Russia 2018

[Stom]

Sorry for the double post, but absolutely terrible. Truly. If that had been Sterling, the press would have a field day on him...

No Kane, no goals. Less balance with Delph and Dier than with Henderson and Lingard.

[Galfon]

Bel 1 - 0 Eng
Columbia in R16, Moscow on Tue.
Huff-and-Puff with not enough quality.
A bit jigsaw ..going to pieces in box. ..

[WaspInWales]

Disappointing, but not at all surprising considering the changes. Beyond first choice, the cupboard is a bit bare for some positions. It was a flat performance and we lost the early control of the game, and didn't look like getting it back.

Thought AAT was mixed. A lot of energy but some very poor deliveries.

Dier and Loftus-Cheek were poor.

Back 3 looked a bit shaky at times and it wasn't Pickford's best performance.

Rashford really should've scored. Clean through with just Courtois to beat. I know he got a glove to the ball, but I'm not 100% it was on target anyway.

Commentator said Delph is flying home to be with his wife as she is in late stages on pregnancy...so why did he start tonight??? He may not get another chance if we're knocked out. Ok, it may have saved the legs of someone else, but I would've at least replaced him with at least 30 minutes remaining.

It wasn't all bad...there were a few moments, but Belgium were the better team and deserved the 3 points.

All that 'It's coming home' bollocks is coming home to roost now.

Need to regroup and kick on. First choice XI has to do better, and hope Kane doesn't get injured!

[rowan]

So the cool, suave, sophisticated Japanese had everything under control and made a scientific calculation by resting their best players against a team they should have beaten hands down? I don't think so. They only needed to draw with Poland to secure their spot, and a win would have seen them finish first and get an easier playoff (as well as the easier side of the playoffs draw). The Japanese always make these kind of 'rock star' statements at World Cups, and I should probably add that to the Cringeworthy thread. If they really did gamble on Colombia winning that was plain stupid. & remember, if Senegal's penalty had stood, it would have taken 3 goals to knock them out, as they would've scored more goals than Japan. So that's an incredibly implausible statement the Japanese have come out with.

[rowan]

So the cool, suave, sophisticated Japanese had everything under control and made a scientific calculation by resting their best players against a team they should have beaten hands down? I don't think so. They only needed to draw with Poland to secure their spot, and a win would have seen them finish first and get an easier playoff (as well as the easier side of the playoffs draw). The Japanese always make these kind of 'rock star' statements at World Cups, and I should probably add that to the Cringeworthy thread. If they really did gamble on Colombia winning that was plain stupid. & remember, if Senegal's penalty had stood, it would have taken 3 goals to knock them out, as they would've scored more goals than Japan. So that's an incredibly implausible statement the Japanese have come out with.

You'd have to be extremely hapless to be sucked in by a team claiming to have basically thrown a match when they were on the brink of being knocked out themselves. That is either straight up BS or extraordinary stupidity.

Truth hurts sometimes, doesn't it.

[rowan]

How's this for a class comment from the Japanese rock stars:

Japan's coach Akira Nishino said "[Against Senegal] rather than physicality, we have to use our brain to come up with some tactics and strategies." https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opini ... 43810.html

Actually, I think they selected a team not to lose against Poland, rather than one that would definitely win, because a draw was always going to be enough, regardless the result of the other fixture. That very nearly backfired, as the defensively-selected Japanese team fell a goal behind. It would've been disastrous even if Senegal had got their early penalty, as mentioned earlier, as Colombia would've needed 3 goals to eliminate them. & I think I'll come back to this after their round of 16 tie with Belgium, because they're going to lose that one for sure. Against England they stood an outsider's chance - perhaps a draw and win on penalties (England never win shoot-outs) & I would love them to go through, because I support the non-European teams, as I've said all along. But, realistically, Japan won't go the distance against this talented Belgian side.

[rowan]

They didn't rest anybody. They picked a defense-oriented team. You don't rest players in your most crucial game of the World Cup so far; a game that could very easily result in your elimination from the tournament. That is an utterly stupid idea and you'd have to be very naive to believe it. They did slow down to a walk toward the end of the match, which itself provided evidence of their surprising limitations. Japan had evidently come to the conclusion by that time that they could not score against Poland and their best bet was to just hang on and not risk conceding another goal or getting any cards. If Senegal had equalized it would have knocked Colombia out, not Japan, but if Colombia had made it 2-1 that would've knocked Japan out, interestingly enough, as would have another goal to Poland. I wrote earlier that Japan should have beaten Poland hands down. On reflection I'd say I am probably guilty of buying into a little of their press myself. Their only win so far was against a 10-man Colombia. They had to come from behind twice to hold Senegal to a draw in a game where the Africans had twice as many shots. & they were the only team in the group that couldn't overcome the Poles. I watched all three of their games and the only time they looked good was in the second half against a strangely subdued Colombia, who were perhaps simply tiring due to the numerical disadvantage incurred early in the game. So I think Japan are in for a rude awakening against Belgium. I'll be backing them nonetheless; just not buying into any of these absurd rock star comments they come out with after every game.

