***Official*** 2018 World Cup thread (and Drinking Guide) (1 Viewer)

[gianmarco]

And THAT is why you start  on the biggest stage.

 

[CGRdrJoe]

Soccer is so boring

 

[Ned]

C'mon Belgium...I wanna see Brazilian kids cry.

 

 

[B Maverick]

Well, that was exciting.  Enjoyed reading all your comments.  I'm still surprised they took Lukaku out. That seemed to even surprise him, but I don't know tactics at this level or Belgian personnel, so what the heck am I even saying? 

Good game, Belgium. That's what I'm saying. 

Holding on for 2-1 and ready him for Tuesday?

Putting in someone with a better touch for holdup play?

Lots of reasons, but it did suprise me too.

And THAT is why you start  on the biggest stage.

 

[AAABatteries]

Well, that was exciting.  Enjoyed reading all your comments.  I'm still surprised they took Lukaku out. That seemed to even surprise him, but I don't know tactics at this level or Belgian personnel, so what the heck am I even saying? 

Good game, Belgium. That's what I'm saying. 

The idea here is:

1. Waste some time by using a substitute

2. Lukaku was gassed from all the running he did

3. To go along with 2 - put somebody on with fresh legs to chase things down and try to waste more time.

4. If you do manage a breakaway the fresh legs will have a better chance of getting a clear breakaway and maybe finish the match off

 

[Zegras11]

My $10 on Belgium at 9/1 survives

-QG

$50 at 11/1 . 

 

[NewlyRetired]

I was a bit behind due to errand that took too long at halftime.

Wonderful game overall.

Hazard's work rate was magnificent today.

 

[rockaction]

The idea here is:

1. Waste some time by using a substitute

2. Lukaku was gassed from all the running he did

3. To go along with 2 - put somebody on with fresh legs to chase things down and try to waste more time.

4. If you do manage a breakaway the fresh legs will have a better chance of getting a clear breakaway and maybe finish the match off

Sounds totally reasonable.  That's sort of what I thought, actually. I was just...surprised but not really willing to go federal about it. I'll defer to people that know more. And, it worked.  

 

[Spartans Rule]

I'm still surprised they took Lukaku out. That seemed to even surprise him, but I don't know tactics at this level or Belgian personnel, so what the heck am I even saying? 

Surprised me too. Usually I'd think at that phase you want your big forward in to receive hoof balls, and you'd take off a little guy up front like Hazard and DeBruyne. But those guys did a nice job wasting time through dribbling, so maybe that's why.

 

[Kafka]

The idea here is:

1. Waste some time by using a substitute

2. Lukaku was gassed from all the running he did

3. To go along with 2 - put somebody on with fresh legs to chase things down and try to waste more time.

4. If you do manage a breakaway the fresh legs will have a better chance of getting a clear breakaway and maybe finish the match off

5. He plays for ManU...less chance of an injury

 

[Slapdash]

My $10 on Belgium at 9/1 survives

-QG

Croatia at 15/1 is all I have left after today.  Sad

 

[Sinn Fein]

France at 2/1, Belgium at 3/1

England 4/1, Croatia 6/1

With game now over - Belgium and France both at 2/1

France slight favorite to win v. Belgium  6/4   v.  2/1

 

[Scoresman]

Need to find a place at the beach that serves pommes frites to watch the match.

Who is the Belgian poster - Scoresman?

Good notebook. Beyond excited now! 

Thank you for calling “French Fries” by their proper name.  

 

[AAABatteries]

Between the dummy against Japan and the setup for the 2nd goal today Lukaku has been immense without actually scoring the last two games.

 

[El Floppo]

Agree - from a neutral standpoint it's fantastic.  But I agree with gian - screw Brazil right now for how they've been playing.

"They"?

Or neymar? Who was great outside of the usual histrionics.

And ithought Brazil played great... 

 

[TLEF316]

Shame on Neymar for his "performance" these past few weeks. I get that it can't be easy to be a 150 lb dude just getting the #### kicked out of you for 90 minutes every time out, but he has definitely played himself into a Boy Who Cried Wolf situation through all the theatrics.  Hurts the team.

 

[Scoresman]

This definitely feels good but is that Brazilian guy going to get shot?

