[World Cup 2018] Finals

[niko_cee]

South America is on a long, slow permanent decline and I think it's shown, quality wise.

You could say this about International football in general though, at least in terms of quality relative to top club football, particularly with regard to attacking play.

[randomlegend]

You've been paying too much attention to Graeme Souness, giggles.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You could say this about International football in general though, at least in terms of quality relative to top club football, particularly with regard to attacking play.

Well if 'top club football' refers to 8-10 teams who are able to take their pick of the entire world's best talent, then yeah. The talent used to be much more thinly spread among clubs/countries.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Some sites are saying that Perisic has had 2 shots on target, some say he's only had 1. Ugh.

[Giggles]

You've been paying too much attention to Graeme Sounness, giggles.

Unfortunately the great man defected from RTÉ this time out and I haven't heard a word from him. Though anyone with a pair of eyes can see Pogba has been a spoofer all season who is living of his reputation. Though Mourinho trying to play him in a position he's not capable of playing hasn't helped.

[ItalAussie]

Economics and just general globalisation of the sport. Other than those who leave for Europe at a very early age, their players are getting left miles behind - the domestic scene there is a total mess.

But all the good ones are leaving at an early age because of advanced scouting networks, so six of one.

[randomlegend]

Absolute nonsense.

[Jimmy Floyd]

But all the good ones are leaving at an early age because of advanced scouting networks, so six of one.

Or do they become good because they get access to European coaching, which is the only coaching worth having?

[ItalAussie]

Or do they become good because they get access to European coaching, which is the only coaching worth having?

So? Fact is they are getting that coaching.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fucking frogs.

[SincereTheRebel]

Or do they become good because they get access to European coaching, which is the only coaching worth having?

Im more in agreement with this.

[ItalAussie]

I'm glad France came out better in the second half. If that penalty had been the last word, it would have been a bit rubbish. As it is, they were the better team in the second half, and were decent value for the win.

Modric should get the Golden Ball if there's an ounce of honesty at FIFA.

[Magic]

Good to see an African nation win for a change.

[Shindig]

Vida and Mandzukic having a bit of a tiff at the end.

[SincereTheRebel]

What are these Croat players made from? I cannot see one single tear from them

[Shindig]

Modric should get the Golden Ball if there's an ounce of honesty at FIFA.

A player due to go on trial for perjury getting that would be the most FIFA decision ever.

[Jimmy Floyd]

So? Fact is they are getting that coaching.

Brazil 1970 were all home based, Argentina 1986 only had 7 based abroad, even Brazil 2002 had a majority of home-based players. Will never happen again and with that we've seen the gradual ebbing away of their World Cup performances, save for Messi dragging Argentina to the last final.

[Waffdon]

Harry Kane winning the Golden Boot from penalties and a shot off his arse in the group stages :D

[ItalAussie]

Brazil 1970 were all home based, Argentina 1986 only had 7 based abroad, even Brazil 2002 had a majority of home-based players. Will never happen again and with that we've seen the gradual ebbing away of their World Cup performances, save for Messi dragging Argentina to the last final.

That'll never happen again, for sure. But kids from Brazil and Argentina are still going to be going to European academies at age 9, and they'll keep them there or thereabouts going forwards.

[Boydy]

I'm already thinking of what Greek dish I should have for dinner :cool:

Soutzoukakia.

[ItalAussie]

Bringing on Nzonzi for Kante changed the game massively. That was the turning point for me.

I assume Kante was carrying an injury, or something.

[Pepe]

Modric should get the Golden Ball if there's an ounce of honesty at FIFA.

Completely anonymous today.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The French celebrations :sick:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Player of the tournament for me would be Varane, but they'll definitely give it to Griezmann because they're tossers.

[Pepe]

I thought it was a good match and the best team of the tournament, by a wide margin, won. All in all an enjoyable world cup.

[Magic]

I thought it was a good match and the best team of the tournament, by a wide margin, won. All in all an enjoyable world cup.

Belgium were third.

[Reg]

Yevrah are you doing a tournament review thread or shall I stick one up sometime?


Modric should get the Golden Ball if there's an ounce of honesty at FIFA.
I think he had a mixed tournament. Played some very good football, but also missed a penalty, gave away the freekick vs England, and was flat footed then turned his back for Pogba's goal today.

