I'm rooting for Sweden (my mother's parents were born there), but this still made me laugh: Watching Sweden is every bit as frustrating as trying to build one of their fabled coffee tables— James Tyler (still) (@JamesTylerESPN) July 3, 2018
id be amazed if Mark Geiger gets another game. He seemed to not be able to control the England game that well
I thought England was going somewhere at the WC. After watching the Columbia game Im not so sure now. In fact, Im not even sure the better team won that game. I think they go out the next time they play
Boy, you said it. Players can just sense when a ref doesn't have the sense of authority they need. Refs can act all 'no nonsense' they want, but they have to have the gravitas to pull it off. Too many cards is a clear sign of a ref who really isn't in control. Japan played so smart the whole game, then in the final minute of injury time, they way-overcommitted on their corner kick. I counted 7 players in or very near the Belgian area, leaving 3 defenders and a keeper to handle a potential counter. Belgium, to their credit, noticed the opening and were ready to pounce. Belgium's first goal was exactly the one that's been my lifelong dream goal (as a pretty darn good header, but too short to get chances in a crowd). It's the one I play in my head in the shower or the middle of the night - the long looping head ball from the near post to the far top corner. It doesn't have to be hit hard - and if placed right, no keeper in the world is going to get to it. ----------- Pretty funny that English wankers are calling out Colombia for being dirty players. They gave as good as they got - and, McGuire, the biggest guy on the field, was faking fouls all game long.
That dummy by Lukaku though ... wow. And completely just luck. I honestly feel he was just trying to cross it back into the middle. Maguire.
I'm stuck having to listen to Klinsmann do studio commentary for the BBC. It's painful to see him in Russia spouting his inane drivel after what he did to our national team.
Loved seeing Brazil lose. Enjoy this video.....so true https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1702286803159998 Too bad such a great player disgraces the game by being a horrible faker.
I'm guessing he got a shout that helped him, but, yeah, beautiful, unselfish, courageous play. I don't think so (mainly because I've imagined that play so often), but we'll never really know. Ouch. Yeah, not Irish.
Agree. Sad, I used to root for them because they played so beautifully. Now, they are a one man show, and he embarrasses the game (he managed to be quite effective at Barca, with a fraction of the faking he does in the WC!). I think Brazil's road downhill (in terms of style of play) started with Dunga [coaching], because of their frustration with lack of results while dominating play.
The most encouraging thing (besides seeing Belgium win! ) was that no one (at lest the ref, who was the one whose opinion mattered the most) was buying Neymar's antics. There were a couple of border-line incidents in the box that I can't help but think a different ref on a different day in different circumstances might have called a PK. I can't help but think the South African KFC video might have had something to do with it! You live by the fake dive, you die by the fake dive.
Oh yeah, last week I was at a meeting at work where one of the big cheeses (who is German) told a joke: What is the difference between Germany and a tea bag? The tea bag stays longer in the cup! Who says Germans don't have a sense of humor, and a self-depreciating one at that!
I thought the main difference was that the Belgians were smarter about not giving him the good opportunities to embellish. I think in the first half he was actually pretty frustrated about not getting the chances to go down and roll around. The common strategy with him seems to be to knock him around and rough him up when you get the chance, but I think Belgium played him the opposite way - no ticky-tack stuff that he could embellish into something larger.
Not to distract from today's game, but can anybody name all four players that have scored in the World Cup and played for the Revs?
June 28th 1983 I watched Belgium and France play the 3rd place game while sitting at a small bar in Hastiere Belgium with about 30 locals and a couple guys from the base. The people there were devastated after the game. To them that game was their World Cup. They are not partial to the French. Beating them would have been just as good as hoisting the trophy. 2 hrs after the game I was in a ambulance with my wife on my way to Hospital at Shape Hq in Mons. Just after 1am my daughter was born.
Oh good question. I had to think about this one for a bit, and got two off the top of my head real quick, Jermaine Jones and Dempsey (especially since I was at games where these happened). After that took a couple of minutes of thinking of players I don't really think of as Revs, and I believe Waldo scored (94?). Not sure the last.
I thought yesterday's game had all the makings of a real classic - and possibly the best game of this finals. First half was very entertaining with both teams having good stretches putting pressure on the other. Belgium seemed to have more of it, but France always seemed dangerous when they got into the final 3rd. Second half was less so - once France had their lead, they managed the game well. And the time-wasting down the stretch was pretty maddening (no added injury time even though there was blatant time-wasting ref?). Belgium looked dangerous pumping in the crosses because the initial clearing attempts by the French def. were going all over the place. I thought they were a little too cautious around the 18 and should have just kept pumping in those crosses. Disappointed to see Fellaini (sp. ?) come off - he looked always a threat to win a header in front. Lukaku was too slow for this game. He wasn't ready for the only two good balls that came his way and wasn't quick enough to go get it himself. Hazard was terrific and Debruyn as well. Umtiti needs to work on his celebration - way too scripted. It seemed more like performance than celebration.
I really think Croatia is going to win it. They are battle tested and have beaten some very determined teams. While France is more talented, Croatia knows how to come back and find a second gear late in the game. I think they match up well with France in that they're fearless and won't get rattled easily even if they go down early. France's best chance is to get an early goal, keep Croatia pinned back, then a late goal to seal it. If they can go up 2-0 they will win. However, if its scoreless or they otherwise let Croatia hang around it's anyone's game. No matter who wins, it's going to be an amazing match on Sunday.
Yup, we've covered all four: Eric Wynalda vs. Switzerland in 1994 Mauricio Wright vs. China in 2002 Clint Dempsey vs. Ghana in 2006, England in 2010, Ghana in 2014, and Portugal in 2014 Jermaine Jones vs. Portugal in 2014
I'm desperately hoping for an early goal, and I don't care who scores it. We've had exactly one 0-0 match this tournament, which is awesome. I don't want the final to be that way. Scoring one early will open the game. And in regards to your comment, if France scores early, they won't make the mistake that England did and sit back. They'll keep attacking, as I don't think those attacking players know any other way.
Agreed on both. England scored early then invited pressure which was very risky. The mids, including Henderson were far too conservative and content to pass back towards the backs or even Pickford rather than push and look for seams in the Croatian defense. Alli was dangerous at times but failed to put enough of a stamp on the gane. I noticed there was a huge gap in the Croatian lines between the mids and defense that England failed to exploit. France won't make that same mistake. Modric needs to play the game of his life and control the tempo. If Mbappe gets going through the midfield, forget it. Here's hoping for a thoroughly entertaining and well officiated 2-1 or similar scoreline.