2018 FIFA World Cup XXI

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Great. russia out.

 

[Merckx index]

I see how this is going to play out:

1. Russia wins the WC
2. WADA finds that half the team is doped
3. Russia is stripped of its WC title
4. WWIII

 

[python]

Re:

Great. russia out.

I wonder if you are watching a game in your own mind or what is being aired to the world?

That said I felt Russia lacked the class all along and Spain could not find their class nor
luck...

 

[sir fly]

I see how this is going to play out:

1. Russia wins the WC
2. WADA finds that half the team is doped
3. Russia is stripped of its WC title
4. WWIII

Might be some substance in that plot...
If the economic reasons drove the World Wars, then football has that global potential.
There's no industry anywhere near paying nine figures as football does.

Meanwhile, Croatia and Denmark continued their match...

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re: Re:

Great. russia out.

I wonder if you are watching a game in your own mind or what is being aired to the world?

That said I felt Russia lacked the class all along and Spain could not find their class nor
luck...

Nope. This is a time shift, that's all. Now there is a 53 min of Croatia vs Denmark 1:1.. 09:11 pm at Warsaw.. and is seen here as 07:11 pm

 

[Jagartrott]

Justice. The Danes deserved to go out after that 'smart' tackle and (saved) penalty in the 116th minute.

 

[Flamin]

I just read it's apparently a new rule that this is only a yellow card (talking about the penalty foul). That's ridiculous the attacker actually beat the keeper. A penalty alone is incredibly unfair since it gives the keeper a free second chance. Who makes this stuff up you wonder.

Very glad Croatia goes through.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Damn, Schmeichel deserved better after that. Shitty way to go out after a pretty entertaining and even match.

Hoping for Croatia to win, I love watching Luka play.

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

I just read it's apparently a new rule that this is only a yellow card (talking about the penalty foul). That's ridiculous the attacker actually beat the keeper. A penalty alone is incredibly unfair since it gives the keeper a free second chance. Who makes this stuff up you wonder.

Very glad Croatia goes through.

It was to limit the "triple punishment" of a red, penalty and suspension. If it's outside the box it's a red, and if there's no attempt to get the ball it's a red. This was very marginal, and could've been a red. Maybe they should make it work like the offside law.

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

I just read it's apparently a new rule that this is only a yellow card (talking about the penalty foul). That's ridiculous the attacker actually beat the keeper. A penalty alone is incredibly unfair since it gives the keeper a free second chance. Who makes this stuff up you wonder.

Very glad Croatia goes through.

It was to limit the "triple punishment" of a red, penalty and suspension. If it's outside the box it's a red, and if there's no attempt to get the ball it's a red. This was very marginal, and could've been a red. Maybe they should make it work like the offside law.

Yes, the triple punishment was indeed way too severe in some cases. But in this particular case, the team that commits the foul, is actually rewarded. Doesn't make any sense.

 

[Robert5091]

Russia showed that "parking the bus" can still get results - though Spain were very poor. Where was Eriksen? Both teams (Denmark & Croatia) played it safe, so Croatia need to work on getting some more men up front or there'll be taking penalties again soon.

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

I just read it's apparently a new rule that this is only a yellow card (talking about the penalty foul). That's ridiculous the attacker actually beat the keeper. A penalty alone is incredibly unfair since it gives the keeper a free second chance. Who makes this stuff up you wonder.

Very glad Croatia goes through.

It was to limit the "triple punishment" of a red, penalty and suspension. If it's outside the box it's a red, and if there's no attempt to get the ball it's a red. This was very marginal, and could've been a red. Maybe they should make it work like the offside law.

Yes, the triple punishment was indeed way too severe in some cases. But in this particular case, the team that commits the foul, is actually rewarded. Doesn't make any sense.

Yeah I agree. I don't think there was any real attempt to get the ball personally.

 

[python]

...re-watched the post match penalties in both yesterday games and cant help but notice the relatively high save vs the scoring rate. it is explainable given the players fatigue and stress, but it contradicts an old study i recall.

that is, the physical realities of the player-keeper distance (11m), the very high potential ball velocity and the speed of human reaction (the combination of the 3 factors !) do not leave many chances to a keeper if the penalty is struck properly. in theory that is.

what i saw, was that the lucky keepers were able to pre-guess, that is properly bet on a strike direction, rather than
seeing it and THEN reacting. does it makes sense ?

