News:

Thank you for your patience during the Forum downtime while we upgraded the software. Welcome back and see this thread for some new features and other changes to the forum.

Main Menu

2018 FIFA World Cup

Started by Bruce, February 20, 2018, 08:00:22 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Bruce

Imagine all that time-wasting, for the entire match, being called in favor of the time-wasters by the referees (who have an anti-American slant). And now imagine a hostile crowd that wakes up opposing teams with fireworks at 4 am the days before the match. The field might be more mud than grass, the facilities decrepit, and perhaps purposefully so. (e.g. Costa Rica purposely uses their crappy old national stadium for CONCACAF instead of their fancy new stadium built by the Chinese government).

That's CONCACAF. The United States would likely have a better time qualifying through UEFA, against harder competition but without the agony of CONCACAF away days.


CNGL-Leudimin

Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on June 14, 2018, 08:14:13 AM
Okay, I've set my World Cup mock-up. I've replaced all national teams with the 32 teams that made it to the Second Round in the March Madness (thus doing it the other way, as in the March Madness I replaced basketball teams with association football ones), and matched the highest FIFA ranking team to the highest overall seed, the second highest FIFA ranking team to the second highest overall seed and so on. Normally Germany would have become Virginia, but as we know Virginia got the largest owned in the history of the March Madness, and thus Germany becomes Villanova instead, while Russia becomes Maryland-Baltimore County. This doesn't mean Germany is going to win the World Cup, though :sombrero:.

And in fact Germany is now out :bigass:. They have never been out this early before.
Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.

Bruce

South Korea bailed out Mexico big time, something that they don't really deserve.

english si

That assumes that Germany would have poached a late undeserved last minute goal if they weren't trying to score two...

...OK, it's Germany, and they do that so often. Carry on.

---

Belgium aim to deliberately tank today. Look at the draw and you'll see that Japan/Senegal/Colombia in the last 16 (both sides of the draw) should be passable for them and England. Next round is Brazil/Mexico for the group winner and Switzerland/Sweden for the runner up. Semi-final also easier for the second place: Spain/Russia/Croatia/Denmark vs Uruguay/Portgual/France/Argentina for the group winners.

England fans were joking that we need to park the bus at both ends to make it a draw, then sub on a sacrifice to get a red card to come lower than the Belgians on discipline.

NWI_Irish96

Quote from: Bruce on June 28, 2018, 12:11:28 AM
South Korea bailed out Mexico big time, something that they don't really deserve.

I'm not a fan of Mexico, and was hoping to see them get booted, but they got 6 points and no team with 6 points has ever failed to advance so it's hard to say they didn't deserve it.  They were the second best team in the group.
Indiana: counties 100%, highways 100%
Illinois: counties 100%, highways 61%
Michigan: counties 100%, highways 56%
Wisconsin: counties 86%, highways 23%

NWI_Irish96

Quote from: english si on June 28, 2018, 03:20:53 AM
That assumes that Germany would have poached a late undeserved last minute goal if they weren't trying to score two...

...OK, it's Germany, and they do that so often. Carry on.

---

Belgium aim to deliberately tank today. Look at the draw and you'll see that Japan/Senegal/Colombia in the last 16 (both sides of the draw) should be passable for them and England. Next round is Brazil/Mexico for the group winner and Switzerland/Sweden for the runner up. Semi-final also easier for the second place: Spain/Russia/Croatia/Denmark vs Uruguay/Portgual/France/Argentina for the group winners.

England fans were joking that we need to park the bus at both ends to make it a draw, then sub on a sacrifice to get a red card to come lower than the Belgians on discipline.

England should get a yellow in the first minute, then both teams should sit down and have a picnic for 90 minutes, then let a random draw decide their positions.
Indiana: counties 100%, highways 100%
Illinois: counties 100%, highways 61%
Michigan: counties 100%, highways 56%
Wisconsin: counties 86%, highways 23%

Bruce

Japan advanced past Senegal on the fair play rule (fewer yellow cards) after exhausting the other tie-breakers (points, goal differential, goals scored, and head-to-head result). If they had tied on yellow cards, then qualification for the knockout round would have gone to drawing lots.

Buck87

Messi and Ronaldo both eliminated on the first day of the knockout phase.

The ending of the Uruguay-Portugal game was quite chaotic.

Alps

Quote from: Buck87 on June 30, 2018, 04:45:09 PM
Messi and Ronaldo both eliminated on the first day of the knockout phase.