[ItalAussie]

Completely anonymous today.

Lots of good passes, but it wasn't enough.

Pogba and Varane were the only French players who looked consistently good for the whole game, I reckon.

[Spikey M]

I thought it was a good match and the best team of the tournament, by a wide margin, won. All in all an enjoyable world cup.

Alright, your wife isn’t reading.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Player of the tournament for me would be Varane, but they'll definitely give it to Griezmann because they're tossers.

That's actually a good shout, he's been immense.

[-james-]

Play the world cup out 100 times and Brazil win it more than anyone else tbh.

[Giggles]

Absolute nonsense.

There's absolutely no way he'll ever be worth his fee unless he plays wide. Has zero brain or effort for the middle.

[Pepe]

Play the world cup out 100 times and Brazil win it more than anyone else tbh.

:harold:

[Pepe]

Belgium were third.

Belgium the second best team.

[Lewis]

Yeah, Varane or Hazard, but they like to give it to somebody in the final.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They'll give it to Mbappe to fuel the A NEW STAR IS BORN fire.

Despite the fact that we've all known how good he is since his last season at Monaco.

[Pepe]

I think that they'll give it to Pogba, which will be lol. Wait, probably Griezmann, which will be less lol.

[Pepe]

They'll give it to Mbappe to fuel the A NEW STAR IS BORN fire.

Despite the fact that we've all known how good he is since his last season at Monaco.

Best young player, surely. Is that even a thing?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Best young player, surely. Is that even a thing?

Yes but I reckon they might even double up.

I hope they don't though.

[niko_cee]

Jimmy's probably right about Varane, but it'll be a 'forward-thinking' frog. Hopefully they give it to Giroud for a laugh. He probably did more than Messi did in the last tournament.

[Shindig]

Macron's such a creepy bastard.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Modric then.

I don't mind that, although I do think Varane is more deserving.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1xhOYGhS42c/maxresdefault.jpg

[Jimmy Floyd]

You're a disgusting pervert.

[Trancemeister]

Suker has aged.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I like that only Putin is allowed an umbrella.

[Shindig]

Oh, that's right. Qatar's in winter. :D

[Lewis]

Macron's such a creepy bastard.

Closet case. Struggling to contain himself.

[phonics]

Mendy getting a Premier League and World Cup winners medal while playing 7 minutes of football all season.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Chadli goal of the tournament with Messi's as third :D

The BBC panel are a joke.

[randomlegend]

There's absolutely no way he'll ever be worth his fee unless he plays wide. Has zero brain or effort for the middle.

lol

[Waffdon]

7 games, bro

[Pepe]

Macron being there almost ruins it.

[Byron]

Chadli goal of the tournament with Messi's as third :D

The BBC panel are a joke.

That can't be right, unless they said fuck it and decided to go full on NARRATIVE.

Cheryshev's was the one for me, or Pavard.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

That can't be right, unless they said fuck it and decided to go full on NARRATIVE.

Cheryshev's was the one for me, or Pavard.

They gave Chadli first, Pavard second and Messi third.

[Giggles]

lol

That's twice. Anything constructive to add? He's a waster a club level currently.

[randomlegend]

I watched every single minute of Utd last season and you're talking complete shit. There's not really anything else I can add, unless you want me to start throwing stats at you as if it proves anything.

[Giggles]

I watched every single minute of Utd last season and you're talking complete shit. There's not really anything else I can add, unless you want me to start throwing stats at you as if it proves anything.

You don't need stats. He's brainless. Does nothing simple well and plays every pass as if he's playing for a move.

[phonics]

Giggles, take your L and go have a lie down.

[Spikey M]

That was a fantastic World Cup. The best one in my life time (that I remember).

[Giggles]

Giggles, take your L and go have a lie down.

I'm not surprised you'd be taken in by a bit of flash a zero substance.

He's done well in this tournament, which I've never denied, if that what your short term memory is basing this on.

[Spikey M]

Ozil was still shit, mind.

[mugbull]

Giggles is maybe the biggest retard on this entire forum, in that his only purpose is to take the contrarian option in every debate and argue it to the death.

