2018 World Cup Build Up Thread

mickmackey1

mickmackey1 wrote: »

Ronaldo!! 80 not out.

he'll surely overtake Puskas. Yer man Ali Dei from Iran doesn't really count with the teams he played against.

Mr.Nice Guy

Wow Juan Quintero may have got the winner for Colombia against France. 3-2 after they were 2-1 down. I remember thinking Quintero was going to be the next big sensation.

Ronaldo on 81 now. Puskas 84.

SharpshooterTom

Ali Daei holds the all time international record at 109 goals.

Ronaldo says he wants to play till the 2022 World Cup if possible, want to bet against him breaking that record?

ERG89

Enjoyed the first hour of Spain vs Germany game kinda died with all the subs; but as a friendly it was a nice palate cleanser from the Irish game earlier. Iniesta in particular was something else in the first half with Isco & Silva. I thought Hummels & Boateng looked fairly poor & not for the first time this season I can say I thought that.

Mr.Nice Guy

Morocco beating Serbia is an interesting one. They had a very impressive qualification campaign in Africa not losing a game or conceding a goal. I remember watching them play Ivory Coast, who needed to beat Morocco at home to qualify, and yet Morocco won 2-0. That was a decent Ivory Coast side from what I recall. And Serbia weren't bad in our group campaign. I wonder could they be a dark horse to qualify out of their group. Spain, Portugal and Iran the other teams in there. I could see them having a chance of nicking second. Morocco vs Portugal could be one to keep an eye on.

Colombia beating France is a another intriguing result. They have quite a talent pool available. Look at the attacking players: Falcao, Carlos Bacca, Luis Muriel, Duvan Zapata, Juan Cuadrado, James Rodriguez, Juan Quintero.

Centre-backs ain't bad either: Davinson Sanchez and Yerry Mina. Ospina in goal. Don't know anything about their full-backs, Santiago Arias (PSV) and Frank Fabra (Boca). Could see them doing well in their group though. Poland, Senegal and Japan are their rivals.

Mr.Nice Guy

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Morocco beating Serbia is an interesting one. They had a very impressive qualification campaign in Africa not losing a game or conceding a goal. I remember watching them play Ivory Coast, who needed to beat Morocco at home to qualify, and yet Morocco won 2-0. That was a decent Ivory Coast side from what I recall. And Serbia weren't bad in our group campaign. I wonder could they be a dark horse to qualify out of their group. Spain, Portugal and Iran the other teams in there. I could see them having a chance of nicking second. Morocco vs Portugal could be one to keep an eye on.

Colombia beating France is a another intriguing result. They have quite a talent pool available. Look at the attacking players: Falcao, Carlos Bacca, Luis Muriel, Duvan Zapata, Juan Cuadrado, James Rodriguez, Juan Quintero.

Centre-backs ain't bad either: Davinson Sanchez and Yerry Mina. Ospina in goal. Don't know anything about their full-backs, Santiago Arias (PSV) and Frank Fabra (Boca). Could see them doing well in their group though. Poland, Senegal and Japan are their rivals.

Surely will get out of that group but just don't see Colombia having the nous to go deep in the tournament though, even though they have talent and Falcao is back as an actual player.

Mr.Nice Guy

Half-Time at Windsor Park. 1-1 between Northern Ireland and South Korea.

Pleased to see Kwon Chang-hoon score for Korea against NI. I've been a fan of him at Dijon this season and hope he gets to go to the World Cup. Was a nice training ground move from NI that led to the equaliser. Korean player put it into his own net.

Mr.Nice Guy

Looks like NI are going to win this. Nice goal from Paul Smyth on his debut minutes after coming on. Only a few minutes to go.

theoneeyedman

Ingerland are going to win the WC, so I don't know what you're all sh1ting about

But seriously, saw the highlights last night of their game v Holland, and the commentary is starting to wind up, in spite of themselves.
Terms like 'exciting young talent... Comfortable on the ball,.... Solid at the back.... Harry Kane to come back.... Premier League class...all coming together......' I can't wait for the melt down in the media when they are knocked out.

Mr.Nice Guy

Full-Time. NI beat South Korea 2-1. Good comeback win for Michael O'Neill.

Korea don't look up to much really. They had decent spells in possession but don't look physically strong aerially and were shaky dealing with set-pieces. Germany, Mexico and Sweden are the other teams in their group. On the evidence of this display I can't see the Koreans causing an upset.

ERG89

Completely unrelated to the World Cup but Gibraltar beat Latvia today. I think their first ever win

Billy86

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

Ali Daei holds the all time international record at 109 goals.

Ronaldo says he wants to play till the 2022 World Cup if possible, want to bet against him breaking that record?

