Board 8 > World Cup 2018 Discussion part 3

(+) Yeah! (+)

SmartMuffin posted...

swirIdude posted...

Belgium decides they want to go into the tough bracket, a bold strategy coming from such an underachieving group.

losers mindset

If you think your team is capable of winning the whole thing, your attitude needs to be "we will beat whoever is in front of us"

Exactly
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Knockout Stage Bracket
[A1] = [Uruguay 3W-0D-0L]
[B2] = [Portugal 1W-2D-0L]

[C1] = [France 2W-1D-0L]
[D2] = [Argentina 1W-1D-1L]

[E1] = [Brazil 2W-1D-0L]
[F2] = [Mexico 2W-0D-1L]

[G1] = [Belgium 3W-0D-0L]
[H2] = [Japan 1W-1D-1L]

[B1] = [Spain 1W-2D-0L]
[A2] = [Russia 2W-0D-1L]

[D1] = [Croatia 3W-0D-0L]
[C2] = [Denmark 1W-2D-0L]

[F1] = [Sweden 2W-0D-1L]
[E2] = [Switzerland 1W-2D-0L]

[H1] = [Colombia 2W-0D-1L]
[G2] = [England 2W-0D-1L]
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I'm going with Mexico > Brazil for the huge upset 2-1
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That was fucking Horrible.

Guess everyone got their wish.
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In fairness I like Southgate's point about him now being able to start preparation for the Colombia game a day early because he rested the first team. Usually tomorrow would be a rest day but now they can get right on it.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MusyO7J2inM" data-time="

How the World Cup feels AND IT'S GREAT
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Whatever they do to England on the back pages this morning, it's throughly deserved.
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Top half is great. One of the first four vs. Brazil will be a quality semifinal. In the other half, Spain and Croatia is the quarterfinal that is really a semifinal. Whoever wins there goes to the final.
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Vlado posted...

Top half is great. One of the first four vs. Brazil will be a quality semifinal. In the other half, Spain and Croatia is the quarterfinal that is really a semifinal. Whoever wins there goes to the final.

I wouldn't rule Colombia out of anything there.

And Spain honestly hasn't looked all too impressive.
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Colombia need to be on the absolute top of their game to reach the semis, and have zero chance against Spain (some chance against Croatia who, like any Eastern European team, are susceptible to implosion at any time). Spain are shaky for sure, especially given the new coach, but they've got the talent and psyche to get to the final.

Now, the final will be something else. I don't think they can beat Brazil, but if anyone else can make it there instead of Brazil, Spain can take it. That would sure be a fairy tale story for Hierro.
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You have to remember that England played a second string team against Colombia and on performance alone, they are one of the stronger teams in that bottom half.

Same for Sweden who have played extremely well. Obviously Croatia have played very well too.

Spain we are really giving the benefit of the doubt to based on past performances and caliber of players in their team. Off performances alone so far, they are one of the weakest group winners. They weren't exactly runaway winners against Iran and Morocco and could have very easily been eliminated. So I think saying Colombia have zero chance against Spain is pretty silly as Colombia are definitely a better team than Iran/Morocco.

And actually looking at that bracket, here's the thing. Everyone universally agrees that top half is a lot harder than the bottom half. Which on name value / past performances it certainly is. I'm definitely happier England are in the bottom half.

However, if people think about which teams have been impressive so far in the tournament. There's a lot more 'impressive' teams in that bottom half than top half. Maybe because it always looks better when a team you don't expect to do well overperforms. But for all the big names in that top half, most of them haven't really done much.

France won the group but weren't remotely impressive in doing so. They likely have another gear but they didn't do much to win their group.

For Portugal, see Spain. They struggled against Iran/Morocco.

Uruguay won a group full of bad teams and didn't look great in doing so.

Argentina have looked awful so far and were lucky to progress.

Brazil were efficient (which is kinda what you want) without being overly impressive. They were in control but never looked overwhelming.

Belgium are probably the only team in that top half who have looked really good in qualifying for the knockout stages.

When you look at that bottom half Croatia and Sweden have looked really good in the group stage. Colombia and England have both looked dangerous.

A second string team would have at least put up a fight.
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Vlado posted...

That would sure be a fairy tale story for Hierro.

So he'd be the.... hierro of the country?
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XIII_rocks posted...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MusyO7J2inM" data-time="

How the World Cup feels AND IT'S GREAT

lol great sketch
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What team has the most food names?

Spain has at least 3. 2 nachos and a ceasar drink.

Mexico of course with 2 different beers in corona and monero and throw in Alfredo for the pasta reference
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I edited the bracket so everything can be added in as the Knockout Stage goes along.

