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***Official*** 2018 World Cup thread (and Drinking Guide) (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Sinn Fein
- Start date
El Floppo
Footballguy
Eephus
Footballguy
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Probably a marginal improvement, but I think roadkill is right in that Belgium is going to get into some shootouts. Robbie could turn Franco Baresi into Phil Jones.
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Just looking at Belgium's results from 2014 or so, it's hard to really find any "big" wins. Sweden and Bosnia are about the two biggest scalps they've claimed. Belgium certainly seems to have more talent than England, but for all their troubles, England has more impressive results from 2015 on.
Jaysus
Good times!
Join my FotMob league: https://www.fotmob.com/wc2018/competition?code=CNFPCNJAbout 52 times on my FOTMOB app.
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roadkill1292
Footballguy
Icardi didn't make the Argie squad. 
No Rabiot for France, NO BENDTNER FOR DENMARK! (he's hurt)
No Rabiot for France, NO BENDTNER FOR DENMARK! (he's hurt)
The Gator
Footballguy
Jaysus
Good times!
Cool, I do not expect to do well with my picks as they are based purely on scandal fueled suspicion. (I still think Russia will win it all after they are the only team still allowed in the country by July 15th)
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Zegras11
Footballguy
The Gator
Footballguy
Mjolnirs
Footballguy
Interesting stuff off of the wiki page for squads.
Players by league:
England 130
Spain 80
Germany 67
Italy 58
France 49
Russia 36
Saudi Arabia 31
Mexico 22
Turkey 22
League systems with 20 or more players represented are listed. England's league system includes two clubs based in Wales, Swansea City and Cardiff City (six World Cup squad members play for these clubs) and France includes one Ligue 1 club based in Monaco, AS Monaco (eight World Cup squad members play for this club). In all, World Cup squad members play for clubs in 55 different countries, and play in 53 different national league systems.
The England squad is made up entirely of players from the country's domestic league.
The Belgian squad has the most players from a single foreign federation, with eleven players employed in England.
Of the countries not represented by a national team at the World Cup, Italy's league provides the most squad members.
Two squads (Senegal and Sweden) are made up entirely of players employed by overseas clubs.
Four squads have only one domestic-based player (Belgium, Iceland, Nigeria, and Switzerland).
4 coaches are from Argentina (Argentina, Egypt, Peru, Colombia)
3 coaches are from Spain (Spain, Belgium, Saudi Arabia)
2 from Colombia (Mexico, Panama), 2 from France (France, Morocco), 2 from Germany (Germany, Nigeria), 2 from Portugal (Portugal, Iran)
Players by league:
England 130
Spain 80
Germany 67
Italy 58
France 49
Russia 36
Saudi Arabia 31
Mexico 22
Turkey 22
League systems with 20 or more players represented are listed. England's league system includes two clubs based in Wales, Swansea City and Cardiff City (six World Cup squad members play for these clubs) and France includes one Ligue 1 club based in Monaco, AS Monaco (eight World Cup squad members play for this club). In all, World Cup squad members play for clubs in 55 different countries, and play in 53 different national league systems.
The England squad is made up entirely of players from the country's domestic league.
The Belgian squad has the most players from a single foreign federation, with eleven players employed in England.
Of the countries not represented by a national team at the World Cup, Italy's league provides the most squad members.
Two squads (Senegal and Sweden) are made up entirely of players employed by overseas clubs.
Four squads have only one domestic-based player (Belgium, Iceland, Nigeria, and Switzerland).
Code:
Players by Club - clubs with 10 or more
Manchester City 16
Real Madrid 15
Barcelona 14
Chelsea 12
PSG 12
Tottenham 12
Bayern 11
Juventus 11
Man U 114 coaches are from Argentina (Argentina, Egypt, Peru, Colombia)
3 coaches are from Spain (Spain, Belgium, Saudi Arabia)
2 from Colombia (Mexico, Panama), 2 from France (France, Morocco), 2 from Germany (Germany, Nigeria), 2 from Portugal (Portugal, Iran)
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
It's hard to decide which team flopped worse in Euro 2016 - England going out against Iceland in the round of 16 or Belgium losing to Wales 3-1 in the quarters. Belgium probably more disappointed since they had an easy path to the final through cupcake Portugal.
Ned
Footballguy
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
The Gator
Footballguy
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
There's a certain comfort in knowing that Eeph will be there with the "Like" anytime I make an Eder joke. Like an online security blanket. Particularly in these Jo-less times.
The Gator
Footballguy
A few weeks ago my buddy and I were joking about how Eder should be grandfathered into every Portugal team as the last player on the list.
His own spot, always.
The next day he was cut.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
This is phenomenal.
Fox has put out a configurable WC highlight machine allowing you to pick and choose what you want to see from each WC
https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/fifa-world-cup/highlights?utm_campaign=hm&utm_medium=fscom&utm_source=wc_hub
Fox has put out a configurable WC highlight machine allowing you to pick and choose what you want to see from each WC
https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/fifa-world-cup/highlights?utm_campaign=hm&utm_medium=fscom&utm_source=wc_hub
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
What the heck, let's do Belgium, as they are topical right now.
