**** 2018 WORLD CUP THREAD ***

Sledge_hammer wrote:

That's why I always put Ronaldo above Messi. Messi just can't save his country.

I find this to be such a misconception. Portugal had one tournament in the Ronaldo era where they did exceptionally well (Euro 2016). And they won the final without Ronaldo for most of the game. Ronaldo has experience much better coaching and a team that is built around his strengths, while Messi has suffered through awful coaching and great players that didn't show up.

Scorpion_runner wrote:

Sledge_hammer wrote:

Doubt Argentina has the stamina to be any threat in the final minutes.

I’m not going to count them out just yet. France is killing them offensively, but Varane and Pavard have been horrendous at times defensively, letting di Maria beat them 1 v 1.

As I speak Argentina is getting in the box at will... France’s backline too shakey for me.

However France should see this off.

Boom ! What I tell you! Goal Argentina.

The French defensively are garbage...they don’t close anyone down and they keep the offense onside. That would drive me crazy as a coach!

Great game ..great game..

Argentina is done, solid game by di maria.

The French are an offensive beast, but defensively? Deschamps better fix it.

Brasil, Belgium , France all have great offenses, but not so great defensively... who will make the least mistakes on defense will probably win the tourney.

Now bring on Ronaldo!

Scorpion_runner wrote:

Great game ..great game..

Argentina is done, solid game by di maria.

The French are an offensive beast, but defensively? Deschamps better fix it.

Brasil, Belgium , France all have great offenses, but not so great defensively... who will make the least mistakes on defense will probably win the tourney.

Now bring on Ronaldo!

I would not discount Brasil's defense. They only have given up one goal, and their ability to dominate possession and the style of play often is the best defense. That's why I had to predict Brasil beating France in the semi finals. But Brasil has to prevent another Mexican miracle and (most likely) get past a very talented Belgium squad. And France has to win their quarterfinal game, in which both potential opponents don't have the most talent but play very well as a team.

France has the firepower up top to win the tournament. Unfortunately, their defense is such a mess.

I said it before in this thread but the Argentinian coach is absolute garbage. His lineups, formations and tactics the entire tournament were abysmal. Not bringing on Sergio Aguero until the 80th minute the last game? I'm not even sure he played v Croatia. This guy is a 20 goal scorer in the EPL. You need to give Messi some help and let him play 'his' style which is roam all over the field.

I'd be surprised if Guillermo Barros Schelotto was not the next manager of Argentina. Former national team player, head manager of the top team in the Argentinian domestic league. Great football mind who has succeeded at every level and is well like by the players.

I also said it before....I think Messi walks away unless drastic changes are made by the AFA.

Seems as if Kenyans have adopted France after Senegal got knocked out. Never heard so many root against Messi. Also welcome Kylian Mbappé everybody, the new superstar of world football taking over after over a decade of the Ronaldo-Messi duopoly which is, thankfully, ending tonight when Uruguay knock Portugal out. These two have sucked the oxygen off every football discussion for ages. Welcome to the Mbappé era, you just know Florentino Perez over at Real Madrid is already checking his bank balance.

vivalarepublica wrote:

Scorpion_runner wrote:

Great game ..great game..

Argentina is done, solid game by di maria.

The French are an offensive beast, but defensively? Deschamps better fix it.

Brasil, Belgium , France all have great offenses, but not so great defensively... who will make the least mistakes on defense will probably win the tourney.

Now bring on Ronaldo!

I would not discount Brasil's defense. They only have given up one goal, and their ability to dominate possession and the style of play often is the best defense. That's why I had to predict Brasil beating France in the semi finals. But Brasil has to prevent another Mexican miracle and (most likely) get past a very talented Belgium squad. And France has to win their quarterfinal game, in which both potential opponents don't have the most talent but play very well as a team.

With Miranda starting on the back line with Thiago? There will be mistakes. The guy is just as bad as David Luiz and Boatang. It may not matter because brasil is never going to let up offensively, and score a lot of goals. However, if they have one of those dull matches like they had against the swiss, and it comes down to playing defense, anything can happen.

We are seeing some great offense in this tourney, but i still think in order to win it all it's going to come down to the team who is more defensively sound.

Poetic

https://twitter.com/football__tweet/status/1013086267846942720?s=21

El Keniano wrote:

Seems as if Kenyans have adopted France after Senegal got knocked out. Never heard so many root against Messi. Also welcome Kylian Mbappé everybody, the new superstar of world football taking over after over a decade of the Ronaldo-Messi duopoly which is, thankfully, ending tonight when Uruguay knock Portugal out. These two have sucked the oxygen off every football discussion for ages. Welcome to the Mbappé era, you just know Florentino Perez over at Real Madrid is already checking his bank balance.

Don't think there's anyone talented enough to take the place of Ronaldo and Messi at this moment though.Mbappé has the speed, but lacks the skill and sense in/near the box.

Aguero and Messi up front probably gave them their best chance. It was immediately obvious how much Aguero improved their attack when he came on today. You could see that Argentina had no idea what to do when Messi left his center forward spot and wandered into the midfield. And you are right, the AFA is probably the biggest culprit with bungling the Messi era. I can never forget the spell with Maradona as coach. Somehow they made the quarterfinals in the 2010 World Cup with him in charge.

France is sitting on a gold mine of talent. Their top talent is young enough that they will be around for Euros 2020, the Qatar 2022, and maybe even Euro 2024.

El Keniano wrote:

Poetic

https://twitter.com/football__tweet/status/1013086267846942720?s=21

Just call him 3 stacks....nothing less than 300 million. Hell, Real is probably the only one who can afford him, and if Bale decides to go elsewhere, than it is a no brainer. Unless PSG put a 1 billion dollar release trigger on him ..lol

That dribble from Ronaldo was just superb.

Very high-energy national anthem from Uruguay and they have the first goal...

Watching this game on Fox and Stu Holden is absolute crap. He's calling for yellow cards on every flip and flop from Cavanni and Suarez. Is he not watching the replays? Bemoaning the referee for losing control of the game but in reality the referee is trying not to reward all the theatrics.

Suarez should have gotten a yellow card for faking the "head injury". And I want Uruguay to win.

Jefe in the CO wrote:

Watching this game on Fox and Stu Holden is absolute crap. He's calling for yellow cards on every flip and flop from Cavanni and Suarez. Is he not watching the replays? Bemoaning the referee for losing control of the game but in reality the referee is trying not to reward all the theatrics.

Suarez should have gotten a yellow card for faking the "head injury". And I want Uruguay to win.

You could play a drinking game with every time that Stu Holden says "half yard of space".

I think Fox's best team for this Cup is Derek Rae and Aly Wagner, they are the least obnoxious or boring. A woman in a groundbreaking role like Aly Wagner has to do a great job to prove herself.

Well, that Portugal has made this game way more exciting. I am not sure that I even need this mid-afternoon coffee now!

I would play a drinking game for every time Stu Holden says, "Now, tell me how that is not a {insert yellow card/penalty kick here]?" if I wasn't so afraid of alcohol poisoning.

I do like Aly Wagner. She is at least iaware of the theatrics in the men's game.

Suarez/Cavanni is quickly becoming the best one-two punch in the tournament.

That football pitch is trash! Players can’t get any traction on it.

Good lord.

So Ronaldo joins Messi out of the World Cup on the same day. Allez les bleus!