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ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: rico21

I do not know who will win the France-Argentina match and I really do not care, it will not change my life.
That being said, if France loses, it will be above all and above all the fault of the coach who will have built his team around Griezmann.
If France loses against Argentina, it will cause the resignation of the coach, who has committed to go to the quarterfinals and will be replaced by our national legend ...
Zinedine Zidane.

To me it looks like the French coach made the right call.

I would have preferred you to tell me before the match.[:D]
The Griezmann-Giroud tandem does not work.[:(]
Fortunately for him, Mbappe Kylian, 19 years old, new Maradona?[8D]
But distrust, the last time we tried to conquer Russia, it ended badly!

ORIGINAL: rico21

But distrust, the last time we tried to conquer Russia, it ended badly!

You were not the only ones who tried: Teutonic Knights, Swedes, the Kaiser...

En maintenant... allez les Bleus! [&o]

The second of the Last Sixteen round of games sees:

Portugal 1 Uruguay 2 Two great Cavani goals puts the Uruguayans in the quarter final tie against France. Another dramatic and very watchable game that this world Cup has produced. Uruguay just edged it as the Portuguese attack stuttered against some stubborn defence. Cavani and Suarez had great games and Suarez didn't even had to put the bite on Portugal. So both GOATS are going home and Baby GOAT doesn't play until Monday.

1st Quarter Final: France v Uruguay

Best wishes,
Steve

ORIGINAL: rico21
if France loses, it will be above all and above all the fault of the coach who will have built his team around Griezmann.
If France loses against Argentina, it will cause the resignation of the coach, who has committed to go to the quarterfinals and will be replaced by our national legend ...
Zinedine Zidane.

You've got a magnificent, full of talent team: you should be more optimist. I can see only the Brazilians defeating you. Chances are you will be bagging the title.

Uruguay will pay dearly the effort (Cavani is going to the drydock yes or yes). Kudos to them though.

People are really fast. Someone already coined the "joke":

Don’t cry 4-3 Argentina

I find today's matches difficult to call.

Spain should have too much for Russia - but will home advantage inspire the Russians to victory? I would not be surprised if Russia edged through - but of course would not be in the least surprised if Spain won as expected.

As for Brazil - Mexico... as much as I want Mexico I think Brazil will be too strong.

Neither Brazil nor Spain have been at their best yet but maybe are looking to peak at the right time.

So I am going for a Russia vs Mexico Quarter-Final [:D]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

I find today's matches difficult to call.

Spain should have too much for Russia - but will home advantage inspire the Russians to victory? I would not be surprised if Russia edged through - but of course would not be in the least surprised if Spain won as expected.

As for Brazil - Mexico... as much as I want Mexico I think Brazil will be too strong.

Neither Brazil nor Spain have been at their best yet but maybe are looking to peak at the right time.

So I am going for a Russia vs Mexico Quarter-Final [:D]

The two games today are:

Spain v Russia
Croatia v Denmark

Looking forward to both of these. The World Cup tournament is as much about mental strength, bravery, and courage as it is about technique, tactics, and skill. To win it, and to win it in style, you need everything in your locker - as a team, not just a random collection of eleven players. Group dynamics are crucial.

Carpe Jugulum boys.

Best wishes,
Steve

ORIGINAL: shunwick

ORIGINAL: warspite1

I find today's matches difficult to call.

Spain should have too much for Russia - but will home advantage inspire the Russians to victory? I would not be surprised if Russia edged through - but of course would not be in the least surprised if Spain won as expected.

As for Brazil - Mexico... as much as I want Mexico I think Brazil will be too strong.

Neither Brazil nor Spain have been at their best yet but maybe are looking to peak at the right time.

So I am going for a Russia vs Mexico Quarter-Final [:D]

The two games today are:

Spain v Russia
Croatia v Denmark

Looking forward to both of these. The World Cup tournament is as much about mental strength, bravery, and courage as it is about technique, tactics, and skill. To win it, and to win it in style, you need everything in your locker - as a team, not just a random collection of eleven players. Group dynamics are crucial.

