The Beautiful Game thread, season 2017/18

[Jimmydeicide]

Thank god for Harry Kane.
Boring coach boring Team.
Loftus cheek is his answer? not less defense but more, why are they even starting Henderson against the likes of Tunisia and watch Panama? We ended the game with 3 defensive midfielders. Awesome.
But come on you knew it was same ole same ole when Sterling started the game.
Why is everyone shocked when that s*** hole misses a sitter? He does it every week.

Better be some changes for the next game.

[Rodster]

Well, Peru certainly had their chances early in the game.

[10spro]

Well, Peru certainly had their chances early in the game.

Probably the most unlucky team in this WC while playing well. Didn’t think they deserve to lose to the Danish but the Cueva PK miss just took their breath away. Lloris saved a couple of key chances in the first but overall I thought the Peruvians gave the French an even match, at times controlling the midfield that had Kante, Pogba and Matuidi.

[Rodster]

No pun intended but Argentina has been playing a little messy in the 1st half. They should be down 0-1 with that wide open header missed by Croatia

[10spro]

No pun intended but Argentina has been playing a little messy in the 1st half. They should be down 0-1 with that wide open header missed by Croatia

Both sides missed clear chances with Enzo Pérez missing the empty netter the most clear one. Messi doesn’t have a partner of a Modric caliber to accompany him. Playing with only three defenders every Croatia counterattack is a dangerous one.

[Rodster]

What a costly error by the Argentina GK. If Argentina loses can they still advance?

[10spro]

What a costly error by the Argentina GK. If Argentina loses can they still advance?

It would be a must win vs Nigeria. If they don’t, Caballero is a dead man. This one is over. He won’t play the next game. Guaranteed. Another disappointing game, someone put me of of my misery.

Modric is a stud player.

[Rodster]

Blowout, was Maradona crying? I would be after that performance.

[10spro]

And Sampaoli has his share of faults too. So he coached Chile when that nation beat Argentina in the Copa America twice. So what does AFA do? He must be a genius, let’s get him. Well, watching this team barely qualify for this event, he’s been a disaster finding the right players with the proper formations.

Croatia is a much more dangerous team than Iceland. Yet, he went with a 3-5-3 scheme while this formation would have been more suitable in the previous game.

The team is in shambles, Caballero won’t start next game because the whole country will ask for his head, but the truth of the matter is that the counterattack by the Croatians just destroyed the weak blue line.

There’s no identity here, no structure, please people stop blaming that Messi needs to win a WC. With this bunch of stiffs, he just can’t play the game that we are all accustomed when he’s surrounded by the likes of Iniesta, Busquets and Rackitic.

Big, big disappointment. Embarrassing.

[wco81]

That Argentine team is old. A lot of the stars probably won't play the next WC?

[10spro]

That Argentine team is old. A lot of the stars probably won't play the next WC?

I don’t buy that. The best player today was L. Modric who’s 32. When you play a big world event every four years you try to have a solid plan, a structure, a plan as to how your team wants to play.

I am thinking of Perú as I say this. Even though they are out of the tournament, they did not disappoint me. They continued to play to their identity. Argentina today doesn’t have an identity. They never had one either during the qualifying, that’s what bothers me the most with a team as rich in history as Argentina.

Better question would have been, which of the 23 players should not be here today chosen by Jorge Sampaoli. I had my own list and if I was the manager, I wouldn’t have parted with at least 10 of them.

If Messi wants to play in 2022, he’ll be 34. Ronaldo is having he best time of his great career at 33.

[wco81]

What about Aguero, Higuain, Mascherano?

These guys have been around a long time and they like Messi have not seen any success in international play.

Argentina better start prepping younger players. They must have some kind of pipeline right?

Yeah smaller countries like Croatia has to depend on their great players well into their mid or late 30s.

But countries with a lot of up and coming players like Germany and Spain have to play them.

[RobVarak]

What a costly error by the Argentina GK. If Argentina loses can they still advance?

