World Cup Thread

[BillyStubbsTears]

I’m guessing, apart from 66, we’ve never gone further than Germany, Argentina, Italy, Holland...

[Al4475]

Probably not! Without jinking em - I like the look of Croatia and Uruguay -  both could go quite far!

[ChrisBx]

Uruguay looked incredibly effective tonight. Completely nullified Ronaldo and gave away very little in general. Interesting next fixture for them vs. France.

A question for you all; how many remaining nations do you think have a realistic chance of winning the tournament? For me, it's three (France, Brazil and Spain).

[boro_rover]

Agree with you there al4475. Both have been rock solid. Dependable squads who are organised and will put it all on the line for the team.

You can see why Athleti don’t concede many with Godin at the back he is an absolute wall!

Glad to see Portugal and Argies go home. Can’t help but hold it against them that they have got the better of us numerous times in controversial curcumstances.

I think the Uruguayans will give anyone a game.

[Michael Shaw]

It just doesn't seem real to see so many big names gone, and if only we could beat Colombia who knows  ....

[Pancho Regan]

I’m guessing, apart from 66, we’ve never gone further than Germany, Argentina, Italy, Holland...

We haven’t gone further than Argentina yet so let’s calm down.

We couldn’t have lived with France or Argentina on today’s showing. They were both far ahead of us.

[Tarkovsky_Mikluzhkin]

I’m guessing, apart from 66, we’ve never gone further than Germany, Argentina, Italy, Holland...

England have never gone further than Germany on foreign soil (unless you count 1950 when they were banned).

England have gone further than the Dutch 10 times (mainly in the 50s/60s before they were any kind of footballing force)

As for Italy it's 6 times and argentina it's 5.

2002 QF 1962 QF and 1954 QF are the times England have gone further than all 3 (although 2 of them didn't even enter in 1954) - of course we would have to beat Colombia to go further than Argentina this time around.

[Pancho Regan]

I’m guessing, apart from 66, we’ve never gone further than Germany, Argentina, Italy, Holland...

We haven’t gone further than Argentina yet so let’s calm down.

We couldn’t have lived with France or Argentina on today’s showing. They were both far ahead of us.

I don't think Argentina were any good at all, apart from a 10-minute spell either side of half-time. They were lucky to get three goals.

I think England would have done 'em today.

We’ll never know, but I don’t think England would have despatched Argentina the way France did.

[Michael Shaw]

What's made this world cup so good is the unpredictability and there have been some great battles.

[BillyStubbsTears]

There’s been a theme over the past decade where the better sides have been able to dominate possession and squeeze the life out of the game as a spectacle.

Guardiola all over the place and Spain were the most prominent exponents but even closer to home, it was O’Driscoll’s MO as well.

It was very elegant to watch for the purists (or if it was your side doing to squeezing) but it made the game awful as a spectacle.

Thankfully, we seem to be moving out of that era. There are geniuses all round the world who cannot be shackled (Modric, Mbappe, Cavani & Suarez, Neymar sometimes, Rodriguez and Cuadrado sometimes, Isco, deBruyne and Hazard, even Shaqiri in moments and they can hit you, hard in moments. Even the smaller sides like Iceland and Denmark and Sweden have the ability now to be organised in long periods without the ball, then break fast as a side when they do get it.

We’ve got a wonderfully exhilarating era of football as a result. I hope it stays like this for a long time.

Question now is, do England’s flair players have enough to step up to the top table?

[PDX_Rover]

France for me are the team to beat. Having said that, they still gave away three goals against a very average Argentinian side IMO, so they can be exposed. Uruguay are well drilled if not pretty to watch. Spain have been a bit hit and miss for me so far. Croatia have been strong but not sure they can sustain it... they have a habit of petering out 1/4 finals.

England... on the fence. When it clicks it is effective. But there's little pressure ion them as far as I can tell which I think helps. It wouldn't surprise me if we got to the semis and then who knows. Colombia a big test but definitely winnable.


Brazil - meh. Watch them bloody win it.

[NickDRFC]

Only found out yesterday that Uruguay has a population of 3.5 million people, very impressive World Cup record based on that!

[DevilMayCry]

Russia scored against Spain and it’s 1-1 now...maybe the russians will make us a surprise? 

[Colemans Left Hook]

Russia scored against Spain and it’s 1-1 now...maybe the russians will make us a surprise? 

nice to see one of Picquets cheating tricks being spotted for the pen the other apart from shirt pulling (a speciality) is his 2  footed tackle he got a yellow card in the earlier round -- when it should have been a red

we've seen those 2 footed tackles not penalised many times

[Colemans Left Hook]

I think piquet misses the next game for what its worth with 2 yellows

[BillyStubbsTears]

Well, I’m in Brussels with work. In the hotel bar watching the match. Full of people from all over Europe enjoying themselves. And I’m ashamed to be English.

Cockney w**ker at the bar. Orders a beer. Barman, a middle eastern guy, is halfway through pouring it and CW says, “Nah! din ya fackin ear me?  I want a cognaaac.”

Barman looks at him. Puts the beer down and pours a cognac.

It says “Cognac: €6.50” clear as day on the board.

CW gives barman €5.

Barman says, politely, in English, “It’s €1.50 more sir.”

CW says, “Nah. I ain’t payin fackin €6.50. Show me the bottle. Show me the fackin bottle!”

Barman takes the drink and says, “Nothing for you then sir.”

CW walks off muttering about “fackin Muslims”.

I apologies to barman in broken French and try to explain that we’re not all obnoxious caaaarrrnnnttts.

What a f**king Bell end.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Oh aye. I’d be ashamed to be Spanish an all. This isn’t football. It’s anti-football. Awful, awful to watch.

[DevilMayCry]

Oh aye. I’d be ashamed to be Spanish an all. This isn’t football. It’s anti-football. Awful, awful to watch.

Russia will have a chance to beat them at penalties

[GazLaz]

It’s rope-a-dope stuff.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Takes a lot to get me rooting for Russia but Spain have managed it.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Actually. Just realising. You can’t beat watching the WC coverage in a foreign language.

Belgian commentator just said “Akinfaev avait un super match.”

[BillyStubbsTears]

Picqueeee... Le gol!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Golovin. Le Speedy Gonzalez de la Russie. 

[DevilMayCry]

Ha ha, Russia won at penalties 

[Filo]

Start believing, the stars are aligning!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Never EVER a better chance for England.

[Filo]

Russia remind me of Greece when they won the Euros

[RedJ]

Imagine if Brazil shit it tomorrow afternoon.

Wonder how we'll blow it this year.

[redandwhitearmy]

Guaranteed we go out on Tuesday now.

[PDX_Rover]

That’s the spirit. Good positive vibes. Not.