World Cup

[Octavious]

Octavious, your bias is showing. You want anti-football, that's Russia. Japan played toe to toe against Senegal, they completely bossed Colombia. Yes, they ran out the clock for 10 minutes, but even in the Poland match, they had more shots on goal and were pushing for the win until the last ten minutes. Funny how you pick on the stylish Asian team that made a tactical decision for ten minutes, but sing the praises of a European team that ENTERED a match with the full intent to play 11 players in their box for 120 minutes and never even TRY a shot on goal over 120 minutes just to get to PKs. Japan had three shots on the Polish goal in 90. Russia had zero shots on goal except their PK in 120 minutes.

Not to mention the fact that Japan played toe to toe against the heavily favored Belgium and would have won but for a little Belgian luck.

Gee, why might someone apply a complete double standard against an Asian team, I wonder?

Fuck off, you revolting little shit

[Octavious]

Anyway, moving swiftly on ...

Sweden played an entertaining game, but there wasn't much there to worry whoever wins the final last 16 game.

[Ogion]

Octavious, your bias is showing. You want anti-football, that's Russia. Japan played toe to toe against Senegal, they completely bossed Colombia. Yes, they ran out the clock for 10 minutes, but even in the Poland match, they had more shots on goal and were pushing for the win until the last ten minutes. Funny how you pick on the stylish Asian team that made a tactical decision for ten minutes, but sing the praises of a European team that ENTERED a match with the full intent to play 11 players in their box for 120 minutes and never even TRY a shot on goal over 120 minutes just to get to PKs. Japan had three shots on the Polish goal in 90. Russia had zero shots on goal except their PK in 120 minutes.

Not to mention the fact that Japan played toe to toe against the heavily favored Belgium and would have won but for a little Belgian luck.

Gee, why might someone apply a complete double standard against an Asian team, I wonder?

Fuck off, you revolting little shit

Well, that's quite the cogent argument. And an interesting response to the presentation of, you know, actual facts.

Actually, the double standard that says European teams are just better than teams from anywhere else (except Brazil and Argentina) is pretty darned wide spread, especially among Europeans who know next to nothing about the sport anywhere else in the world.

[Ogion]

Anyway, moving swiftly on ...

Sweden played an entertaining game, but there wasn't much there to worry whoever wins the final last 16 game.

You thought that was entertaining? Kind of like being stranded in middle of nowhere airport for 9 hours is entertaining, I guess.

[Octavious]

Well, that's quite the cogent argument. And an interesting response to the presentation of, you know, actual facts.

You wouldn't know a fact if it kicked you up the arse. One day you might learn how to have a civilised conversation without starting it with accusations of racism or insults. Until then I will treat you like pitiful little wretch that you are.

[peterlund]

Sweden is ready for the quater final on Saturday 16:00. Now I am only waiting for England to get there too. It will be sooo nice to beat the shit out of you guys with your oversized football ego.

[peterlund]

Congratz!!

[Octavious]

Gosh... That was fun.

[peterlund]

Great now everything is set up for a classical game this Saturday.

This time we have no Zlatan in our team to do bicycletas against you, but I don't think that will be a problem. We'll beat you anyway.

[Octavious]

All the quarter finals are looking exciting. France Uruguay should be a hell of a fight. France should edge it if they bring their A game, but that's a hell of an if. Belgium Brazil could easily be a final. Brazil have improved since their disaster last time, but they're still not what they used to be. Belgium have been looking pretty damned fine of late, but they've yet to prove themselves at the pointy end of a world cup. Russia Croatia is the battle of the underdogs, but both sides have proven they have teeth. Croatia seem to have the edge in quality, but home advantage evens it up a lot. On paper Sweden England is probably the least eye-catching match. England should win, but Sweden have more than proven they have the ability to fight.

My bet for who will make the semis... France, Belgium, Russia, England...

And I'm not confident about any of them :p

[peterlund]

My 4 are France, Brazil, Croatia and Sweden.

