Super User Darren. Posted June 24, 2018 Super User Posted June 24, 2018 Anyone else soccer/futbol fans here? Huge in my house. Watched every game of the first round thus far. Belgium, England, Russia, Croatia super impressive. Picked Germany early on, but Belgium looks stronger than the rest so far. England looks awesome this morning. Chime in if you're watching, are a fan, of the Beautiful Game! 1 Quote
Super User Sam Posted June 24, 2018 Super User Posted June 24, 2018 Darren, not really, but the only time I will watch soccer is in the World Cup as the players are the best in the world. 1 Quote
lo n slo Posted June 24, 2018 Posted June 24, 2018 the only time i watch any soccer at all is the World Cup and the Olympics. i have been battling a nasty inner ear infection this past week that has completely shut me down so i have been tuning in regularly. not too shabby! 1 Quote
Super User Darren. Posted June 24, 2018 Author Super User Posted June 24, 2018 31 minutes ago, lo n slo said: the only time i watch any soccer at all is the World Cup and the Olympics. i have been battling a nasty inner ear infection this past week that has completely shut me down so i have been tuning in regularly. not too shabby! Gosh, hope you get better quickly. Hate inner ear infections! 1 Quote
Graham Posted June 24, 2018 Posted June 24, 2018 While I’m not a huge fan of watching sport in general I’ve always enjoyed watching soccer matches. We’ve been watching as many games as we can catch here. That Germany Sweden game was a fun one to watch. Refs seemed to favor Germany though which was a little frustrating. Either way Germany dominated that one ☝️! 1 Quote
Super User Darren. Posted June 24, 2018 Author Super User Posted June 24, 2018 1 minute ago, Graham said: While I’m not a huge fan of watching sport in general I’ve always enjoyed watching soccer matches. We’ve been watching as many games as we can catch here. That Germany Sweden game was a fun one to watch. Refs seemed to favor Germany though which was a little frustrating. Either way Germany dominated that one ☝️! Germany came out with one mission: win at all costs. Their loss to Mexico was humiliating for them. But Mex sure made a huge statement with that game. I forgot to add Mexico to my list of impressive teams. The reffing has actually been really good this year, and I love how VAR has assisted in correcting calls. Some calls tho, have been bad... 1 Quote
Graham Posted June 24, 2018 Posted June 24, 2018 I agree, and refs always get a lot of criticism. That foul in the box on Sweden that was overlooked was the main one I was referring to. 1 Quote
Super User Darren. Posted June 24, 2018 Author Super User Posted June 24, 2018 1 minute ago, Graham said: I agree, and refs always get a lot of criticism. That foul in the box on Sweden that was overlooked was the main one I was referring to. Yeah, that and a few other fouls in the box in various games should have gone to VAR... 1 Quote
Jelvas Posted June 25, 2018 Posted June 25, 2018 I´m European so.... yeah, I like football (sorry, i absolutely refuse to call it soccer )! Portugal is well positioned to pass (1 win and 1 draw), but i´m not very confident for the rest of the Cup, the team is playing not so good, highly depending on Ronaldo who is absolutely on fire, he scored all of our goals so far. So far the teams that impressed me the most are Mexico (great game against Germany), Croatia (Modric is in a monstrous shape) and Russia that has the benefit of being the home team. The biggest disapointments, for me, so far are definitly Argentina ( a shadow of the team from 4 years ago), Germany (yeah, it´s well positioned to pass but i was expeting much more from them) and Brasil (same as Germany, well positioned but not showing anything special). Best players so far? Ronaldo and Modric by a country mile! Biggest disapointment? Messi! He just can´t play at the same level he plays in Barcelona when is playing for Argentina, never have, never will.... 1 Quote
Super User Darren. Posted June 25, 2018 Author Super User Posted June 25, 2018 4 minutes ago, Jelvas said: I´m European so.... yeah, I like football (sorry, i absolutely refuse to call it soccer )! Portugal is well positioned to pass (1 win and 1 draw), but i´m not very confident for the rest of the Cup, the team is playing not so good, highly depending on Ronaldo who is absolutely on fire, he scored all of our goals so far. So far the teams that impressed me the most are Mexico (great game against Germany), Croatia (Modric is in a monstrous shape) and Russia that has the benefit of being the home team. The biggest disapointments, for me, so far are definitly Argentina ( a shadow of the team from 4 years ago), Germany (yeah, it´s well positioned to pass but i was expeting much more from them) and Brasil (same as Germany, well positioned but not showing anything special). Best players so far? Ronaldo and Modric by a country mile! Biggest disapointment? Messi! He just can´t play at the same level he plays in Barcelona when is playing for Argentina, never have, never will.... Absolutely agree! I'd add Harry Kane to that list, but a distant third. He's been quite on point for England despite opponents. Croatia is a sleeper to go to quarter finals, I think. Heck, they have two of the best mid fielders in the game, so they could go further. Ronaldo is carrying Portugal, and he's doing an AMAZING job. Messi...has all but disappeared, but in his defense, I don't think Argentina is doing a good job of coaching or ... well, anything related to playing the beautiful game correctly or effectively. Spain is loaded, and Belgium is poised for glory if they can keep it rolling. Brazil has been "meh" for me. Nothing quite like the teams of old which were so fun and amazing. I just can't get in to Neymar like my sons can. He doens't "wow" me at all. Good, yes, great...maybe. 1 Quote
