Soccer World Cup 2022/2026

looks on the line to me...

"Tone_E wrote:

Crazy WC so far. I've been discussing with my friends that each tournament the skill gap gets closer and closer. I am not surprised to see juggernauts losing to underdogs.

Reminds me of the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea. Lots of crazy upsets... Yet final was Brazil 2 Germany 0.

"Paul 13 wrote:

looks on the line to me...

Only has to be a sliver of the ball overhanging the line and it's still in. I thought it was out from the pictures they've shown, but I can see from a still like this that it does look like it wasn't 100% out....only 99.9%! You can bet those pictures will be all over the German papers tomorrow.

Some crazy stats related to Japan going through:

Since detailed World Cup records began in 1966, there are only two instances of a team losing a game despite attempting 700+ passes:

• Spain vs Japan tonight

• Germany vs Japan last week

And Japan won with the lowest possession figure recorded in World Cup history.

Possession - Spain 82.3%, Japan 17.7%

"Claymore95 wrote:

Some crazy stats related to Japan going through:

Japan are Leicester City from 2016... they even wear the same colors.

"Paul 13 wrote:

Reminds me of the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea. Lots of crazy upsets... Yet final was Brazil 2 Germany 0.

The refs played a big part in S. Korea advancing as far as they did. Against Italy, the world called us crybabies. When the refs did the same thing against Spain, there was international outrage all of a sudden. Just like diving, when an Italian does it, it is front page and that is all that everyone discusses. When Ronaldo does it against Ghana, it's Ok. Robben his whole career, no problem - especially against Mexico, forgot the year. Grosso against Australia? Italians are cheaters!!!! Immobile faking injury in Euro cup only to get up after Italy scores, what a disgrace. When Kane does the exact same thing a few games later, no mention because it's coming home.

Interesting outcome from today's Japan/Spain group is that with Spain being the runners-up in the group, it now puts them in the same half of the draw as England and France. Portugal also likely to end up in that half of the draw if they finish top of the group tomorrow that they've already qualified from and are 3 points (and +3 goal difference) ahead of Ghana.

As a biased ABE fan, I'm glad they're not getting the easy route through the tournament as they've usually had recently :laughy:

It's likely that you could see a Brazil/Argentina semi final on the one side of the bracket and an all European semi final on the other side of the bracket. (either England/France vs Spain/Portugal) I'm not tipping my predictions, but if one were to be setting up odds...

"Paul 13 wrote:

Germany scored again. The announcers are saying Spain is out if results hold. Think thats wrong. Goal difference.

Yep, just brutal announcing during Japan-Spain which had Spain out just because Germany went ahead of Costa Rica, without even paying attention to goal difference.

Took them quite a while to correct themselves.

Even without the mistake, it was the first time I heard these 2, and they were uniformly awful.

I've never heard so many soccer clichés within 90 minutes.

They need to be sent home for the knockout round...

"Claymore95 wrote:

A cynic might look at just the results and say that Spain wanted to finish runners-up, as they now face Morocco rather than Croatia, and it's also knocked Germany out. However, they clearly were trying to win the game right up until the final whistle, and the after match pictures showed that it was obvious they didn't even clearly know whether they'd done enough to go through themselves.

I was thinking this for most of the 2nd half, by finishing 2nd they got the easier draw.

"Lloyd Heilbrunn wrote:

Yep, just brutal announcing during Japan-Spain which had Spain out just because Germany went ahead of Costa Rica, without even paying attention to goal difference.

Took them quite a while to correct themselves.

Even without the mistake, it was the first time I heard these 2, and they were uniformly awful.

I've never heard so many soccer clichés within 90 minutes.

