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***Official*** 2018 World Cup thread (and Drinking Guide) (5 Viewers)

that was an awful game to ref for sure.  I am shocked some people are coming down so hard on the ref.

The fact that the game some how got back under control was amazing to me considering all the crap the Colombian's were pulling.

*The PK was the absolute right call

*the head butt review was not his choice.  It was the VAR officials who made the decision that it was not worth reviewing

*giving a maybe well deserved second yellow to Colombia would have ended the game too soon and likely caused a riot on the field.  I think he made the right choice to not give a second yellow even if in a normal weekly club game it would have been given with out second thought.
I agree, to an extent.  I didn’t think he was that bad but at some point you can’t just keep giving them rope.  It’s not fair to the other side in that situation.  And I’m always the first one to talk about how a red ruins a match.

 
that was an awful game to ref for sure.  I am shocked some people are coming down so hard on the ref.

The fact that the game some how got back under control was amazing to me considering all the crap the Colombian's were pulling.

*The PK was the absolute right call

*the head butt review was not his choice.  It was the VAR officials who made the decision that it was not worth reviewing

*giving a maybe well deserved second yellow to Colombia would have ended the game too soon and likely caused a riot on the field.  I think he made the right choice to not give a second yellow even if in a normal weekly club game it would have been given with out second thought.
I thought the ref did well under the circumstances. Maradona is absolutely bat #### crazy for claiming the ref favored England. If anything, he let Columbia stay in the game despite their cynical play for the first 60 minutes of the game. 

It's a classic example of how rabid fans on both sides can see completely different versions of the same game. 

 
What a team that was -  Totti, Del Piero, Pirlo, Cannavaro, Zambrotta, Buffon, Gattusso, etc. (No Vieri though). Fun fact that they actually were not the favorites in the semis or finals.

History smiles kindly upon he victors.
They were very lucky to get past Australia in the prior knockout round. Materazzi red card early second half, won the game on Grosso’s dive / penalty in extra time. 

 
had meant to mention this to resident time-keeper @Woz

one of the things about soccer rules- they're typically set up to translate from pro down to rec/youth leagues. field size, ball size, rules... all set up to not change from one level to another. so- historically, the time is kept by the ref on the field looking at his stopwatch as most fields, leagues and teams can't and don't have countdown clocks available.

But... given that they're moving to VAR and goal-line tech, we may also see a move with timekeeping only in the pros even though lower levels won't be able to keep up with that. I've often thought that there should a 4th official reviewing off-the ball and non-obvious stuff like diving- ideally live... they could also keep a more realistic running game clock going. would be interesting to see how that would be play out- when exactly does the clock stop, etc.
I personally think the “realistic” clock is a horrendous idea.  These guys are already gassed after this “fake” 90.  I cant imagine what adding another 10-15 minutes would do to them, both in game and over the course of the season.  

 
Can confirm that reaction vids for Donovan's goal >> reaction vids for Chadli's goal.  Same build up, but the save, rebound and follow up put the US game winner over the top.

 
What a team that was -  Totti, Del Piero, Pirlo, Cannavaro, Zambrotta, Buffon, Gattusso, etc. (No Vieri though). Fun fact that they actually were not the favorites in the semis or finals.

History smiles kindly upon he victors.
Heck of a team, though I'll go to my grave angry that Argentina didn't win in 2006.  GD effing Pekerman subbed in Julio Cruz instead of a young Messi against a noticeably tiring German team in the quarterfinals, only to lose on penalties.  That team was more loaded than any Argentina team since, in my opinion.  Even if they didn't win it all, that semi against Italy would have been epic.

That aside, two consecutive days of no WC is weird.  I find myself just instinctively heading to the living room to watch a match and then just stop.  Telemundo should just show great matches from previous World Cups.

 
Cuadrado's work rate has been exceptional today.
My first year watching footy, he put a distinctively mediocre Fiorentina club on his back and carried it to the top half. Line to line at full speed for 90 minutes all the time. I was amazed that anyone could do that.

 
Swiss media RTS has calculated that Neymar has been lying on the pitch "in pain" for 13 minuted and 50 seconds so far in the WC

:lol:  

#####

 
They were very floppy that tournament...
Well, i was too until they won it all...

...and stop with the preconceived notion that they are floppers...that team had their nose to the grindstone.   Oh well, Iberians & Anglos gonna hate...4 WCs...

Avanti Azzuri...Forza Azzurri!

 
Well, i was too until they won it all...

...and stop with the preconceived notion that they are floppers...that team had their nose to the grindstone.   Oh well, Iberians & Anglos gonna hate...4 WCs...

Avanti Azzuri...Forza Azzurri!
:lmao:  

 
The reply options on this board are stupid - why can't I nest the fn replies?
Here's what we've got left prior to the quarterfinals:

Gator: France & Muller

RHE: Spain & Isco

Jaysus: Russia & Werner

Chuck Steiner's Gut: France & Lewandoski

Christo: Spain & Messi

Moe: England & Kane (p.s. lol) (ps2 :bag: )

Cleatius: Germany & Giroud

Eephus: France & Jesus

Bonzai: Germany & Mueller

Shader: Brazil & Neymar (I always liked you!)

