Paullow

I think they'll just go out and try and finish the job, keep the momentum going, and then plan for the KO matches when they arise, but it definitely looks more favourable them finishing 2nd than first (probably Morocco then Portugal, instead of Croatia and likely Brazil), but with them not beating Germany the other day, it's harder to potentially ease off etc. Had they beaten Germany and were on 6 points and Japan on 4, then they could have lost and definitely finished 2nd, but Germany could just about pip them on goal difference, plus Costa Rica could go ahead of them if they got a shock win, and there'd be serious egg on their face if they ended up 3rd having won their first match 7-0. It's a weird situation, but I guess they just have to be professional and go for the win, and what will be will be. Edit - actually no they couldn't because Japan are only on 3 points, and would need have needed to be a battering for Japan to pip them into 2nd, and even then a win CR could see them in 3rd as well.

They've done very well for a relatively small country to produce so many good players at the same time, but yeah, most of the squad were there in 2014, and there doesn't seem too much coming through. I thought Trossard was like 22/23, but he's 28 in a few days as well. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup_squads#Belgium Courtois, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Witsel, KDB, Lukaku, Hazard, Mertens all there back then and most of them in better shape at that time than they are now, plus many other solid players like Defour, Kompany, Fellaini, Dembele, Vermaelen etc. When I was growing up they rarely qualified for anything - no Euro's from 1984 to 2016, bar one event they qualified automatically for as co-hosts (2002). They did fair a bit better in the World Cup without making any real impact (pre golden generation), but also failed to qualify in 2006 and 2010, so no major tournament at all for them from 2002 to 2014, so despite probably not living up to expectations these past 8 years, it was obviously a huge contrast to the 12 prior to that. With a lot of there squad early to late 30's, I wonder if they naturally sift back down the rankings in the next few years?

Definitely. It was annoying (for us) when OGS took out Lee (I think) all those years ago and got a red card (and a standing ovation from the OT fans), but it made perfect sense. If there's a 100% chance you're going out if you let it go past you, or a 10-15% chance the resulting penalty will be missed / saved, I'd hope most players would take the red card and the risk. No brainer, surely.

I heard Luis Enrique yesterday being asked questions about finishing 2nd, but didn't really take much notice, but looking at how the knockout draw is looking, it would definitely be an advantage to finish 2nd. Obviously things can quickly change, Croatia could top their group, Brazil could rest players and finish 2nd themselves etc. but how it's currently looking, their respective paths to the final could look something like the below Top the Group - Croatia/Belgium - Brazil - Argentina Finish 2nd - Morocco - Portugal - France (or England) They'd surely have more chance of reaching the semi final by being runners up. They can't fully control the destiny of how their group will shape up, but they could try and keep things tight in their match, and keep tabs on the Germany-Croatia match, and potentially act accordingly.

Better for the neutral. If that pen stands, and goes in, the group is almost over after 14 minutes.

Well at least they're not going out on cards...

Switching over to the Mexico match.

7-5 now in terms of yellows Surely Poland will know and avoid getting any more cheap cards

I'd like to see Mexico through, but at the same time, I hope the Saudi's don't get absolutely battered and wor MBS pulls the plug on football activity in the country in disgust

Apparently Poland still going through at the moment due to less yellow cards?

All that buzz from the Saudi Argentina match, where in all likelihood the Argies are likely to still finish top, and the Saudi's bottom as you'd have expected at the start of game 1. I haven't been too impressed with Mexico, but think I'd rather they went through than Poland, so hoping there's another goal in their favour.

Quite torn as to what outcome I want here. I'd quite like to see Argentina vs France in the last 16, but at the same time, Poland are so anti football and awful to watch, basically hoping to stay in games and nick a set piece so it would be shit if they got the Aussies in the L16 and be big favourites for the QF. I probably want Argentina to top the group, but that ridiculous penalty did annoy me that I then found myself kind of wanting Poland to win.

Pathetic.

That's a nice kit the Saudi's are wearing...

Saudi's for me, marra.

We'll never know either scenario if the match order was different to be honest, but playing an already qualified France who were 99.9999% sure of topping the group (required a 7 goal swing with the Aussie match), making 9 changes to their last match and no jeopardy on the result is pretty generous, plus, in a group of 4, where only 2 qualify, the matches against the non-France sides were always going to be pretty key. You've kind of half alluded to it, but scoring 0 goals and only gaining 1 point from the sides they were realistically competing with for second, is ultimately what has cost them.

Only 9 changes.

It would have been more of a sickener if Denmark had got the late equaliser. I didn't see it today, but I'd be shocked if they would have beaten France in group match 1 or 2, so likely benefitted from match order. Aussies beat both Tunisia and Denmark in very live matches (for both sides) so thoroughly deserve to go through.

Get in!

It's the worst possible time in Sydney / Melbourne etc. 2am start, 4am finish - only the massively dedicated will have seen this.

I see sense a heartbreaking late late equaliser that will see both of them out.

They'll both obviously want to top it, especially Argentina because a draw will probably see them out, but Poland would probably take a draw if offered now as they would definitely go through, and as group winners if SA don't win, whereas if they lose (most likely), they will probably go out, especially if by a few goals.

Feels like a tournament more just to get Kuol used to the surroundings of tournament football for later down the line than to actually make an impact. Not really sure when the optimal time / situation would be to bring him on, and other forwards are constantly being brought on before him anyway.