They need to be sent home for the knockout round...

yeah you are talking about Jacqui Oatley and Warren Barton. It's funny, I did a post back in 2018 about the World Cup announcers... went into great detail about all of them (the ones here in the US that were covering it). I actually don't mind Oatley/Barton this time around. Barton got on my nerves in 2018 for being lazy and not knowing enough about the players on the pitch. He's been a bit better this cup. Oatley I think is actually pretty good. She reminds me of the Sky Sports female announcer that does some F1 stuff. Her name is Natalie Pinkham and her voice is also quite good. It's what you want in a regular play by play announcer... someone whose voice doesn't bother you and can get the facts out well enough to where if you were blind (or listening on the radio) you could "see" what was occurring. But their voices are very pleasant, like the sounds of the ocean :lol:

Derek Rae cracks me up... he is the Scottish one who is teamed with Cobi Jones (he's improved over the years). Rae has to say everyone's name a little differently. Particularly the German/Dutch players. He is the only one I've ever heard pronounce Kevin De Bruyne's name differently (with a flemmish sound). Sounds like Kevin De "bru-er"... lol...

I can't believe some of these announcers/commentators are still employed. Landon Donovan is dreadful, he sounds so bored with it all. John Strong is terrible, his voice breaks when anything good happens, it's so over worked. Aly Wagner... so bad. Don't even get me started with the studio announcers... Lalas and his top 10. lmao...

The TV voices from NBC/Peaock (now Sky Sports) are so much better. But I can't believe NBC didn't keep Arlo White. He's brilliant. Now he does LIV golf. Now there's a topic for another day.

"Paul 13 wrote:

Derek Rae cracks me up... he is the Scottish one who is teamed with Cobi Jones (he's improved over the years). Rae has to say everyone's name a little differently. Particularly the German/Dutch players. He is the only one I've ever heard pronounce Kevin De Bruyne's name differently (with a flemmish sound). Sounds like Kevin De "bru-er"... lol...

I think he lived in Germany, and speaks German fluently, so would make sense he would pronounce some names a little differently to us non-speakers.

He used to do Scottish games on a channel here when they had the rights, and I like him as a commentator. One of the better ones.

On the other hand, ex players, apart from a few examples, are almost always dreadful commentators/analysts, so I can understand your opinions on the likes of Donovan and Lalas. We have far too many of their type on our TV coverage too!

My actual favorites are the British announcers, who have clearly never met a Hispanic person, and continue to butcher Spanish/Hispanic names in a ridiculous fashion.

For God Sakes, it's Mar-teen-iz not Martin-ezz...... !:2guns:

Just a complete lack of professionalism.

Although, it's less common here than it is in pretty much every EPL broadcast.

More nail-biting drama to end the last games of today's early groups, with Uruguay going out thanks to an injury time winner for S Korea. Have to say I'm pleased Uruguay have gone out, have disliked them ever since they kicked Scotland off the park in '86...moi, hold a grudge, never :lol:...they're still a dirty team though!

I think one thing these last games of the groups have shown is they need to have a rethink about the plans to have 16 groups of 3 in the next tournament. You lose too much drama from not having all teams playing in the last game and outcomes changing by the minute depending on each game. I think 16x3 hasn't been confirmed yet, so I hope they go with 12x4.

"Claymore95 wrote:

More nail-biting drama to end the last games of today's early groups, with Uruguay going out thanks to an injury time winner for S Korea. Have to say I'm pleased Uruguay have gone out, have disliked them ever since they kicked Scotland off the park in '86...moi, hold a grudge, never :lol:...they're still a dirty team though!

I think one thing these last games of the groups have shown is they need to have a rethink about the plans to have 16 groups of 3 in the next tournament. You lose too much drama from not having all teams playing in the last game and outcomes changing by the minute depending on each game. I think 16x3 hasn't been confirmed yet, so I hope they go with 12x4.

Funny I was just thinking about 2026 and looking up the format, which as you say has not fully been decided yet. 16 groups of 3 is really strange, because 1 team does not hold their fate in their hands at the end, so that has to be re-imagined. Although I'm hearing that the knock out stage won't be 16 teams but rather 32 teams. So you've got 2 teams out of 3 advancing. That can be interesting to see how they get to the 2 from 3.

Uruguay were poor until today, they deserved to go home. pretty disappointing with Darwin Nunez not playing that well. (as an LFC supporter of course)

a bit of a sham some of these third group stage games... Portugal, Brazil, Spain, France all losing with their 2nd teams (Spain not as blatant as the other three). Mixed results for the teams that beat them, with South Korea and Japan being the benefactors.

