Football

[Cowley]

Sergio Ramos crying. Excellent.

That’s almost worth switching the TV back on for.

 

[The_Train]

Another big nation and previous winner gone. I know we are all 'taking it one match at a time' but seriously, have England ever had a better chance of reaching a World Cup final?

 

[507021]

This is an excellent World Cup so far.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Another big nation and previous winner gone. I know we are all 'taking it one match at a time' but seriously, have England ever had a better chance of reaching a World Cup final?

Not since 1990 for sure. Still Uruguay and France (and Columbia of course!) to contend with though, and don't underestimate England's ability to screw things up!

Russia might end up doing a "Greece 2004". If they can do it (cleanly!) it'll be one of the biggest stories of the history of the World Cup.

 

[DarloRich]

OBVIOUSLY England will be eliminated by Columbia. On penalties. Obviously.

However, anyone still in the world cup has a chance of winning it. Croatia have been excellent thus far but the way things are going they will crash out.

 

[AlterEgo]

Another big nation and previous winner gone. I know we are all 'taking it one match at a time' but seriously, have England ever had a better chance of reaching a World Cup final?

I would say their chances are the same as they’ve ever been. The opposition is weaker but the England squad is too, by the same margin, I think.

 

[Antman]

What a game, Spain got what they deserved, passing the ball sideways does not win football matches.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

That means nowt. If Russia had played a good team rather than a completely useless one the result would have been different. Russia scored some good goals but looked weak, especially at the back where they are relying on 38 year old Sergei Ignashevich. Love to see him isolated one on one or pulled out into a channel v a speed merchant. Russia are a poor team in poor form regardless of a 5-0 win over a very poor team.

After my recent admonishments on the Football thread, perhaps I need to inwardly digest such gems of football wisdom as stated above in an earlier posting on the thread.

 

[Butts]

Just tuned into ITV for the Croatia v Denmark tie.

Has anyone else noticed Pougatch, O'Neill and Dixon are all BBC trained.

Should the BBC broadcast all England games as I notice Tuesdays is on ITV - given a choice most people opt for BBC.

Denmark 1-0 - one minute

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Just tuned into ITV for the Croatia v Denmark tie.

Has anyone else noticed Pougatch, O'Neill and Dixon are all BBC trained.

Should the BBC broadcast all England games as I notice Tuesdays is on ITV - given a choice most people opt for BBC.

Denmark 1-0 - one minute

Coverage of world cup games is either/or, apart from the final which is on both. AIUI the coverage is allocated before the tournament starts, so it's pot-luck whether England's games will be on the BBC or ITV. The beeb are better IMO, but that isn't saying much!

The Denmark goal was the first EVER goal at a World Cup finals scored by a Huddersfield Town player, though he shoulders some responsibility for the equaliser.

 

[DarloRich]

After my recent admonishments on the Football thread, perhaps I need to inwardly digest such gems of football wisdom as stated above in an earlier posting on the thread.

Paul - at least I am willing to offer an opinion. You are a professional fence sitter who seems terrified of being wrong. As a test here is a simple on for you. Name the country you think will win the 2018 football World Cup.

The point, which you understood entirely, at the time of the quoted post was that Russia had played a very poor Saudi side and won easily. It was no basis to judge the quality of the Russian team.

Russia have done really well but I expected them to lose today. At the start of the tournament their own people expected them to be a joke. Their media was completely against them and considered them hopeless and most people prepared to offer an opinion considered them also rans. They have done fantastically well to reach the quarter finals. They aren't a great side but they are well organised, well drilled and very disciplined. They are, however, very vulnerable to players running at them with the ball. Wales casued them great damage at the Euros by doing just that. It took Spain far to long to work that out today. Russia were very happy to let Spain have the ball and pass it about. Spain hoped they could drag a Russian defender out of position and allow their superior passing skills to create a chance. Russia just refused to move out of shape and Spain kept trying the same approach for about 100 minutes! Until that point the tempo of the game suited Russia being far too slow. Russia can not cope with pace. That Spain couldn't figure that out is amazing! Russia showed no intent to win the game and played for penalties. That plan worked. A potentially dodgy VAR decision with moments left was also very helpful.

It is also worth noting that Spain are not playing well at present and manged to lose their manager days before the finals began.

Should the BBC broadcast all England games as I notice Tuesdays is on ITV - given a choice most people opt for BBC.

ITV are awful. They a should be prohibited from covering football. Especially England.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Paul - at least I am willing to offer an opinion. You are a professional fence sitter who seems terrified of being wrong. As a test here is a simple on for you. Name the country you think will win the 2018 football World Cup.