[Giggles]

Giggles is maybe the biggest retard on this entire forum, in that his only purpose is to take the contrarian option in every debate and argue it to the death.

You think Pogba had a good season for Utd? Even for an imbecile I didn't think you'd have got that wrong.

He's had a good world cup but that's a massive exception. He was £100m, he needs to fucking run games.



.

[Jimmy Floyd]

That was a fantastic World Cup. The best one in my life time (that I remember).

Definitely the best final as well.

[Browning]

Modric won the golden ball.

[Adramelch]

I don't see how Pogba has had "a great tournament" for what it's worth. He was anonymous for the most part.

[Bob Sacamano]

The amount of people claiming BEST WORLD CUP EVER seems to be abit much.

Just enjoy it for what it is, why does everything have to be BEST EVER?

That was strange though, all the way through I just kept thinking This doesn't feel like a World Cup final, it just didn't feel big, it didn't feel like it actually mattered. Or maybe I'm still salty from Wednesday.

[igor_balis]

The amount of people claiming BEST WORLD CUP EVER seems to be abit much.

Just enjoy it for what it is, why does everything have to be BEST EVER?

Nah I think you're wrong. I don't think it's anything to do with people insisting on stuff being the BEST EVER, i just genuinely think it's the best tournament in living memory for a huge amount of people. I can only remember 02 onwards, with vague flashes of 98, and it's the best i can remember for sure.

I'll also say most people I know IRL saying it's the best world cup they've ever seen are exactly the kind of people who'd say it was shite if it was shite.

[Lewis]

I watched every single minute of Utd last season

http://i65.tinypic.com/mimdee.jpg

[phonics]

It's definitely going to go down as a good one once the next one rolls around. This was Game 64. Game 64 of the next World Cup will probably still be in the group stages.

[Giggles]

I don't see how Pogba has had "a great tournament" for what it's worth. He was anonymous for the most part.
"Better than his usual anonymity" then.

[Boydy]

I'd imagine the majority of people on here enjoyed it so much because England went so far.

It was a good tournament though.

[mugbull]

You think Pogba had a good season for Utd? Even for an imbecile I didn't think you'd have got that wrong.

He's had a good world cup but that's a massive exception. He was £100m, he needs to fucking run games.



.

Yeah he's been quite good this season.

[Giggles]

I'd imagine the majority of people on here enjoyed it so much because England went so far.

It was a good tournament though.

I couldn't enjoy it til today.

[Ian]

I'd imagine the majority of people on here enjoyed it so much because England went so far.

It was a good tournament though.

Everybody was openly enjoying it a lot even at the point when it just looked like being another case of England going out at the first non-Panamanian hurdle.

[Spikey M]

I'd imagine the majority of people on here enjoyed it so much because England went so far.

It was a good tournament though.

I think it’s been a fucking good World Cup regardless.

But yes, England making the Semifinals probably held my interest more than previous World Cups have.

[Adramelch]

It's been a very enjoyable one and I couldn't care less about England personally.

[Disco]

The fact that England went fairly far before the customary defeat to the first organised opposition with a midfield wasn't the reason for it being more enjoyable, this is the first one for ages where I looked forward to watching multiple games a day. Even the tedious shit like Iran v Spain was good fun to watch.

Conversely I couldn't be less interested in the Premier League restarting, international football is just better.

[Waffdon]

Varane’s won four Champions League’s, two La Liga’s, Copa Del Rey and a World Cup by the age of 25 :D

He’s quicker than 95% of attackers which obviously helps but still.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The fact that England went fairly far before the customary defeat to the first organised opposition with a midfield wasn't the reason for it being more enjoyable, this is the first one for ages where I looked forward to watching multiple games a day. Even the tedious shit like Iran v Spain was good fun to watch.

Conversely I couldn't be less interested in the Premier League restarting, international football is just better.

I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing if the Nations League isn't as shit as everyone thinks it will be.

[-james-]

Varane’s won four Champions League’s, two La Liga’s, Copa Del Rey and a World Cup by the age of 25 :D

He’s quicker than 95% of attackers which obviously helps but still.

Hugo Lloris' now has a World Cup winner's medal to go with his 2011-12 Coupe de France medal.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The common denominator in pretty much all footballing success is N'golo Kanté and his Mini Cooper.

