Board 8 > Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 - Topic 4

(+) Yeah! (+)

shane15 posted...

If we beat France this will literally be our first win against a world class opponent in the knockout stages since 66. It's pretty clear Germany are on a bit of a downer at the moment so you can't really say last summer counts.

Germany were "on a bit of downer" for about a decade from the mid 90s to the 00s, in that time they still managed to win a Euros, make a world cup final and follow that up with a world cup semi. They're fucking Germany, they beat Portugal at the last Euros and help Spain to a draw at the world cup. Beating them shouldn't be depreciated, especially when you're fucking England.

Few fans are funnier than England fans. When you guys were proper shit everyone talked about a golden generation but England was never anywhere close to doing anything, and now England finished fourth and second in recent tournaments and people have zero faith in the team.

malyg posted...

If this is based on paper then i disagree with this, i think Portugal have one of the strongest squads at the tournament. They've been much less than the sum of their parts for a very long while but the individual quality of the Portuguese team is very strong. Comparable to the Brazil's and France's of the tournament.

On paper Portugal is way better, no denying who has the bigger stars. Actual performance though, it's not very uneven.

Also beating us were bigger than beating Germany last year even if it took some controversies. Trying to judge whether England have a big result is a bit stupid though imo, though beating this France is certainly a bigger result than anything recent I can think of, we can agree that much.

RyoCaliente posted...

Few fans are funnier than England fans. When you guys were proper shit everyone talked about a golden generation but England was never anywhere close to doing anything, and now England finished fourth and second in recent tournaments and people have zero faith in the team.

To be fair it was a 4th and a 2nd with very kind draws. It's not like we beat all the best teams on the way to those results.

shane15 posted...

To be fair it was a 4th and a 2nd with very kind draws. It's not like we beat all the best teams on the way to those results.

That's just something that can happen in a tourney, especially now when they're adding more teams. In 06 Italy didn't really play anyone until the semi-finals, which they won after extra time, and the final, which they won on penalties. In '16 Portugal played one good team, France, in the final (and then they still only finished third in their group).

At the Euros I wanted Chelsea to spend 80m for Rice and turns out it wasn't enough even though he'd be worth it.

At his age 140m for Bellingham seems like a reasonable deal.
Just hope he doesn't leave for City.

The lad has impressed me more than Gavi or Pedri, just like how Foden looks better than Fati so far.

RyoCaliente posted...

Few fans are funnier than England fans. When you guys were proper shit everyone talked about a golden generation but England was never anywhere close to doing anything, and now England finished fourth and second in recent tournaments and people have zero faith in the team.

When England were "proper shit" the team was full of great players being badly mismanaged. Nobody has ever botched tournament prep and execution like 2010 Capello for example. That's the difference between him and Southgate. Thinking that group of players was capable of beating Germany in 2010, for instance, is entirely reasonable.

In this situation it's a case of France simply having better players, meaning England are likely to lose. No great mystery.

ctesjbuvf posted...

Also beating us were bigger than beating Germany last year even if it took some controversies.

I mean this with the greatest of respect: it wasn't.

In the same way that (at the last world cup) beating Colombia on penalties in the Round of 16 was better than beating Sweden in the quarter-finals, because even though it was earlier it broke the penalties curse.

Being further in the tournament, even being against better team, aren't the only factors. Germany had a hold on us - going back over 50 years to the 1970 collapse - until we won last year, inferior side or not.

Oh yeah, obviously if you look it from that approach it's not even close.

But this was in a debate where someone argued Germany wasn't strong enough to count so I said that purely based on form at the time.

voltch posted...

The Southgate era has really been incredible.

Too bad some of the Tits on Motd/Talksport/BBC sport FB feeds don't think so...

Been looking forward this match. Both teams were really fun to watch in the group stage.

It feels like Japan has been making an effort to keep the tempo high in these opening minutes.

Croatia will probably win this. As much as it pains me to say.

Maeda has just been half a body length out of position on a few chances now.

Two great chances wasted by Croatia now

Despite 0-0 most of it has been good, both teams have put up high pressure at times.

Oh and now it's not 0-0!

shane15 posted...

Croatia will probably win this. As much as it pains me to say.

Just waiting for someone to count us out

that save in the corner to set up that last chance was incredible.

That looks offside

I guess they didn't think that guy was part of anything

I mean the guy that challenged for the header looked off to me but i've said that with another goal that was given. Was just about to say i wish we'd get a look at the VAR and we just did. Was millimetres in it.

Now that's a good header

Croatia are just one of those teams. They're a danger to the best teams and never lose to teams around their level. I expect them to score a second and then see the game out with boring passing in the midfield.

It's quite a match right now

People go on about Mexico and the last 16 curse but you could argue the same for Japan.

oh no he pulled a ben simmons

I'm getting the same vibes in this match as the England semi final 4 years ago.

shane15 posted...

People go on about Mexico and the last 16 curse but you could argue the same for Japan.

Nah that's Mexico's thing, even if they broke the streak now in the wrong way. Japan has lost there like three times before. Mexico had literally lost in the round of 16 for 7 consecutive times before this current World Cup. The one before that they were banned from participating.

ahhhhhh so close

Croatia will probably be happy with pens.

Yeah those were some excellent opportunities there. You think Croatia has a pretty big edge in penalty kicks?

Yeah, I think Japan will feel a lot more pressure in penalties given that this is the closest they have ever gotten to the Quarter Finals. But who knows? Hopefully they surprise us once more!

Japan seems to have been the team time wasting more, honestly look like they're happier with it. But both teams have seemed ready for it since the 70 minute mark or something.

We might have just seen Modric play his last match for Croatia ever. Even th Japanese clapped when he was subbed off. Beautiful moment.

ctesjbuvf posted...

Japan seems to have been the team time wasting more, honestly look like they're happier with it. But both teams have seemed ready for it since the 70 minute mark or something.

And now that seems to have changed

XIII_Rocks posted...

Thinking that group of players was capable of beating Germany in 2010, for instance, is entirely reasonable.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_World_Cup_squads#England

This group of players huh, could've beat '10 Germany?

holy 2018 flashbacks

England in 2010 were awful

Germany in 10 was fantastic though. Fell in love with zil that tournament, though Spain truly shut him down.

Penalty time! No shame for Japan if they go out now. They held off the former runner ups for 120 minutes.

Terrible pen for Japan

Croatia have too much experience

Bad pen for Japan.

oh no

Wow chance to win it now for Croatia

Down goes Japan. Some bad PKs there by them.

Any consolation for Japan at least Croatia will get beat by Brazil next round

well damn. Knew it was unlikely to continue, but sad to see the dream die, especially with what was an objectively poor set of penalty kicks.

Japan beat two teams they were expected to lose to and lost to a team they were expected to beat. Then when it's expected to be an even game there's no opposite and they go to penalties. What a run they had though.

Croatia's goal keeper haven't looked convincing before but this certainly helps him.