World Cup Russia 2018 Thread

Well, well, well.  Can Brazil come back from this.

Brazil are going to have to do something special in the second half. Belgium are looking very strong. Could be an all-European pair of semi-finals at this rate. 

Peder posted:

Ardbeg10y posted:

I'm drinking a good bottle of Leffe tonight. 2 for Belgium already.

Is it a Leffe Blonde.?

https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/leffe-blonde/2514/#!

Peder???? 

I'm afraid it is Leffe Royale, and that is appropriate given the 2-0 state:

Have no other Belgian beers here - I must admit that I'm used to better Belgian beers.

So, the masters of silky smooth footballing skills have lost to Belgium, who displayed some silky smooth skills of their own.

As a wee boy growing up in Glasgow, I was captivated by teams from Brasil over the years, and, to be honest, though they lost tonight, I

still have never seen a team play such "eye candy" football.

Well done  Belgium, and much sympathy to Brasil.

What a match. Though I m Dutch, not Belgian, I felt so much tension. Happy Belgium won.

Yes well done Belgium but for an own goal,  a dodgy penalty decision and some last ditched defending it would be them going home and not Brasil and I for one as an England supporter am glad of the result because I would rather play Belgium than Brasil 10 times out of 10.

Happy to read that. Many of the Belgian team play in the premier league so they understand English football well. A well desired advantage.

Congratulations to Belgium. I thought they deserved their victory.  Martinez got his tactics spot on.  I've long had doubts about Fellaini, thinking him a bit of an oaf, but tonight I thought he played very well.  

Curious that the VAR team didn't give Brazil what looked like a clear penalty. But at the same time Neymar's dives seeking a penalty perhaps allows a feeling of justice being done.  

dave marshall posted:

So, the masters of silky smooth footballing skills have lost to Belgium, who displayed some silky smooth skills of their own.

As a wee boy growing up in Glasgow, I was captivated by teams from Brasil over the years,???? and, to be honest, though they lost tonight, I

still have never seen a team play such "eye candy" football.???? 

Well done  Belgium, and much sympathy to Brasil.

???? Dave Marshall,.....Agree,Agree.Agree.Brasil is Brasil....fantastic.!!

/Peder???? 

Ardbeg10y posted:

What a match. Though I m Dutch, not Belgian, I felt so much tension. Happy Belgium won.

Same feeling for me

Peder posted:

dave marshall posted:

So, the masters of silky smooth footballing skills have lost to Belgium, who displayed some silky smooth skills of their own.

As a wee boy growing up in Glasgow, I was captivated by teams from Brasil over the years,???? and, to be honest, though they lost tonight, I

still have never seen a team play such "eye candy" football.???? 

Well done  Belgium, and much sympathy to Brasil.

???? Dave Marshall,.....Agree,Agree.Agree.Brasil is Brasil....fantastic.!!

/Peder???? 

 

Though my love affair with Brasil, (the football team), was engrained from an early "wee boy" age, I had the fortunate opportunity to work down in Brasil for some years, and, the people, the country, the beaches etc, etc, were just fabulous.

So yes, I have a huge soft spot for Brasil and her people ...................... not to mention, the most entertaining football team ever! 

Brazilians are living the past and still playing as if it were 1970. Football per se has evolved. Every single team with a diva among their players have gone down, mostly notably S. American: Messi, C. Ronaldo(yes, I know he's portuguese), Neymar, etc... I thought this was a team sport. Maybe I am wrong. It looks like, for the third time in a roll, it's going to be an european team to win it. Well done Belgium, good luck tomorrow England. 

dave marshall posted:

As a wee boy growing up in Glasgow, I was captivated by teams from Brasil over the years, and, to be honest, though they lost tonight, Istill have never seen a team play such "eye candy" football.

When I was young I was attracted to Brazillian football as well. It was like dancing and the players were unstoppable. As a reaction on that, we the europeans invented position play where we give short passes and the Brazillians are just running around. An extreme example of that was the 7-1 in 2014 against Germany. Now it seems that the answer to this is an influence of Rugby. Conquer the field per meter until you reach the goal, drop yourself and get a penalty.

This is not the attractive football I'd like to see. I like the combinations, sudden passes, creativity.

I hope that it is clear since this match that this silly kind of fooball where you play the ref and not the opponent is not the way to become 'weltmeister'. 6 european teams have survived now - none from Asia / Africa or the Americas. Lets hope the Latin world + Portugal (latin world too) use their mind and invent a real nice and attractive answer instead of copying the German invention 'Schwalbe'.

I thought in any case that Brazil was completely superior in the second half.
They had goal chances all the time.

/Peder ????

Yes, that's why I became very nervous. It seems that the midfield of Belgium is a rather attacking than defending one.

Speaking as a Jock, whose team will more than likely not qualify for the World Cup within the present generation, I'm probably not even entitled to an opinion, but at least, we did / do recognise that we weren't / aren't really that good.

Addressing your post, that's to imply that the European teams don't indulge in the same gamesmanship that you are, quite rightly, calling out for the South American sides.

Just today, I've heard Allan Shearer opine that "this sort of stuff is actually coached in South America" ............. do you really believe that though we may not have reached that stage, that some of our players are not going down the route of: 

"I probably won't score, so can I possibly win a penalty?"

Sorry, but in endless slo' mo' replay of our "hero of the moment" Harry Kane, for me, he grabbed the defender's arm and precipitated the tumble which led to the penalty.

