World Cup Thread

[Bentley Bullet]

Of course it was in!

https://youtu.be/HKFyUqvsPuM

They froze that before the ball hit the ground therefore making it seem over, it wasn't. But so good to still have this doubt after all these years.

I'd gathered that, just put it on as a light hearted response. Mind you there were suspicions that the other video on this thread had been tampered with also.

[Scooter]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3384366/Geoff-Hurst-s-goal-against-West-Germany-DID-cross-line-Sky-Sports-finally-prove-linesman-right-award-controversial-strike-1966-World-Cup-final.html

I know it’s the daily mail but Sky sports did an analysis of the 66 final. And computer generated technology proved it crossed the line

[Cantley Rover]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3384366/Geoff-Hurst-s-goal-against-West-Germany-DID-cross-line-Sky-Sports-finally-prove-linesman-right-award-controversial-strike-1966-World-Cup-final.html

I know it’s the daily mail but Sky sports did an analysis of the 66 final. And computer generated technology proved it crossed the line

That's it then. If the Daily Mail says it crossed the line it definitely didn't.

[belton rover]

And here (hopefully) endeth the lesson that statistics are a load of old cobblers. 100%.

[Donnywolf]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3384366/Geoff-Hurst-s-goal-against-West-Germany-DID-cross-line-Sky-Sports-finally-prove-linesman-right-award-controversial-strike-1966-World-Cup-final.html

I know it’s the daily mail but Sky sports did an analysis of the 66 final. And computer generated technology proved it crossed the line

That's it then. If the Daily Mail says it crossed the line it definitely didn't.

Correct - I dont think and never did think that the Ball crossed the Line.

Lampards disallowed CLEARLY over the Line goal was disappointing when not allowed but we got the best of the deal when comparing the 2 of them !

On the bright side "they" finally got their a***s in gear and approved GLT which (subject to the level your Team plays) should prevent similar travesties in the future

[Herbert Anchovy]

  Billy, I was stood behind that goal in 66, with Andy Lochhead and Ray Pointer and a mate. None of us had any idea whether it crossed the line or not, but Roger Hunt, who was the nearest player with the best view immediately threw his hands above his head and turned away.
    He could have just nodded it in, and is the reason I have always thought it was a goal, he had the best view in the house.
  We paid £50 each for two tickets off a tout, face value was £3 19s 6d I think.

This story deserves a thread of its own Selby!

[ravenrover]

Well, Ali bin Nasser though Maradona has got his head to the ball in 86. Officials get it wrong.

But I thought we were talking about 1966?

[Bristol Red Rover]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3384366/Geoff-Hurst-s-goal-against-West-Germany-DID-cross-line-Sky-Sports-finally-prove-linesman-right-award-controversial-strike-1966-World-Cup-final.html

I know it’s the daily mail but Sky sports did an analysis of the 66 final. And computer generated technology proved it crossed the line

The vid of the actual footage on that page shows clearly it didn't cross the line.

The only question is whether the bottom of the ball was over the line or not - so close. When you apply the rule of the whole ball needing to cross the line, it didn't. But then that rule of the whole ball is supposed to apply for the whole of the goal line (corner to corner), and the touchline, but it's hardly ever applied to those by the refs and lino's, just the bottom of the ball being over or not.

[Bentley Bullet]

So what if it was a bad decision and the ball didn't cross the line? Football's full of bad decisions. Why single that one out? I remember at the time the injustice of W Germany getting a dubious free kick that led to their last minute equaliser. I've tried to find the incident but footage seems to only show you the free kick for some reason.

[Al4475]

I think by 'bests' teams most people think about teams with a name associated with a history - history by definition means the past. Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Germany, yadda yadda yadda have all been one of the best at some point in history. In a few years time the record books will say that in the 2018 Fifa World Cup the four best teams at that moment in history were France, Belgium, England and Croatia regardless of how they got to the semis - at the end of the day - all the 'best/biggest' teams (bar France) have been beaten by one of the last four or someone in the last four who knocked out one of the best earlier, or one of the last four knocked out someone who knocked out one of the best before that! If you catch my drift. Doesn't really matter if your name ends up on the trophy. Lol

[Bristol Red Rover]

So what if it was a bad decision and the ball didn't cross the line? Football's full of bad decisions. Why single that one out? I remember at the time the injustice of W Germany getting a dubious free kick that led to their last minute equaliser. I've tried to find the incident but footage seems to only show you the free kick for some reason.

It singles itself out. A free kick controversy is far less "stand out", a pen controversy stands out more. A winning goal or not in the final of the world cup is a stand out as it gets, and as everyone knows, the 4th wouldn't have happened without the 3rd.

The Azerbaijani lino gave it because he saw the net move, therefore thought it hit the inside of the net and bounced out, so not the crossbar. He couldn't see where it bounced on the floor, and didn't think that was relevant as it was already a goal by then.

[idler]

Look at Jack Charlton's frustration when the kick was given especially as ref's were far more lenient then.
Last week a goalie pinched ten yards at a free kick, ten yards further back where it should have been and there probably wouldn't have been a goal.

[The Red Baron]

So what if it was a bad decision and the ball didn't cross the line? Football's full of bad decisions. Why single that one out? I remember at the time the injustice of W Germany getting a dubious free kick that led to their last minute equaliser. I've tried to find the incident but footage seems to only show you the free kick for some reason.

It singles itself out. A free kick controversy is far less "stand out", a pen controversy stands out more. A winning goal or not in the final of the world cup is a stand out as it gets, and as everyone knows, the 4th wouldn't have happened without the 3rd.

The Azerbaijani lino gave it because he saw the net move, therefore thought it hit the inside of the net and bounced out, so not the crossbar. He couldn't see where it bounced on the floor, and didn't think that was relevant as it was already a goal by then.

