NPR

Hmmm. The lass at 1/2 time saying "they (Korea) should have seen how Serbia set up"....

Yeah. All well and good playing 11 men behind the ball but they created no threat at all and Brazil were always going to get one at which point it was game over.

Keane is right about the celebrations. I thought this was all bookable for time wasting.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Mon Dec 05, 2022 7:36 pm

Slick wrote: Mon Dec 05, 2022 7:22 pm I do find the Brazilian footballers and arrogant unsavoury bunch. Hopefully the usual will happy, they get over cocky, beaten, cry a bit, go home

How TF can you not enjoy watching this?

I didn’t say anything like that! It was great to watch, just think they are dicks

LMAO. I skipped the 2nd half.

When I wrote earlier about Brazil maybe finding a cutting edge too.........
Incredibly wasteful/poor finishers and that could be their undoing. Some games, you only get 1 or 2 chances and then you have to take them all.

Biffer wrote: Mon Dec 05, 2022 10:20 am

In comparison to Europe. As per my other post, my main problem is actually South America, and the allocation from the next World Cup going forward. If it's done on number of member countries, South America should have fewer slots. If it's done by on pitch success, Asia and Africa should have fewer. Whatever measure you use, Europe (at 16 out of 48 places) will be under represented.

It's the age old conundrum of do you want the best teams ar the world cup or a "fair" split.

Making the tournament bigger will dilute the quality as it has done with the euros.

Uncle fester wrote: Mon Dec 05, 2022 9:33 am They are a dull people. Even in city centers, you go into a bar midweek and it's empty.

meh - i didn't mean to start a german bashing thread - i like/liked a lot of them. admittedly the bad ones are very annoying or worse. and i'd had no more right to expect a great summer of wine/women/song/partying than someone coming to ireland for a few months and staying in a house say 3 miles from a cross-roads post-office in the middle of leitrim.

and i wouldn't be so quick generalise regarding their dullness - i was at a stag in hamburg a few years back - actually reminds me it was around world cup time - england losing to italy - 2014? - and we were hanging around the reeperbahn area and i have never seen or experienced such a display of public debauchery, drunkenness and outright filthiness over the course of the evening. it made paddy's night in temple bar look like a teddy bears picnic. it was very german in a surreal bertold brecht sort of way. admittedly there were as many tourists as germans.

fair point about the lots of empty bars in cities but you see that right across europe - i've found in a lot such cities the party/drinking areas are somewhat hidden/out-of-the-way - and a causal visitor could easily miss it - which is not the case in irish cities generally - where the action won't be far from the main street or centre.

Big D wrote: Mon Dec 05, 2022 10:45 pm

Biffer wrote: Mon Dec 05, 2022 10:20 am

In comparison to Europe. As per my other post, my main problem is actually South America, and the allocation from the next World Cup going forward. If it's done on number of member countries, South America should have fewer slots. If it's done by on pitch success, Asia and Africa should have fewer. Whatever measure you use, Europe (at 16 out of 48 places) will be under represented.

It's the age old conundrum of do you want the best teams ar the world cup or a "fair" split.

Making the tournament bigger will dilute the quality as it has done with the euros.

It is. But the answer to it is not applied fairly wrt Europe and S America.

Once again, surprised at how Spain, the great technicians, are so poor at penalties.

That result guarantees the winner of Eng/Fra a spot in the final.

To me that’s all on coaching. Both of the kick takers and the keepers.

Goalkeepers - Moroccan keeper didn’t guess and go early for any of the kicks. The Spanish keeper picked a side and went each time. If he’d stood still two of them as taken would have hit him. He made it easy for the Moroccan kick takers to pick where he wasn’t going.

Kick takers - the Spanish kick takers were desperately waiting for the Moroccan keeper to go. Several of them dawdled up to the spot, and when he effectively said ‘I’m not going, you have to beat me’ they were left with one stride and a kick to beat him. So low power kicks without great placement (first kicker didn’t do it, but the other two who missed did). In particular, Busquets watched three penalties where the keeper didn’t go, and instead reacted to the kick as taken, and Busquets just wanders up to the ball waiting for him to dive. Monumentally fucking stupid.

