Just realised we were still using the group stages thread. Poll inspired by the Messi chat in there.
Current state of play:
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Is everybody looking forward to Mason Mount being immediately returned to the starting XI today?
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Just realised we were still using the group stages thread. Poll inspired by the Messi chat in there.
Current state of play:
Toggle Spoiler
Is everybody looking forward to Mason Mount being immediately returned to the starting XI today?
Messi is clearly spectacular, but I don't find him interesting at all.
Nice graphic.
It’s coming home.
Looking more and more likely unfortunately.
ARG-BRA and FRA-POR would be two incredible semis.
Some cracking derbies possible in the other three QFs. Spain v Portugal. England v France. Korea v Japan.
Korea-Japan would be a real stretch.
Delete every post made on the wrong thread.
I really hope that at least one of those two makes it far.Quote:
Originally Posted by Clunge
Same team as the Wales game but Saka for Rashford apparentlyQuote:
Originally Posted by Ian
Now that I'm seeing it laid out, the fixation on sides of the draw sounds a bit mad. They're both gauntlets to get through. :D
France’s depth at centre back is ludicrous. Imagine having the luxury of benching Konate and Saliba with Kounde out of position at right back to fill in.
Their depth in general is a bit bonkers. 4 first team players out of the World Cup off the top of my head and you wouldn’t notice. (Though they do play better without 2 of them but they’d have definitely started)
Hm, interesting. Fingers crossed Saka is more Iran game than USA game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
We're going to get battered.
Anyone have a stream for the France game that isn't via iPlayer?
Ta muchly.
Hesgoal.
Cheers Ben!
Mate, if you can't cope with a female commentator, maybe football isn't for you, yeah?Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Kevin Mbappé, as I always think he is called before I read his actual name again (conflating him with Kevin Mbabu, I think - easy mistake to make), has this God complex of thinking he is owed a foul any time someone challenges him.
Golden chance for the French there.
All from giving the ball away.
In this game the comms are giving the Messi treatment to 'Matty Cash', which is probably worse.
Why is he shooting there?
France are playing a bit with fire it feels like.
How did we not score there?
Poland looking better than I thought they would.
Game over.
Giroud. :cool:
I would fancy us against this France. Possible concerns would be BOTTLING the occasion and France bamboozling us with a tactical change or early substitutions.
Knockouts so far a case of the favoured teams being utterly clinical and the underdogs creating chances but just not composed enough to finish them.
No doubt England will change all that later.
Frances route to the final is piss too, it's in the bag.
Isn't that always the case?Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Lloris continually proving he has stuff on every manager he’s played under
I’d back us against France as long as Lloris keeps getting picked.
Rio playing translator for Poch.
Why have they got a pundit in the BBC studio who can barely speak English? Is he that desperate for the Chelsea/Tottenham jobs?
Remember when they had Fabio Cannavaro doing games in his pidgin English? Then he caught a stray off Martin O'Neill donning Adrian Chiles and nobody has seen him since.
Did Lineker say "Jordan Pickford and Kieron Dyer" there?
That Colombia was wild. Had it all.
Yep.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boydy
Please don't combine piano and strings with Jordan Pickford trying to drool out a coherent sentence.
Mon the African boys, me and Mahow are gonna be partying long into the night.
Today, I feel African.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
Bruce Dyer > Kieron Dyer > Eric Dier.
That's a quality finish, shame it doesn't count.
I don't think there's any reason why the ref can't wait to blow the whistle there. Enemy of football for chalking that goal off.
Youssou N'Dour can suck my fat chode.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
Since I slagged off commentators earlier, I reckon Robyn or whoever this one is on the beeb is really good. 'You could almost see smoke coming off his feet there' a really good image for how Mbappé plays at this stage of his career.
Gave him far too much space.
Her and Dion are easily the best combination on the BBC side.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Matty Cash letting down his second country.
He’s just so fucking good.
The guy's a cheatcode. If Senegal spoil our evening, at least I can look forward to Trippier showing his defensive quality that has him ahead of the greatest RB in the game :D
Someone needs to do to France [Mbappe] what Colombia [was it?] did to Brazil/Neymar in 2014.
Can't have these fuckers going back-to-back.
I just searched twitter to see if they agree with me, and safe to say they don't. Tens and tens of people with middle aged man names and/or profile pics, violently upset about her being on comms. It's such a fascinating phenomenon, like they think that just by having a woman in the box the BBC are personally insulting them and their entire way of life.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben
Black man in an advert? That's a wokeness. Gay rights? That's a wokeness. A woman commentator? Oh you better believe that's a wokeness.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
A team who can comfortable play the ball between the lines will murder France. Thier off the ball work is laughable.
Yeah, I was going to speculate that Spain could be a tricky semi-final opponent for them if both get there, but then Spain's defence is a bit of a bombscare.
Mbappe is too good.
This is an absurd take even for you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
Something something gammon?
Spikey's crying into his Haaland blanket.
Edit: what the fuck are you on about now?
Doubt they set up like this against a decent side. Dembele or Griezmann will drop out for another midfielder if I had to guess.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
Comeback is on.
What a horrible penalty that was.
Robert should retire after that. :D
It's getting retaken but that's a horseshit pen.
Even the second one would have been retaken if he missed. Or if it had been saved rather.
One of the worst penalties I’ve ever seen.
Who also won't press.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
France even getting all the bullshit bad VAR calls out of the way as well. :sick:
The only team that has pressed in this World Cup has been USA and that ended well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
Mbappe donning his 2nd World Cup in a row at 23 whilst Haaland is playing Twister with his old man. Spikey in the mud
Mbappe wankfest incoming.
The whole point, and a smart one at that is allow the opposition to advance by not pressing to maximise turtleboy's impact.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
By the Haaland metric Mbappe should be playing for Cameroon. Alfe Inge Dipshit.
We should have brought Wan-Bissaka to counter him. Also should have brought Alessia Russo to distract the defenders from certain nations.
Which you'll get away with against Poland. A top team will kill them with the ball.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
There’s only one team left in the tournament with any interest in being good with the ball and there’s no chance Spain are winning this whole thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
BBC claiming Sir Waistcoat has benched Rashford.
Waff said earlier on it’s the Wales team with Saka for Rashford.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
It appears we will now find out the answer to that age old question - does Waffelz know more than the BBC?Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben
Waff is agreeing with the BBC so I don't think we will.
Indeed. I had one as Rashford playing.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Presumably he’ll be saving him for France.
Nice to see players (Mbappe and Giroud) who can actually strike a ball.
I hate the current penalty rules (or should I say enforcement) that have led to all this jumpy twattery. Just smash the ball into a corner.
I swear they banned the stutter penalty that Lewandowski done. Maybe I’m tripping.
Looks like Mount’s PR has finally dropped if Southgate is dropping him two games running.
They did, it’s just not enforced for whatever reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
So they enforce moving off the line but not the jumpy shit? I would prefer it the other way around.
Per the Laws of the Game: "feinting to kick the ball once the kicker has completed the run-up (feinting in the run-up is permitted); the referee cautions the kicker ".
My understanding was you aren't allowed to stop during the run up, but provided you keep moving forwards you can do basically whatever you want. You can't fake kick or anything once you actually reach the ball.
9 World Cup goals and counting before he's even 24 is some going from Mbappe. If he makes it back to back World Cups Haaland will have a mountain to climb to eclipse him.
That's his own fault for not picking England.
Wonder what Sterling is up to.
This feels like the Ukraine game last year. Stupidly thinking they might shithouse their way to a 0-0 and penalties before England put 3 in by half time.
Ukraine were dead after their second round game, no?
Maybe. Think the non England fans were holding out hope that it being the only game away from Wembley would make a difference.
All hope lays on Mbappe on Saturday.
Van Dijk lolling at Gakpo to Man Utd rumours is what we like to see :rasta:
Mon Senegal.
Kneeling against homosexuality being illegal in Senegal. Worthy.
How comes they're allowed to white up? Take that knee back.
Whoever has burgled Sterling Towers has done us a favour.
I thought that only happened to the Liverpool contingent.
This is boring as shit
It's an England game.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7om
Fuck me.
Maguire is going to get us eliminated the big useless cunt.
They’ve got the legs on us defensively. Maguire and Stones look like a couple of tractors.
Search any commentator on twitter and you will get the same negative comments. It's what people do. Even here is a good example of people often complaining unnecessarily about commentators.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Not even just commentators to be honest. People with strong negative feelings about anything are just typically more vocal about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dquincy
I'm on double shifts telling Alex Scott to ignore the trolls.
Diouf looks like he’s ready for a stint in WWE
El Hadji Diouf just got introduced like a heel coming back at the Royal Rumble after seven months out.
This is just a replay of the game against the Yanks. Dreadful.
What makes an England game uniquely boring.
Get Sir Rarcus Mashford on.
If we were to lose this game, does Waistcoat survive as manager?
The knowledge that it doesn't need to be so.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
There would be a strong case for stripping everybody involved of their citizenship if we lose this game.
How is that not a yellow card on Walker?
Jammy bastards.
I'll need to watch the replay closely, but that defending looked very naive to me. Not a lot of tactical acumen involved.
Bareth Bouthgate, tactical genius.
Will finish 3 or 4 nil. Bellingham is just a great footballer. Annoyingly.
That celebration with Henderson was just bizarre, mind.
Are the England fans just AI generated trogolydytes?
Funny how now we’ve stopped pissing around at the back with the two idiots that we look like sticking five past these.
That was a great counter attack. Bellingham is just on a different level compared to the rest of the field.
Cellingham really is a worldie.
Well at least Mbappe will produce tears.
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Magic
Great pass from Fil Phoden.
Excellent first half performance.
How’ve they done that Nike advert then?
Filth Oden.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7om
Can’t you lipread? “We’ll do that in red next season, pet.”Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
I think Southgate does that because he knows they're shaky. Both centre backs are selected for what they can do at the other end. Maybe giving them time on the ball and the long hoofs forward is a way of protecting them?Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben
If the late night walks around Doha with Trent weren't doing it, rest assured that goal has. He's coming home :happycry:
If I was Waistcoat I'd play Kyle Walker and ask him to just man mark him all game. If he doesn't Mbappe is going to make Maguire reach whole new levels of retardation and Stones will need another year of his mongy self affirmation therapy meetings.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
We've been quite good going forward, but Maguire is such a worry against the elite.