Legend:
QTF = Quarter Final
SMF = Semi Final
TPP = Third Place Playoff
FIN = Final

[A1] = [Uruguay 3W-0D-0L]
[B2] = [Portugal 1W-2D-0L]

QTF>[??] = [---]
QTF>[??] = [---]

[C1] = [France 2W-1D-0L]
[D2] = [Argentina 1W-1D-1L]

SMF>>>>>[??] = [---]
SMF>>>>>[??] = [---]

[E1] = [Brazil 2W-1D-0L]
[F2] = [Mexico 2W-0D-1L]

QTF>[??] = [---]
QTF>[??] = [---]

[G1] = [Belgium 3W-0D-0L]
[H2] = [Japan 1W-1D-1L]

FIN>>>>>>>>>[??] = [---]
FIN>>>>>>>>>[??] = [---]

TPP>>>>>>>>>[??] = [---]
TPP>>>>>>>>>[??] = [---]

[B1] = [Spain 1W-2D-0L]
[A2] = [Russia 2W-0D-1L]

QTF>[??] = [---]
QTF>[??] = [---]

[D1] = [Croatia 3W-0D-0L]
[C2] = [Denmark 1W-2D-0L]

SMF>>>>>[??] = [---]
SMF>>>>>[??] = [---]

[F1] = [Sweden 2W-0D-1L]
[E2] = [Switzerland 1W-2D-0L]

QTF>[??] = [---]
QTF>[??] = [---]

[H1] = [Colombia 2W-0D-1L]
[G2] = [England 2W-0D-1L]
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Di Maria is given a chance to redeem himself today for some reason. Higuain rightfully sits on the bench at least.
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There's something very bile fascination-ish about this match. Which of these two potentially outstanding teams can perform the furthest below their potential through a combination of defensive stupidity (in Argentina's case) and managerial idiocy?
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Holy shit Mbappe.

That is absolutely outrageous pace
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Yeah, I don't know if Armani should have attempted to reach that, but goddamn Mbappe is insane.
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Booo.
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That Mbappe run, this guy is living up to the billing as the 2nd coming of Henry
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Thing is that's already the second time he's fucked Argentina with his sheer pace. This could be a big score if he keeps finding space
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As soon as I saw the tackle by Argentina, I knew it would be considered a penalty in the box, and it's now 1-0 France.
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He is absolutely ripping them apart lmao
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Messi era is over

Mbappe era is now
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Oh FUCK
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Well that was beautiful.
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The times in Messi's international career where he has been under a decent coach are few .
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Holy s***, Di Maria I'm so glad you were there after all.
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Mascherano is a fucking disaster
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XIII_rocks posted...

Mascherano is a fucking disaster

If they reach next match, maybe that's okay
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Argentina stays alive late in the first half!
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To think that Di Maria sucked for so long that he could get the space to do something like that.

I love it.
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Still creating better chances overall.

This gives me good hopes of getting another one.
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France should still win

Entertaining game though!
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France clearly dominated most of the half with only Giroud not looking to be in his best shape imo.

But it's as if they started thinking they sat on the match. They didn't dominate in the end.
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Cheering for France, as I got them in my work sweep, and as much as I didn't want to see that second goal, got to admit it was a quality shot. Good match so far.
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After seeing how pace is doing work against this Argentina, might be an idea to bring on Dembele.
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I think with better wing-backs Argentina could be great. Genuinely pacy, attacking ones

If Argentina had like Walker and Marcelo or something and a fast CB too, you could play a 3-5-2/3-4-1-1 with Messi behind Aguero and Biglia/Banega/Masch midfield

I think the lack of pacy wing-backs, which have become so important lately, is holding them back big time.
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voltch posted...

After seeing how pace is doing work against this Argentina, might be an idea to bring on Dembele.

Giroud isn't in it much so yeah. Lemar too maybe. Bring Dembele on and terrify them with him, Griezmann, Mbappe.
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France don't even have healthy Mendy and Sibide...yet

Gotta wonder if Matuidi will eventually be replaced with Tolisso.
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Di Maria bringing back dem Benfica skills!
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Di Maria is on fire from the get go
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Lmao what a goal
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oh my god that Di Maria goal was beautiful - dat swerve. Moved it perfectly into the side-netting. One of the best goals of the tournament.
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Benega that was completely unnecessary.

Him missing next match is an issue for sure.
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The_Ctes posted...

The times in Messi's international career where he has been under a decent coach are few .

Cause coach plays game and scores goals
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Wow, Argentina turned this game around in a hurry with that goal.
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