Re: This World Cup - The best in recent history?

by zigra Wed Jun 27, 2018 12:47 pm

I can't see this not ending up as the greatest of all time.

by Art Morte Wed Jun 27, 2018 12:58 pm

Okay, now this is being the best one ever, lol.

by urbaNRoots Wed Jun 27, 2018 1:10 pm

I've changed my mind... but nah it really is the best I've witnessed as a football fan.

by El Gunner Wed Jun 27, 2018 1:34 pm

Agree with you lot above (up to this point in the tournament!)
I just hope the drama continues at this rate.

Too early to concretely call it the best of all time, or best of our lifetime when half of the tournament is still left to be played.

by S Wed Jun 27, 2018 1:41 pm

El Gunner wrote:Agree with you lot above (up to this point in the tournament!)
I just hope the drama continues at this rate.

Too early to concretely call it the best of all time, or best of our lifetime when half of the tournament is still left to be played.

VAR will ensure more drama going forward

by Casciavit Wed Jun 27, 2018 1:54 pm

Lots of drama this group stage, hopefully the knockout rounds try to maintain the same kind of entertainment.

by M99 Wed Jun 27, 2018 1:56 pm

There's recency bias going on, group stages last time were as good. Spain, Italy, England, Portugal all went out and there were cracking games and drama too.

by El Gunner Wed Jun 27, 2018 2:00 pm

M99 wrote:There's recency bias going on, group stages last time were as good. Spain, Italy, England, Portugal all went out and there were cracking games and drama too.

nah, this isn't the case I can assure you.

2014 had nowhere near as much competitive games and drama.

by Kaladin Sat Jun 30, 2018 12:10 pm

by Winter is Coming Sat Jun 30, 2018 12:12 pm

Now everybody is ready for the 0-0 Portugal-Uruguay game that ends in a PK shootout.

by Valkyrja Sat Jun 30, 2018 12:12 pm

Crazy tournament. Hope it continues this way

by zigra Sat Jun 30, 2018 12:22 pm

It actually keeps getting better :bow:

by CBarca Sat Jun 30, 2018 12:25 pm

M99 wrote:There's recency bias going on, group stages last time were as good. Spain, Italy, England, Portugal all went out and there were cracking games and drama too.

2014 was one of the best group stages tbh. A lot of goals and a lot of entertaining games.

I think this one was probably slightly better (I couldn't watch most of them though, so I can't say for sure), but I think they were really quite comparable.

iirc 2014's knockout stages onward were godawful though, so 2018 is already leading in that category

by Art Morte Sat Jun 30, 2018 1:40 pm

Trying to get excited about club football in August might be a bit difficult after a WC like this.

by RealGunner Sat Jun 30, 2018 1:40 pm

EPL has one weekend with more drama and banter than the entire WC tbh

by Kaladin Sun Jul 01, 2018 4:51 pm

No doubts now

by M99 Sun Jul 01, 2018 4:53 pm

Yep, insane last 16 so far.

by Hapless_Hans Sun Jul 01, 2018 4:53 pm

Quality wise this is not a good world cup. The football is poor, the top teams all severely disappointing, the surprise teams scrubbing along.

Lots of upsets and hard to predict, but let's not act as if watching Sweden play Switzerland constitutes a great World Cup.

by Cruijf Sun Jul 01, 2018 4:58 pm

Quality wise '14 wasn't very good either tbh, that's just a fact with NT football.

For me I don't think it'll top the amazing emotions '14 brought simply because the teams I was cheering for (Holland and Argentina) did well. Having said that I can understand that from a neutral's perspective it's been fantastic.

by VivaStPauli Sun Jul 01, 2018 4:58 pm

While Hans is right, I actually get quite the enjoyment out of the upsets. Would've preferred Germany retaining the title, but once we were out, the surprise results really got me back in, emotionally. Really enjoying this WC.
The football being played is very poor quality though.

by zigra Sun Jul 01, 2018 4:59 pm

Needed to rewrite this hmm

We didn't really have many upsets I think if we look at the outcome.
Ultimately all the teams we expected to qualify did so apart from Germany and maybe Senegal? Don't know if I forgot about someone else.

Now we have Spain, but in 2014 we had more "top teams" go out in the group stage alone.

We had massive drama though and I think the quality has been fine for a national team event.

by urbaNRoots Sun Jul 01, 2018 5:01 pm

Hapless_Hans wrote:Quality wise this is not a good world cup. The football is poor, the top teams all severely disappointing, the surprise teams scrubbing along.

Lots of upsets and hard to predict, but let's not act as if watching Sweden play Switzerland constitutes a great World Cup.

It does for me. Watching Sweden play Switzerland is far more interesting than seeing Bayern play Real Madrid for the 3rd time in 4 seasons or so, same players, same result. Boring af.

If it wasn‘t for Arsenal changing manager I would dread the start of a new season.

by M99 Sun Jul 01, 2018 5:03 pm

Hapless_Hans wrote:Quality wise this is not a good world cup. The football is poor, the top teams all severely disappointing, the surprise teams scrubbing along.

Lots of upsets and hard to predict, but let's not act as if watching Sweden play Switzerland constitutes a great World Cup.

Someone's bitter. Sweden vs Switzerland is much more exciting than Germany vs Switzerland.

And maybe top teams have been poor because smaller teams have improved and gap is shortening hmm

(Croatia, Uruguay)

by Art Morte Sun Jul 01, 2018 5:05 pm

Drama is off the scale at this WC, that for me is better than outright amazing football.

Getting a bit sad at the thought I might never see as good a WC as this one, actually. Almost every game serves up something great.

by zigra Sun Jul 01, 2018 5:08 pm

Uruguay IS an actual top team @M99.

by Hapless_Hans Sun Jul 01, 2018 5:33 pm

M99 wrote:
Hapless_Hans wrote:Quality wise this is not a good world cup. The football is poor, the top teams all severely disappointing, the surprise teams scrubbing along.

Lots of upsets and hard to predict, but let's not act as if watching Sweden play Switzerland constitutes a great World Cup.

Someone's bitter. Sweden vs Switzerland is much more exciting than Germany vs Switzerland.

And maybe top teams have been poor because smaller teams have improved and gap is shortening (Croatia, Uruguay)

I don't regard Croatia or Uruguay as small teams tbh. Croatia vs Argentine was the best performance of the World Cup. I didN't see yesterday's Uru vs Portugal so I can't comment, seems like Uruguay were good.
Spain Portugal was rather good and very entertaining. But for me, the quality is far too over the place, I hope it picks up.

by Sponsored content

Best WC in recent memory?