World Cup 2022

[Master]

If that was the case Holland would have beaten Argentina on penalties.

[Primo Carnera]

If that was the case Holland would have beaten Argentina on penalties.

? What are you talking about?

[palmerq]

Winner: Brazil
Finalist: France
Top Scorer: hairy kane
Player of the tournament: Neymar
Best keeper: argy martinez

Well apart from France my other predictions have crashed a bit, Brazil out, amazing that they threw that away Croatia are impressively determined and are masters of shoot outs now... Kane has scored once.... Neymar was injured and is out now, great goal today v Croatia at least.. argy Martinez has been sosgyall tournament in goals until the shootout where he did what he does... But he's not going to be the best goalie of the tournament:S...

Great assist by Messi today, the argies really seem to have developed some bad habits with their complacency in games, threw away the lead v Saudis, went 2 up v Aussies and the Aussies nearly got it back to 2-2 at the end... And the same with the dutch today, they get too relaxed and donkey weghorst scores then they give away a really stupid free kick right at the end and the dutch fool them with the pass and a game they should have easily won is off to extra time.... Lucky for them Martinez was on good penalyform(again) and the other Martinez putnhis bad form behind him and taunts from the dutch players to finish the shootout..

Also today is a good example or argument of why you should have your best guy gonup First in the shoot out, neymar was waiting for the fifth penalty for Brazil but Brazil missed their first and Neymar never got to take one... Messi steps up first for the argies and puts it away and sets them on course.... Messi doesn't get the glory of scoring the winning penalty but he sets the team up for the rest of the shoot out.... Of course you could always argue you want the best guy taking the later penalties to win it or stay alive...but I'm voting send the best guy in first.

[Master]

If that was the case Holland would have beaten Argentina on penalties.

? What are you talking about?

Momentum and mental strength . Holland had come back from 2 goals down and should have won the penalties.

[Primo Carnera]

If that was the case Holland would have beaten Argentina on penalties.

? What are you talking about?

Momentum and mental strength . Holland had come back from 2 goals down and should have won the penalties.

Momentum yes, mental strength absolutely not. 2 things in the Dutch DNA .
1. In house bitching and fighting.
2. to repeatedly bottle it and experts on how to lose tournaments.
And that showed again in the penalties.
Whereas Argentinians , although volatile, by and large are winners and mentally teak tough. That’s what makes them a World Cup big hitter historically.
Btw, it’s also why over the years it’s taken the Argentine fans a bit of time to love Messi as much as they should. Because apart from the fact that he left his native country very early and was seen as more Spanish, he wasn’t your normal take tough volatile character that they so identify with as one of their own.
Either You are clutching at straws with selecao tinted glasses on , or you know nothing about World Cup football. Absolutely no robbery.

[TitoFan]

Going to say it even if it upsets people Brazil were robbed. They were the only team trying to win and Neymar goal deserved to be the winner. Croatia play for penalties and are lucky to get this far. No way a team like them deserve to win the tournament.

Nobody was robbed. Show me one decision that went against them? I wanted Brazil to go through just because I wanted a Brazil/Argentina semi final, because that’s a “Proper” World Cup Semi final.
But you don’t get given fuck all at this stage. I’ve seen it too many times in the past where teams have looked a million dollars…………..and then they get knocked out.
Holland ‘74
Brazil in ‘82
Laudrup’s Denmark
Ronaldo’s Brazil in ‘98
Italy in ‘90.

In the first half Croatia were more than a match for Brazil, Second half Brazil were slightly better but not clinical enough.
Extra time it looked like Neymar had saved them, but you have to close the show. The Croatia left wing had an acre to run into.
But you must give Croatia credit for their mental strength. When it went to penalties, there was only one winner.

My opinion:

I'm floored Brazil didn't make it, as I also wanted a Brazil-Argentina semifinal.

But....

I was so frustrated with Neymar for most of the match. Other than his one goal, which was admittedly SPECTACULAR... many times he tried to force his way through defenders only to get the ball taken away from him. At least that's what I saw. I hope Argentina takes care of business against Croatia, because I'd rather have them in the final.

[TitoFan]

Interesting, potential World Cup final matchups:

• England vs Argentina: rematch of the Falkland Islands
• Portugal vs Argentina: CR7 vs Messi
• France vs Croatia: rematch of the last WC final

[Master]

Portugal out and so is Ronaldo.

[palmerq]

Kane's penalty out of the park and England too....

Offt bad luck England fans, England are getting pretty good though, I thought they were better than France in the second half, two definite penalties too..

