The 2018 World Cup Superthread

Loafing Oaf

sligeach wrote: »

I feel sorry for Peru, they were the better team.

Maybe just, draw would have been fair. But if you don't put away your pens...

marklazarcovic

A mention for the ref in that game,calm,composed,and in charge. Refreshing.

eagle eye

marklazarcovic wrote:

A mention for the ref in that game,calm,composed,and in charge. Refreshing.

Ref in the previous game was similar. No cards in the Argentina/Iceland game that I can remember.

Iused2likebusts

corny wrote: »

I'd want more from my captain tbh. Standing still the entire game and not making any effort to exert an influence on proceedings isn't for me. Bad enough against Iceland but he'll be a complete passenger if Argentina come up against the likes of Spain. When they lose the ball he acts like its nothing to do with him.

Ah stop will you.

Gbear

I get that the BBC is boring as lukewarm porridge, but it's atrocious having to listen to the sheer ignorance of the likes of Dunphy.

A pundit getting ready for a tournament like this should have dossiers set up and they should be spending time educating themselves about the teams. Not our Eamo. As usual you can tell he's just winging it on the day.
It might be alright if he wasn't generally clueless about football, but if you have no original insight you have to have try and make a bit of effort to bridge the gap.

It's a pity we see so few of the regulars from the podcast circuit getting a look in in these situations and instead we get the usual shower of ex-pro's whose experience of the game does not make up for sheer illiteracy. Experience provides no insight if you've no way to articulate it.

It'd be nice to be actually able to watch punditry and gain something from it.

sligeach

Tempo.....Tempo.......Tempo.........

dogbert27

This is a weird game to watch. I have no affinity with either team unlike all the other games so far where I wanted one team to win over the other.

~Rebel~

Going for Nigeria myself, as the underdogs. And their fans are great too.

Enjoyable enough game though, moving along at a decent pace, though not too many great chances yet. Lots of tidy quick moving football though.

<edit> Goal, Croatia, Mandzukic. (or maybe og - actually, yup, OG.)

FixdePitchmark

The diving is a new level lads.

Sort of contact and down - hard to watch at times.

It is also used to waste so much time in close games.

charolais0153

marklazarcovic wrote: »

A mention for the ref in that game,calm,composed,and in charge. Refreshing.

From Gambia iirc. Didnt put a foot wrong. No real clangers by refs in this tournament apart from may pepe being elbowed by costa

blueser

Not sure what the Nigerians are complaining about there. Ridiculous challenge with the ref watching them a few yards away.

2nd Row Donkey

Nigerians unraveling now. Could be more goals for Croatia yet.

~Rebel~

Croatia really have been poor. Lots of nice interplay, but so few actually threatening opportunities.

Nigeria's keeper has looked very composed for a 19 year old, but still, you've got to be giving a keeper that inexperienced a bit more to worry about...

BorneTobyWilde

Every World Cupa should have a Rest Of The World side. It's only football after all, would it really matter if they won it one day.

Aubameyang
Gianluigi Buffon
Garth Bale
Leonardo Bonucci
Naby Keita
Van Dijk
Andrea Barzagli
David Alaba
Marco Verratti
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Zaha
Riyad Mahrez
Marek Hamsik
Arturo Vidal
Alexis Sanchez
Edin Dzeko
Giorgio Chiellini

Could have Arsene Wenger manage them. I think it would only add to the World Cup.

Vincent Vega

Wtf is a 'go-ahead penalty'?
Seen it about the place since the start of the tournament. Is it just American soccer talk for a penalty that has the potential to put one team ahead?

Laois_Man

Gbear wrote: »

I get that the BBC is boring as lukewarm porridge, but it's atrocious having to listen to the sheer ignorance of the likes of Dunphy.

A pundit getting ready for a tournament like this should have dossiers set up and they should be spending time educating themselves about the teams. Not our Eamo. As usual you can tell he's just winging it on the day.
It might be alright if he wasn't generally clueless about football, but if you have no original insight you have to have try and make a bit of effort to bridge the gap.

It's a pity we see so few of the regulars from the podcast circuit getting a look in in these situations and instead we get the usual shower of ex-pro's whose experience of the game does not make up for sheer illiteracy. Experience provides no insight if you've no way to articulate it.

It'd be nice to be actually able to watch punditry and gain something from it.

Had to laugh earlier when Dunphy was presented as the man who was about to “talk to us about Peru”. He waffled on for a couple of minutes and then 10 minutes later announced “I don’t know anything about Peru”.

