World Cup 2022 - Last 16 Round

Japan players were not mentally ready for these pens. Such a shame. I assume they didnt expect to get this far lol

Thimmy wrote:Those were great finishes by Mbappe, but I really don't understand how he was allowed so much space. He could've literally spun around 900 degrees before that first shot and he would've still had a ton of space to shoot before the nearest defender could close down the space around him.

They're afraid to get near him because he goes right by them and gets a lot of PKs.  His perceived weakness is long(ish) shots... so they give him that.  This even happens in the box, which is interesting to me.  

Worked well as a strategy until end of last year frankly.  He's improved tremendously on his shooting from range though so defenders should adjust.

I would assume quicker and more athletic defenders can play more aggressively.

I want to give a quick shout out to England pundits who all say that Walker can stop Mbappe because of his pace

Raphinha ballllller

Vinicius with some serious cold blood as well as Neymar who executes penaldo perfectly.

Unreal start for Brasil

Not sure if I'm watching futbol or dancing with the stars

Good shit.

Now this is champion energy

The Brazilian players thinking of themselves now. So many selfish plays. Could be 7/8-0 if they made the right plays

halamadrid2 wrote:Kovacic is exactly the same player that left us all those years ago. What a dissapointment! I'd thought he'd develop his vertical game but nope

He is still the same player that left Inter, Kovacic stopped developing at like 22.

Raphina is terrible my word

rincon wrote:

halamadrid2 wrote:Kovacic is exactly the same player that left us all those years ago. What a dissapointment! I'd thought he'd develop his vertical game but nope

He is still the same player that left Inter, Kovacic stopped developing at like 22.

Agreed. So dissapointing. He has all the tools to make him a dominant midfielder but he chooses to be this weak

Brazil's intensity level gone to the ground now. Thry are trying to forcefeed Raphina a goal

What a goal by SK! I guess if you can't get through, shoot from distance instead

It's quite nice to have the game wrapped up within 15 minutes and then just enjoy and dance around, energy saving mode in 2nd half could be key in contrast with Croatia's tiring extra-time struggle

There shouldn’t be any doubts now that anything but a Brasil - France final will be a major upset. ……

Or are you Messi fanboys still going to try to deny the obvious!

calm down it was South Korea

Yeah and it was Australia for Messi & co! What’s your point?

@futbo_bill nearly everyone said that Brazil and France are the best 2 sides going into the tournament, even Messi/Arg fans. Messi lives in your head almost as much as in Ronaldo's

BarrileteCosmico wrote:@futbo_bill  nearly everyone said that Brazil and France are the best 2 sides going into the tournament, even Messi/Arg fans.  Messi lives in your head almost as much as in Ronaldo's

You didn’t, but there were  several that did.

Here’s just one, it isn’t worth my time to look for others. As to Messi in my head, no, it’s the overhyping that gets me. And Ronaldo, get real. I’ve have  never liked him as a person, but I did appreciate his goals and drive at Madrid. Even in the so called debate, I agree Messi the better one.

I’m Spanish and I’m hoping we can get to semi final (we are capable of that I believe or hope) and then in a single game perhaps we could put something together against France and then Brasil, but I know that is unlikely to happen. I say the same should apply to Argentina. I believe we have a better lineup overall, just that we don’t have a top player. Argentina has that top player, but nothing notable beyond Messi.

Cruijf wrote:

futbol_bill wrote:Is it just me? For sure both Argentina and Brasil are and should be favorites, mainly because none of the Europeans are looking good this time around and the fact that tournaments outside of Europe usually work in favor of SA.

But when I see the squad lists of both, there is no comparison in my mind, Brasil should be heavily the overall favourite!

