Football

[Iskra]

I thought Wales contained England really well in the first half, and aren't being given enough credit at all on here. Obviously, quality shone through in the end for England.

 

[DarloRich]

I thought Wales contained England really well in the first half, and aren't being given enough credit at all on here.

Did you watch the same game? Wales barely touched the ball. They had 35% possession. The closest person to the England goal in the whole half was a bloke taking a throw in. They had one wild shot. There is no credit to give.

 

[Iskra]

Did you watch the same game? Wales barely touched the ball. They had 35% possession. The closest person to the England goal in the whole half was a bloke taking a throw in. They had one wild shot. There is no credit to give.

And what did England achieve with all that possession in the first half? Possession is not everything, and like I said they defended well keeping a good shape and keeping England at bay. It’s possible to play well defensively and they did.

 

[DarloRich]

It’s possible to play well defensively and they did.

They weren't playing defensively by choice. They were playing in thier own half and looking to counter. They didn't get a chance to do that. Also, on the rare occasions Wales did win the ball England were very quick in the "counter press" aka hassling to win the ball back.

And what did England achieve with all that possession in the first half?

not concede, blunted Wales ability to attack, quenched the Welsh spirit, wore them down and simply didn't allow them to get started building a platform for England to win the game.

Wales had no answer, despite thier shape, when England stepped up a gear.

 

[150249]

It is such a shame that Denmark are out. They are many peoples' favourite team other that their own. From what I saw, they played well in all three matches but still end up going out with one single point. This World Cup is mental

 

[Iskra]

They weren't playing defensively by choice. They were playing in thier own half and looking to counter. They didn't get a chance to do that. Also, on the rare occasions Wales did win the ball England were very quick in the "counter press" aka hassling to win the ball back.


not concede, blunted Wales ability to attack, quenched the Welsh spirit, wore them down and simply didn't allow them to get started building a platform for England to win the game.

Wales had no answer, despite thier shape, when England stepped up a gear.

They were totally outmatched from a quality perspective, and I felt they managed that well in the first half.

 

[Broucek]

It is such a shame that Denmark are out. They are many peoples' favourite team other that their own. From what I saw, they played well in all three matches but still end up going out with one single point. This World Cup is mental

I was lucky enough to watch their first match at Carlsberg HQ in Copenhagen. It is indeed a shame the Danes are out

 

[SuspectUsual]

It is such a shame that Denmark are out. They are many peoples' favourite team other that their own. From what I saw, they played well in all three matches but still end up going out with one single point. This World Cup is mental

All they needed was a centre forward who knew where the net was.

 

[778]

That penalty in the Argentina V Mexico match was an awful decision. I am convinced it was only given because it was Messi. Poland were very lucky to qualify though.

 

[150249]

That penalty in the Argentina V Mexico match was an awful decision. I am convinced it was only given because it was Messi. Poland were very lucky to qualify though.

It made it more exciting though to be fair

 

[GS250]

It made it more exciting though to be fair

Without wanting to sound like a conspiracy theorist...VAR was/will eventually be used to 'fix' an particular decision and affect the outcome of a match.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Dec 2022 ==

All they needed was a centre forward who knew where the net was.

Denmark were utterly outstanding in Mexico 86. They absolutely walked the group stages. Then for some strange reason got absolutely hammered by an average Spain team in the knockout stage.

 

[150249]

I love football. If Costa Rica score now, Germany and Spain both go out.

 

[Darandio]

And they did! But then Germany equalised so as you were. What a crazy night.

 

[150249]

Sensational stuff. I don't know the controversy behind Japan's goal but they defended so well and have gotten their reward.

 

[Jimini]

I've been sent this quite a few times in the past 30 mins!

 

[JamesT]

View attachment 124642

I've been sent this quite a few times in the past 30 mins!

I assume VAR must have been working from the goal-line cameras, strange they haven’t released those images.

 

[DarloRich]

Germans robbed by a controversial decision. Shame.

 

[150249]

I see it from some angles but the rest show the ball is clearly out of play

 

[SuspectUsual]

I see it from some angles but the rest show the ball is clearly out of play

All of the ball has to be over all of the line. It’s possible from the angle in the photo that a millimetre or two might just be overhanging the line

 

[JamesT]

That’s probably the best angle. Whole of the ball over the whole of the line?