[Ian]

Gareth Southgate now has a World Cup Third-Place Playoff appearance to go with his Le Tournoi winner's medal.

[Lewis]

I saw some shit about him getting a knighthood the other day. If anyone receives anything off the back of this then we are a loser country.

[Disco]

I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing if the Nations League isn't as shit as everyone thinks it will be.

My suspicion is that everyone just treats them as friendlies and the positions are what they are.

[Ian]

It's not just about football Lewis, he invented the waistcoat too.

[SincereTheRebel]

Kante and Pogba in a French midfield together are ridiculously good. Kante especially.

[Lewis]

He is a gormless pleb, and the 'excellent spirit' he has created was and is simply a result of nobody in the squad having enough CHARACTER (in the Roy Keane sense) to create an atmosphere.

[Danny]

LM 10 losing a World Cup final but getting the golden ball. Deja vu all over again

[Yevrah]

He is a gormless pleb, and the 'excellent spirit' he has created was and is simply a result of nobody in the squad having enough CHARACTER (in the Roy Keane sense) to create an atmosphere.

Don't hold back.

Seriously though, what do you think of the whole thing?

[Pepe]

He was hopeless at subs and kept playing shit players.

[Yevrah]

He was hopeless at subs and kept playing shit players.

He was crap at subs yes, but there aren't enough good English players to avoid playing some dodgy ones.

[Adramelch]

He was crap at subs yes, but there aren't enough good English players to avoid playing some dodgy ones.

Ye but after the umpteenth shit Sterling game, you think he'd go "I might as well try X in his place".

[Yevrah]

Ye but after the umpteenth shit Sterling game, you think he'd go "I might as well try X in his place".

Yeah, but who was X? I know it upsets the Man Utd contingent here and it disappointed me as I thought he was better, but Rashford was probably equally as bollocks.

Ok, so he didn't look as mal-coordinated at times, but he missed an absolute sitter against Belgium and Sterling won a fair number of corners to actually prove he was of some use.

The biggest mystery to me is increasingly becoming Harry Kane, who (post Colombia) I question the performances of more and more with every day that passes. He was genuinely anonymous from the quarter-finals onwards and he should have put us in the final, with two absolutely shocking misses in the semi (ok, one was offside, but he didn't know that). He gets a free pass because he was top scorer, but he sealed that against thugs and a pub side after two games and was as guilty as anyone of us not taking advantage of the easiest route to a final we'll probably ever get.

You might say I'm being too critical, but then that's what everyone else is doing with Sterling and that's ok.

[ItalAussie]

Kante and Pogba in a French midfield together are ridiculously good. Kante especially.

Normally yes. Kante was obviously carrying an injury in this match tough, because he was bad.

[Browning]

Completely agree with Yev about Kane. There was a piece on the BBC about how winning the Golden Boot can change your career and all the big moves players have made after winning it, but I really doubt Barca and Madrid are sitting there salivating at the thought of getting the guy who put Panama to the sword. He was a complete non-factor in the big games.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Kane was fine. Sterling was fine. They were all fine, just inexperienced and naive. If you watch Kane in club football he ballses up plenty of chances, he's just far more lethal than others with the half chances that come along.

I think if anything he was guilty of being a bit too loyal to Alli and Lingard, the former of whom was unfit and the latter just isn't that good when it comes to serious football.

[Adramelch]

Granted he basically started in a couple of dead rubbers, but I thought Loftus Cheek looked like he should have gotten more time.

[Yevrah]

Completely agree with Yev about Kane. There was a piece on the BBC about how winning the Golden Boot can change your career and all the big moves players have made after winning it, but I really doubt Barca and Madrid are sitting there salivating at the thought of getting the guy who put Panama to the sword. He was a complete non-factor in the big games.

Indeed. Perversely we weren't creating much for him in the games he scored in, but had he taken the sharpness he seemed to have in those games into the rest then he'd have genuinely hit 10 this tournament.

If he was injured (he swears he wasn't, but it sense and is the only real excuse) then that's bad management from Southgate as I'd rather have had a fit Vardy in the side than a knackered Kane. We've been there before playing injured players and it just doesn't work.

[Yevrah]

Granted he basically started in a couple of dead rubbers, but I thought Loftus Cheek looked like he should have gotten more time.

