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Post by allezlesrouges on Dec 8, 2022 1:09:01 GMT
I don’t get the fuss about Argentina, they’ve looked very much Messi + 10 other blokes. In fact I wonder if they would have even got this far if Messi had been injured before the tournament. Obviously they were on a good run before the World Cup but they’ve shown little since the defeat by Saudi Arabia that they’ve got the depth of talent required to win the whole thing. They were poor against the Saudis, stale against Mexico aside from the Messi magic, but they really turned Poland over (who offered nothing). Then they strolled past Australia for the most part, that one became a bit nervy towards the end when it was 2-1, but 90% of the game was comfortable for Argentina That all being said, I think against teams that will attack them more is where they will improve again. All the aforementioned teams went for the low block which any team can struggle against. They definitely have the talent to do it, but I'm sure Messi will have his say regardless |
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Post by cogancoronation31 on Dec 8, 2022 11:10:40 GMT
Moving away from Argentina, and looking at Croatia v Brazil tomorrow afternoon ...
I really think this is the one where Brazil will become unstuck.
I predict a Croatia victory.
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Post by allezlesrouges on Dec 8, 2022 12:42:42 GMT
Think it will be a game too far for Croatia. Their slower style won't match too well with the high tempo and fluid Brazilian style I don't think. The only team Croatia impressed me against was Canada, who were very open. Think I've heard Brazil have only conceded a few shots on target so far this tournament
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Post by saturn9 on Dec 8, 2022 15:40:40 GMT
Moving away from Argentina, and looking at Croatia v Brazil tomorrow afternoon ... I really think this is the one where Brazil will become unstuck. I predict a Croatia victory. Behave. Brazil should put 2 past an ageing Croatian team. |
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Post by cynonvalley on Dec 8, 2022 16:55:24 GMT
England can certainly win it if they beat France.
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Post by allezlesrouges on Dec 8, 2022 17:08:40 GMT
They've never made a final that wasn't played in England. I doubt it
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Post by insertname on Dec 8, 2022 17:09:38 GMT
England can certainly win it if they beat France. All of the quarter finalists can make a claim of sorts to being good enough to win it with the exception of Morocco. For me I couldn’t pick an obvious winner at the start and I still don’t think there is one now. Everyone talks about Brazil but I’m not sure they, along with the main contenders, have been properly tested yet, bar Argentina who desperately tried to beat Saudi Arabia in vain which doesn’t auger well for their chances against a resolute defence. As for England if they can beat France without needing the lottery of penalties then that will be the statement win that those mocking Southgate have been demanding of his England side and whilst it will in no way guarantee them the trophy you imagine that they would get the biggest boost to their confidence than any of the other semi-finalists and that in itself could be enough to push them on into the final. It’s the biggest of games and the biggest test of the Southgate era and you wouldn’t have France down as overwhelming favourites either. |
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Post by insertname on Dec 8, 2022 17:11:47 GMT
England can certainly win it if they beat France. They've never made a final that wasn't played in England. I doubt it The flip side of that is that in our last two tournaments we’ve been beaten by the eventual winner and England beat France en route to winning the World Cup in ‘66. The omens, at least, will more be with them than against them if they win on Saturday night |
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Post by saturn9 on Dec 9, 2022 12:18:53 GMT
Dutch to see off Arg in 90mins. Something bizzare is happening in the Dutch camp, no fallings out or cliques. Very strange.
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Post by cadno on Dec 9, 2022 15:10:57 GMT
Real Madrid CB Militao playing RB for Brazil today! Good attributes to play anywhere across the back, like Pavard or Rodon!
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Post by cogancoronation31 on Dec 9, 2022 18:32:28 GMT
Moving away from Argentina, and looking at Croatia v Brazil tomorrow afternoon ... I really think this is the one where Brazil will become unstuck. I predict a Croatia victory. Behave. Brazil should put 2 past an ageing Croatian team. Message from me to saturn9 on behalf of the Croat OAPS... "Ain't Misbehavin'" is a 1929 stride jazz/early swing song. Andy Razaf wrote the lyrics to a score by Thomas "Fats" Waller, who also did a well-known version of the vocals. |
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Post by cogancoronation31 on Dec 9, 2022 18:35:44 GMT
Starting to make the Croatia v Cymru encounter in Split (end of March) look all the more tasty...
