World Cup 2022

[Mark TKO]

We would've beaten Morocco easily.

Sadly that now will never be anything more than a prediction.

[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.

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.

Not dismissing Morocco and I've given them plenty of credit. But I don't like their style of play. Their victory over Spain was boring as hell, and the one over Portugal was only slightly less so. Aesthetics. It's a necessary evil.

Everyone obviously had their preferences, did they not?

Hell... I'd love for Puerto Rico to be in there... but there's less than a snowball's chance in hell on that.

Seems like all World Cups have their Cinderella. Last time out it was Croatia, and now they're "grizzled veterans." This time around it's Morocco. C'est la vie.

[Mark TKO]

Imagine if Croatia won the semi and the final on penalties.

Could happen

[Primo Carnera]

Imagine if Croatia won the semi and the final on penalties.

Could happen

Absolutely it could . And if it did , they would be the rightful and worthy champions. Infact , I would go one further. Imagine if Morocco won the semi and the final on penalties.
and the reply would be exactly the same !

[Mark TKO]

What I'm saying is that if Croatia did that they'd win the world cup by only winning one game (Canada). Two draws and two penalty shootouts so far.

Morocco have won three games so far in 90 minutes I believe.

[TitoFan]

Rightful and worthy champions, maybe. But horrible television.

I'm hoping France-Argentina and maybe a 3-2 result.

[Primo Carnera]

What I'm saying is that if Croatia did that they'd win the world cup by only winning one game (Canada). Two draws and two penalty shootouts so far.

Morocco have won three games so far in 90 minutes I believe.

Unfortunately that’s the way it is nowadays as teams becoming more structured. Until they find another way to finish a game , it’s not gonna change.
They’ve tried Golden goals , silver goals but whatever they do , teams tend to “find a way around it!”

[Primo Carnera]

Rightful and worthy champions, maybe. But horrible television.

I'm hoping France-Argentina and maybe a 3-2 result.

Trust me, if it’s your team, you don’t give a flying fuck about what people think. You end up with the “nobody likes us , we don’t care” mantra.
Seriously, nothing winds me up more than the media getting all precious about “the beautiful game.” They don’t fucking care, they’re more than happy to surround Cristiano Ronaldo getting to his seat on the subs bench to get the money shot! Leeches.
I’m on one now , so I’ll tell you which article disgusted me the most. On the BBC Website, there’s an article headlined “The day football died!” It’s about the 1982 World Cup when Italy dared to knock Brazil out.
Most purists were making this Brazil team to be the best of all time, Zico, Socrates, Falcao, blah blah blah. They make it out to be some sort of Robbery.
What they don’t tell you is that in that Game , Italy went 1-0 up, 2-1 up and 3-2 up. It was no fluke.
They beat Zico’s Brazil, Maradona’s (in his fucking prime) Argentina and Rumenigge’s Germany. They also beat a Poland team that reached 2 semis in 3 tournaments and got Alf Ramsay the sack a few years prior.
Yet they were seen as pariahs. Disgraceful Journalism.

[Beanz]

Rightful and worthy champions, maybe. But horrible television.

I'm hoping France-Argentina and maybe a 3-2 result.

Trust me, if it’s your team, you don’t give a flying fuck about what people think. You end up with the “nobody likes us , we don’t care” mantra.
Seriously, nothing winds me up more than the media getting all precious about “the beautiful game.” They don’t fucking care, they’re more than happy to surround Cristiano Ronaldo getting to his seat on the subs bench to get the money shot! Leeches.
I’m on one now , so I’ll tell you which article disgusted me the most. On the BBC Website, there’s an article headlined “The day football died!” It’s about the 1982 World Cup when Italy dared to knock Brazil out.
Most purists were making this Brazil team to be the best of all time, Zico, Socrates, Falcao, blah blah blah. They make it out to be some sort of Robbery.
What they don’t tell you is that in that Game , Italy went 1-0 up, 2-1 up and 3-2 up. It was no fluke.
They beat Zico’s Brazil, Maradona’s (in his fucking prime) Argentina and Rumenigge’s Germany. They also beat a Poland team that reached 2 semis in 3 tournaments and got Alf Ramsay the sack a few years prior.
Yet they were seen as pariahs. Disgraceful Journalism.

