World Cup 2018 thread

[NERVY-OWL 192]

Theres no creativity in the side, until we get that we will never win anything. The reason we got so far was because we avoided the likes of brazil etc.

Saying that it was a successful tournament in that it brought the fans closer to the national side, even I was abit more interested than normal.

[pss60 10]

Belgium are lauded as the golden era, yet theyve won nothing, beat Panama & Tunisia & a so called poor England twice with so called world class (hazard Dr bruyne etc) players, and they finish 3rd, to our 4th!

Belgium also knocked Brazil out as well. Still, they have yet to win anything, so time will be their judge. People raved about England's 'Golden Generation' 20 years ago, but they still won nothing.

[charliewag 19]

Alan 58 and Tinfoilhat have got it spot on. England have improved but there's still a way to go.

[tinfoilhat 11]

If Jordan pickford had been Croatian they'd have won this.

[Guest]

Second place, great achievement!

[Bob Arctor 11]

Second place, great achievement!

 

It certainly is, Croatia played very well but France took control in the second half, Pogba and Griezmann in particular.

[blake 10]

the best team won. They played against two teams, Argentina and Uruguay, who had previously won the tournament and beat them both easily. Not only in the same tournament. but in successive knockout games. That is where France won won the World Cup. It wasn't by beating Belgium and Croatia. France would have beaten Brazil too if Belgium hadn't already done it. France were the best team in it.

 

since 1966, England have only beaten ONE team who have previously won the tournament, Argentina in 2002, and it wasn't even in the knockout stage.

 

England could have been there. They could have got to the final. The only question is whether they would have lost 4,5,6,7, or 8-1. With the single goal coming from a set piece of course.

Edited July 15, 2018 by blake

[Bob Arctor 11]

When you think about it, it's impressive that France managed to get 4 goals past a team that included one of the world's best defenders.

[The Moon 10]

the best team won. They played against two teams, Argentina and Uruguay, who had previously won the tournament and beat them both easily. Not only in the same tournament. but in successive knockout games. That is where France won won the World Cup. It wasn't by beating Belgium and Croatia. France would have beaten Brazil too if Belgium hadn't already done it. France were the best team in it.

 

since 1966, England have only beaten ONE team who have previously won the tournament, Argentina in 2002, and it wasn't even in the knockout stage.

 

England could have been there. They could have got to the final. The only question is whether they would have lost 4,5,6,7, or 8-1. With the single goal coming from a set piece of course.

 

Yes Uruguay were full of confidence straight from their world cup win 88 years ago

[blake 10]

Yes Uruguay were full of confidence straight from their world cup win 88 years ago

 

they have not done too badly even in more recent tournaments. It's true the two times they have won it were a long time ago, and they have periods when they have even failed to qualify at all, and which is the biggest black mark any country or team can possibly have, not qualifying in the first place. But Uruguay's record in the World Cup, is not too bad. Since 1950, tournament after tournament, if you add them all up, they have performed better than say Holland have. Better in fact, than any country who has not also won the World Cup.

 

France's big Achilles Heel is that they have been historically rubbish at qualifying for the final stages at all. They have only made it, for the final stages, of 2/3 of World Cups since 1950 by far the worst, of all the countries the have previously won the World Cup. The 7 other countries that have won the World Cup, Uruguay, Germany, Brazil, England, Italy, and Spain, all have a better record at qualifying, than France have. And, even worse for France, when they do get to the final stages, they are not usually very good, at getting past the group stage. England beat France in both those criteria : qualifying for the World Cup in the first place, and then getting past the group stage when they do.

[tinfoilhat 11]

It certainly is, Croatia played very well but France took control in the second half, Pogba and Griezmann in particular.

 

Their defence was solid too. Croatia bossed the midfield up to 3-1, but it highlights England's major problem. While finalists had pogba, kante modric and rakitic we have Henderson and dier.

[MAC33 10]

Giroud was given 7 out of 10 by a BBC sports pundit for the final - what game was he watching?

 

In the semi final Giroud looked totally out of his depth and in the final even more so. Clumsy,slow and especially unable to control the ball.

 

Bayern Munich superstar winger Coman can probably match Mpappe for skill and speed and was inexcusably not selected for the squad.

 

No wonder coach Deuchamps has still not won over the French public.