**** 2018 WORLD CUP THREAD ***

Sledge_hammer wrote:

George213 wrote:

Really hate Mbappe's dirty gesture. For some reason, I hope an ACL tear on him one day, very unlikely, though, given his dodgy behavior.

Soccer is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work. Maladonna, like Mbappe, just did a lot of it, and no one would deny that he's in the GOAT discussion.

.

no. you don't need to do it. You don't. Stop saying that.

maradonna is known as much for his cheating as he is for his playing.

which proves the opposite of what you are trying to prove.

Man, I quit. I don't even want watch the tourney anymore.

I was so relieved when Giroud left the pitch. I don't understand why Deschamps keeps him in the team considering his performance in this WC.

As for Kilian Mbappe, disgusted by his behavior. Same for Pogba. They're fantastic players, but they lack sportsmanship.

Sledge_hammer wrote:

George213 wrote:

Really hate Mbappe's dirty gesture. For some reason, I hope an ACL tear on him one day, very unlikely, though, given his dodgy behavior.

I actually appreciate his street smart.

Soccer is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work. Maladonna, like Mbappe, just did a lot of it, and no one would deny that he's in the GOAT discussion.

Besides, what a horrible person you are wishing an ACL tear on somebody you don't even know in person.

I appreciate Bernie Madoff's smarts. Finance is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work.

you sound as stupid as this wrote:

Sledge_hammer wrote:

I actually appreciate his street smart.

Soccer is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work. Maladonna, like Mbappe, just did a lot of it, and no one would deny that he's in the GOAT discussion.

Besides, what a horrible person you are wishing an ACL tear on somebody you don't even know in person.

I appreciate Bernie Madoff's smarts. Finance is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work.

I appreciate Vontaze Burfict’s athleticism. Football is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work.

return to index wrote:

I was so relieved when Giroud left the pitch. I don't understand why Deschamps keeps him in the team considering his performance in this WC.

He is a target forward who can hold the ball and is good in the air. That's why he's in there. The ball comes to him via pass, he collects it and he is good enough to either go to goal OR hold it up and wait for the others to push up/support. His being there opens up the opportunities that Griezman and Mbappe get.

George213 wrote:

Really hate Mbappe's dirty gesture. For some reason, I hope an ACL tear on him one day, very unlikely, though, given his dodgy behavior.

Sledge_hammer wrote:

I actually appreciate his street smart.

Soccer is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work. Maladonna, like Mbappe, just did a lot of it, and no one would deny that he's in the GOAT discussion.

Besides, what a horrible person you are wishing an ACL tear on somebody you don't even know in person.

you sound as stupid as this wrote:

I appreciate Bernie Madoff's smarts. Finance is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work.

and this too wrote:

I appreciate Vontaze Burfict’s athleticism. Football is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work.

I have no idea what any of you are talking about, but I agree with the premise.

and this too wrote:

you sound as stupid as this wrote:

I appreciate Bernie Madoff's smarts. Finance is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work.

I appreciate Vontaze Burfict’s athleticism. Football is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work.

I appreciate Mike Rossi's creativity. Boston qualifying is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work.

We're all super sad. The whole country was over-excited, everyone was wearing red today, the busses had all "Allez les diables" written on their front in place of the destination, flags were everywhere (unlike in the US it's very unusual) and there were parties all around. That was such a grat time and exceptionnal as we are not a very patriotic country.

We didn't do good and let's say that France played "realistically" .

We're still super proud of our team, don't forget we're a small 11 millions inhabitants country, that's still amazing to reach that stage of the competition. But I can't help to think that Martinez did a mistake no taking Radja "the Ninja" Naingolan seeing how bad Dembele was today. Meunier was the only player he didn't really have a stand in for and the choices he made today to deal with that were obviously not the good ones.

El Keniano wrote:

I’m watching French commentary on TFI and, even though they’re trying,it’s far from neutral.

I do think it's normal that they're not neutral, I expect the TV channel of my country to not be neutral when it comes to national teams. However, TF1 is a caricature.

After the winning against Japan, they kept telling how it was all thanks to Thierry Henry. Now, we have jokes in Belgium about how Greg VanAvermaet is the current yellow jersey at Le Tour thanks to Thierry Henry. But of course, for the French, it's like it would be impossible that we do have talent in Belgium. No, it has to be thanks to some French-related connexion.

more stupid all the time wrote:

and this too wrote:

I appreciate Vontaze Burfict’s athleticism. Football is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work.

I appreciate Mike Rossi's creativity. Boston qualifying is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work.

I appreciate Killian Jornet’s inspiration. Summiting Everest is a strategic game, so sometimes you need to do the dirty work.

Disappointed today, frustrating to watch. And yeah refs should put a stop to the dirty time-wasting tricks.

Belgium didn't do enough today. France weren't amazing but they scored a goal and didn't concede. That's how most WC semi's go.

Another big game where Lukaku was basically invisible...

Well, that game was a bit of a snoozer. It almost put me to sleep. There were some moments that called for great saves and clearances, but the shooters were off the mark for most of the game. France did a good job of minimizing Belgian chances close to goal. What could have been an exciting final segment was slowed by fouls, injuries, and time wasting. Lots of petty fouls from both sides and time wasting from France. Hazard especially was fouled quite a bit and I think the referee lost control of the game.

And why would any top level team put Fellaini in the starting XI in a big game? I think that guy has proven time and time again that at the top level he is only good for an occasional header.

Hoping that England-Croatia will be more exciting, but Croatia has been anything but exciting in their knockout stage games. They could be like Portugal in Euro 2016--just slogging their way to the final and pulling off a miracle.

I hope it is England against France in the final. That would be great PR, especially because whoever loses will suffer for it forever probably, because there will be no rematch. Extreme high bragging rights stakes.

return to index wrote:

I was so relieved when Giroud left the pitch. I don't understand why Deschamps keeps him in the team considering his performance in this WC.

As for Kilian Mbappe, disgusted by his behavior. Same for Pogba. They're fantastic players, but they lack sportsmanship.

And yet, with Giroud they keep winning. With him, they reached the Euro 16 final match. It's almost as if the coach sees him as a valuable part of the team.

Giroud had a part in a goal with Peru and the build up to one of Mbappé's goals vs Argentina. And in the last game with Uruguay, he won in the air, have it to Varane who lost it trying to head it back to Giroud, Giroud still pressured the Uruguay player and Pogba made a tackle and got it to

He's a big target. Good for set pieces and defending corners. Without big guys like him, Pogba, Varane, you become like Japan.

There's a video of all France goals between Euros 16 and WC 18. He's got quite a few good ones. He's just on a draught right now. Sometimes it's luck and timing.

XY wrote:

France vs Croatia

Nice. Almost there. Let's see tomorrow.

I'm glad the WC is coming to an end. My mileage has dropped off big time since the beginning of the WC. I'm barely avg 20 miles a week, and I usually start racing around this time of the year. But the WC is just so consuming, so focus hasn't been the same.

The game wasn't a classic. No wonder it's being overshadowed by the Cristiano transfer in most of the morning press and TV shows.