Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Honestly the inconsistency of the ref annoyed me more than anything France did

He almost cost us that Australia game (he was the ref in that game for us too). He allowed Australia to mug us. I think we got intel on how he refs and used it in this one since we'd seen him in action before.

That Spain team was probably the most boring team ever to win a wc and they weren't even that good lol. At least France fully deserved every victory so far. They'd be a decent world champion if football wasn't coming home.

sportsczy wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Honestly the inconsistency of the ref annoyed me more than anything France did

He almost cost us that Australia game (he was the ref in that game for us too). He allowed Australia to mug us. I think we got intel on how he refs and used it in this one since we'd seen him in action before.

I thought i recognised him.....

But yeah he was terrible IMO, hopefully he doesn't do the final.

Giroud is useless.  Until he starts, we can't be an offensive team.  Once we actually put a scorer with some technique in that 9 spot, then it will flow.

For example, with Benzema, we were very efficient in 2014.  Just can't do it with Giroud unfortunately.

Defensive teams win WC...shocker there.

France copying 2014 Germany's model of 4 CB's

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

sportsczy wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Honestly the inconsistency of the ref annoyed me more than anything France did

He almost cost us that Australia game (he was the ref in that game for us too). He allowed Australia to mug us. I think we got intel on how he refs and used it in this one since we'd seen him in action before.

I thought i recognised him.....

But yeah he was terrible IMO, hopefully he doesn't do the final.

I don't understand how the refs are chosen. For example, I think the Argentinian ref is very good... and entertaining. Is he still in the tournament?

sportsczy wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

sportsczy wrote:
He almost cost us that Australia game (he was the ref in that game for us too).  He allowed Australia to mug us.  I think we got intel on how he refs and used it in this one since we'd seen him in action before.

I thought i recognised him.....

But yeah he was terrible IMO, hopefully he doesn't do the final.

I don't understand how the refs are chosen.  For example, I think the Argentinian ref is very good... and entertaining.  Is he still in the tournament?

He isn't eglible for the final because he reffed 4 games. The candidates for the final are the Iranian ref and an African one.

sportsczy wrote:

Babun wrote:

sportsczy wrote:@Babs... thanks.

Germany also used to play this way also btw until the 2000s.

Nope, we had the 2-0 philosophy. The 1-0 one was entirely Italian.

I was on the other side of the German 1-0 philosophy in WC 1986. There was no such thing as 2-0 policy... trust me.

Well, they tried 2-0 but France had a good defence so 1-0

I also think Hazard abusing Pavard caused us to bring Pogba back for cover = attack was pretty much done once we led.

sportsczy wrote:Giroud is useless.  Until he starts, we can't be an offensive team.  Once we actually put a scorer with some technique in that 9 spot, then it will flow.

For example, with Benzema, we were very efficient in 2014.  Just can't do it with Giroud unfortunately.

Problem is you don't really have an alternative do you? Dembele didn't really work when you tried that.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

sportsczy wrote:Giroud is useless.  Until he starts, we can't be an offensive team.  Once we actually put a scorer with some technique in that 9 spot, then it will flow.

For example, with Benzema, we were very efficient in 2014.  Just can't do it with Giroud unfortunately.

Problem is you don't really have an alternative do you? Dembele didn't really work when you tried that.

Lacazette or Ben Yedder. But DD is too negative. He didn't bring them in so there's never an issue... how can the media put pressure on an option that doesn't exist? It's shitty.

Rabiot being left off also made it clear to me how we were going to play.

I wrote " anyone but non France " , but ... chapeau.
I think Francia is going to win it and it will be definitely deserved.
Been best NT in this tournament and they showed it even today.
Deschamps made a great job, this is a better team than last Euro.
This is what every team must be : non conceding much and they are letal to attack.
Just because Giroud is the new Guivarc'h , otherwise match would be finished before.
France are great NT, the best NT in this tournament, it's useless to nibble. Congrats by me.

Belgium did great in the 1st half but France's quality is too much and paid off in the end.

Just sad to see this much talent having to park the bus most of the time.

sportsczy wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

sportsczy wrote:Giroud is useless.  Until he starts, we can't be an offensive team.  Once we actually put a scorer with some technique in that 9 spot, then it will flow.

For example, with Benzema, we were very efficient in 2014.  Just can't do it with Giroud unfortunately.

Problem is you don't really have an alternative do you? Dembele didn't really work when you tried that.

Lacazette or Ben Yedder. But DD is too negative. He didn't bring them in so there's never an issue... how can the media put pressure on an option that doesn't exist? It's shitty.

Rabiot being left off also made it clear to me how we were going to play.

Yeah that's what i meant, as an option in the squad. Don't really understand why he didn't take Lacazette tbh, well i do because he's Deschamps but yeah....

As a side note... Mbappe has a bad back, missed a day of practice yesterday and there was some worry he'd miss the match today.

Very clear to me he was slowed and couldn't do what he usually does. Still did a lot of good things though. But was slowed and less nimble.

Who's the English and Croatian version of Eder?

asking for a friend

Zagadka wrote:Who's the English and Croatian version of Eder?

asking for a friend

Kane and Mandzukic

sportsczy wrote:As a side note... Mbappe has a bad back, missed a day of practice yesterday and there was some worry he'd miss the match today.  

Very clear to me he was slowed and couldn't do what he usually does.  Still did a lot of good things though.  But was slowed and less nimble.

Made two amazing assists for Guivar'ch , not because of him if the 9 missed them

Zagadka wrote:Who's the English and Croatian version of Eder?

asking for a friend

Kramaric

Today Dembele worst player on pitch
I don't know if it was because of system , because of France midfield... how has been him this year ?
I ask because we are linked to him
Still good or declined ? @CBarca

Boring but effective tactics by France, but I don't blame them, it's a WC semi-final after all.

Belgium needed to start crossing earlier and do it more overall, it was so clear that they weren't getting through down the middle with ground passes. The smarter team won.

People are underrating Giroud just because he doesn't score, but his overall play besides scoring has been great this WC. Also the amount of defensive work he does is unreal which is crucial in this world cup.

Robespierre wrote:Today Dembele worst player on pitch
I don't know if it was because of system , because of France midfield... how has been him this year ?
I ask because we are linked to him
Still good or declined ? @CBarca

did he even play today?

BusterLfc wrote:People are underrating Giroud just because he doesn't score, but his overall play besides scoring has been great this WC. Also the amount of defensive work he does is unreal which is crucial in this world cup.

That's not enough.

That said, we didn't have a CF in 1998 either when we won the WC. So it's not a new thing for us. I'm just angry that Lacazette isn't on the squad. We have no other option than Giroud.

BusterLfc wrote:People are underrating Giroud just because he doesn't score, but his overall play besides scoring has been great this WC. Also the amount of defensive work he does is unreal which is crucial in this world cup.

Nah his general play was quite poor today. Was put in really great positions to score or set up a team mate and he responded badly.

He worked hard yes but doesn't mean we ignore how bad he was where it matters.

With a half proper CF, this game isn't that close.

As a side note, between Madrid and France, I'm very tired of CFs that can't score and "work hard for the team"....