Then Duff said it too

Comedy gold

gormdubhgorm

Laois_Man wrote: »

Had to laugh earlier when Dunphy was presented as the man who was about to “talk to us about Peru”. He waffled on for a couple of minutes and then 10 minutes later announced “I don’t know anything about Peru”.

Then Duff said it too

Comedy gold

I actually sent RTE an email BEFORE the world cup and asked them to tell the pundits to do some reaserch and used tifo football from you tube as an example.

I got no reply...

In 2010 I complained to RTE about giles saying that he did not know much about a game involving Algeria and Solvenia (I kept the email)
I asked can they not tell the dangermen at least.
On that ocassion I did get a reply.
The gist was are UTV and the BBC any better!!!?

I thought they would be better in this day and age but sadly this is not the case.

gormdubhgorm

Did anyone else think the poet fella on after the Croatia v Nigeria game was an elaborate Apres Match skit?
Only to realise a few minutes in it was not...

Loafing Oaf

Gbear wrote: »

I get that the BBC is boring as lukewarm porridge, but it's atrocious having to listen to the sheer ignorance of the likes of Dunphy.

A pundit getting ready for a tournament like this should have dossiers set up and they should be spending time educating themselves about the teams.

I have a lot of respect for Brian Kerr because you can tell he actually does this. He may drone on a bit, and his accent is hard on my culchie ears, but you're not thinking "pretty much anyone on the boards.ie soccer forum knows more than this guy" when he opines.

gormdubhgorm

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

I have a lot of respect for Brian Kerr because you can tell he actually does this. He may drone on a bit, and his accent is hard on my culchie ears, but you're not thinking "pretty much anyone on the boards.ie soccer forum knows more than this guy" when he opines.

I think his accent is spot on, he comes out with phrases like "Oh it hit the keeper on the shoulder, I thought it hit him on the mush"

Because of the casual way he talks his level of knowledge of the game is even more surprising.
He is like a soccer analyst version of Columbo... very much underestimated and underrated.
But he always gets to the real point of things and gives great insight.

IncognitoMan

The thick dub accent is an absolute pain in the arse but for Kerr I'll overlook it and that's the biggest compliment I can give.

Shanotheslayer

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Every World Cupa should have a Rest Of The World side. It's only football after all, would it really matter if they won it one day.

Aubameyang
Gianluigi Buffon
Garth Bale
Leonardo Bonucci
Naby Keita
Van Dijk
Andrea Barzagli
David Alaba
Marco Verratti
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Zaha
Riyad Mahrez
Marek Hamsik
Arturo Vidal
Alexis Sanchez
Edin Dzeko
Giorgio Chiellini

Could have Arsene Wenger manage them. I think it would only add to the World Cup.

What? Absolutely not. I get what you're saying but no. It's a World Cup for countries. Tough sh1te if the good players couldn't get their country to qualify.

Your list is also 4 Italians and if they couldn't get their country to a WC then that's on them. Its not as if they had a terrible squad. They were just poor.

charolais0153

Serbia have a fairly good team. Better than i expected. Be nice to see the young lad from lazio

How Soon Is Now

charolais0153 wrote: »

Serbia have a fairly good team. Better than i expected. Be nice to see the young lad from lazio

Ya I'm really curious to see how he will play at this big stage. Him and Matic together could be very strong against any team.

charolais0153

How Soon Is Now wrote: »

Ya I'm really curious to see how he will play at this big stage. Him and Matic together could be very strong against any team.

Good tempo in this game so far. Bodes well

Loafing Oaf

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

I think his accent is spot on, he comes out with phrases like "Oh it hit the keeper on the shoulder, I thought it hit him on the mush"

Because of the casual way he talks his level of knowledge of the game is even more surprising.
He is like a soccer analyst version of Columbo... very much underestimated and underrated.
But he always gets to the real point of things and gives great insight.

Just provided a detailed rundown of Costa Rica's strengths and weaknesses. I bet ITV viewers didn't get that from Hoddle or whoever their co-commentator is.

I'd guess, unlike most ex-pros, Kerr feels privileged to have been given this platform as an analyst late in life and really puts his heart and soul into it. Kind of sad he never got a break in English club management, I'm sure he would'd made a go of it...

Although the way he says 'Borges' makes me think of

HalloweenJack

Any idea how Costa Rica have got on since the last WC? They were one of the shining lights last time around I'd loved to see them do well this time round.