Bellingham is so fucking good.
Mbappe is going to absolutely mince our defence.
Pumping it long is definitely the way to go against these even if we had two decent ball players at the back. Senegal’s full backs are horrendous against the hoof over the top.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shindig
That’s England winning it all thenQuote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
What's Ronaldinho doing in that Pepsi advert? I thought he was in prison.
Have you seen any films made in the last twenty years?Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
I know Dier is liable to a fuck up himself, but I can't fathom why he isn't starting over Maguire. Or Tomori. Did we even take him?
It was Nike.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Not the one with prime Ronaldinho and OG Ronaldo in, no.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Seems strange to include someone who’s literally been in jail.
Southgate hates Tomori for some reason, he's at home.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
3 changes by Senegal is interesting, they were the better team in the first half.
I reckon he’d be in the squad if he played in England still.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
What about including the rapist? They have Einstein in adverts now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
Ju Debellignham
Soz ard. I read it as how have they made it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Baz
I dunno. Sorry.
You’re right CGI is good. Even amateur stuff is unreal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3FzkEoIQBw
We should drop Phil Foden so that I don't have to look at him.
Nice one Jim
https://youtu.be/fXbSirrXQ4UQuote:
Originally Posted by Baz
It was definitely Pepsi.
His perma-sulking face is the most punchable object in the universe.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Can’t wait for Lineker and Shearer to cream themselves over this.
I can't even lol at the defending now. It's like something from a nineties group stage game. Green shirts just scattered everywhere.
The youth offender haircut really completes the look. You know he'll still look like that at 40, too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
Matterface doesn’t half chat some wibble.
Made me dig this one out:
If England win then, their run in will surely be one of the best in recent years? France, Spain/Portugal, Brazil/Argentina.
I’m saying that, I can’t remember the last big nation they beat in a WC. Argentina 2002?
Worth pushing this before the next game. Magic, do you still have the official TTH account?
@Qatar_Racing :D
Germany last year. Sorry, you meant World Cup.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Carry on. :D
Our last win over a 'big nation' in a World Cup knockout game was the 1966 final.
Portugal 2006
Brazil 2002
Argentina 1998
Italy 1990 (if you count 3rd place)
W.Germany 1990
Argentina 1986
W.Germany 1974
All lost.
There’s hope.
We don't tend to get far enough, often enough for the big guys to factor, to be honest.
Job done. I'd happily go with the same eleven for France.
Oh and Deutschland 2010.
I take us over France sans Mbappé.
I hate Sweet Caroline so much. The theme tune to being an absolute whopper.
Bookies are going to have it 60/40. Bring it. :drool:
Look at that eyebrow the county lines rat.
Completely agree. I can’t stand the Inglund geezer, brand loving bullshit it represents.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Musk shut me down.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Its Oxford accountants that go to watch England, not real football people.
Yev-rah's sit-com
(lol, lol, lol)
What the fuck was that about?
Where did you get your "England, Taxes, Golf... in that order" flag made Yev?
Alright Bam. Give yourself a day off from me living rent free in your head and take it up with Lewis.
Sticking it to Qatar.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
Bellingham is definitely off to Liverpool if this past week has anything to go by. Either that or they’re just trolling on Social Media. Hopefully the latter.
Sweet Caroline gets played in our pub twice a night when half the people there are either selling cocaine or buying it and the rest are labourers. Don’t even try blame it on posh people.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bam
Rare bit of class solidarity there.
I have been to one England game (a 2-2 friendly draw with the Czech Republic in 2008) and the clientele was a fascinating mix. A surprising number of people had travelled from all over the country to be there (at Wembley) - loads of northern accents. There was a large, how can I put this, council estate contingent who were only there to see Beckham and Rooney - not to see them play football, per se, but to see them in a celebrity sense and cheer them personally before and after the game. A lot of the fans seemed to be smaller club fans who don't normally have a taste of the big time. Then there were city boys in suits straight from the office who didn't seem to have much idea about football at all.
Completely different to any club game I've been to.
The Sweet Caroline mob is twenty per cent the salt of the earth Great British Public as mentioned by phonics, and eighty per cent the neeks who bought waistcoats in 2018, throw their pints around in fanzones, and have had the will to question the lop-sided proliferation of female pundits subliminally shamed out of them by Madri and adverts on public transport about mental health. The latter bear full responsibility for mainstreaming it.
It’s much more northern/midlands to be a travelling England fan. There’s a reason why all the flags have West Brom or Rotheram tags than Southampton.
"The lop-sided proliferation of female pundits" :D
It's the wokeness! The wokeness!!
Under current ownership I don't think we can. He's going to cost £100m at the very least and FSG are known to play it safe financially and will not spend that much without selling.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
If you look back, a lot of FGSs Liverpool deals, even under Klopp, were uncontested. The only two times I can think of an exception to this were Van Dijk, who wanted to work with Klopp and Alisson Becker who chose us over Chelsea. Add in that the likes of City, Madrid and likely PSG will absolutely be trying to grab him, I just don't think it'll be done this way.
If there was a takeover it'd change things a lot. I don't see that happening for a while though.
The only good patriotic English song is Jerusalem. It's fucking quality tbf, wish it was our footy national anthem.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Even then, the Barmy Army manage to ruin it (last note is LOW not high you twats).
I'm an I Vow To Thee renegade.
Surely the bigger obstacle for Liverpool signing Bellingham now is the likelihood they will miss Top 4?
They probably won't. Arsenal and Spurs will go to bits at some point. How serious is this knee injury Jesus has?
There's an episode of Bluey [Australian kids cartoon] which has I Vow to Thee running through it and it's absolute quality. Been hearing it a lot over the last few weeks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
It's usually 50/50 in the studio. At least where ITV is concerned. Karen Carney and Joe Cole waxing lyrical is .... something. "Yeah, like ... yeah." every three minutes.
Bellingham fully well knows we're built different to some shit like PSG/Man City, you sad fucks better just hope he keeps making himself available for England when he becomes an adopted Scouser.
We really are built different:
The lollest vid I've seen for a while :D
The body language of 2 men that do not want to be there.
This current Kyle Walker wank-fest re: him being the best right back in the world to deal with Mbappe is interesting to say the least. Never mind the fact he isn’t even fit he’s properly regressed in the last year.
Is this the football thread?
Mike Ashley’s bought the Ricoh and kicked Coventry out?
@wullie
Is it a wank fest? I only said it because he's the fastest player / defender we have and we need someone to track Mbappe or he's going to murder our centre backs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
I should have clarified from the media/Twitter.
It’s also mostly like going to be Mbappe up against Stones for the majority of the game as Hernandez/Rabiot flood the left and create overlaps.
Served an eviction notice at least yeah, two weeks after the Fraser Group and Cov council celebrated how the sale would be a good thing for the relationship between club and landlord. General theory is that Ashley's trying to distress the club to buy it, which makes for a hell of a PR campaign for a potential new ownerQuote:
Originally Posted by Baz
I've heard the Walker doubters chat pure shit for the best part of a decade now and still he consistently churns out top drawer performances and is relentlessly relied upon by the best tactical mind in the game (and Pep too).
Not saying turtleboy is going to be kept quiet but I don't see a better-equipped alternative in the sport.
I wouldn't be surprised if he went with 3 centre backs and played Walker on the right of them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Not in the last year he’s not. Definitely lost a yard or two of his pace as well - Sarr sprinted past him with ease yesterday.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
You know Southgate is absolutely gagging to do this but I don't see how he can unless he's going to keep the same team but drop Saka back to right wingback. Unless he goes Trippier which would at least give us some sort of threat from set pieces.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
I was going to say it would be good if the patriotic burglars could knock over Harry Maguire's gaff next but if Dier is genuinely the only other option then maybe not. Dread to think what he's going to look like running against some of the French lot though. He was losing 5 yards over 10 yards against Senegal.
That left side of the England defence has to be one of the worst ever seen at any sort of elite international level.
There's no point going to three centre backs. We could play nine in defence and good players will still find a way through us because none of them are top level. Mbappé would destroy us.
Our best bet is carrying on like we are and backing ourselves to outscore them. If we get tactical then it's curtains.
Yeah, but this is Southgate. The highlight of the last three games has been the three clean sheets, [for him] that's what everything is built on. As you say, trying to make it some sort of crabby shitefest just sees us lose when one of our numpties at the back give the ball away [see the 'great' result against the dreadful Germans last year when they had the better of the chances before we nicked it late on].
Maybe he'll go full mind games and pick Trent at rightback. Didier won't be planning for that.
Yeah, but Southgate gonna Southgate. It's taken him until now to realise that he doesn't need 8 defensive players against the likes of Wales and Senegal. I highly doubt he's ready to abandon it against the likes of France.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben
Fighting fire with petrol.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Safety first is the best policy. As many defenders as possible. If we lose, at least we'll have tried to stop them. No point trying to score goals and ending up leaving gaps in behind for Djorkaeff and Dugarry to run into.
You could play Walker and Trippier as a double right back against Mbappé, with Walker doing the defending, and Trippier hanging around in case we get a free kick.
I'm of the other line of thought. Our midfield is our best asset. I wouldn't want to rob the middle of bodies. Four at the back is enough. Kane acts as a fifth midfielder anyway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOwOYVJ9IgA&ab_channel=FuturismQuote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
Check out Gerard Houllier giving it a go at 25 seconds.
I think he stays with the same sort of formation but wouldn’t be surprised if he brings in Kalvin Phillips to sit along side Uncle Ben and have Bellingham as the slightly more forward thinking player.
What is this absolute WANK tech house tune they play before every match?
Nippon to defeat racism here.
Infantino SPOTTED, Jimmy.
Infantino's Theme (Reprise)Quote:
Originally Posted by -james-
I now spend the first 3/4 mins of every game counting down to seeing him on screen. No sign yet! (1:11)
There he is! 1:39. Was over five minutes in the England game last night.
Is this Peter Schmeichel on co-comms? :cab:
I'm playing through BBC Sport website so it might be radio feed.
Radio feed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben
We all cheering for Japan here, right?