He should have come on for Alli or Lingard as soon as Croatia took control, he looks properly good and may have been exactly what we were missing against the Croats when they were in the ascendancy.

[Adramelch]

Indeed. Perversely we weren't creating much for him in the games he scored in, but had he taken the sharpness he seemed to have in those games into the rest then he'd have genuinely hit 10 this tournament.


You mean the game against Tunisia? Because he only scored through penalties and a deflection after that. And even against Tunisia his goals were from set pieces.

[Yevrah]

You mean the game against Tunisia? Because he only scored through penalties and a deflection after that. And even against Tunisia his goals were from set pieces.

I mean the games he scored in. Tunisia, Panama and Colombia. Rebound on a corner, header from a flick on at a corner (his best goal) three penalties and one off his ankle.

We didn't really create anything for him to miss until Sweden and from then on in miss he did.

[Lewis]

Don't hold back.

Seriously though, what do you think of the whole thing?

I'm sure we would have all taken a semi-final, so you can't argue with the record books; but we showed how shit we still are against the two decent teams we actually faced, so it's nothing to get excited about in terms of the next tournament[s], and there is nothing new to be learned from any of it.

[Adramelch]

I mean the games he scored in. Tunisia, Panama and Colombia. Rebound on a corner, header from a flick on at a corner (his best goal) three penalties and one off his ankle.

We didn't really create anything for him to miss until Sweden and from then on in miss he did.

Yeah but what I mean is, Panama and Colombia he just scored from penalties and a deflection so you can't consider those as "sharpness" on his part really, can you? So you're only left with the Tunisia game were he scored the 2 goals from corners and even there those chances were created from the failed first attempts. I'd argue in the other games those first attempts actually went in.

My point being he didn't really show any sharpness to begin with.

[Yevrah]

I think he did, in that he took the winner against Tunisia adeptly and smashed the fuck out of the net with the penalties.

[Adramelch]

I'm not trying to discredit his effort for what it's worth, just that I didn't see anything different from him in the first few games compared to the others.

[Ian]

Granted he basically started in a couple of dead rubbers, but I thought Loftus Cheek looked like he should have gotten more time.

I think there are games between the groups and our eventual exit where he should have had a proper opportunity and an argument could have been made for him replacing any of Alli, Lingard and Sterling.

Alli spent too much time playing and looking unfit, Lingard didn't see much of the ball but got a couple of chances which he fluffed and Sterling just refuses to do anything at all when in possession, which he saw a decent amount of and gave away a lot of it. Though some of his constant lol-j/k-ing it back to the defence after pretending he was going to do something must come down to Southgate because the whole team seemed unwilling to take a chance in favour of being careful. The amount of times we got to the edge of area and then went "Oo-er, not sure about this" and it ended up back with Stones / Maguire was ludicrous.

But back to the point at hand I'd be starting Loftus-Cheek in whatever our next game is.

[Baz]

A lot of people seem to rate Loftus-Cheek alongside players like Lampard and Gerrard. I honestly don’t see where all the hype is coming from.

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's a lazy piece of shit, but a very good impact sub for his physicality.

[Ian]

A lot of people seem to rate Loftus-Cheek alongside players like Lampard and Gerrard. I honestly don’t see where all the hype is coming from.

Are any actual humans doing that or just the media?

[Andy]

RLC is nothing like Lampard or Gerrard.

He should have played a lot more football, shame he got that injury during the season as he was looking great.

His time will come.

[Andy]

I'm sure we would have all taken a semi-final, so you can't argue with the record books; but we showed how shit we still are against the two decent teams we actually faced, so it's nothing to get excited about in terms of the next tournament[s], and there is nothing new to be learned from any of it.

I think the difference from other tournaments is that we genuinely looked good enough to beat Croatia, first half we should have had the game out of site.

Southgate needs to manage in game situations better as we were clearly second best for 75 minutes but there's at least hope there compared to the last decade.

[Spikey M]

We need a Playmaker. Without that we won’t be able to better that anytime soon.

[Lewis]

I think the difference from other tournaments is that we genuinely looked good enough to beat Croatia, first half we should have had the game out of site.

