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

So, I am 50% Croatian, so it's been fun watching this run in the World Cup. I went to grade school in downtown KCK that was settled by Croatian immigrants years ago. They worked in the factories around KC, and built several beautiful churches, schools, neighborhoods, etc.

My grandparents, who passed many years ago, still spoke the language at home - and so did all of their friends and families. Anyway, the school and church I went to has a Catholic Club - basically a bowling alley under the school and gym that has a bar, pool tables TV's, etc.

They have been hosting watch parties through the World Cup, and tomorrow they are expecting 1500 Croatians to show up and watch the game. I will be getting there about 8 am for the festivities.

They are setting up tents in the parking lot and park, so it will be a fantastic gathering. Complete with Croatian food, beer, etc. And on top of that, I will get to hang with some family members I haven't seen in years, and also classmates who I went to school with back in the 70's.

Should be fantastic. I will try and take some pics and post them later. :banned:

 
ChiefD said:
So, I am 50% Croatian, so it's been fun watching this run in the World Cup. I went to grade school in downtown KCK that was settled by Croatian immigrants years ago. They worked in the factories around KC, and built several beautiful churches, schools, neighborhoods, etc.

My grandparents, who passed many years ago, still spoke the language at home - and so did all of their friends and families. Anyway, the school and church I went to has a Catholic Club - basically a bowling alley under the school and gym that has a bar, pool tables TV's, etc.

They have been hosting watch parties through the World Cup, and tomorrow they are expecting 1500 Croatians to show up and watch the game. I will be getting there about 8 am for the festivities.

They are setting up tents in the parking lot and park, so it will be a fantastic gathering. Complete with Croatian food, beer, etc. And on top of that, I will get to hang with some family members I haven't seen in years, and also classmates who I went to school with back in the 70's.

Should be fantastic. I will try and take some pics and post them later. :banned:
Click to expand...
That's awesome! 

 
I've heard people say that this tournament was the last chance for Belgium to win a championship. Obviously, that's not the case as they'll be plenty strong for Euros in 2 years.

I posit that they'll also be strong (but not favorites) in 4 years, IF  they can retool the defense some, which the current crop will likely be too old for Qatar, I think they have a chance.

 
Hell yeah the 3rd place match counts...

Goals By Club

Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) - 12

Barcelona (ESP) - 11

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) - 11

Real Madrid (ESP) - 10

Atlético Madrid (ESP) - 7

Manchester United (ENG) - 7

Manchester City (ENG) - 5

Villarreal (ESP) - 5

Chelsea (ENG) - 4

CSKA Moscow (RUS) - 4

Liverpool (ENG) - 4

Arsenal Tula (RUS) - 3

Beşiktaş (TUR) - 3

Borussia Dortmund (GER) - 3

Juventus (ITA) - 3

Krasnodar (RUS) - 3

Aston Villa (ENG 2) - 2

Eibar (ESP) - 2

Hoffenheim (GER) - 2

Internazionale (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

Huddersfield Town (ENG) - 1

Leicester City (ENG) - 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 - 42

La Liga - 39

Ligue 1 - 15

Bundesliga - 13

Russian Premier League - 10

Serie A - 10

Turkish Süper Lig - 4

English Championship - 3

Saudi Professional League - 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

 
Last edited by a moderator:
The Z Machine said:
Eephus said:
English or otherwise, there aren’t a lot of trequartistas in the EPL.  James Ward-Prowse can’t get a game at Soton. 
Click to expand...
It's a fairly dead position, really, replaced by a shadow striker in front of a flat midfield 4, or 2 inside forwards playing off a central striker.

In any case, one of the most difficult problems to overcome in international football is finding formations that a) play to the strengths of the talent you have while b) not getting exposed but your opposition.  Croatia has certainly figured this part out.  France less so, but they have enough talent to overcome it.
Click to expand...
I just read a book on soccer tactics and wanted to use trequartistas in a sentence.

The game has changed a lot since trequartistas and registas were in fashion.  Watching old WC films, I'm amazed on the amount of time players had on the ball before being closed down.  Increased pressing now makes that a rarity, especially in advanced positions.  Playmaking requires different skills when there's much less time to make plays.

 
Ted Lange as your Bartender said:
Hell yeah the 3rd place match counts...

Goals By League

Premier League - 42

La Liga - 39
Click to expand...
Tight race! With Griezmann, Rakitic, and Modric going there is a still a shot. Oh and Umtiti is on a hot streak too! I really thought Kovacic was going to get more of a run here. He got buried at Real and now he's odd man out. 

 
The Z Machine said:
I've heard people say that this tournament was the last chance for Belgium to win a championship. Obviously, that's not the case as they'll be plenty strong for Euros in 2 years.

I posit that they'll also be strong (but not favorites) in 4 years, IF  they can retool the defense some, which the current crop will likely be too old for Qatar, I think they have a chance.
Click to expand...
It's not going to be easy.  Belgium is a small country without much recent success at the U levels. 

2014's third place medalists from the Netherlands have missed both major tournaments since then.  Belgium's best players are younger than RvP, Robben and Sneijder were four years ago but small countries aren't always able to churn out replacements as a Golden generation declines.

 
Eephus said:
I just read a book on soccer tactics and wanted to use trequartistas in a sentence.

The game has changed a lot since trequartistas and registas were in fashion.  Watching old WC films, I'm amazed on the amount of time players had on the ball before being closed down.  Increased pressing now makes that a rarity, especially in advanced positions.  Playmaking requires different skills when there's much less time to make plays.
Click to expand...
Totti & Riquelme were two of the last great ones...

 
Eephus said:
It's not going to be easy.  Belgium is a small country without much recent success at the U levels. 

2014's third place medalists from the Netherlands have missed both major tournaments since then.  Belgium's best players are younger than RvP, Robben and Sneijder were four years ago but small countries aren't always able to churn out replacements as a Golden generation declines.
Click to expand...
GOLDEN GENERATION!

But yeah, I don't think they have the arsenal to simply retool just like that.

 
Anybody wanna bet against France winning in reg (an even-odds prop in all the books) for Tecumseh's charity swim? Best i can give for an outright win is +150

 
The Kansas Comet said:
Since I don't watch much EPL, this WC was the most I've had a chance to watch Sterling.  He's like the George Costanza of football - every decision he makes, he should do the opposite.  He shoots when he should try and go by someone, he tries to by someone when he should shoot.  Very often, he doesn't seem to have an idea in mind when he passes.  He's got a great deal of speed, but falls well short of the hype he receives, in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Or Herb Washington.

 
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