I thought this last night actually. Does he even like football? He's probably bored out of his tits.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
If Maeda's xG regresses to the mean over the next four games then the world cup/golden boot double is on.
He just can't get enough of focusing on football.
I reckon if you or I had his job we'd just live it up and love every minute, so that's probably what he's doing. President of Burkina Faso? Nice to meet you, and thanks for the bung last month, the Under 17 Women's African Nations is yours.Quote:
Originally Posted by -james-
Ito should have fun throughout here against Barisic.
https://www.theguardian.com/football...tion-world-cup
Morgan will be leaving him voicemails asking him if he fancies a Part 3, presumably.
Would be funny if he was stripped of the captaincy but I assume he'll keep it.
Maeda :cool:
Training ground set pieces :drool:
Japan :cool:
Japan have been right up for this.
Love to see it.
:drool:Quote:
Originally Posted by -james-
I thought the video grim reaper was going to come for that goal, like No Face out of a fucking wall.
Vamos.
Japan/South Korea QF here we go!
If only. :drool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
The heavyweight of football punditry Jenas, Rio, Shearer and Williams claiming Croatia "look leggy" as if a midfield of Brozovic, Modric, Kovacic are going to play an intense pressing game. Fucking imbeciles.
Japan are a serious outfit. I think Brazil or South Korea would prefer the toothless Croats if they had the choice.
Rooting hard for the kim chi kids if Japan win. That would be a proper game. Brazil and their 1-0 ways can get to fuck.
Japan leading for the first time ever in a knock out game? They were literally 2-0 up at the last World Cup ffs
Out of nowhere.
Good header. :moop:
Fuck off.
Croatia are such a weird team. They're a bit like England in that they can look absolute toilet for long periods, and then have everything click.
What a header that was
There are few things in football better than a banging header.
Strange that because the leggy useless fucks who are nowhere near the team they were with Mandzukic seemed dead and buried. JJ said so.
Is it Mitoma/Asano time yet or are they gonna toy with Croaitia a bit longer?
Modric is a prime per user. Probably shares his load at half timeQuote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Come on Japan, don't bottle this.
Kovacic just looks unfit and has done all season. Definitely going for a surgery of some sort after this tournament
Croatia will take this, won't they? :sick:
Have they reverted back to normal added time?
I get the feeling teams have stopped fucking around as much so maybe it's worked as intended?
This game didn't have much time-wasting if any.
Japan probably with a bit of a fitness edge over the aging Croatian squad, but I somewhat doubt it will amount to anything.
Luka Sucic not getting on ahead of some of these is a bit dumb. He looks great for Salzburg in the CL. Better than fucking Vlasic anyway.
Surprised he’s taken off 80% of his experienced players as well ahead of pens
Lovren is definitely stepping up for a penalty and doing the most bog standard penalty to his left at keepers height nowhere near the corner
G'wan Japan
Got home just in time I see.
ffs Minamino.
Oh Jesus.
Fuck me.
:D shambles
Ok, you can go home.
Some serious lack of bravery in those Japanese penalties.
Even England would batter them in a shootout ffs.
Lol. Twat.
Another dogshit pen.
Hit it hard you wankers. 12 yards is the optimum distance for THE BALL.
Comeback’s ON!
Edit - off.
Japanese are still bottling this though.
This is horrendous.
:lol: This is some effort.
Croatia :cool:
That might be the shittest shootout there has ever been.
I reckon the ball was genuinely in their head there. There is no other explanation for no attempt by any Japanese player to hit it with power.
I'm afraid you deserve to go out if you lack the courage to strike a football properly.
All that effort just to fart you way through a shootout. Useless.
Fucking horrendous. Just blast the bastard thing.
Just put your foot through it ffs
Reece James back in training already. England could have had someone to completely dominate Mbappe after all.
:cool:
Rio Ferdinand might well be the worst pundit, he's so shit.
It’s almost worth England getting knocked out every time in the quarter finals just so I can revel in Lineker, Shearer and Ferdinand getting a reality check.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
That won't do it, though. Going out to someone proper doesn't wobble any heads. Losing to Iceland does.
Just watched the penalties. Each and every one of those were terrible. What the fuck is wrong with them?
Even by footballer standards he seems to be a legitimately unintelligent person.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Proper goalfest incoming now, none of that negative European tactical gammon shite on display.
Both coaches are archetypal negative European types, even if they lack the clammy pale flesh. Work rate over quality.
Paulo Bento coaching SK is proper FM stuff.
Gammon gammo ngamm ongam mong.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
:D
That's quite good.
Hopefully Neymar gets a good kicking.
Can't help but feel Korea might feel some refereeing favours from 2002 spat back at them if it gets close here.
This could be a battering.
That set of celebrations should see the goal chalked off and then Korea awarded one on top.
Great goal clive
Probably one by the letter, but that’s harsh.
Well and truly over already.
Weird one that, but game over you'd imagine.
Not a pen for me.
I think me and Henry have been watching different World Cups.Quote:
Henry on the BBC livetext:
South Korea vs Brazil, before this World Cup it would seem obvious, now anything can happen. What a strange World Cup it’s been.
South Korea should have never been in the last 16 anyway so no real sympathy if they get roasted [they won't, they'll probably be dispatched in an incredibly prosaic and dull way].
Cricket score incoming here
There is far too much time wasted faffing before a penalty these days. Can the referee not say all that gubbins to both teams before the game starts?
He should be shot for that run up.
That was a cocky penalty. Would love to see that go wrong in the final.
If this wasn't a bunch of favela cunts we'd be watching them "show patience" and be "in no great rush" as if everyone's paying out the arse to sleep in shipping containers and tuning in to the greatest show on Earth to watch a couple of lanky fucks make 5 yard passes across the backline whilst looking forward to microwaveable Sheperd's Pie for dinner.
Right, I've decided. These cunts are far worse than Messi. Las islas - malvinas - son argentinas.
Is Son crying yet?
The semi on this side of the draw is going to be quality.
Unless it somehow ends up being Holland v Croatia.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
:lol:
The state of Ghana & Uruguay letting these manlets get out of the group.
I'm now bitterly regretting that tonight's entertainment isn't a Uruguay-induced bloodbath. Throw Asia out of FIFA based on the last two hours.
It was mostly Portugal's fault, in fairness.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
No [no-hoper] minnows stinking up the latter stages of the tournament is refreshing. Cue Switzerland winning the whole bastard thing now, Infantino wildly whirling his shirt around whilst simultaneously handing out suitcases of cash to the officials in celebration.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
That was class.
That was lovely.
Although with Jim on these celebrations. Hideous.
Throwback to Kerlon and the seal dribble :cool:
Imagine Harry Maguire trying to handle that passing and movement.
Well I don't know about you lot, but my living room is lilting to the samba beat. I've started blowing a whistle and everything.
Think this might be done.
Is this the first time they've actually played 'Brazilian well' since, what, the mid 80s?
Don’t like seeing anyone get battered like this. Must be absolutely horrible for the players.
Proper kamikaze defending from the Chinamen this.
I leave for twenty minutes and miss four goals. :face:
The styles of these two will always just match up like this and god bless them both for it. Great world cup scenes.
This could also be a classic set your credentials out and then lose to the first organised team you play performance (1982, 1986, 1990, 2006, 2010).Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Same. Missed most of the first half and all the goals ffs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pepe
Yep, a classic.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
If they lose to Croatia after this it should be a two-tournament ban, minimum.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Croatia no chance. Louis van Gaal...
Go easy on the mayonnaise with your supper tonight, you wild cat.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Roy Keane :lol: This is the sort of shit that had Vini up in arms about racism this season.
"Do your little jig and fuck off." I bet Mick McCarthy said that to him once.
Dani Alves? Why don't they just get Bobby Carlos out of the stands to try one of his famous 'banana kick' dead ball strikes (so-called because the spin applied to the ball made it swerve voraciously in flight).
Comeback - ON.
Too many teams have respect these days. The amount of times a team are up at half time and then take their foot off it is sickening
It's not respect, it's preserving the energy of your own players.
They would have chalked that off if it wasn't a consolation. VAR itching to get in the action.
They’ve been asleep. This sort of messing is a bad habit to get into going into the next game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Pretty poor effort to be playing in a World Cup at 39 for Brazil and it only being your 3rd tournament. Was Cafú still playing in 2006?Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
It's either that or have Roy Keane cry about your celebrations.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Bring back the group stage.
Yeah he was. During a language trip to Seville I watched Dani Alves live in this game: https://m.football-lineups.com/match/1453, remember him tracking up and down the touchline in front of me all night. Playing the World Cup 17 years later. Ridiculous.Quote:
Originally Posted by CJay
There's no December football thread so this can go in here:
:lol:
Yeah I thought these may as well serve as the thread until I make one when the tournament is actually done. It'll only get lost due to the three posts it gets.
I was in the work kitchen this morning, making coffee, and a colleague walked in. He's not much of a football fan (World Cup England games only) but knows that I 'follow the game'. He said to me, by way of making conversation: "They're saying this could be the last World Cup for some of the superstars, like Messi and Ronaldo." I had no idea what to say. What do you say to that? So I said: "Football heritage." He said "Too true, too true," and walked off.
Spent the next half hour gutted that I bottled dropping the h.
You didn't actually say "football heritage" right?
The thing about England is they always try to walk it in.
This place is really dialing up the autism over the World Cup.
I did. At 8.40am, no less.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
What were you expecting from us, detached worldly cool?Quote:
Originally Posted by Offshore Toon
Just get it in the mixer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
You should have explained the offside law with UHT milk pods.
The number of UHT milk pods we have in there, I could have explained the entire tactical history of football from Chapman's W-M to the advent of the false nine.
The equivalent at my work place told me that Man United simply have to accommodate Ronaldo as he's the best player in the world, and build their team around him. This was a month or so ago. The other day he said that Messi is overrated and Phil Foden is better.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
1 out of 2 isn't bad.Quote:
Originally Posted by ScousePig
Yeah, I might take 22 year old Foden over 35 year old Messi, maybe, but then, I'd fancy myself to be of more use than Pele, so it's all relative.
Always amuses me how Offy somehow thanks an internet message board about a computer game full of 40-60 year olds is somehow not full of autists. Then again isn’t he king wigger on the board? So there’s definitely a large disorder in there somewhere too.
