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FIFA World Cup - Qatar 2022

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  • ForeverAddickted
    ForeverAddickted Posts: 94,455
    edited December 2022
    What are our four predictions for the Semi-Finals then?

    Argentina | Croatia | England | Morocco?
    I told you all how things were gonna go earlier... Might as well turn off and wait for the Semis
  • Now that Neymar and Brazil have to pack their bags and bugger off home I suppose the commentators are left with Messi and the French MBop bloke to cream themselves over.

    Oh, and Bellingham, I suppose.
    And Hendersoninho 
  • AndyG
    AndyG Posts: 5,911
    It's all getting very exciting !!! 
    C'mon England dont try to contain the Frenchies go for the jugular and out score them 


  • Wave goodbye....
  • Chunes
    Chunes Posts: 17,356
    edited December 2022
    Let's hear the pundits and commentators wank over them now
  • se9addick
    se9addick Posts: 32,053
    Neymar either not offering to take a penalty, or wanting to be fifth so he got the glory, is absolutely pathetic 
  • Cafc43v3r
    Cafc43v3r Posts: 21,600
    se9addick said:
    Neymar either not offering to take a penalty, or wanting to be fifth so he got the glory, is absolutely pathetic 
    Especially when he is so desperate to take them when it inflates his goal tally.
  • se9addick said:
    Neymar either not offering to take a penalty, or wanting to be fifth so he got the glory, is absolutely pathetic 
    Love how Kane ensures he takes the first - Think both Brazil and Portugal have gone out of Tournaments because Neymar and Cristiano want the glory of the fifth penalty
  • Manic_mania
    Manic_mania Posts: 2,262
    Gotta say a final and a semi final for Croatia in consecutive tournaments its extremely impressive for an "unfashionable" side - huge credit to them. Wonder what odds a repeat of the last WCF is?
  • Livakovic is still playing in Zagreb. A few clubs will surely be looking at him now.

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  • Chunes
    Chunes Posts: 17,356
    edited December 2022
    They might have put him last since the penalty success rate is much lower the later you get in penalties. So there might have been an argument for putting your better takers in the later spots (although that argument now seems to have been defeated).
  • Too many discounting Portugal (who do need to get past Morocco first themselves of course).
    Morocco being outright winners would be a huge shock, but you'd be foolish to discount anyone of the other 6.

    Netherlands have a decent defence, a bright young goalscorer, and are well coached.
    Argentina have Messi on a mission at his last World Cup.
    Croatia are one game closer than everyone else, have a strong midfield, huge experience, and just don't lose often at major tournaments.
    England look a tight knit team that know their individual jobs, and have great depth and variety in attack.
    France have talent all over and probably the best player in the World right now.
    Portugal have a lot of talent and seem to be playing as a team despite seemingly having a fairly toxic squad dynamic on the surface.

    I would say, however, that whoever makes it through England's half of the draw (assuming it isn't Morocco) would start the final as favourites. It's definitely not as clear cut as the winner of England vs France will be defacto world champions though
  • England seem to favour having your best taker go first, to get off to a good start, and then have the 2nd best taker to go fourth, as that's often the crunch penalty
  • Remind me - is the order of the first 5 takers set in stone before the shootout starts, or could it be switched up? Could they have brought Neymar up the order one to take the fourth?
  • AndyG
    AndyG Posts: 5,911
    Livakovic is still playing in Zagreb. A few clubs will surely be looking at him now.
    Martin is just running the stats on how hard his shot is before putting a bid in
  • AndyG said:
    Livakovic is still playing in Zagreb. A few clubs will surely be looking at him now.
    Martin is just running the stats on how hard his shot is before putting a bid in
    Lifers wouldnt stand a chance of spelling his name.

    Dont think I havent noticed people already struggling to spell Chinn's name
  • AndyG
    AndyG Posts: 5,911
    AndyG said:
    Livakovic is still playing in Zagreb. A few clubs will surely be looking at him now.
    Martin is just running the stats on how hard his shot is before putting a bid in
    Lifers wouldnt stand a chance of spelling his name.

    Dont think I havent noticed people already struggling to spell Chinn's name
    Cant we just call him Vic ?
  • England seem to favour having your best taker go first, to get off to a good start, and then have the 2nd best taker to go fourth, as that's often the crunch penalty
    Well.... and England's record in penalty shoot-outs is something to be admired so....
  • ken_shabby
    ken_shabby Posts: 6,258
    Back in the seventies I used to love watchin Brazil in the WC (as you never saw them in the rest of the four years between tournaments) helped by England being absent. Now, they tire me, and I'm happy to see them go home. Croatia and Morocco have both shown how to see off a fancied favourite, but they both are looking at the run to the final now. No easy games anywhere now.
    The only match I'm really fussed about now until next week is England France.

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  • Manic_mania
    Manic_mania Posts: 2,262
    Remind me - is the order of the first 5 takers set in stone before the shootout starts, or could it be switched up? Could they have brought Neymar up the order one to take the fourth?
    That's a great question - when it gets to sudden death there is no specific order is there? I assume as far as the ref is concerned as long as no player takes one twice, the order would be immaterial? But then again this is FIFA we are talking about.
  • Remind me - is the order of the first 5 takers set in stone before the shootout starts, or could it be switched up? Could they have brought Neymar up the order one to take the fourth?
    Pretty sure the referee is given a list of the five takers.

    Then for sudden death its whoever has the balls
  • North Lower Neil
    North Lower Neil Posts: 22,962
    edited December 2022
    This World Cup has been class so far, hasn't it?

    So many late twists.
  • By the time of the next WC it will be 24 years since Brazil since won. Indeed if Argentina don't win, it will be 24 years since a non European side won.
  • Manic_mania
    Manic_mania Posts: 2,262
    Remind me - is the order of the first 5 takers set in stone before the shootout starts, or could it be switched up? Could they have brought Neymar up the order one to take the fourth?
    Pretty sure the referee is given a list of the five takers.

    Then for sudden death its whoever has the balls
    Given a list yes, but the question is - is that list ordered and set in stone? I see no reason why it should be and there should be some tactics allowed?? I'm sure there is some obscure FIFA law 5.6.735J: amendment 12 or some other such nonsense that says it has to be though !
  • bobmunro
    bobmunro Posts: 20,852
    By the time of the next WC it will be 24 years since Brazil since won. Indeed if Argentina don't win, it will be 24 years since a non European side won.

    Just a guess but it might be something to do with the European players playing with and against the best of Brazil and Argentina week in week out. They know their games far better than they used to.
  • Too many discounting Portugal (who do need to get past Morocco first themselves of course).
    They looked frighteningly good the other night
    Us, France and Portugal have all looked really good at various points during the tournament and at other times have looked very ordinary. Really not much at all between them.