World Cup 2018...

[ATAG_Lewis]

[\Hawk/]

Snigger snigger hehehe!

[RAF74_Buzzsaw]

France vs Belgium...

Sad to see little Belgium with its only 11 million population go out... their team is on the older side and won't get another chance.

But their very good offense was not able to generate enough scoring chances against the very strong French defense... and the French goalie made a game breaking save.

On the other end, the Belgium defense was not that strong, and the French had enough chances to convert.

French have responded anytime they were challenged... same in this game when the Belgians initially dominated the first half... the French found a way to reverse the flow and take the attack to Belgium.

With all due respect to England and Croatia, have to say I think France is the favourite to win it all.

[ATAG_Flare]

Belgium was playing well. Lots of possession, some good chances but the French defensive players were fantastic. Didn't help that a couple calls by the refs did not go in Belgium's way.

[ATAG_Lewis]

Hopefully England can make it to their second final in history...I agree that the French will take some beating...but to be fair...If you get to the final then its an achievement already for any team so the boys will come home to a warm welcome anyway...

I can't help thinking that knowing that the route past the group stages was a little easier the way England did it that the manager (Gareth Southgate) not only rested some key players but wasn't too worried about the defeat to Belgium...It actually worked out quite well...

Looking forward to England Vs Croatia...May the best team win!...and if that's Croatia then I want them to go all the way.

[RAF74_Buzzsaw]

Belgium was playing well. Lots of possession, some good chances but the French defensive players were fantastic. Didn't help that a couple calls by the refs did not go in Belgium's way.

Yes, there should have been another call on the French for interfering with Eden Hazard... there was one call which was missed which might have been inside the penalty area.

Don't know how the Ref missed that one... could have made all the difference.

Still, I think the French deserved to win... they had the better of the chances even though Belgium had more of the possession.

[ATAG_Lewis]

Its one of the few times VAR didn't seem to work from the footage we saw...There looked a clear foul on Hazard just outside the box on one occasion...It seemed pretty clear from all angles so not sure what happened there...The VAR team usually discuss it in the few seconds and notify the ref and its up to him to hold up or move play back to the incident...He didn't do that...and it would have made for an interesting freekick so close to the goal for Belgium...I'd be interested to know if it was his choice or if the VAR team thought it wasn't a freekick...Unfortunate for Belgium

[9./JG52 Sturm]

Its one of the few times VAR didn't seem to work from the footage we saw...There looked a clear foul on Hazard just outside the box on one occasion...It seemed pretty clear from all angles so not sure what happened there...The VAR team usually discuss it in the few seconds and notify the ref and its up to him to hold up or move play back to the incident...He didn't do that...and it would have made for an interesting freekick so close to the goal for Belgium...I'd be interested to know if it was his choice or if the VAR team thought it wasn't a freekick...Unfortunate for Belgium

Wasn't a penalty call or potential red card so no VAR involvement. It's not intended for every free kick decision.

[ATAG_Flare]

Writing this between the 2 halfs of overtime.

Nail biter so far, good goal by Croatia to tie it up.

England is lucky to have such a good goalie, he has saved them a few times. I hope it doesn't go to penalty shots, that's honestly more luck than anything in my opinion.

[ATAG_Highseas]

Football's staying on Holiday it's staying on holiday... its staying

Etc!


Real shame... but...

What and innings!

(A football one...)

[9./JG52 gr00ve]

I guess its not coming home...

proud to be Croat!

[ATAG_Lewis]

Its not coming home,
Its not coming home,
Its not coming,
Footballs not coming home!

Great match...England all over Croatia in the first half...Then youth and inexperience showed...Good to see a match with no rolling around the floor...Very fair match...England team will go home with their heads held high...

Well done Croatia....Now go win it!

Great and memorable World Cup...Thank you Russia!!

Roll on France Vs Croatia

[ATAG_Highseas]

Vive La France !

(I have them in the work sweep stake)

[DUI]

An exciting match! Congratulation Groove and congratulations to all the other Croatian pilots, what an achievement for such a "small" country to make it to the final!

And for the Englishmen I think there is no need to be in a bad mood for too long. For sure, this team of yours will bring you quite some joy in upcoming 2020 and 2022.

[RAF74_Buzzsaw]

England vs Croatia

Thought England had a very good chance to win this game... but inexperience and poor ball management did them in.

