Football 18/19

[jyoung]

2 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

Not that I think Croatia will win the World Cup, but I think progressing when not playing well isn’t a terrible thing. Teams just don’t live up to hype over 7 games.

Yeah that's true, to be fair. In the EPL we define that as the stuff of champions, so. Who knows. I think its been a brilliant tournament so far and hopefully that continues!

[Hugh Jass]

15 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

Doesn’t the fact that England have done well (and are in a position to go deep) contribute to that view, in the same way English fans will make out Italia 90 and euro 96 were great. I think if England had limped out in the groups the discussion would be very different.

I think the last World Cup was much better in the groups.

England haven’t had that much bearing on my enjoyment to be honest:

Spain v Portugal

France v Argentina 

Germany going out

Kroos v Sweden

Croatia v Argentina 

Numerous fantastic goals

Batshauyi smashing his own face

The atmosphere at every match

I’ve loved all of it. 

 

[jyoung]

This tournament has been fire, no two ways about it. Everyone is hooked!

[pink_triangle]

I think that not having the negativity from England’s performances puts you in a better frame of mind to enjoy the positives. No doubt in my view that Brazil was better at this stage of a like for like comparison. Although that tailed off, so will see if this one does. Two pretty dull matches today in my view.

[pink_triangle]

8 minutes ago, jyoung said:

This tournament has been fire, no two ways about it. Everyone is hooked!

What World Cup were people not hooked?

[Hugh Jass]

3 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

I think that not having the negativity from England’s performances puts you in a better frame of mind to enjoy the positives. No doubt in my view that Brazil was better at this stage of a like for like comparison. Although that tailed off, so will see if this one does. Two pretty dull matches today in my view.

Dull perhaps but still dramatic and with moments you’ll remember.

[Hugh Jass]

3 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

What World Cup were people not hooked?

Most people were unhooked less than a week into Brazil.

[zahidf]

Can’t believe that all England need to do to get to the World Cup final is beat one of the best & most exciting teams in the world and then a bunch of sides that have beaten the ones we wanted to avoid.

 

FOOTBALLS COMING HOME

[zahidf]

15 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

Most people were unhooked less than a week into Brazil.

do you think? loads of people were watching Germany tonk Brazil

[mjsell]

Speaking as someone who is having to survive on watching the highlights of the games that are middle of the night for me - I'm still firmly in the 'great world cup' camp - which I think says a lot.

I was actually travelling around Australia for the Brazil World cup - and I completely lost interest in that one. Slightly different scenarios but still.

First thing I do when I wake up is watch the extended highlights of the early game without checking the score. 

Edited July 1, 2018 by mjsell

[Hugh Jass]

9 minutes ago, zahidf said:

do you think? loads of people were watching Germany tonk Brazil

Yes, football fans were, but loads of casuals lost interest after a week when England went out.

[jyoung]

34 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

What World Cup were people not hooked?

I didn't find Brazil at all inspiring but that's just me! 

[kaosmark2]

I definitely think this is a more enjoyable tournament so far than Brazil was, or Germany. SA was a pretty great tournament, partially because of Ghana's run, partially because of all the hilarious stories about the French and them getting knocked out.

I don't think I've cared too much about how England do since I was a teenager. Think Euros 2004 was the last time I was actually disappointed by England as opposed to either amused or disinterested.

[zahidf]

Spain’s World Cup. Lose your coach the day before the tournament starts. Concede 3 to Portugal. Only beat Iran 1-0. Concede 2 to Morocco. Lose to Russia on penalties. With this group of players. The more you think about it, it’s unspeakably bad.

[dentalplan]

VAR has definitely added excitement to the games. It's brilliant when it goes to the panel in Moscow. Obviously that's led to a bunch of penalties starting games off so there's something to play for more than a deadlock would offer.

It has been a very good one so far, but the last few games usually have the most to say on how it's remembered. I do think if Colombia knock England out on Tuesday, it won't sour the tournament for those watching.

[pink_triangle]

7 hours ago, Hugh Jass said:

Most people were unhooked less than a week into Brazil.

I don’t remember that at all. 

[pink_triangle]

6 hours ago, Hugh Jass said:

Yes, football fans were, but loads of casuals lost interest after a week when England went out.

Wouldn’t argue with that, as I said England performance/ progress has a great influence on how the country perceives a tournament, to a neutral it’s easy to argue Euro 96 and we 90 were drab, low scoring tournaments.

[zahidf]

Salah signs new 5 year liverpool contract. No release clause

[mjsell]

Potential that Croatia's lacklustre performance could be put down in part to the 9 changes made in previous game?

Edited July 2, 2018 by mjsell

[pink_triangle]

2 minutes ago, mjsell said:

Potential that Croatia's lacklustre performance could be put down in part to the 9 changes made in previous game?

It could have contributed. Also I think people are not giving Denmark credit for how well they played.  However I wonder if people overanalyse these things.  Teams who go far in world cups always have lacklustre performances along the way. Its just difficult to play 7 great games in a short period of time.

[thetime]

7 minutes ago, mjsell said:

Potential that Croatia's lacklustre performance could be put down in part to the 9 changes made in previous game?

They would take 3 more of them if the end result was the same. 

[pink_triangle]

Interesting to see how different the Croatia and Denmark keeper looked in the shootout in comparison to "the best keeper in the world".

[Hugh Jass]

8 hours ago, zahidf said:

Spain’s World Cup. Lose your coach the day before the tournament starts. Concede 3 to Portugal. Only beat Iran 1-0. Concede 2 to Morocco. Lose to Russia on penalties. With this group of players. The more you think about it, it’s unspeakably bad.

It's what happens when you sack your head coach the day before the tournament starts.

[thetime]

1 hour ago, pink_triangle said:

Interesting to see how different the Croatia and Denmark keeper looked in the shootout in comparison to "the best keeper in the world".

What’s interesting about it? 

[mjsell]

There are no longer any world cup winning players left in the tournament... And none that have even played in a world cup final.