World Cup 2018 --Pre and Group Stages

Post by **brian** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 9:38 am

Hopefully Uruguay win 5-0 now that Russia had that guy sent off. Would be nice to see them embarrassed here and in the Round of 16.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 9:54 am

The Saudi-Egypt game is pretty fun but farcical at the end of the 1st half.

The Saudis got a penalty at '41 that was saved by Egypt's 45 year old goalkeeper. Then at '45 they got another penalty that took VAR 7 minutes to determine! And it wasn't as close to a penalty as some of the other ones that didn't even go to VAR.
It's 1-1

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 9:55 am

degenerasian wrote: ↑Mon Jun 25, 2018 9:54 am The Saudi-Egypt game is pretty fun but farcical at the end of the 1st half.

The Saudis got a penalty at '41 that was saved by Egypt's 45 year old goalkeeper. Then at '45 they got another penalty that took VAR 7 minutes to determine! And it wasn't as close to a penalty as some of the other ones that didn't even go to VAR.
It's 1-1

I was trying to figure out how it was in the 52' while Russia/Uruguay were still at half time

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 11:49 am

Cool stats from CNBC from first 32 game
-Real Madrid 8 goals
- Spurs 7 goals
- 16 PKs awarded, WC record is 18 for a tournamnet,and Brazil has 13 for the whole tournament
- Russia covered more ground than any other team, with their opening 5-0 victory over Saudi Arabia seeing them run a collective 73 miles. The standout distance coverer in their team has been Aleksandr Golovin. The midfielder has not only covered 15.6 miles across two game, more than any other player in the tournament, but has also completed more sprints than anyone else.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 12:19 pm

brian wrote: ↑Mon Jun 25, 2018 9:38 am Hopefully Uruguay win 5-0 now that Russia had that guy sent off. Would be nice to see them embarrassed here and in the Round of 16.

I think if they get Spain, they will be quite embarrassed.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 1:11 pm

Pique trying to get a red card in the first 5 mins of a must-win game.

Post by **brian** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 1:42 pm

Haven't seen all of the game because I've been busier work than I would like, but seems like Iran at least attempting to push people forward, unlike against Spain.

Post by **brian** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 1:46 pm

That Iran keeper's nose might be the biggest I've ever seen.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:17 pm

Spain look terrible.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:23 pm

"... doesn't get close to the ball ... the soccer ball."

Post by **brian** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:45 pm

Why is the three-letter abbreviation for Morocco MAR?

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:45 pm

Ronaldo should have been sent off, VAR fails again.

Post by **brian** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:46 pm

degenerasian wrote: ↑Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:45 pm Ronaldo should have been sent off, VAR fails again.

I dunno. Didn't look like a straight red to me. Yellow was fine.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:51 pm

brian wrote: ↑Mon Jun 25, 2018 1:42 pm Haven't seen all of the game because I've been busier work than I would like, but seems like Iran at least attempting to push people forward, unlike against Spain.

As I predicted!

:D

And the VAR is fucking this game up. That is not a handball... nothing deliberate on that play.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:52 pm

brian wrote: ↑Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:46 pm
degenerasian wrote: ↑Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:45 pm Ronaldo should have been sent off, VAR fails again.
I dunno. Didn't look like a straight red to me. Yellow was fine.

Anyone else and I think it would.

Don't know what a yellow is supposed to represent. It was a strike but not too bad a one?

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:56 pm

what just happened? if Iran score again, they win the group!

Post by **brian** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:57 pm

degenerasian wrote: ↑Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:52 pm
brian wrote: ↑Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:46 pm
degenerasian wrote: ↑Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:45 pm Ronaldo should have been sent off, VAR fails again.
I dunno. Didn't look like a straight red to me. Yellow was fine.
Anyone else and I think it would.

Don't know what a yellow is supposed to represent. It was a strike but not too bad a one?

I know you're being sarcastic, but exactly. No strike to the head, gave him a blow to the chest, but nothing elaborately brutal.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:58 pm

brian wrote: ↑Mon Jun 25, 2018 2:45 pm Why is the three-letter abbreviation for Morocco MAR?

