I'm clearly in a minority here but gutted to see a team that gets into a WC semifinal by grinding teams down and hope for a penalty shootout.
Oh I think most would rather see Brazil through compared to Croatia.
Doesnt stop their defeat being funny though
You may be right: not many seem happy that Croatia is in the semis - mostly that Neymar's ego has been deflated.
But I can't see how anyone could be inspired to love football by watching that win.
What about a 10 year old child, from a county of less than 4 million people just beat the most famous national team in history with a population of about 210 million people?
Yeah, 'anyone' was a bit strong on my part, but the 210 million in Brazil would think that watchable football doesn't pay, which would be a shame.
I think "negative" football is perfectly valid if its your best chance of winning. No point being positive and "nice to watch" if you don't win.
I appreciate that some might disagree but, with the odd exception, I think the standard of refs has been excellent. The biggest aspect has been the waving play on when a player goes down. Hopefully, this will continue in the PL and fewer and fewer will try to win free kicks in doing so for fear that VAR will expose them. Whether that feeds its way down is another thing all together although there has been a definite shift there too already.
FIFA will certainly be hoping Argentina progress, based on what i've seen today a Holland v Croatia semi final in that 90k stadium at Lusail could be embarrassingly empty.
FIFA will certainly be hoping Argentina progress, based on what i've seen today a Holland v Croatia semi final in that 90k stadium at Lusail could be embarrassingly empty.
Surely a World Cup semi final will be a sell out regardless of who’s playing? Absolutely shocking if not
FIFA will certainly be hoping Argentina progress, based on what i've seen today a Holland v Croatia semi final in that 90k stadium at Lusail could be embarrassingly empty.
Surely a World Cup semi final will be a sell out regardless of who’s playing? Absolutely shocking if not
Not if most of the tickets have been bought by Brazil/Argie fans who then won't go or even locals who wanted to see Brazil or Messi.
Might be my memory failing me but I feel like 10/15 years ago blatant deliberate handballs like that one were a pretty much guaranteed red card, doesn’t seem to happen anymore.
Might be my memory failing me but I feel like 10/15 years ago blatant deliberate handballs like that one were a pretty much guaranteed red card, doesn’t seem to happen anymore.
I'm clearly in a minority here but gutted to see a team that gets into a WC semifinal by grinding teams down and hope for a penalty shootout.
Oh I think most would rather see Brazil through compared to Croatia.
Doesnt stop their defeat being funny though
You may be right: not many seem happy that Croatia is in the semis - mostly that Neymar's ego has been deflated.
But I can't see how anyone could be inspired to love football by watching that win.
What about a 10 year old child, from a county of less than 4 million people just beat the most famous national team in history with a population of about 210 million people?
Yeah, 'anyone' was a bit strong on my part, but the 210 million in Brazil would think that watchable football doesn't pay, which would be a shame.
I think "negative" football is perfectly valid if its your best chance of winning. No point being positive and "nice to watch" if you don't win.
I often wonder about this: would I rather watch amazing football and lose, or a lucky win from a really dull team full of journeymen and 'seasoned pros'.
I would hope the amazing football would win in the long run, so I'd go for the former.
I'm clearly in a minority here but gutted to see a team that gets into a WC semifinal by grinding teams down and hope for a penalty shootout.
Oh I think most would rather see Brazil through compared to Croatia.
Doesnt stop their defeat being funny though
You may be right: not many seem happy that Croatia is in the semis - mostly that Neymar's ego has been deflated.
But I can't see how anyone could be inspired to love football by watching that win.
What about a 10 year old child, from a county of less than 4 million people just beat the most famous national team in history with a population of about 210 million people?
Yeah, 'anyone' was a bit strong on my part, but the 210 million in Brazil would think that watchable football doesn't pay, which would be a shame.
I think "negative" football is perfectly valid if its your best chance of winning. No point being positive and "nice to watch" if you don't win.
I often wonder about this: would I rather watch amazing football and lose, or a lucky win from a really dull team full of journeymen and 'seasoned pros'.
I would hope the amazing football would win in the long run, so I'd go for the former.
