Author Topic: World cup 2018  (Read 60275 times)

woollypigs

  • Mr Peli
    • woollypigs
Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #475 on: 11 July, 2018, 09:53:17 pm »
Well it is coming home, hope they get back in time to watch the final, must be a downer to sit in airplane while the sportsball final is on.
Current mood: AARRRGGGGHHHHH !!! #bollockstobrexit

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #476 on: 11 July, 2018, 09:55:48 pm »
Well the population of Croatia has grown,  to 4.16 million. That chap with the tattoo on his leg is going to be sore.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #477 on: 11 July, 2018, 09:59:40 pm »
Oh well.
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #478 on: 11 July, 2018, 10:00:36 pm »
There's always next time.

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #479 on: 11 July, 2018, 10:08:37 pm »


Ah, unicorn dreams.

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
  • Help me!
Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #480 on: 11 July, 2018, 10:38:37 pm »
Bad luck guys. 
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #481 on: 11 July, 2018, 10:39:33 pm »
Well.... for me personally, I enjoyed the ride immensely. And I've enjoyed the whole Russia 2018 tournament. Couple of [insignificant] games to go, but that's almost it. Over on Sunday.

No substitute for experience as my father was always fond was saying.
You've just got to take your chances.

The only thing that will heave a huge sigh of relief as far as I'm concerned is my liver.......and wallet.
Back to health drawing board now [how boring :)]
Garry Broad

Bairn Again

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #482 on: 11 July, 2018, 10:43:02 pm »
that was a massive chance blown by England.  3-0 would not have flattered England at HT.  Roy Keane the seething Irishman was right, they needed to smell the Croatian fear and ruthlessly wipe them out.  A harsh lesson, but it was like a switch flicked after about 55 mins and England went into reverse against an older team that should have been more tired. 

No shame in 3rd/4th but perhaps unlike 1990 there must be a sense of deflation on having missed out.

Final thought - massive respect to this England squad and manager, they have done way more than the so called golden generations of Becks, Lamps, Gerrard, Rio, Rooney et al., These 2018 lads are perhaps less talented individually but are proof of the value of teamwork and discipline.  C

chapeau. 

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #483 on: 11 July, 2018, 10:58:55 pm »
No shame in 3rd/4th but perhaps unlike 1990 there must be a sense of deflation on having missed out.

That's interesting you say that, because where I sit right now I feel the exact opposite. The 1990 team was far superior to this team, I felt a much greater sense of deflation when England lost in 1990 to how I do this evening. When they finally got it together England had a decent outfit in 1990 - some real quality in there. England could have beaten Croatia this evening, but at the end of the day, we didn't take our chances and this is top level football, you can't fuck about, if you don't take your chances then you're good enough to go through. It's as simple as that. You're lucky to get that many second chances. Fair play to Croatia.....you could see their experience coming to the fore as the game goes on. For a team supposedly tired from two extra time games - they looked the sharper outfit.

All good fun though :-)
Garry Broad

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #484 on: 11 July, 2018, 11:03:40 pm »
Pickford - massive respect.
Great save in the second half.
I'm sure he must be a bit disappointed with how England defended the second goal.
But see how Croatia took that chance. That's the difference.
Garry Broad

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #485 on: 11 July, 2018, 11:15:43 pm »
That's interesting you say that, because where I sit right now I feel the exact opposite. The 1990 team was far superior to this team, I felt a much greater sense of deflation when England lost in 1990 to how I do this evening. When they finally got it together England had a decent outfit in 1990 - some real quality in there.

England really could have done with a player of Gazza's quality in midfield tonight.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #486 on: 11 July, 2018, 11:16:18 pm »
Yeah, England should have made more of the dominant first half.

Congratulations to Croatia - deserved winners over the match. It would be pleasing to have a new world cup winner, too.

Samuel D

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #487 on: 11 July, 2018, 11:18:58 pm »
DuncanM: I’ll take your word for it since it sounds like you know what you’re talking about.

That was a huge pity tonight. England dominated the first half and looked great everywhere, although even then they lacked shots on target (anyone know how many they had?). I was thinking ahead to the final with France and starting to believe they could beat France on a lucky evening.

The second half was a different story, and after Sterling went off at about 70 minutes there wasn’t much play created by England.

