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2018 FIFA World Cup Thread

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  • Brazil playing Croatia right now. Their strength in depth is ridiculous.

    Ederson, Marquinhos, Fred (the one about to sign for United, not the shit one from the last world cup), Douglas costa, Firmino and Neymar are only subs.
  • Neymar on his return from injury opens the scoring with a brilliant goal.

    Incredible that he's only 26 and it's his 54th international goal!
  • Sage
    Sage Posts: 7,278

    Sage said:

    Kompany came off injured for Belgium yesterday. Requires a scan on his groin to see whether he can take part in this World Cup. Got to feel sorry for him as he is a class defender but is made of glass. Could be a good thing for England personally if he doesn't make it.

    Might actually be a blessing in disguise. Instead of trying to shoehorn 3 centre backs into the lineup, Martinez could just revert to playing the Spurs pair of Vertonghen and Alderweireld
    They’ve played 3 at the back for a good while now so I can’t see them changing to 4 at the back. Boyata is likely going to come in for Kompany like he did yesterday if he doesn’t make it.
  • Sage
    Sage Posts: 7,278

    Brazil playing Croatia right now. Their strength in depth is ridiculous.

    Ederson, Marquinhos, Fred (the one about to sign for United, not the shit one from the last world cup), Douglas costa, Firmino and Neymar are only subs.

    They’re incredibly strong. As are France and Germany on paper too.
  • North Lower Neil
    North Lower Neil Posts: 22,952
    Sage said:

    Brazil playing Croatia right now. Their strength in depth is ridiculous.

    Ederson, Marquinhos, Fred (the one about to sign for United, not the shit one from the last world cup), Douglas costa, Firmino and Neymar are only subs.

    They’re incredibly strong. As are France and Germany on paper too.
    And Spain - should be one of those 4 that wins it but we shall see!
  • btrain88
    btrain88 Posts: 89
    Rausch and Nuestadter omitted from the Russia squad. I suspect due to the lack of the letter 'v' in their names
  • palarsehater
    palarsehater Posts: 12,296
    edited June 2018
    had a go at predicting the winner and 2nd place of each group

    A
    Uruguay
    Russia

    B
    Spain
    Portugal

    C
    France
    Denmark

    D
    Argentina
    Nigeria

    E
    Brazil
    Serbia

    F
    Germany
    Sweden

    G
    England
    Belgium

    H
    Columbia
    Japan
  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,728
    edited June 2018
    I think there are seven categories of team in it - firstly the no chancers (the Saudi Arabias, Panamas and Irans), then there are the - will give you a tough gamers but unlikely to clear the group stages (Peru, Australia, Iceland, Morroco, Egypt etc...), Then you have the underdogs who could bite a bit and surprise people to the quarters (Senegal, Japan, South Korea, Iceland). Then you have the established better sides -which you can divide into four tiers. The probably wont get as far as the semis unless they are lucky (Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Switzerland, Poland, Columbia). Then you are looking at sides who could win it! You have the could make the later stages with a good wind and with everything aligning, they could even win it (Portugal, England, Belgium, Uruguay). Then you have the real threats on paper (France and Argentina) and finally the favourites, (Brazil, Germany & Spain).

    I have a feeling for Spain. I know they are not as good as they were but they are hard to beat!
  • Elthamaddick
    Elthamaddick Posts: 15,810
    MrOneLung said:

    image

    is that stadium for real ?....disaster waiting to happen there
  • Manicmania
    Manicmania Posts: 1,594
    If you ended up sitting on the back row you would be treated to the "sensible soccer view" of the world cup.
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  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,728
    You need to hope it doesn't rain!
  • ForeverAddickted
    ForeverAddickted Posts: 94,315
    Whats to stop non ticket holders from trying to climb the scaffolding?
  • Whats to stop non ticket holders from trying to climb the scaffolding?

    Common sense?
  • Laddick01
    Laddick01 Posts: 6,365

    Whats to stop non ticket holders from trying to climb the scaffolding?

    Common sense?
    Russians and common sense though.
    It’s gonna get messy
  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,728
    Our world cup wallcharts we have designed and printed and put on ebay are flying off the shelves.
  • ForeverAddickted
    ForeverAddickted Posts: 94,315
    Leroy Sane has been left out of the final Germany Squad
  • cafc4life
    cafc4life Posts: 4,632
    Leroy Sane left out of Germany's final 23.

    Madness
  • ForeverAddickted
    ForeverAddickted Posts: 94,315
    edited June 2018
    Just shows the strength of the German Squad... Maybe should be ahead of Reus yet glad for him seeing that this'll be his first World Cup after constantly being injured at the wrong time for the last two

    image
  • Manicmania
    Manicmania Posts: 1,594
    I know it's a bit of a pie in the sky suggestion but thinking of some of the great players who never graced a world cup, (Giggs, Bale, George Best springs to mind immediately) imagine if there was like a wild card squad included in the competition - players left out of their national squads or from teams that didn't qualify could sign up. Probably a ridiculous idea but you could get some squad this year!
  • The Red Robin
    The Red Robin Posts: 26,126
    Sane is such an intelligent player, that is madness.
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  • ForeverAddickted
    ForeverAddickted Posts: 94,315

    I know it's a bit of a pie in the sky suggestion but thinking of some of the great players who never graced a world cup, (Giggs, Bale, George Best springs to mind immediately) imagine if there was like a wild card squad included in the competition - players left out of their national squads or from teams that didn't qualify could sign up. Probably a ridiculous idea but you could get some squad this year!

