FIFA World Cup 2018 | July 6 | Day 23 | Discussion Thread (2 matches)

[Hasan123]

I am driving back tonight, so hopefully. Actually, since WC, I haven’t given a single day to family and here the game is between 8am to 5pm with games in every weekend. They deserved something as here summer is just like 10 weeks. Missed our champions 43 as well��

I have a curiosity on last game tmro most among the 4 QFs. British media is puffing their heros as usual, but I haven’t seen anything from them to break a packed defense. Most goals from set pieces and that’s against Latin & African teams - this hoof ball won’t work against Sweden, who are master of that game. Alli and Sterling has to have a gala game and some one as No. 10 (Sterling is not no. 10, he is a runner, they have a head less chicken in playmaker’s shirt), has to better Frosberg.

Most of us are obsessed with EPL & La Liga where Scandinavians don’t play much, therefore most people don’t have any idea how good Sweden is. They are the last team to beat France in a qualifier, knocked Holland, then Italy & finally made KO stage at the expense of Germany!!!! - that’s 8 WC’s, 4 EUROs title and probably equal number of runners up cleared by them. And their coach got his tactics absolutely right against Mexico & Swiss team. I’ll go for 1-0 to the Swedes.

It’s a bit sad that WC has become Euro by SF stage, but can’t complain much - Latin teams lost fair & squire. Today, Uruguay didn’t have a shot at Lloris in last 60 minutes and Belgium got the game packed by 1st half. Neymar is lucky not to be booked for play acting.

Hazard & Kompany MoM for me - next time I believe people’ll be more respectful about Kompany, EPL and players performing their twice every weeks. It’s a men game there - physically & mentally. Players not playing in EPL has the biggest star missing in their dossier.

Sweden are a good team. I watched their 2nd leg vs Italy in the qualifier. I was impressed by how good they were defensively and the spirit which they had. Even against Germany they were unlucky to lose. I am certainly not underestimating them. I think it will be a close game.

I am at work today but luckily they will have the game on .

I'll still back us to win. We have more experience in big games. Sterling and Ali are due good games now. If we take the lead, don't see Sweden coming back.

Hazard was magnificent. MOM for me.

 

[Hasan123]

Do you think KDB has surpassed Neymar as the 3rd best player with this performance?

Everyone talking KDB but Hazard was much better. Brazil couldn't get near him.

Neymar is still the 3rd best player for me. KDB has been brilliant this year but he hasn't many seasons like this . Neymar is performing at club level and international level for more than 1 year.

 

[DHONI183]

All, all of my favourite teams have now been knocked out, with the exception of Croatia. If they too get knocked out then I´m for the underdogs, the Russians, the hosts. Feel heartbroken by Uruguay´s loss, and particularly by Brazil´s . It frustrates me to see how a highly capable and talented group of players can´t seem to get their act together of late in big matches against competitive teams. They played the second half better, a lot better than Belgium, especially the last 20 minutes or so, but the missed chances at the end, and the own goal, proved to be their undoing. They were also my father´s favourite team.

Secondly, I find slightly disturbing the dominance of the European teams in world cups since the last 16 years. The North and South American teams bring their own style and flavour, and some of their teams are more fun to watch than quite a few European teams, but sadly not to be. I also love the passion that those teams play with, but somehow they end up bumping into strong European teams in knock-out matches to exit the tournament. I just hope it doesn´t end up becoming a jinx or kind of a mental block in the long run. Here´s hoping that the trend changes in four year´s time because it´s not good for the overall health of the game if it continues like that.

After Germany exited, just how much I would´ve loved to see Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil or Colombia to win the world cup!

 

[Swashbuckler]

It was a great performance by Belgium in the first half, they made brazil look like panama, brazil did come back in the second half but that was because Belgium droped back otherwise the way the first half ended i though belgium were gona get 2/3 more easily.

Lots of cry babies talking about penalties but for the kompany one the ball was off the field when the contact was made so its a dead ball and neymars was just a dive, great referee.

No it wasn't off the field. That was a clear penalty and Belgium got lucky.

I agree Neymar dived, should have been booked. A very annoying faker he is.