World Cup 2022 ⚽🏆

[smudgersmissingleg]

I'll probably flick between the England v Wales game and the Iran v USA game.

Wales will be going all out as only a big win will give them a chance of qualifying. The US just need a draw and that should put them through on goal difference. They both look like interesting games.

 

[bullet08]

Can't believe S. Korea won against Portugal. But good to know Korea's moving along.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Can't believe S. Korea won against Portugal. But good to know Korea's moving along.

Plenty of upsets in this World Cup. Japan beat both Germany and Spain! Saudi Arabia beating Argentina was a shock, as well.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

The last 16 is finally sorted:

Holland v USA

Argentina v Australia

Japan v Croatia

Brazil v South Korea

France v Poland

England v Senegal

Morocco v Spain

Portugal v Switzerland


There's some interesting match ups in that little lot.

 

[Aomalley27]

Plenty of upsets in this World Cup. Japan beat both Germany and Spain! Saudi Arabia beating Argentina was a shock, as well.

I’m assuming you mean Japan was GIFTED a victory v Spain. Interesting that the initial view; up close, along the line, clearly showed the ball completely out of bounds. And THEY NEVER SHOWED THAT VIEW AGAIN! Instead they went the route of Bigfoot believers and showed out of focus, blurry, and extreme distance views from then out.

Then you have the Uruguay game. Obvious foul not given in the box; VAR calls down to tell the ref “take a second look” and he STILL doesn’t cede a penalty.

What’s the point of VAR if you STILL get the call wrong??? Not to mention the truly atrocious officiating throughout the tournament. Zero consistency.

Of course crooked FIFA wants to quell any controversy because of how the tournament was awarded to Qatar in the first place. Don’t want to bring up ol Sepp and his crookedness. Don’t want to bring up the Nebalese slave labor used to construct the stadiums. Etc.

Fortunately Directv is in a contract dispute with Fox; and I likely won’t be able to suffer through the US v Netherlands tomorrow (save a last minute deal, as their current contract expires at midnight).

 

[Aomalley27]

As for Saudi Arabia.... they had a full two months to prepare. Argentina; 9 days (like most other national teams). Holding the tournament in the midst of club season has been disastrous. But the Qataris were willing to bribe their way to get it; and FIFA was more than willing to take their cash.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

As for Saudi Arabia.... they had a full two months to prepare. Argentina; 9 days (like most other national teams). Holding the tournament in the midst of club season has been disastrous. But the Qataris were willing to bribe their way to get it; and FIFA was more than willing to take their cash.

It's not all bad. Because they've been playing (only a few days ago) in some of the top leagues in the world, the European based players are mostly match fit. The England team look fresher and sharper than they normally do at major tournaments.

That being said, Qatar should never have gotten the tournament and moving it to the winter is a total piss take. Having to rearrange the entire European football calendar is a joke. When Qatar won the right to host the tournament we were all told that it was gonna be a summer tournament. Then about 6 years ago that was changed to a winter tournament.

FIFA is such a corrupt clownshow of an organisation. It's sad that the world's favourite game has so many dodgy shysters running it.

These fools don't know when to leave well enough alone. For the next World Cup they're increasing the amount of teams to 48. Forty fucking Eight! That'll dilute the tournament with teams who have no business being there. As it stands, everyone gets their chance to qualify and if you aren't good enough you don't make it. Italy aren't there this time and England have missed out in the past. They say that this will allow less successful countries to reach the finals but this isn't a damn kindergarten where everyone gets a participation trophy. It's obviously about more games. More games means more money.

I still can't get my head around that one. 48 games!

 

[Aomalley27]

But you’re not playing with your national team! Just look at Belgium (specifically DeBruyne). Not nearly as crisp and concise as usual. It really shows how little time teams had to prepare. (Lukaku looked terrible with his finishing.)

Whole thing has been a shitshow. And listening to the yes men on Fox excusing away the HORRIBLE calls in this tournament just grinds my gears. Allowing teams like Senegal and Cameroon to play “extremely heavy” (for lack of better term) whilst penalizing European teams that play with an edge (Serbia, Croatia, Poland) just boggles my mind.

Like I pointed out; that call in the Spain v Japan game should be investigated for fraud. It’s was so glaring; and the coverup just awful. It’s like they are trying to say “Don’t trust your eyes. Forget what we showed you. Accept this extreme distance, out of focus, blurry image, instead”

The Uruguay hosing was just awful. That ref should be shown the exit, and his finances investigated.

And the ridiculous cartoons they keep putting out, which they call offside technology. Why can’t the biggest Sport Spectacle afford a sliding overhead camera ala NFL???? Would make more sense then their silly animations. Laughable that they show an animated; and quite crude, cartoon of an offsides versus THE ACTUAL FOOTAGE.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Whole thing has been a shitshow. And listening to the yes men on Fox excusing away the HORRIBLE calls in this tournament just grinds my gears. Allowing teams like Senegal and Cameroon to play “extremely heavy” (for lack of better term) whilst penalizing European teams that play with an edge (Serbia, Croatia, Poland) just boggles my mind.