From the start of 2016 he has 26 goals in 25 games for Portugal, so if he managed to repeat that over this WC, the 2020 qualifiers and the 2020 EC(plus friendlies) he would likely get himself up to around 30 more goals (let's say 6 WC games, 6 more 2020 EC games, 15-20ish friendlies including tournament warm up games as they are already in the 2020 EC).

Age will be a factor, though those friendlies will also probably have a fair few fodder games in there... it's still a big if, but keeping up the goal-a-game pace would see Ronaldo retiring in 2020 at 35 years of age, with around 178 games and 111 (he's currently on 81 in 148). If he is in sniffing distance at that point, unless he is retiring from the game entirely I would expect him to be the type to keep going just to break it. Retiring when being 3-4 goals off the most of all time would be the type of thing to stick with most players for the rest of their lives I would imagine.

Overtaking Ali Daei's record for Iran while playing for a European or South American country would be absolutely ridiculous, even doing it for a modern African team would be a monumental achievement.

DickSwiveller

I think Man City's Sane could be the stand out player at this world cup. Quality player.

Morzadec

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Colombia beating France is a another intriguing result. They have quite a talent pool available. Look at the attacking players: Falcao, Carlos Bacca, Luis Muriel, Duvan Zapata, Juan Cuadrado, James Rodriguez, Juan Quintero.

Centre-backs ain't bad either: Davinson Sanchez and Yerry Mina. Ospina in goal. Don't know anything about their full-backs, Santiago Arias (PSV) and Frank Fabra (Boca). Could see them doing well in their group though. Poland, Senegal and Japan are their rivals.

glasso wrote: »

Surely will get out of that group but just don't see Colombia having the nous to go deep in the tournament though, even though they have talent and Falcao is back as an actual player.

A very possible Colombia vs England round of 16 on the cards. You would expect Belgium to top the group with England second and Colombia to top theirs (although it's stiff enough competition for Colombia).

That would be a cracking round of 16 tie, and I would have Colombia as favourites. When you look at the players you've listed there and consider that they had a very strong 2014 where a lot of those players were around, you'd fancy them.

The winners of that likely face Germany which again should be a great tie for whoever progress. Hard to look past the Germans though.

Colombia to reach the QFs at about 2/1 could be worth a punt

thecretinhop

talks of denmark pulling out of wc. what happens then if a few pulled out could ireland be asked to go. mad craic if that happened

Skylinehead

thecretinhop wrote: »

talks of denmark pulling out of wc. what happens then if a few pulled out could ireland be asked to go. mad craic if that happened

They're not talking about the Danish team not going, just diplomats.

Mr.Nice Guy

Germany vs Brazil is coming up on BT Sport 2. Teams:

Germany XI: Trapp, Kimmich, Rudiger, Boateng, Plattenhardt, Kroos, Gundogan, Draxler, Goretzka, Sane, Gomez.

Brazil XI: Alisson, Alves, Silva, Miranda, Marcelo, Paulinho, Casemiro, Fernandinho, Willian, Jesus, Coutinho.

England vs Italy is on ITV at 8 while Spain vs Argentina is on at 8:30 on Sky Sports.

Vicxas

John Stones is having a mare for England, nearly let Italy in twice.

Mr.Nice Guy

Spain vs Argentina teams:

Spain XI: De Gea, Carvajal, Pique, Ramos, Alba, Thiago, Koke, Iniesta, Asensio, Costa, Isco.

Argentina XI: Romero, Bustos, Otamendi, Rojo, Tagliafico, Biglia, Mascherano, Banega, Meza, Celso, Higuain.

Messi not even on the bench.

Update: Brazil 1-0 up on Germany. Jesus with the goal from a header after a great cross from Willian. Jesus had missed a good chance just beforehand.

ERG89

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

Spain vs Argentina teams:

Barca must be pissed Iniesta is playing tonight. He was outstanding the first half vs Germany but is 34 in May.

Mr.Nice Guy

Costa had made it 1-0. He and Romero had a hefty collision in the process.

Isco makes it 2-0 after an assist from Asensio.

Agent Coulson

Very nasty from Jesus on Boateng raking his studs down the back of his achilles.

NIMAN

Can see why Italy aren't there.

Mr.Nice Guy

Otamendi with a header from a corner makes it 2-1.

Half-Time: Good game this Spain-Argentina one. Been impressed with Maxi Meza. Plays for Independiente in Argentina apparently. I'd like to see Lautaro Martinez in the second half. Haven't seen him in a match yet.

Mr.Nice Guy

Spain have made it 3-1. Isco scores from an Aspas assist.

Brazil meanwhile have beaten Germany 1-0 ending a 22 match unbeaten run for the Germans. Draxler hit a ferocious effort just before the final whistle but Alisson made a very good reflex save.

Update: 4-1 to Spain now. Thiago scores. Still 35 minutes left in this match. Lautaro Martinez on for the last half an hour.