Floppo: Brazil & Suarez

Z Machine: France & Mueller

P4L: Germany & Kane

Ned: Brazil & Suarez

Lard on a stick: Spain & Neymar

Sebowski: Agentina & Aguero

DisneyEjotuz:  Germany & Lewandowski

ComfotablyNumb: Germany & Cavani

Cheese:  Brazil & Lukaku

Tom Hagen: Spain & Suarez

Mjolnirs: Deutschland & Lewandowski

Drunken Slob: Germany & Mueller

encaitar:  Germany & Griezmann

icon: France or Belgium will win this 

Buck Bradcanon: Germany & Griezmann

BassNBrew: Uruguay & Ronaldo

JaxBillRussia & Putin (riding a bear)

Native: Belgium & Ronaldo

EvilGrin: Germany & Griezmann

Work: Brazil & Messi

Sinn Fein: Brazil & Werner

MexBrasil & Griezmann 

Otello: Argentina & Messi

AAABatteries: France & Neymar

Quizgu766: Germany & Cavani

 
Some off-day questions from someone who watches maybe 20-30 non-World Cup matches every four years between Cups.  Please be gentle with me:

1.  Why do television broadcasts use the sideline angle for PKs? The angle behind the goal is way better.  Every time there's a PK it feels like I'm basically just watching to see if the ball hits the net after the kick. Then I can see what actually happened (specific placement, how close the keeper came to actually saving it or not saving it, etc.) on the behind-the-goal replay

2.  Why don't they fix extra time so they don't motivate players to fake injuries or otherwise delay proceedings?  Even before someone put out that analysis last week everyone kind of knew that they didn't add all the time they should, right?  Why not do that with every second of lost time, including every second injury timeouts and arguments about calls? Or even add time-and-a-half if in the ref's discretion one team is seeking to run clock with these tactics?

3.  Basic strategy question - I noticed England removing Dele Ali and Raheem Sterling in the second half on Tuesday, two guys that looked to my untrained eye to be two of their three best offensive weapons. I know the idea is probably to be cautious by replacing them with more defensive minded players to protect the one goal lead, but isn't this risky or short-sighted because if you do concede a tying goal you've screwed yourself out of the best chance to re-take the lead? Especially in the knockout format with 30 extra minutes on tap if you concede a tying goal? Is it more about those players running around the most and therefore getting the most fatigued?

 
Some off-day questions from someone who watches maybe 20-30 non-World Cup matches every four years between Cups.  Please be gentle with me:

1.  Why do television broadcasts use the sideline angle for PKs? The angle behind the goal is way better.  Every time there's a PK it feels like I'm basically just watching to see if the ball hits the net after the kick. Then I can see what actually happened (specific placement, how close the keeper came to actually saving it or not saving it, etc.) on the behind-the-goal replay

2.  Why don't they fix extra time so they don't motivate players to fake injuries or otherwise delay proceedings?  Even before someone put out that analysis last week everyone kind of knew that they didn't add all the time they should, right?  Why not do that with every second of lost time, including every second injury timeouts and arguments about calls? Or even add time-and-a-half if in the ref's discretion one team is seeking to run clock with these tactics?

3.  Basic strategy question - I noticed England removing Dele Ali and Raheem Sterling in the second half on Tuesday, two guys that looked to my untrained eye to be two of their three best offensive weapons. I know the idea is probably to be cautious by replacing them with more defensive minded players to protect the one goal lead, but isn't this risky or short-sighted because if you do concede a tying goal you've screwed yourself out of the best chance to re-take the lead? Especially in the knockout format with 30 extra minutes on tap if you concede a tying goal? Is it more about those players running around the most and therefore getting the most fatigued?
1.  I don't know.  I suspect it has to do with two things - first its the same camera angle they use for basically all shots, so a little bit of camera continuity.  You get to see the kicker, the keeper and the goal - replays can show the details.  Second, in the game, a Pen that is saved is immediately in play if there is a rebound - so the sideline angle allows to easily pan out and follow the play, without switching views.  I get what you are saying, in terms of visibility - but I suppose the TV production crews are slow to change.

2. Its just part of the game.  Players rest for a variety of reasons.  Its almost never why one team wins or the other team loses.

3.   England did bring on three players with attacking qualities - Rashford, Vardy, and Rose is an attacking Fullback.  Dier for Dele was a defensive shift - but this was reversed when Rashford came on for Walker, and moved Dier back to CB.

 
2. Its just part of the game.  Players rest for a variety of reasons.  Its almost never why one team wins or the other team loses.
Thanks for the replies. 

Still struggling with this one. I'm not concerned with whether it affects who wins or loses, but with the quality of the product. I assume nobody wants faked injuries, nobody wants teams to argue about calls and with each other for five minutes, or spend three minutes jostling for position before free kicks, but these are all tactics I saw from teams protecting leads during the Round of 16.  So why not discourage these by removing some of the incentive? Right now teams with a lead justifiably know that no matter how much they stall, the refs aren't gonna add more than 4-5 minutes on at the end.  A word of warning beforehand and a few 10 minute stoppage times to show they mean business would go a long way. Or so it seems to my untrained eye.

 

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