Jelvas Posted June 25, 2018 Posted June 25, 2018 1 hour ago, Darren. said: Absolutely agree! I'd add Harry Kane to that list, but a distant third. He's been quite on point for England despite opponents. Croatia is a sleeper to go to quarter finals, I think. Heck, they have two of the best mid fielders in the game, so they could go further. Ronaldo is carrying Portugal, and he's doing an AMAZING job. Messi...has all but disappeared, but in his defense, I don't think Argentina is doing a good job of coaching or ... well, anything related to playing the beautiful game correctly or effectively. Spain is loaded, and Belgium is poised for glory if they can keep it rolling. Brazil has been "meh" for me. Nothing quite like the teams of old which were so fun and amazing. I just can't get in to Neymar like my sons can. He doens't "wow" me at all. Good, yes, great...maybe. The problem with Portugal at the moment it´s our midfielders! Our coach, Fernando Santos, is very much set on a 4.4.2 tactic, and he has good reasons for that, it was the tactic that gave us the 2016 Euro Cup win, however, for you to have sucess on a 4.2.2 you need the mid fielders to carry the game when transitioning from defense to attack to compensate for the lack of a third men in the front, and our mid fielders shape at the moment is lower than a turtle´s belly! I think that, at the moment, a 4.3.3 may be a better solution! Ronaldo can carry us only so far... Croatia is the oposite, you look at that mid field and see that triangle Rakitic/Brozovic/Modric.... good God all mighty! It was allready a real pain in the ### to eliminate them at the Euro 2016, i honestly believe they can go far. I honestly don´t buy on that "poor coaching" idea for explaning Messi´s disappearing! Sampaoli allready proved itsealf as a good coach, just see what he did with Chile, the problem is that Messi needs a bunch of great players around him to shine at is full potencial, is best seasons on Barcelona were the ones where he had Xavi, Iniesta and David Villa around him. That´s the big diference between him and Ronaldo! Ronaldo started at Sporting... and becamed their best player, then he went to Manchester United... and becamed their best player, then he went to Real Madrid and guess what.... e becamed their best player! and during that time he has been Portugal´s best player, i mean, the men allready has 84 goals for the national team, he just tied Puskas has the second best scorer of all time for national teams and i have very little doubt that he is going to catch Ali Daei at the first position! My point is, the man is a machine! And no mather where and who is he playing with he allways delivers, now Messi on the other hand... As for Neymar... well, the only thing i´m going to say is, the day that he starts caring about playing and not faking faults all the time as much as he cares about is hair... he can then became a real star, the talent is there, the atittude not so much... 1 Quote
Super User Darren. Posted June 25, 2018 Author Super User Posted June 25, 2018 I'll give you some lee-way on Messi and coaching. I don't know as much as you, likely As for Croatia's midfield. Yes. Dangerous and ... dangerous. The team that underestimates them loses. And Neymar. A true salesman. He should have been yellowed for his "sales job" in the box in the last game. That's part of my gripe with him. He's a salesman through and through. Fouls are acted upon like a Shakespearean actor. Good grief! Quote
Super User Montanaro Posted June 25, 2018 Super User Posted June 25, 2018 I am a big soccer fan. Actually put money on a few bets this world cup...first time I have betted on sports. Got france winning it and Switzerland winning grouo among others. Also have panama as lowest scoring team and will win my money back if it works out which it might. Been watching Belgium and Croatia with interest 1 Quote
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted June 25, 2018 Global Moderator Posted June 25, 2018 I don’t know the first thing about soccer but when I heard that the USA didn’t qualify, I decided to jump on the Uruguay bandwagon. They appear to be playing well so far! 1 Quote
Super User Montanaro Posted June 25, 2018 Super User Posted June 25, 2018 Well saudi arabia won today....so as long as panama doesnt beat Tunisia 4-0 I should win my money back and have a few other bets that I can profit on. 1 Quote
Super User Darren. Posted June 26, 2018 Author Super User Posted June 26, 2018 Ronaldo decided to direct his PK to the goalie in order to show us he's human, LOL, just like Messi. Wish the games weren't at the same time in both slots! 1 Quote
Super User Montanaro Posted June 26, 2018 Super User Posted June 26, 2018 Lets go France! Score me some goals...need you as highest scoring team! Quote
Super User Darren. Posted June 26, 2018 Author Super User Posted June 26, 2018 Argentina makes it through!! Quote
Super User Darren. Posted June 27, 2018 Author Super User Posted June 27, 2018 Mexico falls, all credit to Sweden in a big win over our southern neighbor! Germany embarrassment. Not much else to say. Quote
Super User Montanaro Posted June 27, 2018 Super User Posted June 27, 2018 Insanity in that group! Precisely why I refused to make bets about who would advance from that group. 1 Quote
Jelvas Posted June 27, 2018 Posted June 27, 2018 3 hours ago, Darren. said: Germany embarrassment. Yep... i´m officially changing my vote from Argentina to Germany as the biggest disappointment of the World Cup so far! For me they were the big favorites to win the thing... 1 Quote
Super User Darren. Posted June 27, 2018 Author Super User Posted June 27, 2018 20 minutes ago, Jelvas said: Yep... i´m officially changing my vote from Argentina to Germany as the biggest disappointment of the World Cup so far! For me they were the big favorites to win the thing... Agreed. They were my pick going in. Now I'm wavering between Belgium, Croatia, Brazil... But it really is all about which team shows up to play at any given game! Been a good World Cup to watch so far. Quote
Graham Posted June 27, 2018 Posted June 27, 2018 How about Neymar's roll today against Serbia!!?? Hard for me to respect that guy, that was pretty funny though... Quote
Super User Darren. Posted June 27, 2018 Author Super User Posted June 27, 2018 1 minute ago, Graham said: How about Neymar's roll today against Serbia!!?? Hard for me to respect that guy, that was pretty funny though... Oh my. My youngest son, a soccer player, loves Neymar, and gets after me when I tell him he's (Neymar) a whiner and actor. Not demeaning his talent, but I 100% agree. What was it 7 rolls after a minor foul? Absolutely ridiculous. 1 Quote
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