Belgium come into the tournament looking to set the record of most consecutive major tournaments where they've been named the "dark horse" contender. I think, however, that this is a weaker Belgian team than years past. The defense is older and more injury-prone. I don't see a great option to partner with DeBruyne in CM with Naingollan staying Robbie's #### list and Witsel rotting in China for the past few years for all I know. Even in attack, where Belgium seems strongest, there are still lingering questions. Like, "Nacer f'in Chadli? Really?" So let's get to it.
Goalkeeper -- Thibaut Courtois, Koen Casteels, Simon Mignolet
In 2014, I had Courtois as the second best GK in the world behind Neuer. And he's still good, but I don't think he's been as good as we thought he'd be with Chelsea. I feel his size sometimes hurts him as it makes him sometimes a bit slow to move his feet. He's still, at worst, a top 5-10 GK, though. And he's not Simon Mignolet.
Defense-- Toby Alderweireld, Dedryck Boyata, Vincent Kompany, Thomas Meunier, Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen
Kompany's health is a big question mark. Meunier is the only "natural" full-back, but Vertonghen has played left back for Belgium a lot, including the last World Cup. Boyata is a guy who always looked great in Man City's preseason tours and then never got minutes in the season. I'm sure he's dominant in the SPL, but it's Scotland. This group just looks really thin to me. Kompany can still be replaced, but there's a big drop off from one-time EPL Best XI defender Kompany to one-time MLS Best XI defender Laurent Ciman. Vermaelen is apparently on the team solely to surprise me by still being on Barca's books.
Midfield- Kevin DeBruyne, Dries Mertens, Eden Hazard, Marouane Fellaini, Mousa Dembele, Leander Dendoncker, Thorgan Hazard, Adnan Januzaj, Yannick Carrasco, Youri Tielemans, Axel Witsel, Thorgan Hazard
SO MANY WINGERS!!! Hazard and Mertens are more wide forwards, but whatever. I think the partner for DeBruyne in the middle of the field is completely up in the air. Martinez seems to have a Mourinho-like man crush on Fellaini. Dembele is super-talented and everyone expected Witsel to move to a giant team before he went to China. But none are natural defensive midfielders and Dendoncker apparently is (I don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of Anderlecht and the Juliper League). I'd probably play Dembele, who can play the position, even if I think it's a bit of a waste.
Forward -- Romelu Lukaku, Michy Batshuayi, Nacel Chadli
Mertens and Hazard have both played centrally in the past and may do so here as well. Batman is coming off an injury, but he looked pretty decent with Dortmund after struggling to make his mark with Chelsea. Chadli is inexplicable to me, considering how many wide players are among the midfielders. But when you're deciding between Nacer Chadli and Christian Benteke in 2018, maybe your team shouldn't be genuine favorites.
Predicted Lineup (4-3-3)
Courtois
Meunier Boyata Alderweireld Vertonghen
Dembele Dendoncker
DeBruyne
Mertens Lukaku Hazard
Predicted finish:
Out in the first knock-out round. No sir, I don't like them.
Belgium come into the tournament looking to set the record of most consecutive major tournaments where they've been named the "dark horse" contender. I think, however, that this is a weaker Belgian team than years past. The defense is older and more injury-prone. I don't see a great option to partner with DeBruyne in CM with Naingollan staying Robbie's #### list and Witsel rotting in China for the past few years for all I know. Even in attack, where Belgium seems strongest, there are still lingering questions. Like, "Nacer f'in Chadli? Really?" So let's get to it.
Goalkeeper -- Thibaut Courtois, Koen Casteels, Simon Mignolet
In 2014, I had Courtois as the second best GK in the world behind Neuer. And he's still good, but I don't think he's been as good as we thought he'd be with Chelsea. I feel his size sometimes hurts him as it makes him sometimes a bit slow to move his feet. He's still, at worst, a top 5-10 GK, though. And he's not Simon Mignolet.
Defense-- Toby Alderweireld, Dedryck Boyata, Vincent Kompany, Thomas Meunier, Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen
Kompany's health is a big question mark. Meunier is the only "natural" full-back, but Vertonghen has played left back for Belgium a lot, including the last World Cup. Boyata is a guy who always looked great in Man City's preseason tours and then never got minutes in the season. I'm sure he's dominant in the SPL, but it's Scotland. This group just looks really thin to me. Kompany can still be replaced, but there's a big drop off from one-time EPL Best XI defender Kompany to one-time MLS Best XI defender Laurent Ciman. Vermaelen is apparently on the team solely to surprise me by still being on Barca's books.
Midfield- Kevin DeBruyne, Dries Mertens, Eden Hazard, Marouane Fellaini, Mousa Dembele, Leander Dendoncker, Thorgan Hazard, Adnan Januzaj, Yannick Carrasco, Youri Tielemans, Axel Witsel, Thorgan Hazard
SO MANY WINGERS!!! Hazard and Mertens are more wide forwards, but whatever. I think the partner for DeBruyne in the middle of the field is completely up in the air. Martinez seems to have a Mourinho-like man crush on Fellaini. Dembele is super-talented and everyone expected Witsel to move to a giant team before he went to China. But none are natural defensive midfielders and Dendoncker apparently is (I don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of Anderlecht and the Juliper League). I'd probably play Dembele, who can play the position, even if I think it's a bit of a waste.