- Inexperience:

England was in control of the game for 30 minutes of the first half, then they inexplicably started to sit back and they let the initiative pass to the Croats. Overconfidence? Yes... and Inexperience. Second, when the Croats turned up the pressure, they tended to panic... as the commentator for my feed said: "England's starting to wobble".... again inexperience.

- Ball Management:

See above.

Croatia's entire game is about ball control... they build up slowly, and systematically attack the box. England constantly failed to take opportunities to disrupt Croatia's rhythm... they turned the ball over far too frequently when they got possession, when they should have been all about ball control. Too often the ball was kicked back to the goalie who booted it 3/4 the length of the field right to a Croat. They needed to take a page out of Croatia's book and dribble the ball around... slow the game down, frustrate the Croats and break up their attacking rhythm.

Still England did get some opportunities after the Croats leveled, but failed to convert... partially due to excellent goaltending by the Croat netminder, but also due to rushing the ball delivery when they could have been more deliberate.

The good news is this is a very young team... they should qualify for the next Cup. Hopefully they will have more experience for the pressure situations. They have the foundations of a strong defense which is only going to get better.

What is missing?

A player who can attack the box.

Right now England has a very good set piece attack. They also have a good aerial attack. What they lack is a player like an Eden Hazard or Antoine Griezmann who can beat one or two defenders and attack the box. Obviously that is not an easy find, but they need to work on cultivating that type of player... which has been lacking in the England game since Wayne Rooney passed his prime.

Overall English fans should not take this as a defeat, but rather as an optimum experience and confidence building result. They had a relatively easy way to the semi-finals... the only real challenge was Belgium who they lost to... they would not have been favourites vs France.

As for Croatia... Congratulations... they displayed incredible character and played to their strengths... as mentioned, ball control and dynamic attack.

For a small country they have exceeded all expectations in just getting to the final. Croatians should be proud.

Whether they can compete with France is another question. Croatia has been through three very difficult and long games... they have to be exhausted. And their defense may have trouble contending with France's multi-pronged attack. France has to be the favourite.

But Croatia has surprised a lot of people in Russia and around the world.

[9./JG52 Savage]

Unfortunately, I'm going to be "that guy"; name names and point fingers.

All credit to the English side. Harry Kane impressed me more with his presence and his role in the past month than ever before in the BPL. Maguire and Stones were solid at the back and Pickford, despite his flaws, stood up to fill the immense hole that has been the position of goalkeeper for the Lions for over a decade.

However, Jordan Henderson was a nervous wreck every time he touched the ball. Modric and Rakitic just outclassed him all day. Dier came on and made an immediate difference in settling the middle. Sterling was poor (all tournament, I think) and for an attack that relied so heavily on playing the ball through those channels in the middle, he was completely inadequate as a target. Again, Rashford came on and opened up the front a little by making runs to the touch line instead of trying to coax balls over Vida and Lovren. In the second half, it became way too easy for Perisic and Rebic to pick on Walker and Maguire alike as Vrsalkjo and Strinic played right past Trippier and Young through Modric and out to the wings.

All that said, I enjoyed the match, and there is finally a bright future for English football. Congratulations to the Croatians and to my brother in virtual arms, groove. I really do hope they finish what they've started here.

[ATAG_Flare]

Good finish by Croatia. From what I watched of the game (second half only) they surely did play better. England was looking like they lacked confidence in the attack, and the goalie had to make a lot of good stops. The tie goal was pretty good and fair but I do have to admit that England's defence on the overtime goal was rather poor and the goal could probably have been prevented.

Rooting for Croatia in the finals, although I expect France to win.

I know many have said it was quite a fair game with not much "rolling around on the ground" but as someone who used to be a hockey fan I still laugh whenever a soccer player barely gets clipped or tugged on the shirt or something and they fall to the ground (only to quickly jump back up when they need to kick the ball out of their side). There was not much silly stuff in this game though.

Another funny thing I noticed was how almost all of the Croatian names end with "ic" - it's funny hearing the commentators when they have the ball. "___ic. ___ic. ___ic. passes it to ___ic. Good cross by ____ic but ____ic isn't there, cleared by England"

[9./JG52 gr00ve]

England have good and young team, surely they will make their mark in years to come.
What England needs to learn is to never underestimate anyone. It was great fun to read their press and how they were already in finals days before match started. Another thing that this young England lacks is balls, and Croatia have big ones. It looked like England was exhausted although Croatia played 2x120 mins before semi finals.