So many coaches don’t seem to approach shootouts differently from penalty kicks in open play. As a keeper, facing five consecutive kicks under pressure, you’re probably going to have a decent chance of saving at least one. So don’t guess, react to the shot as taken, make them beat you. As a kick taker, realise that the keeper is doing that, and run up, smack it in the corner of your choice and walk away.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 5:54 pm Once again, surprised at how Spain, the great technicians, are so poor at penalties.

That result guarantees the winner of Eng/Fra a spot in the final.

Famous last words. It's not like Morocco weren't worthy of their draw.

Flockwitt wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:06 pm

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 5:54 pm Once again, surprised at how Spain, the great technicians, are so poor at penalties.

That result guarantees the winner of Eng/Fra a spot in the final.

Famous last words. It's not like Morocco weren't worthy of their draw.

Agree, they are a good team

The penalties last night and tonight have been pretty awful, very strange

Whatever about my dislike of the Brazilian players and Neymar in particular, he made an awful cunt of the keeper last night. Talking about penalties

Very disappointed Ronaldo isn’t playing

Switzerland have been gash but Portugal have played some serious footy

Africa have their fourth ever quarter final team. Well done Morocco

Slick wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:14 pm

Flockwitt wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:06 pm

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 5:54 pm Once again, surprised at how Spain, the great technicians, are so poor at penalties.

That result guarantees the winner of Eng/Fra a spot in the final.

Famous last words. It's not like Morocco weren't worthy of their draw.

Agree, they are a good team

The penalties last night and tonight have been pretty awful, very strange

Just awful. 2 golden rules on penalties unless you are god
1) Strike it hard. Speed is the friend of the taker. Slow is the friend of the keeper.
2) Get it on target. Even if you blast it down the middle. Guess what, you can't score if you aren't on target. Hitting the post or bar is not bad luck.

Most of them seemed determined to ignore Rule 1..... with inevitable consequences.

Pfffft to your Mockers. Eng or Fra in the final already.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 11:55 am

Slick wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:14 pm

Flockwitt wrote: Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:06 pm

Famous last words. It's not like Morocco weren't worthy of their draw.

Agree, they are a good team

The penalties last night and tonight have been pretty awful, very strange

Just awful. 2 golden rules on penalties unless you are god
1) Strike it hard. Speed is the friend of the taker. Slow is the friend of the keeper.
2) Get it on target. Even if you blast it down the middle. Guess what, you can't score if you aren't on target. Hitting the post or bar is not bad luck.

Most of them seemed determined to ignore Rule 1..... with inevitable consequences.

Pfffft to your Mockers. Eng or Fra in the final already.

People fuck up rule 1 because they're waiting for the goalkeeper to commit. When he doesn't, which he shouldn't in a penalty shoot out, they're fucked.

Biffer wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 12:15 pm
People fuck up rule 1 because they're waiting for the goalkeeper to commit. When he doesn't, which he shouldn't in a penalty shoot out, they're fucked.

It's funny because when the rule was applied that goal keepers were not allowed to move, we used to see them premeditate all the time which I thought was crazy because so many pen takers did blast it down the middle.
Statistically a decade ago, I reckoned if a keeper stood tall in the middle, he'd save 2/5 by doing nothing else: force the taker to take a good pen in the corner. And that should still apply but, as you say, there are so many
powder puff pens now.

I thought they'd made the penalty-taker stuttering or stopping in the penalty run-up an offence. Apparently not, given what I've seen so far - Lewandowski's stereo penalty being a case in point.

On the topic of ridiculous run-ups, worth admiring Zaza's from 2016.

https://gfycat.com/femaleadventurousaurochs
(Can't seem to embed gifs, sorry)

Of course, showing a typical commitment to slapstick, West Ham then signed him.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 3:23 pm

Biffer wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 12:15 pm
People fuck up rule 1 because they're waiting for the goalkeeper to commit. When he doesn't, which he shouldn't in a penalty shoot out, they're fucked.

It's funny because when the rule was applied that goal keepers were not allowed to move, we used to see them premeditate all the time which I thought was crazy because so many pen takers did blast it down the middle.
Statistically a decade ago, I reckoned if a keeper stood tall in the middle, he'd save 2/5 by doing nothing else: force the taker to take a good pen in the corner. And that should still apply but, as you say, there are so many
powder puff pens now.

They’re allowed to move but must keep feet (foot?) on the goal line.

inactionman wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 3:33 pm I thought they'd made the penalty-taker stuttering or stopping in the penalty run-up an offence. Apparently not, given what I've seen so far - Lewandowski's stereo penalty being a case in point.