Southgate needs to manage in game situations better as we were clearly second best for 75 minutes but there's at least hope there compared to the last decade.

I thought we would beat them on the basis that they looked knackered and couldn't defend set pieces, but for all of our pressing in the first half we didn't actually create anything, and they soon worked us out. It's just a different kind of wasting opportunities to the 'Golden Generation'. They failed to make the most of their talent, and this lot failed to capitalise on their outrageous good fortune. Same shit, different people.

[SincereTheRebel]

He's a lazy piece of shit, but a very good impact sub for his physicality.

What did someone call him before.? A mixed-race drone :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

My comment about mixed race drones was aimed at the previous generation of interchangeable wingbots with no end product - Walcott, Oxlade, Lennon, Pennant, etc etc.

Doesn't apply to any current player.

[Lewis]

I thought it was based on your insider knowledge of the workings of St. George's Park, with them all walking around with identical haircuts and wash bags.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It appears that misery, identical haircuts and wash bags breed tournament success.

[niko_cee]

Oxlade-Chamberlain would have been quite useful at this tournament.

I think both Liverpool and England missed him quite a lot.

[Spikey M]

Is England (and France, actually) unique is somehow churning out wingers with all the physical attributes but absolutely no fucking brain?

[Browning]

I didn’t realise the farcical 48 team format was official. Qatar to be the last decent World Cup then.

[Yevrah]

The collusion in the last group games is going to be off the scale. :drool:

[Andy]

Do we know how a 48 team tournament will work yet?

[John]

Do we know how a 48 team tournament will work yet?

Sixteen groups of three, top two in each go through to a thirty two team knockout.

[Shindig]

You can't fit that much football into a month. 16 groups of 3, winners advancing to the knockouts. But more likely John's idea.

[Spikey M]

England have no chance in that format. We need groups all the way up to the final with a final group of 2 to decide it. FairPlay in the event of a draw. It’s coming home.

[Browning]

The format John posted has been confirmed, at least according to the BBC.

Groups of 3 sounds like total wank. I really wish they could avoid that, even if it meant having 2 group phases.

[John]

You can't fit that much football into a month. 16 groups of 3, winners advancing to the knockouts. But more likely John's idea.

Not my idea. That's how it will work.

[-james-]

They should copy the 1982 format (groups of 4 into groups of 3 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_FIFA_World_Cup)) but with double the teams.

[Boydy]

Just up it to 64 and play straight knockout the whole way through. No seeding either.

[niko_cee]

Just read the stat that Harry Kane had 6 shots on target in the World Cup, and that's if you class the one that went in off his heal as a shot. That's bonkers.

[Adramelch]

Excluding the penalties I presume.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Groups of 3 with 1 going through is kind of ok, but groups of 3 with 2 going through is the worst conceivable format for anything.

[Adramelch]

Not worse than what I presumed it would be, 12 groups of 4 with top 2 plus the 8 best 3 going through (following the new Euro format).

[niko_cee]

Excluding the penalties I presume.

I don't believe so, no. 14 efforts on goal, 6 on target, 6 goals.

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/624/cpsprodpb/25B6/production/_102545690_kaneshotswithxgatwc18.png

[Adramelch]

He had the shot against Croatia that Subasic saved and then he hit the post so that would be 7 no?

Edit: It seems to have been counted as a shot off target in that graph for god knows what reason.

[Lewis]

These riots in France are pretty lol, not least for their coming off the back of a load of immigration is an unquestionable good look at these cup winning Africans wankpieces. Stay out of sport you tedious cunts.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What is the xG for a penalty? 0.85? It should really be 1.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

0.75-0.8 according to Google.

[Reg]

What is the xG for a penalty? 0.85? It should really be 1.
Why? Some get missed.

The Qatar World Cup will be really intriguing. Will the players play better mid-season, will it being in Qatar freak some of them out, the politics, etc. We better enjoy it because 48 teams is the worst football idea ever.

[Pepe]

I thought the 48 team bullshit was starting in Qatar. Good to know it isn't.

Which reminds me, the final of the North American one better be in the Azteca. Lots of history in that place. Unfortunately, I know it will be in the Burger King Dome or whatever.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I thought the 48 team bullshit was starting in Qatar. Good to know it isn't.