The ending of the Uruguay-Portugal game was quite chaotic.
Ronaldo
You mean Cristiano Ronaldo. Annoys me when media does that. There will always be only one.

CNGL-Leudimin

Quote from: Buck87 on June 30, 2018, 04:45:09 PM
Messi and Cristiano both eliminated on the first day of the knockout phase.

FTFY :sombrero:.
Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.

nexus73

Quote from: Buck87 on June 30, 2018, 04:45:09 PM
Messi and Ronaldo both eliminated on the first day of the knockout phase.

The ending of the Uruguay-Portugal game was quite chaotic.

That was a rough game but the ref decided to let 'em play.  If he had been a Pac-12 official, there would have been 100 fouls called and everyone would have wound up ejected...LOL!  At least it was entertaining.  Uruguay has been my rooting favorite since seeing them in the 2010 WC when Suarez and Forlon were their pair of stars. 

Rick
US 101 is THE backbone of the Pacific coast from Bandon OR to Willits CA.  Industry, tourism and local traffic would be gone or severely crippled without it being in functioning condition in BOTH states.

02 Park Ave

Quote from: Bruce on June 29, 2018, 12:06:02 AM
Japan advanced past Senegal on the fair play rule (fewer yellow cards) after exhausting the other tie-breakers (points, goal differential, goals scored, and head-to-head result). If they had tied on yellow cards, then qualification for the knockout round would have gone to drawing lots.

I thought that number of corner kicks was also used as a tie breaker.  I guess that it isn't.
C-o-H

Bruce

Gutted for Japan, who played well and even had a 2-0 lead.

Mexico deserves to be knocked out, but my hate for Neymar and his antics made me feel sympathetic for them.

There only remaining teams are all from Europe and South America...depending on how tomorrow's matches go, South America may be down to only two representatives.

english si

#38
England was very happy for a few minutes while Japan were leading. Still are, given how well they played - dodged a bullet there (double if you count Brazil), though have probably walked into another one with Colombia.

Plus there's the curse - in the UK, the World Cup broadcasts are split somewhat evenly between BBC and ITV. They have some convoluted system of picking what games they show to try and make it fair. In the last 20 years, England have only won 1 WC match aired by ITV out of 11 (vs Trinidad and Tobago), whereas they've won 9 out of 13 on the BBC.

And to add insult to injury, ITV's top commentary team is the worst in the business, and everyone complains how boring and unhelpful at providing something more than stating the obvious or obviously wrong they are. BBC have some duff talent, but unlike ITV you don't get two of them put in a box together for 45 minutes of their 'wit and wisdom' - it's much easier to avoid the really annoying ones on the BBC, or at least have them much-diluted by better talent. There's a very good reason why BBC always gets about 4 times the viewership for the final (which they both air), and it's not the lack of adverts - it's the better commentary talent.

CNGL-Leudimin

The Sweden-Switzerland game was a funny one for those who like me has Spanish as his first language, as the names of both countries are similar (Suecia and Suiza respectively). I'd like to see an Austria-Australia match :sombrero:.
Supporter of the construction of several running gags, including I-366 with a speed limit of 85 mph (137 km/h) and the Hypotenuse.

Please note that I may mention "invalid" FM channels, i.e. ending in an even number or down to 87.5. These are valid in Europe.

english si

Quote from: english si on July 03, 2018, 08:07:32 AMPlus there's the curse - in the UK, the World Cup broadcasts are split somewhat evenly between BBC and ITV. They have some convoluted system of picking what games they show to try and make it fair. In the last 20 years, England have only won 1 WC match aired by ITV out of 11 (vs Trinidad and Tobago), whereas they've won 9 out of 13 on the BBC.
The curse is lifted. As is the penalties one (at the fourth attempt)!
  • argentIna knocked ouT
  • Spain lost to the hosts
  • france COncede d three
  • gerMany have been elimINated
  • portuGal on tHe plane back to lisbOn
  • coloMbia dealt with on pEns

Big John


Bruce

This World Cup just keeps bringing on the surprises.

England are through to their first semi-finals appearance since 1990.

english si

Quote from: Bruce on July 07, 2018, 11:56:17 AMThis World Cup just keeps bringing on the surprises.
Given the alternatives in that quarter were Switzerland, Sweden or Colombia, how is that a surprise? Not that the one of those teams would be that surprising either.

Oh oh oh. England are in Russia. Oh oh oh. Drinking all the Vodka. England's going all the way...

