The 2018 World Cup Superthread

HalloweenJack

Wonder how many penalties there will be by the end of this tournament. Read a stat the other day the record is 18 and this would be the 11th so far, iirc.

Adamocovic

For those lucky enough to watch, is the game looking like an Australia or Denmark win?

Have Denmark 2-1, need something to go my way!

charolais0153

Adamocovic wrote: »

For those lucky enough to watch, is the game looking like an Australia or Denmark win?

Have Denmark 2-1, need something to go my way!

1-1 half time

How Soon Is Now

Adamocovic wrote: »

For those lucky enough to watch, is the game looking like an Australia or Denmark win?

Have Denmark 2-1, need something to go my way!

Denmark looked very good at start there goal was great and very close getting one or two more. They sat back bit though Australia came into more and got the peno which in fairness could of went either way but they took there chance!

It could go either way but I still fancy Denmark they have started second half decent enough as well.

Lackey

Australia have had fantastic oppertunities should be in the lead

sligeach

Australia have been the better team in this game and deserve to win.

Drumpot

sugarman wrote: »

Doesn't mean all that much given Europe has 13 places in the finals (14 when there's a European host nation) and South America have only 4.5 places ( .5 being the intercontinental playoffs). So sometimes only 4 teams.

It suggests Europe has proportionately more good teams which would make winning the euros more difficult. I would also suggest that even 2nd tier euro teams are stronger then some
Of the fodder in South America. Half the SA teams qualify for the WC, it should be nigh on impossible for a strong SA team to not qualify!!!

One counter to this would be that euro teams get better tough competitive games that stands to them in the WC.

charolais0153

Personally. I think that the american teams are bette than the Europeans. Mexico beat getmany . peru should of beat the danes. Costa rica put up a good showing too. Poland getting beat by senegal and sweden and south korea shows that the quality isnt as high in europe as some people make out

Mokuba

charolais0153 wrote: »

Personally. I think that the american teams are bette than the Europeans. Mexico beat getmany . peru should of beat the danes. Costa rica put up a good showing too. Poland getting beat by senegal and sweden and south korea shows that the quality isnt as high in europe as some people make out

Equally you could look at Switzerland and Iceland doing very well against Brazil and Argentina and argue the other point.

Corholio

Embarrassing from Umtiti there.

sligeach

Another jammy goal for France. Peru really should have been 1 up before that.

Wheeliebin30

George Hamilton- is it about time mbappe moved to one of the big clubs to see what he can do.

Seriously how do these lads get jobs and well paid ones at that????

Corholio

Wheeliebin30 wrote: »

George Hamilton- is it about time mbappe moved to one of the big clubs to see what he can do.

Seriously how do these lads get jobs and well paid ones at that????

Poor ol George getting blamed :P

cj maxx

Corholio wrote: »

Poor ol George getting blamed :P

I still blame hom for Ireland losing a 3 goal lead to Poland years ago !

sligeach

That was some bullet of a shot by Peru, unlucky it hitting off the post. Would have been a contender for goal of the tournament.

osarusan

Peru are another team that play themselves into trouble too much. So often they turn away from space and end up losing it.

IncognitoMan

Wheeliebin30 wrote: »

George Hamilton- is it about time mbappe moved to one of the big clubs to see what he can do.

Seriously how do these lads get jobs and well paid ones at that????

That ain't George on commentary.

A nice sly dig at PSG though :pac:

How Soon Is Now

For all the jizzing over France by Rte the game has only been exciting and good to watch when Peru have had a go.

Wouldn't be raving over France at all here.

BullBlackNova

Wheeliebin30 wrote: »

George Hamilton- is it about time mbappe moved to one of the big clubs to see what he can do.

Seriously how do these lads get jobs and well paid ones at that????

To be fair, the response was "He's 19; he's got plenty of time." but I did laugh out loud when I heard the question posed too.

Royale with Cheese

I've rarely paid that much attention to Pogba debate before, but he's not particularly great is he? He certainly hasn't been today.

charolais0153

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

I've rarely paid that much attention to Pogba debate before, but he's not particularly great is he? He certainly hasn't been today.

He was alright im first half. 2nd half, the whole french team lacked intensity

Will I Am Not

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

I've rarely paid that much attention to Pogba debate before, but he's not particularly great is he? He certainly hasn't been today.