I thought he gave it because he remembered Stalingrad. 😉

Incidentally the national stadium in Baku is named after him. He ended up as President of the Azeri FA.

[RoversAlias]

Strangled the life out of Belgium which they did against Uruguay expertly. I thought Umtiti and Varane were brilliant tonight, the whole team were as a unit.

[ravenrover]

Thought France were well organised, had an out ball to Mbappe but Belgium had a couple of clear opportunities to score  The ball from DeBruyne that Lukaku made no effort to get on the end of was their best chance IF England get there they are in with a shout but I bet McGuire will be having nitemares now about Mbappe playing wide right JMHO

[drfchound]

If we get through I bet France will be having nightmares about what McGuire might do to them at corners.

[RedJ]

Dejan Lovren will probably cock it up for them.

[BillyStubbsTears]

France were superb tonight.

They combined defensively water-tight organisation with moments of genius.

That’s the sort of side that you long to see as a partisan fan. They snuffed out the world’s best front 3, and had enough to hit them.

If England beat that side in the Final, there will never be any questions about their right to be called genuine champions.

[GazLaz]

If we get through I bet France will be having nightmares about what McGuire might do to them at corners.

I'm convinced tomorrow night that England will get at least one 'free header' opportunity at a set-piece (probably a corner).

If Croatia don't go with man to man marking at set-pieces, they'll get exposed and it could cost them a place in the final. In midfield, I think they're better - just not defensively.

With Croatia it all depends what shape they deploy and if they play on the front foot or allow us to have the ball and play on the break. If they have their two main men in midfield sitting we will beat them. If they are more progressive and have at least one of them linking things up to Mario M up top, things could be different.

[goalkick]

Some of mbappes tactics very dubious.little bit of South American play there.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Croatia playing it cagey and trying to hold us. I think it would be a mistake for them, but I could well see them doing it.

[GazLaz]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Croatia playing it cagey and trying to hold us. I think it would be a mistake for them, but I could well see them doing it.

I agree. That will negate their strongest players I think. Modric will always affect a game, wherever he plays, but it’s to what extent. As good as he is Mandzukic hasn’t got the pace to trouble teams if he is left too isolated.

[GazLaz]

I’ve got a feeling Lingard will score the winner. He’s scored some very big goals in his career. If it’s not tomorrow he must be saving it for the winner in the final.

[NickDRFC]

Well, that's France through to the final.

Don't know about anyone else but I thought they were very, very average tonight. Mbappe aside who is like a young Michael Owen before injuries destroyed his career, they didn't really impress me and beat Belgium by containing them, rather than showing any flair.

Thought Belgium were quite unlucky.

Can’t agree with Belgium being unlucky. They threatened very little and when they did, France defended very well. Pogba seems to be growing as the tournament progresses and Mbappe’s pce is always a threat. If Giroud could get anywhere near the target they could even have had a couple more goals.

Whoever wins tomorrow night is going to be up against it in the final if France play like that.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Well, that's France through to the final.

Don't know about anyone else but I thought they were very, very average tonight. Mbappe aside who is like a young Michael Owen before injuries destroyed his career, they didn't really impress me and beat Belgium by containing them, rather than showing any flair.

Thought Belgium were quite unlucky.

Can’t agree with Belgium being unlucky. They threatened very little and when they did, France defended very well. Pogba seems to be growing as the tournament progresses and Mbappe’s pce is always a threat. If Giroud could get anywhere near the target they could even have had a couple more goals.

Whoever wins tomorrow night is going to be up against it in the final if France play like that.

Agreed

France weren't far off the perfect side tonight.

To be able to neutralise an attack as potent as Belgium's and still have the best striker on the pitch is pretty much the ideal of football.

[RoversAlias]

I’ve got a feeling Lingard will score the winner. He’s scored some very big goals in his career. If it’s not tomorrow he must be saving it for the winner in the final.

Can see your thinking there. He seems like a player with a great temperament for these sorts of games. I was reading a BBC feature earlier on whether or not Sterling has been any good due to the divide in opinion on his displays, but I noticed in a lot of the statistical areas they were showing Sterling had done well, Lingard was still better. He has been very good and the more I see of him, the more I like him.

[PDX_Rover]

Shame about Mbappe's theatrics though. Has so much in his locker he doesn't need to be fannying around like that. Whoever marks him in the final should hit him hard and early on, let him know he's in a game.

[BillyStubbsTears]

RA.

Sterling has been one of England's best players. He's been excellent at making runs beyond the line and pulling defenders out of position. The stick he's got kind of demonstrates what some occasional watchers of football are like - they see the ball hitting the back of the net and nowt else.

[RoversAlias]

RA.

Sterling has been one of England's best players. He's been excellent at making runs beyond the line and pulling defenders out of position. The stick he's got kind of demonstrates what some occasional watchers of football are like - they see the ball hitting the back of the net and nowt else.

Yes, I think he's done better than most are saying. He was excellent against Sweden aside from his final ball/finish which let him down a few times. The way he took down Henderson's long high pass in front of goal before trying to round the keeper was top class yet no one talked about it afterwards, only the fact he failed to finish or find a square pass for Kane to finish.

Lingard has been better overall but then he's easily in the top 3 performers for England as far as I'm concerned, along with Trippier and Maguire. To be honest the whole side has performed above and beyond what most of us expected them to.

[Rovers91]

I'd be tempted to draft RLC in for tonight's game because I'm worried about how much support Henderson will get from them in front of him against Rakitic and Modric. But put RLC in the team I think we could bully them in midfield and I don't think they would be able to handle his power he could just run over the top of them.