2018 World Cup in Russia
- Laan Yaa Mo
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Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
Of the three axis powers: Germany, Japan and Italy, only the Japanese live to see another day
You only pass through this life once, you don't come back for an encore.
- Laan Yaa Mo
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Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
Panama, or is it Paraguay, have taken a one nil lead over the North Africans from Tunisia, Chad or Niger.
You only pass through this life once, you don't come back for an encore.
- Laan Yaa Mo
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Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
And the North Africans are now up 2-1 over the Central Americans in this seesaw battle.
You only pass through this life once, you don't come back for an encore.
Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
England will play the difficult Colombia on Tuesday, Belgium face the far easier on paper task of Japan on Monday..
Tunisia deserved their win against Panama in the dead rubber..
Japan progress instead of Senegal after a game with a farcical finish against Poland with neither side interested in attacking the others' goal.
Columbia did enough to get past Senegal but maybe have a worry with James Rodriguez going off injured. They look a far better side with him in the team. With them only needing a draw to progress (& very much looking like that was what they were playing for in the first half) it does question the managers' decision to start him..Akira Nishino's side finished with the same number of points, goals scored and goals conceded as Senegal, but were shown only four yellow cards during the group stage to the African side's six.
Day off for the competition today....tomorrow..
Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
One thing is for sure,Belgium have much better strength in depth than England.
England certainly didn't want Colombia but that is who they have got after Japans surprise defeat.If they are able to get past the Colombians then its Switzerland or Sweden in the quarter finals.....and if they manage that,most likely Brazil or Belgium in the semis....but getting way,way ahead of myself here.....
One bright spot for England is that Colombias star man and playmaker,James Rodriguez,could well miss the game after being taken off injured after 30 minutes yesterday. Colombia v Senegal was a strange match.For 60 minutes Senegal looked the fitter,stronger side and the most likely to win.Then they switched off for 15 minutes,allowing Colombia to wrest the initiative and take the lead.The last 15 minutes plus injury time,Senegal upped the tempo again but couldnt find a way through,so they are out after Japans surprise defeat by Poland leaves them 3rd in the group.....an opportunity missed for them to become the only African side to progress......Belgium v Japan.....Martinez could make the same 9 changes and still win but Belgium v Brazil in the quarter finals is a distinct possibility and should be worth watching if it happens.
Just when I thought our chance had passed,you go and save the best for last.
- stattointhailand
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Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
Perhaps the last 10 mins of the Japan v Poland game was where the VAR supervisor should have been in the refs ear telling him to issue a couple of yellow cards for time wasting
PS you cant play someone from your own group (ENG/BEL) until the final so they cannot meet in the semis
PS you cant play someone from your own group (ENG/BEL) until the final so they cannot meet in the semis
Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
Yes,you are quite right,statto.Potential semi final opponents for England would be Spain,Russia,Croatia or Denmarkstattointhailand wrote: ↑June 29, 2018, 2:54 pmPS you cant play someone from your own group (ENG/BEL) until the final so they cannot meet in the semis
Footballs coming home.....well,we'll see in the Colombia game !
I do apologise for any unecessary suffering I have caused to any diehard England fans out there
Just when I thought our chance had passed,you go and save the best for last.
- stattointhailand
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Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
No sense getting any hopes up too high zid
Just about the ONLY good thing to come out of the Belgium game was that even Southgate MUST have seen that Pickford is a liability.
Just about the ONLY good thing to come out of the Belgium game was that even Southgate MUST have seen that Pickford is a liability.
- arjay
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Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
I vote for Zid as "man of the match", for his many pics of cheery fans. (I was going to say gay fans, but thought that might be misconstrued!)
Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
Oh ! STOP It......He's The Best we've got at the moment.....stattointhailand wrote: ↑June 29, 2018, 4:22 pmNo sense getting any hopes up too high zid
Just about the ONLY good thing to come out of the Belgium game was that even Southgate MUST have seen that Pickford is a liability.
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Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
As an outsider looking in seems England played to lose for an easier passage hope it doesn't come back to bite them
Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
So, other things being equal, the side with least yellow cards gets promoted to knock-out stage (Colombia progress, Senegal go home). I wonder if this rule accounts for the apparent reluctance of referees to produce yellow cards during the group stage.
- mathusalah80
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Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
Exhibiting my usual bravery,( or lack of football knowledge :-" ), below is my forecast of the likely results of the quarter final games. My selections are highlighted.
A.Uruguay v Portugal.
B.France v Argentina.
C.Brazil v Mexico.
D.Belgium v Japan.
...................................................................................................
E.Spain v Russia.
F.Croatia v Denmark.
G.Sweden v Switzerland.
H.Colombia v England.
I think England have the players to overcome Colombia but, sadly,are unlikely to do so due to Southgate's stubborn determination to continue to select Young, Henderson, Alli & Sterling; so yet again denying Harry Kane the support he needs, if he is to score goals. For what it is worth, and using the 1-2-5-3 formation, I think the following selection provides England with the best chance of victory:
Goalkeeper; Stones & Maguire; Trippier, Walker, Delph, Loftus-Cheek & Rose; Lingard, Kane & Rashford.