Terrified of being wrong. Not so, I see no rhyme nor reason in attempting to perform that task you ask. I tend to follow the Italian adage...."Que sera,sera"

 

[DarloRich]

Terrified of being wrong. Not so, I see no rhyme nor reason in attempting to perform that task you ask. I tend to follow the Italian adage...."Que sera,sera"

Go on Paul give it a go. Express an opinion

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Go on Paul give it a go. Express an opinion

I just gave you my opinion....."Que sera,sera"

 

[DarloRich]

Paul - watching football must be fun with you!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Now that a few of the likely contenders have been eliminated, I'm making a prediction of the eventual winners. If I'm wrong I won't lose any sleep, it's just a bit of fun.
I sort of get where Paul is coming from- predictions have the possibility to make fools of anyone... but I'm not afraid of being made to look a fool- if I was, I'd never leave my flat!

France would appear to be the front-runners, so predicting them as winners would be far too obvious. Belgium for me.

 

[Butts]

After a lively start this match has become a bore - can we not go straight to penalties and bypass another 30 minutes extra time drudge ?

 

[SS4]

Just tuned into ITV for the Croatia v Denmark tie.

Has anyone else noticed Pougatch, O'Neill and Dixon are all BBC trained.

Should the BBC broadcast all England games as I notice Tuesdays is on ITV - given a choice most people opt for BBC.

Denmark 1-0 - one minute

The BBC should broadcast all World Cup games. They've managed to stream every BBC 1 game in UHD on iPlayer, have broadcast all their games in HD on free platforms (unlike ITV's as ITV4 HD is not available on freeview). More subjectively they've had better commentators and analysts. This is not even mentioning their radio coverage which ITV flat out doesn't do.

What would be nice if a choice was given, not just for the world cup but for all sports broadcasting. The domestic leagues in football are aware and deliberately parcel the games so they can make more money at the expense of viewers. You don't need be good if you're the only option!

ITV are awful. They a should be prohibited from covering football. Especially England.

I'd still rather have ITV than it be behind a paid subscription service. There is always the option of muting the game and drawing one's own conclusions. This is especially good for England games where all commentators and pundits are seemingly unable to simply tell you what's happening on the pitch. I must have been in a very small minority in watching Tunisia play Panama last Thursday (even in low definition)

Semi-related but if I had my way football broadcasters would only be allowed to talk about the game they're covering.

 

[Puffing Devil]

Also, glad the stupid ABBA experiment has been shelved.

Why the dislike of ABBA - I thought it evened things out.

 

[SS4]

Late drama in tonight's game as Croatia get a penalty but it's saved by Schmichael (spelling?) but it's saved.

Surely the Danish defender should have been sent off for the tackle leading to the penalty - seemed very much denying a goal scoring opportunity

edit: Penalties (again) so of course ITV, in their infinite wisdom, break up the tension with an ad break

 

[The_Train]

Surely the Danish defender should have been sent off for the tackle leading to the penalty - seemed very much denying a goal scoring opportunity

The new 'double jeopardy' rules state that a player can't be sent off if a penalty is awarded against them (or something along those lines anyway)

 

[BlueFox]

Schmichael (spelling?)

Schmeichel.

 

[Antman]

The new 'double jeopardy' rules state that a player can't be sent off if a penalty is awarded against them (or something along those lines anyway)

The player had made a genuine attempt to get the ball.

 

[BlueFox]

The new 'double jeopardy' rules state that a player can't be sent off if a penalty is awarded against them (or something along those lines anyway)

Only if they're making a genuine attempt to win the ball. So if he'd got nowhere near the ball, pulled his shirt or handled the ball to stop it going in it would have been a red card.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

The new 'double jeopardy' rules state that a player can't be sent off if a penalty is awarded against them (or something along those lines anyway)

If they make a genuine attempt to win the ball I believe.

 

[AlterEgo]

If they make a genuine attempt to win the ball I believe.

Correct. Although I don’t believe the Danish player had any chance of *not* committing a foul. He was behind the player with no prospect of playing the ball fairly in the situation.

Should have been a red. Professional foul.

 

[The_Train]

The player had made a genuine attempt to get the ball.

Only if they're making a genuine attempt to win the ball. So if he'd got nowhere near the ball, pulled his shirt or handled the ball to stop it going in it would have been a red card.

If they make a genuine attempt to win the ball I believe.

I knew there was a bit I was missing. Thanks for clearing that up guys

 

[Puffing Devil]

Justice done for Croatia, eventually. Nailed on goal denied by a foul.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Why the dislike of ABBA - I thought it evened things out.

Put simply, it was a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

 

[Puffing Devil]

Put simply, it was a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

Other than there is evidence that the team going first with the current system have a psychological advantage?