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2018 FIFA World Cup Thread

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  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,728
    Football has just equalised against bore you to death tactics! Lovely!
  • Does anyone else find the way Spain knock it about absolutely infuriating? Its all very skillful and all that but there is never any end product. I know they are one up but still. At least when Man city do it you know there will be a through ball at the end of it, or one over the top for Aguero to chase, or at least a shot from distance... Costa might as well set up a deck chair off the pitch and relax in the sun for 90 minutes.

    They won 3 consecutive tournaments from 2008-12!

    I wish England had an end product like that.
  • Manicmania
    Manicmania Posts: 1,594

    Does anyone else find the way Spain knock it about absolutely infuriating? Its all very skillful and all that but there is never any end product. I know they are one up but still. At least when Man city do it you know there will be a through ball at the end of it, or one over the top for Aguero to chase, or at least a shot from distance... Costa might as well set up a deck chair off the pitch and relax in the sun for 90 minutes.

    They won 3 consecutive tournaments from 2008-12!

    I wish England had an end product like that.
    I'm talking about Spain now not 6 years ago!!!!!!!!
  • Tutt-Tutt
    Tutt-Tutt Posts: 3,272
    Dunno what Spain have been doing for the last half hour. Tippy tappy nonsense. Got what they derserved.
  • soapboxsam
    soapboxsam Posts: 23,229
    Good call ref.
    Had the confidence to give penalty because he knew the excellent VAR would back him up.
  • Does anyone else find the way Spain knock it about absolutely infuriating? Its all very skillful and all that but there is never any end product. I know they are one up but still. At least when Man city do it you know there will be a through ball at the end of it, or one over the top for Aguero to chase, or at least a shot from distance... Costa might as well set up a deck chair off the pitch and relax in the sun for 90 minutes.

    They won 3 consecutive tournaments from 2008-12!

    I wish England had an end product like that.
    I'm talking about Spain now not 6 years ago!!!!!!!!
    They play pretty much exactly the same way!

    The problem for them though is that more sides have learnt to cope with it.
  • Callumcafc
    Callumcafc Posts: 63,764
    Didn't think I'd be cheering for the Russians before the tournament started. Come on Putin's boys.
  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,728
    edited July 2018
    Spain have the same system but not quite the same players, Still incredibly hard to beat, but beatable. One thing they used to do was really punish you when your passing broke down, but they don't do that so much. A lot of their passing lacks the probing or the opportunistic elements it used to have.

    Partly this is because teams do not to let themselves get drawn in and continue to focus on the danger areas. When Spain are leading, this means they just pass meaningless balls that have no purpose other than frustrate! Football loses when that tactic wins!
  • 1StevieG
    1StevieG Posts: 10,964
    The Spain defence has been shaky all through the tournament. I think De Gea has made one save in all four games so far.
  • Manicmania
    Manicmania Posts: 1,594

    Does anyone else find the way Spain knock it about absolutely infuriating? Its all very skillful and all that but there is never any end product. I know they are one up but still. At least when Man city do it you know there will be a through ball at the end of it, or one over the top for Aguero to chase, or at least a shot from distance... Costa might as well set up a deck chair off the pitch and relax in the sun for 90 minutes.

    They won 3 consecutive tournaments from 2008-12!

    I wish England had an end product like that.
    I'm talking about Spain now not 6 years ago!!!!!!!!
    They play pretty much exactly the same way!

    The problem for them though is that more sides have learnt to cope with it.
    Not sure I agree with that, like I said, they used to make chances with the posession - like Man City do - but they just don't anymore, it is just sideways, sideways back, repeat ad nauseum. This has been 3 games in a row like it now.
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  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,728
    It is a bit of both I think.
  • Callumcafc
    Callumcafc Posts: 63,764
    Thought Pique's argument was funny as well... just had my arms up for jumping guv.
  • soapboxsam
    soapboxsam Posts: 23,229
    Rio Ferdinand was a top footballer and now is a superb analyst. Interesting to hear Fabregas critical of his mates for over passing and not making killing passes into the box.
  • Manicmania
    Manicmania Posts: 1,594
    Not sure I even agree that they haven't got the players for it either (although I appreciate where you are coming from @MuttleyCAFC) David Silva for Man City is amazing - but can anyone even remember him doing anything yet in this world cup?
    Though I will say I think they miss Iniesta at his peak big time.
  • blackpool72
    blackpool72 Posts: 23,671
    Spain today look like they are being coached by Karl.
    Tippy tappy crap.
  • Callumcafc
    Callumcafc Posts: 63,764

    Didn't think I'd be cheering for the Russians before the tournament started. Come on Putin's boys.

    I thought you were all going to root for Spain considering the political tension between Russia and the West. :wink:

    Spain are so boring. I'm glad though because it looks now England have a real chance to go through this half to the final. None of the teams are unbeatable.
    Shush! :-)
  • killerandflash
    killerandflash Posts: 69,844
    If Costa was playing for a more direct side like Belgium or France he’d score a shedload of goals
  • Chunes
    Chunes Posts: 17,347
    Call me paranoid, but these Russia players look abnormally fit and strong...
  • Manicmania
    Manicmania Posts: 1,594
    edited July 2018
    Chunes said:

    Call me paranoid, but these Russia players look abnormally fit and strong...

    You're paranoid. FIFA have done the tests honest! (just don't ask to see the details)
  • Callumcafc
    Callumcafc Posts: 63,764
    Chunes said:

    Call me paranoid, but these Russia players look abnormally fit and strong...

    Russian genes... built like bears.
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  • LawrieAbrahams
    LawrieAbrahams Posts: 3,779
    Chunes said:

    Call me paranoid, but these Russia players look abnormally fit and strong...

    In each of the first two games they ran further than any other team.
  • 1StevieG
    1StevieG Posts: 10,964

    Chunes said:

    Call me paranoid, but these Russia players look abnormally fit and strong...

    In each of the first two games they ran further than any other team.
    They look like they are withering a bit in this game and some of their passing has been sloppy.
  • ‘Spain relentlessly patient’...tv commentator speak for they’re fucking boring. No wonder they needed an own goal from Russia to score, all they can do is pass it back and forth and no end product...cue goals from Spain.
  • 83 mins gone and they’ve had 711 passes
  • Manicmania
    Manicmania Posts: 1,594
    Extra time will be where we will see if there is anything untoward fitness-wise i'd say. Will be checking the stats for that for sure. (if it comes to it)
  • CharltonMadrid
    CharltonMadrid Posts: 5,091
    Fourth substitute rule in play for this World Cup.
  • The Red Robin
    The Red Robin Posts: 26,126
    Boring game this
  • iaitch
    iaitch Posts: 10,228
    Commentator just said it was an absorbing 90 minutes. Is absorbing the new boring?
  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,728

    Chunes said:

    Call me paranoid, but these Russia players look abnormally fit and strong...

    In each of the first two games they ran further than any other team.
    What is an even more amazing fact is that they are all women!
  • Manicmania
    Manicmania Posts: 1,594
    Russia covered 110km in the 90 minutes. 13/14KM more than France/Argentina, 4KM more than Portugal/Uruguay, 6KM more than Spain. IMO they should be knackered.