World Cup Discussion [R]

Sweden takes out Mexico 3-0, but MEX still advances after Germany falls to S Korea. Germany out.

 

Entertaining day at World Cup with two games down...and two more to go...

Who will go through from Group E?
Can Serbia beat Brazil?
Can Costa Rica do a So Korea and knock out Switzerland?
And will VAR play a role?

 

Would be shocked if Serbia or CR won. Gap is just too big.

 

Ten out of 14 UEFA teams advanced to the round of 16.

Seven of the 8 matches contain at least one UEFA team. Brazil/Mexico is the only one that does not.

 

No, ironically finishing second in the group would result in a far easier path to the Final. I think it's going to be a strange game today.

 

A team that aspires to be World Champion aiming to do worse in order to have "the easier path"? Psychologically terribly counterproductive.
It would be like aspiring to climb Everest by confining yourself to Mt. Rainier.

 

OFFICIAL: Japan through to #WorldCup round of 16 ahead of Senegal on YELLOW CARDS. Records identical, game between 2-2, so it's down to fair play.

Japan had 4 yellows to Senegal's 6.

Fair play was introduced as a tiebreaker for the 2018 finals. #SENCOL #JPNPOL

— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) June 28, 2018

 

Or it could be a matter of resting certain players or giving a border-line player who hasn't seen much action yet a run out, and not being too worried about the result.

I think England would win the tie-breaker if they drew, but I don't think either team will be heartbroken regardless of the result. If you think you can be the best team in the world, you need to be able to beat the #3 or #5 team along the way, no matter what.

 

Lineups are out, ESPN reports that Belgium changed 9 starters from the last game, and England changed eight.

 

Well that was tedious.

 

I've read that but it doesn't make any sense. If you're trying to win it all, have the balls to beat whoever is in front of you. Whether it's Brazil or anyone else, it's single elimination anyway so round of 16, quarters, semis or the final - what does the opponent matter? I hate when teams try to manipulate the brackets.

 

What does the opponent matter? Seriously?

For a path to the final:
Colombia > Switzerland > Spain
Japan > Brazil > France

I know which one I would prefer.

 

Sure, one path may be easier than the other, but that does not mean it is the best path.

If you are the "best team in the world" you should be able to beat any team, so it shouldn't matter which teams you face.

If a coach tells his team to play less than 100% in order to manipulate the results towards the easier path, he is sending a message to his team that he doesn't have confidence that they can succeed on the more difficult path.

As Herm Edwards famously said:

 

The best teams know how to manipulate the situation to their advantage. Being smart is part of being best. If you see that two behemoths are going to beat each other into pudding, you’re better by picking off the weakened winner, not trying to take them both on yourself.

 

Well there you have it - the best game of the world cup so far.

 

Glad the Argentines didn't advance. They were a disaster this World Cup and didn't deserve to move on IMO.

 

Teams like Spain should put a little more urgency on getting shots and goals. They let Russia carry them to PKs and they paid the price.

 

Happy St. Keeper's day everyone.

 

Gary Lineker: "Messi is the first player in World Cup history to be a false 9 and a false coach in the same game."

 

You're not kidding. The ending to Croatia-Denmark and subsequent pk's was impressive. Bother keepers have a right to feel proud of that effort.

 

Mexico out, lost to Brazil dos-a-cero...

 

Japan choked. They had Belgium down 2-0 then gave up 3 unanswered goals. Once Belgium figured out they were bigger and taller than the Japanese team, it was the beginning of the end. Goal #3 was the prettiest goal I've seen

 

that dummy by Lukaku was key