The French.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 3:05 pm

Gotta say, it is fun watching these games with zero at stake. It's just very different. I mean, when the US is involved, I'm so amped up and nervous and distraught, I could barely watch any of the other group stage games.

This is... fun?

elflaco · Post by **elflaco** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 3:07 pm

or spanish.

MARRUECOS..

the Spanish and Portuguese were there first.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 3:09 pm

so Suarez vs Pepe. Who gets sent off first?

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 3:28 pm

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 4:04 pm

I was watching the Spain game, but when it ended, they cut over to the last minute of the Iran game.

I have never, ever seen players that gutted after a game. Seriously, it was making me emotional.

But Iran.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 4:16 pm

You missed the goalie and one of his defenders almost fight in the opening few minutes.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Mon Jun 25, 2018 4:17 pm

mister d wrote: ↑Mon Jun 25, 2018 4:16 pm You missed the goalie and one of his defenders almost fight in the opening few minutes.

Actually I saw that at the gym. The wonders of the pv... I mean dvr!

Those boys were intense.

And as much as I hate Suarez, I want Uruguay to win so badly... I loathe the Portugal team.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 7:36 am

I can't get over how bad this Chris Jones piece on Mo Salah is.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 7:42 am

The main premise of the piece, that Salah is at his peak value, may be true, but it is horribly written by someone who seems to have just started watching the game, (and I generally enjoy Jones' work).

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 7:45 am

I wrote these earlier posts at about 1/3 and 2/3 of the way through the piece, half thinking it would get better as I read on. Nope. It ends horribly as well.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 9:24 am

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Tue Jun 26, 2018 7:42 am The main premise of the piece, that Salah is at his peak value, may be true, but it is horribly written by someone who seems to have just started watching the game, (and I generally enjoy Jones' work).

Saw the headline and (partially based on your review, partially based on the idiocy of the premise) read no further.

Selling Suarez didn't do much for the team - simply put, selling your best player is rarely a good idea.

Post by **brian** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 10:51 am

Japan is the only hope to have an Asian team advance. Every other confederation will have at least one team in the R16 most likely.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 11:15 am

brian wrote: ↑Tue Jun 26, 2018 10:51 am Japan is the only hope to have an Asian team advance. Every other confederation will have at least one team in the R16 most likely.

Mexico hasn't made it yet!

ah: most likely.

yeah, Asia is by far the weakest confederation. It disappoints me how bad they've become. Asia was the only confederation to not have team advance in 2014 as well, they all finished last in their group.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 12:27 pm

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Tue Jun 26, 2018 7:45 am I wrote these earlier posts at about 1/3 and 2/3 of the way through the piece, half thinking it would get better as I read on. Nope. It ends horribly as well.

Vindicated!

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:05 pm

I really want an early Nigeria goal so this game can go completely nuts.

rass · Post by **rass** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:13 pm

Nuts how? Wouldn't an ARG lead cause the biggest ripples in terms of the standings?

rass · Post by **rass** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:18 pm

And there you go.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:20 pm

Would have, but Argentina frantically chasing down Nigeria would have been more exciting, no? Now the more skilled team can just hold.

Post by **brian** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:22 pm

mister d wrote: ↑Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:20 pm Would have, but Argentina frantically chasing down Nigeria would have been more exciting, no? Now the more skilled team can just hold.

Sort of. Iceland look pretty useless thus far but that second goal still might end up being important for Argentina yet.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:23 pm

I mean, to state the obvious, that is just an incredible display of skill. To drop it off the thigh onto the off foot and over to his shooting foot at that pace?

That's just jaw dropping.

And, I mean, it's an incredible pass, but 99 percent of the world's players don't do anything dangerous there. That second touch is almost always where the goalie can pounce off a heavy touch.

rass · Post by **rass** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:23 pm

After seeing most of Argentina's first two games, I would have been worried a deficit would just see them quit.

Rams Fanny · Post by **Rams Fanny** » Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:25 pm

Tony Meola sounds too much like Troy Aikman for me to enjoy his games. I keep waiting for Joe buck to chime in.