Football World Cup 2018

[Skybird]

What, nobody? :o


Russia destroyed Saudi Arabia 5:0 for the opening.


Spain exchanged its national trainer one day before the tournament began. Anonymous - Spain 1:0 ?

[Jimbuna]

Don't be fooled by the scoreline, Saudi Arabia are probably the weakest side in the tournament and Russia are mediocre at best.

Eventual winners could be from Brazil, Germany or Portugal.

[mapuc]

Found this through a Danish science page.

With the biggest event in the soccer calendar now underway, fans are speculating on which team might emerge victorious from the 2018 World Cup in Russia – and an artificial intelligence model based on 100,000 simulations has made its prediction too.

https://www.sciencealert.com/ai-runs-100-000-russia-world-cup-simulations-to-pick-winner

I hope my team will win the trophy(which is Germany if somebody should wonder)

Markus

[Skybird]

This world cup tournament's final between Spain and Portugal ended in a spectacular draw 3:3. :)

Na das war doch mal ein richtig geiles Fußballspiel, möchte ich meinen, oder? Hot show by the girls, really.

[mapuc]

This world cup tournament's final between Spain and Portugal ended in a spectacular draw 3:3. :)

Na das war doch mal ein richtig geiles Fußballspiel, möchte ich meinen, oder? Hot show by the girls, really.

Genau.

This was the first top game and it will not be the last, that I'm pretty sure of.

Markus

[Jimbuna]

IMHO Portugal rely far too heavily on Ronaldo so future opponents may either man mark him or take him out through injury.

[Skybird]

Could be, but the match yesterday was a blast by both teams, and all star players. Maybe it will be remembered as the best of the whole tournament - absolutely possible. Best advertising for the game one could wish for.


-----


While Germany again is one of the usual suspects, I do not see it as top favourite this year. Think it is weaker and less stable than 4 years ago. It will reach far, but not to the end.


The Brazilians have a mission. They must make the world forgetting something. Either this pressure works positively in their favour, or it breaks them prematurely.


Honestly said, I have no clear favourite this time.

[Skybird]

Muahahahaha - nobody needs to be afraid of this uninspired, harmless German team, it seems. One more match like this one, and the Germans can retire voluntarily, not needing to play a third one.

Mexico beats Germany 1:0, well-deserved: fight and fire in the first half, iron dome in the second. Well done!

Imagine what the Spaniards or Portuguese would have done to the Germans - unthinkable!

[Skybird]

The Swiss are number 6 on the FIFA world ranking list? Wowh, i did not knew that.



Maybe that is why Brazil did not get more than an 1:1 out of them.

[Jimbuna]

I reckon we can expect a few more 'unexpected' results yet and England start their campaign tonight against Tunisia :doh:

[Jimbuna]

England have taken an 11th minute lead through Harry Kane.

[Skybird]

..., and then a bit more. :)


ENG - TUN 2 : 1

[Cyborg322]

Eng 2 Tug 1

[Jimbuna]

England struggled a bit but I'll take a first game of the competition win for a change and hope Mo Salah can wipe the smirk off Putin tonight.

[Skybird]

Is it just me or is the interest in the cup this year really muted? I mean not just in this forum, or in Germany due to the defeat, but in general - it feels strangely muted, desinterest everywhere, from all beginning on. I also see far less fan activity everywhere here in Germany no matter which team , public viewing, bars showing daily TV reports and such. Myself, i also feel strangely desinterested, as if it were the Cricket world championship (if that exists...), and people living in my house also said that it is weired how little they feel interested. TV coverage makes me feel almost alienated.

[mapuc]

Not here it ain't

Watching all the matches I can.

Due to work today I didn't see the first game between Japan and Columbia.

Missed the first 30 minutes of the game between Poland and Senegal.

The night game between Russia and Egypt I saw with one eye. The other was on my computer screen.

Markus

[Rockstar]

I started taking an interest in it because of the conversation here. Had time to watch the ref award Sanchez a red card for blocking Kagawa's goal shot with his hand. Then Japan scored on the penalty. Missed the last 70 minutes or so because I had to go to work.


Little slow at times but honestly I'm beginning to like it.

[Jimbuna]

I feel similarly Sky but I'm predicting an upsurge in interest come the knockout stages and sadly, for the wrong reasons.

As soon as masses of fans from England (for example) are based near those of Russian fans, I fear there may well be some disturbing scenes as well as possible deaths.

[Eichhörnchen]

I really enjoyed the soccer yesterday... the neighbourhood was so quiet I took a load of garden waste over the tip

[Skybird]

"Du Blumengießer...!"

[ikalugin]

Seems Russia got out of the group for the first time in my lifetime.


Maybe Putin's reality warping powers would allow us to win the cup, but one shudders at the cost.

[Jimbuna]

I don't think Russia have any more of a chance than England and nor do I take all that much notice of the group phase because it's almost predictable which two from each group will progress to the knockout phase before a ball is even kicked.

At best I see both the above reaching the quarter finals.

[mapuc]

Not exactly.

In group F, Germany may very well be the first top team who have to leave before the next round.

They have to beat Sweden on Saturday.

Mexico will most likely win their match against SK.

Markus

[Dmitry Markov]

To be honest, I wasn't expecting our team to show any kind of good game. Actually I'm not keen on football at all. And till the last moment I didn't feel like it's going to be a holiday. But here are huge crowds of tourists - even on my quiet suburb metro station - Mexicans, Argentinians and others (there are couple of hotels nearby). When they've started to arrive I felt the spirit at last :-) I wasn't watching neither Russia-Saudi nor Russia-Egypt games (not intentionally) but I was quite surprised when the whole street cried "GO-O-O-O-OL !!!!!" I reached for my phone to see the score and sudden pleasant news were there - and that's when I've finally strated to feel this World Cup as a real Holiday. Thanks to all guests who came here.

[Skybird]

Oliver Kahn's laconic comment about Croatias 1:0 against Argentina (goalie's fault): "The chip was just a bit too short."


:haha:

[Jimbuna]

Argentina were absolutely clueless last night and I find Messi a mediocre player when at international level, unlike the world class player he is at club level.

[ikalugin]

I mean with how much demonised Putin is, he may summon his dark warp sorceries to make Russia win this time.


Jokes aside, this is the first time in my lifetime when Russia got out of the group.

[Dmitry Markov]

So , Igor, it means that you are younger than 2008 ;-) ?

[Jimbuna]

Brazil looked rather jittery against Costa Rica, not scoring their goals until injury time.

[mapuc]

Argentina were absolutely clueless last night and I find Messi a mediocre player when at international level, unlike the world class player he is at club level.

A top player like Messi and Ronaldo ain't better, then what his team mates makes them to be(don't know how to put this into words).

Messi is great in Barca, this because the other players a some great players them self like (the player from Uruguay)

While his team mates from the national Team like Argentina is mostly ordinary players.

That is how I see it.

Markus

[Skybird]

Ronaldo in the match against Spain was the one pushing his team. The question whether Ronaldo or Messi is the better player, has been answered. Messi did not push his team, nor did the team manage to push him.



I stick to it, that was probably the best match of the whole tournament. Stars, teams, "screenplay", drama - it cannot get better.

[XenonSurf]

Germany with one leg out of the championship, the Harakiri of Argentina, and a single man - Ronaldo - being the power of all his team... If this goes on we won't see any favorites in the final but maybe something like

Portugal-Croatia or Nigeria-Japan...A novelty.


I notice that the VAR (video assistant) actually brings more justice in the game, that's good.


:Kaleun_Cheers:

[Jimbuna]

England play Panama tomorrow and whilst I expect England to win I doubt it will be an easy game for them.

[Threadfin]

nor do I take all that much notice of the group phase because it's almost predictable which two from each group will progress to the knockout phase before a ball is even kicked.



Really? There are surprises at every World Cup. Just going back to 2014


Group B


Netherlands and Chile went through, Spain went home


Group D


Costa Rica and Uraguay went through, Italy and England went home


Group G


Germany and US went through, Portugal and Ghana went home


Or the 2010 World Cup


Group A


Uruguay and Mexico went through, France went home


Group F


Paraguay and Slovakia went through, Italy went home


You can do this back through each World Cup. If you had those teams progressing to the knockouts then I guess it's predictable. But who had Spain going home in '14? Or Italy in each of those tournaments? France in 2010 was a mess and maybe predictable, but you'd still back them ahead of Uruguay and Mexico.


