The 2018 World Cup Superthread

Drumpot

How Soon Is Now wrote: »

You seen the English media after Germany went out!? Stuff like that is why I'll laugh when they get beaten. That and the bitter tears the BBC and ITV will shed.

I couldn’t see ITV in France. I didn’t think BBC were that bad and to be honest a lot of the stuff was tongue in cheek.

That said I don’t get why English pundits were suggesting finishing second is good on any level. It’s exactly that kind of thinking “let’s avoid Brazil” that is arrogance (eh Columbia ?) and inferiority (we wouldn’t beat Brazil). I think a team that wants to avoid certain teams is one destined to lose when it matters.

FourFourRED

NIMAN wrote: »

I think there is an element of English fans and media who think they are already past Colombia and Switzerland/Sweden and in the semi's.

Not only them but a lot of people in this thread too. It’s ridiculous. Anything can happen during that game.

VAR a success so far. impressive stats

In general, Collina and his committee colleagues said they believe VAR has been a huge success. Having reviewed the 48 group games, Collina said there have been 335 incidents checked – nearly seven per game – with 14 on-field reviews made by referees and three reviews made by the VAR team on “factual decisions”, such as offsides.

Of these incidents, referees called 95% of them correctly without VAR but replays improved this to 99.3% by correcting 14 of them: six penalties awarded after an on-field review, a penalty given by the VAR because it was shown the foul occurred in the box, two penalties cancelled after on-field reviews, two potential red cards confirmed as yellows, two goals awarded after potential offsides and a mistaken identity for a booking.

“We have always said VAR doesn’t mean perfection – there could still be the wrong interpretation or a mistake – but I think you would agree 99.3% is very close to perfection,” said Collina.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/29/pierluigi-collina-holding-crackdown-var-hailed-success

ERG89

https://twitter.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/1013050538215247879?s=19

Just Messi up top for Argentina

eagle eye

eagle eye wrote: »

The England team has a couple of standout players at the minute. Obviously Kane is doing a great job both as a finisher and as a leader. Kieran Trippier has impressed and Maguire has been excellent too. More important to me than all of them is the workhorse that is Jesse Lingard. I've been so impressed by him, outside of his finishing(worldy aside). If he can keep that level of performance up then England have a real chance.

They concede goals at Tunisia, Belgium, Panama. You can't win the cup if you concede goals. Italia 2006 concede 2 goals, one is penalty, one is autogol. Defence wins cups. I think if a team can score 2 goals England is out.

Trigger

Not even touched and 4 argies around the ref. Really dislikable Shiite

brianregan09

This is the end of the Argies , a few days longer than we expected though

sligeach

That Argentinian defender, you stupid ******. Mbappe was going away from goal.

blueser

Rojo being Rojo there. WTF was he arguing about?

HalloweenJack

What a run by Mbappe. The speed of him is unreal.

niallo27

Brainless defending he was running away from goals.

Charlie19

Outside the box.

niallo27

Charlie19 wrote: »

Outside the box.

Ya looked as if first contact was outside. Must have been what they were complaining about.

Turtyturd

Rojo’s Comedy defending not so funny when it’s not for United.

sligeach

There was no need to give away the penalty. Argentina don't half like making things difficult for themselves.

HalloweenJack

There was a hand on the back inside the box before he finally went over. Idiotic from Rojo.

blueser

sligeach wrote: »

That Argentinian defender, you stupid ******. Mbappe was going away from goal.

It was a braindead challenge. There was no guarantee that Mbappe would have scored from where he was.

osarusan

Yeah Mbappe had pushed it a bit wide and deep and had outpaced his own teammates as well.

sligeach

What has happened to Di Maria? He looks a shadow of himself. He's been crap the whole way through this tournament, he looks so average.

ERG89

Absolutely terrible, terrible defenders.

sligeach

Mbappe was going to lose the ball with that heavy touch off the knee, but more terrible defending by Argentina.

blueser

What a waste from Pogba. At least make the keeper work.

