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Post by Buttler on Jun 24, 2018 13:03:29 GMT
People are crazy...
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Post by Helmut83 on Jun 24, 2018 18:19:17 GMT
People are crazy... on
Terrible. That's insane. About the penalty on Sweden, yeah, I think that's sanctionable. Germany is a big team and referees aren't always going to call things against them. On another note, my predicition about Kane being the World Cup's top goalscorer is looking better each time. And this World Cup is there for the taking, there are no scary favourites. Any team that gets their shit together over the next couple of weeks could get it. Maybe we could even have a new champion, like Belgium, Croatia or Mexico.
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Post by tremblinwilbury on Jun 25, 2018 7:52:38 GMT
Yes - a proud Mayoman, Helmut83. On a sporting front, I've seen our Gaelic Football team make the All Ireland final for the last few years - only to come up short. We might win it again one day and take Sam back home over the Shannon... Mayo is one of the largest counties in Ireland, yet one of the least populated. It's mountainous and has poor land. As for weather - it faces the wild north Atlantic. But, it's had its say in Ireland's recent history. We've had two Taoisigh (plural of Taoiseach) and two presidents since independence. And, at least one massive ELO fan! On a separate note - there is an 'Irish' musical connection with Argentina - Chris de Burgh. A fine songwriter. One of his songs displays the inner conflict he had back in the early eighties - during a certain war... Borderline is one heck of a song.
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Post by Helmut83 on Jun 25, 2018 20:01:13 GMT
Wow, what a closing to Group B! Iran so close! And Spain so close to losing against Morocco. European teams got lucky, but both of them were pretty mediocre. Now I hope Uruguay smashes Portugal and Russia eliminates overhyped Spain. dillwyn: your South American candidate doesn't play pretty but is looking solid. Only team to win 3 out of 3 so far, and with no goals against.
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Post by Horacewimp on Jun 26, 2018 20:03:18 GMT
Your World Cup starts now Helmut83 that was a close shave.
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Post by Buttler on Jun 26, 2018 20:13:24 GMT
France vs Argentina. Can't wait!
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Post by dillwyn on Jun 26, 2018 20:36:02 GMT
Congrats Helmut...now go play like we know you can
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Post by Helmut83 on Jun 26, 2018 21:06:39 GMT
Thanks Horacewimp, Buttler and dillwyn! Yeah, that was really, really close. I'm glad in the end it was Marcos Rojo who saved our asses because he had to take so much shit and hating from Argentine fans during all this time, unfairly in my opinion because he always played well for the national team. I think this team is what you have seen on this group stage. I'm afraid it cannot play much better than this, as dillwyn says. It's a pretty unprepared and improvised team and it shows game after game, even if the individual players' quality ends up saving us like today. That being said, France hasn't looked too good either, so that game is anyone's guess. This World Cup hasn't got clear favourites (except for Belgium maybe) and I feel like it's there for the taking for anyone who strings 4 good games together. And Argentina, lousy and everything, is in the mix now...
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Post by Buttler on Jun 27, 2018 14:30:38 GMT
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Post by Buttler on Jun 27, 2018 16:02:48 GMT
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Post by Helmut83 on Jun 27, 2018 18:54:46 GMT
Do you understand now why the Argentina national team is such a mess? By all reports, a player (Messi) manages everything, from the guys who play and the tactics to the friendlies schedule and the places Argentina goes to prepare itself for the World Cup. Argentina, instead of going directly to Russia, spent the previous week to the WC in Barcelona, just because Messi wanted it. On another note, I said here Germany has guts... First time since 1950 that they fail to be among the best 8, let that sink in...
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Post by Helmut83 on Jun 27, 2018 19:57:50 GMT
I'll sum up this World Cup: Penalty for you, penalty for me, penalty for him, penalty for the penalty, penalty, penalty!!! Seriously, something needs to be done. Football has turned into penalty ball.
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Post by vlogdance on Jun 27, 2018 20:52:46 GMT
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Post by Helmut83 on Jun 28, 2018 2:33:39 GMT
And in a seriously WTF moment of the World Cup, apparently these people in Bangladesh couldn't find a worse team to root for: Someone explain this to me. There were more celebrations in a country on the other side of the world than in Argentina itself. Crazy.
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Post by tremblinwilbury on Jun 28, 2018 7:31:55 GMT
I'll sum up this World Cup: Penalty for you, penalty for me, penalty for him, penalty for the penalty, penalty, penalty!!! Seriously, something needs to be done. Football has turned into penalty ball. I hear what you're saying Helmut83. It does seem like the competition's gone 'penalty crazy'.
But...
The World Cup is (and has been for many years) covered from virtually every angle by cameras. Up until recently the only authority was the referee. Players took advantage of this. If the ref couldn't see an infringement, and it was missed by a linesman, then certain players behaved unprofessionally.
We could see what was going on though. And, how would it have looked to children who love football? Their heroes committing fouls and getting away with it.
As I see it, VAR has worked. If it hadn't existed, South Korea's first goal yesterday would've been incorrectly disallowed.
Video and electronic assistance is used in other sports - tennis and rugby, being two big ones that come to mind. Sooner or later football (or soccer, if you prefer) had to catch up with the real world.
Several years ago, in World Cup play-off, Thierry Henry clearly handled the ball just before France scored against the Republic. He even admitted it after the game. The ref didn't see it, so the goal was allowed. The entire television audience saw exactly what happened.
In big competitions VAR is needed. It will identify more real penalty situations. Ultimately, it's fairer in the long run. And in yesterday's match, it added a new facet of drama to an already absorbing game.
Just my opinion, of course
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