It would be a must win vs Nigeria. If they don’t, Caballero is a dead man. This one is over. He won’t play the next game. Guaranteed. Another disappointing game, someone put me of of my misery.

Modric is a stud player.

I actually thought Rakitic was significantly better than Modric today, but I won't interrupt my 7th hour of champagne guzzling to argue the point.

[dbdynsty25]

What a costly error by the Argentina GK. If Argentina loses can they still advance?

It would be a must win vs Nigeria. If they don’t, Caballero is a dead man. This one is over. He won’t play the next game. Guaranteed. Another disappointing game, someone put me of of my misery.

Modric is a stud player.

I actually thought Rakitic was significantly better than Modric today, but I won't interrupt my 7th hour of champagne guzzling to argue the point.

I liked Modric better for the most part. The pressure he applied all game long with his constant movement and annoyingness was huge in the midfield. He and Rakitic obviously controlled the game, but it was Modric's D that separated him. And that goal was pretty badass as well.

[Rodster]

Another WC favorite insert "Brazil" can't get past their opponent. Nice to see the ref letting them play on and not falling for the dives like Neymar tried in the box with the light shirt pull.

Edit: Brazil finally scores !

[Rodster]

PK dislikes Lewis Hamilton and i'm starting to dislike Neymar. From the BS fake job inside the box when his shirt was lightly pulled to the announcer pegging him at the end of the game. "I don't know if those are crocodile tears or tears of relief, we'll never know".

[dbdynsty25]

PK dislikes Lewis Hamilton and i'm starting to dislike Neymar. From the BS fake job inside the box when his shirt was lightly pulled to the announcer pegging him at the end of the game. "I don't know if those are crocodile tears or tears of relief, we'll never know".

As talented as Neymar is...I really can only stand watching his highlights...not his everyday game. Easily the most annoying guy to watch. The smallest bump (or non bump today) and he goes down in a heap. There's something to be said for guys who always try to stay upright. I'm pretty sure he'd have a ton more goals if he just tried to muscle through some shoulders and tackles. He's a giant puss on the field.

[10spro]

Beautiful first touch by Musa and afterburner speed to seal the victory for Nigeria. There’s no choice for Argentina but to win the next game against these guys. With all that speed, they’ll be hard to contain.

Iceland misses a key PK.

I am still at loss at what happened yesteday, a total no show.

[pk500]

VAR is a good start for FIFA to catch diving cheats like Neymar. The next step is to brandish an immediate yellow card for simulation.

Such an easy solution to the problem of diving, yet it's not done. Head-scratcher, for sure.

[Rodster]

Poor officiating in the Serbia/Swiss match. A Serbian player gets mugged and held by two Swiss defenders in the box and no call. Shameful.

[fletcher21]

So far I feel like this World Cup has been pretty mundane. I probably sound like a snob, but I remember being glued to the tv in 98 when Ronaldo was tearing the tournament up for Brazil. Or even 94 and the classic tournament that was. I just don’t feel very compelled to watch, and most games have been fairly boring to me. Messi will go out dejected. People call him the best player in the world, but imo that’s Ronaldo by a good margin. Even before this tournament, I think he’s clearly the best player around.

[Jimmydeicide]

Poor officiating in the Serbia/Swiss match. A Serbian player gets mugged and held by two Swiss defenders in the box and no call. Shameful.

Exactly, whats the point of VAR if stuff like that is missed. Terrible.

[Rodster]

It appears the referee calling the Germany/Sweden was pulled straight out of the Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 game. This ref doesn't believe in fouls.

[XXXIV]

Poor officiating in the Serbia/Swiss match. A Serbian player gets mugged and held by two Swiss defenders in the box and no call. Shameful.

Exactly, whats the point of VAR if stuff like that is missed. Terrible.

What is the purpose?

A TOTAL failure today in last two games.

Poor reffing has cost both South Korea and Sweden.

[XXXIV]

Crappy refs and bizarre VAR usage or lack there of aside, I am enjoying the football.

That was a pretty cool finish.