Charlie19

Danny Murphy knew how to take a free kick.

Sprinter Sacre

sligeach wrote: »

What has happened to Di Maria? He looks a shadow of himself. He's been crap the whole way through this tournament, he looks so average.

Van Gaal scarred him for life

The Talking Bread

Rte commentary really is shocking

blueser

The Argentinians looking like they'd start an argument in an empty phone box.

blueser

The Talking Bread wrote: »

Rte commentary really is shocking

Switch over to the Beeb. Much better.

Turtyturd

Ref would’ve given that at the other end.

jacool

The Talking Bread wrote: »

Rte commentary really is shocking

Ger Canning - pure brutal on soccer
and won't get to do his usual shout of "the man from Mullinahone", which drives me berserk.
Ronnie is earning is corn today.

Sprinter Sacre

Argentina need to get Dybala and Aguero on the pitch ASAP

Loafing Oaf

The Talking Bread wrote: »

Rte commentary really is shocking

Always think a clear sign of a poor commentator is an eye for an irrelevant stat. To illustrate Griezman's scoring prowess Ger cited his four goals in qualification. Yeah I think the Golden Boot at the Euros is a tad more pertinent Ger...

MisterAnarchy

The Talking Bread wrote: »

Rte commentary really is shocking

According to Canning, Pogba is running the show today, what a clown.

Jim Bob Scratcher

The Talking Bread wrote: »

Rte commentary really is shocking

Switch over to BBC

Charlie19

Otamendi is such a blouse.

sonic85

Argentina are shocking. Feel sorry for Messi to be honest having to play with this shower

greendom

Giroud half asleep out there

Sprinter Sacre

Di Maria is barely making an effort to get in for the cross. They need a striker on the field plus someone who can actually control the ball to give Messi a bit of a hand.

Will I Am Not

Mascherano must be a contender for the worst player of the tournament.

Minderbinder

RoboKlopp wrote: »

VAR a success so far. impressive stats

In general, Collina and his committee colleagues said they believe VAR has been a huge success. Having reviewed the 48 group games, Collina said there have been 335 incidents checked – nearly seven per game – with 14 on-field reviews made by referees and three reviews made by the VAR team on “factual decisions”, such as offsides.

Of these incidents, referees called 95% of them correctly without VAR but replays improved this to 99.3% by correcting 14 of them: six penalties awarded after an on-field review, a penalty given by the VAR because it was shown the foul occurred in the box, two penalties cancelled after on-field reviews, two potential red cards confirmed as yellows, two goals awarded after potential offsides and a mistaken identity for a booking.

“We have always said VAR doesn’t mean perfection – there could still be the wrong interpretation or a mistake – but I think you would agree 99.3% is very close to perfection,” said Collina.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/29/pierluigi-collina-holding-crackdown-var-hailed-success

So is that assuming every decision made through VAR is the correct one?

ctrl-alt-delete

France are not being put under much pressure at all on the ball, Argentinians sauntering about.

They really should be ahead by more.

greendom

Brilliant tackle from Griezmann in his own box

Will I Am Not

What a hit son!!!

sonic85

Jaaaaaysus

ctrl-alt-delete

Beauty that.

sligeach

What a strike from Di Maria. What a time for him to finally wake up.

Turtyturd

What happened to Di Maria?

brianregan09

So who was taking the piss out of Di Maria ?

Sprinter Sacre

Goal of the tournament perhaps. Where did that come Di Maria

RobertKK

sligeach wrote: »

What has happened to Di Maria? He looks a shadow of himself. He's been crap the whole way through this tournament, he looks so average.

Your fault... :P

The Talking Bread

sligeach wrote: »

What has happened to Di Maria? He looks a shadow of himself. He's been crap the whole way through this tournament, he looks so average.

Ah..........he is hustling them all!