    You had the CIS National Team that was separate to the Soviet Union back in '82 so guess it would be something similar on a World scale - Guess the question is though, which Nation gets removed to accommodate?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIS_national_football_team
  • ValleyGary
    ValleyGary Posts: 37,977
    Brandt over Sane is mental.
  • palarsehater
    palarsehater Posts: 12,296
    surprised to see 8 of there 23 actually play outside of Germany.
  • Manicmania
    Manicmania Posts: 1,594

    I know it's a bit of a pie in the sky suggestion but thinking of some of the great players who never graced a world cup, (Giggs, Bale, George Best springs to mind immediately) imagine if there was like a wild card squad included in the competition - players left out of their national squads or from teams that didn't qualify could sign up. Probably a ridiculous idea but you could get some squad this year!

    You had the CIS National Team that was separate to the Soviet Union back in '82 so guess it would be something similar on a World scale - Guess the question is though, which Nation gets removed to accommodate?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIS_national_football_team

    In my world it wouldn't have to replace a country, there would just be one less spot in the 32 to qualify so you would have the champs, the host and the wild-card team auto qualifiers - the wild cards would be at a disadvantage as they wouldn't have so long to prepare (since the team would be made up of players left out of their squads as well as teams that didn't qualify) and it would be likely be a different squad of 22 each world cup rotation.

    It wouldn't really work if they went on to win of course and you would have the scenario of national players potentially playing their home country as well which would be awkward - plus they wouldn't really have much of fan base ( I suppose would be adopted by fans of countries that failed to qualify)
  • ForeverAddickted
    ForeverAddickted Posts: 94,315

    I know it's a bit of a pie in the sky suggestion but thinking of some of the great players who never graced a world cup, (Giggs, Bale, George Best springs to mind immediately) imagine if there was like a wild card squad included in the competition - players left out of their national squads or from teams that didn't qualify could sign up. Probably a ridiculous idea but you could get some squad this year!

    You had the CIS National Team that was separate to the Soviet Union back in '82 so guess it would be something similar on a World scale - Guess the question is though, which Nation gets removed to accommodate?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIS_national_football_team

    In my world it wouldn't have to replace a country, there would just be one less spot in the 32 to qualify so you would have the champs, the host and the wild-card team auto qualifiers - the wild cards would be at a disadvantage as they wouldn't have so long to prepare (since the team would be made up of players left out of their squads as well as teams that didn't qualify) and it would be likely be a different squad of 22 each world cup rotation.

    It wouldn't really work if they went on to win of course and you would have the scenario of national players potentially playing their home country as well which would be awkward - plus they wouldn't really have much of fan base ( I suppose would be adopted by fans of countries that failed to qualify)
    They wouldnt be able to play their home country surely as this additional team would only be available to those who didnt manage to Qualify for the tournament with their parent nation, rather than only appearing because their parent nation has qualified and doesnt want them

    Else effectively you could have two Brazil's or two Germany's at the World Cup... Instead a perfect team for this side would potentially be:

    image
  • Manicmania
    Manicmania Posts: 1,594
    Think that team might make it past the groups...
  • ForeverAddickted
    ForeverAddickted Posts: 94,315
    Could probably add Bonucci and Donnarumma for Italy in there too

    Would help to add a rule where there cant be more than two / three players from one nation to ensure it doesnt become a loop hole to basically add Italy etc. into the World Cup under a different name
  • Sane - 27 league starts, 10 goals
    Draxler - 19 starts, 4 goals
    Reus - 11 starts, 7 goals.
    Brandt - 26 starts, 9 goals.

    Out of those 4, Sane has to go to the World cup. Crazy decision to leave him out.

    Draxler hasn't played anywhere close to Sane's level this season.
    Brandt is a great talent but has been doing it on a smaller stage.
    Reus is an amazing player but is like Wilshere in that he could literally break down at any minute.

    However, what is does prove (once again) is that Germany have a ridiculous array of talent.
  • ForeverAddickted
    ForeverAddickted Posts: 94,315
    edited June 2018
    Also comes down to whether Sane plays well in the system and with the players that Low plans to use

    This is the English issue, we're thinking of the individual name that should be in the squad rather than the squad as a whole

    Based on the stats from our League One winning season (for example) that if we could have any player from League One that season then it would be Jordan Rhodes alongside Bradley Wright-Phillips instead of Yann, after all the stats show that he scored more goals, yet the system we played you'd be crazy to put Rhodes in ahead of Kermorgant