For Russia I picked Belgium to win. I had them for Euro 16 as well and we all saw how that went, losing to Wales in quarterfinals. So you never know. But they look good in this one.

[Skybird]

Tony Kroos sinks a free kick into the net for the 2:1 over Sweden in the last minute of injury time.

Meine Fresse. Ronaldo couldn't have shot it any better. Fantastic free kick.

The Germans keep their fate in their own hands. But how close it all is... Crazy match, with Germany playing with one man less for 15 minutes.

Invincible this team is not. By far not. Löw cannot be satisfied. Its soo easy to throw the Germans off their track after they had a strong start. To me that indicates there is some profound problem in the fundaments of this team. - Of the last 7 preparatory matches before the tournament, the still world champion won just one, against Saudi Arabia: and just mit Hängen und Würgen...

[Catfish]

They sure did not give up until the last minute, and they were 10 vs. 11..
Sweden was better than i thought, and while Germany was at least equal it just did not have the luck.. until the very last minute.
Well done :)

[mapuc]

I predict the next topmatch will be on Thursday

England - Belgium

Markus

[ikalugin]

So , Igor, it means that you are younger than 2008 ;-) ?
Ivan and that was Eurocup, no?

[Jimbuna]

Lucky lucky lucky Germany....probably qualify now and go on to the semi-final at least.

Belgium it would appear are now gaining form.

[Skybird]

Lucky indeed, you do not recognise this team that had 5 or 6 world champions on the green, and the rest all Confed cup winners.


A penalty for Sweden was not given. A Swedish attacker was wrestled down by even two German players inside the zone.


Jim, with Germany maybe beating Korea by 1 goal difference, it still could be kicked out, depending on the Mexican's score against Sweden. To be safe, they need at least a 2 goal win. All four teams in this group still could reach the next round.


And the match yesterday was two-faced. Strong dominance until Rudy's nose got broken (?) and a Swedish counter attack - then the hesitation and fear suddenly was back for the remaining of the first half. And the defence is not stable, it wasn't throughout the match. They pressed in the second half again until the end, but the final efficiency was lacking.


I shiver when imagining what some of the other teams would have done with this team.


I do not take a Germany victory against Korea for granted. You cannot, after these matches so far.


Positive effect from the missing of Özil and Gündogan. But when Rudy was replaced by Gündogan, immediately the midfield became stale again, somewhat. I hope Rudy can be back, he is better.



My problem with Löw is that the has loyalties for some older players that by these players' playing efficiency in the national team since years is not justified anymore. And so it is one of the oldest teams that Germany has ever sent to a championship, I think I read it is the second-oldest German team ever. At this cup, I think I heard that just one team is older than the Germans. Philipp Lahm stepped back after the cup win 4 years ago. Very wise and foresighted.

[Jimbuna]

^ Similarly with past England teams, the coaches repeatedly picking the older more experienced players and the repeated consequential failures.

This current squad is very young in comparison but the expectation is that failure is inevitable.

The moral being for coahes....damned if you do and damned if you don't :doh:

[Skybird]

Switched on just in time for the 3:0. Seems dear ol' England is enjoying itself... :)

[Skybird]

Correction, 4:0. :D

[Gerald]

England seems to go against a simple victory.:)

[Skybird]

Beware the English party animals - 5:0. :)



England writes history, never have they done more than 4 goals in a cup match.



Poor Panama, they are getting plowed under.

[Skybird]

Panama writes history as well: 1:6 :up: First goal ever at a WC cup.

[mapuc]

Back to Germany-Sweden.

The match between Germany and Sweden, got a sad sequel.
Swedish football player Jimmy Durmaz, which fault led to the German 2-1 goal, has been exposed to smear.
His family has also been threatened.

Markus

[Dmitry Markov]

Ivan and that was Eurocup, no?

Sorry, Ivan - I beg your pardon.

Shure that was Eurocup - and they didn’t make it for 2010 WC ( I had to google that - was really convinced it was a WC in 2008 - pardon my ignorance).

[Jimbuna]

Panama writes history as well: 1:6 :up: First goal ever at a WC cup.

Didn't do them much good and having watched the match I think they'd be well advised to take up rugby instead of football :)

[Jimbuna]

Russia finally come across a half decent team and tril 0-2 with a man sent off.

[Jimbuna]

Final score was 0-3.

Mohamed Salah scored his second goal of the World Cup but Egypt ended their campaign pointless with defeat by Saudi Arabia, their first World Cup win since 1994.

[Jimbuna]

Just seen the first 0-0 bore-draw of the tournament....Denmark v France, both had already qualified for the knockout stages and had nothing to play for and boy didn't it tell :yawn:

[Jimbuna]

Messi has actually scored at last to give Argentina a 1-0 lead at half time against Nigeria :)

[Catfish]

Two old Habsburgers talking
"Today's play: Austria - Hungary"
"Against whom?"

[Jimbuna]

Argentina progress at the expense of Nigeria.

[Skybird]

SKO - GER.

T minus 30 minutes.

2 goals are in demand. Minimum.

We'll see.

[Jimbuna]

That will be the biggest upset in this tournament so far, if Germany fail to progress.

[Jimbuna]

Former Sweden midfielder Anders Svensson says he will give up his favourite food if Mexico knock his country out of the World Cup.

Svensson, who played for Southampton, is nicknamed 'Taco' because of his love of the Mexican dish.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44629181

I believe Mexico will win so he'd better start looking for an alternative :)

[Skybird]

Sweden scores. 50th minute. Currently Germany is out.

[Catfish]

The german team may be good, but the crew performance again is sub par :doh:
'So wird das nix.'

[Skybird]

Sweden scores, 2:0. The Germans become hectical, and increasingly desperate. The Koreans swarm around them like angry hornets.

[Skybird]

German defence desintegrates, becomes stronger every minute.

This looks bad for the title defender.

[Skybird]

Sweden 3 Mexico 0. Germany needs just one single goal.

[Skybird]

88th minute. Pure despair on ghe German side.

[Skybird]

6 minutes injury time.

[Skybird]

Korea scores. Offside?
The video gets played.

[Skybird]

Valid goal. Thats it. Clocks in germany stopped ticking.

[Catfish]

2:0 for South Korea!

Well that was it, for Germany.

[Skybird]

Korea 2:0 in an empty goal.

[Skybird]

Game over.

[Catfish]

Well if we did not manage to get one goal...
Congratulations to South Korea, deserved.

[Threadfin]

Group stage is so predictable :D

[Catfish]

Group stage is so predictable :D

:wah: :haha:
Not with Football.

And it is Football, not "soccer". Henry 8th already forbade to play the real football in England, which is why there's now a wrestling competition falsely named as such :O:

[Jimbuna]

I kept switching to each channel as both games progressed and felt Germany were pretty woeful, lacking in ideas and dare I say 'uninterested'. Especially bad when you consider their proud history in the competition.

That's one of my fancies out, only Brazil left now.

[Jimbuna]

Short notice I know, but this might interest you. A friend of mine has two tickets for the Belgium v England game on Thursday 28th June in Russia. He paid £750 for them including airport transfers, and flights tonight , hotel and corporate hospitality. When he booked them he didn't realise he was due to get married that day, and now needs someone to take his place.

It's at Haywards Heath registry office at 4.00. Her name's Emily, she's 5 foot 6 tall , a size 10, brown eyes, has her own income, quite nice looking and good at cooking.

Message me for more details.

[u crank]

:har:

:up:

[Jimbuna]

https://i.imgur.com/7Q5kZvv.jpg

[Threadfin]

Not with Football.



Yes, I know. My comment was in response to the earlier post that there's little reason to take notice of the group stage since you already know the teams that will advance before a ball is kicked.

I'll be shocked if that wasn't Low's final game in charge. It's a bit of a chicken and egg thing, but it appears he was found out in Russia. His lineups, substitutions and tactics were questionable at best, and the decision to leave Sane at home is looking like a bad one at the moment. I don't think anyone would argue that Germany would have progressed simply because Sane was available for selection. But he offers something that no other German player does. A directness that they might have benefited from when Plan A was clearly not working. Draxler in his place didn't play badly I don't think, but Sane could have possibly turned a game with his speed and directness. Off the bench against tiring defenders he could have made an impact.

