World Cup 2018

[SourceOfTheTrent]

That was just sooooo typically German. Their mental strength is amazing and it has a lot to do with why they win so many trophies.

I was just revving up for a gloat at my German mates too! Have to hope we get them in the quarters and knock them out for once!

[Jacko51]

Is this the same Tunisia who less than a week ago were being lauded on these pages as a good, competitive side?

 

Tunisia actually attacked Belgium - against us they put 11 men behind the ball. They were totally different games. Tunisia had more possession that Belgium and had five times as many efforts on target as they did against England. They're not Brazil but equally, they're not the mugs some on here were making out.

[SourceOfTheTrent]

There are no mugs at this World Cup. The standard of teams is generally high which is why no one is strolling through the groups, although Belgium have looked pretty comfortable.

[RailwayRowdy]

No mugs ?

 

We are almost 2/3rds of the way through the group stages and 10 teams are still to register a single point. That’s a whopping 31% !

 

This recent trend of increasing the number of nations at the final stages has only succeeded in diluting the quality of teams and the standard of football on show.

 

The whole idea of these tournaments is to see the best against the best, not to just let the lesser nations join in the fun.

[Conrad]

No mugs ?

 

We are almost 2/3rds of the way through the group stages and 10 teams are still to register a single point. That’s a whopping 31% !

 

This recent trend of increasing the number of nations at the final stages has only succeeded in diluting the quality of teams and the standard of football on show.

 

The whole idea of these tournaments is to see the best against the best, not to just let the lesser nations join in the fun.

 

But we’ll see the best against the best after the group stages. And any teams that didn’t qualify for Russia arnt the best anyway.

[SourceOfTheTrent]

By no mugs I mean even the weakest teams are well organised and difficult to beat, not like years ago when I think it was Hungary who scored 10 past somebody and the Soviet Union pummeled a smaller nation too.

[geosname]

I'm ready for the game.... telly and chair set up and a kilo of cherries in the refrigerator

[Conrad]

I'm ready for the game.... telly and chair set up and a kilo of cherries in the refrigerator

 

Fermented cherries?

[geosname]

Fresh off the tree mate.... sad eh

[darren1810]

The expansion of the tournament or indeed the current format is always a good conversation point.

Arguments on both sides of the coin.

I realise if you haven't qualified by right then you deserve to be sat at home but surely Italy, the Dutch , Czech republic offer more than the likes of the Saudis.

 

You always get a few duffer's but in general the teams have become more organised and harder to beat. Not much progression by African nation's in recent tournaments.

Incredibly 28 years since we beat Cameroon in the last 8 and Senegal got there in 2002. They seem to of regressed and maybe have reached their pinnacle.

 

The other side of me loves to see new nation's such as Panama and the romantic notion of it all.

 

My own feeling is a 48 team tournament will be diluted by a lot of poor sides due to increased quotas for each confederation.

 

As for today 3-0 England if we can get an early goal.

[RailwayRowdy]

Fresh off the tree mate.... sad eh

 

Hopefully we won’t need the tramadol today !

[Doha]

Great finish from the header although obviously totally unchallenged.

 

This is going to be a long 90 minutes of cynical fouls and cheating from Panama.

[RailwayRowdy]

Apart from El Salvador & Haiti, both in ‘74 I think, Panama are the worst team to ever appear in the Finals.

 

Too many teams, too little quality.

[Howjy04]

Apart from El Salvador & Haiti, both in ‘74 I think, Panama are the worst team to ever appear in the Finals.

 

Too many teams, too little quality.

 

This could be 9-0 today,although Panama will be lucky to get nil.

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

Lingard is f-ing dreadful, not clinical whatsoever

 

This humble pie tastes great! Ha ha!!!