Yup, let Cabo Verde gain a bit of confidence and then try opening them up. The Verdians probably saw that coming and Spain was desperate to give them a lesson. Too much energy too fast. Like I said above, the game doesn't always have to be played at a sprinters pace. The misery of the modern game, to be honest.
go back and look at that back line that Spalletti played a 3511 high block of Bastoni Coppola Di Lorenzo. It was insanely naive and idiotic. With Zappacosta and Udogie at wingback. Who was meant to hold that together? Coppola making his senior debut?
I just took a look at it can’t do much with that back 3 and lineup that was just a total piece meal and pray it works.
yes insane lol and beyond the personnel making no sense as a unit they never played together. he just lead a lamb to slaughter and said oh well. obviously the structural issues are the reason why post 2021 we had n solid defence because our defence was old with no succession plan but looking at that lineup its no wonder.
One of the more asinine things you will ever see. Asking a kid in Coppola to play CB in a 3 against those mutants up front on the road in the biggest fixture of the group. Just absolutely insane. Spaletti was so ********ing lost.
next to Bastoni and DiLorenzo as a RCB lol and on top of that he played a high line with Zappacosta Udogie against Norways 442/424 it made no sense whatsoever Again of course the real issue is we did not have many defensive option after Chiellini Bonnucci so it all was being built on the fly but that lineup was just insane in hindsight
I’m sitting down to watch my second game of this WC Argentina vs. Algeria and I still can’t do it. My bitterness overrides any interest I have in this tournament
Not saying there was intent but doesn't really matter?. We can't possibly go through this again. 🚨𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: Marcelo on Messi's tackle against Algeria on SporTV:“This is a red card, but because it's Messi there's nothing [no card]” 😳🟥 pic.twitter.com/6ddtEtUNhu— The Touchmine | 𝐓 (@TouchmineX) June 17, 2026 "It's 100% a red card for Lionel Messi. It should've been."Ale Moreno and Nedum Onuoha react to Messi's challenge against Algeria's Aïssa Mandi. pic.twitter.com/0h2dMLYk4l— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 17, 2026 🚨 Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Messi's red card incident against Algeria:"It's 100% a red card for Lionel Messi. It should've been." pic.twitter.com/aqol8ZOdA6— Dr Yash (@YashRMFC) June 17, 2026 🚨🎙️Roy keane : I Think referees turn blind eyes towards Messi , he should have received a red card that’s a bad foul straight to the back🗣️ I respect Messi a lot for all his achievements but sometimes the allegations are obvious you can’t be the greatest of all time like this… pic.twitter.com/FAdxBH1Yuc— Hk🐐🇵🇹🇯🇵 (@UTD__Ronaldo) June 17, 2026
LMAO -- could be fake but you never know. 🚨🚨 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: FIFA Referees Committee president Pierluigi Collina was reportedly considering an internal review of Szymon Marciniak's performance during Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria. However, according to emerging claims, the proposed investigation was halted… pic.twitter.com/kRE8cYFLsM— The Touchmine | 𝐓 (@TouchmineX) June 17, 2026
Good job, Lio. Shut these fundamentalist idiots up. And then after the game reality! pic.twitter.com/dspdWc8fOH— Fletcher Williams “I Suck At Games” Channel (@Fletche64618733) June 17, 2026
There were some odd non calls yesterday. Agreed about Messi, unfortunately. I have no ill will towards him or Argentina, but I have seen that as a red so consistently in the past including with VAR. Also, the non penalty call on Mbappe was really weird. How are we in a football world where you can go to VIM, see he was clearly clipped many times in slow motion, and just go through the motions only to decide you're going to ignore it. people have their biases, but I'm not having it...that's a penalty ten out of ten times after review. Earlier FIFA not releasing the onside / offside images of Switzerland was another debacle. There's a conspiracy theory brewing in me somewhere that FIFA is having refs overlook blatant things we are used to getting in the VAR era as a precedent so that when a certain team needs a non-call later on down that road...that certain team a la 2002 South Korea...they'll get it without a fuss because precedents have been set in the tournament. I truly believe all this random non-calling is setting up a much bigger world cup problem. Also, how the f do you decide corners can be switched to goal kicks, but goal kicks CAN'T be switched to corners. WTF? That's UEFA playoff system level of rule making
Fifa and the refs will do everything possible to ensure the golden boys teams will go through.... England and Argentina
I had both matches on and was trying to watch in between work. Surprised at Portugal not getting full Points but they should be able to turn it on. As for Croatia, one of the teams I am supporting, 4 goals conceding is bad but they got the difficult one out the way. They control their own destiny. OK. I haven't checked elsewhere or social media but I imagine a lot of talk about the PK retake. Did Livatkovic really step off his line? Seemed to me his right foot was on the goal line.
Hydration Break. It's currently 19° Celsius here and Panama vs Ghana is being played yet there is a Hydration Break despite the perfect football playing weather with overcast skies.
Ghana vs Panama Croatia should feel good about getting 6 Points. England likely to finish with 9 Points. Jordan Ayew is Ghana's best Striker?
94th Minute Winner by Ghana. 1-0. Panama were better in the 1st Half, Ghana better in the 2nd. Panama player going to regret going for a last ditch effort tackle that led to the winner.
If the group stage was one round, these would be the round of 32 matches: Germany v Brazil Norway v Netherlands South Korea v Canada Sweden v Morocco DR Congo v Ghana Uruguay v Austria USA v Qatar New Zealand v Czech Republic Scotland v Japan Ivory Coast v France Mexico v Spain England v Portugal Argentina v Saudi Arabia Australia v Iran Switzerland v Belgium Colombia v Ecuador 3rd place teams eliminated: Panama Jordan Senegal Turkey
Yes in many way we have to look ate the last 32 as part of the group stage thats just where you will see the group of death.The difference is you can't draw and you are somewhat responsible for putting yourself there. Portugal England is likely unless Portugal get 6pts from Colombia Uzbeks. Colombia likely needs to beat Congo and get a draw from Portugal unless Portugal draw with Uzbeks then Colombia will be 1st with a win over Congo.
Back in 2014, with 7 WC's won between Italy, Uruguay, England and the best ever Costa Rican team this was a Group of Death. Now its Norway, France, Iraq, Senegal. Too many "team XYZ scored their first ever goal, took their first ever shot at goal, made their first ever save at the WC" for my liking.
Opted for bed instead of staying up to watch Colombia vs Uzbekistan. Obviously have not watched every match but from what I see after each team having played their first matches, the US has made the best impression. Physical, skilled, attacking. This probably was the US's best game ever played in their history.