Forward -- Romelu Lukaku, Michy Batshuayi, Nacel Chadli
Mertens and Hazard have both played centrally in the past and may do so here as well. Batman is coming off an injury, but he looked pretty decent with Dortmund after struggling to make his mark with Chelsea. Chadli is inexplicable to me, considering how many wide players are among the midfielders. But when you're deciding between Nacer Chadli and Christian Benteke in 2018, maybe your team shouldn't be genuine favorites.
Predicted Lineup (4-3-3)
Courtois
Meunier Boyata Alderweireld Vertonghen
Dembele Dendoncker
DeBruyne
Mertens Lukaku Hazard
Predicted finish:
Out in the first knock-out round. No sir, I don't like them.
The Gator
Footballguy
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
Sebowski
Footballguy
I had this terrifying thought the other day. Roberto Martinez, your next USMNT coach. :X
Poke_4_Life
Footballguy
The Gator
Footballguy
TOP 10 HEAVIEST PLAYERS AT THE WORLD CUP
Player Team Weight (KG)
Roman Torres Panama 99
Jannik Vestergaard Denmark 98
Harry Kane England 98
Harry Maguire England 98
Abdullah Al-Muaiouf Saudi Arabia 98
Kim Shinwook South Korea 97
Lovre Kalinic Croatia 96
Jack Butland England 96
Yerry Mina Colombia 95
Ahmed Hegazy Egypt 95
Player Team Weight (KG)
Roman Torres Panama 99
Jannik Vestergaard Denmark 98
Harry Kane England 98
Harry Maguire England 98
Abdullah Al-Muaiouf Saudi Arabia 98
Kim Shinwook South Korea 97
Lovre Kalinic Croatia 96
Jack Butland England 96
Yerry Mina Colombia 95
Ahmed Hegazy Egypt 95
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El Floppo
Footballguy
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
Charlie Steiner
Footballguy
I guess I've been watching longer than I thought; I remember the Zidane head butt in '06. I may have even seen it when it happened.NewlyRetired said:
Moe.
Footballguy
I just googled Harry Kane weight and apparently I am not the only one who doubts that report. That has to be a mistake. Even if it was supposed to be 89 kilos that is still too high.
edit: http://www.espn.com/soccer/blog/the-toe-poke/65/post/3517855/fifas-world-cup-squad-list-puts-englands-harry-kane-at-216-pounds
They are saying it should have been 89 but I don't buy 196 pounds either.
edit: http://www.espn.com/soccer/blog/the-toe-poke/65/post/3517855/fifas-world-cup-squad-list-puts-englands-harry-kane-at-216-pounds
They are saying it should have been 89 but I don't buy 196 pounds either.
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CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
The Gator
Footballguy
El Floppo
Footballguy
Native
Footballguy
Do you have it in you to do 31 more? :subscribe:Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
Also worth mentioning Martinez opted not to bring Roma man Radja Nainggolan to Russia; says he doesnt fit in a midfield role that has to support so much attacking talent. Or he just doesnt get along with him (which is what most people speculate).
Ramsay Hunt Experience
Footballguy
I probably have 5 or 6 more in me.
Certainly England and Argentina. Probably Uruguay, Colombia, Mexico, and maybe Croatia?
Certainly England and Argentina. Probably Uruguay, Colombia, Mexico, and maybe Croatia?
shader
Footballguy
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NewlyRetired
Footballguy
this is a great players guide. Every player in WC is listed
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2018/jun/05/world-cup-2018-complete-guide-players-ratings-goals-caps
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2018/jun/05/world-cup-2018-complete-guide-players-ratings-goals-caps
Jaysus
Good times!
Members of Mexico’s national football squad held a farewell party with around 30 prostitutes before the team traveled to Europe ahead of the World Cup, reports said Tuesday.
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/06/prostitute-scandal-jolts-mexico-world-cup-squad/
Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/06/prostitute-scandal-jolts-mexico-world-cup-squad/
Scoresman
Footballguy
Mjolnirs
Footballguy
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
I've had some experience with buying counterfeit soccer shirts online, good and bad. I would be very wary of anything on ebay or amazon that doesn't have a solid history of good feedback. Amazon has always backed me up with refunds when I've been cheated. I would check ebay and take the risk on a seller who's been around a while and has good feedback history. You can email them and gauge the skeeviness of their response. The best combo of price and reliability I've found is at www.gogoalshop.com - typically about $20 or so for a really nice replica. My most recent purchase from them was about a year ago and went fine. Their youth sized shirts are somewhat limited, but I'll bet they have Jr. Its probably unlikely you'll get the shirt in time for the first game, but I think 3-4 weeks delivery time is possible.