Aside from the fact that their coach had no ideas to fix the problem, I'll say that their failure is down to a sense of overconfidence. In the run up to the tournament Germany had poor performances against Brazil, Spain, Austria and Saudi Arabia. They felt that despite these warning signs, that they would show up in Russia, flip the switch, and play like World Cup champions. Some players and the coach even said as much publicly. But when that didn't happen they had no answers. No plan B that would show a different look, or cause tactical problems for their opponents.

The methodical build up and patient possession that are hallmarks of the German style are quickly becoming old news. The game is changing, and Germany might do well to update their approach. That will start (presumably) with a new coach. If I were that coach (ya never know!) I'd tell Ozil and Khedira thanks for the memories. In the end, Germany will be fine, they produce some fantastic footballers and will continue to do so. But they need to be shaken out of their current malaise. They need young blood to push the stalwarts, more meritocratic selection, and more of an up-tempo gameplan, even if it's just a plan B. This result is an embarrassment, especially as you could see it coming. Except if you wear your hair like Moe and maybe then it's harder to see :D

[mapuc]

Yesterday I was in sad mood.

My favorite team was kicked out with a bang ending last in their group.

It is Germany.

Well now I have to cross my fingers for Sweden and Denmark.

I say Sweden have a higher chance to win their match against Switzerland
Than Denmark have against Croatia.

Markus

[Skybird]

Germany added a new skill to its football: complecancy. But that does not win you matches. It only helps to stage a nice commercial advertising show.

Mercedes. Razorblades. Nivea skin cosmetics. Always combined with a fake image of modern civilized "malehood" that avoids being male and reminds me personally more of a dressed-in-style poodle. Makes me vomit.

There is too much Merkelianism in Löw these days.

The good thing is that the public focus does not get anymore distracted from the political fights currently taking place.

Strangely, the huge outcry in Germany is missing. I said earlier that the mood is strangely calm, desinterested over here. I think this team has started to alienate the German people already earlier. Both sides just do not connect anymore. I also think politics and "sociologics" play into it.

The era Löw has come to an end. It must be so, there is no other believable way. He had his merits and successes, nobody denies that, but his magic has been decoded and the hunger is gone. All world now knows how to beat Löwian team Germany. Already the preratikon pohase went baldy, and what irritates most is that between the lousy matches, no changes too plac ve. No improvements from one match to the next. Just one of 6 or 7 matches was won - and ti was a bad game, too. So at the cup, another 2 defeats and just 1 - very lucky: a penalty against Germany was not given - win was added to that.

Complecancy has taken over. Löw cannot stay. A completely new start is needed, and a completely new team.


An old girl-friend of mine brought it to the point, maybe: she said "Why is in the German men'S football team not one real male? Just carricatures and "Abziehbilder" " (what is Abziehbilder in English?).

[Skybird]

One thing just rubs me. There is the German nemesis - Italy - not in the tournament, and what do the Germans make of this chance...? Dud in the starting block. :D
:O:

[STEED]

I did not watch England's first two games as it was clear they were going to win. Tonight's game was bloody awful. they made zero effort to win the game and everyone I spoke to days before and today before the match said they will take the soft option to go though...AND THEY DID!

BOO...POOR SHOW. :down:

[Catfish]

@Threadfin: :up: Very good depiction!

[Gargamel]

Short notice I know, but this might interest you. A friend of mine has two tickets for the Belgium v England game on Thursday 28th June in Russia. He paid £750 for them including airport transfers, and flights tonight , hotel and corporate hospitality. When he booked them he didn't realise he was due to get married that day, and now needs someone to take his place.

It's at Haywards Heath registry office at 4.00. Her name's Emily, she's 5 foot 6 tall , a size 10, brown eyes, has her own income, quite nice looking and good at cooking.

Message me for more details.


I'm game, if she's willing to relocate.








For all the hubbub going on about Japan tanking the last ten minutes of the game, I don't get it. Playing to not lose isn't always the best strategy, but when you know you'll win if you don't lose (or lose by more in this case), I don't fault them at all. There is no prize for advancing with a better score, it's just as long as you advance.

[Jimbuna]

I did not watch England's first two games as it was clear they were going to win. Tonight's game was bloody awful. they made zero effort to win the game and everyone I spoke to days before and today before the match said they will take the soft option to go though...AND THEY DID!

BOO...POOR SHOW. :down:

Rgr that :yep:

[Skybird]

By the names, it sounds like a great match today:

France - Messi.

:)

In the other match today, its

Uruguay - Ronaldo.

:D

[Jimbuna]

I would be struggling to pick a winner from either of these matches :hmmm:

[Rhodes]

I would be struggling to pick a winner from either of these matches :hmmm:


Easy, Uruguay!:D


Since we our out, I can post here!

From the first page:
IMHO Portugal rely far too heavily on Ronaldo so future opponents may either man mark him or take him out through injury.
Yes, indeed, but then again, France did that and we win the eurocup, but that was another story. :03::O:


Jim has possibly 100% certain, we are Ronaldo dependent, and our team is a old one. Full of older players and also players that didn't play much in their respective championships.

Our coach is a conservative one and only wants the player A or B for that position, do not experiment with a younger player, this can be a double edge sword.
And then we have the football style, that worked in one cup, but working in all the cups, we need a good team,players, miracle to do so.



Our first match, could had put some dust in the eyes of the team. When I saw Mexico-Germany, I thought, if it would be with us, we had taken 3 or 6-0. A fast team, against our old, slow team, taking time to get out, pass and attack, no way we would win.

The game with Morocco was a warning and a rehearsal of what I said, but we won. We had and should had won against Iran, but no, complacency, failed penalty (yes, I know, but even if one player as Ronaldo scores in X, y and fail 1, it could not did that one).

It was a game to win and to even if the referee did wrong with that supposed penalty, we should had been wining by 3 or 4. I always thought that we didn't had team for Uruguay. Russia, it would had been so much accessible, and with in mind, we should have done for it.

And in today, we should had done even more to win.

My father has always the "it is a game, so good luck/bad luck interfere", but for me, that is one excuse. It is true, to some extent, but I always thought our team, can do better.

The game style worked one time, it can not work another, but several factors worked to see if so, and we lost.

As a small people we can say, at least we did pass the group part, Germany (world champion) didn't, but this again is the small mind talking, again and forever.

[Skybird]

Portugal - a small people? Uruguays population equals that of Berlin, three times smaller than Portugal's. But the Urus are totally fanatic about football. Its a part of state reason.



:)


Portugal constantly raised the pressure in second half. Its not as if they were "bad". Its just that the light-blue stonewall was better.


And in the end the little luck that also is needed, was missing.


Messi's gang out - in the same stadium where the Germans were kicked out. The two finalists of four years ago. And after the one one-man team left, the other one-man team - Ronaldo's - left, too. Who said football has no symbolism? :D

[Jimbuna]

I'm thinking Spain and Croatia will triumph today.

[ikalugin]

I'm thinking Spain and Croatia will triumph today.
Spain just lost to Putin's reality warping powers.

[Catfish]

Croatia wins, with 11 meter ..
Very good, fair game, exciting.
I was on the danish side, a pity :)

And Russia goes on, too. Some doping experts say they examined the strange peak in performance of the russian team, in the last months.. only one conclusion. I guess reluctance is not the russian forte, when it comes to winning at all cost for the glorious dear leader.
On the other hand, they also only scored with a 11m :hmmm:

[Jimbuna]

Spain just lost to Putin's reality warping powers.

Yep, when it comes down to a penalty shootout it's really just a lottery but they won that, got through and that's all that matters.

[Jimbuna]

The last of my two fancies Brazil beat Mexico and surprisingly Japan are currently leading Belgium.

[Catfish]

Belgium wins against Japan 3:2, in the last minute :)

Japan was surprisingly good, i really expected extra time.
It is great fun to see Belgium playing, though they were not so much better than Japan this time.
But to win after a 2:0 is worth an applause :up:

Well played, both teams!

[Jimbuna]

Japan must feel totally gutted but play isn't over until you hear the final whistle.

[Skybird]

Physically at a disadvantage, the Japanese neveretheless played absolutely on same eye level with Belgium, in parts even superior. I was with them, sad that their fighting spirit was not rewarded.

One Japanese after the match kneeled on the gras, face on the green, both fists slamming on the ground repeatedly. They really had their hearts in this. Their goalie was their doom, however, not en par with the rest of his team. Several flawed by him, uncertainties, one of the three goals at least he should have prevented. - Every chain is only as strong as the weakest link.