The Talking Bread

Shanotheslayer wrote: »

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Every World Cupa should have a Rest Of The World side. It's only football after all, would it really matter if they won it one day.

Aubameyang
Gianluigi Buffon
Garth Bale
Leonardo Bonucci
Naby Keita
Van Dijk
Andrea Barzagli
David Alaba
Marco Verratti
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Zaha
Riyad Mahrez
Marek Hamsik
Arturo Vidal
Alexis Sanchez
Edin Dzeko
Giorgio Chiellini

Could have Arsene Wenger manage them. I think it would only add to the World Cup.

What? Absolutely not. I get what you're saying but no. It's a World Cup for countries. Tough sh1te if the good players couldn't get their country to qualify.

Your list is also 4 Italians and if they couldn't get their country to a WC then that's on them. Its not as if they had a terrible squad. They were just poor.

Yeah I thought that was a joke post. The things that people think of!

Trigger

Costa Rica really should be one up there, free header with all the time in the world

charolais0153

astradave wrote: »

Costa Rica really should be one up there, free header with all the time in the world

Ya. The savic lad is doing reasonably well

2nd Row Donkey

charolais0153 wrote:

Ya. The savic lad is doing reasonably well

He's playing savic .


(savage)

Not even sorry for that one.

MD1990

have a feeling Real Madrid will sign Milinkovic-Savic after this WC

ERG89

MD1990 wrote: »

have a feeling Real Madrid will sign Milinkovic-Savic after this WC

They won't be signing Mitrovic that's for sure

Loafing Oaf

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

Just provided a detailed rundown of Costa Rica's strengths and weaknesses. I bet ITV viewers didn't get that from Hoddle or whoever their co-commentator is.

I'd guess, unlike most ex-pros, Kerr feels privileged to have been given this platform as an analyst late in life and really puts his heart and soul into it. Kind of sad he never got a break in English club management, I'm sure he would'd made a go of it...

Although the way he says 'Borges' makes me think of

What I love about Kerr is yeah, there's a kind of inverted snobbery with how people think of him because of the accent, but it clearly comes across how much he simply absolutely loves football. As well as that he knows his stuff and puts effort in. There was a great think on the radio where he was talking about working in the Faroes and saying how there were two places where matches were played so he'd see the first half in one place then drive like **** down the coast to see the second half of the other games. Ya just know he was absolutely loving it. And ya can imagine any night he has off he'd stand in the rain watching schoolboys or summer league. On top of that I always thought he was a bit hard done by with the Ireland job.
What I'm trying to say is: Brian Kerr for president. :P

FixdePitchmark

Campbell looks class - then nothing happens

Reminds me of a young sterling.

Good refereeing there with the use of VAR.

martyos121

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Campbell looks class - then nothing happens

Reminds me of a young sterling.

And Campbell is two years older at 25. You’d think he’d have developed a bit more at this stage.

Your Airbag

Is just me that thinks the RTE world cup poet is some load of cringey rubbish?

Your Airbag

Your Airbag wrote: »

Is just me that thinks the RTE world cup poet is some load of cringey rubbish?

I was expecting it to be but I was pleasantly surprised.

razorblunt

This stadium looks class, the fans mixing well and making incredible noise. Proper WC atmosphere.

Rossi IRL

This game is savage, what an atmosphere

sligeach

Well done Mexico and you can't say they don't deserve the lead.

wanderer100

Well deserved !! Mexico have been brilliant !!

dogbert27

Mexico have been threatening to hit on the break for a while and Germany keep playing a high line.

Commentators have called this game well. Entertaining match so far even when it was at 0-0.

dogbert27

What a save!!

Corholio

Fully deserved for Mexico but they might regret not being more ahead. It's rare enough the Germans have two dodgy halves.

The Talking Bread

That is ridiculous by the ref. Give him a warning, fair enough, tell him to hurry on. But giving a player a yellow card with less than half of the game played for @time wasting@ in a game that has barely stopped is just over officiating. Hopefully it doesn't have a big impact later on in the game because with the intensity of this game a niggly yellow card will be easier to pick up as the game progresses

Drumpot

Corholio wrote: »

Fully deserved for Mexico but they might regret not being more ahead. It's rare enough the Germans have two dodgy halves.

This feels like it could be for Mexico what Ireland 1v0 Italy was in 94. Also, would g put it past the Germans to do exactly what Italy did that year and get to the final in spite of a bad start!!

greendom

Mexico a joy to watch.