duff on the penalty misses live on rte
"Vladimir's henchmen will be ringing him tonight"
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Saturday, 7 July 2018 20:59 (five years ago) link
On the evidence of the last two games, Croatia seem to be running out of steam.
― Alan Alba (Tom D.), Saturday, 7 July 2018 20:59 (five years ago) link
They’ve also run out of centre forwards if Mandzukic is crocked.
― Wag1 Shree Rajneesh (ShariVari), Saturday, 7 July 2018 21:02 (five years ago) link
I wonder if they will ask Kalinic to come back.
Bring Walcott and Eduardo back. Great days.
― shaqiri tip (nashwan), Saturday, 7 July 2018 21:03 (five years ago) link
xxxp My impression also.
Thank u valdumir putin for being restrained in ur ambition 2 bring some pride back 2 russian football
― Neuer write off the germans (Bananaman Begins), Saturday, 7 July 2018 21:03 (five years ago) link
christ that could have been russia against denmark out there
― Neuer write off the germans (Bananaman Begins), Saturday, 7 July 2018 21:04 (five years ago) link
I feel good saying this cos I don't give much of a shit about kiss of deathing it but this Eng are probably better than this Cro.
― he's one of our pwn (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 7 July 2018 21:41 (five years ago) link
Definitely looks winnable for them but who nose eh. If Croatia give a halfway decent performance on wednesday it'll be impressive after coming through the two gruelling rounds they have.
― Neuer write off the germans (Bananaman Begins), Saturday, 7 July 2018 21:59 (five years ago) link
The nose knows
― F# A# (∞), Saturday, 7 July 2018 22:00 (five years ago) link
If Croatia give a halfway decent performance on wednesday it'll be impressive after coming through the two gruelling rounds they have.
It's been gruelling because Croatia haven't been good enough to put the games to bed, play like that against England and they're toast.
― Alan Alba (Tom D.), Saturday, 7 July 2018 22:06 (five years ago) link
here’s my prediction: england are going to win this world cup because we’re living in hell
― Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report (bizarro gazzara), Saturday, 7 July 2018 22:07 (five years ago) link
Very possible.
― Alan Alba (Tom D.), Saturday, 7 July 2018 22:11 (five years ago) link
Consider then how enjoyable their flopping in Qatar will then be. Unless they break the curse and this is merely your hell.
― shaqiri tip (nashwan), Saturday, 7 July 2018 22:13 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9hQ2C5d9Qk
― Pwn Goal Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 7 July 2018 22:14 (five years ago) link
winning is only ever deferred losing tbh
― Neuer write off the germans (Bananaman Begins), Saturday, 7 July 2018 22:16 (five years ago) link
Thought of a Belgium-Croatia final still has me wishing I wasn't so Englishish.
― shaqiri tip (nashwan), Saturday, 7 July 2018 22:16 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17L-QaTq3LA
― Pwn Goal Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 7 July 2018 22:18 (five years ago) link
watching this on replay and holy shit @ that first goal
― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:04 (five years ago) link
My Croatian friend is super excited, but even he seems to think the only thing working in their favor is that England is not quite the same tier as France and Belgium, and that maybe Croatia will make it one more round.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:05 (five years ago) link
I like Croatia’s tenacity. They’re not the most finesse team but I love that they play so hard right to the end. That never say die vibe goes a long way. Also Luka is gr8.
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:18 (five years ago) link
vrsjalko my favourite mournful hipster in this cup
― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:20 (five years ago) link
croatia far from the least finesse team tbf, but theyve been playing teams determined to not let em play
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:24 (five years ago) link
Fwiw England can beat Belgium, the team is full of players they're used to playing in the Premiership. France would destroy them.England Croatia looks pretty even tbh - I feel like England have settled on a team and system that compensates well for obvious weaknesses in their squad. Croatia don't really need to do that but they don't look like world beaters and they've played a lot more football than England's first XI this tournament.
― Matt DC, Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:30 (five years ago) link
Also for real England are going into this with a CF who at this point is pretty much the best in his position in the world and is generally considered as such.
― Matt DC, Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:32 (five years ago) link
modric is key, if henderson can live with him england have too much energy and strength
any team left in it could win but france have by some distance the best players but no real system, belgium the best first xi but no consistency, england the best consistency but quite limited approaches, croatia the poorest squad, the hardest road behind them and the fewest routes to goals (perisic has been utter waste btw) so france beating england in a nuts final it is
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:48 (five years ago) link
Giroud 1-0 in extra time
― shaqiri tip (nashwan), Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:53 (five years ago) link
throught trippier would be at least joint assist leader but hes only credited with 2. hows that possible.