Belgium totally underestimated them. They had a truckload of luck today, and then some.

[XenonSurf]

Question:


There is a very good russian rap song that - officially or not - is accompanying the Football WM in German TV.

Unfortunately I don't know the title, I have googled in Youtube but didn't find it.
Can someone give me a download link of that one?



Thanks,


[EDIT]
I found it!! It's



Kasta - Vokrug Shum



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGgy0yl7Juo


This should be the official FIFA song for the cup 2018 not this nonsense english/spanish song that comes from nowhere...huh, I'm polite here...

[Jimbuna]

Tonight is Englands turn. Time to find out if we are worthy contenders or simply making the numbers up.

[Catfish]

Hope the Brits win, however right now i feel sorry for both teams.
What a !"§$%!! referee

[Aktungbby]

Tonight is Englands turn. Time to find out if we are worthy contenders or simply making the numbers up.
ENGLAND OWES ITS SUCCESS TO GARETH SOUTHGATE, THE BRIT COACHE'S TRIP TO WATCH THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES:Kaleun_Applaud:...VS THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS:k_confused: ; THE RESULT HAS BEEN SPECTACULR: HOW ENGLAND STOLE FROM THE NBA: SAMARA, Russia—It was the night before the Super Bowl, and sitting courtside at the New Orleans Pelicans vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game was a man who had traveled all the way from England with his mind intensely focused on another global sports event: the World Cup.
There has never been anyone more interested in a Pelicans vs. Timberwolves matchup than England manager Gareth Southgate.
Southgate bombarded his companions with detailed inquiries about strategy, arena operations and even Crunch, the wolf mascot. Chris Wright, the chief executive of the local MLS team Minnesota United, was stunned by his curiosity about this sport that’s about as British as sauerkraut.
“Here’s this English guy, the England team manager, trying to figure out Basketball 101,” Wright said.
But these are strange days for England. They have emerged as a serious contender at the World Cup. They lucked into the weaker half of the knockout bracket. They play Colombia on Tuesday for a spot in the quarterfinals. And they can attribute some of their unlikely success in soccer to basketball.
Wright was delighted when the Football Association contacted him before Southgate’s visit to the Super Bowl in Minnesota. He is English himself, which is why he wasn’t expecting this request from the manager: “Is there any way we can go to the Wolves game?”
There was a reason that he was so eager for this outing, and it wasn’t Crunch. On the ride to the arena, Southgate told colleagues that he was especially curious about how NBA teams created space around the basket. He thought there might be something he could steal.
Was there any way he could apply the principles of NBA plays—the pick-and-rolls, the off-ball screens, the constant movement—to the English national soccer team?
There are precious few moments in every soccer match when a manager can actually choreograph the action by designing a play. They’re called set pieces, and for many years, they were better known in England as a bloody disaster.
All of which makes England’s set pieces at this World Cup nothing short of a national miracle.
Their six goals on set plays were the most of any country in the group stage. But there’s a better comparison than England vs. the world: England vs. England. They have scored four goals on corners and free kicks so far. They scored four goals on corners and free kicks in the previous three World Cups combined.
“On set plays, we’re a real threat,” Southgate said. “We’ve identified that as a key area in tournaments and a key area we felt we could improve on.”
England’s ineptitude on set plays before Southgate’s hiring in 2016 was a bigger national drama than Brexit.
At the time, England star Harry Kane took their corners and free kicks, one of the many questionable tactical decisions that eventually cost Roy Hodgson his job. That paved the way for the unproven Southgate, a retired player whose prior managing experience included a stint with the country’s youth team and three seasons with a middling English Premier League club that was relegated under his watch. Southgate was an improbable choice, and he was given the job only after Sam Allardyce was fired in disgrace.
Southgate now looks like the manager who might be able to solve England’s problem of face-planting in spectacular fashion at the worst possible time. His inventive schemes have benefited one player in particular: Harry Kane. In England’s opening World Cup win against Tunisia, Kane slammed home a header on a corner kick in the 91st minute to avoid an embarrassing draw. It was his second goal of that match: Kane had already scored on another corner kick.
But the clearest example of how England implements basketball strategies on their set plays was a corner kick during their 6-1 blowout of Panama in the group stage.
It started with Kieran Trippier’s bending corner. Once the ball was in the air, two English players cleared out the center of the box, almost like they were 3-point shooters flaring away from the basket. Meanwhile, at the top of the box, Ashley Young threw his body into the defender guarding John Stones long enough for Stones to get free in the middle of the box and head the cross for a goal.
It was a primitive basketball play: the back-screen. And it worked to perfection.
It’s not like Gareth Southgate invented the pick play in soccer. But even he said, through an England spokesman, that he was influenced by what he saw watching basketball. The people who sat next to him that night were not surprised.
“In areas where he was specifically interested,” Wright said, “he wanted to go deep.”
Southgate had already proven by this point that he was not afraid to seek out ideas in unorthodox places. He entrusted his assistant, Allan Russell, with England’s set pieces, for example, even though the last teams that Russell had coached were the Carolina RailHawks and Orange County Blues, minor-league clubs in the soccer hinterlands otherwise known as the United States.
Southgate is not the first soccer manager to study basketball for inspiration.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who happens to be the coach of the English Premier League champion and the most dominant team in global soccer at the moment, has long been intrigued by the NBA. He attended a Finals game in 2016 wearing a LeBron James uniform, and he has utterly befuddled English reporters by citing the Golden State Warriors in his press conferences.
(This being England, of course, Southgate watched not the Cavs or Warriors but the MINNESOTA Timberwolves :yeah:and Pelicans. Neither team has ever won an NBA championship.)
There’s an obvious similarity between a corner kick in soccer and the pick-and-roll in basketball. The whole point is to create enough vertical air space for a header or dunk. But what basketball plays and soccer set pieces really have in common—the reason that Guardiola paid careful attention to the NBA—is they are both an opportunity to seize a small advantage, said Philadelphia 76ers vice president Daniel Medina, who worked under Guardiola at FC Barcelona.
“He used to look at not only basketball, but other sports like handball and indoor football,” Medina said. “Similar collective ideas with different constraints can lead to different solutions.”
Which is why Southgate was so inquisitive at the Pelicans vs. Timberwolves game.
“He was the one asking questions all night,” said Ben Grossman, a Minnesota United minority owner.
Southgate had so many questions about how everything from how offenses create space to how defenses protect the basket that he stayed long after the game was over. Grossman realized when they finally left that Southgate was not at the NBA game simply to have a good time. He was there to work. “I know this is going to sound a little silly, but I actually left that night expecting England to do well in the World Cup;” he said. “You could just tell the way he went about his business that he was going to leave no stone unturned.” THUS: THE OL' NBA PIC N' ROLL ON A SET PIECE SOCCER PLAY... https://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/B3-AZ239_201806_NS_20180629115334.png>https://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/B3-AZ244_201806_NS_20180629115832.png>https://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/B3-AZ242_201806_NS_20180629115643.png >https://images.wsj.net/im-16490?width=620&aspect_ratio=1.5COACH SOUTHGATE... I FOLLOW THESE PROCEDINGS WITH SOME INTEREST ...ENGLAND UBER ALLES!:Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

[Catfish]

England wins with penalty goals :D :up: The curse is broken.
At home they must be thinking "that i may live to see this" :haha:
Well done!

[Cyborg322]

England wins with penalty goals :D :up: The curse is broken.
Broken ! I'm broken after the first missed penalty and the last two mins of ET it was here we go again alas the show goes on along with my nervous twitch :Kaleun_Wink:

[Jimbuna]

This is the second team England have played in this tournament that thinks play in the box changes the rules to that of a game of rugby.

I originally predicted we'd reach the quarter final stage so bring on Sweden next Saturday.

The climax of England's World Cup penalty shootout win over Colombia was watched by 23.6 million viewers on ITV, according to overnight figures.

More people tuned in between 21:50-21:55 BST on Tuesday than at any other time since the 2012 Olympic closing ceremony.

[Cyborg322]

do they play Piggybacks in Rugby ? It was more like watching the Grand National

[Skybird]

Da sind die Deutschen ein Mal nicht dabei, und schon werden die Tommies übermütig und tun, so als gehöre der Ball ihnen... :D


Not talking of the Colombian fans, but the team: I'm happy they got kicked out, I do not like them at all, they formed a strong basis of being antipathic to them with their arrogance and theatralic show-acting in second half. Disgusting.