Another goal: 5-1 to Spain. Aspas on the scoresheet.

Oh my goodness and right after it's 6-1. Isco gets a hat-trick. Argentina defence in bits.

mickmackey1

A massacre :eek: 6-1

Guy:Incognito

6-1. Argentina all over the place. Spain scoring as quick as they can get the ball to the box from Argentina's kick offs

Mr.Nice Guy

Full-time. 6-1 is how it ends. Spain looking very good at the minute. Iniesta and Isco have been magical in the last two games.

mickmackey1

I can see the headlines now when Messi drags this rag-tag bunch to World Cup glory :pac:

ERG89

If Messi does win something with that side this summer he should be put on the Argetine flag. I was shocked at how bad the starting XI looked vs a flaccid Italy.

j8wk2feszrnpao

ERG89 wrote: »

If Messi does win something with that side this summer he should be put on the Argetine flag.

Arg were very lucky to qualify in the first place, Messi dragged them to the WC.
Some one was arguing with me that Arg have really good players, and it's not about Messi. They are a one man team (check their results with and without Messi during qualifying).

Argentina were dire at the back.
Germany could have beaten Brazil easily enough on another day. Had a fair few chances in the first half.
Portugal 3-zeroed by the Dutch.

SharpshooterTom

munstermagic11 wrote: »

Arg were very lucky to qualify in the first place, Messi dragged them to the WC.
Some one was arguing with me that Arg have really good players, and it's not about Messi. They are a one man team (check their results with and without Messi during qualifying).

In the past year/18 months or so it's been more about Messi, but in the last World Cup and Copa America 2015, Mascherano was arguably the more important player. Argentina went something like 800+ minutes without conceding a single goal from Nigeria in the group stages to Gotze's goal in the final in extra time, and Mascherano was a huge reason for that.

Messi only scored one goal (a penalty) in six matches in the 2015 Copa America, he was much better though in the 2016 Copa America.

Messi undoubtedly is their most indispensable player, but even he has had question marks over some of his performances in tournaments.

764dak

Friendlies are non-canon.

Banjaxed82

Unfortunately for Argentina, as fantastic as they can potentially be going forward, they have no defence. Messi or not, I'll be amazed if they get beyond the quarters.

Liam O

Banjaxed82 wrote: »

Unfortunately for Argentina, as fantastic as they can potentially be going forward, they have no defence. Messi or not, I'll be amazed if they get beyond the quarters.

They do have a potentially good CB pairing or even trio between Garay, Rojo and Otamendi but are woefully short of decent attacking full backs.

patmac

It will be interesting to see how zero FIFA’s ‘zero tolerance to racism’ policy is after last night monkey chants directed at the French black players in St Petersburg.

eamonpk

Does anyone know if the World Cup on RTE is going to be blocked on Freeview in NI to save have me having to listen to Linekar etc

Billy86

It's a bit rich to be crediting Messi for Argentina having the second best defensive record in South american qualifying, just like it was in 2014 when he was credited for them not conceding a single goal in the knockout rounds if I recall, and where Mascherano was by a country mile their best player. The guy is one of, possibly even the greatest player of all time but the number of times people rush to credit him as a 'one man team' by ignoring the fact he has only ever played on extremely talented teams (Argentina have consistently been top 5-8 in the world for talent on hand over his career, and Barca top 3-4) is just wrong.

The shafting of Mascherano for player of the tournament in 2014 still irritates me... though I'm also that kind of person that gets irritated by the likes of Xavi being overlooked as possibly the best ever midfielder to play the game, or only one defensive player being seen among the 'top' all times, and even then largely for his attacking ability (Beckenbauer).

Billy86

Banjaxed82 wrote: »

Unfortunately for Argentina, as fantastic as they can potentially be going forward, they have no defence. Messi or not, I'll be amazed if they get beyond the quarters.

Second best defensive record in all of South American qualifying, best defense in the 2014 World Cup if memory serves (no goals conceded in the KOs until the last 10 minutes of ET in the final), best defensive record in the last Copa America with just two goals conceded across the entire competition all the way to the final (one conceded in the 93rd minute when 1-0 up, the other in the 78th minute when 4-0 up).

Argentina's biggest strength in the last five years at the least, has been their defense.

NIMAN

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Full-time. 6-1 is how it ends. Spain looking very good at the minute. Iniesta and Isco have been magical in the last two games.

The current master, and his natural successor.

I love watching Isco play. And you often hear about how Madrid are thinking of letting him go!

Anyone who sells a player of this ability knows nothing about the game.

citytillidie

eamonpk wrote: »

Does anyone know if the World Cup on RTE is going to be blocked on Freeview in NI to save have me having to listen to Linekar etc

It will be blocked on Satellite but they can not block it coming through the aerial just like Champions League games