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:53 (five years ago) link
his hairline has 4 more
― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Saturday, 7 July 2018 23:58 (five years ago) link
Kids training and the coach shouts: "NEYMAR!"😂😂 pic.twitter.com/8NvK55DorA— 🇷🇺 vs 🇭🇷 Football Tweet (@Football__Tweet) July 7, 2018
― I want to change my display name (dan m), Sunday, 8 July 2018 04:01 (five years ago) link
so good
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 8 July 2018 04:15 (five years ago) link
This is exactly what I think if you swap England with France.
― Dinsdale, Sunday, 8 July 2018 04:56 (five years ago) link
Belgium is winning because I want it to happen and I get what I want #verucasalt
― fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Sunday, 8 July 2018 06:03 (five years ago) link
go 2 bed
― k3vin k., Sunday, 8 July 2018 06:05 (five years ago) link
don't sleepsplain me
― fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Sunday, 8 July 2018 06:06 (five years ago) link
A World Cup final with eight Spurs players and two former Spurs players would be surreal.
― Wag1 Shree Rajneesh (ShariVari), Sunday, 8 July 2018 07:30 (five years ago) link
pocha mundiale
― repartee is deft (darraghmac), Sunday, 8 July 2018 07:35 (five years ago) link
ILXor hell.
― Alan Alba (Tom D.), Sunday, 8 July 2018 09:54 (five years ago) link
… but i repeat myself …
― mark s, Sunday, 8 July 2018 10:01 (five years ago) link
FIFA is real
― Pwn Goal Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 8 July 2018 10:19 (five years ago) link
FWIW eventually you have to just hold your hands up to say that this England squad looks good because it *is* good. Maybe not winning a World Cup good but still very good. People said Colombia would rip them apart even without James and they didn't, people said this Sweden team would impossible for them to break down and that they'd put Italy, Holland and effectively Germany out, and England dispatched them pretty comfortably in the end.
They have looked laboured and devoid of ideas at times, but here's the thing, *so has everybody else*. None of the four teams still involved have swept everyone in front of them away - on balance I think France are the best team but there's a lot to be said for England's pace, energy and directness. They can clearly score goals but they've also been good at getting back very quickly in numbers.
Agree with Deems that Henderson/Modric is the key here. Don't fancy England's chances but I'm not sure about the other Croatia players' ability to keep England out either. The thing to remember about England sides of the last 15 years or so is how SLOW they were.
― Matt DC, Sunday, 8 July 2018 11:11 (five years ago) link
People said Colombia would rip them apart even without James and they didn't, people said this Sweden team would impossible for them to break down
Did many people say either of those? Especially the latter, Sweden have looked shit from start to finish.
― Alan Alba (Tom D.), Sunday, 8 July 2018 11:14 (five years ago) link
Anyway, fwiw, I got accused of jinxing for saying they would beat Colombia and Sweden, I saw no propect of them losing to Sweden, Colombia was more touch and go. I also said they could definitely beat either Russia or Croatia which got shouted down.
― Alan Alba (Tom D.), Sunday, 8 July 2018 11:23 (five years ago) link
I thought they'd struggle to break Sweden down. They scored from a set piece, I don't think I was wrong. I think you're over-selling them a little Matt, which is fair enough as a corrective to kneejerk dismissal, but none of their goals have come about from pace and directness since the Panama game. And all of the last 4 teams in the other half of the draw are better than England imo. Doesn't mean they can't be beat, but still. I think they'll beat Croatia, just, but it will say as much about their deficiencies as it will about England's virtues. And that applied to Colombia and Sweden too.
― he's one of our pwn (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 8 July 2018 11:27 (five years ago) link
I think those teams were all better than England as well but I also think England would have been able to get a result against at least two of them, particularly Uruguay playing the way they did against France. Not convinced they would have been able to play Brazil or France.
At this stage it also doesn't actually matter if your goals come from setpieces as long as they happen.
― Matt DC, Sunday, 8 July 2018 11:34 (five years ago) link
but who has the best blood sausage of the last 4?
― droit au butt (Euler), Sunday, 8 July 2018 11:37 (five years ago) link
At any stage tbh.
― Alan Alba (Tom D.), Sunday, 8 July 2018 11:39 (five years ago) link
gotta say that if they can get over the inevitable exhaustion of this whole experience, spurs will have that belief next season which they’ve always seemed to lack previously.
― I'd Rather Kecak (NickB), Sunday, 8 July 2018 11:40 (five years ago) link
when does the transfer window close btw and who are going to be the big moves due to this World Cup?
― I'd Rather Kecak (NickB), Sunday, 8 July 2018 11:42 (five years ago) link
It doesn't matter where your goals come from, I'm just questioning whether England's attacking prowess is delivering much.
I sort of admire Southgate's commitment to sticking with Sterling, presumably for tactical reasons, but Sterling is never going to be good enough as a starter at this level and I wish he'd give Rashford - even Vardy, if he was fit - a go instead. Henderson is getting worse over time if anything.
― he's one of our pwn (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 8 July 2018 11:45 (five years ago) link