OT - World Cup 2018 Thread

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I’ll take the W, but terrible performance.

Joao Mario and Bernardo Silva have had a terrible WC so far. All they’ve done wad lose possession. Mario gave no help to Guerrero today (who was also abysmal)

I’m actually a big Goncalo Guedes fan, and actually didn’t think he was that bad today. Portugal wants to catch teams on the counter, and Guedes pace is a perfect compliment to CR7.

I’m still optimistic, but this was bad. One thing I will say, these are the types of games Portugal in the past would’ve lost. All things said somethings gotta change. I personally think Bernardo Silva might have to play behind the forwards give him some room and take him off the wing. We need some type of spark.

Guedes needs to capitalize on those chances and he hasn’t. I saw no creativity today. Just a team coasting and trying to hang on for dear life. Iran will be fighting as well. This team needs to step up. Someone else besides Ronaldo has to step up.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Given that the host country has won the Cup almost 1/3 of the time I wouldn't be surprised to see Russia win their first. No one has really impressed in this first round.

FIFA put Russia in an easy bracket

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Uruguay didn’t look good either. Two awful games for the most part.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

FIFA put Russia in an easy bracket

Well they came in playing some horrible footy but they have scored all these goals. Let’s see how they do against Uruguay who struggled today against Saudi Arabia.

 

[AzorianPats]

Just been a weird World Cup. Good weird though

There’s no favorites to me anymore.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Just been a weird World Cup. Good weird though

There’s no favorites to me anymore.

Watching Iran and that defense. Portugal’s gonna have to break through it. All they need is a draw or a win. Hope they don’t blow this.

 

[AzorianPats]

Watching Iran and that defense. Portugal’s gonna have to break through it. All they need is a draw or a win. Hope they don’t blow this.

I can almost guarantee he’s gonna start Andre Silva next week to partner up with Ronaldo upfront. Maybe Quaresma gets the start of the bat.

Iran not even attempting to attack Spain.

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I can almost guarantee he’s gonna start Andre Silva next week to partner up with Ronaldo upfront. Maybe Quaresma gets the start of the bat.

Iran not even attempting to attack Spain.

Yes and they paid the price for it. Just win or tie. Gotta play better though than the crap i saw today.

 

[AzorianPats]

Wowww!!!

Iran gets a goal called back thru VAR

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Wowww!!!

Iran gets a goal called back thru VAR

Was it the right call though?

 

[AzorianPats]

Was it the right call though?

Yea it was offside.

 

[AzorianPats]

Spain up 1-0 but they’re having a tough time putting away Iran.

 

[Belichick8384]

Well these matches today were supposed to be boring but honestly they were all closer than expected. Can't tell if Portugal & Spain were playing it safe or if they struggled to peform. Honestly, I think as predictable as today was it didn't seem like it during the matches, only the result.

Looking to see what the youngest team in the tournament can do to get a leg up in their group Fri. Tomorrow are all forgettable matches. Won't mind missing them at work.

 

[AzorianPats]

Well these matches today were supposed to be boring but honestly they were all closer than expected. Can't tell if Portugal & Spain were playing it safe or if they struggled to peform. Honestly, I think as predictable as today was it didn't seem like it during the matches, only the result.

Looking to see what the youngest team in the tournament can do to get a leg up in their group Fri. Tomorrow are all forgettable matches. Won't mind missing them at work.

Argentina- Croatia is a hell of a game!

 

[Belichick8384]

Meh..... Not interested in either. Hopefully both are eliminated before quarterfinals lol

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

Meh..... Not interested in either. Hopefully both are eliminated before quarterfinals lol

Who are you rooting for? What final do you want?

 

[PatriotsNumero1Fan]

I would love to see a brazil vs Mexico final but that will never happen. Either that or Portugal vs Mexico. I just wanna see something different

 

[Belichick8384]

Brazil in the final definitely wouldn't be very different from the norm of the WC lol

Well, since there's no USA I'm mainly sticking with Mexico. But it would be cool to see a team like Senegal take it if Mexico can't. No one has won the WC but European teams & South American teams. I always root for the CONCACAF but it is nice to see CAF or even AFC teams succeed. I want something different for a change, no European teams and no South American teams in the final. I know that's unlikely to happen, mostly because football is the most developed in those continents than anywhere else in the world. I would like to see world football become more competitive, and a successful team from one of the other continents would inspire more love for the game and effort to be great in those continents.

That's why I'm on board with the Cup being expanded, more countries from other continents will get more experience and might take the world by storm. My only gripe with world football is that it isn't competitive enough. Would like to see that change. Especially since my kids one day might give it a shot.

 

[AzorianPats]

Well I think you're starting to see that now. The North American, African and Asian teams are starting to catch up to the giant European and South American teams.

Senegal beating Poland, Mexico beating Germany. Morocco outplaying Portugal, Iran giving Spain fits...

I think if it’s not this WC maybe next, we’re on the verge of seeing a non Euro/SA team win it

 

[Belichick8384]

Ehhhh yes and no...

CONCACAF yes. Mexico looks very good this year. Against Germany they were organised, they were fast, physical, and their defense was solid. Costa Rica made it to quarterfinals and didn't get blown out when they lost in 2014. Team USA was in quarterfinals in 2002. Its just USA's team is going through a bit of transition at the moment.

Asia, no. Definitely no. There's still a huge gap between Asian teams and European & South American teams. Japan is probably the best one they've got. Now credit to them for forcing Colombia into a corner early and making them err. But one has to wonder how Japan would have fared against an 11 man Colombia. Japan actually seemed to struggle in much of the game against 10 men. Iran put up a valiant defensive front against Spain, but didn't know how to attack them it seemed. When they broke their defense, they were not very organised in doing so (offside on their best shot at goal) otherwise didn't do much with the ball when they had it. These are Asia's best two and they still struggle to close the gap.

Africa is odd. They have only a handful of teams who can do it but they have shown the potential to make the distance. Much of the continent has a plethora of issues preventing the production of high-skill football. Most of those countries are very poor so not only do they struggle to get the nutrition for their children to grow up to be faster and stronger but they also lack the facilities and training programs that they have in places like Europe or South America.
Lest we forget Nigeria won the 1996 Olympic Tournament, the first of their kind. Nigeria has been a little on-again-off-again year to year. This year doesn't look like their time as they're the youngest team by average in the tournament. To win the WC you need plenty of experience. Senegal surprised the world in 2002, and that was their 1st appearance. And one player from that team became their coach. They probably have the strongest chance (seeing they're the only African team who has won so far and with relative ease no less). Ghana could have made it to the final in 2010 if it weren't for a missed penalty that Suarez gifted them at the end of extra time. And could've made a splash in 2014 as well if it wasn't for the players getting greedy and getting impatient over the money they were expecting to earn just for showing up. I'm afraid Ghana's time has passed for this era. Ivory Coast & Camaroon are examples of other pretty-good African teams.

I can see where you're coming from saying that we can see it happening soon, but we're still a ways away. Obviously there's still a slim chance, but I can see one out of the nine teams in Africa & Asia making it and Mexico is pretty much CONCACAF's only hope this tournament from what I've seen. BUT here's to hoping for an outright Cinderella to make the distance! Fingers crossed


[Not sure if you've ever seen this movie but I figured I'd make the reference ]