top nations going out in the 1st round is the peak world cup experience. you will never understand
― Roberto Spiralli, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:26 (five years ago) link
Assuming South Korea beating Germany is out of the question?
Of the pre-tournament favourites, only Belgium look really convincing right now.
do you guys just root for the best players to not play on the biggest stage? why?
The joy of football is in its sheer unpredictability. It's also funny to watch complacent teams get punished for it.
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:27 (five years ago) link
what about SKorea holding Germany to a nil-nil and Mexico-Swe finishing 6-6, doesn't that do the job?
― Cueva mutilation (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:29 (five years ago) link
plus also messi has played in like 20 to 30 world cups and has never done it
― ||||||||, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:33 (five years ago) link
kor getting a point is unlikely but possible, whereas i can only see mexico giving sweden a preseason friendly drubbing
― Roberto Spiralli, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:33 (five years ago) link
It's fun. Fuck a star player.
― womp womp that sucker (Tom D.), Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:34 (five years ago) link
Apart from Messi.
with the close disappointment with portugal yday and arg today, serbia beating brazil is our best shot at the tournament being saved― Roberto Spiralli, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Roberto Spiralli, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Nigeria and Iran had their chances.
― xyzzzz__, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:36 (five years ago) link
I root for the most noble teams
― ogmor, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:36 (five years ago) link
The camera on Messi tending his forehead looking utterly miserable while the anthem played before the Croatia game still haunts me so glad he scored but would still prefer France to step up for that one.
― nashwan, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:37 (five years ago) link
He was really unlucky to be injured in 1978.
Bit weirded out that we're past the halfway mark and the four best teams so far are probably Mexico, Belgium, Croatia and England. Might begrudgingly give you Uruguay as well, joyless as they are. Can see none of them making it past the QFs.
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:38 (five years ago) link
Tax evasion bound to win regardless of guise.
― pomenitul, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:42 (five years ago) link
everyone's inability to really take opposition into account when assessing performances is a sweet mixture of frustrating and amusing
― ogmor, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:43 (five years ago) link
Of that lot only Belgium and England haven't yet played anyone especially decent.
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:45 (five years ago) link
guys i think the teams who have played against deep, compact defenses are frauds and the teams that have been able to play on the counter against more expansive & aggressive teams are much better
― ogmor, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:45 (five years ago) link
Yes, England and Belgium having an easier time of it than anyone else except Uruguay. Big chance of neither making the QF as a result.
― nashwan, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:45 (five years ago) link
rooting for columbia
― ||||||||, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:46 (five years ago) link
xxp so weird when ppl are oversimplistic in their analysis right?
― Roberto Spiralli, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:46 (five years ago) link
anyway, let's dream a little, whomst does not salivate at the thought of croatia vs whoever loses out of belgium and england in a WC semi?
― Roberto Spiralli, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:47 (five years ago) link
we saw this proved when the insipid, uncreative uruguay were crushed by russia's scintillating, incomparable attacking play
― ogmor, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:47 (five years ago) link
Liked the way Argentina came through this really tough evening. I think if Colombia goes through, and with Uruguay in and Brazil bound to be in South Americans looking good, and hopefully one of them can make the final. xps
― xyzzzz__, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:47 (five years ago) link
Uruguay are way ahead of Iceland imo.
― xyzzzz__, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:48 (five years ago) link
brazil-germany looks set to be the choice last 16 game
― ogmor, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:49 (five years ago) link
for funnies, yes
― I'd Rather Kecak (NickB), Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:56 (five years ago) link
i root for them to baggio
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 20:57 (five years ago) link
The piece from Valdano on Argentina and Messi is spot on. They have no composure. Half of the defense seems to care more about going hard on the man than winning the ball. The AFA is lightyears behind all other great football nations.
― Milton, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 21:03 (five years ago) link
That goal from Messi is definitely my favorite of the tournament so far. Not that he can treat the ball like that running at full speed, no. The real genius that epitomizes how he's one step ahead of everyone else, is how he loses the defender with the second touch and give himself just enough space to finish.
― Milton, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 21:09 (five years ago) link
I enjoyed listening to Tim Vickery on Neymar about 10 mins ago. World Cup discussion panels need more Tim Vickery and less fucking Neville Brothers, unless they are Aaron + Cyril.