[rowan]

The only thing I'm disagreeing with is the post-match claim Japan had fielded a second string side (or even rested any players) for a crucial World Cup tie that could easily have seen them eliminated, and that they did so because they were such geniuses they foretold precisely a 1-0 win to Colombia in a game that saw Senegal awarded an early penalty (subsequently overruled by video replay). That's just not remotely plausible. What happened was they selected their best defense-oriented team to avoid a loss, rather than go for another win, and that very nearly backfired in both games, as they went down a goal and Senegal almost received a golden opportunity to go 1-up. In the end the Japanese almost shot themselves in the foot but got a very fortunate let-off. I'm not disagreeing with any of your comments about the late sub and lack of resolve in the Poland-Japan game. I think it was clear they were happy to settle with that result, knowing by that time that a 2-1 win to Colombia - or any other score that would've knocked them out - was highly unlikely. The Poles, leading 1-0, seemed content to oblige them and go home with a win. Japan is an average side, not a super power in a position to be able to gamble on results, as it would have us believe.

[Galfon]

Arg put to the sword by the pacy free-flowing French, Mbappe to the fore with 2 so far.
4 - 2 after 74 min.
Cynical Arg got lucky and were 2 - 1 but unable to hold possession.(di Maria's bolt from the blue something special though)
Messi pretty anoni-mouse in wide role.

[rowan]

France are my pick to win the tournament and still going strong. I was hardly alone on that count however. I was hoping Argentina would win, but heads went down after France's 4th goal, even though there was plenty of time left. I suspected all along Argentina's win over defensively-loose Nigeria was just a flash in the pan. Argentina still haven't figured out how to use Messi the way Barca does. France will meet Portugal or Uruguay next up, which should be good, then probably either Brazil or Belgium in the semis. On the other side of the draw, Spain's unimpressive tie with Morocco could suggest a surprise finalist might come through. The winner of England v Colombia might have a chance there...although Croatia and Sweden are also in good form...

[Galfon]

FT Fra 4 - 3 Arg..late Aguerro goal not enough.
Bye Messi, hello Mbappe..
top contest.

[rowan]

T'was a good game. I was watching the rugby (African RWC qualifiers - live in Global Rugby Thread) more than the football, but I saw all the goals, and there were some pearlers for sure. Just a pity it all became a little inevitable in the 4th 1/4, notwithstanding the injury time consolation goal. Argentina actually had a gilt-edged opportunity to tie it in the last act of the game, but it wasn't their day. Frogs march on...

[twitchy]

Incredible game. This WC has been special.

[rowan]

Portugal were a one-man team, and that man couldn't do a lot today. I have to back Uruguay as a non-European side, the winning goal was a pleasure to watch, and they really do know how to fight their way through these crucial games, but they have to be the bottom of my list as far as non-European teams go, and today they produced their usual niggly performance full of theatrics. So they will face France while Messi's Argentina and Ronaldo's Portugal go home! Anyway, 2 great games featuring European teams against their SAmerican counterparts, and the honors were even. A lot of superb goals were scored today.

[Galfon]

..and rumbles on!
Uru 2 - 1 Por
Another GOAT-with-a-goatie goes home, and deservedly so.
Uruguay showing real steel and determination and no shortage of skill to see this one out.
First goal conceded by them in 7 games, and in this calendar year.
Suarez showing what a world class player he is..clever, crafty and ran his socks off.

[rowan]

Today might've been the last time we'll see Messi & Ronaldo at the World Cup, and it was somewhat forgettable . . .

[rowan]

Looks like Daffy Duck just turned up with the little black cloud over his head! This guy really amuses me

Round and round in circles we go. The idea the Japan team rested players against Poland - let alone fielded a second string side, as you mentioned earlier - is absolutely absurd, and nothing more than post-match arrogance. They could quite easily have been eliminated. But if you are so gullible as to buy into the rock star statements the Japanese team keeps coming out with (including such gems as how they used their intellect against the physical Senegalese - a game they didn't win, btw), I'll leave you to your haplessness.

& stop pretending I disagreed with you about the late sub and lack of motivation in the closing stages of that game. Because I didn't. They were basically resigned to defeat by that stage and a second place finish behind Colombia.

Anyway, I'll have fun reminding you of this discussion after they get knocked out by Belgium, because that's the predicament they've found themselves in by selecting a defense-oriented team and not defeating Poland - as their group rivals did (Colombia quite easily).