Like I pointed out; that call in the Spain v Japan game should be investigated for fraud. It’s was so glaring; and the coverup just awful. It’s like they are trying to say “Don’t trust your eyes. Forget what we showed you. Accept this extreme distance, out of focus, blurry image, instead”

The Uruguay hosing was just awful. That ref should be shown the exit, and his finances investigated.

And the ridiculous cartoons they keep putting out, which they call offside technology. Why can’t the biggest Sport Spectacle afford a sliding overhead camera ala NFL???? Would make more sense then their silly animations. Laughable that they show an animated; and quite crude, cartoon of an offsides versus THE ACTUAL FOOTAGE.

I don't know about any foul play. There have always been contentious decisions. The final of 1966 and did the ball actually cross the line? It did by the way. It most definitely did. Maradona and his sneaky bastard "hand of God", and I remember when Frank Lampard had a disallowed goal against Germany in the 2010 World Cup that was about a foot over the line.

That said, there has been blatant cheating in the past. You had the "Disgrace of Gijón" back in 82 when Germany and Austria colluded so both would qualify from the group. That's why they changed the rules so the final games in each group are played at the same time. FIFA investigated that one but couldn't find any wrongdoing. I'm sure their "investigation" was a very thorough one.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Today's games should be interesting. USA v Holland could go either way and i'd love to see Australia put one over Argentina.

This is when it gets interesting. A bad performance and you're on the plane home.

 

[gubbyduffer]

Like I pointed out; that call in the Spain v Japan game should be investigated for fraud. It’s was so glaring; and the coverup just awful. It’s like they are trying to say “Don’t trust your eyes. Forget what we showed you. Accept this extreme distance, out of focus, blurry image, instead”

The Spain v Japan decision was the right one. The ball was not over the line as the rules are written and the goal correctly stood. A image from above is doing the rounds on social media, and will be the one that allowed the VAR decision to be made.

 

[Aomalley27]

@gubbyduffer I assume this is the photo you’re referencing. And there’s a glaring bit of shenanigans going on; ie. This is BEFORE he makes contact with the ball! The travel beyond the endline continues past this point before he makes contact, thus the ball is completely out. They’re floating this image to justify their fraud.

 

[gubbyduffer]

@gubbyduffer I assume this is the photo you’re referencing. And there’s a glaring bit of shenanigans going on; ie. This is BEFORE he makes contact with the ball! The travel beyond the endline continues past this point before he makes contact, thus the ball is completely out. They’re floating this image to justify their fraud.View attachment 184860

You are being very descriptive here regarding travel beyond the line. I presume you can show images of the ball being out. It certainly looks like he has made contact here.

 

[jwesthurl]

@gubbyduffer I assume this is the photo you’re referencing. And there’s a glaring bit of shenanigans going on; ie. This is BEFORE he makes contact with the ball! The travel beyond the endline continues past this point before he makes contact, thus the ball is completely out. They’re floating this image to justify their fraud.View attachment 184860

I mean you’re wrong though, lol. There is definitely touch, the ball is compressed from the strike. VAR has to have definitive proof to overturn a call, which it obviously didn’t because the ball wasn’t out.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Just read that footballing legend Pelé has been moved to end of life care in hospital.
Sad, sad news.

Pelé moved to end-of-life care in hospital, reports say

Brazilian football legend is reportedly no longer responding to chemotherapy treatment

www.theguardian.com

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Anyone watch the USA v Holland game? I thought the Dutch had a game plan and executed it well. Still not setting the tournament alight, tho. Still, they're in the quarter finals and definitely have the players and potential to play better.

 

[DanWil84]

Anyone watch the USA v Holland game? I thought the Dutch had a game plan and executed it well. Still not setting the tournament alight, tho. Still, they're in the quarter finals and definitely have the players and potential to play better.

I watched the full game, actually the first of the tournament. Liked how the Dutch used their chances, but creating changes was terrible. Still can't figure out how that USA goal was made. Striker tandem of Memphis and Gakpo the coach should do more, I do understand why Memphis wants to play with Bergwijn being old team buddies and good friends, but Bergwijn past his prime quite fast.

Fun fact, first Dutch goal was made with the most passes (23??) made since 1966 when they started to keep more statistics.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Messi looked great tonight. Argentina deserved the win but Australia did well to stay in it and could've even nicked an equaliser right at the end.

If they play like that Argentina will have too much for the Dutch in the quarter finals.

 

[Aomalley27]

You are being very descriptive here regarding travel beyond the line. I presume you can show images of the ball being out. It certainly looks like he has made contact here.

This is the time stamp they’ve been circulating (albeit from a different/overhead angle)

 

[Aomalley27]

You are being very descriptive here regarding travel beyond the line. I presume you can show images of the ball being out. It certainly looks like he has made contact here.

Here’s the follow through and ACTUAL strike of the ball.....(which they’ve tried to scrub)