Carpe Jugulum boys.

Best wishes,
Steve

warspite1

Yeah...ahem... I knew that..... So as I was saying before being so rudely interrupted [:D].... the second game is Croatia vs Denmark. This is easier to call and will be a comfortable win from the Croats.

So its a Russia vs Croatia quarter final.

Spain never defeated the host of a WC. You start somewhere, but that's some background.

Just in case the VAR room this afternoon:

[:D]

The third game of the Last Sixteen knock-out round sees:-

Spain 1 Russia 1 AET Russia winning on penalties 3-4,

Spain took 120 minutes to prove beyond any doubt that possession without purpose is pointless. The Spanish obsession with possession (yep, having fun with words) actually worked against the Spanish team. They tried to stretch the Russian defence laterally but forgot to stretch them vertically. Russia were hugely defensive and smarter team than Spain will have the task of breaking this Russian defence. Overall, Spain have been very disappointing in this World Cup. Spain are probably the best team in the competition for passing backward and square. This is about as good as it gets for Russia.

Best wishes,
Steve

Not the best game of the round but gripping in its own way. I think Spain were the orchestrators of their own downfall; the way they played in the first half was like watching England - square ball after square ball, no penetration, no inventiveness. Every time a Spanish midfielder got the ball they stood still. What was that all about? If Spain had played like they did in extra time then Russia would have struggled to keep them at bay for 90 minutes.

Pleased for Russia as they are the home nation, but that is Messi, Ronaldo and Iniesta all gone....

... and why on earth was Koke kept on the pitch, let alone allowed to take a penalty???

ORIGINAL: warspite1

... and why on earth was Koke kept on the pitch, let alone allowed to take a penalty???

Yes, he was pretty awful all game..

The lack of imagination in that Spanish team is damning.

Best wishes,
Steve

Against the French, we will use the snow cannons of sochi.[:D]

ORIGINAL: shunwick
Spain took 120 minutes to prove beyond any doubt that possession without purpose is pointless.

And that's why short Xavi aka The Brain, the director of the orchestra is missed. In the old days, they would easily create and / or find a hole = the whole purpose of possession (that the anti tiki-taka mob never grasped; it was deadly and effective = 2 Euros + 1 WC). They were masters at finding / creating such holes and stabbing the opposition with lethal definitive passes.

You don't have that guy? Time to elaborate another plan suited to the players you actually have. Today has been one of the most sterile scenarios I have seen in a long time.

Something is really wrong when your central defenders conduct the ball (Ramos and Piqué).

Well done, Russia.

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus
You don't have that guy? Time to elaborate another plan suited to the players you actually have. Today has been one of the most sterile scenarios I have seen in a long time.

Well done, Russia.

Spot on.

Best wishes,
Steve

ORIGINAL: warspite1

.., but that is Messi, Ronaldo and Iniesta all gone....

More to the point, a lot of nations that have the knack of winning things (sometimes regardless of how well they are playing) like Germany, Spain, Argentina, Italy (ok they never arrived but ...) have gone.

The lack of cussedness among most of the nations still there is making this a surprisingly open competition?

It is a false problem, with 32 nations at the beginning of the World Cup, one will not leave, will not cry and will be happy.
1/32, only casino roulette is worse, 1/36.

After the first round of games I thought Croatia would win that easily. I ended up desperately wanting Denmark because Croatia were rubbish. Where did the team that took Argentina apart go??

Modric should have been ready to continue running with the baton for man of the tournament but he was just totally ineffective....and as for the penalty - it was so bad Schmeichel not just saved it, but held onto it!

A real shame for Denmark who really tried but in the final analysis were just short on the quality required to beat a really off key Croatia. I think this could be a wake up call for the Croats and still tip them to make the final.