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Post by saturn9 on Dec 9, 2022 18:41:19 GMT
Behave. Brazil should put 2 past an ageing Croatian team. Message from me to saturn9 on behalf of the Croat OAPS... "Ain't Misbehavin'" is a 1929 stride jazz/early swing song. Andy Razaf wrote the lyrics to a score by Thomas "Fats" Waller, who also did a well-known version of the vocals. 😁😁😁 Best of luck to them,. I checked the stats, not one shot on target before their ET goal. Brazil had me fooled anyway, where's Tim Vickery when I need a Brazilian perspective on this exit😁 |
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Post by dai on Dec 9, 2022 20:51:49 GMT
Argentina are a vulgar team
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Post by dai on Dec 9, 2022 21:06:44 GMT
Love this from Holland! Dont like these diving dirty Argie tw@ts
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Post by saturn9 on Dec 9, 2022 21:08:54 GMT
Argentina are a vulgar team They always have been. That's why I'm fascinated by them. |
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Post by dai on Dec 9, 2022 21:21:06 GMT
Messi is one diving bloody t*t, is he normally this bad?
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Post by cynonvalley on Dec 9, 2022 22:32:01 GMT
Glad Argentina won.
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Post by cadno on Dec 9, 2022 22:44:08 GMT
Get in Argentina!
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Post by davekent on Dec 10, 2022 8:48:56 GMT
Although born in London, in the style of Infantino, today I feel a Frenchman.
Allez la France
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Post by cymro on Dec 10, 2022 9:18:48 GMT
What a 6 hours of football yesterday. Incredible.
I'm seeing an England victory tonight. I hope I'm wrong 😕 if they manage it then their belief will be uncontainable. Not sure who's left to beat them... Argentina look knackered after 70 minutes. Portugal might be the only hope. Crunch time for Southgate to finally prove he can beat a top tier team at a tournament today... this could be a defining day for them and it's slightly terrifying.
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Post by erasedcitizen on Dec 10, 2022 9:35:44 GMT
Allez les bleus.
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Post by pclaude on Dec 10, 2022 9:56:18 GMT
What a 6 hours of football yesterday. Incredible. I'm seeing an England victory tonight. I hope I'm wrong 😕 if they manage it then their belief will be uncontainable. Not sure who's left to beat them... Argentina look knackered after 70 minutes. Portugal might be the only hope. Crunch time for Southgate to finally prove he can beat a top tier team at a tournament today... this could be a defining day for them and it's slightly terrifying. Yeah. Ive accepted that there is a very good chance that they win one of the next three tournaments. They’re a very good side. Sadly. |
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Post by allezlesrouges on Dec 10, 2022 11:21:21 GMT
You can't win a World Cup with Maguire, Stones, Shaw and Pickford in your back line. You just can't. One of the top teams will find them out, and tbh I think it will be France
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Post by cymro on Dec 10, 2022 11:22:58 GMT
Yeah I'm at the point now where they're going to win one in my lifetime at some point and this is the best England side I've seen so it may well happen. Saying that, they've not been tested yet, and there's 3 titanic clashes to get through.
A loss tonight though brings the fans and media into meltdown, southgate gets sacked, and the uncertainty and negativity builds again, so this really is a massive day for them. Can they handle it.
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Post by insertname on Dec 10, 2022 12:49:01 GMT
You can't win a World Cup with Maguire, Stones, Shaw and Pickford in your back line. You just can't. One of the top teams will find them out, and tbh I think it will be France Pickford is one of those who seems to play better for his country than his club so I wouldn’t have him down as complicit in England’s defensive weaknesses. From what I’ve seen of them they’ve scored a lot of goals but against teams who made it relatively easy for them. Senegal’s defending was suicidal at times. Iran showed them too much respect (that they didn’t for us). They only got their opening goal against us because of a dodgy keeper which caused the floodgates to open. Prior to that they struggled to create good chances, with Ward’s save from Rashford they only notable chance against us in the first half. Brazil got found out and looked toothless against a resolute Croatia, indicating that at the business end how many goals you scored in the group stage bears no indication to how good you are at breaking down a high quality, well marshalled defence. I have no doubt based on the above reasoning that England would struggle against a side like Croatia too. The issue tonight is that France will go to to toe and give them space and time to operate in and it will play into England’s hands just as Senegal did with their high line and pushing players forward. |
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Post by allezlesrouges on Dec 10, 2022 15:59:23 GMT
Morocco 45 mins away from being the first African nation in a World Cup semi. God I hope they do it, but God I hope France beat England if they do it
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Post by mrpicton79 on Dec 10, 2022 16:03:43 GMT
Getting nervy now. Let's face it England are due to win a penalty shootout or just get a bit of luck in a big game, can def see them squeezing past France tonight.
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Post by allezlesrouges on Dec 10, 2022 17:09:50 GMT
They've done it! History!! Unbelieve achievement given the teams they've played against. I wouldn't rule them out whether they are playing France or England
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Post by saturn9 on Dec 10, 2022 17:24:22 GMT
Getting nervy now. Let's face it England are due to win a penalty shootout or just get a bit of luck in a big game, can def see them squeezing past France tonight. They beat Colombia in a shootout at the 2018 WC. |
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