2018 World Cup

[GirlySports]

after a little more research, the Gold Cup and the Asian Cup this January have no 3rd place game.


Coupe Afrique and Copa America do

[edslunch]

One team gets a meaningless consolation prize, the other gets to enjoy losing twice in a row. What’s the point?


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[Locke]

Originally Posted by edslunch

One team gets a meaningless consolation prize, the other gets to enjoy losing twice in a row. What’s the point?


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Well, it determines who comes in 3rd place and gets a medal, but further I wasnt totally joking about padding your Tournament stats.

Kane is going to win the Golden Boot at this World Cup by spanking the hell out of Panama.

If England had gotten a penalty this morning you know exactly who they'd be looking to step up and take it.

Oh. And have I mentioned that FIFA are easily the greediest and most corrupt organization on the face of the Earth? They just sold a ton of tickets to this game.

What is the point of expanding the tournament to 48 teams and then just eliminating this game? Its a cash-grab pure and simple.

More games = More Money.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Well if nothing else, no matter how poor the quality may be, more games are going to at least be competitive and hard fought. There were maybe 15 minutes in the second half today where we had a real game, and it was pretty good, but the rest was pretty dour. I'm surprised FIFA doesn't go a 5th and 7th place game too given their greed.

[GC91]

Anyone have any idea what time I would have to be at the Ship and Anchor for the game tomorrow in order to get a seat? I plan on being there for 8 but should I expect it to fill up right away?

[Party Elephant]

Aww man I just realised the final will be at 3am for me. 6am for the semis was fine but this is just awkward on a Monday morning. Fffffffffff...

[FireGilbert]

Yeah there are going to be a few sick days used in Australia and NZ tomorrow.

Go Croatia! I better cheer for them considering the positive impact Croatian immigrants have made in Australian soccer. It is just too bad out of all the refugees who ended up in Sydney in the 90s Modric was not one of them.

[White Out 403]

Almost an hour to go. I'm not expecting a win but anything is possible in a one off. If Luka has some magic left in him this would be a great time to expend all his glorious sorcery.

France as home team likely be wearing blue so the Vatreni will be in the red checkers.

[Itse]

There's been some pretty decent 3rd place games. 2002 between South Korea and Turkey was actually a really good game. Iirc 2006 and 2010 were both decent games.

This was the worst 3rd place game I can remember, and honestly makes me think less of especially Englands players. Belgium wasn't great, but they didn't need to push because they had the lead and England just sucked so bad. Belgium still least counter-attacked with energy late in the game and could easily have scored more with a bit more luck/finish.

I get not caring when it's like with Netherlands in 2014. Many of the same players had just reached the final in the 2010. A bronze just isn't going to feel special. Wasn't a great game either, but they still showed up enough to score 3 goals against a Brazil squad that was still in a state of shock.

But this was a chance for England to get the best World Cup result in 52 years, and they just bombed.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Itse

There's been some pretty decent 3rd place games. 2002 between South Korea and Turkey was actually a really good game. Iirc 2006 and 2010 were both decent games.

This was the worst 3rd place game I can remember, and honestly makes me think less of especially Englands players. Belgium wasn't great, but they didn't need to push because they had the lead and England just sucked so bad. Belgium still least counter-attacked with energy late in the game and could easily have scored more with a bit more luck/finish.

I get not caring when it's like with Netherlands in 2014. Many of the same players had just reached the final in the 2010. A bronze just isn't going to feel special.

But this was a chance for England to get the best World Cup result in 52 years, and they just bombed.

Thats the thing though, England and Belgium probably thought they could have and should have done better so 3rd place was a disappointment whereas that Turkey match in 2002 was uncharted territory for both nations and they both wanted to win.

Today is going to be good though. I want Croatia to win but I just think the French are too good, so it'll take a master-class from the Croats.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Locke

Thats the thing though, England and Belgium probably thought they could have and should have done better so 3rd place was a disappointment whereas that Turkey match in 2002 was uncharted territory for both nations and they both wanted to win.

Absolutely. But you don't get that 2002 game if you never have 3rd place games.

(...also, thinking that England could/should have done better is typical English delusion. They had some good players, but they really lucked with their playoff opponents. They were clearly the weaker team against Croatia. They could get good in a few years, but this was never going to be their year.

Belgium on the other hand was likely the 2nd best team in the tournament, and honestly wasn't that far from beating France.)

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Itse

Absolutely. But you don't get that 2002 game if you never have 3rd place games.

(...also, thinking that England could/should have done better is typical English delusion. They had some good players, but they really lucked with their playoff opponents. They were clearly the weaker team against Croatia. They could get good in a few years, but this was never going to be their year.

Belgium on the other hand was likely the 2nd best team in the tournament, and honestly wasn't that far from beating France.)

I don’t disagree with you here as far as your analysis of the teams and their expectations. Taking that into consideration then, didn’t the 3rd place game play out exactly as expected? Belgium had a fantastic team from top to bottom and England probably exceeded expectations, so the Belgians outclassed them in the match?

[GirlySports]

I don't like this song. Where Ricky Martin?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Itse

Absolutely. But you don't get that 2002 game if you never have 3rd place games.

(...also, thinking that England could/should have done better is typical English delusion. They had some good players, but they really lucked with their playoff opponents. They were clearly the weaker team against Croatia. They could get good in a few years, but this was never going to be their year.

Belgium on the other hand was likely the 2nd best team in the tournament, and honestly wasn't that far from beating France.)

You know that, I know that, everyone without an English bias knows that.

That being said, I was never convinced by Southgate as a manager, but I have to give him a lot of credit.

For once England realized that as the plucky underdogs to you dont go toe-to-toe with the big boys.

The fans may have thought this English team was a Heavyweight, but Southgate didnt and he had a lot of luck of the draw and excellent tournament management, tactically he got a lot out of his group.

They got penalties, they extracted a lot out of free kicks, their open play was effectively useless but they maximized their set piece opportunities. How many times have we seen teams do that in tournaments?

Its what allowed them to get as deep as they did.

[White Out 403]

Kalanic must feel like a total rube

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Slava

I don’t disagree with you here as far as your analysis of the teams and their expectations. Taking that into consideration then, didn’t the 3rd place game play out exactly as expected? Belgium had a fantastic team from top to bottom and England probably exceeded expectations, so the Belgians outclassed them in the match?

The result was expected, but I did expect the English to at least try.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Locke

You know that, I know that, everyone without an English bias knows that.

That being said, I was never convinced by Southgate as a manager, but I have to give him a lot of credit.

For once England realized that as the plucky underdogs to you dont go toe-to-toe with the big boys.

The fans may have thought this English team was a Heavyweight, but Southgate didnt and he had a lot of luck of the draw and excellent tournament management, tactically he got a lot out of his group.

They got penalties, they extracted a lot out of free kicks, their open play was effectively useless but they maximized their set piece opportunities. How many times have we seen teams do that in tournaments?

Its what allowed them to get as deep as they did.

You sound like a ranting bitter German.

No one thought they were a heavyweight. Pretournament expectations were a QF = a good tournament.

This final is basically winner of the class teams side of the draw against the winner of the crap side.

Just like England Croatia are the beneficiaries of meeting a bunch of crap teams. And squeaking past every one.

[GirlySports]

France look nervous early

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

France look nervous early

France playing like clear favourites with everything to lose.

Croatia playing with house money and know they have nothing to lose.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

France playing like clear favourites with everything to lose.

Croatia playing with house money and know they have nothing to lose.

It would still hurt if Croatia lost. Chance of a lifetime.