World Cup 2022 - Quarter-Finals

Cruijf wrote:Having said that, very concerning signs from Argentina. They very neatly gave away a 2-0 lead against Australia and they did it again today. Inability to close out games is not a trait of WC winners.

i wouldn't say neatly tbh... the Australia goal was a deflection, and the Dutch first goal was just a really really good goal... great cross, great header, nothing you can do about that... before that they were absolutely coasting

but yea the way they lost their cool after the first Dutch goal was concerning, they need to sort that out

Cruijf wrote:Amazing game for neutrals. Far too stressful for Messi FC.

Unreal slander of Messi by some of you guys. One goal, one assist, two penalties scored in the highest of pressure situations. I want a written apology from all of you. GOAT performance.

Having said that, very concerning signs from Argentina. They very neatly gave away a 2-0 lead against Australia and they did it again today. Inability to close out games is not a trait of WC winners.

I already did that :p

Agreed conceding the way they did in the last two games is not a positive sign. They probably should not simply sit back, particularly against teams that are good at set pieces and posses areal threats.

El Gunner wrote:

Cruijf wrote:Having said that, very concerning signs from Argentina. They very neatly gave away a 2-0 lead against Australia and they did it again today. Inability to close out games is not a trait of WC winners.

i wouldn't say neatly tbh... the Australia goal was a deflection, and the Dutch first goal was just a really really good goal... great cross, great header, nothing you can do about that... before that they were absolutely coasting

but yea the way they lost their cool after the first Dutch goal was concerning, they need to sort that out

I meant nearly

For the Dutch goals, I do think it’s a bad sign that they couldn’t keep possession and slow down the game, as well as stop the constant barrage of crosses. With two very good aerial threats something was going to give eventually. Same goes for so many free kicks around the box.

A lot to say about this match... but first of all, of all spanish refs out there, Spain chose to send Mateu Lahoz?? They should be banned from future world cups on that alone. What a shitshow

omg

https://streamable.com/m92x7b

This argentina team is not special. Messi's back is breaking from carrying them again. Feels like they will fold against France/Portugal/England who have more quality, not Australia aka the Socceroos or hoof-ball Netherlands

I'd bery very surprised if they go all the way

btw how tf did Paredes and VVD not get red carded? Lahoz is the worst referee ever and i have no idea how he keeps getting these high profile games

Yeah I agree that should have been two red cards. Really stupid decision from Paredes.

Just popping in to say: incredible experience at the stadium for this match. The stadium, the atmosphere, and the match were amazing.

How'd it feel watching Messi live?

You heard it here first. Portugal vs Argentina with Portugal winning and Ronaldo on the bench. It's the ending CR7 and messi fan boys deserve

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.
Assalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh to Muslim.
Good day to Others.

This Argentina squad do not forget
what happen to Riquelme.

Wallahu a'lam.

Casciavit wrote:How'd it feel watching Messi live?

Amazing. I already watched him at the camp nou vs Sevilla and he even scored a hattrick in that game and broke the goal record in la liga. But this time it was much more special. He lead the team not just quality but with character. Every time he got the ball the whole stadium felt like something could happened. He was the best on the pitch without a doubt, the assist was something else.

Played, fought, celebrated, argued with everyone, Lahoz and Van Gaal included, assisted, scored, scored the penalty, came to the stands to celebrate. Was in everything.

Another was Di Maria. Instantly changed the game and was great to watch. Different quality from the other forwards.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim.
Assalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh to Muslim.
Good day to Others.

Credit to Holland for the
perhaps "comeback of the tournament".

Wallahu a'lam.

Man Brazil, what a letdown

Croatia deserved to win but this was a horrible bottlejob. For all the flair and fancy their players show at club level, it feels they lack the killer insinct in big tournaments.

It was a magnificent performance from Croatia's GK but how many of those were shot straight at him? Ridiculous lack of composure.

Croatia on the other hand proving again they are the mentality monsters in world cups. It's a shame they don't have a lot of quality upfront else I would've given them a good chance of winning the whole thing.

I didn't watch the entire Argentina game but this was another game where they take the lead, feel comfortable and then concede. This team is mentally strong but this game should've never gone to penalties just like the Brazil game.

I feel like the winner of England-France wins this. If France beat England, it's theirs to lose imo.

rincon wrote:

Casciavit wrote:How'd it feel watching Messi live?

Amazing. I already watched him at the camp nou vs Sevilla and he even scored a hattrick in that game and broke the goal record in la liga. But this time it was much more special. He lead the team not just quality but with character. Every time he got the ball the whole stadium felt like something could happened. He was the best on the pitch without a doubt, the assist was something else.

Played, fought, celebrated, argued with everyone, Lahoz and Van Gaal included, assisted, scored, scored the penalty, came to the stands to celebrate. Was in everything.

Another was Di Maria. Instantly changed the game and was great to watch. Different quality from the other forwards.

