PBP Thread: Match #1, Russia vs Saudi Arabia, 14 June 2018 [R]

Discussion in 'GROUP A: Russia, Uruguay, Egypt, Saudi Arabia' started by Val1, Jun 13, 2018.

  1. edlee1992

    edlee1992 Member+

    Apr 3, 2012
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Gwangju FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Korea Republic
    come on man. They wont be much of a threat to you guys.
     
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  2. Pipiolo

    Pipiolo Member+

    Jul 19, 2008
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    Ask Italy how that turned out at the last WC.
     
  3. svelten

    svelten Member

    N/A
    Jun 22, 2009
    Club:
    Vancouver Whitecaps
    they'd get wrecked in the proposed playoff qualifiers, New Zealand has their guaranteed WC spot reinstated for the next century. AFC isn't rubbish, as Japan, Korea and Australia have all made significant impacts in previous WCs, and Iran is pure quality today playing well above the confed's standards. It's just that the drop-off after those four teams is shocking.

    I still think it's ridiculous anyone would seriously question Uruguay's chances of advancing, it's Egypt that should be on high alert now after this.

    Also, it's GD and GF for tiebreakers before we get to head to head records, so even if they're all tied at 5 apiece goals scored will matter. Russia definitely has the huge leg up not on GD but on GF as well.
     
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  4. Stric_Matic

    Stric_Matic Member

    Slovenia
    Jan 26, 2010
    Ljubljana, Slovenia
    Nat'l Team:
    Slovenia
    Well, that must be a new rulechange, I think, I'm positive previous tournaments (or perhaps I was thinking of Euros?) had the old rules.

    Kinda dumb, to be honest, imagine beating your direct rival 2:0 and still not progressing because they had a 5:5 goal difference and you have 4:4... One more goal scored overall takes precedence over a convincing head-to-head win...
     
  5. zahzah

    zahzah Member+

    Jun 27, 2011
    Club:
    FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
    After seeing Saudi Arabia tonight I honestly fret for Qatar's performance in 2022. Say what you want but South Africa at least did not disgrace themselves...
     
  6. zahzah

    zahzah Member+

    Jun 27, 2011
    Club:
    FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
    Sure. Egypt is the underdog tomorrow and if they lose they are going to find it very hard to come back.

    But let's wait and see until tomorrow's game...

    BTW Salah rumoured to be starting tomorrow. And having one of the favorites for the Balon d'Or playing significantly levels the playing field...
     
  7. Phillyspur

    Phillyspur Member+

    Tottenham Hotspur
    England
    Mar 18, 2007
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Yep, different opinions :thumbsup:. I do agree with you that 32 is probably the ideal WC size, 48 will bring problems not just with team quality. But the mighty $$$...
     
  8. Nico777

    Nico777 Member+

    Olympique de marseille
    Croatia
    Oct 19, 2017
    It is not new.
    Uefa favors face to face results
    Fifa favors general results

    Euro and wc got different rules.
     
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  9. saam14

    saam14 Member

    Manchester United
    Iran
    May 17, 2018
    They're not even one of the best 5 teams in Asia, but they would still have qualified ahead of USA regardless. USA sucks.
     
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  10. Kamtedrejt

    Kamtedrejt Member+

    Internazionale Milano
    Albania
    Mar 14, 2017
    Hamburg
    Club:
    FC Internazionale Milano
    Nat'l Team:
    Albania
    I agree. There is a weird tendency. Clashes between two Arab teams are always tight because it's kind of a derby and the favourite plays down to the level of the outsider and vice versa. Saudi Arabia might get points against Egypt. I wouldn't be surprised a bit.
     
  11. Pipiolo

    Pipiolo Member+

    Jul 19, 2008
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    LOL, that was cruel :laugh:
     
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  12. monere

    monere Guest

    didn't the Saudis just have over 60% possession in this game??
     
    zahzah repped this.
  13. Nico777

    Nico777 Member+

    Olympique de marseille
    Croatia
    Oct 19, 2017
    Different country different dynamic...
    You will understand soon that beat Russia in Russia in an official game is harder than you thought.
     
  14. zahzah

    zahzah Member+

    Jun 27, 2011
    Club:
    FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
    LOL. Indeed, they did :D
     
  15. Pipiolo

    Pipiolo Member+

    Jul 19, 2008
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    Doubt it, and it was mostly sideway passes and wild crosses.
     
  16. Pipiolo

    Pipiolo Member+

    Jul 19, 2008
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    Now I think Russia will advance from this group, but they will either lose or at best tie Uruguay.
     
  17. Bran

    Bran Member

    Nov 18, 2010
    Nijmegen
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    injured.


    what a start to the cup.... Imagine what Uruguay can do to this Saudi-Arabia team.
     
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  18. monere

    monere Guest

    um... doesn't goal differential mean the difference between goals scored vs goals conceded?? Not sure...
     
  19. evil_allan

    evil_allan Member+

    May 3, 2004
    Turtle Island
    that's what the Champions League is for. WC is about bringing people together.
     
  20. zahzah

    zahzah Member+

    Jun 27, 2011
    Club:
    FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
    Look at previous cups. It is unlikely Uruguay will outdo Russia. Saudi Arabia will be in damage limitation mode.
     
  21. svelten

    svelten Member

    N/A
    Jun 22, 2009
    Club:
    Vancouver Whitecaps
    Saudi would qualify ahead of the team that lost to Trinidad & Tobago in a playoff match, yes, but that team would probably walk away from this tournament with a better (and more competitive record)

    I kind of like a shellacking every now and then and am excited to see what Salah, Suarez and Cavani can do to these hapless lads.

    Also to the people thinking that an expansion means automatically worse teams than SA... remember Italy, Netherlands, Chile and yes a historically competitive USA side are all not here. Neither are Ghana, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Paraguay, Bosnia, Czechs, Wales, Slovakia, or even New Zealand and Honduras. So there is still plenty more quality to fit into a WC. It's just the allocations aren't done really well, and will get worse in 2026... :(
     
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  22. Nico777

    Nico777 Member+

    Olympique de marseille
    Croatia
    Oct 19, 2017
    To me world cup should be about the best teams in the world playing to be world champion...but it is just my opinion.
     
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  23. bong

    bong New Member

    Jun 13, 2018
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    [​IMG]
     
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  24. zahzah

    zahzah Member+

    Jun 27, 2011
    Club:
    FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
    Well you can't really blame allocations for USA missing out. That was 100% self-inflicted.
     
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  25. monere

    monere Guest

    it's true, though. The Saudis did have superior ball possession, and the fact that they passed sideways and backwards (just like I've also said in an earlier post) doesn't mean that your statement is true :)
     

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