 

[yorkie]

Looks like a little bit of the ball is still on the line, so it's still in play.

In practice, in the sort of informal games I participate in (whether that be organising/playing/supervising, this can be anything from 5 to 8 hours a week), most people would see that (in a fraction of a second and mostly at some distance) and simply say the ball went out. But that doesn't make it so.

When I am supervising kids games I tell them that if in doubt, the ball is still in play and fortunately in those games, the result doesn't matter (at least it's not supposed to matter), so they aren't to argue about it!

But in this case, whatever decision is made, someone is going to feel very hard done by, and understandably so. But the line has to be drawn somewhere, and with the rule as it is, I think the right decision was made.

As for VAR, we shouldn't forget that this was supposed to be for clear and obvious mistakes; if a mistake was made (and I don't think a mistake was made, based on the above photo) then it was certainly not clear and obvious (unlike the infamous 2010 decision given against England!)

 

[REVUpminster]

At corners nowadays there often seems only a millimetre of ball over the quadrant.

 

[SuspectUsual]

As for VAR, we shouldn't forget that this was supposed to be for clear and obvious mistakes; if a mistake was made (and I don't think a mistake was made, based on the above photo) then it was certainly not clear and obvious (unlike the infamous 2010 decision given against England!)

For line decisions (goal line, corner / goal kick, offside) any mistake is clear and obvious? Agree though for decisions with a degree of subjectivity like some fouls

At corners nowadays there often seems only a millimetre of ball over the quadrant.

Which is perfectly fine

 

[brad465]

Looks like it's almost full time for another World Cup legend:

Pelé says he is feeling ‘strong’ after reports of move to end-of-life care

Brazilian football legend posts note to social media as hospital says he is in stable condition

www.theguardian.com

The Brazilian football legend Pelé is receiving palliative care after chemotherapy treatment for colon cancer stopped having the expected results, it has been reported.

Pelé, 82, who is widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, was admitted to hospital on Tuesday to re-evaluate his cancer treatment and later diagnosed with a respiratory infection, according to medical reports.

Folha de S. Paulo reported that chemotherapy had now been suspended and that Pelé was under palliative care, being treated only for symptoms such as pain and shortness of breath.

His manager and the Albert Einstein hospital, in São Paulo, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A medical report released on Friday said Pelé had an adequate response to an antibiotic treatment and was in a stable condition “with general improvement in health status”.

He had a tumour removed from his colon in September 2021 and has been receiving hospital treatment on a regular basis.
Pelé said in an Instagram post on Thursday that he was at the hospital for a “monthly visit” and thanked his supporters for the positive messages he had received.

The former Brazil, Santos and New York Cosmos striker posted a picture of his face projected on a building in Qatar, where the World Cup is being held, next to a message saying: “Get well soon.”

A sign with the same message was displayed by Brazilian fans at the Lusail Stadium on Friday before the national team’s 1-0 defeat against Cameroon.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Northern Premier League...Premier Division

Hyde United 1 ... Gainsborough Trinity 0

The fact that a 1400 kick-off time had been scheduled for this match between two of the top three teams in the league did not affect the attendance figure of 668. Hyde took an early 7th minute lead and both sides showed good defensive qualities with no further goals being scored.

 

[43096]

I was going to say Argentina are struggling to open the Australian defence. But then Messi intervened and does what he does better than anyone else.

 

[New York Giant]

I doff my cap to Danny Murphy, who managed to commentate for almost an hour with his mouth full.

 

[D6968]

I doff my cap to Danny Murphy, who managed to commentate for almost an hour with his mouth full.

I doff my cap to him for managing to pull his missus, What on earth Ms Taylor sees in him I’d love to know…

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I wonder what odds the bookmakers will offer on a Poland v Senegal fixture taking place?

 

[New York Giant]

I doff my cap to him for managing to pull his missus, What on earth Ms Taylor sees in him I’d love to know…

I hope she realises Danny has a second love in his life. Honestly, the Messi appreciation society must have an opening for Chairman because the BBC commentators and pundits lauded him with a dispropotionate amount of praise. In context, he played quite well against a nation where association football is their 5th most popular sport at best (behind Aussie Rules, cricket and two codes of Rugby).