 

[Kafka]

This definitely feels good but is that Brazilian guy going to get shot?

I thought Neymar got shot a couple of times?

 

[NewlyRetired]

Between the dummy against Japan and the setup for the 2nd goal today Lukaku has been immense without actually scoring the last two games.

that was such a fantastic play and really showed the world there is so much more to his game than just being The Kraken.

 

[El Floppo]

This definitely feels good but is that Brazilian guy going to get shot?

he'll get laid by somebody waaaaaaaaaay beyond our comprehension.

and I don't even know who you're talking about-

 

[Ted Lange as your Bartender]

Goals By Club

Barcelona (ESP) - 10

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) - 10

Real Madrid (ESP) - 10

Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) - 10

Atlético Madrid (ESP) - 7

Manchester United (ENG) - 7

Manchester City (ENG) - 5

Liverpool (ENG) - 4

Villarreal (ESP) - 4

Arsenal Tula (RUS) - 3

Borussia Dortmund (GER) - 3

Chelsea (ENG) - 3

CSKA Moscow (RUS) - 3

Krasnodar (RUS) - 3

Aston Villa (ENG 2) - 2

Beşiktaş (TUR) - 2

Eibar (ESP) - 2

Juventus (ITA) - 2

RB Leipzig (GER) - 2

Stade Rennais (FRA) - 2

West Bromwich Albion (ENG) - 2

Al-Ettifaq (KSA) - 1

Al-Hilal (KSA) - 1

Al-Nassr (KSA) - 1

Arsenal (ENG) - 1

Augsburg (GER) - 1

Beijing Sinobo Guoan (CHN) - 1

Bologna (ITA) - 1

Borussia Mönchengladbach (GER) - 1

Celta Vigo (ESP) - 1

Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) - 1

Eupen (BEL) - 1

Everton (ENG) - 1

FC Köln (GER) - 1

Fiorentina (ITA) - 1

Flamengo (BRA) - 1

Fortuna Düsseldorf (GER 2) - 1

Fulham (ENG 2) - 1

Gent (BEL) - 1

Guangzhou Evergrande (CHN) - 1

Hoffenheim (GER) - 1

Huddersfield Town (ENG) - 1

Internazionale (ITA) - 1

Los Angeles FC (USA) - 1

Málaga (ESP) - 1

Monaco (FRA) - 1

Municipal (GUA) - 1

Napoli (ITA) - 1

Olympiacos (GRE) - 1

Pachuca (MEX) - 1

PSV Eindhoven (NED) - 1

Real Sociedad (ESP) - 1

River Plate (ARG) - 1

Roma (ITA) - 1

Sevilla (ESP) - 1

Southampton (ENG) - 1

Stoke City (ENG) - 1

Stuttgart (GER) - 1

Torino (ITA) - 1

Toulouse (FRA) - 1

Vancouver Whitecaps (CAN) - 1

Watford (ENG) - 1

Werder Bremen (GER) - 1

West Ham United (ENG) - 1

Yeni Malatyaspor (TUR) - 1

(OG) Al Ahly (EGY) - 1

(OG) Borussia Mönchengladbach (GER) - 1

(OG) Bursaspor (TUR) - 1

(OG) Club América (MEX) - 1

(OG) CS Sfaxien (TUN) - 1

(OG) CSKA Moscow (RUS) - 1

(OG) Las Palmas (ESP) - 1

(OG) Manchester City (ENG) - 1

(OG) S.P.A.L. (ITA) - 1

(OG) St. Pauli (GER 2) - 1

(OG) Villarreal (ESP) - 1

Goals By League

Premier League - 38

La Liga - 37

Ligue 1 - 14

Bundesliga - 12

Russian Premier League - 9

Serie A - 8

English Championship - 3

Saudi Professional League - 3

Turkish Süper Lig - 3

Belgian Pro League - 2

Chinese Super League - 2

Major League Soccer - 2

2. Bundesliga - 1

Argentine Primera División - 1

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A - 1

Eredivisie - 1

Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala - 1

LigaMX - 1

Super League Greece - 1

(OG) La Liga - 2

(OG) 2. Bundesliga - 1

(OG) Bundesliga - 1

(OG) Egyptian Premier League - 1

(OG) LigaMX - 1

(OG) Premier League - 1

(OG) Russian Premier League - 1

(OG) Serie A - 1

(OG) Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 - 1

(OG) Turkish Süper Lig - 1

 

[rockaction]

"They"?