The referee I read has a reputation in the US of being a lousy one, and he certainly served that reputation yesterday. Terrible performance by him. Worst referee performance I have seen at the tournament so far.



Congrats to England. It really is time for them to finally win something, finally. If not this time, when then?

[Skybird]

Well, and this vitriolic German comment on Neymar's hidden, I mean: all to obvious acting talents, shall not be hidden from your eyes. He may or may not be a good football technician, but as a sportsman he is a terrible and most distateful disaster, even more so since it is not the first time he behaved like a rat. Disgusting. He should play in team Colombia, I think they deserve each other.

"Pray for Neymar" - German language, maybe Google Bot works. I laughed myself off the chair.

https://www.tagesspiegel.de/sport/fassungslosigkeit-schock-entsetzen-pray-for-neymar/22763558.html


Maybe I launch a petition for awarding Neymar this year's Oscars. All of them.

[Jimbuna]

do they play Piggybacks in Rugby ? It was more like watching the Grand National

:haha:

[Jimbuna]

Not talking of the Colombian fans, but the team: I'm happy they got kicked out, I do not like them at all, they formed a strong basis of being antipathic to them with their arrogance and theatralic show-acting in second half. Disgusting.



The referee I read has a reputation in the US of being a lousy one, and he certainly served that reputation yesterday. Terrible performance by him. Worst referee performance I have seen at the tournament so far.




Couldn't agree more and I'd like to hear his excuse for giving a yellow card for a head butt when the laws of the game stipulate violent conduct is an automatic red :nope:

[Skybird]

The DFB is a union of cowardly dilletantees. Much disconnection from reality, much eying of the money.

The promised new start looks like this: Joachim Löw continues. Team manager Bierhoff, who is the driving force behind the commercialisation of the team and its growing distance to fans and the latter's alienation, stays. Players who are not too old, will stay.

The trainer, whose overaged views, seen as untouchable, have caused this disaster, now shall be the one making all and everything new and fresh again.

Sorry, but that is absurd.

Bierhoff puzzled me even more few days ago, by stating that "the analysis of all parameters had shown that the German team were the best team of the tournament", and that "its failure is absolutely unexplainable". :o Should I cry or laugh about this bullcrap?

Those who have career plans and financial interests, all stay in power. The DFB still obey to Löw. That is the new beginning! The analysis of factors why the team failed - showed that "it was the best team", and that its failure "cannot be explained". Wrong analysis methods, I suspect. Wrong prioritizing of variables. It cannot be explained why the Germans made a bad joke of themselves? Oh, it can be explained, but the DFB does not want to hear it. Bierhoff does not want to hear it. And Löw does not want to hear it. Its about the Yogification of German football now being driven too far - while not beign superior anymore to what other national teams do. Some of the players who dissapointed most already, are said to be part of Löw's great new beginning. And the team manager dreams of further professionalising the team's relation to the fans. What that means, should be clear after the past years. The need to open your wallet even wider, while getting less in return.

I wrote early in this thread that there is a strange desinterest to be felt here in Germany, at the cup's beginning and after the end as well. Germans do not connect to this artificial product "Nationalmannschaft" anymore. Its a product from the political as well as commercial marketing lab by now. The identification value of its members tends to point towards nill. Which is seen as being politically most correct over here: there have been calls by Greens and Linke to break off small flags from cars and steal German symbols on display in gardens. Not as if there was much to steal and much to break anyway, as I said, the desinterest was immense, not much flag stuff on display anywhere anyway.

Nothing changes with this new beginning. The alienation between team and DFB, and the fans, will grow. It will become worse in the coming years, I predict. If they woud get the bill for that in two and four years again, I would call that well-deserved, and just.

Lesson of it all: since nothing can be explained, nobody is responsible and so all can stay and nobody has to draw consequences and nobody must get fired.

I would fire the complete management and leadership level of the DFB. All of them, the complete management.

I stick to it: of course Löw has to be fired. OF COURSE. And Bierhoff as well.

A very good first reflection about it, and Löw, I already read several days ago: "A Somehow named Löw", its in German.

http://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/fussball-wm/deutsches-team/wie-geht-es-weiter-mit-bundestrainer-loew-nach-wm-aus-15664554.html?printPagedArticle=true#pageIndex_0

Löw has had his merits, nobody denies that. But he has overstayed his time, and by now his old convictions are part of the problem. Himself he sees as, in Merkel-language, being without alternative, apparently, and so the players have to face the fallout all alone. Unforgivable.

To stay nevertheless, for Löw and the DFB and Bierhoff that seems to have become a purpose in itself.

Is there any other football country where this would have been possible?

[Threadfin]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Quite literally in this case.

I was shocked as well by this announcement. Low should have resigned and saved everyone the trouble. When he did not, it fell on the DFB to do it. And they didn't, which as Skybird said, is absurd.

I posted in another forum asking for the general German reaction to this. If there is indeed a sense of disinterest, that might be the most shocking part of it all.

Well, at least they will send Ozil packing. Right? Right?

[Bilge_Rat]

never been much of a soccer fan, but am enjoying watching these games.

Hope England makes it all the way! :woot:

I am surprised though, for a no contact sport, there does seem to be a lot of it...:ping:

[Skybird]

Well, at least they will send Ozil packing. Right? Right?
They won't. Too much political symbolism, too much Nibelungentreue by Löw.

[Skybird]

I am surprised though, for a no contact sport, there does seem to be a lot of it...:ping:

Yes, the brutality of physical attacks sometimes is unbelievable. The suffering is beyond imagination. Worse than Verdun. A miracle they did not need to amputate his leg.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ40Hg0pciw

[Skybird]

World cup news holds it that there is no news today.

[STEED]

I did not watch England's last match as i was at work. What i can make out it was a poor show by England and had to be decided by penalty shoot out. Sounds like i missed nothing of interest, may be able to watch their next game Saturday if i can be bothered to watch a bunch of women.

[Cyborg322]

I did not watch England's last match as i was at work. What i can make out it was a poor show by England and had to be decided by penalty shoot out. Sounds like i missed nothing of interest, may be able to watch their next game Saturday if i can be bothered to watch a bunch of women.


You should just slacken off your Bra and continue with your knitting instead or go out for a long run for a couple of hours in the sweltering heat alongside a river full of mosquitos a man on your back angry fishermen and actors kicking and elbowing you and when you get back home ask your next door neighbour to head butt you :03:

[STEED]

You should just slacken off your Bra and continue with your knitting instead or go out for a long run for a couple of hours in the sweltering heat alongside a river full of mosquitos a man on your back angry fishermen and actors kicking and elbowing you and when you get back home ask your next door neighbour to head butt you :03:


Taking the easy option loosing against Belgium was a disgrace. :O:

[Jimbuna]

Taking the easy option loosing against Belgium was a disgrace. :O:

Actually, many believe it was a tactical result to help ensure we got the easiest side of the draw.

[Cyborg322]

I think the players were not as motivated but they still wanted to win, the tactical choices made sense and don't forget Belgium are no push over ranked no3 By FIFA previously

Its all swings and roundabouts Belgium had a much easier task against Japan next match England could of easily gone out against Columbia

Brazil has still to show it form from previous World Cups and some of the big hitters like Germany are out. To predict an easier route it would be better to look at who was refereeing the games

Simon Patriot

[XenonSurf]

I just want to comment the media's reactions to the German defeat: they are all wrong. Any technically capable footballer seeing the 2nd 45 minutes played against South Corea will notice that:


- Germany had about 70-80% ball possess
- They were mainly in the 16m square with their actions, and so:
- From the numerous chances they had 5-6 goal chances; in brief:
- They were mainly leading the game, but: No goal performed...


That's just bad luck and nothing else. Nothing to do with the players, their capabilities or the coach.


The fact that they lost 0:2 is no mystery of course, they had to mark a goal to advance in the Cup, so like in Poker they went 'All In' at the end and lost, nothing mysterious.

The media have to write their pages, and they write nonsense to fill their duty.
It's totally normal in Football that even with so many goal chances, no goal is made. Re-watch the most important Champions League games and count the goal chances in relation to the goals performed. Even CR7 will miss 1 out of 3 or more when 20m or less from the goal keeper...