Round of 16

Netherlands vs USA

-I'll be rooting for the US of course, the Netherlands have really been better this WC with the blossoming of Gakpo. I think without him, I'd be picking the US. I hate to say it's about one player that decides it. US can win this game and it would be a huge occurrence. Pulisic, if he's 100% would be a big boost. My Pick? Netherlands! 3-1

Argentina vs Australia

-I'd like to see the Aussies go thru, but Argentina will be too much for them. Argentina 2-0.

Japan vs Croatia

-This will be a fun game to watch. I'd love to pick Japan. Croatia are just so clinical. It seems setup for a Croatia run... I'm gonna go with Japan though! Lovren at the back worries me with that Japan counter speed! Japan get thru 2-1!

Brazil vs South Korea

-Could I pick both South Korea and Japan??? no :lol: Brazil are just too good here, Brazil 4-1
England vs Senegal

-And here we go... If Senegal had Sadio Mane, I'd be a little more worried about this one. England should win it and will... England 3-0

France vs Poland

-France will recover in time to beat a Poland squad that aren't that good IMO. France 4-0

Morocco vs Spain

-This is shaping up to be a great game! I believe the entire Moroccan population has travelled to Qatar, or at least it seems that way. In an ordinary setting, a neutral stage, I'd pick Spain. But I'm going to pick Morocco!! It could even go penalties! Either 1-1 or 2-1 Morocco!
Portugal vs Switzerland

Can the Swiss do it again? Will Sommer make it back for penalties? I'd love to see the Swiss and Shaqiri win it... but I have to go with Portugal. Two upsets out of eight is probably enough... Portugal 3-2!

QF predictions

NED vs ARG... Argentina again... 2-1
JPN vs BRA... Brasil in a classico... 4-2

ENG vs FRA... look, on paper, France are a better team, but... going with England, 2-2 winning on penalties!! oh my heart.
MAR vs POR... it ends for Morocco here... Portugal 3-1

SF...
Brasil beat Argentina on pens.... after a 1-1 game.
England beats Portugal and enacts revenge on Ronaldo sending him home for good... 2-1

Final! Brasil loses to England!!! 3-2 in the best game of the tourney.

hahah (did you really think I'd predict anything else?) what a homer I am...

Brazil is a force. Congrats to Cameroon on a historic win. Cool interaction between the ref and goal scorer, who he had to give a second yellow to.

I thought there was going to be a full scale riot in the Serbia-Switzerland game with multiple sending offs at some stages of the game. For those that don't know, Xhaka and Shakiri are of Kosovan Albanian descent whose families fled to Switzerland, and absolutely loathe Serbia due to the Balkan wars. Xhaka in particular looked like he wanted to fight all the Serbian players at some points, and was caught on camera making gestures to them which riled the whole Serbian team.

That was a brutal war, so I kind of understand the depth of feelings that players from that region have. I went to the war museum in Dubrovnik when I was in Croatia a couple of years ago, and the pictures and stories there were harrowing, with more than a slight resemblance to storylines from the Holocaust.

Weah as a nine with Ferreira alongside intrigues me and good on the coach for changing it here at this stage. Lets go USA!!

US afraid to shoot in the final 18. Really missing a striker. Imagine if they had Gakpo or Depay.

"Paul 13 wrote:

Weah as a nine with Ferreira alongside intrigues me and good on the coach for changing it here at this stage. Lets go USA!!

Nevermind he is playing out wide. Tho just had a shot. Only their second of the game.

Done. Dagger.

Brutal to concede just before halftime. They have had some chances just really lacking in the final 18. Weah has made some good runs on the right but nobody has found him consistently enough. Pulisic should be playing more central he isnt a winger. Pulisic and Weah need to be closer to each other. Robinson and Dest making those runs has been their best moves out if the midfield to the 18 but then a lack of quality.

Robinson with a nightmare defending against Dumfries all game. He wasnt like that against LFC and Salah. Looks gassed. Should have come off when he got hurt.