He had a good first half. France have been sh*te second half, there’s not one of them that has played well.

ricero

Some amount of tight one nil wins so far in this world cup

spock.

ricero wrote:

Some amount of tight one nil wins so far in this world cup

But no scoreless draws yet.

ERG89

France have a lot of talent but they really are lacking in key areas of the side.
Not easy to have it but I don't feel they have a Zidane or Platini level player in this side who will step up when it really matters.

DJIMI TRARORE

Was the 2ND half any good?

castletownman

Jorge Sampoli = Andre Agassi in 'the cheeseburger years'

HalloweenJack

France were dire to watch after they went ahead. Peru are a decent enough team but France could have trounced them if they had gone all out for it.

blueser

Isn't it wonderful not to be subjected to those godawful vuvuzelas?

elefant

How is Mark Lawrenson paid to do this?

ERG89

Some of this argentine team are very poor. Especially in midfield, they used to have quality of the likes of Almeyda, Redondo, Veron & Riquelme now they have Enzo fu*king Perez.
There he is just now.

shamrock55

This is a really poor world cup so far,even Portugal v Spain wasn't great and that was probably been the best game

Rezident

Must be the worst Argentine side I have ever seen. They look like a Sunday league side with a couple of ringers.

~Rebel~

shamrock55 wrote: »

This is a really poor world cup so far,even Portugal v Spain wasn't great and that was probably been the best game

That was a bloody fantastic game in fairness!

gormdubhgorm

elefant wrote: »

How is Mark Lawrenson paid to do this?

The David Brent of football commentary.

shamrock55

How do alot of these lads become pro footballers,it's laughable tbh

gormdubhgorm

shamrock55 wrote: »

This is a really poor world cup so far,even Portugal v Spain wasn't great and that was probably been the best game

I kind of half agree but I like games where the good teams attack and the weaker teams try and stop them.
It makes a good contrast at times.

What annoys me is that Dunphy was praising Iran last night.
What is so different to Iran's tactics that Jack Charlton's teams did in the 90/94 world cups?

In fact the more I think of it all the so called weaker teams (except the Saudis) played a defensive style 'put em under pressure' men behind the ball and hope for a set piece or break.

But suddenly Dunphy lauds them for thier tenaciousness etc

I am baffled.

shamrock55

~Rebel~ wrote: »

That was a bloody fantastic game in fairness!

Ah come on now Portugal had 3 shots on target,one a free kick and one a pen,drama at the end but that's about it

elefant

I feel like the answer to so many of Argentina's problems is sitting on the bench : Banega.

FourFourRED

Not exclusive to the coverage of the World Cup but why is the quality of footage shown in the RTE studio less than half the quality of live footage. It’s like it goes from 1080p when live to 480p when the studio show replays/clips etc?

Will I Am Not

Verocious!!!

MD1990

Have no idea how Paredes or Banega cannot make this team. Paredes not even in the squad.

Messi has been poor so far but they need to get him the ball.

~Rebel~

shamrock55 wrote: »

Ah come on now Portugal had 3 shots on target,one a free kick and one a pen,drama at the end but that's about it

So all the actual football gets discounted because one of the teams didn't have more shots on target?

It was a fantastic display of a contrast in styles. Portugal aren't a team that will dominate posession and pepper the goal - it's not what they do. They're compact and organised, and take their chances when they come. Play to their strengths excellently. And they had plenty of brilliant football in there to boot, with one of the most singularly and yet efficiently dominant displays from a player i've ever seen from Ronaldo. Meanwhile, Spain played fantastic stuff, with beautiful passing moves, mixed with the fantastic bastardry of Costa.

Brilliant game.

xtal191

Argentina are ****e, no idea how Dybala isn't playing or even Higuain and Banega

gormdubhgorm

Dunphy saying get Di Maria on?

Was he not watching the last game where Di Maria was anonymous?

martyos121

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Dunphy saying get Di Maria on?

Was he not watching the last game where Di Maria was anonymous?

He was, but telling the truth won’t get people talking about him. He has to feed his ego, by any means possible. “No such thing as bad publicity” a favourite phrase of his I’m sure.

~Rebel~

Love to see Pavon on for Argentina soon.

FourFourRED

That was hilarious!

ERG89

That's that for Argentina.
Messi has that Karius feeling right about now.

DJIMI TRARORE

Oh good lord