Defensive play has much improved when seeing the games of Iran, South Corea and other 'non-favorite' teams. It's the 6-man defense in the back; some c.t's even tell their players to neglect completly the middle play, focusing entirely on counters etc. There are no easy teams anymore, perhaps for the fans, but for sure not for any football player. They don't make underestimations, they are all professional players.

[Catfish]

^ maybe, but something was wrong within the Mannschaft, it really looked like they carried a burden or so. My take is they project much too much into football, even if it's the world cup. Ersatz-Krieg :haha:

Now it is 2:1 for Belgium, against Brazil. But the latter still attacks like crazy..

[Catfish]

And Belgium wins, 2:1 against Brazil. 2nd half time was crazy, what an effort by Brazil!! The Belgians were on their last legs (does one say that, in english?), but they resisted.

[Skybird]

Good riddance, Mr. Neymar. Too sad that you have not made it for an Oscar.

[Skybird]

I just want to comment the media's reactions to the German defeat: they are all wrong. Any technically capable footballer seeing the 2nd 45 minutes played against South Corea will notice that:


- Germany had about 70-80% ball possess
- They were mainly in the 16m square with their actions, and so:
- From the numerous chances they had 5-6 goal chances; in brief:
- They were mainly leading the game, but: No goal performed...


That's just bad luck and nothing else. Nothing to do with the players, their capabilities or the coach.


The fact that they lost 0:2 is no mystery of course, they had to mark a goal to advance in the Cup, so like in Poker they went 'All In' at the end and lost, nothing mysterious.

The media have to write their pages, and they write nonsense to fill their duty.
It's totally normal in Football that even with so many goal chances, no goal is made. Re-watch the most important Champions League games and count the goal chances in relation to the goals performed. Even CR7 will miss 1 out of 3 or more when 20m or less from the goal keeper...

Defensive play has much improved when seeing the games of Iran, South Corea and other 'non-favorite' teams. It's the 6-man defense in the back; some c.t's even tell their players to neglect completly the middle play, focusing entirely on counters etc. There are no easy teams anymore, perhaps for the fans, but for sure not for any football player. They don't make underestimations, they are all professional players.


Bad luck? 7 preparing training matches before the cup going all bad, no improvement seen and no lessons learned between them, no adaptation and refinement added as a consequence? Four of 6 playing halves at the cup having been bad? Seeing the Germans in parts getting played into the ground by their opponents? The other ticki-tacka- team, Spain also failing with showing the same kind of football tactics that now seems to be from the prehistoric age? The Koreans had the right tactic to defeat the German tactic. he Germans copied the Spaniards in the past, but now this Spanish kind of playing is outdated - other teams have found out how to defeat it. Löw lives in the glorious past.

Just bad luck? Are you kidding...? ;)

:)

LINK (German) - A Robust Non-Analysis (http://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/fussball-wm/deutsches-team/bundesliga-und-dfb-keine-kritik-an-loew-bierhoff-grindel-und-co-15674770.html)

Lets not mistake a real crisis with just a minor industrial accident, a mishap. This all came with at least 9 months of announcement.

[XenonSurf]

Good riddance, Mr. Neymar. Too sad that you have not made it for an Oscar.


Youngster Neymar will mature over time, realising that he doesn't need these 'circus acts'. But the sooner, the better...



Too bad that Marcelo's super centimeter precise passes didn't make the difference for Neymar and other attackers.
Belgium did the best game I've ever seen from this team, congratulations :up:




:Kaleun_Cheers:

[XenonSurf]

(...)


Just bad luck? Are you kidding...? ;)

:)

LINK (German) - A Robust Non-Analysis (http://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/fussball-wm/deutsches-team/bundesliga-und-dfb-keine-kritik-an-loew-bierhoff-grindel-und-co-15674770.html)

Lets not mistake a real crisis with just a minor industrial accident, a mishap. This all came with at least 9 months of announcement.


'Bad luck' was my impression after re-watching 2 times the 2nd match half.
But I must admit that the German play was badly slow, as if they were carying some extra weight with them...That's absurd, but it's like ex-keeper Oliver Kahn said after the match (roughly translated): "The trikots of the players seem to have the weight of 1 ton..." :hmmm:

But the best comment from Mats Hummels, re-inforcing my 'bad luck' theory was: "If I make this goal (head goal), everyone will cry a chorus of joy and compliments, if I don't put the ball in we'll speak about how mediocre we are..." (roughly translated). I think that's the point.

[STEED]

England better go out there today and attack attack attack and stop farting around like a lode of peacocks strutting around. And if they loose don't give me that BS about it was to hot along with the rest of their normal worn out dire tripe. :x


I do not wear rose tinted glasses. :stare:

[Jimbuna]

Both my first two picks are now out so I'm thinking (hindsight being a wonderful thing) that the eventually winner will be from the semi final match between France and Belgium.

[Jimbuna]

And Belgium wins, 2:1 against Brazil. 2nd half time was crazy, what an effort by Brazil!! The Belgians were on their last legs (does one say that, in english?), but they resisted.

Yeas, that is an often used phrase here in the UK :yep:

[STEED]

Clearly some one in England read my post and took note. Better game and a good victory.


Right for the next match forget attack go out there and kill slaughter and take no prisoners.


England 2 Sweden 0


:Kaleun_Cheers:

[Catfish]

^ thanks Jim :)

And England wins 2:0 against Sweden. I was not exactly sure who I should be for, but Sweden was clearly not as good this time and England deserved to win.

A young team that obviously did not carry any ballast of the past.
Congratulations! :up:

[Cyborg322]

Clearly some one in England read my post and took note.

NO

Same style same approach same philosophy same belief same teamwork what do you mean ? This young team will improve as they progress the only thing that has changed is your view of the Team

Henderson had me little worried in the first 10 min or so. Not for his performance which was excellent. He always looks like he's going to punch someone including the Referee

The clip of the Newcastle fans at half time was hilarious. Did they think it was all over and it was the final ? the beer must be strong over there

[Aktungbby]

Clearly some one in England read my post and took note. Better game and a good victory.
I FOLLOW THESE PROCEDINGS WITH SOME INTEREST ...ENGLAND UBER ALLES! BOLLOCKS! THEY'VE READ MY POST AND ARE IMBUED WITH 'MINNESOTA NICENESS':O: MOREOVER: As we've seen in recent weeks, (ie England's great win over Columbia) the most dramatic moments of the World Cup are the penalty kicks, when the outcome can rest on a showdown between the shooter and the goalie. The ball at eleven metres dead center of the net; the goalie must stay on the line but may lateral R OR L prior to the kick. The best strategy may be not to move at all (mine in college soccer). In a 2007 study of 300 penalty kicks taken against goalies in professional games goalies go left 49.3%; to the right 44.4% and stay centered only 6.3% of the time. Kicks however go left, right or center 32.2%, 28.7% and 39.2 of the time respectively...This means that goalies are much more like ly to stop a kick if they just stay put...which means overcoming a natural tendancy towards action bias and the need to be seen 'doing something; in short: wait for it!:up: having played goalie against the touring Nigerian national team in '72http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx22/aktungbby/St%20Olaf%20Soccer%20team_zpsrorvtajt.jpg <(I'm the good looking guy in row three!:O:)... and tried out for the San José Earthquakes in '75; my expertise is unassailable...:haha: and: PENALTY SHOTS FROM A WORLDCLASS NIGERIAN IBO TRIBESMAN, STOPPED DEAD CENTER AMIDSHPS( on my stomach), REALLY HURT bby!

[ikalugin]

And so Russia is out over penalty.

[Catfish]

Well, Russia did well, but in the end penalty is always a game of luck. Both teams were good and the Russian team presented itself well, however both were completely exhausted and nervous, in the end.

2:2, and 4:3 for Croatia in penalties.

[nikimcbee]

BOLLOCKS! THEY'VE READ MY POST AND ARE IMBUED WITH 'MINNESOTA NICENESS':O: MOREOVER: having played goalie against the touring Nigerian national team in '72 <(I'm the good looking guy in row three!:O:)... and tried out for the San José Earthquakes in '75; my expertise is unassailable...:haha: and: PENALTY SHOTS FROM A WORLDCLASS NIGERIAN IBO TRIBESMAN, STOPPED DEAD CENTER AMIDSHPS( on my stomach), REALLY HURT bby!