"King Wigger" :lol:
'Kylie Embopper, mate...'Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
No shot that many folk are over 40 on here?!Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
I’ve got a feeling Morocco might do something here but that might be because I’m seeing Spain play 2 centre mids and a back 4 and I just don’t want it to work. They’d be far better served benching Busquets and playing Rodri in midfield but what do I know.
Bono needs to stop trying to pass it out.
This commentator is absolutely tragic every time he’s on a game.
The Five Live commentary team is fucking awful. Some bird talking about how "cool" the Spanish players are, whilst Pat Nevin sounds half-cut.
Spain looking bang average.
Their team in general just looks shite. Bang average defence and a quite tragic attack given the country in question. They need to focus their development away from centre mid. It’s like Scotland but with full backs in their case
Two pointless sides. No extra-time please.
Ferran Torres strikes me as a very pointless player. Doesn't seem to be good at anything in particular.
https://www.theguardian.com/football...cup-qatar-2022
Julio Gomes, take a bow lad.
Culture. :harold:
Both teams look completely cooked.
Can we eliminate these two?
Good at running, and at boning the coach's daughter.Quote:
Originally Posted by CJay
Simon tried to gift Morocco the win there.
This game has been awful thus far.
Our only hope is lol penalties here.
I need about 24 more penalties to go in for one of my pre-tournament bets to come off, yesterday's shootout did not improve matters. Need an Afcon special.
Spain have got them blowing, winner in ET incoming.
Morocco/Switzerland QF incoming.
That summed this game up beautifully.
Amrabat has been incredible yet again
Why cant any of these cunts just put their foot through the ball. Smack the thing.
Is that Williams lad the same one who can’t get a game for Liverpool?
Morocco living dangerously at the end.
The fucking state of that.
Hopefully Spain bottle this.
Surely Morocco know how to hit pens, with all the great AFCON shootouts there have been.
Brought on for that :harold:
Bringing players on just for penalties is one of the most egregious sins a manager can commit (goalkeepers not included).
:lol:
Shocking pen.
Who are these Spanish mugs being sent to take penalties? They look like they have the fear of God in them.
This is more like the Spain we know and love. :drool:
It's been a tournament for shite spot kicks.
Why a CB there?
And once again bringing a player on to take a penalty proves to be a dogshit move.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Bono :cool:
Soggy Biscuits :harold:
They’re even worse penalties than last night. Horrendous.
THE BALL is telling hard in these shootouts.
These penalties from Spain have all been absolute dogshit.
I don't mind bringing a player on because they are good at penalties, but surely just bring them on earlier, so they get into the rhythm and you also get something from their fresh feet.
Hakimi :cool:
Hakimi you absolute legend!
Viva Marruecos.
Walid Regragui, what a coach.
All these people tapping penalties deserve everything they get
Hakimi :cool: :D
Was that Saiss hobbling around at the end :D
Fuck sake. How can Spanish players not be able to strike a ball. Cunts couldn’t even bring themselves to run up to the thing.
Jesus Christ, Hakimi with ice in his veins.
Spain :lol:
Hakimi. :cool:
Beautiful. Now let's dump out Ronaldo and his band of gypsies.
Spains penalties were awful but Bono was absolutely brilliant. Psyched them right out
Spain 77% possession and 1 shot on target. Passing it around like fannies is all very lovely but at some point you’ve got to bloody shoot the thing.
Scoring 0 in a shootout should be an automatic one-tournament ban. Busquests should have some medals taken away for his effort as well.
Ronaldo dropped :drool:
No Leao still though. Fuck me.
Busquets smirking before missing his is a highlight.
Ronaldo :harold:
What is this 1000 penalties nonsense?
I just noticed Neves and Cancelo were dropped too. Has there been a massive falling out or something?Quote:
Originally Posted by Danny
1000 passes and 1 shot on goal. Incredible.
Luis Enrique stated that they've shot over 1000 penalties each in preparation for the knockouts or something along those lines.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
Morocco won't have it in them to beat another team and then us, the Portuguese squad will now be a toxic hell hole (if you're gonna drop Ronaldo you really need to send him home at the same time), so I think if we beat France we'll make the final.
William Carvalho starting over a certified don like Palhinha is bewildering.
Also bit harsh of the cameraman to focus on that woman bawling her eyes out for like a full minute. Even tried to follow her when she sat down :D
Maybe the analytics people are saying that bottom corner is the statistically safest place to aim a penalty (as you can only miss it wide and not high).
If so, they should all be fired.
I think you're onto something with your ball analysis Jimmy (waaaayyyyyy). They looked scared to hit it.
If you beat France you’re winning it allQuote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
There we have it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pepe
Are we still blaming THE BALL?
I have always thought (and still maintain) that keepers who guess are always the worse at stopping penalties. You have to force the kicker to take risks.
Switzerland will win the whole thing, with Infantino coming off the bench to net the winner.
Would have been very doubtful Spain could have beaten England anyway, but Morocco haven’t a prayer which is the main disappointment for everyone else.
The only 2 teams they wouldn’t smash are Brazil and France and even then I think they beat the latter comfortably.
The Ballad of Group E
Group E, Group E
It was all a waste of time,
All for nothing,
Group E.
Jimmy Floyd, 2022
Jinxes only work if you believe what you're saying lads.
Waff is the only one sounds like he’s trying to jinx it. Either that or he’s a massive fanboy. I’d be leaning toward the latter.
"There he is, accepting the World Cup from our FIFA president, Gianni Infantino." <cut to Infantino clapping in the crowd>Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Does make the winner of England/France firm favourite for the whole thing. With all the shite penalties I fully expect France to score 10 in a row to knock us out 10-9.
Is anyone else really enjoying having the World Cup in the winter? I think I prefer having it now to having it in the summer.
I'd give us very little chance of beating Brazil in a World Cup Final, but I have a sneaking suspicion that won't go away that we might just do France.
England have a very good team. They’ve finished Semi Finalists and Runners Up the last two tournament. I think France should and will win on Saturday because their team is just better and Mbappe just looks like he’s in that type of tournament mood where nobody can stop him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Aside from that though, England have been the best team overall so far. Even if they do go back to their old ways and play defensive, it’s not exactly a bad ploy as they’re good at it. They have the 2nd best overall squad so I’m not sure why it’s such an outlandish thing to say they’ll win it all if they get past France.
Definitely not a fan boy though. I hope France score 12 and have Lewis crying about black people ruining his day.
England v Brazil in a World Cup final would just be comedy (Pele really needs to hang on for that or we have no chance), but England v Argentina would be fucking epic.
If you mean Neco Williams then we sold him to Notts Forest for £17m this summer just gone. If it's Rhys then yes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
I think he means Nico Williams who was playing for Spain. So to answer, no, he plays for Bilbao
Toggle Spoiler
Important of course that we keep politics out of this World Cup, and definitely no teams using symbolic flags that relate to unrelated political issues.
Class. Hope they win it all now
What is it?
Flag of Palestine (they also held it aloft after previous games).Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Arabs gonna arab.
He's resting Ronaldo for the big games.
Infantino spotted at 00:59.
If it means Ronaldo now has 'supersub' status it may be a very good thing for them.
What a finish.
Ronaldo is done.
21? He looks about 40.
FM legend. What a finish. Nothing better than a thundercunt at the near post
Get Cronaldo on, that’s woeful.
Now I want Portugal to win the cup with Ronaldo sitting for the rest of the tournament.
Why did Tyldesley just refer to him as "this boy", he's 21 ffs.
Clive's about 65.
Zonal marking should have been buried with Rafa Benitez.
Pepe :cool:
What a don.
Commentator said Pepe's 10th major tournament with his country. Is that just World Cups and Euros or are they counting something else as well?
Probably adding Olympics to it.
I wondered the same. I reckon it includes the Nation's League and Confederations Cup.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boydy
Has to be including something else for sure. There's only been 4 of each since he started playing for Portugal.
Embolo would have about 3 ballon d'ors if he'd opted to enter EPL's brexitball instead of pissing about in Europe (see Drogba). Man has thrown Guerreiro and Dias about like a ragdoll.
That was some pass by Fernandes there.
They could hardly count the nations league, would be some stretch. Unless they just mean the last 4 bit.
Switzerland love to achieve their exact expectations. Nothing more, nothing less.
Switzerland look terrible, but hopefully they can nick a goal and make a game of it.
Portuguese lad there taking a long shot on despite Jimmy having proven that strike impossible.
:lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
https://64.media.tumblr.com/0177b7e8...f9fccb9ca.gifv
"Neco Williams? Nico Williams?"
RIP Ronaldo.
Clive laying it on a bit thick.
He looks like the third Giggs brother, accidentally conceived fifteen years later.
That was a lovely goal.
Lol Switzerland and all, but Portugal are playing some really good stuff here.
No more Ronaldo this World Cup then :lol:
Isn't the more likely explanation of the Ronaldo business that, in knock-out football, you'd probably want Ronaldo on at the end of it all if he has to be, and there's no way that will happen if he starts? That and the fact that his absence massively improves their team.
Between chanting for the rapist and the slow clap, I'd quite happily see Portugal fired into the sun.
Shaqiri just sent that one back to Europe.
Ok, forget what I said about us getting to the final if we beat France, this Portugal team is a proper side.
"The Boy" isn't too shabby.
What's the deal with the Swiss defence? Have they ever met before? Or, you know, played football as a defender?
That’s another sexual finish
Sometimes teams are just out of their depth.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Morocco and Portugal going through means the streets of Geneva will be set ablaze with car horns for the next 8 hours.
That's a mad reaction to Ronaldo coming on.
DerangedQuote:
Originally Posted by Shindig
Fucking hell, Stone Cold couldn’t even get that pop
It also means I'm the only person whose semi-final predictions can still happen. :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by phonics
I take issue with the idea that most of the 'true legends' of the game have won the world cup, particularly when watching Portugal. Puskas, Di Stefano, Any of that Mardid side, Eusebio, Best, Cruyff, Platini, Roger Miller, David Beckham . . .
Did Yevrah win it on the TTH FM23 save? That's the real test.Quote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
Leao is too good to be on the bench.