Lovely rincon How is Qatar in general? It looks there is next to nothing apart from just the stadiums though? I mean is it just stay in the hotel n the stadium? What else is there?

It was risky as usual from the coach to leave out Di Maria for most of the match. I understand the focus on defensive solidity but still, again the second best player not playing meant Arg weakened in attack. Although overall they improved a lot in this match I thought.

Netherlands are traditionally a strong side n pushed Arg all the way this time, although through that cheeky FK in the end

Penalties are really cruel, its hell vs heaven when u come out the loser or winner from that... but man the tension n drama is unbeatable Only the WC can deliver this level of high stakes pressure, phew~!

Brazil got beat by Croatia by just that, biggest upset again after equalising at the end. I really thought Neymars goal deserves to win any game but still wasnt enough. Brazil lacking that right side and surprised Vini got taken off so early. Croatia got some real quality though n defended well... still struggle a bit to understand how it is Brazil are out though Anyway, football is like that...

Next Arg should get through Croatia and into the Semi vs Mbappe

Myesyats wrote:btw how tf did Paredes and VVD not get red carded? Lahoz is the worst referee ever and i have no idea how he keeps getting these high profile games

I worried it would get out of control much like his games in the past but credit to him this game everything was played down which means the game wasnt ruined.

Paredes is a player I despise thought, as soon as he came on u know things gonna turn ugly most of the time

Have to LOL @ some of the comments on Messi above, where these lame Messi hate posters? Come out to apologies

Ppl need to praise him actually adjusting his PK technique for this game, doing the stuttering/pause thing be reacting to the GKs move n coolly placing it into the other side, under such pressures, twice ffs. He does it with ease with most others who do this every time as well, just goes to show he can everything better than anyone basically

Brazil out means obviously a much bigger chance to reach the final now, are the stars aligning for him to lift to WC? Or will it be Mbappe again?

Beautiful Football wrote:

BarrileteCosmico wrote:@Beautiful Football has thrown so much shade this thread, can't wait for him to eat his words

Lets see.

Mate time to eat crow. We're all waiting

sportsczy wrote:A lot of Brazil players were getting overhyped simply because they play in EPL. When you looked at their lineup, I only saw Neymar, Vini (hot and cold as we know), Casemiro and Allison. Felt the rest were very average (I don't like Marquinhos; he chokes too much).

This is a shit take. There's no question that player by player Brazil is vastly superior to Croatia.

They lost because Tite played a dumb 4-2-4 with 4 forwards uninterested in tracking back. Look at how they were still walking when the 2nd goal happened. That's a coaching problem, not a player problem. You can get away with 80s tactics vs minnows but not against organized european sides.

Art Morte wrote: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.

That's like the 1 penalty we deserved to get this cup

Clutch wrote:You heard it here first. Portugal vs Argentina with Portugal winning and Ronaldo on the bench. It's the ending CR7 and messi fan boys deserve

Thanks, I hate it.

Rooting for England tomorrow. Feel like the England-Argentina rivalry has cooled off over the past decade and a WC final is just what's needed to make it a classic again.

Art Morte wrote: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.

It can also be hugely entertaining for a neutral as well but I do understand the opinion. Football has been around for like a century now n yet still hasnt been a suggestion that comes near to replacing penalties to decide though... I mean what else can be introduced if two teams cancel each other out over 120 mins?

BarrileteCosmico wrote:

sportsczy wrote:A lot of Brazil players were getting overhyped simply because they play in EPL. When you looked at their lineup, I only saw Neymar, Vini (hot and cold as we know), Casemiro and Allison. Felt the rest were very average (I don't like Marquinhos; he chokes too much).

This is a shit take. There's no question that player by player Brazil is vastly superior to Croatia.

They lost because Tite played a dumb 4-2-4 with 4 forwards uninterested in tracking back. Look at how they were still walking when the 2nd goal happened. That's a coaching problem, not a player problem. You can get away with 80s tactics vs minnows but not against organized european sides.

I think Tite deserves praise though for deciding to play their attacking football rather than be negative n play with 1 less attacker or something. Either way the coach with get criticised I guess. Play one less n u have trouble fitting in both Neymar n Vini in. I think Brazil is loaded but it has to be said Raphinha isnt exactly WC in comparison, he was terrible in this game (worryingly for a Barca fan ) n with no RB also means Brazil has nothing from the right, even from sub Antoni which must be worrying also for MAn U fans

Brazils issue I guess will be eternally one of their weakness which is just the fact that its not their nature to defend a lot as a team (which they have done well at this WC though) or play dirty to time waste to see out matches, etc., n its not like this was WC2006 when they went with the R9/Ronaldinho/Adriano/Leonardo I think it was which was a very imbalanced team, I guess overall they still just lacked a bit of cutting edge/toughness/ruthlessness/luck... or whatever it was that somehow Croatia came up with to knock them out