I’d be very happy with Charlton winning every match 1-0 with hoofball. If I’m watching a match as a neutral then quality of football becomes a consideration.
I'm clearly in a minority here but gutted to see a team that gets into a WC semifinal by grinding teams down and hope for a penalty shootout.
Oh I think most would rather see Brazil through compared to Croatia.
Doesnt stop their defeat being funny though
You may be right: not many seem happy that Croatia is in the semis - mostly that Neymar's ego has been deflated.
But I can't see how anyone could be inspired to love football by watching that win.
What about a 10 year old child, from a county of less than 4 million people just beat the most famous national team in history with a population of about 210 million people?
Yeah, 'anyone' was a bit strong on my part, but the 210 million in Brazil would think that watchable football doesn't pay, which would be a shame.
I think "negative" football is perfectly valid if its your best chance of winning. No point being positive and "nice to watch" if you don't win.
I often wonder about this: would I rather watch amazing football and lose, or a lucky win from a really dull team full of journeymen and 'seasoned pros'.
I would hope the amazing football would win in the long run, so I'd go for the former.
I'm just glad that we aren't a club that plays dull football and fails to win most weeks doing so, 'cos that really would be the worst of both worlds
No better win, as a supporter, than a backs to the wall ground out away win where you face a barrage then have one shot on target in the 89th minute and it goes in. As a neutral, different story altogether.
No better win, as a supporter, than a backs to the wall ground out away win where you face a barrage then have one shot on target in the 89th minute and it goes in. As a neutral, different story altogether.
It's a strange one that doing that at home is less acceptable. It's the old "it's up to the home team to entertain". But is it if the ends justify the means anyway?
No better win, as a supporter, than a backs to the wall ground out away win where you face a barrage then have one shot on target in the 89th minute and it goes in. As a neutral, different story altogether.
It also depends on how good you are.
If you're playing opponents that are much better than you, then it's entirely justifiable to try and play negatively, whereas if you have excellent attacking players, and sacrifice that to just counter the opposition, you'll get slaughtered if you lose!
I'm clearly in a minority here but gutted to see a team that gets into a WC semifinal by grinding teams down and hope for a penalty shootout.
Oh I think most would rather see Brazil through compared to Croatia.
Doesnt stop their defeat being funny though
You may be right: not many seem happy that Croatia is in the semis - mostly that Neymar's ego has been deflated.
But I can't see how anyone could be inspired to love football by watching that win.
What about a 10 year old child, from a county of less than 4 million people just beat the most famous national team in history with a population of about 210 million people?
Yeah, 'anyone' was a bit strong on my part, but the 210 million in Brazil would think that watchable football doesn't pay, which would be a shame.
I think "negative" football is perfectly valid if its your best chance of winning. No point being positive and "nice to watch" if you don't win.
I often wonder about this: would I rather watch amazing football and lose, or a lucky win from a really dull team full of journeymen and 'seasoned pros'.
I would hope the amazing football would win in the long run, so I'd go for the former.
I’d be very happy with Charlton winning every match 1-0 with hoofball. If I’m watching a match as a neutral then quality of football becomes a consideration.
Yeah, me too. I guess that's possible in some scenario/leagues (knock out competitions being a prime example).
I guess ultimately football is entertainment (or life and death?) but I don't think it is sustainable as such with hoofball (not being a rugby fan, I would say it's one of the reasons rugby is not as popular world wide as football).
Comments
The surrogate Brazil-Argentina rivalry in Bangladesh is mad
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/18/argentina-brazil-bangladesh-world-cup/
I would hope the amazing football would win in the long run, so I'd go for the former.
As a neutral, different story altogether.
🤮
Knob.
If you're playing opponents that are much better than you, then it's entirely justifiable to try and play negatively, whereas if you have excellent attacking players, and sacrifice that to just counter the opposition, you'll get slaughtered if you lose!
Free flowing attractive winning football.
I guess ultimately football is entertainment (or life and death?) but I don't think it is sustainable as such with hoofball (not being a rugby fan, I would say it's one of the reasons rugby is not as popular world wide as football).
But as it's Brazil and their stupid dance I say fuck em.