[Octavious]

So Uruguay are a dead cert :p

[Kingdroid]

the england colombia game was a bit embarrassing for both sides imo, but i cant say it didnt end up exciting. but for a majority of the game it was just players falling over at nothing and embellishing constantly. Then PKs were the most entertaining bit lol

[Kingdroid]

also, kinda disappointing that one side of the bracket is so stacked. a game like France uruguay is what I want to see in the finals or at least the semis, and then brazil belgium? cmon.

It's kinda sad that the best possible finals is croatia. I think this will be a tournament where the "real" finals will be in the semis.

[Ogion]

Well, that's quite the cogent argument. And an interesting response to the presentation of, you know, actual facts.

You wouldn't know a fact if it kicked you up the arse. One day you might learn how to have a civilised conversation without starting it with accusations of racism or insults. Until then I will treat you like pitiful little wretch that you are.

Well, don't start ranting in ridiculously off-base fashion and you won't leave yourself open to that. I wouldn't be talking about civilized conversation given your ridiculous rant about Japan despite the entire set of facts to the contrary. However, I was just accusing you of eurosnobbery, not racism. Wasn't clear, I know.

[Ogion]

I'm afraid I'm going with all the favorites here. Brazil, of course. I like this Brazil rather a lot better than 2010 or 2014, because Tite has an actually tighter defense than either Dunga or Felipao managed, and still has attacking flair. That's quite a feat to do with Brazil. They're shockingly actually well-organized.

Between Russia and Croatia, Croatia by four goals, minus the 2 that get pulled back, plus another PK to honor PUtin, and that makes a 2-1 Croatia victory there. I have a hard time getting two worked up about the battle of the blands, Sweden England. Heart says Sweden, solely because of peterlund, but head says England. And France will bring their A game, come close and give up a bizarre goal in the 97th, and be eliminated on PKs, solely because Uruguay is the single most annoying side in the history of the sport. I refuse to make a prediction as to whether Mbappe ends the match with both ears intact.

[Octavious]

also, kinda disappointing that one side of the bracket is so stacked. a game like France uruguay is what I want to see in the finals or at least the semis, and then brazil belgium? cmon.

It's kinda sad that the best possible finals is croatia. I think this will be a tournament where the "real" finals will be in the semis.

A tad unfair, methinks. The only reason the other half of the draw doesn't have teams such as Spain and Germany is that they've failed to be good enough.

[Kingdroid]

also, kinda disappointing that one side of the bracket is so stacked. a game like France uruguay is what I want to see in the finals or at least the semis, and then brazil belgium? cmon.

It's kinda sad that the best possible finals is croatia. I think this will be a tournament where the "real" finals will be in the semis.

A tad unfair, methinks. The only reason the other half of the draw doesn't have teams such as Spain and Germany is that they've failed to be good enough.

While true that both teams disappointed, it doesn't change the fact that one side of the bracket is incredibly weak. The weak side teams didn't get there by playing better than Germany and Spain, as much as they got there by germany and Spain massively under performing expectations.

My point is, these teams didn't get to the knockouts by suddenly being very good. They're performing ata bout the average, decent level that was expected of them, while other teams failed to perform at all, leaving us with a really dumb potential finals.

[RoganJosh]

Argentina failed to perform completely. Massive disappointment. But they count as a good team on the good side of the bracket because, you know, it's Argentina.

Croatia was one of the better teams in the group stage, definitely performed well over expectations. But they count as a bad team on the bad side because, you know, who cares about Croatia?

[Kingdroid]

Argentina failed to perform completely. Massive disappointment. But they count as a good team on the good side of the bracket because, you know, it's Argentina.

Croatia was one of the better teams in the group stage, definitely performed well over expectations. But they count as a bad team on the bad side because, you know, who cares about Croatia?

That literally isn't what I said at all. Argentina was a disappointment, for sure,but that's exactly the point. They made it to the knockouts as a disappointment, which means that they were expected to play better and have in the past.

Croatia is easily the best team on their side of the bracket, and they're good,but they would've lost the same game argentina just lost. Which is my point. The best team on the weak side of the bracket would've been knocked out in the first round of the knockouts on the other side, especially because they could barely pass a mediocre Denmark side.