Which reminds me, the final of the North American one better be in the Azteca. Lots of history in that place. Unfortunately, I know it will be in the Burger King Dome or whatever.

100% it will be at AT&T in Dallas. Can't have it outside OF THE HOME OF AMERICA'S TEAM.

[ItalAussie]

100% it will be at AT&T in Dallas. Can't have it outside OF THE HOME OF AMERICA'S TEAM.
Surely it'll be the Rose Bowl. That's where they play major finals isn't it?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Just spotted that Mile High is in the running as one of the venues for that World Cup.

Players will be breathing out of their arses within 30 minutes, well not if Bolivia qualify. They'll be complaining about too much oxygen.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Surely it'll be the Rose Bowl. That's where they play major finals isn't it?

If Jerry is still alive (he's living into his hundreds, I can feel it) he'll chuck cash at FIFA to make it happen.

[Pepe]

Just spotted that Mile High is in the running as one of the venues for that World Cup.

Players will be breathing out of their arses within 30 minutes, well not if Bolivia qualify. They'll be complaining about too much oxygen.

The Azteca is higher and everyone is just fine playing there.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

The Azteca is higher and everyone is just fine playing there.

Didn't Messi and Dire Maria need oxygen masks after?

I'd imagine there being some nations that would struggle.

[Pepe]

Did they? Lol.

It is definitely something to consider, but I don't think it makes that much of a difference.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/argentina/9956640/Lionel-Messi-sick-on-pitch-as-Argentina-players-struggle-with-playing-at-high-altitude-in-draw-against-Bolivia.html

http://www.footballdeluxe.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Di-Mar%C3%ADa-requires-an-oxygen-mask-as-the-altitude-takes-its-toll-football.jpg

A while ago now.

[mugbull]

Poosays

[Pleb]

U mad bro?

[igor_balis]

I also agree that 2 of 3 is shit but a lot less shit than 2 of 4 plus half the 3rd place teams or whatever.

[Yevrah]

It's the same level of shit for me.

And the two highest ranked/seeded teams absolutely have to play each other first.

[Adramelch]

I also agree that 2 of 3 is shit but a lot less shit than 2 of 4 plus half the 3rd place teams or whatever.

On second thought, having 1 team sit out per matchday is kinda shit.

[mugbull]

Would they do 2 matches or 4 matches? I can't imagine they can fit 4 matches per team for 64 teams so it's going to be 2 matches, which is horrendous. Might as well just do a single elimination bracket

[Adramelch]

Would they do 2 matches or 4 matches? I can't imagine they can fit 4 matches per team for 64 teams so it's going to be 2 matches, which is horrendous. Might as well just do a single elimination bracket

It's 48 teams, but surely it's 2 matches per team?

[Yevrah]

It's two matches each. It's worse.

[Bernanke]

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-breakout-stars-of-the-2018-world-cup-and-who-they-remind-us-of/?ex_cid=538twitter

This is pretty fun, if a bit pointless.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If they have to have 48, then 12x4 is the only way to do it.

[Adramelch]

8 groups of 6 teams, with 4 teams going through. Sure it will take about 3 months with a total of about 150 games, but if you go wild you might as well go all in.

[mugbull]

There's a reason why these things should always be powers of 2

[Boydy]

If they have to have 48, then 12x4 is the only way to do it.

With two qualifying from each group? What do you with the 24 then?

[bruhnaldo]

32 teams is perfect. money ruins everything.

[Jimmy Floyd]

With two qualifying from each group? What do you with the 24 then?

And the eight best thirds.

I'd rather that mess than multiple teams playing out 0-0 draws in the last of three games.

[Boydy]

And the eight best thirds.

I'd rather that mess than multiple teams playing out 0-0 draws in the last of three games.

Yeah, fair enough, that does sound better than groups of three.

[Baz]

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-breakout-stars-of-the-2018-world-cup-and-who-they-remind-us-of/?ex_cid=538twitter

This is pretty fun, if a bit pointless.
I love that.

[Raoul Duke]

Ah yes, I've often said Keiran Trippier reminds me of Xavi

[Pen]

If they have to have 48, then 12x4 is the only way to do it.

Hasn’t it been decided already that it’s going to be 16x3?

Edit. Didn’t see the previous page