I'd like to see these chancers try that against Iran.
In 2038, yes he did.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
What is the 'keeper up to there?
So, Portugal v Argentina final, the final boss battle for all football, who's side are you on? Think I'd probably go Ronaldo. Not sure I ever imagined that would be the case.
Ronaldo needed a humbling at some point. His body language and attitude towards his teammates, particularly over the last few years, has been shite.
Team Messi here. Ronaldo is a complete cunt and everything about him is insufferable. However on the other side, the media coverage of Messi is insufferable however the guy himself is much less offensive.
Would Ronaldo be happy if they won the World Cup knowing he had done fuck all in the knockouts?
Could eat him up.
I've seen a couple of clips that led me to believe otherwise when it comes to the national team. For club football it has been like that for like almost a decade though.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7om
He'll be on the touchline directing traffic in the same way as the Euros, he won't give a fuck. It'll still be him lifting the trophy [I would guess].Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
Need a shipping update on @wullie's shirt.
Full Kit WankerQuote:
Originally Posted by niko_cee
My mother knows a woman who runs a dog rescue centre, and - this is genuinely what this woman claims - apparently it's an open secret in the dog welfare world that Messi once had his dogs taken off him for pouring boiling water on them. Something to consider.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
The animal abuser vs a rapist. Tough choice, this.
Neymar it is.
I'd love to know the 6 degrees of Lionel Bacon that got this story to a rescue centre worker in Hull.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
But he's got that awesome massive brown one. :sherlock:
Probably a true story but about Lionel Blair.
I'm hearing that the Sterling burglary story has been exaggerated, and he's actually been sent home having lamped Luke Shaw in training.
https://www.konami.com/efootball/en/topic/news/771
To respect his legacy, he is no longer in the game. :| They kinda had to but that phrasing's a bit off.
Item despatched to Royal MailQuote:
Originally Posted by Baz
Sunday 27 November 2022
06:08
Sender despatching item
I think I'm the reason they won
England's starting 11 in Euro 2004 really was a great team. 'keeper aside, you could argue that is the best 10 players to have played in each position for England (as least since 1990).
Croatia 2-4 England
James, Neville, Terry, Campbell, Cole, Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes, Owen, Rooney.
Indeed and we were playing well too. Had Rooney not got injured I think we'd have got pretty close to winning it.
It is interesting looking back, and whilst it probably applies to many teams, it does feel like England have had some genuinely tragic luck/bad things happen to them at critical times over the years. From the hand of god, to Waddle hitting the post against Germany in 1990, Gaza's leg being 4mm too short in '96, the various red cards marring '98 and 2006, Sol Campbell's disallowed header, Ronaldinho's goal. Maybe Southgate's fortunate draws are just cosmic payback for all that shit.
The German goal in the 1990 game was an absolute joke as well, regardless of Shilton's part in it.
1998 we should have done very well, Argentina were piss and wind, had two massive strokes of undeserved luck (Beckham red which was a nonsense decision, and the disallowed goal which should have stood). However our big mistake was losing to fucking Romania in the group stage.
Agree with most of that but the Beckham red was absolutely the right call.
Vinicius Jr's face when his fellow press-conference-ee chucks that cat off the table is hilarious.
Guy that does it clearly a stone cold pyscho.
What?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK_xA2ByiH8
Clearly not the first time he's done that.
You would know.
He only kicks dogs.
This is a better video for facial reaction.
I don't get the need to get rid of the cat? Just let it sit there. It wasn't doing any harm.
If it's like the local cats that frequent my garden, it would have had a shit any moment.
We're a bit of an outlier nation/culture when it comes to animals. They're much less sentimental elsewhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boydy
I could understand at a push grabbing it by the neck since cats do it to each other but the full blown grab of the back was something else. Kurt Zouma will be delighted.
That’s standard operating procedure for picking up a random cat. Scruff of the neck. Maybe not the drop though :D But sure cats always land on their feet.
Are the quarters usually squashed into 2 days? Feels to me like they would normally be on 4 consecutive nights, but that may be wrong.
They've always been (I just checked to '98).
I think this is normal. I thought the odd thing was four games a day in the groups. Maybe I'm just misremembering Russia or whatever.
I miss four games a day (and my week off).
Russia was 3.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shindig
I’ll be glad when it’s over. It’s messing Shortland Street around.
Just a man enjoying his life.
Him ending a press conference with 'Bye, I'm going to go have sex with my wife.' Absolute legend.
He does seem pretty sensational. Has he always been this way?
Also reminder that football is finally back today. Brazil vs Croatia at 3 to get the party started before the main event of Holland vs Argentina; get the beers flowing.
Really looking forward to these four games. :drool:
I feel like Brazil will crush Croatia if they go for it, Japan had a lot of chances but just couldn't finish.
Definitely need to manufacture a 2pm finish today.
Thanks to work Christmas do and then poor planning tomorrow I think I might miss all of these other than the England game. Hopefully wherever we're off to tonight has them on.
18:00 kickoff and structured white (bacon) referee Michael Oliver should repress the dancing flair of the Brazilians. 3-0 Croatia.
Work Christmas lunch today at 2pm so not hopeful for seeing the Brazil game. :(
I hold fat people in higher regard than the 'Aww I've got to go to the garden centre so will miss the games :(' melts. This is literally 2 days of football that can't be beaten, cut your dicks off and donate them to medical research to at least not let them go to complete waste.
Having said that, I do have my football club's xmas do tonight so it's going to take some added effort to stay sober and isolated enough to fully enjoy the game.
Calling in my half day favour from my boss today for having to do training and miss our team away day a few weeks ago. Expertly timed. :cool:
Taz is right in this instance lads.
I've taken a half day off, mainly because I have it spare at the end of the year but also to watch the QF between my two three-course dinners.
Holland-Argentina will be missed but I'll get tomorrow's two games in. Foolishly agreed to have a pint with someone next Tuesday so hoping it's Holland-Croatia, or else that he'll suspend his indifference to football and we'll watch it in a pub.
He is. Any excuse not to attend a work social function would be gratefully snatched at, and a World Cup semifinal would definitely qualify.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben
Thankfully my work have the meal / "party" during normal working hours. I wouldn't go otherwise.
Loris Karius made his debut for us last night. 45 minutes against Al-Hilal. Kept a clean sheet in a 5-0 win. Almiron and Joelinton taking the piss with two goals each.
There's only 4 of us in the Belfast office so I couldn't really miss it. Once lunch is over we're heading to a pub though so I should catch most of it there hopefully. Just gotta get them to eat fast.
I've little to no interest in it but I'm using them as an excuse to fuck off early because it's Friday.
I just timed my leave right. I think I'm missing the third place play-off but the rest is all fine.
Everything from form to teamsheets to the fact Croatia have no pace and direct vertical counters are presumably the only way to hurt this Brazil side point to a comfortable Brazil victory but finger me raw and call me Melissa if you think I'm ruling anything out with that Croatian quartet. Sosa back and Pasalic in place of one of their useless target men is promising too. Bring it on :drool:
7 minutes in, no Infantino but already a Kovatic and a Garvidol from Jenas
Brazilian anthem is good.
Perisic has some record for Croatia:
2 at 2014 World Cup
2 at 2016 Euros
3 at 2018 World Cup
2 at 2020 Euros
1 at 2022 World Cup (so far)
How is Danilo not getting sent off there?
Kovacic and Brozovic going through a power of work so far in the middle.
Guy Mowabray’s fantasising over Brazilian flair is getting tiresome.
Jenas right there (for once) - if Oliver doesn't think that's a foul, why the fuck is he blowing the whistle?
Brazil being made to look incredibly average. You love to see it.
I thought VAR was going to give it.
They're boring as fuck but Croatia have so much technical quality. Almost always unhurried. Still fancy Brazil to workmanlike their way through. Glad VAR didn't call the fix in yet, although it would have been better if they had and the ref [having clearly seen it] had told them to do one.
Celtic board will be licking their lips at this Juranovic showing. I think he was on his way out anyway but I don't think he's ever looked this good.
Croatia don't ever look like scoring.
Brazil manager just swapping like for like attackers all over. Bring on ‘Bruno’ ffs
They don’t really have very many food towards to be fair to them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
Antony should be booked as a minimum there.
Modric's turn of pace at the age of 37 is almost unbelievable.
Peds, mate.
Do Brazil’s forwards have a bleach sponsorship?
Petkovic hasn't helped the Croatian cause.
Between him a Perisic there must be something in the water.Quote:
Originally Posted by -james-
I hope this is Croatia's last decent tournament. What a boring team.
If Brazil don't win this it's because they're indulging Neymar.
I've obviously only been drifting in and out of this, but what is going on with [is it?] Eder Militao's shorts? Looks like he's walked out of a 1980s rugby league game.
What a cameo from this lump Croatia have brought on up front. Think he’s given it away every time he’s got the ball.
I don't know if it's correct, but Matterface's Chee-tay has to be the worst of all the pronunciation sins to have been aired on this broadcast.
Mowbray*
They're all the same.
They're not, Matterface is so much worse.
He just donned two defenders there though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Max Power
Using Tim Vickery lingo I'd go Cheeeeeeeche? Something like that.Quote:
Originally Posted by -james-
Brozovic falls victim to the ball there.
If Croatia scored after the commentators took the piss out the big lump :drool:
That's quality from Neymar.
Waaaaaaaaay.
That’s a brilliant goal. Some plur
The keeper has to clean him out there.
Thank god. As much as I would like to lol at Brazil, having Croatia stink it up for a third game in a row in the semis was a horrendous prospect.
The Holland-Croatia dream is dying. Was looking forward to another properly organised, structured 120 minutes plus penalties.
I fancy 15 mins of attacking Croatia to yield an equaliser here.
Brazil/Argentina got 0-0 all over it too
Taking a 3-man short corner in these circumstances should be an automatic life ban from any involvement in the sport.
Fuck Brazil :cool:
No way Petkovic scores :D
Hahahahaha some boys
:drool:
"Tiiiiny deflection" Jenas is brain dead.
Cracking stuff this. Penalties please.
:drool:
Looking at the lineups, Croatia gotta be odds-on faves for pens, a ridiculous line-up of flakey favela boys rounded off with king flake of Manchester.