― calzino, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 21:10 (five years ago) link
Brazil still look really good despite profligacy and slow starting. I can't see Germany and Spain continuing to bungle like they have done up to now, but neither team looks as good as they have in the past. England have beaten a reasonably well organised defensive team in Tunisia (albeit without any real ideas when it got difficult). Uruguay have got the results but laboured against Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Argentina hugely improved today but they were completely at sea when faced with a really top class midfielder and had no idea how to deal with him. I've so far managed not to see a minute of France. The sides who have been doing well (except maybe Belgium) have enough cracks that a proper team would undo them easily. It is wide open right now which is what makes the whole thing so exciting.
― Matt DC, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 21:22 (five years ago) link
ATENCIÓN | Cuentan desde Rusia que Diego Maradona fue trasladado a un hospital. pic.twitter.com/2Ewqx5vLhy— Clubes Mundiales (@ClubesPortenos) June 26, 2018
― Number None, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 21:46 (five years ago) link
Some bloke had to hold him by the waist as he was stood up at the game earlier. Looked like he'd passed out briefly at another point.
― nashwan, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 21:54 (five years ago) link
Thread
I like Lawro— Peter Stringbender (@sweetlittlehifi) June 27, 2018
― Tim, Wednesday, 27 June 2018 08:30 (five years ago) link
Time to name and shame, that's what I say.
― xyzzzz__, Wednesday, 27 June 2018 08:36 (five years ago) link
Really liked Tim Vickery at the last wc. Sounded like a man who made notes and checked them now and then. Which is nothing less than revolutionary these days.
― xyzzzz__, Wednesday, 27 June 2018 08:39 (five years ago) link
I like his suits and his love of quintero
― ogmor, Wednesday, 27 June 2018 08:41 (five years ago) link
Tim Vickery is great. Marcela Mora y Araujo has been my favourite voice so far though, I think.
― The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums (Chinaski), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 08:54 (five years ago) link
My kids were asking me, whenever they cut to Maradona, 'is that fat man blind?' What a fucking shambles.
― The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums (Chinaski), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 08:55 (five years ago) link
Tim V was always the highlight of the World Football Show, he literally lives and breathes S American football and there aren't many players in that region that he hasn't watched and has well considered opinions on. Sometimes I think he seems to be used sparingly at World Cups because BBC producers are worried he makes most of their other "talent" look completely clueless and full of shit.
― calzino, Wednesday, 27 June 2018 09:15 (five years ago) link
bingo
― Cueva mutilation (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 09:19 (five years ago) link
plus i think the vast majority of the viewing public don't want knowledgeable considered opinions about football and who are we to say they're wrong about that?
― Cueva mutilation (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 09:20 (five years ago) link
plus i think they think etc i meant
― Cueva mutilation (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 09:21 (five years ago) link
https://www.theonion.com/its-not-nice-to-be-smarter-than-other-people-1819584000
― Cueva mutilation (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 09:24 (five years ago) link
If Mexico go out, would they be the first team ever to be eliminated with 6 points?
― thomasintrouble, Wednesday, 27 June 2018 09:37 (five years ago) link
think we've had a few groups end 6,6,6,0
― nxd, Wednesday, 27 June 2018 09:48 (five years ago) link
if that happens then they should replace whichever team qualifies with the lowest points total imo
― I'd Rather Kecak (NickB), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 09:49 (five years ago) link
oh look, that would be argentina
*maradona found deflated in his hotel room like an adandoned spacehopper*
― I'd Rather Kecak (NickB), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 09:52 (five years ago) link
I can't really see Sweden beating Mexico by a wide enough margin to put them out unless something incredible happens like they have someone sent off and concede three penalties. Actually...
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 27 June 2018 10:32 (five years ago) link
The only two 6-6-6-0 groups were in 1994 when it was still 24 teams, so all three went through in both cases. Also the only time there's been a 4-4-4-4 and Norway finished last with 4 points.
― Iain Mew (if), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 11:40 (five years ago) link
Also I don't think Sweden need much of a margin, Sweden 1-0 Mexico combined with any Germany win other than 1-0 would be enough to put it down to yellow cards between Sweden and Mexico.
― Iain Mew (if), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 11:50 (five years ago) link
come on Mexico
― Cueva mutilation (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 12:11 (five years ago) link