They were efficient, organized, dangerous on the counter and a threat from set-pieces. 2010 Dunga ball at it finest.
This WC convinced me that excellence in set pieces, both on offense and defense, is a must to win international football tournaments. That’s what we should focus on, above all else.
Watched the game in French restaurant and switched allegiance after the PK call...didn't l like it at all. Croatia did themselves proud, and I think France have more than they showed (not sure if Deschamps' coaching or nerves on biggest stages for a young squad). Modric is a midfield god. IMV I'd switch order of 2 and 3, and throw in DeBryune Rakitic Kante in there as honorable mentions.
Croatia was much better until that bullshit own goal. Just plain bad luck. I have never seen so many goals on set pieces. I think this WC is a record. FUK the VAR. What’s the defender supposed to do, put his hands behind his back?
Most of what they did today with that possession is to cross the ball. It's what they ended up doing against England. France weren't much better. Thought they'd have more on the counter. Really strange final to a strange WC. After the Argentina game, France just kept doing just enough and were generally tough to beat. That's about it. Still think they were more deserving than Croatia who scraped through a much easier side of the bracket.
I agree with you on the call. No PK in my mind. However, to be fair, VAR it just a tool. In the end the referee interprets the recording of the play. So its the referee's "fault", not VAR's. And Ombak was right in earlier discussions after the Neymar PK reversal -- the initial call doesn't carry any weight relative to a potential video reversal. The referee just gets a shot at another look while play is stopped. A different ref may have made a different call with the same footage. You and I for sure.
The whole clear mistake thing is not being taken into account by the ref IMO. But yeah, different refs, different interpretations. It's inevitable.
Exactly. In the NFL the initial call takes precedent. I assumed so as well, but I was wrong. No issues with it either way. Regarding handballs, its always subjective. I would not call that a PK. However, the same EXACT play but the Croatian player is on the goal line as the ball was about to go in, I'd give the PK. So even I'm not consistent, but that is my interpretation of the game.
the group stage was pretty good but KO stages were lacking IMO. The absence of Italy and Holland and the early exit of Germany, Argentina and Portugal certainly had a negative impact in this tournament. Belgium vs Japan was the most entertaining game from r16 and onwards.
I agree with your general premise S_C. It was certainly one of the most dramatic WC in the group phases that I can recall, if not the most. It didn't provide games in the knock-out that I would necessarily put in the game library to re-watch every so often, though some of the Croatia OTs made for compelling live TV. A wonderful WC, but not the best ever as the FOX people keep repeating. As more countries improve their game, I'm less concerned with the "big" names showing up and rather with how teams are playing. If the big names weren't there at the end its likely because they played worse (especially the teams that can't qualify from fairly pedestrian European WCQs)! Btw, can you remember a less impactful Golden Boot winner? Most of Kane's goals where unremarkable....PKs, deflection....and the solitary goal in the knock-out was a PK initiated by him IMO. From open play, just the deflection. Not slamming him, as I think he is a good player, but.... The Russian left back/winger's (Cherychev?) goals were much more impressive.
Messi is probably an overall better footballer, but I'd take Neymar over Messi. I think, with Brazil, Messi would not have survived as long as he did with the Argies. Brazil doesn't tolerate repeated failures. For example, R10 played only 2 WCs, was relegated to the bench, then dropped, and later seldom recalled! Also, Messi would be meddling with team selection etc. Nobody wants that.
After France's 3rd goal I turned off my TV and went out on a bike ride. I just couldn't stomach what I was seeing. Don't get me wrong, I like France, mainly because my mother lives there and I think they deserved to win. However, as many have mentioned here, this World Cup feels like another missed opportunity by Brazil. It feels like a missed opportunity just like 2006 and 2010. To me, France does not seem like an all-powerful team. In fact, they seem eminently beatable. They defeated a pathetic Argentina an undermanned Uruguay and a very tired Croatia. That's it. I, like many of you, prefer that Tite remain in charge if only for the sake of continuity and because a suitable and competent replacement will be hard to find in Brazil. I do hope, of course, that Tite learns from his mistakes and becomes a General that applies those lessons correctly and not a General that perpetually fights the last war without seeing the reality of the present.
It is imperative hat Tite studies and figures out what went wrong for us. In general it is not good to be the “favorite” to win... examples, Colombia 1994, Brasil 1982, Netherlands 1974, etc
Ronaldinho was dropped because he stopped being a serious footballer after 06 and also Dunga was the coach.
Bah! I hate it when games go so strongly against the run of play on questionable calls (I think the penalty was a penalty, but there were errors on the foul that led to the opening goal and the goal itself, as well as a non-call to Croatia's detriment). VAR needs some significant tweaking. In the end though, this French side simply has more class than Croatia. Griezmann, Pogba and Mbappe desequilibram and their talent is worthy of the title. Pogba's pass to Mbappe on the third goal, which Pogba ultimately scored on the sobra, was a work of art. I'm not particularly happy France won, but it's hard not to be happy for these players, for what this team represents, and for some of the genuine fans around them (like Macron). As unbelievable as it seems, in 2022 it will have been 20 years since the Penta. Nuts. I miss feeling like the French do today. I may lurk around for a bit. But, more likely, so long until the Copa America.
I think Refs shouldn't call weak penalty kicks in knockout stages. What Bellati did essentially was transform a 10% chance corner kick into a 70% chance PK because of an accident. After France scored their second you knew Croatia was toasted . France would get to play their bola nas costas game against a bunch of tired Croats.
Romario will be almost 60 years old come 2022. Wrap your mind around that. I noticed Galvao was extremely emotional as he ended the broadcast today. There's definitely been a end of an era type vibe to the last 2 WCs. Some results and some changes and happenings in the football world order that were unthinkable for us that remember how football was in the 20th century. What I'd like most of all going forward is the arrival of a new 1995-06 type safra . A generation so good that even friendly matches are must see TV., it hasnt been that way in a long time. As far as results go I think I still have seen my fair share as a fan. By 1989 we hadn't won an official title since 1970. Then we got the Tetra, the Penta, the second place in 98, about 4 Copa Americas and 4 confed cups and a bunch of Olympic medals including Gold at the Maracana in 2016.
Not exactly the same, R10s form and dedication fell dramatically. Many of us here at that time thought he did not deserve a call up.
Not enough. Who should we have brought instead? Isn't Fabinho highly rated? I don't think he even got a look from Tite.