I watched the France / Uruguay game this afternoon, and have seldom heard a more xenophobic commentary , whereby the gamesmanship of the French was completely ignored, in favour of hackneyed comments about South American football.

Seems almost as if we have to accept the mainstream commentators version of events, otherwise, it didn't happen, regardless of what we, as football fans, can see for ourselves.

Just as in all things musical, we all see / hear things differently. 

Tony2011 posted:

Brazilians are living the past and still playing as if it were 1970. Football per se has evolved. Every single team with a diva among their players have gone down, mostly notably S. American: Messi, C. Ronaldo(yes, I know he's portuguese), Neymar, etc... I thought this was a team sport. Maybe I am wrong. It looks like, for the third time in a roll, it's going to be an european team to win it. Well done Belgium, good luck tomorrow England. 

I thought that the Brazilians were as aggressive as the Belgians and exhibited a genuine and well coordinated team play, nobody hugging the ball, everyone always looking for the opened man to pass the ball to.The difference was the exceptional performance of the Belgian goal keeper, otherwise the score could have been very different. My personal wish for the final game is to have two teams which had never been there before.

Haim Ronen posted:

I wonder if we all watched the same game.. For reality check here are the stats for the Brazil - Belgium game. The Brazilian lead big time in PASSING (!!!) (557 to 370), goal attempts (26 to 8), corner kicks (8 to 4) while committing less fouls (14 to 16). Seems to me that today the Brazilians were clearly more European than the guys in red.

https://www.foxsports.com/socc...8-match-stats-108602

 

I totally agree and if Kompany's header had not deflected in or Kompany's foul inside the box on Jesus had been given there would be a different team in the semi - final.

if England had to play that Brasil team I would be extremely worried, Belgium on the other hand I think we could beat.

Bob the Builder posted:

Haim Ronen posted:

I wonder if we all watched the same game.. For reality check here are the stats for the Brazil - Belgium game. The Brazilian lead big time in PASSING (!!!) (557 to 370), goal attempts (26 to 8), corner kicks (8 to 4) while committing less fouls (14 to 16). Seems to me that today the Brazilians were clearly more European than the guys in red.

https://www.foxsports.com/socc...8-match-stats-108602

 

I totally agree and if Kompany's header had not deflected in or Kompany's foul inside the box on Jesus had been given there would be a different team in the semi - final.

if England had to play that Brasil team I would be extremely worried, Belgium on the other hand I think we could beat.

I am not that sure that England is strong enough to either beat France or Belgium, assuming they set aside Schweden and Croatia..... 

Enjoyed the Belgium game. For a good chunk of it I thought Belgium looked in control, and every counter attack seemed to carry a threat. Worked really well as a team and Lukaku was fantastic. Would be worthy winners.

The first penalty VAR issue confused me. Looked like the Brasil player had lost control of the ball and the ball may even have been out of play when he was (clearly) clattered. In my mind that meant no penalty but have I interpreted the rules wrongly? The commentators seemed convinced it should have been given.

All European tournament now. Does this say something about the world game?

Bruce

I think we are capable of beating Belgium because it will essentially be a premier league match played at premier league pace by players who play in the premier league.

However it could all be academic if we do not break down Sweden today.

Tony2011 posted:

It looks like, for the third time in a roll, it's going to be an european team to win it. Well done Belgium, good luck tomorrow England. 

And yet this didn't prevent most of you Brits to vote for leaving Europe.  This proves, once again, that football (or soccer, or what the f*ck you call it) marks the exact limit of people's political, ethic and social level.

I once was in Piccadilly Circus, in front of one of those small shops of English trivia for silly tourists. There was, hung to a wall, a T-shirt with the following, in white on a black background:

I AGANIST MY BROTHER.

I AND MY BROTHER AGAINST OUR COUSIN.

I, MY BROTHER AND MY COUSIN AGAINST THE NEIGHBOR.

I, MY BROTHER, MY COUSIN AND THE NEIGHBOR AGAINST THE FOREIGNER.

(Arab proverb).

Peder posted:

Since 1986,..England and Sweden have met 14 times,where Sweden has won 5 times and England 2 times.

/Peder ????

Good morning my forums-friends,....I say this above again.....
◾"Since 1986,.. England and Sweden have met 14 times,where Sweden has won 5 times and England 2 times. "

So my advice is,...do not talk than if France or Belgium is best to meet in the next match ????????????.

Peder????

Massimo Bertola posted:

Tony2011 posted:

It looks like, for the third time in a roll, it's going to be an european team to win it. Well done Belgium, good luck tomorrow England. 

And yet this didn't prevent most of you Brits to vote for leaving Europe.  This proves, once again, that football (or soccer, or what the f*ck you call it) marks the exact limit of people's political, ethic and social level.

I once was in Piccadilly Circus, in front of one of those small shops of English trivia for silly tourists. There was, hung to a wall, a T-shirt with the following, in white on a black background:

I AGANIST MY BROTHER.

I AND MY BROTHER AGAINST OUR COUSIN.

I, MY BROTHER AND MY COUSIN AGAINST THE NEIGHBOR.

I, MY BROTHER, MY COUSIN AND THE NEIGHBOR AGAINST THE FOREIGNER.

(Arab proverb).

 

Too many words for the same meaning as Rinus Michels once said: 'football is war'.