St. Olaf?!
:Kaleun_Salute::Kaleun_Thumbs_Up::Kaleun_Cheers:


.....then there was that time Ol' Steed was the net minder. Jeeezus Steed, put your jersey on!
https://baggybulldogs.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/10633958_966495276712944_1541360589248752663_o.jpg (https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjYst7pgY7cAhVjFzQIHW-HAjgQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbaggybulldogs.wordpress.com%2F20 14%2F11%2F01%2Fsoccer-bully%2F&psig=AOvVaw1Y3kfyvDaoFPjWBSCTDqbQ&ust=1531088070842920)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK9pi-XsV0M

Best World Cup highlight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AWLpjhwu0c

[Aktungbby]

St. Olaf?!
:Kaleun_Salute::Kaleun_Thumbs_Up::Kaleun_Cheers:




https://staticx.ibncollege.com/wcsstore/ExtendedSitesCatalogAssetStore/990_200_10_264718981/images/LARGEIMAGE_1353010.jpg (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:StOlafSeal.png) INDEED AND GOALIE BY DEFAULT ONLY AS WE WERE SHORTHANDED MY FRESHMANN YEAR AND I HAD BEEN A HOCKEY GOALIE SINCE AGE SIX; SO THAT WAS IT-THE CAPTAIN ASKED 'WOULD I' AND I GOT A 2-0 SHUTOUT AND HAD THE B-TEAM GIG WHEN NOT AT INSIDE RIGHT STRIKER (A & B TEAM) FOR FOUR YEARS! THAT CAPTAIN BECAME A MINISTER AND I'M STILL IN TOUCH WITH FIVE OF THESE GUYS WHO WERE FROM MY HOME TOWN OR HAD PLAYED IN MY HIGH-SCHOOL CONFERENCE. QUITE A FEW IN THE FOTO WERE FRON GERMANY, NORWAY, THAILAND, FRANCE, BELGIUM AND BRAZIL SO- NO LACK OF TALENT! AND WE YANKS COULD HOLD OUR OWN.

[Gargamel]

Go Croatia!


Why? Cause I don't have any other horse in the race, and my company owners, managers, and a lot of my coworkers are Croatian, most first Generation. It's so 'ethnic' in this place, last week they posted a memo on the bulletin board, still in Croatian, nobody noticed till lunch. But they are all wonderful people, and I like working for them, so I gotta cheer for them. Perhaps if they win it all, we'll get a couple days off. :D

[Cyborg322]

Croatia deserved win should be an interesting game v England fantastic goal from Cheryshev Russia a little unlucky very odd first penalty looked like slow motion pass to goalie

Go Go England

https://s22.postimg.cc/f8u5kj4j5/5116.jpg (https://postimages.org/)


Go Go Three Lions

[Skybird]

Question of the day: why is it called world championship? Its an all-Euro cup. :D

[Catfish]

Wales, Scotland and Ireland may belong to Europe, but not England :O:

[Jimbuna]

Great result for England and this young team can only improve.

I'm certainly questioning my earlier beliefs now.

Well done to Croatia and I see a growing number of doubts on the internet regarding the physical capabilities of a Russian team that are supposedly growing stronger as the game goes on and their opposition tire and weaken as a result of their efforts.

After recent state sponsored drug involvement I suppose such allegations can be expected but the bottom line is, Russia did far better than expected and are now out of the competition so perhaps it best that sleeping dogs are left alone.

Hand on heart I'd love to see England triumph but I'll stick with my earlier prediction that the eventual winner will come from the France v Belgium match.

Certainly won't be complaining if I'm wrong.

[STEED]

I see some of England's fans act like morons by rubbing it in. :nope:

England fans were filmed tearing up an Ikea in east London as supporters decided to rub some salt in Swedish wounds.https://metro.co.uk/2018/07/07/england-fans-trash-ikea-singing-coming-home-sweden-win-7691414/


Disgraceful behavior which England can do without.




I take it England's next match is Wednesday evening which i will not be watching as i will be at work. So i will not comment on that match apart from this...WIN IT!

[Cyborg322]

I see some of England's fans act like morons by rubbing it in. :nope:

https://metro.co.uk/2018/07/07/england-fans-trash-ikea-singing-coming-home-sweden-win-7691414/


Disgraceful behavior which England can do without

You continue to focus on the negative for some reason in most of your post lets look at some positives

I agree the Ikea thing is ridiculous but Englands conduct on the pitch has been exemporary despite some really bad tempered matches and provocation these lads have been good role models for the younger generation with there fair play and unselfish teamwork. Lets hope our kids try to emulate them

Gareth Southgate has been a great ambassador for England with his respect for other teams and his no criticism policy with officials and FIFA

Hooliganism was I remember much worse in the 70's and 80's with groups like the infamous Inter City Firm and Interchange Riot Squad there are similar undesirables in most countries including all the Quarter finalist . England and Scotland were arguably the worse in terms of numbers in the past

Thing are still improving but you will always find the Lunatic fringe where ever you go

http://i65.tinypic.com/oku882.jpg

England Three Lions making most of us proud
Hooligan origin most popular theories may have originated from the surname of a rowdy Irish family in a music hall song of the 1890s or from Patrick Hoolihan (or Hooligan), an Irish bouncer and thief who lived in London.

[Jimbuna]

^ Hear hear :yep:

I'm surprised the Russian fans haven't carried out some of their televised threats thus far or is it a case of still time yet, or has Putin put the word out that Siberia awaits those troublemakers and perhaps even their nearest and dearest? :hmmm:

[ikalugin]

^ Hear hear :yep:

I'm surprised the Russian fans haven't carried out some of their televised threats thus far or is it a case of still time yet, or has Putin put the word out that Siberia awaits those troublemakers and perhaps even their nearest and dearest? :hmmm:
The term for prison is "a place not so far from here".


But yea, the idea is that fans do not tarnish the event. To be honest I think people underestimate the hospitality we offer.

[Dmitry Markov]

The term for prison is "a place not so far from here".

But yea, the idea is that fans do not tarnish the event. To be honest I think people underestimate the hospitality we offer.

- " Places not so remote" - another variant suggested by Google :-)

- I assume that people for most part are adequate and aren't intended to spoil a cheerful holiday, no matter where it takes place - Moscow, Austin, Mumbai.. So I don't expect any kind of aggro. And I also think if some 100 young (and not so young) "football fans" out of 146 000 000 our compatriots are so willing to figure out who's tougher with some other foreign "footbal fans" - they can always arrange an appointment in maslenica-fair wall-to-wall-fist fight-style somwhere in fields out of 101 km cirle from the city. We have PLENTY of place for that. Not that it would be in accordance with the law, but at least they won't disturb anybody except cows and birds.

[Jimbuna]

The term for prison is "a place not so far from here".


But yea, the idea is that fans do not tarnish the event. To be honest I think people underestimate the hospitality we offer.

- " Places not so remote" - another variant suggested by Google :-)

- I assume that people for most part are adequate and aren't intended to spoil a cheerful holiday, no matter where it takes place - Moscow, Austin, Mumbai.. So I don't expect any kind of aggro. And I also think if some 100 young (and not so young) "football fans" out of 146 000 000 our compatriots are so willing to figure out who's tougher with some other foreign "footbal fans" - they can always arrange an appointment in maslenica-fair wall-to-wall-fist fight-style somwhere in fields out of 101 km cirle from the city. We have PLENTY of place for that. Not that it would be in accordance with the law, but at least they won't disturb anybody except cows and birds.

I understand but since the problems in the Europen Championships (Marseille) there have been a few tv documentaries regarding promises of future violent clashes in the World Cup so hopefully everything will be peaceful.

[Skybird]

Cannot see Croatia or England being able to handle this super-cool washed-up French team.

[Catfish]

Well if they make a goal and then block like yesterday, they may win again. Though it was not exactly nice or interesting, how they destroyed the playing fun.. almost like Germany played in the 1980ies. :O:

[Jimbuna]

Cannot see Croatia or England being able to handle this super-cool washed-up French team.

I should imagine France are the tournament favourites now and rightly so :yep:

[JU_88]

I should imagine France are the tournament favourites now and rightly so :yep:

Would prefer a Croatia win tbh as it would be a first for them, (Considering France won 20 years back)

[Catfish]

England - Croatia was one of the better games, and the english team was very good and still very young, i think they are a good bet for winning the next world championship.

