2018 World Cup

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I absolutely cannot stand entitlement in any part of life.

Kalinić is a great player, but no one is above the team. I'm happy the coach had the leadership and quality to send him home. It was the right decision.

There were many croatian players during the communist Era who never had that chance to play for the natinal team and he pissed it away. Shameful.

I'm going to tank his ratings and potential in my next career mode in Fifa 16

[cam_wmh]

what i miss?

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I feel like Belgium takes the points from England and goal difference becomes irrelevant.

Its possible

But if england are somehow ahead on Gd and can play more defensive where a draw gets 1st place its a huge advantage

If henderson plays its irrelevant though, kdb would have his head spinning all day

[GirlySports]

They are saying it's now better to finish 2nd in this group to possibly avoid Brazil/Germany who will meet in the Round of 16

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

They are saying it's now better to finish 2nd in this group to possibly avoid Brazil/Germany who will meet in the Round of 16

I think it’s bit too early to worry about Knockout round matchups, especially when both Germany and Brasil had poor first games. I wouldn’t want my team to have a loser mentality

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Beninho

I think it’s bit too early to worry about Knocmout round matchups, especially when both Germany and Brasil had poor first games.

But again, poor first games are nothing to worry about, thats how tournaments go.

I think Germany have cause for concern for a number of reasons, not the least is that they have a tough group with both Sweden and now having lost to Mexico, but its not insurmountable.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Locke

But again, poor first games are nothing to worry about, thats how tournaments go.

I think Germany have cause for concern for a number of reasons, not the least is that they have a tough group with both Sweden and now having lost to Mexico, but its not insurmountable.

I agree but I think both would be concerned about their performances. Brazil should be able to beat up on Costa Rica but Serbia will be very similar to the Swiss game. Nothing for them is certain either. We will see if both can learn from obvious mistakes from their first games. The pressure on Brasil will be immense.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Beninho

I agree but I think both would be concerned about their performances. Brazil should be able to beat up on Costa Rica but Serbia will be very similar to the Swiss game. Nothing for them is certain either. We will see if both can learn from obvious mistakes from their first games. The pressure on Brasil will be immense.

Same with Germany, Mexico was going to be far from a pushover but I'd feel that they should still have wanted at least a point, but they just played terribly and Mexico really pinpointed their weaknesses and made them pay.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Brazil and Germany have definitely put more pressure on themselves, but I'd still be pretty shocked if either didn't advance. I joked about Switzerland's ranking, but they're a solid team, as is Mexico. And it's not like Brazil or Germany played that poorly, a few tweaks and they'll both advance I'm sure.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Brazil and Germany have definitely put more pressure on themselves, but I'd still be pretty shocked if either didn't advance. I joked about Switzerland's ranking, but they're a solid team, as is Mexico. And it's not like Brazil or Germany played that poorly, a few tweaks and they'll both advance I'm sure.

Germany played horribly.

I dont think I've ever seen a team isolate their CBs and GK that badly. It was ridiculous, and to sacrifice that isolation knowing that your CBs are Boateng and Hummels who could more or less deal with it in exchange for offence and effectively get none? Thats even worse.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Locke

Germany played horribly.

I dont think I've ever seen a team isolate their CBs and GK that badly. It was ridiculous, and to sacrifice that isolation knowing that your CBs are Boateng and Hummels who could more or less deal with it in exchange for offence and effectively get none? Thats even worse.

Well you're a student of history, so you had to know that Germany was never going to win in Russia!

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Brazil and Germany have definitely put more pressure on themselves, but I'd still be pretty shocked if either didn't advance. I joked about Switzerland's ranking, but they're a solid team, as is Mexico. And it's not like Brazil or Germany played that poorly, a few tweaks and they'll both advance I'm sure.

I thought Brazil played good for the first 30 minutes and awful until around the 80th minute. My main issue is that you could see them becoming complacent and then once Switzerland scored the pressure was clearly visible with Brasil. That’s the mental fragility of Brasil in the last World Cup and I thought they turned a corner which is why yesterdays result was so disappointing. They played like a team in qualifying but were a completely different team yesterday.

[Senator Clay Davis]

^^^Well Mexico played well too. Germany also played with no urgency, but that will change considering they have to win against Sweden. Obviously Khedira has to go and he probably will, probably put in Rudy or maybe Gundogan. Also think you gotta get Goretzka in the lineup as well. Plus no offense to Sweden, but as we saw today they have no end product, so you'd think that's a good team to find some confidence against.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Slava

Well you're a student of history, so you had to know that Germany was never going to win in Russia!

But they didnt institute a land-war in Winter this time! I thought they were due!

[Karl]

I don't think Germany will get past the group stages if they continue to be as lacklustre as they were vs Mexico.

Can't see them beating Sweden if they continue on in the kind of form that they displayed in their 1st match.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Locke

Germany played horribly.

I dont think I've ever seen a team isolate their CBs and GK that badly. It was ridiculous, and to sacrifice that isolation knowing that your CBs are Boateng and Hummels who could more or less deal with it in exchange for offence and effectively get none? Thats even worse.

I don't think they did anything that different. They isolate their CBs quite a bit.

Difference was that Mexico knew they liked to play with their full backs high up and targetted that with success. Which sounds easy in principle but for whatever reason the Germans couldn't take advantage of the space left behind the pressers.

[Bagor]

Turns out that the referee in charge of VAR today was the same Brazilian ref who gave Croatia their penalty against Nigeria having their player being grappled to the ground from a corner.

[Beninho]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Turns out that the referee in charge of VAR today was the same Brazilian ref who gave Croatia their penalty against Nigeria having their player being grappled to the ground from a corner.

Not surprising, zero consistency with calls and the same will go with VAR. Very frustrating, all I want is a little bit of consistency.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Beninho

Not surprising, zero consistency with calls and the same will go with VAR. Very frustrating, all I want is a little bit of consistency.

Not a fan of the EPL then I take it?

[Flamenspiel]

Originally Posted by Locke

I have to agree, I mean, I was cynically cheering against England, but what do you want? Teams are not going to come out flying in their first game, you have to grow into tournaments and improve as the games go on.

They got a win in their first game against their weakest opponent. Great. Job done. They made it harder than it had to be but nobody cares about anything but the points. On to the next one.

Na, Panama will be the weakest team in this group, its not even close.