
It does always go an attacking player (Oliver Kahn being the only exception) but there really doesn't seem to be an outstanding candidate this year
― Number None, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:49 (five years ago) link
good piece. i've been getting mildly radge at British pundits endlessly parroting "they've got to move the ball quicker/get it forward quicker" as if it's the only way to attack. then i caught myself shouting the same thing at England, and it dawned on me - for some systems it's paramount, and it's really down to the talents and mentalities you've got available to you. an England has to move the ball quickly to succeed because they don't have a Modric.
― he's one of our pwn (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:50 (five years ago) link
watching Mexico v Brazil was just a delight of thoughtful unhurried movement for example - always probing and testing each other but nothing like a cavalry charge.
― he's one of our pwn (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:51 (five years ago) link
obv xp
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:51 (five years ago) link
lads would ye stop its mbappe and its not close
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:52 (five years ago) link
he's not really bossed any game except maybe Argentina tho? he was fun last night when he started enjoying himself and playing flicks and tricks, otherwise i dunno he's just this coiled spring waiting to discharge in that particular set up a lot of the time
― he's one of our pwn (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 09:55 (five years ago) link
hes been disciplined, creative and intelligent throughout
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:05 (five years ago) link
without really dominating the show
― he's one of our pwn (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:06 (five years ago) link
i mean you could say similar about Pogba tho he's far less fun i'll grant you
mbappe was good last night, great in the argentina game, and largely anonymous besides. the bias towards attacking players for these things is especially odd as they are often the most peripheral. kante has dominated every game, sets things up beautifully for pogba, makes the defence look good, and is the key, decisive player in how deschamps has france playing. he would walk into any team and is emblematic of the where football is rn tactically.
― ogmor, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:19 (five years ago) link
cosine
― he's one of our pwn (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:23 (five years ago) link
and its not close
Varane has had a better tournament also
― Number None, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:26 (five years ago) link
is it close
― mark s, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:28 (five years ago) link
pogba also deserves mention
but imo you're underselling mbappe's level of performance besides, in a role that calls for anonymity until a flash of opportunity presents itself, and his hitrate there has been excellent
and then there *is* the argentina game, which rightly or wrongly will colour all the rest.
(rightly, btw. to destroy an entire defence with pace and creativity more than once in a game, in a big game, you're in a small subset)
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:32 (five years ago) link
its not klose
it's definitely not an England player. We can agree on that at least
― Number None, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:33 (five years ago) link
was just about to say "watch Sterling take this tournament by the scruff of its neck tonight"
― he's one of our pwn (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:34 (five years ago) link
if twere itd be harry and thatd be nonsense
otherwise, has pickford, trippier, uh....anyone else? stood out?
wouldnt say so.
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:35 (five years ago) link
trippiers been the best full back of the tournament, it's pretty difficult to measure differing positions
my prev comment was just about fifa tending to give the gb to attacking players that make the final
― nxd, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:36 (five years ago) link
pavard and hazard both deserve mention but they sound alike so votesplitting maybe a factor
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:36 (five years ago) link
if modric does it tonighy hes a strong contender
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:37 (five years ago) link
The team that's best at set pieces is best at football, the rest is just players knocking the ball around to keep people viewing the pitchside adverts
― Neuer write off the germans (Bananaman Begins), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:38 (five years ago) link
solid post
― nxd, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:40 (five years ago) link
in off the post
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:41 (five years ago) link
harry maguire should rent out his forehead for advertising imo, that lad's agent needs to up his game
― I'd Rather Kecak (NickB), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 10:43 (five years ago) link