Bit of a silly foul from Perisic there.
That checkmate line made me chuckle tbf.
Fucking hell that 'check mate, checked mates' line should see Mowbray fired into the sun :D
Brutal Balkan assassination ahoy.
Neymar to miss please.
Another shit penalty against Livakovic.
CroAIDStia more like.
Orsic with a perfectly placed pen.
RIP Pele. :harold:
:harold:
Give me Neymar's tears.
Lol at the cunt wanting to save himself for 5th.
All we need now is a Dutch win to launch a major inquest of South American football.
Morocco - Croatia final. :drool:
Absolutely brutal and ruthless. You could put the Atlantic Ocean in that bottle.
What a country
Where's your samba dancing now you cunts?
Are the director's box seats of Cafu, Ronaldo, Robbie Carlos etc going to be taken by Prosinecki, Asanovic, Boban and co in the semi-final?
And why didn't that ridiculous coward Neymar take one?
No samba dancing on the sidelines today then eh, lads? Get back to the hotel and get your fucking bags packed. :harold:
lol
Alisson always looks so tiny in the goal, which is odd as he isn't. He's always been shite on penalties, not that he had much chance with any of them.
Croatia Red Star Belgrading their way to the whole thing would be quite funny, but their actual shitness will probably end up shining through at some point [probably against France in the final again].
He wanted the fifth to win it himself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Ego's bigger than his brain.
Best takers should always go first.
Stick another one in the file.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
How do you allow a 4v4 like that at 1-0 up in the 117th minute lol
If you're a big name in your squad, don't rely on 4 others to get their penalties in.
https://i.imgur.com/VzfMREu.png
Look at where those 6 Brazilians are at when Modric gets around his man lol
Ronaldo on the touch line donning Messi it is
Antony in dramatics after completely bottling it. King.
I like my best penalty takers at number 3 and 4.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
BBC showing a close up of Neymar crying :drool:
This is correct.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave.
4 bleached blondes just walking back.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bernanke
I'm semi-hopeful that France's attack exhibits the same levels of laziness against England, I think they have it in them.
There is a Brazilian cafe about five minutes from my flat, and they've hired a Brazilian drumming band for each of their weekend games. They're currently at it again now, presumably working their semi-final and final fees.
If France do a Brazil and keep the midfield the same as they’ve had and refusing to take into account their opponents them I’m off for a cry.
You canna have Mbappe/Griezmann/Dembele all in the same team against England.
Brav for every 1 goal the brainless useless gammons score Mbappe and Dembele bang 3 for not tracking back. Keep calm.
https://i.imgur.com/oEEOJVt.png
How many "attackers" among the 22 there?
Just the tears of the giraffe and the Manlet left to go.
All that dancing against South Korea looks so small time right now. :D
I don't think enough was made of how insane/suicidal the Korean tactics were, in everybody's desperation to wank over samba football. In every other game Brazil have been their usual post-2005 workmanlike selves, or worse.
Brilliant advantage by Michael Oliver leading to the Croatia goal, so in a way England won.
5 depending on your interpretation of an attackerQuote:
Originally Posted by -james-
Bergwijn in for that useless baldy, Dutch are gonna run riot here.
Mac Allister is a quality Argentinian name.
I once had an Argentinian colleague called Herbert Owen.
His Da couldn’t look anymore Scottish if he tried. Can’t get many Ginger ArgiesQuote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
His old man looks like a ginger Steve McMahon.
Alex McLeish is a good shout.
Ive seen Ronaldo do this too. Being number 5 and didn't even get a chance to step up. I dont understand it. I remember Fabregas being penalty number 5 for Spain and he always delivered.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
An LVG masterclass to dispatch Qatar's own Lionel Messi would be much appreciated here.
I fancy Netherlands here. LvG will be too much for Argentina.
Keown and Pearce. :sick:
The Dutch bring more fans to watch Verstappen all over the world than they do here.
Dumfries has one of the most ignorant-looking faces I've ever seen
Thank God we didn't sign De Paul. :eyemouth:
Time for the wanking to start.
:drool:
Stunning from Messi. Dear me
That pass was obscene though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
I honestly have no idea how he’s seen that pass. I swear he didn’t even look.
Can't stand the Dutch, they've been horrible boring cunts for at least a decade.
"The pass defies physics".
I wonder how much Rio knows about actual physics.
Cheech has resigned.
The Dutch look miles off it. Stick the big lad on.
The wrong sort of LVG masterclass inbound here.
I dunno if I want Southgate watching this or not. Zero ambition 5 at the back versus fractionally less negative 5 at the back, it's like a wet dream for him. Such a gutless way to go out of a tournament though for whoever it doesn't work for.
Oh well. Pray for a miss I guess.
De Jong has looked properly shit in this tournament. Why are United still after him exactly?
He's a genius, a footballing God.
Cannot have these cunts winning it. I would take Wales winning it over that.
Argentina v Croatia is going to be absolutely filthy.
I don't dislike them as much this time around I have to admit. The Dutch are definitely way worse.
If we go out like this tomorrow I'm going postal.
Argies definitely losing in the final. Reckon their emotion will get them through the semis but they’ll lose their shit in the final against whoever
I’d laugh if Just Stop Oil chucked some soup over a player.
Weghorst to get booked and thus sent off within 10 minutes.
Argentina to win the whole thing so that Saudi Arabia can claim to be the true champs.
Luuk De Jong x Wout Weghorst up front. Bloody hell
The Dutch are absolutely desperate for a forward. A country with such a great history of producing strikers is now relying on a bloke who shit the bed at Burnley.
It's been mentioned before but the Dutch having someone who has like 40 league games at 28 as their starting goalkeeper still baffles me.
Do they have injuries to other senior strikers or is that, literally all they have?Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
They also have Vincent Janssen.Quote:
Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel
So yes, this is all they have.
Keep lobbing it up to the big lad.
:harold:
I take it back.
Netherlands need to just lump it in there. Otamendi and Martinez are tiny
I thought that was in then.
Malen and Brobbey could be decent but both are a bit like Memphis in that they're more wide men who can play as a striker.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7om
Look how deep these argies are sitting now. There is no pace in this dutch front line. Push up.
Send that rat off.
That has to be a straight red.
Amateur hour stuff from the Dutch.
Messi is taking a tumble anytime anyone breathes near him and yet the commentators are refusing to mention it.
Lovely bit of needle to end the game. More please.
:lol:
:drool:
Ref wants some time to dish out more cards.
If they score again we should get some monster scenes
I'd love some extra time here.
They don't deserve to take it to extra time. Playing that shit can fuck right off.
I still cannot take seriously the whole player lying down thing.
Route one stuff is part of the game.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
Last second keeper goal please.
They were absolutely terrible for 75 minutes.Quote:
Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel
That blonde in the Argentinian box :drool:
This referee is usually good but he’s been absolutely dreadful today
They still are.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adramelch
It's interesting because I've always thought he's good whenever I've seen him but the Spanish fans HATE him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
Sure but at least they are doing something, however badly. Until that second Argentina goal they were doing nothing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
Also, that was lovely.
Fucking class.
:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:
Wout you beauty.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
That was amazing.
Until Petr Crouch FC turned up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adramelch
I don't know what I've just watched. There are no words. :D
Class free kick.
Scenes. :drool:
That is absolute genius.
That is goal of the tournament.
Oh my god :drool:
That composure to do that is unreal. Absolutely fucking brilliant
Scenes.
van Gaal > di Maria
Dire Maria.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben
The free kick was outstanding, but I can't recall seeing a game where a team were so bad for 75 minutes and then this happens. Quality to watch.
That might be one of the best goals I’ve seen. So unexpected, so important. Amazing.
This is simmering nicely.
Let's hope for a couple of red cards in the extra time.
Argentina losing their heads here. Beautiful to see.
Teams just naturally sit back in these situations for some reason. Suited the Dutch because their strikers are only good for one thing and Argentina have a tiny defence. Still. UnrealQuote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Predictions for BOTTLERS of the pks?
Stick Edgar Davids on.
Absolutely 0 chance that Argentina win on penalties if it goes that far. Heads have gone.
:lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
They should just continue with this route one nonsense but I bet they go back to a back 5
Argentina will win the penalties because Holland are Holland and their goalkeeper isn't getting down quickly enough stuck to his line the big mong.
Dont they have Tim Krul on the bench to sub him on at 119 minutes
Who's getting sent off then?
Messi is on a yellow...Quote:
Originally Posted by -james-
Dis they not take Krul? You'd take him just for penalties, surely?
The backup keepers are Justin Biljow and Remko Pasveer.
I think they're just randomers off the street.
He's not in the squad no. They have that Ajax grandpa and a young one from Feyenoord.
Quick google suggests he had a fallout with van Gaal.
https://talksport.com/football/12008...p%20in%20Qatar.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
LVG is done with Krul.
Those sound like FM greyed out players.
Well that's retard and makes perfect sense in equal measure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
So Netherlands get back into the game going route one, so of course they go back to playing between the back three.
And again.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
Ref has been giving Argentina everything as well.
This ref is piss poor
The Argentines are an ugly bunch of cunts aren't they? Are they the Britain of South America?
I actually do think Di Maria has some rat DNA in him
The Spanish Mike Riley.Quote:
Originally Posted by igor_balis
England/Wales*Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
Pearce is gagging for Messi to do something so he can explode.
Fucking hell, this ref is psycho
Here comes Master Splinter.
Dire Maria to score with the last kick off the game and then piss on gammon face.
Ref is clearly ball gobbling
Keown: referee has lost the plot
Replay
Keown: yeah the referee is right
How has nobody been sent off with all these yellows flying around?
I’ve probably missed the best bits but extra time has been shite.
The game has been pretty much like that, apart from the last 10-15 minutes of normal time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
There has been about 15 minutes of entertainment, but it was top quality shithousing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
I thought that was in.
Messi to miss please.
Or do a Neymar and go out before taking one.
That long GK in the dutch goal, to save a few. Sending the dutch through.
Messi to smash the post from his. Reckon Otamendi or Fernandes will go for a dink down the middle straight into keepers hands
Not the final, but let's fucking goQuote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Mong
That's a class save.
Edit: Not as good on replay, I thought it was nearer the corner.