Or neymar? Who was great outside of the usual histrionics.

And ithought Brazil played great... 

I thought so, too. Lots of missed chances and near-misses. You guys follow this, though. Good to hear you say that. I guess I'm not delusional.  

 

[Sebowski]

Belgium’s wives took the field at the half... playing soooo tentative with weak passes and no confidence. They need to get the men back on the field again or they’re going to lose this. 

You've obviously never watched women play soccer.

 

[AAABatteries]

Good notebook. Beyond excited now! 

Thank you for calling “French Fries” by their proper name.  

Congrats man!

 

[kupcho1]

Anybody do the FIFA bracket challenge?

3 of my final 4 still alive (sorry Cro, just jinxed ya)

Had France over Germany with Belgium (falling to France) and Croatia rounding out.

 

[berndog]

And THAT is why you start  on the biggest stage.

Not a big fan of  but I thought he was excellent today winning balls.

 

[heckmanm]

Need to find a place at the beach that serves pommes frites to watch the match.

Who is the Belgian poster - Scoresman?

Man, tempted to drive 90 minutes Tuesday to hang out here but I think I may have kid-transport duties that will prevent it.  

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

So...what odds could you have gotten two years ago that the last six teams in the World Cup would all be from Europe but not include Germany, Italy, Spain or The Netherlands?

 

[rockaction]

Man, tempted to drive 90 minutes Tuesday to hang out here but I think I may have kid-transport duties that will prevent it.  

Mussel Monday sounds right up my alley.  

 

[B Maverick]

Not a big fan of  but I thought he was excellent today winning balls.

You must have been watching Wetzel.  Both have the big hair but hes a better player

 

[Slapdash]

Not a big fan of  but I thought he was excellent today winning balls.

Really shut down the Brazil attack well, particularly in the first half.

 

[gianmarco]

Neymar

 

[msommer]

So, now the only teams left are European.

I wonder why that is.

It's probably because not enough low ranked non European teams play the tournament /FIFAlogic

 

[JaxBill]

So, now the only teams left are European.

I wonder why that is.

Colonialism?

 

[msommer]

Colonialism?

Quality

 

[Eephus]

Quality

The Euros are in two years

 

[berndog]

You must have been watching Wetzel.  Both have the big hair but hes a better player

I know the difference between Wetzel and

  was solid today

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Kompany is still a boss.

Guy at the bar next to me said Kompany has the biggest forehead he's ever seen.

Thenceforth, I referred to that guy as, "Guy who's never seen Gervinho."

 

[rockaction]

Alexi Lalas and Rob Stone just put the nails in the coffin of EDM/techno being a youth movement. Good work, guys.  

 

[Sebowski]

Guy at the bar next to me said Kompany has the biggest forehead he's ever seen.

Thenceforth, I referred to that guy as, "Guy who's never seen Gervinho."

 

[nirad3]

Mussel Monday sounds right up my alley.  

Hanz n' Franz?

Oops, wrong muscle.

And oops, wrong country.  

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

So, now the only teams left are European.

I wonder why that is.

It's probably because not enough low ranked non European teams play the tournament /FIFAlogic

Also the tournament is in Europe.

 

[msommer]

The Euros are in two years

They've already taken over the World Cup

 

[msommer]

Also the tournament is in Europe.

Which continent won in 2014? And where was that cup played? 

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Which continent won in 2014? And where was that cup played? 

4 of the 7 Central and South American teams made the quarters.  Home Continent is real.

 

[msommer]

4 of the 7 Central and South American teams made the quarters.  Home Continent is real.

So, your money is on a Mid Eastern champ in Qatar?

 

[grateful zed]

on a side note, has there been any kneeling?

 

[The Z Machine]

So, your money is on a Mid Eastern champ in Qatar?

I bet African and Asian teams do better than typical in 2022 (although I'm boycotting).

 

[Ned]

So, your money is on a Mid Eastern champ in Qatar?

Look at the geography brain on this guy. 

 

[msommer]

Look at the geography brain on this guy. 

Please don't break my concentration