There's been two England semi-finals in my lifetime and we lost both to Germany on penalties, aber die deutsche Mannschaft ist nach Hause gegangen, so that won't happen this time.

Messi - 0 goals in World Cup knockout stages
Ronaldo - 0 goals in World Cup knockout stages
Macguire - 1 goal in World Cup knockout stages  :clap:

Bruce

England are supposed to get knocked out of the World Cup before this stage because of some sort of blunder.

Luckily Croatia righted the ship by defeating Russia. An entertainingly sloppy shootout.

nexus73

Quote from: Bruce on July 07, 2018, 05:10:26 PM
England are supposed to get knocked out of the World Cup before this stage because of some sort of blunder.

Luckily Croatia righted the ship by defeating Russia. An entertainingly sloppy shootout.

Even if the Russians are usually seen as the "enemy" and "bad guys", I was rooting for them since they were such huge underdogs.  Being ranked in the 60's by FIFA but having host country status would have made them have something underdogs usually don't get, which is home field advantage and crowd.  Maybe they beat the English, maybe they don't but it would have been a whale of a match with the finals on the line. 

Oh well, Belgium or France are going to win the whole shebang most likely.  Now watch their hopes get scuttled in an upset like so many teams have had happen in this WC!  It has sure been an exciting tournament.

Rick
US 101 is THE backbone of the Pacific coast from Bandon OR to Willits CA.  Industry, tourism and local traffic would be gone or severely crippled without it being in functioning condition in BOTH states.

7/8

This is the farthest England has made it in my lifetime. It feels good after dealing with Italian fans' win in 2006 during my elementary school years (lots of Italians at my school) and then German fans in 2010/2014 (lots of them in Kitchener). I feel nervous going into Wednesday's game (which I'll sadly miss since it's during work hours :-(), but no matter what happens, a top 4 finish is something to be proud of!

Still, I can hold out hope for a WC win :)

Alps

The remaining storylines:
* Battle for European francophone supremacy (FRA-BEL)
* Finally the A-level game we were hoping to see in the prelims (ENG-BEL)
* The all-time classic in terms of history (ENG-FRA)
Otherwise, just East vs. West if Croatia wins.

english si

Quote from: Alps on July 07, 2018, 09:04:17 PM* The all-time classic in terms of history (ENG-FRA)
Err, what history? The fixture, if it wasn't an important one, would be met with a Gallic-shrug by England supporters. And French supporters care as little about it as they do a nice English ale. If we were talking Rugby, then there's an element of rivalry there, but not football.

Sure, the French are the natural and traditional enemy of the English, but, if anything, that's muted the relationship's  friendly competitive rivalry (cf Anglo-Australian sporting rivalries and Anglo-Argentine sporting rivalries for what never being enemies and being enemies recently does to the banter stakes) after over 200 years of peace and (mostly) friendliness.

My French teacher from school made us sing a French song about how they won the WC in 1998 - that's the only reason I have for having for rejoicing in the loss of the French (rather than the triumph of the English). Belgiums, again, meh in terms of rivalries - I guess there's some transfer of dislike of Brussels (ie the EU) onto Brussels (the capital of Belgium).

I guess we'll hear a little about Agincourt*, Trafalgar**, Waterloo, etc if it was an England-France final. But we're digging up grudges 203-803 years old to try and make something of it, rather than seeing recent ones. The Sweden match banter was about IKEA, with very little about vikings.

England-Croatia has potential to be a rivalry - they have one with the French IIRC (semis in '98), but England will play 3 competitive games out of their remaining 6 this year vs them (Croatia 11 Jul, France/Belgium 14/15 Jul, Spain 8 Sep, Croatia 12 Oct, Spain 15 Oct, Croatia 18 Dec) so there's scope there for some grudges etc.

*And we were surely bound to get the "Once more into the breech" speech from Henry V anyway with a captain called Harry. In fact it's odd we haven't yet!
**We were also likely to see Nelson's famous flag speech should we play France - though little will be said about it being Nelson who made it.

Alps

Quote from: Alps on July 07, 2018, 09:04:17 PM
The remaining storylines:
* Battle for European francophone supremacy (FRA-BEL)
* Finally the A-level game we were hoping to see in the prelims (ENG-BEL)
* The all-time classic in terms of history (ENG-FRA) - by which I did mean wars and diplomacy
Otherwise, just East vs. West if Croatia wins.
Should note that CRO-BEL would guarantee a first time Cup winner as neither have even been to the final before.



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.