quote:

Originally posted by Lews No way the English win, imho.

If we can beat France, then I think we actually can. It'll be the biggest test we've faced under Gareth Southgate. We had an easy draw in 2018 and also in the Euros last year. The only "top" team we've beaten in either tournament is Germany, and as we've seen they're nowhere near the force they used to be. Normally when we come up against a genuine top class contender we start well but become increasingly nervous as the game goes on, until we can't keep hold of the ball, let them back into the game and usually lose on penalties. Until we can break that habit, we're not World Cup contenders. But if we do it against France, I'll start to believe.

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As much as I love Korea and being here, and had fun crying with them after losing to Ghana and crying with them after beating Portugal, I was actually supporting them because I'd rather not see us crumble before anyone else but them. What a fantastic bunch they are.

However, wow. Every single one of the 50 shades of wow. Wow left, right, centre, and all over the kitchen sink. I was a bit cautious after our loss to Cameroon, and was torn about staying up until 4 AM to watch what could've been an uneventful game, but letting our players rest so they could lay the smackdown later on was well worth it. I know it's easy to underestimate South Korea, as this was their 3rd best result ever in a World Cup, and only twice in World Cup knockout stage history did a team fall behind with a 4 goal difference before the end of the first half (coincidentally, we were there both times, albeit in very different situations). Mistakes were made by the South Korean side, but shouldn't have been so lopsided. Also, thanks to Japan, Croatia had a much tougher nut to crack, so we're probably facing a much more tired team in the next round. What matters is that we're back to the quarterfinals, ALL HAIL THE PIGEON!

COO!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Midlothian Instead of letting it come to penalty kicks they should have finished the opponent during ninjary time.

Yeah, it's a non-ending cycle: every tournament, I promise I won't ever support Japan, but when they reach the round of 16, I'm like... could this be it? And, no, it can't ever be it

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Last edited by Lira on Dec-06-2022 at 06:32

Yeah, that first half performance from Brazil was the best any team has had in this tournament so far. The third goal, by Richarlison, had me groaning in football pleasure. There will be more spectacular strikes at this tournament but I doubt there'll be a better team goal. South Korea played a big part in making it all happen with some suicidal tactics, effectively marking 1v1 in defence and trying to attack Brazil in numbers, but the style and the verve was pure Brazil. No other nation plays quite like that. And to be fair, it's been a long time since Brazil played like that at a World Cup.

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spain may be the least enjoyable team to watch

Every time the Morocco team wins, we get rioting people in the streets. Not sure what to hope for.

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hope for the casbah

I think Portugal may have just clicked.

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quote:

Originally posted by Lira [T]he Netherlands, Argentina, Japan, Brazil, England, France, Morocco, and Portugal will probably emerge victorious by the end of this round.

Well, now that we've all seen the matches, I'm getting slightly better at this. The only one I got wrong happened to be the one in which Japan dragged Croatia to a penalty shootout, but they're so gallant they're doing their best to make sure their women will always have more silverware than they do. Top class.

It's quite difficult to make any sort of prediction right now though. The Netherlands and Argentina, for example, will be a match between one of the greatest and most majestic teams to have played in this cup against Argentina, which were unbeaten in the qualification to the World Cup... but finished in a rather distant second. England and France will be a toss up too, really. England seem much more competent, even if France have more flair. Croatia are pretty good good, but they'll be much more tired than our players, and Portugal have been so random, but they seem to have found their way.

So I guess The Netherlands, Portugal, Brazil and all of us, really. We all win watching France face England, regardless of the outcome... maybe perhaps England probably though?

Edit: So much for saying the Croats would be tired. These guys are as relentless as Fledz was abrasive

Edit: Wow, what a roller-coaster... Why do we have to be so damn dramatic even on our way out?

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Last edited by Lira on Dec-09-2022 at 17:52

They coo'dn't even handle some Croatians

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Tite shouldn't have benched the pigeon so early in the game... so now, in a final chirp, it's time for the canary team to go home, coo!

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Funny dancing never bothered me when the players were Dudes like the Dungas, Cafus, Bebetos of times past. All I see now in the news is photos of crying flakes with dyed hair.

I struggle to believe the Dutch will be able to handle the Argentina team in the end. Too many spoiled, lazy fannies in our team, too many dudes in theirs. But then it's Van Gaal at the helm..

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