England leading after 5 minutes in the game and held it for a long time, maybe they became too content, but it was only 1:1 after 90 minutes, before the extra time started. Then Croatia made the 2:1 just 5 minutes before the end of extra time.. could as well have been England, both never gave up.
Sorry for England now, but then this is clearly a team with a future.


OT Q.: is the plural of typo "typos", or "typoes"? :hmmm:

[STEED]

Walking home last night pass the pubs told me all i needed to know. Quite and lots of gutted fans. The upside for me is i will no longer hear that bloody cheap nasty boring song for four years.

[JU_88]

will no longer hear that bloody cheap nasty boring song for four years.

:haha:

[Cyborg322]

I agree in part I think the game could of gone either way at one point England looking very strong for the first 3rd of the match and Croatias defense appeared weak but they hung in doggedly and England's normally strong defense started looking flustered. I thought some of Englands misjudgements and miscommunications later on in the game were so bad it was both comical and painful to watch

My man of the match was Trippier not just for his world class free kick but his game in general

Well done to Croatia to me they looked the better team overall and England would of learned a lot from it, obviously gutted maybe next time


Oh and it Typos @ CATFISH

[Dmitry Markov]

Would prefer a Croatia win tbh as it would be a first for them, (Considering France won 20 years back)

With all my respect and love to France - I'd prefer a Croatia too because it would mean that our team lost only to champions struggling neck-and-neck ;-)

[Jimbuna]

Walking home last night pass the pubs told me all i needed to know. Quite and lots of gutted fans. The upside for me is i will no longer hear that bloody cheap nasty boring song for four years.

What stopped you popping into one of the pubs and announcing the fact?

[Jimbuna]

England - Croatia was one of the better games, and the english team was very good and still very young, i think they are a good bet for winning the next world championship.

England leading after 5 minutes in the game and held it for a long time, maybe they became too content, but it was only 1:1 after 90 minutes, before the extra time started. Then Croatia made the 2:1 just 5 minutes before the end of extra time.. could as well have been England, both never gave up.
Sorry for England now, but then this is clearly a team with a future.


OT Q.: is the plural of typo "typos", or "typoes"? :hmmm:

I agree in part I think the game could of gone either way at one point England looking very strong for the first 3rd of the match and Croatias defense appeared weak but they hung in doggedly and England's normally strong defense started looking flustered. I thought some of Englands misjudgements and miscommunications later on in the game were so bad it was both comical and painful to watch

My man of the match was Trippier not just for his world class free kick but his game in general

Well done to Croatia to me they looked the better team overall and England would of learned a lot from it, obviously gutted maybe next time


Oh and it Typos @ CATFISH

Pretty much agree....the young lions did their country proud and I suspect a positive future lies ahead.

Man of the squad for me was Trippier and the less I say about Stirling the better.

Aye 'Typos' it is.

[STEED]

What stopped you popping into one of the pubs and announcing the fact?Errr..Why?

They all knew the score.

[Jimbuna]

You'd have looked like that Benny Hill sketch running away from a group of irate fans :haha:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDi83T4wEf8

[STEED]

I think they were way to tanked up on booze to give chase. Probably tanked up celebrating the first goal, tanked up with worry on the second and finally tanked up drowning their sorrows after the third goal that sealed England's fate.

[Jimbuna]

Hardly.....never seen a drunken football fan in my life :)

[STEED]

Hardly.....never seen a drunken football fan in my life :)

Another lie detector broken by a whopper. :haha:
https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/seismograph-earthquake-detection-lie-detector-drawing-chart-d-rendered-illustration-seismograph-earthquake-detection-112001277.jpg

Back up on line...
https://i.gifer.com/5HKT.gif

[STEED]

Anyone going to watch England's final game for 3rd place or have you turned off? I will not as I heard that dam song with a new twist which is bleeping me off.

[Jimbuna]

Belgium lead 1-0 at half time and appear to be well in control of the game.

[Aktungbby]

Anyone going to watch England's final game for 3rd place or have you turned off? I will not as I heard that dam song with a new twist which is bleeping me off. NOPE! IT JUST WON'T BE 'MINNESOTA NICE' :Kaleun_Crying:

[SharksFan99]

I'm hoping that Croatia take out the World Cup, just because they are the underdogs. :P

[Jimbuna]

^ That and the fact they've never won it before.

[Skybird]

Unfortunately in Croatian football, media report, there is a close nearness to fashist and ultranationalist opinion camps, and several Croatian players in the past have shown fashist greetings and sympathised with this ideology and ultranatioanalism, media further write. This gives the success of Croatia at this Cup a foul off-taste.

However, Les Bleus have a defence that is incredibly tough to crack, and they have the by far strongest offensive in the tournamernt and can switch from defence to all-out attack within splits of a second, it seems. :) . France to me is the clear favourite. The Force is strong in them this year.

[Catfish]

Unfortunately in Croatian football, media report, there is a close nearness to fashist and ultranationalist opinion camps, and several Croatian players in the past have shown fashist greetings and sympathised with this ideology and ultranatioanalism, media further write. This gives the success of Croatia at this Cup a foul off-taste. [...]

@Skybird if what is what you wrote is right, they fit perfectly well into the current worldwide political situation with the right wing getting strong everywhere. And when it comes to football, almost all hooligans are not entirely 'left-wing' :03:

Whatever they play better than France, Cro just had bad luck this time in the beginning. Lots of goals.. And Croatia has much less means, time and possibilities to train and maintain a football team. They are very good despite of that, and a win would help their small country. May the best win, not the luckiest.

[Catfish]

And France wins 4:2 against Croatia, congrats!

They blocked again and sometimes tried to delay, however this was a better game to watch than how France acted in the semi final, against Belgium.

[Platapus]

I thought it was so crass when that one French player made the "L" sign while facing the opposing fan section.

[Skybird]

Liberté! Egalité! Mbappé! :D

[Cyborg322]

Well its all over now just have to wait another 4 years !

[Catfish]

Liberté! Egalité! Mbappé! :D
.. le jour de gloire est arrivée :O:




@Cyborg 322 ^ nah two years and there's the European championship :)

[Jimbuna]

France's victorious football World Cup team is to receive the country's highest accolade, the Légion d'Honneur, the French presidency has announced.

[mapuc]

Well its all over now just have to wait another 4 years !

No those who love football, have to wait 4½ years.

Markus

[Threadfin]

No those who love football, have to wait 4½ years.

Markus


Why because they will shift the tournament to the winter because holding a tournament in the summer in Qatar is madness? You don't say. Their 'winning' bid clearly outlined how this World Cup will feature air conditioned outdoors, even the fan zones.



Impossible you say? Not in Qatar, where everything is possible. And FIFA agrees!

[mapuc]

Why because they will shift the tournament to the winter because holding a tournament in the summer in Qatar is madness? You don't say. Their 'winning' bid clearly outlined how this World Cup will feature air conditioned outdoors, even the fan zones.



Impossible you say? Not in Qatar, where everything is possible. And FIFA agrees!

The information I got from wiki, if it is reliable, is that Qatar could miss the world cup 2022 if evidence of bribery is proven

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_FIFA_World_Cup

Markus

[Jimbuna]

An interesting article regarding Qatar hosting the world cup: http://www.thesaint-online.com/2014/06/a-world-cup-in-qatar-is-a-joke/

[Threadfin]

The information I got from wiki, if it is reliable, is that Qatar could miss the world cup 2022 if evidence of bribery is proven

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_FIFA_World_Cup

Markus


I'll believe it when I see it. I can set it in the air conditioned desert. I don't understand though your reference to 4 1/2 years though if you aren't referring to shifting it to the winter.


Jimbuna's link is old, but still on point. I'd like to see an article with the same slant but with the following four years worth of scandal, human rights violations, corruption and bribery amended.


I love the World Cup, but if ever I would not mind if it was a complete failure and farce it will be 2022. It's been a sham since day one, and how fitting for it all to come home to roost.

[Skybird]

Do sharks turn vegetarian?

[mapuc]

I'll believe it when I see it. I can set it in the air conditioned desert. I don't understand though your reference to 4 1/2 years though if you aren't referring to shifting it to the winter.


In the same link I posted

This will also mark the first World Cup not to be held in May, June, or July; the tournament is instead scheduled for late November until mid-December. It is to be played in a reduced timeframe of around 28 days, with the final being held on 18 December 2022

So this must mean there is about 4½ years to the next World Cup.

Markus