I agree but football is not played on paper. The fact that Argentina just beat Brazil in their own backyard gives them the edge for me.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:@futbo_bill nearly everyone said that Brazil and France are the best 2 sides going into the tournament, even Messi/Arg fans. Messi lives in your head almost as much as in Ronaldo's

nah a lot of people are saying Argentina tbf. I've heard mostly Argentina and Brazil on Twitter and here

futbol_bill wrote:

BarrileteCosmico wrote:@futbo_bill  nearly everyone said that Brazil and France are the best 2 sides going into the tournament, even Messi/Arg fans.  Messi lives in your head almost as much as in Ronaldo's

You didn’t, but there were  several that did.

Here’s just one, it isn’t worth my time to look for others. As to Messi in my head, no, it’s the overhyping that gets me. And Ronaldo, get real. I’ve have  never liked him as a person, but I did appreciate his goals and drive at Madrid. Even in the so called debate, I agree Messi the better one.

I’m Spanish and I’m hoping we can get to semi final (we are capable of that I believe or hope) and then in a single game perhaps we could put something together against France and then Brasil, but I know that is unlikely to happen. I say the same should apply to Argentina. I believe we have a better lineup overall, just that we don’t have a top player. Argentina has that top player, but nothing notable beyond Messi.

Cruijf wrote:

futbol_bill wrote:Is it just me? For sure both Argentina and Brasil are and should be favorites, mainly because none of the Europeans are looking good this time around and the fact that tournaments outside of Europe usually work in favor of SA.

But when I see the squad lists of both, there is no comparison in my mind, Brasil should be heavily the overall favourite!

I agree but football is not played on paper. The fact that Argentina just beat Brazil in their own backyard gives them the edge for me.

Interesting that your example of someone disagreeing with you is a post that starts with “I agree”

But yes I do give Argentina the edge, *despite* the fact that Brazil has a better overall squad. Argentina has already showed once that they can beat a Brazil team that is better on paper, even in Brazil.

Do we call it upset when something happens on a regular basis? For the last 20 years, whenever the WC starts majority makes Brazil the favourite to win it. for a country that produces so much footballing talent, it's normal. yet somehow they bottle it vs medium-quality teams at some point. It's because there are a lot of factors involved when it comes to WC matches, not just individual talents. So, anything but Brazil-France final would definitely not be an upset. it would just be another regular drama at WC.

i always said the top 3 teams coming into the tournament were France, Argentina and Brazil. And i agree with you, Bill, that France and Brazil have more talented squads on paper, but football isn't played on paper. Argentina imo have the best defence in the tournament, for instance. And i believe the reason many people picked Argentina on this forum to win before the tournament was partly because it's so hard for a team to win back-to-back (France), and Brazil always seems to mess it up even if they have a talented squad.

Therefore, imo, it will not be an "upset" if either one of the three beats the other.

Everyone has had Brazil as 1st, 2nd, or 3rd favorite. There is no controversy regarding that

For me, as I put it in the prediction thread, Brazil as champions and Richarlison as top scorer. Now Mbappe looks like he will be the golden boot.

I still maintain that Brazil has the best defense. Injuries are playing a part in weakening it but still, Alisson, Danilo, Marquinhos, Thiago, Alex and Casemiro are a an extremely solid group. To add to that Brazil presses very effectively from the very front to gain the ball. It's not a coincidence that they had 0 shots on goal vs Serbia and Switzerland.

The weaker links, assuming Alex is back, imo are Raphinha and Paqueta. They do the job so I wouldn't call them weak but the rest of the players are flourishing in this setup.

BarcaLearning wrote:

rincon wrote:Gonna be at the stadium for that match, I have Netherlands-Argentina and France-England

Seriously rincon? U going to Qatar?

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Damn great matches.

Yep. Looking forward to the Argentina crowd in the stadium, should be amazing. Ill be rooting for Argentina in that match, one of the group is Brazilian though, so let's see.

GOATED 1st half by Brazil, but there were a few warning signs. It could have been 4-3 or 4-4 if Alisson was not Alisson. Then again, Raphinha and Richarlison could have easily made it 6-0 or 7-0.

Against Croatia I really would start Bruno over Paqueta. He might have missed sitters but he much better at midfield. Neymar won't have to play so deep either.