Welcome to the World Cup discussion thread!
(for those of you who care)
First up, Saudi Arabia vs Russia. What a conundrum of who to root for! The election meddlers and Crimean annexer vs the oil barons and supporter of Wahhabism.
Well, allowing that as I write we are 25 mins in and Russia are 1-0 up, I would still recommend rooting for Saudi. Because they are the least likely to get out of the group and if they win that makes it less likely that Russia will progress.
I have some friends from the UAE, so I was gonna root for Saudi anyway.
EDIT: Whoops, 2-nil Russia.
I hope, in a freak accident of both nature and FIFA rules, they both lose. Shit, I can't even kick back with a beer and enjoy the game with these two dipshit teams.
Sheeeeeeeeesh.
5-0
That's rough.
England have shown once again that they are a top tier team deserving of winning the World Cup by *checks notes* barely limping to victory over Tunisia.
Quote from: Cain on June 19, 2018, 04:52:52 PM
England have shown once again that they are a top tier team deserving of winning the World Cup by *checks notes* barely limping to victory over Tunisia.
I should like to say something witty, pithy and germane at his point. Sadly the match was yesterday and it was so
instantly forgettable that . . . I got nothing
England will probably get through the group stage, which is more than can be said for Australia. But I am endlessly amused by England fans who insist on the World Cup as their birthright, despite winning it exactly once, 52 years ago. So watching England, who are IMO are a consistently overrated team, fail at what should be slam dunk games is extremely satisfying for me.
It needn't be this way, either. Individually, England has some pretty talented players. But I don't think I've seen a team more averse to the idea of playing as a team than England. Compare any footage in the last 20 years of England playing, and then throw up some footage of Brazil, Portugal, Serbia or Germany (probably a better comparison for the overall style of play). In theory, when playing football, you should be playing against 11 other men, but in the case of England, because everyone's out for themselves, they gimp themselves, and so you only ever have to worry about the one with the ball.
And then they wonder why they can't progress past the quarter finals.
Quote from: Cain on June 20, 2018, 01:45:23 AM
England will probably get through the group stage, which is more than can be said for Australia. But I am endlessly amused by England fans who insist on the World Cup as their birthright, despite winning it exactly once, 52 years ago. So watching England, who are IMO are a consistently overrated team, fail at what should be slam dunk games is extremely satisfying for me.
It needn't be this way, either. Individually, England has some pretty talented players. But I don't think I've seen a team more averse to the idea of playing as a team than England. Compare any footage in the last 20 years of England playing, and then throw up some footage of Brazil, Portugal, Serbia or Germany (probably a better comparison for the overall style of play). In theory, when playing football, you should be playing against 11 other men, but in the case of England, because everyone's out for themselves, they gimp themselves, and so you only ever have to worry about the one with the ball.
And then they wonder why they can't progress past the quarter finals.
Yeah, England have found their level. Making the quarter finals is what they should aim for. I actually remember watching the whole 1966 World Cup on TV. It was in black and white, and very, very small. The first time I ever saw football in colour was that same final when it did the rounds on the newsreels at the local picture house. It was a real shock to see it in Technicolour.
Mexico had some questionable dives, but when they play, they sure play pretty.
And then Japan did a thing. Again. Goddamn Japan, being all better than people. :rogpipe:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/fifa-world-cup/japan-fans-still-stayed-to-clean-the-stadium-after-heartbreaking-world-cup-loss/ar-AAzuMY1?ocid=spartanntp