Jeez, all this "Easier half of the draw" talk for England. There's only one game you should be thinking about, and that's the next one. Columbia being treated like some afterthought.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
True enough and it sort of makes you hope that Colombia beats them for it . It is doubtful that James Rodriquez will play as he came off early the other day and look likes he himself was consigned to not being fit .Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
A big loss for any team .
I only really saw Columbia in their Poland match but if they are half as good against England as they were that night I predict a 2-1 Colombia win. thought they were excellent that game
Last edited by jbyrne; 29/06/2018 at 10:27 AM.
This Colombian Game is England’s first real game .
Panama was not a real test . Tunisia ? (maybe ) Belgium Game = Not applicable .
Its probably better that James Rodriquez broke down in the previous game than early in the England game for Colombia .
Now they know what they have to do without him ( as seems likely ) .
ironically, could the ref have booked any of them, the captain maybe, for unsporting behaviour or time wasting?
Yeah, I was wondering about this myself - is there any way to punish it - but I don't think so. They did pretty much the same thing against Colombia, but they were 1-0 ahead so nobody batted an eyelid at it.
Timewasting - the ball was in play, so I don't think so.
Bringing the game into disrepute was one I thought of - the headlines would definitely suggest they did...but that seems to be a sanction that comes later.
Tbh, it happens so rarely that there isn't even a rule for it.
They are getting a bit of criticism even in Japan for it, but the coach, in the usual humble way, is pointing out that they did in fact reach the second round, so, maybe, you know, despite the way it was achieved, it was actually not too stupid.
A classic. Simple as.
That was a humdinger!
Hello, hello? What's going on? What's all this shouting, we'll have no trouble here!
- E Tattsyrup.
Argentina kind of reminded me in a way of Brazil 1970.
One of the greatest players in the world at number 10 (Messi/Pelé)
Superb attacking options - how the hell does a bench contain Higuain, Dybala and Aguero?
And yet with a keeper clearly not up to it (Felix/Caballero/yer man today), and a porous defence.
In 1970, other teams were so far behind Brazil that they weren't able to take advantage. Now though, you can't carry a keeper and defence, and so Argentina are gone.
The game has moved on from 1970.
Thought Uruguay were super tonight. Defensively outstanding, such work rate and discipline.
And even though Cavani usually misses 4 before he scores 1, he was lethal when he had chances tonight.
I was sure once it went to penalties that De Gea would be the hero, but it's Akinfeev in the end, someone a lot of people, including myself, wrote off as another Russian weakness. Quite the result for the hosts.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
The draw opens up for England maybe?
The semi will now be v Russia/Denmark/Croatia v England/Colombia/Sweden/Switzerland
Only one of those (England) has ever been to a final before
I think I'd rank five of those teams ahead of England in terms of likelihood to get to a final.
Regards them, I see James Rodriguez might play after all. Even if he doesn't, I still think they're too good for England.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
Didn't see this game, from reports it seems like they mostly defended with discipline and Spain couldn't break them down.
A pity to see that kind of football succeed, but the Spain of old would have found a way.
Russia certainly better than I expected anyway.
That was it exactly, as soon as they equalised Russia were happy to see the game out till penalties. A better team would have broken them down.
In both games yesterday, extra time was a mostly a useless affair of wrecked players barely able to make any headway, with the lone exception of Modric's penalty. Is there an argument to be made for reducing ET to 20 minutes, doing away with it entirely, or the more radical "Shoot-out first, then extra time) idea?
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
is spains style of piddly little passes over and back, over and back, over and back ad nauseam any better though?
Its been severely found out over the last few years
First time I ever heard the RTE commentators praising a referee to the roof and then what happens? He correctly gives a penalty but for some reason doesn't send the player off (was he even booked)and is too busy watching for encroachment that he doesn't spot Schmeichel pretty much charging the penalty taker (he then ignored that rule for the shoot-out). I somehow thought Modric would go up the middle for his second one and he was lucky as it wasn't well hit but he outguessed Schmeichel. None of the penos was particularly well hit.
Can't beat them for drama though. I didn't see the Russian/Spain one so don't know if there was encroachment there as well.
Denmark did ok. At our best we could probably have matched what they did but no more.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
yes, was booked. surely deserved a red
Gary Neville was convinced that the Denmark manager won the tactical battle after 20 minutes ( up until the Serbs had been very good )
There is no doubt that Denmark kept Modric and Rakotic about as quite as you could hope to keep them . And as Denmark were supposedly the inferior team it can be said that Denmark did control Serbia pretty well .
Perhaps Martin O’Neill needs to climb down off his big Hobby Horse and get a good tactician on board .......
Not very likely as Martin can be a bit full of himself to see his own faults .
On the panel, they selected a 118 second period where Spain kept the ball, with 41 passes, without ever getting it into the Russian penalty area. There's little impressive about such possession retention without end product: the impressive part was Russian defensive shape and discipline.
The referee certainly seemed to lose the run of himself at the end. Unless they have altered that rule, it seemed a clear "last man back/clear goal-scoring opportunity" situation and poor Brian Kerr sounded like he was going to have aneurysm when the keepers came off the line for every penalty.
Dying for Mexico to finally get beyond the Last 16 this afternoon. Six straight exits at that point must be torturous.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
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