Di Maria looks like the orc that gets his head cut off for trying to eat the hobbits.
He might as well have pointed to where he was aiming with that run-up.
Fuck me
:moop:
Lolland.
The Dutch keeper is just way too slow it feels like.
:drool:
My semi-final predictions in tatters today. Nice one shit penalties.
Why would the Dutch start with VVD ffs?
Anti-Neymar.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
Another yellow :D
Who did the ref book there and why. :D
He's incredible.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
In Loltaro we believe.
Cunts
Good bye boring shite football. :drool:
Ugh, I was sure Martinez would miss too.
I would have though Higuain 2.0 would miss.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pepe
Let's be honest, apart from the Dutch being shit, Argentina vs Croatia has a high chance of shithousery so a good result.
Right result overall I feel. You can't not attack for 80 minutes and expect to go through.
Dutch didn’t have a chance with that big lump in goal. He has to dive so early just to get near anything. Also the first two penalties show that just putting your foot through it is just as risky as any other penalty as chances are it is keepers height.
If Morroco can do a job on Portugal then we've won the World Cup. Merry Christmas.
There's the small matter of beating the current world champions too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
I can’t work Holland out. I know they’re lacking a bit up top but they point blank refused to attack until they were 2-0 down. I’d love to know the pass stats because the vast majority must have been sideways between Ake, van Dijk and Timber. Then when they somehow do find a way back into the game and force extra time, they revert back to the system that got them in the shit in the first place.
By the end of 90 minutes, Argentina had completely lost their heads. So naturally Holland take their foot off the gas and revert back to being shite. Baffling. I don’t understand it.
In a lighter note let's all lol at Tim Vickery:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63923927
South American football expert Tim Vickery said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "This is death in the family.
"That is what it is going to feel like in the next few hours for Brazil fans. Croatia have sent the far bigger nation into mourning. This will really hurt for a long time.
"I hope the population will not turn on them. Brazil crowds can be vicious. I hope there isn't a negative backlash because this team don't deserve it."
:harold:
What? Portugal wouldn’t beat England if they had ten attempts at it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Manc
It's hilarious that so many people seem to think France will be a walkover.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spikey M
I cannot wait until Mbappe obliterates this team.
Cafe's and bistro's will be burning by midnight tomorrow.
I don’t understand why managers bother practising penalties. Doing them a 1000 times on a training pitch isn’t giving you any bottle
That’s glorious :drool:
Croatia will murder them if they try that shit. Can’t wait.
Sounds like it may be an unchanged England team.
Source?
He’s been right every game until now. Source = the waistcoat himself.
Reading between the lines of Matt Law’s report. It’s not been fully leaked this time - as of yet anyway - so the journos must have been asked to keep it to themselves for now. Imagine it’ll be released in the afternoon at some pointQuote:
Originally Posted by Manc
What’s glorious about being a poor sport?Quote:
Originally Posted by Waffdon
:D
alright, mate
What? It’s a genuine question. Or you just in troll mode again?
You spent too long in America.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7om
:moop:
Watched the entire game, had no idea there was a red card. Amazingly, 2 yellows for someone who didn't have a yellow after extra time finished...
:D who was it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Browning
Dumfries.
Denzel.
I hope Argentina win the semi and then lose the final to any of the four options.
He's an actual mouth breather.
Messi going full heel turn. Maybe finally he’ll finally get himself over on the grandest stage of them all.
Messi in "being a big old cunt" shocker. If Portugal have decided to try and be good rather than service an ego I would, god help me, even rather they won it rather than him.
If it comes down to Messi vs. Mbappe all I can hope is the FBI swoop in to arrest Gianni and shut down the World Cup.
Morocco to win it all :nodd:
US football journalist Grant Wahl has died while in Qatar.
A few days after getting pulled in for a rainbow T-shirt :uhoh:
He has been bumped.Quote:
My body finally broke down on me. Three weeks of little sleep, high stress and lots of work can do that to you. What had been a cold over the last 10 days turned into something more severe on the night of the USA-Netherlands game, and I could feel my upper chest take on a new level of pressure and discomfort. I didn't have Covid (I test regularly here), but I went into the medical clinic at the main media center today, and they said I probably have bronchitis. They gave me a course of antibiotics and some heavy-duty cough syrup, and I’m already feeling a bit better just a few hours later. But still: No bueno.
:sherlock:
I'm no fan of either team but there was some bad blood in that game that made it more entertaining, this reaction makes it more amusing.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7om
The yanks are really weird about being sporting and all like that.
If I was Qatar I'm not sure murdering a prominent US journalist would be top of my list tbh.
I'm still surprised Van Dijk stayed on after barrelling someone over in the fracas.
Messi didn't see a yellow for that blatant handball either
I definitely think the refs are instructed not to hand out reds at this stage if at all possible. I remember I had money on a Van Bommel red in that Holland Spain final and he avoided it despite going full Cantona :moop:
They've been easy on second yellows a few times, but I genuinely don't think there have been many red card offences in the tournament.
In fact, the only major refereeing disaster that I can remember was the Qatari VAR intervening for that handball penalty in Portugal vs Uruguay, and then the Iranian ref Faghani not having the courage to overrule him despite the fact that you could see in his face he knew it was a bullshit intervention. That cost Uruguay dear as well.
I've no idea how Paredes stayed on yesterday. The tackle was a bad yellow, kicking the ball away is a yellow, blasting it into the opposing dugout is probably a straight red.
Ye exactly. That was by far the most blatant example.
Kicking the ball away (and its relations) have been turned a blind eye to for a few years now, not sure why. Think it's a directive.
Last night I think Argentina were basically impossible to referee, a marginal second yellow would only have made things worse.
I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd just kicked the ball away and just received one yellow, but kicking it towards the Dutch bench really made it way worse.
Unless you kick it at somebody in particular, or unless it's really blatant timewasting, I think you're free to kick it wherever you please. Could be wrong.
Yeah, ref needed to get control of the game when they started out leaving it on various Dutch players early doors but he went into clown/Webb mode and there was no hope from there. Messi falling over whenever anyone went within 5 feet of him didn't help things. The semi could be an absolute bloodbath.
Manuel Neuer has broken his leg skiing. Out for the rest of the season.
I got punished for aiming a throw-in at the back of an opposition player's head (had obvs lost my head) which I thought took the piss. Dangerous play?
Not with you throwing it I wouldn't have thought.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
It would be in normal football, but in elite football the laws kind of get overridden by whatever Collina (or his equivalents) decide they are going to do instead.Quote:
Originally Posted by Don
Also, not to become a one-note trumpeter, but I'm watching some Blackburn v Preston on Sky, and having watched 40 odd World Cup games, it really is so noticeable how differently the ball behaves when powerfully struck.
There’s something very nice about a snowy championship game with the decorations up on a day like this. I’ve enjoyed this more than any of the WC I’ve seen so far.
I am glad of the no reds directive. Red cards turn any already shit match into an even shitter match.
:sherlock:Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arne
He must get a good aim at least.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Souness must think we're going out if he's dressed up for today.
Normally you would want Morocco through, but it's all hands on deck to stop Argentina, and Portugal stand a better chance of doing that.
I find Portugal minus cron to be quite likeable (and if you pull the lens back, them being a big player in football is actually quite unlikely), so I don't mind who wins this.
England v Portugal semi-final would be a nightmare, pretty much guaranteed penalties.
This constant booing and whistling when Portugal have the ball is doing my head in.
Impressive given half their support is locked out by throngs of dunceheads without tickets, in the most North African of all scenes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boydy
Deserved for Morocco I think. They've been the ones trying to make things happen.
Lovely leap.
Once again this goalkeeper shows himself not to be serious.
What a leap.
Shambolic goalkeeping
This is going to kick off big style in the second half. Good luck ref.
That dive from Fernandes. :D
These portugal players really are scum. Get them out.
Some take.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
The seethe :drool:
What even is the point of diving in this day and age? VAR will rule out any penalty that is given. It's like a sort of basic instinctual tendency to cheat.
Seething at half time and roonaldo still to come on, not sure their heads are in top shape.
They took exactly 1 minute after the goal to commence Operation: Dive For Everything.
Still waiting for my shirt which explains the score
Does this mean you'll be donning a beret and a string of onions later?Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Even if the keeper isn’t a spastic there it’s still a goal. Ruben Dias collapsed into his boots like an accordion instead of jumping
Why is the abbreviation MAR for Morocco?
Maroc. I presume the countries choose their own.
Federation Royale Marocaine de FootballQuote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
Pele saying in 1977 that an African team would win the World Cup by 2000 has now been mentioned four times on commentary in 46 minutes. Why? 2000 was 22 years ago. Is this their only possible point of reference for an African side leading in a World Cup game?
I want Portugal through for betting reasons, but I'm not sure it's worth it if Ronaldo is the one to drag them over the line.
Morocco and their Arab mates on the North coast hardly count as African. Pele knew that better than anyone, so they need to stop butchering his quote in case they finish him off.
An African side won't win a World Cup this side of 2100.
How many Africans featured in France's '98 squad?
The only way an African team could win would be if West Africa merged into a single state, or something. Otherwise the talent is too thinly spread.
Either that or via Morocco Greece-ing their way to this title, which really isn't impossible you know.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
:thbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
That left-back from Morocco has been everywhere it feels like. He's the one that seems to stop most Portuguese attacks.
KSA and RSA are always slightly annoying. The obvious ones aren't even taken!
Yep. Although you'd think someone would unlock that defence.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
The high-performing Nigerian diaspora could eventually take over everywhere and then Tebbit Test the motherland into contender status.
Regragui had better hope the geezers don't equalise here, as he's taken off all his attacking fooballers.
The lanky number eight is getting a big move next month.
So good. Hope England beat France then get trolled by Morocco.
Edit: FFS.
ffs Cheddira.
Morocco :cool:
Think I saw some Ronaldo tears there. Another tick on the bingo card. Allez Maroc.
:cool:
Crying whilst getting the fuck out as soon as he can :drool:
Camera in the tunnel to get Ronaldo tears. :D
Hahaha fuck off Ronaldo.
Absolute coward and arrogant cunt. Selfish prick. Fuck off.
:drool:
I swear you'll never see anything like this again. So watch it, drink it in.