It may be a while before England have such a favorable draw again. Still, the whole crew deserve credit for getting the nation dreaming again. But success is still the main thing lacking in English football. If they’d won this Cup it would have changed everything for a generation. ’Twas not to be …

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #488 on: 11 July, 2018, 11:26:35 pm »

Samuel D

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #489 on: 11 July, 2018, 11:30:31 pm »
Thanks. Five shots on target in 120 minutes isn’t great, is it. I wonder how many of those were in the pressing first half.

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #490 on: 12 July, 2018, 12:28:42 am »
Thanks. Five shots on target in 120 minutes isn’t great, is it. I wonder how many of those were in the pressing first half.

The number of chances is not the point, it's whether you can 'stick 'em away' that matters.
The higher the standard of football, the fewer chances you get and the precious those chances become.
In the hands of somebody else five chances could mean five goals.

My nephew was at some festival somewhere watching the game, and I was communicating with him at various times, and my final text to him was something along the lines of "mate, don't despair, you're still young enough that it might even happen for you in your lifetime.....time's running out for me" :-)


Garry Broad

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #491 on: 12 July, 2018, 06:47:53 am »
Croatia were better, I'm afraid.  Two goals from open play are far superior to one from a direct free kick.  I thought England got rattled after the Croatian goal.

It's a shame they have to play Belgium again in the anticlimax to end all anticlimaxes but Kane may yet get his golden boot.

Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #492 on: 12 July, 2018, 09:30:40 am »
As Trippier was lining up to take that free kick, my son dragged up a statistic from somewhere: "Every team which has scored directly from a free kick has gone on to lose the match." Not sure if that's 100% accurate but it proved prophetic!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #493 on: 12 July, 2018, 09:31:15 am »
And for the second time in the tournament, extra time actually served its purpose.  :thumbsup:
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #494 on: 12 July, 2018, 10:33:34 am »
1 x outrageously beautiful Messi goal
... is a lower-ranking hand than ...
2* x scrappy headed English goals from 75 corners.

HTH!


*Sadly we didn't score twice in enough games to still be in the World Cup. But then neither did Argentina ... :P
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #495 on: 12 July, 2018, 11:30:45 am »
I don't recognise the England campaign as described by almost every commentator.

What I saw was a decidedly average team who had the easiest draw you are ever likely to get, who only beat teams rated well below them, were beaten by Belgium and finally Croatia (again rated below them), and a manager who repeatedly chose a striker with a track record of incredible incompetence at international level (but apparently can't be criticised for fear of accusations of racism).

They haven't even played to their world ranking yet we are to believe this was a notable achievement.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

The sound of one pannier flapping

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #496 on: 12 July, 2018, 12:51:22 pm »
I took pride in their achievement and not necessarily on the pitch. Yes they played OK football and the draw fell nicely for them but the whole three weeks was more than that.

They played well on occasions, they showed they are not talentless morons with only bank balances and WAGS to think about. It seemed an honest, open team who clearly enjoyed their football and enjoyed being there. They were the youngest team in age and caps in the tournament and if they maintain the attitude and team sprit they are currently showing then who knows what's going to happen in two and four years.

Gareth Southgate and those of us watching on TV asked them to play to the best of their ability and they did. I never imagined they could beat France in the final and Croatia were the best team they faced but it wasn't a thrashing, they scored a goal and they held their own for about an hour.

We can for once cheer a team off the plane rather than demanding the managers head. As a nation that is obsessed with football that is currently good enough after 28 years of mediocrity. We will expect more next time though and I believe with this manager and the core of this team that is possible.
Duct tape is magic and should be worshipped

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #497 on: 12 July, 2018, 12:52:27 pm »
a manager who repeatedly chose a striker with a track record of incredible incompetence at international level (but apparently can't be criticised for fear of accusations of racism).
I think that's kinda harsh on Harry Kane who despite doing seemingly very little in open play is likely to win the golden boot. :P

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #498 on: 12 July, 2018, 01:02:38 pm »
I can't find it now but someone said a few days ago that the best games, in terms of styles, had been between European and South American teams. That could well be so overall but England-Colombia was a really ugly match. Compared to that, our loss against Croatia is leaving on a high. Okay, we're not leaving yet, one more match, but almost. And I hope Croatia go on to win the whole thing, they look as if they really want it!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Samuel D

Re: World cup 2018
« Reply #499 on: 12 July, 2018, 01:04:19 pm »
Someone on the the live BBC commentary webpage wrote in to say Kane was like a wet lettuce last night. Thought that was about right! Hopefully he does better on the second go against Belgium.

I see no need to bring race into the picture, but a lot of my fellow white men just can’t resist. Sterling, though, was essential to England’s modest success in this World Cup.