No Irish, No Yanks, No Clogs - FIFA World Cup 2018

we saw this proved when the insipid, uncreative uruguay were crushed by russia's scintillating, incomparable attacking play

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

Uruguay are way ahead of Iceland imo.

brazil-germany looks set to be the choice last 16 game

for funnies, yes

do you guys just root for the best players to not play on the biggest stage? why?

i root for them to baggio

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.

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.

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.

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.

ATENCIÓN | Cuentan desde Rusia que Diego Maradona fue trasladado a un hospital. pic.twitter.com/2Ewqx5vLhy

— Clubes Mundiales (@ClubesPortenos) June 26, 2018

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.

Thread

I like Lawro

— Peter Stringbender (@sweetlittlehifi) June 27, 2018

Time to name and shame, that's what I say.

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.

I like his suits and his love of quintero

Tim Vickery is great. Marcela Mora y Araujo has been my favourite voice so far though, I think.

My kids were asking me, whenever they cut to Maradona, 'is that fat man blind?' What a fucking shambles.

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.

bingo

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?

plus i think they think etc i meant

https://www.theonion.com/its-not-nice-to-be-smarter-than-other-people-1819584000

If Mexico go out, would they be the first team ever to be eliminated with 6 points?

think we've had a few groups end 6,6,6,0

if that happens then they should replace whichever team qualifies with the lowest points total imo

oh look, that would be argentina

*maradona found deflated in his hotel room like an adandoned spacehopper*

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...

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.

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.

come on Mexico

Cueva mutilation

me gusta

sweden have to at least be in contention for worst team at the tournament

Worse than Panama?

If they do go through they will the worse team left in the competition - a ba' hair ahead of Denmark.

Can only assume roberto is trying to jinx Mexico out of the wc with ludicrous assertion of swedish ineptitude

i extremely can't handle niklas süle's face

https://b.fssta.com/uploads/application/soccer/players/734125.vresize.350.425.medium.81.png

https://ohmy.disney.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Dinosaurs-Baby-Sinclair.jpg

praying for mexico and south korea to go through

given the south korean defense I think SHM will need at least a hat trick

Two German lasses in the pub, should be interesting when we start roaring on SKorea

yellow card for mexico already - could be significant if it comes down to fair play

great yellow too, for jumping in the air

shocking behaviour

and now ochoa picks it up outside the box!

Very nearly 1-0 after a blundering Neuer. Don't see that too often.

son could've been chasing that hat trick by now tbh

Germany are abysmal

None of the big names look particularly good this WC.

They deserve to lose for picking Ozil again.