World Cup 2018

Spain V Portugal was awesome but France? If there's a star man in that team he must have stayed at home. Absolutely pathetic!! not once did any attacker run at a man despite huge openings in the centre of the Aussie defense............0-0 HT cant see that change
 
Geez the standard is awful so far. I honestly don't remember so many poor matches and inept performances in the early stages. Spain played well, Ronaldo was his usual brilliant self and Iceland were well disciplined but the rest has been rank.
 
Desert Orchid said:
Geez the standard is awful so far. I honestly don't remember so many poor matches and inept performances in the early stages. Spain played well, Ronaldo was his usual brilliant self and Iceland were well disciplined but the rest has been rank.
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Think you might have the rose tinted spectacles on there - World Cups are normally boring as fk for the most part, this one is no worse than any I can remember
 
Tanlic said:
Spain V Portugal was awesome but France? If there's a star man in that team he must have stayed at home. Absolutely pathetic!! not once did any attacker run at a man despite huge openings in the centre of the Aussie defense............0-0 HT cant see that change
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Unimpressed certainly but France remain the only ones at single figure odds to have won their opening game


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Interesting scenario re Spain/Portugal. If they both lose their final game 1-0 they will finish on equal points and in second and third place. There are eight criteria to decide who finishes above the other and at the moment they are already down to criteria 7 (number of yellow cards, currently Portugal 2, Spain 1 so Spain abovre Portugal in the mini league). The eighth and last criteria is number of red cards. If they finish absolutely equal, not beyond the realms of possibility, then they face the prospect of drawing lots to see who goes through in second place. Same would apply if equal top but at least they would both go through.
 
Some of the football in the last few days has been turgid to say the least, with quite a few poor sides parking the bus.
It's only going to get worse when they increases the numbers in the tournament to 48.
Not much of a spectacle when the sole objectives of teams is to not get hammered!
 
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One of Russia, Croatia, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Colombia, and England will be in the World Cup Final

Incredible scenes


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Well I'm sure there's one name on that list that will choke the moment that they're required to play under pressure and seize the moment
 
viking said:
One of Russia, Croatia, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Colombia, and England will be in the World Cup Final

Incredible scenes


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Oh my days.....talk about the weaker side of the draw!
 
I dont think England will ever have a better chance.i havent seen any team that would frighten anybody else.

Ive still got hopes for my England/Belgium final
 
I have to say I've really enjoyed it so far. I know most people are saying we (England) will never have a better chance to make the final but I'm fairly sure the Swedes,Russians and Croatians must be thinking the same thing. I actually thought Uruguay were one of the best so far but I think if they have lost Cavani to injury for the France game its a massive blow. Despite losing his shooting boots during the early stages of the tourney I still thought the guy was oozing utter class. I'm never sure with these things whether they are playing on it a bit and he'll suddenly make it for match day as like a psychological boost for the team or a bit of a whack for the opposition.

As for the Swedish I was really quite impressed with them, very good at parking the bus and in fairness made some lovely moves to play their way out and get on the attack the only thing being they couldn't hit a barn door when its come to converting chances ....lets hope that continues for at least one more match.

Brazil, Belgium looks the pick of the bunch Brazil have looked solid at the back I think but against what opposition ? Belgium certainly have the fire power but look a bit loosey goosey at the back. Looks like a cracker.

Can't wait to watch it all unfold at the weekend but seriously wouldn't have a clue as to who is going to win it. If Cavani is fit for Friday I'd maybe think that Uruguay could go all the way.
 
England always concede at least one, and Sweden will always be difficult to breakdown. The likes of Lingrad, Trip, and Sterling have to show as goal scoring threats for England to have any chance. Kane can't shoulder it all. I think they've got to give consideration to starting Rashford. Things seem to happen for him. If necessary Sterling can come on late to run at tired defenders, although I can't think of anyone I'd rather not have one on one and needing to convert a chance under pressure with time to think about it
 
Sterling gets a ridiculously bad press mainly because the Merseyside chapel of the NUJ has never forgiven him for leaving Liverpool to win trophies which, by the way, he has done. Somehow, buying a house for his Mum is seen as brashly over the top about 15 years after Michael Owen bought a whole street for his extended family.
Southgate's game-plan is based on the front four moving around and pulling the opposition back four out of shape. What and how much they do off the ball is as important as what they do with it if you include the tackling back. From previous matches and training, Southgate clearly sees Sterling and Alli as the best options even though it's not their club role. If Rashford is to start it will mean a change in shape and emphasis which basically isn't Southgate's style and I expect that he'll continue to be used as an impact substitute. Worthwhile him, Dier and Vardy being on the pitch if it goes to penalties though as they all hit a dead ball better than Sterling and Alli.
 
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Well we didn't concede today Alun but rather down to some inspired goal keeping more than anything else. But we're through.

Is anyone else starting to believe ? We have to have a decent shot 50/50 of getting past Croatia.

Belgium and France both look good I think we'd probably fare better against France. I have tbh the Belgians look to have a bit of everything and look like the most likely winners at this point. Lukaku is an absolute monster. Having not really followed football for the last few years he's a very different animal to the guy I remember.
 
I think you have a better than 50/50 chance of beating Croatia. I don't think I'd have said that before the tournament started but they haven't been up to much either.

France look mentally fragile in the sense that a few look well capable of being irked to the point of negative reaction. Belgium have only played in fits and starts but at least look like they're getting better. However, they're vulnerable through the centre of defence. Kompany is past his sell-by and his stand-in Boyata is, speaking from having watched him a lot up here with Celtic, a disaster waiting to happen.

I'm wearing out rosaries trying to get England beat :lol:
 
No matter what happens now England 16/1 have done fantastically well to get this far.

They had every right to beat Sweden and never looked like losing at any stage.

I reckon they will handle the pressure much better than Croatia who almost never got this far.

Best of luck all you English guys hope ya trounce them
 
I fear we might see Croatia perform better than they have in the last two rounds where they’ve seemed bereft of ideas at times against teams happy to sit deep.
Obviously hope not and England can certainly beat them if they don’t play a lot better


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Amazed, and delighted for Southgate, that they are still in it, but think France/Belgium would have been a better final. France going forward have been awesome at times. If England can beat Croatia, I can't see them beating the French or the Belgians and I think it would be a more of a shame to get to the final and then lose.
 
In Moscow for today’s game. Hopefully be at Final where I’m pleased that our opponents would be France as I think Belgians would have been a much greater threat
 
Didn't manage to see any of yesterday's football (either the WC or the Hoops' 0-3 CL qualifier win) having been stuck in A&E when Mrs O was rushed in by ambulance after taking unwell while out with her sisters-in-law.

She got home last night after they concluded her blood pressure had appeared to take a sudden dip for no obvious reason. She's feeling much better so maybe I'll get peace to catch a recording on i-player or catch-up.

Some people have no consideration for world cup fans...
 
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