Amazing work by Morocco surely they can't defend all the way to the final though.. Morocco and Croatia are the only two undefeated teams left, who would have thought!

[Mark TKO]

Hard to take that one.

Never a better opportunity for us. France were nothing special and from 1 all I honestly thought there was only going to be one winner.

Feel for a Harry. That kick will live with him a long long time.

These games never seem to go our way do they. They just don't

[TitoFan]

England frankly outplayed France for most of the game. A lot of fouls were not called... although to be fair there were questionable calls on both sides. Yeah... Kane must be downright gutted right now.

So Morocco moves on...

I don't really want to see them in the final. They play a boring style of game. Collapse into a defensive block... and cross your fingers you might get some fast breaks enough to make the difference. Morocco-Portugal was not to be confused with England-France.

(Only my 3rd interesting scenario is alive... rematch of the last WC... although I really really really want Argentina over Croatia).

[Mark TKO]

This morning I feel worse. Rather we'd been outplayed and lost 3 0. Easier to accept.

Had we won I think I honestly would have believed it was coming home truthfully for first time.

Big missed opportunity. Will we get another like that in my lifetime.....

[Primo Carnera]

England frankly outplayed France for most of the game. A lot of fouls were not called... although to be fair there were questionable calls on both sides. Yeah... Kane must be downright gutted right now.

So Morocco moves on...

I don't really want to see them in the final. They play a boring style of game. Collapse into a defensive block... and cross your fingers you might get some fast breaks enough to make the difference. Morocco-Portugal was not to be confused with England-France.

(Only my 3rd interesting scenario is alive... rematch of the last WC... although I really really really want Argentina over Croatia).

I wouldn’t say “England outplayed France for most of the game.” It was pretty much 50-50 and whoever got knocked out were gonna feel hard done by.
England played really well but it was always gonna be a big ask.
Gary Neville got it right when he said this team gave it a much better go than the teams he played in that got to quarter finals.
Gonna be interesting to see if Southgate continues and where Bellingham decides to move to.

[TitoFan]

England frankly outplayed France for most of the game. A lot of fouls were not called... although to be fair there were questionable calls on both sides. Yeah... Kane must be downright gutted right now.

So Morocco moves on...

I don't really want to see them in the final. They play a boring style of game. Collapse into a defensive block... and cross your fingers you might get some fast breaks enough to make the difference. Morocco-Portugal was not to be confused with England-France.

(Only my 3rd interesting scenario is alive... rematch of the last WC... although I really really really want Argentina over Croatia).

I wouldn’t say “England outplayed France for most of the game.” It was pretty much 50-50 and whoever got knocked out were gonna feel hard done by.
England played really well but it was always gonna be a big ask.
Gary Neville got it right when he said this team gave it a much better go than the teams he played in that got to quarter finals.
Gonna be interesting to see if Southgate continues and where Bellingham decides to move to.

It's too bad these two teams couldn't meet in a semifinal, the way the bracket ended up. Especially now that Morocco is a semifinalist.

I would've loved a Brazil-Argentina semi on one side... and an England-France semi on the other. Would've been classic.

[Primo Carnera]

England frankly outplayed France for most of the game. A lot of fouls were not called... although to be fair there were questionable calls on both sides. Yeah... Kane must be downright gutted right now.

So Morocco moves on...

I don't really want to see them in the final. They play a boring style of game. Collapse into a defensive block... and cross your fingers you might get some fast breaks enough to make the difference. Morocco-Portugal was not to be confused with England-France.

(Only my 3rd interesting scenario is alive... rematch of the last WC... although I really really really want Argentina over Croatia).

I wouldn’t say “England outplayed France for most of the game.” It was pretty much 50-50 and whoever got knocked out were gonna feel hard done by.
England played really well but it was always gonna be a big ask.
Gary Neville got it right when he said this team gave it a much better go than the teams he played in that got to quarter finals.
Gonna be interesting to see if Southgate continues and where Bellingham decides to move to.

It's too bad these two teams couldn't meet in a semifinal, the way the bracket ended up. Especially now that Morocco is a semifinalist.

I would've loved a Brazil-Argentina semi on one side... and an England-France semi on the other. Would've been classic.

We would all have loved different teams in, fuck I would’ve loved Italy v Spain , France or Germany and Brazil/Argentina in the other Semi.
But we don’t always get what we want. You have to show some respect for Morocco , they knocked out Belgium , Spain , Portugal and won their group finishing above Croatia , who also got to the semi final.
In all Fairness, England have never beaten that many top tier sides in one tournament, especially outside their own country.
So I think it’s unfair to dismiss Morocco.