World Cup Tournament 2018

[NeverFeltBetter]

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 .

Is this a genuine mistake or some kind of unexpected geo-political statement?

[osarusan]

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

I actually think that their passing game has (by necessity) become more and more 'piddly' as opposition teams pack their defence more and more.

[jbyrne]

I actually think that their passing game has (by necessity) become more and more 'piddly' as opposition teams pack their defence more and more.

while watching our 2013 spain friendly there was one spell where two Spanish players basically played keep ball within a few metres of each other for about 8 or 9 passes without moving an inch up the pitch. I watched thinking what a load of cr@p if that's whats being considered the best style of play at the time!

[pineapple stu]

Spain's winning 2010 team were awful to watch I thought. The height of tika-taka, and it brought four 1-0 wins in the knock-outs, and I think 7 goals all tournament.

Thought the yellow card for the Denmark player yesterday was the correct call. He made a legit attempt to play the ball - very nearly got it too - and that's enough now to escape the red where you concede a penalty too. It's of course debatable, but that was my view anyway. Certainly the foul wasn't Suarez v Ghana cynical

[jbyrne]

Thought the yellow card for the Denmark player yesterday was the correct call. He made a legit attempt to play the ball - very nearly got it too - and that's enough now to escape the red where you concede a penalty too. It's of course debatable, but that was my view anyway. Certainly the foul wasn't Suarez v Ghana cynical

it wasn't cynical but was a foul and it denied the Croatian player a certain goal. harsh but should have been a red

[NeverFeltBetter]

Mexico looking well-up for this. If they could get an early goal it would set the game up nicely.

[OwlsFan]

yes, was booked. surely deserved a red

Yes because he had beaten the keeper and was about literally to tap in to an empty net. Absolute 99% certainty of a goal (the 1% being he tries something ridiculous and balloons it over the bar or has a coronary or trips over his own laces).

[osarusan]

Brazil looked like potential winners there, just dismissed Mexico with ease. Really solid defensively. Willian was superb.

How is Gabriel Jesus still starting though? Anonymous all game.

[Stuttgart88]

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.

Jeez, I wish I had your confidence!

[osarusan]

F**k sake, Canning pronouncing Inui as NUI. Talk about absolutely no preparation.

[pineapple stu]

Maybe it's just a bit of ennui?

[pineapple stu]

Yes because he had beaten the keeper and was about literally to tap in to an empty net. Absolute 99% certainty of a goal (the 1% being he tries something ridiculous and balloons it over the bar or has a coronary or trips over his own laces).

Does the new double-jeopardy rule not come into play though?

If you make a genuine attempt to win the ball - and I thought he did in fairness; he was very close to getting the tackle in - then you can't be sent off and concede a penalty. The double penalty is reserved for Suarez-like cynicism.

It could be a hole in the rule of course, but I thought the ref was correct to give a yellow.

In tonight's game, liking the jersey colours. Too many teams being forced to wear their away strips, which are often a bland white. This Belgium kit is one of the best in the tournament, along with Peru (can't decide if the home or away was better) and Sweden's away, which is superb.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Belgium self-destructing. They've treated this tie far too casually from the start.

[pineapple stu]

Who's self-destructing?

[pineapple stu]

Wow.

Just...wow

[NeverFeltBetter]

It's a very creditable comeback from Belgium (once they woke up). Once they got going, they got going, and the winner was an awesome counter-attack.

But Japan have been very impressive here, even after the equaliser. The CB Shoji, who plays in the J-League, especially. They kept pushing on even when two-nil up, and at two-two in injury time.

Edit: I mean, it cost them, so I shouldn't be too praising. But it was a breath of fresh air from the usual tactics from the "lesser" teams.

[osarusan]

Don't really get the disgust at Honda for sending in the corner. If the roles were reversed, I can't imagine Hazard would be getting similar criticism if he had tried to attack also.

The real problem was sending so many players up for it - so many that they could be caught on the counter.

[seanfhear]

Had Japan anything left for extra time any way . Perhaps there on chance was to get a late goal and then Heaven .

[NeverFeltBetter]

Thinking on Belgium, maybe this will be the defining moment of their tournament, when they stopped playing in third gear and realised every game from now on is potentially the biggest game of their lives. I often hear/read that they are a team of individuals and that's why they struggle sometimes, but I don't know if I really buy that: if that was true, there's no way they could come back from 2-0 down and over an hour played. Other teams in this World Cup, like Argentina, Poland, arguably England, certainly Germany, would have crumbled in such circumstances. But Belgium picked themselves up and won the game in normal time, even if Japan facilitated some of it with poor keeping and and overly-ambitious play in injury time.

Fellaini is a great weapon to have to bring on in such circumstances. Notwithstanding his aerial threat, he's just so disruptive for defences during set-pieces, and while I would never dream of starting him, having him come on late and badger a tired defence is a great option.

[OwlsFan]

Does the new double-jeopardy rule not come into play though?

If you make a genuine attempt to win the ball - and I thought he did in fairness; he was very close to getting the tackle in - then you can't be sent off and concede a penalty. The double penalty is reserved for Suarez-like cynicism.

It could be a hole in the rule of course, but I thought the ref was correct to give a yellow.

I think the fact that the player was about to tap the ball in to an empty net makes it a red every time. He tackled from behind which is going to be a foul anyway and he knew what he was doing.

Don't really get the disgust at Honda for sending in the corner. If the roles were reversed, I can't imagine Hazard would be getting similar criticism if he had tried to attack also.

The real problem was sending so many players up for it - so many that they could be caught on the counter.

I agree. It was the Panel once again belittling Japan. They tried to win the game. Perhaps they might have taken a short corner and tried to work the ball in from there rather than a lob in to the goal. Great counter-attack from Belgium it has to be said which was kind of ignored in the criticism of Japan.

Heroic losers Japan but I hate that. They'll soon be forgotten like all the Irish heroic losses in the past when the team comes up and applauds the fans after another near thing. It's all about winning I am afraid and that game will soon be lost in the murky mists of memory for everyone except the Japanese (and Belgians of course). Great game though (I think - who was playing again ?).