Now, France....we do have some unfinished business with them from 1998. I hope our balls grow some more and we can find strenght to finish what we started. I hope for good football on Sunday.

no matter how it ends, being in finals is great achievement for country with 4mil population.

Modric should win balon d'or.

[Valisk_61]

[ATAG_Highseas]

My brother sent me that clip just after the whistle blew.

Made me smile.

[Vlerkies]

[ATAG_Lewis]

Fingers crossed for Croatia...I always like to back the underdog...and would be such a big deal to them...with such a small population...and of course to see our Groove happy!...

and to be fair England have won it before...so we can let the other teams have fun with the cup for a while...right?...

Only 8 teams have ever won it...Brazil -5 times...Italy and Germany -4 times...Argentina and Uruguay -2 times...and England, Spain and France -1 time

England have the opportunity to set the record straight with Belgium....That'll be a fun match to watch on Saturday...and England will pitch their number 1 squad this time I guess...although I'll be in Dux then and without a TV...I'll watch it on catchup TV Sunday night...

The final will be a good finale I think...with little histrionics given the class of the guys in it...

Very enjoyable competition all in all...Very entertaining, brilliant and memorable event I thought...Roll on 4 years!

Go CROATS!!!...GOOO!

[Vlerkies]

Well i suppose nobody in Eng will be supporting France, that's a given

I'm not much of a soccer/football enthusiast but when it comes to these big events I watch a bit, as with anything in this sorta league.
I honestly thought Eng had that one in the bag. But what do I know. (some amateur rugby at best) but really Eng were on paper way better.

Speaking to some friends I reckon Eng getting through to the finals would actually be well deserved.Young team full of gutts and glory.

Take nothing away from the winners though, monumental effort.
I think Eng's time is coming with this team. Not yet maybe.

Good Luck to Croatia, give the French some gas.

[ATAG_Highseas]

Well i suppose nobody in Eng will be supporting France, that's a given

Oh contraire!

I have France in the work sweepstake

Vive La France !

[Vlerkies]

Oh contraire!

I have France in the work sweepstake

Vive La France !

I saw you mentioned that earlier, you are excused Sir!

[ATAG_Highseas]

I saw you mentioned that earlier, you are excused Sir!

Yey !!

and then back to normal !

[Vlerkies]

Hehe

I have no iron in this football fire, just enjoy the competition.
That's all.

[ATAG_Highseas]

It has been a superb competition. Some really great games.

I'm not a footie fan generally... but I watch the world cup and euros... love them

I think thats ok though. I dont normally follow 'playing in snow' or 'running in a circle'... but I watch the Olympics...

I was asked recently by one of the directors of Brighton and Hove Albion who I support.

I said, "My wife, two daughters... and I have a cat." he just looked at me. No smile... nothing. ha!



Not so much into giant pingpong either... so wimbledon is lost on me...


I am however looking forward to seeing the skiing with rifles at the next winter olymipics. Biathlon is the best!

and ive already pitched my idea of hand guns on ice skates but i havent heard back yet.



This world cup has been really entertaining. Superb stuff.

[ATAG_Laser]

Oh contraire!

I have France in the work sweepstake

Vive La France !

And I have England, so it's a double whammy for me

[Tvrdi]

Fingers crossed for Croatia...I always like to back the underdog...and would be such a big deal to them...with such a small population...and of course to see our Groove happy!...

and to be fair England have won it before...so we can let the other teams have fun with the cup for a while...right?...

Only 8 teams have ever won it...Brazil -5 times...Italy and Germany -4 times...Argentina and Uruguay -2 times...and England, Spain and France -1 time

England have the opportunity to set the record straight with Belgium....That'll be a fun match to watch on Saturday...and England will pitch their number 1 squad this time I guess...although I'll be in Dux then and without a TV...I'll watch it on catchup TV Sunday night...

The final will be a good finale I think...with little histrionics given the class of the guys in it...

Very enjoyable competition all in all...Very entertaining, brilliant and memorable event I thought...Roll on 4 years!

Go CROATS!!!...GOOO!

4,5 mil in Croatia and more than that outside country unfortunately...

thank you for your kind words
What I like with this team is that (apart from being great players playing in big clubs) they act like a great band of brothers and their coach is a man of wisdom, humbleness and professionalistm...
BTW for a 42 yr old dude its not easy to cope with the heavy dringking every few days since they are winning and winning haha
I hope they will make history on sunday