 

[kingjr]

Yeah, they basically always do that. Sometimes more, sometimes less successfully. Subasic yesterday went VERY early, both Eriksen and Schöne could have easily adjusted if they had only looked up before hitting the ball. Schöne could have done a Moses, pretty much.

 

[King Boonen]

Re:

...re-watched the post match penalties in both yesterday games and cant help but notice the relatively high save vs the scoring rate. it is explainable given the players fatigue and stress, but it contradicts an old study i recall.

that is, the physical realities of the player-keeper distance (11m), the very high potential ball velocity and the speed of human reaction (the combination of the 3 factors !) do not leave many chances to a keeper if the penalty is struck properly. in theory that is.

what i saw, was that the lucky keepers were able to pre-guess, that is properly bet on a strike direction, rather than
seeing it and THEN reacting. does it makes sense ?

Yeah, it's just like a batsman playing a fast bowler in cricket or, I'm assuming, a batter in baseball. You look for clues in the body language (and grip on the ball in cricket/baseball) and you try to work out what they're going to do and dive before they strike it. A good penalty taker will also watch the keeper and change where they hit it if the keeper goes too early.

 

[Brullnux]

So, so close for japan but you don't leave yourself so exposed on the counter in the 94th minute.

Another reason why there were so many saves is the keepers going so far off their lines before the penalties were kicked, especially Croatia vs Denmark. Also the penalties were broadly pretty average.

 

[BullsFan22]

Fantastic game! I wanted Belgium to win because I feel that they have a much better chance to knock off the diving Brazilians, but the way Japan played all night, attacking, creating space, passing, counters, no fear whatsoever, I kind of wanted them to go through, but all it took was one mistake. Real pity for them and it would have been a pity had Belgium lost because they attacked as well, as was expected from them.

This is what football should be about. Plus, and this is perhaps even more impressive. The game was so free flowing, hardly any stoppages, no dirty play, no diving, attack, counter attack, lot's of skill, two wonderful goals from Japan, particularly the second one, from distance. Two very good headers from Belgium and then the final play. This game had it all. Too bad one of them had to lose. Hope that Belgium now knocks the Brazilians out.

I agree with Lineker and Shearer who were praising both teams and the quality they showed. Worthy of game of the tournament, right up there (if not better) than Spain vs Portugal. Hope this continues.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

definitely fun games to watch, tho I thought Coatia-Denmark was a little boring.

 

[Robert5091]

Belgium played for like 20 minutes - when the 2 subs came on, and scored 3 goals.

 

[Flamin]

Felt sorry for Japan, as they were superior in most aspects of the game. Individual quality eventually got the better of them. I thought they were a joy to watch. Discipline, stamina, pressing, strong on the ball, always finding space in between (also because the Belgians gave away loads of it).

As for Belgium, imo it's a god's gift that Japan really put them to the test, since they can adjust the very obvious flaws they showed, come Friday. If it had been a walk in the park (like Hungary 16), I'm afraid the Brazilians would have eaten them.

Three at the back is just a no go against Brazil. Four at the back and an extra player in central midfield is a must. Kagawa gave them a hard time because there was so much space to move into, let alone Coutinho with Neymar and Willian joining the party.

 

[ToreBear]

Well done Sweden!

 

[python]

the brits are thru via a penalty series...

colombia fought well. but was outplayed in almost every statistic i could think of. still it was the typical british set-piece performance, as opposed to the game flow, that earned them scoring, icluding their main time goal. the referee was probably obsessed by a yellow card fever, giving out 8 or 9. more than i saw in a while.

i expected more of the brits, frankly.

 

[Hayabusa]

Thought Colombia's antics during that game were disgusting, particularly Falcao. Shame really as I thought they were fantastic at Brazil 2014 but they deserve to go home today.

Feel sorry for James Rodriguez being stuck with the rest of them.

 

[AlexNYC]

Re:

Thought Colombia's antics during that game were disgusting, particularly Falcao. Shame really as I thought they were fantastic at Brazil 2014 but they deserve to go home today.

Feel sorry for James Rodriguez being stuck with the rest of them.

How could they not be upset? England only scored thanks to a non-existing penalty. Even without James, Colombia played well enough to have won this match. They were too conservative in the first half, perhaps thinking the Brits were better than they actually are.

 

[Hayabusa]

If you think that wasn't a penalty, I would suggest you don't understand the rules of football. Though to be fair, there have been some shocking fouls that haven't been given in the penalty box at this world cup. Refs need to clamp down.