Messi next.
Somehow beat France and we're in a World Cup final.
I take the seventeen quid work sweep if Morocco win it. What odds could I have got pre-tournament?
I think he was laughing. It was that embarrassing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Andy Mahowry
I'm gonna guess 80-1.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewis
Yes we looked shit hot in that one match against organised opposition :uhoh:Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Absolutely no chance Morocco beat Spain, Portugal and then England to reach a World Cup final.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lofty
:DQuote:
Originally Posted by SincereTheRebel
I wasn't sure if I was getting Hancock vibes for a second.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Epjv1wwX...g&name=900x900
This is why no neutral will ever support Bngland. Sheer arrogance.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Belgium/Spain/Portugal having been eliminated by them suggests this is a bit presumptuous. No Saiss is a miss for them though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Ye I don't quite understand how a team that has effectively knocked out Belgium, Spain and Portugal can be considered to be a weak opponent.
You've seen my posts about England before, right?Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
Neymar, Ronaldo and England tears inside 24 hours. Inject it.
All these results are setting it up for an England win. Fuck sake
Conceding 0 goals against those sides too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adramelch
Only Canada has scored against them and that was an own goal.
I don't think they're weak and it'll be a game to make eyes bleed, but I just can't see them continuing that run. It's probably academic anyway mind, given who we're facing in 2 hours.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adramelch
Which England player is most likely to cry?
Yes, sincere if you're right and edgy sarcasm if you're wrong, that's how it works right?Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
You mean how there was no chance that Greece eliminated Spain, France, Czech Republic (which were the favorites to win the whole thing at that point) and Portugal (beating them twice) to win the Euros?Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
You've clearly not seen them then as I've never been about that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
The World Cup is a different beast.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adramelch
Probably Benderson.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7om
That's literally all you're about, across any subject.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
That’s who had in my mind, yeah. I reckon Marry Haguire could be a blubber too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
Provide some examples of where I've excused something I've said that turned out to be wrong with edgy sarcasm, or stop making shit up. Your choice.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
Morocco in the semis is breaking new World Cup ground as it is, so I don't see why they couldn't break more.
Magic's in a touchy mood today. Did she say no already?
I don't TOTALLY disagree with your assumption that England would probably beat Morocco/it's unlikely they keep that amazing run going indefinitely, but this ain't a great argument. What makes the world cup significantly different to the euros in this context? Think that's bollocks really.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
That is a very fair point and 'no chance' from my side is unnecessarily hyperbolic. Still, I think we win if we play them, which for a World Cup semi-final you'd take all day long.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
Lads, we're playing the World Champions next. One step at a time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by igor_balis
There's something about the World Cup that seems to always root out the unfancied/unexpected sides, generally, if not always, no later than the semi's.
I do think you are likely to beat them as well (having beaten France at that point in this argument), but it's not a different situation than what happened against Croatia in 2018 if you ask me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Since when was evidence required to substantiate our claims.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
Can’t wait for us to get pumped 7-0 by France now.
I'm just anticipating an England victory so I'm in a sour mood.Quote:
Originally Posted by randomlegend
I swear Rice has been in tears before, I have a very clear image of that melt crying in my mind. Bellingham not crying would establish him as the GOAT.
The TV coverage is absurdly, I can cope with dragging any old tranny off the street to spout shit but the commentary these days is so poor. I'm obvs not looking for insight, that ship sailed long ago but why are they so monotonous in tone?
Something in me (and I've no idea why) says we might just do it. Based on absolutely nothing as France should win all day long, but I can't shake the feeling.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7om
I'll be crying if I log on to abuse the players and find that Elon Musk has deleted all of my racist burner accounts.
Had to miss the match, unfortunately. How much did Ronaldo seethe?
I'd like it to go to pens and watch all the English ethnics miss.
He went straight down the tunnel and did a weird cry-grin thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pepe
Apparently Portugal are openly seething about the fact that they had an Argentinian ref. What was he supposed to do, score a goal for them?
What's the angle there? Some sort of conspiracy to eliminate stronger contenders? Fingers-crossed for that then, might work in our favour tonight.
If wullie could order a liverpool shirt from China, that’d be good.
Pepe said this: It's unbelievable for an Argentine referee to take charge of us today after Messi was complaining yesterday. After what I saw today, I think they want to give the title to Argentina
Bruno Fernandes said the same.
I mean, there were zero controversial decisions in that match but these guys are obviously trained to believe in conspiracies of their own making. If the general public can then why not them, I guess.
Without having seen the game today all that much, given the decisions throughout the tournament with Argentina they probably have a point. Not sure that extends to eliminating rivals but here's hoping.
Unchanged team, I like that. Gareth may have grown some balls.
Yev will swing from 'I think we might beat France you know?' to 'I TOLD YOU ALL SOUTHGATE WAS SHIT!!!!! I SAID IT FIRST!!!' within a couple of hours.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
England going to be a shade of favourites with bookies by kick-off. :cool:
https://youtu.be/y70kMNozInYQuote:
Originally Posted by Magic
I am sure that Pele meant the other type of Africans anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
No one outside your little islands knows about any arrogance.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
Apparently there is a global seethe about our FA being 'The FA' instead of the 'English FA'.
I did say the feeling we'd win was based on nothing and there'll be no "I told you so" if we do as a result.Quote:
Originally Posted by Offshore Toon
And as for Gareth, he's got a free swing here really, the only way I'll be pissed is if we lose the game in the same manner as we did against Italy or Croatia.
A couple tweets do not a global event make.
I've put a few hundred on France -1. Time to up this again, even with the questionable opening.
https://youtu.be/wW2n3umJuaE
Those mugs should all be thanking English ingenuity for inventing the sport and British imperialism for spreading it. Christ knows what they'd be doing with their entertainment time otherwise. Knitting alpaca sweatshirts or seeing who can throw mud balls across a river.
Taz is on France. It’s happening. :drool:
For fuck sake Taz.
Probably doesn’t really outweigh robbing and butchering the locals everywhere you went though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy Floyd
None of the french lot taking the knee. What a fucking country of twats we are.
Please see my previous post.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
Could do without Luke Shaw getting sent to the shops like that.
Both our fullbacks look like they'd be confused by a pay and display machine.
Man, the French love to break at pace.
Luke Shaw being the dopiest man in football is why I wasn't having that Sterling rumour. What could he possibly have done or said that would provoke a lamping?
There's your evidence.Quote:
Originally Posted by Offshore Toon
Only the ref was defending Tchouameni there and he didn't do that good a job.
:cool: :drool:
Some goal that. Blatant foul on Saka up the other end though.
Something that hasn't happened yet. :cab:Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
Cracking goal. Been Men against boys so far.
Arms just slightly too short there.
It’s actually been very even.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
We have too much dead wood in this side.
:harold:Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
:D You're such a moron.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
Horrific decision from the assistant on the near side not to give a foul on Saka at the other end, right in front of him (ref couldn't see it).
On the plus side, at least we don't have to watch England slowly die after going 1-0 up.
Just terrible defending all round.
Three people on Mbappe and once he passed the ball, he dropped the lot of them. We then dropped way too deep to allow the shot.
Lloris will flag a goal at some point and get nowhere near any penalties if it gets there
Two mongs dont make a right.Quote:
Originally Posted by Magic
Southgate getting done by the first decent team he meets in a tournament, quelle surprise.
I think that's an overreaction to be honest. France are the superior team on paper and they have been better here, but not by that much.
This France side is more than decent, to be fair. They turn that pace and movement on so well and few sides can deal with it.
If it stays 1-0, i wonder how long it will take Waistcoat to make a like-for-like change?
Yeah, it's early days, but an interesting test for Gareth nonetheless as I can't recall him facing a situation like this before.
If we lose then it needs to be convincing otherwise we'll blame a tough draw and give him a lifetime contract.
Henderson out of his depth here. Just not a quick thinker.
61 minutes AND NO SOONER.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7om
Swarming Mbappe isn't that good a tactic when the rest of the French forward line are accomplished goalscorers.
Weak finish from Kane, you have to be able to lift the ball higher than that. He's looked sluggish in general.
Bellingham and French mistakes look to be our best chance here.
That's probably a penalty.
Free kick.
That's a foul but it's outside the box.
It looked like the contact was over the line from the replays I saw at least.
Right, what in the actual fuck?
Well, that's a bollocks call.
That's the end of that VAR's career.
If the foul was deemed to be outside the box, VAR can't overrule the decision I don't think?Quote:
Originally Posted by Yevrah
VAR putting in a glorious shift.
Clear foul but also clearly outside the box IMO.
He's got 'Rashford/Saka 65-70' written down in an envelope like a submarine captain.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray Fox
Not even a foul? Fuck me
That makes much more sense then.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adramelch
Upamecano looks shit.
He is shit.
So VAR can be used when someone’s toenail is offside but not when someone gets hacked down? The games gone.
Yeah it must have been deemed outside the box (it wasn't, bad mistake from VAR) but also a dreadful decision from the referee not to give a free kick in the first place. Horrible South American officiating once again.
FIFA must have identified us as the bigger threat to Messi winning it and have decided to Byron Moreno us.
I wouldn’t be too worried if an English fan so far. There’s far too many goals in this team that they don’t score.
Agreed. Their goals will 100% come from French mistakes as someone already said.Quote:
Originally Posted by Giggles
This ref has had an envelope
Surely that was a foul on Saka too? What the fuck is going on?
It does feel like every 50-50 (or well 70-30) decision has been going France's way so far.
Our main weakness is that the play only speeds up when we get it out of the defenders' feet. There's never a chance to break unless France make a huge error in possession and give us an easy pass forward. 90% of the time we have it in front of a set defence because our defenders and Kane are just too slow (all the pace is in midfield).
The England band isn't helping either. Somebody get a rainbow poncho on them and get them chucked out.
Kane way too isolated. Drop Foden into midfield for Hendo, and bring on Grealish or Trashford.
Kane is just a non factor in every game and I don’t get why he’s the undisputed first name on the team sheet.
He's had 2 decent shots (our only decent shots) and he has the most assists in the competition at the moment. Not bad for a non factor.Quote:
Originally Posted by Browning
Awful take.Quote:
Originally Posted by Browning