World Cup Match Thread and talk (merged)

I'd rather both teams had lost if that were possible.  If I'd given a big enough bribe to FIFA I'm sure that could have been arranged too.  

Quoted from OddShapedBalls

I'd rather both teams had lost if that were possible.  If I'd given a big enough bribe to FIFA I'm sure that could have been arranged too.  

Well..... if both teams were reduced to 7 men and then to get a further man sent off each the game would have been abandoned. The trophy would then go to the team with the best disciplinary record which was
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England!

Quoted from lukeo

Well..... if both teams were reduced to 7 men and then to get a further man sent off each the game would have been abandoned. The trophy would then go to the team with the best disciplinary record which was
....
...
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England!

I knew Southgate had a hidden masterplan!  Pity the ref in the final wasn't card-happy...... still, with 48 teams at the next world cup the chances of either Argentina or France reaching the final in 2026 are a bit less.

There is a FairPlay discussion  elsewhere for div 2.  England won the FairPlay award at the World Cup with only one yellow card. (Maguire).

Are we too decent and honourable though as a team?

Argentina have no scruples about cynically a dangerous attacking player.  In the final a foot was left in on a tackle on Mbappe.  They did manage to win the World Cup.

Years ago, before they changed the rules on an amnesty, Argentina got to the final with 5 or 6 players suspended.  Now they can get away with dirty play against the Netherlands and France.

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

There is a FairPlay discussion  elsewhere for div 2.  England won the FairPlay award at the World Cup with only one yellow card. (Maguire).

Are we too decent and honourable though as a team?

Argentina have no scruples about cynically a dangerous attacking player.  In the final a foot was left in on a tackle on Mbappe.  They did manage to win the World Cup.

Years ago, before they changed the rules on an amnesty, Argentina got to the final with 5 or 6 players suspended.  Now they can get away with dirty play against the Netherlands and France.

Clutching at straws . Don’t think it changed any results. Only thing I could see influenced which results in the competition beyond players ability and tactical changes from managers was one poor referee in the England France game. Overall referees where excellent and we drew the short straw .

Quoted from OddShapedBalls

I knew Southgate had a hidden masterplan!  Pity the ref in the final wasn't card-happy...... still, with 48 teams at the next world cup the chances of either Argentina or France reaching the final in 2026 are a bit less.

They are going to reverse that decision

Quoted from HerveJosse

Clutching at straws . Don’t think it changed any results. Only thing I could see influenced which results in the competition beyond players ability and tactical changes from managers was one poor referee in the England France game. Overall referees where excellent and we drew the short straw .

There were some dreadful refereeing performances but mixed in there were some decent ones.

I think it’s fair to have a discussion about two teams reaching a final, that, as evidence suggests, benefitted immensely from Qatari money. The relationship between Macron, Qatar and Infantino was very sickly.

The final was THE final the pundits, talking heads and too folk in the game wanted, Messi v Mbappe…and they got it.

I have no issue with Messi winning a World Cup and I don’t believe the final was a fix, France were dreadful, Mbappe wasn’t happy, then the lottery of penalties etc. I just think there’s a bigger question or discussion about who reached the final. Similarly, the one truly awful refereeing performance came from a Brazilian, in favour of France. Again, a bloke from a country that has gained financially from Qatari cash working in favour of France.

The rhetoric will forever be about how amazing the World Cup was, it wasn’t. The final was great but if you do actually look back over the tournament, it was no better than any that have gone before. There’s always an outsider that does well. A big side always goes out in the group stage, a couple of teams that should progress don’t and the cream rises to the top.

Simple fact is, it should never have been held there.

Quoted from aldi_01

There were some dreadful refereeing performances but mixed in there were some decent ones.

I think it’s fair to have a discussion about two teams reaching a final, that, as evidence suggests, benefitted immensely from Qatari money. The relationship between Macron, Qatar and Infantino was very sickly.

The final was THE final the pundits, talking heads and too folk in the game wanted, Messi v Mbappe…and they got it.

I have no issue with Messi winning a World Cup and I don’t believe the final was a fix, France were dreadful, Mbappe wasn’t happy, then the lottery of penalties etc. I just think there’s a bigger question or discussion about who reached the final. Similarly, the one truly awful refereeing performance came from a Brazilian, in favour of France. Again, a bloke from a country that has gained financially from Qatari cash working in favour of France.

The rhetoric will forever be about how amazing the World Cup was, it wasn’t. The final was great but if you do actually look back over the tournament, it was no better than any that have gone before. There’s always an outsider that does well. A big side always goes out in the group stage, a couple of teams that should progress don’t and the cream rises to the top.

Simple fact is, it should never have been held there.

Your point regarding refereeing simply illustrates that there is an inconstancy in the quality of referring regardless of the competition beit the World Cup or EFL L2. Unfortunately, we will have to be mindful of this when Town play.

Quoted from lukeo

Well..... if both teams were reduced to 7 men and then to get a further man sent off each the game would have been abandoned. The trophy would then go to the team with the best disciplinary record which was
....
...
.
England!

Slightly incorrect. Croatia v Morocco would’ve had to have been abandoned with 4 each sent off, and then we would’ve  been successful

Hagrid drop us a DM for settling our bet. Sorry for the delay I was away with work from Sunday morning.

Fair play to Scalloni. Picked the perfect system. Deschamps on the other hand should surely have anticipated Argentina overloading central midfield. The better coach won.

And a message to Brazil about how they could return to the top of the international game. Don’t just expect to turn up and beat teams without working hard.

Defending seems to have become a lost art in modern football. Possibly because so many teams invite pressure  by suicidal playing out from the back?

Overall it was a really low quality World Cup. Every team had a major flaw. Argentina’s dodgy defence overcame France’s weak midfield.in the Final. The difference? Goalkeeper. I’ve never really understood Lloris being so highly rated. When it went to penalties there was only likely to be one winner.