[morepork]

Shut up Rowan. You have about 9 thousand threads that you play at being a journalist on and you cannot act a thundercunt on all of them if someone else chooses to post. You are spectacularly tedious so drop it or jog on.

[rowan]

At least he's a sportsman . . .

[rowan]

Hasebe is in his mid-thirties, Hapless one. He was on the bench and got called on when it was deemed tactically prudent. That means he was not rested at all. Doh! & the late subbing is not what we are debating. Once again, all I am disputing is the idea Japan gambled on the other result and rested players or fielded a second string team. If you want to buy into that, go ahead. But, in reality, they were facing elimination and neither gambled on the other result nor fielded anything less than the best team they could, which evidently was one designed not to lose rather than chase the win. That conservative approach almost blew up in their faces but they had a lucky escape. This became apparent during the latter stages of their clash with Poland, where they had fallen behind a goal (and not deliberately as part of some ingenious strategy, as you seem to imagine). Thus, having miscalculated but survived, they don the smooth, calm, sophisticated exterior and try to convince the world they had it all under control and that a loss which consigned them to 2nd place and a very tough second round clash with Belgium was all part of their master plan.

[Galfon]

Eng. have usually progressed from the Group stage in the finals reached since '66; with the exits of Betes noires Ger, Arg and Por this only leaves Brazil left who have previously kicked them out in the KO stages ( 02 sk/jap).
Losing shoot-outs were in 90, 98 and 06.
[ Finals not applicable: 74,78 (ftq),82 (mini group stage),
94 (ftq).
14 was the only time progression out of group was not achieved. ]
Here's hoping Eng. can settle the score with Brazil this time...

[rowan]

South America really is amazingly successful at World Cups, despite not actually winning for a while. For a start, half the nations on the continent qualify, the 5th invariably winning its play-off with a CONCACAF or Oceania team. At this tournament, 80% of their teams progressed from the group stages, compared to Europe 71%, CONCACAF 33%, Asia 25% and Africa 0%. At the last World Cup, 5/6 South American teams progressed from the group stages, for an 83% average, while in 2010 all 5 went through for a 100% average!

[rowan]

1. "Hasebe is in his mid-thirties" - and still apparently has enough gas in the tank to appear in 24 of 34 2017/18 Bundesliga fixtures, playing the full 90 in all but 2 of those appearances. His 10 missed games were due to - a niggly knee injury which put him out of 3 non-consecutive fixtures, the flu that put him out of 3 fixtures, a 21-day red card suspension at the end of the season, and just one game where he was an unused sub on the bench against Bayer Leverkusen.

Wow, sounds like a model excellent health and youthful vigor Do you always shoot yourself in the foot in arguments?

3. It's quite curious that you're refusing to even consider the possibility that they'd adapt and count on the result of the other game holding for the remaining 10 minutes or so of the fixture - which you're strawmanning as "gambled on the result from the outset," which no one has stated other than you.

I believe I made the first observation myself before you came along and started fighting with your phantoms about it. I'm actually the one pointing out the absurdity of gambling on a result (from the outset) in such perilous circumstances. Japan simply couldn't break down the Polish defense & pretty much gave up on doing so late in the game, so the situation was more about hoping than gambling. Again, you seem to be fighting with your own phantoms on this one. & you certainly used the word gambling earlier on.

You also claimed they had rested players and selected a second string side for the match. &, for the umpteenth time, that is all I am disagreeing with. If the Japanese are claiming that after they dodged a bullet and went through in second place despite a loss that surprised most of us, they are either bluffing or just very, very silly. You wouldn't catch the likes of Uruguay doing anything so arrogant or stupid, and that's one reason why they'll be in the quarters and Japan almost certainly won't. Japan are not in the same class and should stop pretending to be with such implausible rock star comments. Disagree if you will, but that's all I'm saying.

[Galfon]

It would be good to hear Miss A Elk's theory on Japan's plan to finish on more points or superior goal difference to Senegal.Pretty straightfoward I suspect, but in the end just a theory.

[rowan]

I think they just got lucky with the early red card conceded by Colombia. That was the only game they won. Senegal had the better of them, and so did Poland obviously - and a little surprisingly. I hope they prove me wrong but I think they are the luckiest team to get through. & I mentioned an incident in France's final pool game where a Danish player did exactly what the red carded Colombian did and only received a yellow - with the freekick not even being taken because halftime was up. I haven't been impressed by the standard of the refereeing in most of the games I've seen, the video replay has been counterproductive (notwithstanding that it helped knock out Germany ), and there just hasn't been any consistency all round. Let's just say the fact Nigeria and Senegal both had penalties overruled by video in situations where they required just one more goal to go through seems a little more than coincidental to me, while Colombia have invariably been harshly dealt with.