I am disappointed that my first & second favourites, (Belgium & Brazil), have both ended up in the top half of the drawer, so my alternative choice, to meet one or other of them in the final, is Croatia.
[/b]
A.Uruguay v Portugal.
B.France v Argentina.
C.Brazil v Mexico.
D.Belgium v Japan.
...................................................................................................
E.Spain v Russia.
F.Croatia v Denmark.
G.Sweden v Switzerland.
H.Colombia v England.
I think England have the players to overcome Colombia but, sadly,are unlikely to do so due to Southgate's stubborn determination to continue to select Young, Henderson, Alli & Sterling; so yet again denying Harry Kane the support he needs, if he is to score goals. For what it is worth, and using the 1-2-5-3 formation, I think the following selection provides England with the best chance of victory:
Goalkeeper; Stones & Maguire; Trippier, Walker, Delph, Loftus-Cheek & Rose; Lingard, Kane & Rashford.
I am disappointed that my first & second favourites, (Belgium & Brazil), have both ended up in the top half of the drawer, so my alternative choice, to meet one or other of them in the final, is Croatia.
[/b]
Last edited by mathusalah80 on June 30, 2018, 3:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
Another incisive match report on the England - Belgium game.
https://deadspin.com/england-score-big- ... 1827218894
Sums it up nicely.
https://deadspin.com/england-score-big- ... 1827218894
Sums it up nicely.
Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
You are correct in your thinking but Colombia actually won the group with 6 points.It was Japan who progressed at the expense of Senegal due to receiving less yellow cards.
Unlikely to be picked anyway......
FABIAN DELPH has left England's World Cup camp in Russia ahead of his wife giving birth.
Delph started the defeat to Belgium in Kaliningrad and immediately flew back home to be with his partner Natalie.
The Football Association has confirmed that Delph left straight from Kaliningrad, with their third child due on Saturday.
Delph, 28, revealed he had discussed the "domestic situation" with Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate.
He said: "Gareth’s been absolutely fantastic.
"There’s nothing more important than family to me, it always comes first and always will.
Just when I thought our chance had passed,you go and save the best for last.
- mathusalah80
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Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
Zidane wrote: ↑June 30, 2018, 3:14 pmHeart warming to read of someone who has his priorities right! =D> =D>
In practical terms, it hasn't changed the situation since, as I have repeatedly written, and Zid seems now to agree with me, Southgate was never going to select him, in preference to the 'in favour', Henderson. Dier was a possibility but, unfortunately, his abject display against Belgium put paid to any remote chance he may have had of selection.
- stattointhailand
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Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
Even the "EXPERTS" and "PUNDITS" are now picking up on what I have been saying for about 2 years ....... he cannot deal with near post corners, and he is prone to pushing the ball out into dangerous areas instead of punching it well out of danger. If they are now noticing these weaknesses then you can bet your bottom dollar the likes of Falcao and co have spotted them so its too big a risk to play him747man wrote: ↑June 29, 2018, 8:28 pmOh ! STOP It......He's The Best we've got at the moment.....stattointhailand wrote: ↑June 29, 2018, 4:22 pmNo sense getting any hopes up too high zid
Just about the ONLY good thing to come out of the Belgium game was that even Southgate MUST have seen that Pickford is a liability.
Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
June 30
FT France 4 - 3 Argentina
An Absolute CLASSIC !!!!
FT France 4 - 3 Argentina
An Absolute CLASSIC !!!!
Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
Uruguay look a very difficult team to beat. This was the first goal they conceded. At the other end, Edinson Cavani seems to have found his scoring boots while Luis Suarez always looks a danger as long as he can keep his temper in check!!
France against Uruguay looks like being a cracker..
Re: 2018 World Cup in Russia
Indeed,a classic Alan.With the non stop goal action in the second half it put me in mind of an EPL Classic match last season (Everton 2 Arsenal 5) but the teams were much more equal on this occassion.
But I digress..... France started off incredibly fast....Greizmann hit the bar,Man of the match Mbappe won a penalty after a great run and then 10 minutes later he could have had another penalty but the referee chose to give the offence outside the box.
So after this 20 minute onslaught it could have been 3-0 to France but Argentina weathered the storm and came back into it equalising with a great effort by di Maria just before half time.
Then just after the break Argentina took the lead and it looked like an upset could be on the cards.But then Pavard equalised with a stunning side foot volley from 25 yards (did he really mean it ?) and Mbappe grabbed two more in the next 10 minutes to put France 4-2 up.
Aguero pulled one back for Argentina in injury time but it was not enough.How can Argentina leave a top striker like him on the bench for nearly 70 minutes ?
I have to admit I wasnt looking forward to this match,too much,beforehand but it turned out to be probably the match of the tournament,so far. Uruguay v Portugal was also a good match.Cavani scored two lovely goals,particularily the first.Unfortunately for Uruguay he appears to have injured his hamstring and could well miss the quarter final tie against France which would be a big blow to Uruguay.Portugal played well and had more of the possession but Ronaldo was very subdued.
Just when I thought our chance had passed,you go and save the best for last.