World Cup 2022 - Quarter-Finals

Honestly, Brazil was great through the 2006 world cup. Great great talent.

Since then, it's fallen. Still very good... but no better than the top 10 teams.

I don't see why it's an upset that Croatia won. Croatia is the better team even on paper IMO.

Surprised none mentioned the heroics of the Croatian keeper. clearly MOTM in the last match and this match.

Football is more about having a team, then just a bunch of individual talent. Spain, Germany & France are the past 3 WC winners, and they won as a team, sure some standout performers etc, but generally everyone did their job. Also SA coaching levels are far below that of European countries, I mean even in Europe, Simeone is proably the only WC SA manager out there at the moment which plays its part.

Argentina have been one of the better performing internationals because at least they have a strong and sound defence set up with good understanding and chemistry that can carry them through most games, its really there offense only as Messi and Di Maria have been their most consistent attackers. Aguero, Tevez, Higuain, Dybala have been meh, now Laturo seems to be following the same path, Alverez looks like the only one so far that might be a good option for Arg attack. Lahm said recently in 2014 final Argentina players were all just sitting there and waiting for Messi to solve there problems.

It looks more and more likely the Brazil and Argentina may go down the path of hiring international managers, sooner rather then later especially if Arg gets KO'd by the Dutch today.

When people were hyping them up early it always made me laugh, you just had to look at the level of opponents they faced, it was like facing a bunch of mid table/regulation level countries.

Portugal and France have been my staple bet for the past few tournaments. Lets see what actually happens tho.

And yes Im glad Croatia won. It got me a bet win as well which is satisfying as hell. Thank you Mexicans who jump to supporting Brazil your salt is my joy lol.

Argentina started off tense, but you got the sense they were just feeling out the Dutch. I like the defensive setup by Scaloni, just match their formation and feel them out to start the game. Also like the inclusion of Lisandro Martinez, i called it before the game.

They've grown more into the game 10 minutes before the goal. GOATssi assist. Feel like they will just sit compact (hopefully not too deep) and try to hit Netherlands on the counter for the rest of the game.

they're also intentionally making the game scrappy now... stop, start. Hopefully no one loses their head and gets a red.

Argentina scoring first was the key. Means now the Dutch have to expose themselves and likely will end up getting rid of one of their CBs and I think that will open another chance for Arg to score the 2nd.

El Gunner wrote:they're also intentionally making the game scrappy now... stop, start. Hopefully no one loses their head and gets a red.

Yeah, but they look comfortable defending a lead and doing all the time-wasting and diving shenanigans. Just hope no one gets a red.

Lionel Messi has assisted five goals in the World Cup knockout stages - since Opta have World Cup assists (from 1966), this is the most on record in the knockout rounds of the finals, surpassing Pelé's four

Safe to say Messi has finally been carrying Argentina now.

sportsczy wrote:Honestly, Brazil was great through the 2006 world cup.  Great great talent.

Since then, it's fallen.  Still very good... but no better than the top 10 teams.

I don't see why it's an upset that Croatia won.  Croatia is the better team even on paper IMO.  

Easy to say that now but I didn’t see you objecting when the whole forum agreed Brazil were the favorites.

Dutch look very poor tonight, no surprise there from the games biggest bottlers

sportsczy wrote:Honestly, Brazil was great through the 2006 world cup. Great great talent.

Since then, it's fallen. Still very good... but no better than the top 10 teams.

I don't see why it's an upset that Croatia won. Croatia is the better team even on paper IMO.

That's a step too far lol

Lord Awesome wrote:Safe to say Messi has finally been carrying Argentina now.

don't jinx it now lol

And yeah lol Brazil were the better team on paper. They were true candidates but Modric's Croatia have been the the living epitome of the Dark Horse these last 2 World Cups. Lets not write in Portugal for the final yet guys.

Casciavit wrote:Lionel Messi has assisted five goals in the World Cup knockout stages - since Opta have World Cup assists (from 1966), this is the most on record in the knockout rounds of the finals, surpassing Pelé's four

they stain my GOAT's name far too much. For nothing even. They just envy him.

El Gunner wrote:

Lord Awesome wrote:Safe to say Messi has finally been carrying Argentina now.

don't jinx it now lol

Nahhhhh Imma jinx it even more lol.

In all seriousness tho Messi has carried Argentina successfully since last Copa America. Even BC was all doom and gloom but I touted Argentina to take it. They can do it here too.

omg what's happened to Holland. Hadn't watched them in two years... and wow.

Van Djik looks awful
They have as much technique as Iceland
They have as much speed as the Italians

How did they get this far in the WC too?!

Weak group and they faced USA in round 16 not exactly a powerhouse

I don't rate them either and expected USA to progress but that was a hipster take perhaps

Anyways Argentina looks comfortable now

Argentina deserve to win, but that's another penalty that's far too big a reward for the situation that was happening in-play.

I'm really at a point where I don't want to watch football because of penalties. 90% of them feel super anticlimactic.

USA had a speed advantage on Netherlands and I thought that would give us passage but the experience of the Dutch was what really took USA out.

Oops (again!)

Oh shiiiiiit...

lmaoo wow

What a come back

I might start to believe in jinx