On the topic of ridiculous run-ups, worth admiring Zaza's from 2016.

https://gfycat.com/femaleadventurousaurochs
(Can't seem to embed gifs, sorry)

Of course, showing a typical commitment to slapstick, West Ham then signed him.

I always remember that one. Was watching that game with an italian friend. As soon as he started his run, we knew he was going to miss. What a Clown

inactionman wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 3:33 pm I thought they'd made the penalty-taker stuttering or stopping in the penalty run-up an offence. Apparently not, given what I've seen so far - Lewandowski's stereo penalty being a case in point.

On the topic of ridiculous run-ups, worth admiring Zaza's from 2016.

https://gfycat.com/femaleadventurousaurochs
(Can't seem to embed gifs, sorry)

Of course, showing a typical commitment to slapstick, West Ham then signed him.

It always has been, but they’ve never enforced it.

He might be a twat, but that is a very good goal.

Neymar puts Brazl 1-0 up in extra time.

Penalties...

lol

Croatia are seriously good. I thought they would be too old for this one but they just keep going.

All European semifinals on the cards?

Biffer wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 5:56 pm All European semifinals on the cards?

Hope so. Always like Needy Lands.

What a result. Love the Croatian football team. They are just ice-cold hard bastards that punch way above their weight.

The big downside will be all the pretty Brazilian girls in the crowd going home

Jim Lahey wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 6:12 pm

What a result. Love the Croatian football team. They are just ice-cold hard bastards that punch way above their weight.

The big downside will be all the pretty Brazilian girls in the crowd going home

er Croatia not too bad on the totty …..

Can’t be bothered checking but it must be a long time since neither Germany, Brazil, Spain nor Italy were in the semis. Surely?

GogLais wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 6:28 pm Can’t be bothered checking but it must be a long time since neither Germany, Brazil, Spain nor Italy were in the semis. Surely?

Not that long, it was 2018! France Belgium England Croatia

Biffer wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 6:53 pm

GogLais wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 6:28 pm Can’t be bothered checking but it must be a long time since neither Germany, Brazil, Spain nor Italy were in the semis. Surely?

Not that long, it was 2018! France Belgium England Croatia

Boom! First time since at least the 1960s.

PCPhil wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 5:55 pm Croatia are seriously good. I thought they would be too old for this one but they just keep going.

Although their only shot on goal in 120 minutes was the deflection which went in. Otherwise it was straight at the keeper.

Must try harder I reckon

Enzedder wrote: Sat Dec 10, 2022 6:49 am

PCPhil wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 5:55 pm Croatia are seriously good. I thought they would be too old for this one but they just keep going.

Although their only shot on goal in 120 minutes was the deflection which went in. Otherwise it was straight at the keeper.

Must try harder I reckon

One shot on goal and one goal. A pretty decent return.

It’s their technical ability and teamwork+energy that is outstanding. That was a good Brazilian defence as proved over a number of years and Croatia never gave up on their game of crisp, tight passing. Not a betting man but a few bob on them at start of tournament to win it would have been good (watch them crash out in semi now).

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Mon Dec 05, 2022 8:58 pm LMAO. I skipped the 2nd half.

When I wrote earlier about Brazil maybe finding a cutting edge too.........
Incredibly wasteful/poor finishers and that could be their undoing. Some games, you only get 1 or 2 chances and then you have to take them all.

GogLais wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 11:10 pm

Biffer wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 6:53 pm

GogLais wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 6:28 pm Can’t be bothered checking but it must be a long time since neither Germany, Brazil, Spain nor Italy were in the semis. Surely?

Not that long, it was 2018! France Belgium England Croatia

Boom! First time since at least the 1960s.

You don’t need to bother about Spain or Italy btw. 2018 was the first time since World War II without either Germany or Brazil in the semis.

Bulgaria and Sweden got to the SFs in 94. I didn’t remember that. Mind you I didn’t remember 2018.

GogLais wrote: Sat Dec 10, 2022 10:55 am Bulgaria and Sweden got to the SFs in 94. I didn’t remember that. Mind you I didn’t remember 2018.

I struggle to remember what I did yesterday

morocco so close to a 2nd goal. Portugal would be better if they put more effort in playing than whinging at the ref.

Ronaldo coming on. Think Leao would have been a better option (invoking the mockers and guaranteeing Ronaldo scoring).