Ha! it's like anything in life mate. You get good journalists who will sometimes write a load of baloney and medicore journalists who will sometimes hit the nail on the head. You write for an audience and that will shape your piece. There is no such thing as unbiased as much as we would love to think so. I get you point because in this case it is a distortion and to be honest the Brazil thing is a bit daft at times. Like you say people forget how good Hungary and Poland and teams long forgotten were, but apparently Brazil have never fielded anything less than 11 footballing Gods.

[Mark TKO]

I read that and that it was one sided. Tried to search for match stats but couldn't find them.

That Brazil team was awesome and you didn't fold against them.

You started off very negative I remember with 3 draws in the group then burst into life.

[Mark TKO]

And next world Cup we go back to those stupid groups of 3....

[Primo Carnera]

And next world Cup we go back to those stupid groups of 3....

Yep. I nearly put about that in my last reply to you. If I’m not mistaken , 16 groups of 3 , and the TOP 2 in each group go through to the last 32 knock out! Madness.
They started making the final group games start at the same time in the interests of fairness, and now they’ve gone back to this rubbish.
The best part of the next World Cup will be the first group games, because you cannot lose. After that , everyone will be playing safe.

[TitoFan]

Rightful and worthy champions, maybe. But horrible television.

I'm hoping France-Argentina and maybe a 3-2 result.

Trust me, if it’s your team, you don’t give a flying fuck about what people think. You end up with the “nobody likes us , we don’t care” mantra.
Seriously, nothing winds me up more than the media getting all precious about “the beautiful game.” They don’t fucking care, they’re more than happy to surround Cristiano Ronaldo getting to his seat on the subs bench to get the money shot! Leeches.
I’m on one now , so I’ll tell you which article disgusted me the most. On the BBC Website, there’s an article headlined “The day football died!” It’s about the 1982 World Cup when Italy dared to knock Brazil out.
Most purists were making this Brazil team to be the best of all time, Zico, Socrates, Falcao, blah blah blah. They make it out to be some sort of Robbery.
What they don’t tell you is that in that Game , Italy went 1-0 up, 2-1 up and 3-2 up. It was no fluke.
They beat Zico’s Brazil, Maradona’s (in his fucking prime) Argentina and Rumenigge’s Germany. They also beat a Poland team that reached 2 semis in 3 tournaments and got Alf Ramsay the sack a few years prior.
Yet they were seen as pariahs. Disgraceful Journalism.

Well... I'm happy not to get wound up about anything regarding the game and its World Cup. I just enjoy what's in front of me. Of course... I much prefer an offensive minded game and a little bit of scoring... but hurrah for those who enjoy the dreadful 0-0 ties after extra time, when the whole thing needs to be decided by a penalty shootout. Different strokes and all that. Or a match where one team stumbles into a 1-0 lead... then spends the rest of the match having a lovefest crowding their own penalty box, it seems like.

Not having a team does that to one's perspective, I guess. My favorite has always been Brazil. One because they're from this side of the world... two because they've been a bit of an antidote to the "European football superiority" mentality that seems to pervade certain conversation... and three because I just like their style, I guess.

If Argentina wins the whole thing I'll be giddy as all hell... mainly because I'd like for Messi to go out on the very top.

[palmerq]

Maradona like run from Messi for the assist for the 3rd goal...good stuff.

[Mark TKO]

And next world Cup we go back to those stupid groups of 3....

Yep. I nearly put about that in my last reply to you. If I’m not mistaken , 16 groups of 3 , and the TOP 2 in each group go through to the last 32 knock out! Madness.
They started making the final group games start at the same time in the interests of fairness, and now they’ve gone back to this rubbish.
The best part of the next World Cup will be the first group games, because you cannot lose. After that , everyone will be playing safe.

Yep what's the betting they switch back in 2030 when it fails. How exciting were some of the group finishes this time.

All about money. Dumb decision.