Not worthy of a thread - 2018 FIFA World Cup edition

[joeyt]

Two championship players, Crystal Palace and a Benfica player to go with Savic and Matic.

 

The world should be shaking in their boots IMO.

Tadic isn't a Championship player

[samptime29]

Hyped for Costa Rica/Serbia at 1pm on Sunday 17th June.

[ponsaelius]

Griezmann, Mbappe and Giroud provide good options. Giroud has a much better international record than Benzema.

eh?

 

Giroud has 4 more goals

Benzema hasnt played since 2015 (Giroud played 27, scored 18 in that time)

 

31 in 72 games is better than 27 in 81 games.

 

Maybe not much better but Benzema has never been great for France, especially when he's played in tournaments. I dont think he's a loss considering his last 18 months of form. Good for France to go forward with Mbappe and Griezmann and have Giroud as the target man option.

[Fedyan]

Two dudes in Iceland won a Niva (our classic 4x4 vehicle) in some lottery and will use it to go to the tournament. Oh, the memories, first car I ever owned. Actually got Momo racing seats in it, oh those harmless sins of youth.

 

Another dude, from Switzerland, plans to arrive on a tractor.

 

Those wacky westerners

 

Speaking of Serbian footballers, that Spajic lad from Anferlecht just completed his transfer to FC Krasnodar. His wife/girlfriend better install some hacky tacky app on his phone, will become very jealous and suspicious the minute they land

 

The weather is fantastic in Moscow right now, tons of people wearing shorts and shirts already, although if it gets really hot (like over way 25 degrees Celcius) could become what we refer to as a rock oven. Volga region should be roasting hot after mid-June, and you would look like a fool bringing anything but sandals and beachwear if your matches are in Sochi or Rostov-on-Don. Kaliningrad and St Petersburg could be anything between nice late spring sunny to September-ish windy and rainy, especially at night, but so far the forecasts are good. Yekaterinburg should be fine as well, don't listen to those who only went there between September and April, when it could get really cold.

 

Anyone with tickets and Fan ID will be able to enter Russia from Belarus. Useful info for those who might opt for train or a long car trip. Minsk is freaking lovely this time of the year, a great starting point for party travel types.

 

Just got my train tickets from and to Moscow, will travel between cities by car.

 

Uber is readily available here, by the way. Personally, I use other taxi apps, but I am pretty sure you can actually request an English-speaking driver using their settings. The host cities will be awash with volunteers anyway, and judging by the Sochi Olympics they were terrific help.

 

Still plenty of empty spots in my Panini album, but my vacation is on in a week's time so maybe I'll finish it before the whole thing begins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kaizero]

Two dudes in Iceland won a Niva (our classic 4x4 vehicle) in some lottery and will use it to go to the tournament.

 

"Russia, here we come!"

 

[joeyt]

Hyped for Costa Rica/Serbia at 1pm on Sunday 17th June.

 

Buzzing for the opening game of Russia v Saudi Arabia

[Dave]

 

:clap:

[Kaizero]

"Meanwhile, any player or substitute who gestures with his hands for a ‘VAR review’ will be shown a yellow card."

 

[GeordieDazzler]

Who typically does the best fantasy football for the international tournaments?

[Guest]

"Meanwhile, any player or substitute who gestures with his hands for a ‘VAR review’ will be shown a yellow card."

 

 

Probably one for the football pet hates, but I hate it when people moan about people trying to get an opponent booked or now the above.

 

If that person's clearly cheating then fair enough, but 7 out of 10 times I'd say the player who's protesting is normally spot on.

 

A better way would be if a player is asking for a VAR review, it gets reviewed. If it's blatantly a wrong appeal, he gets a yellow or some.sort of suspension for being a tit and a cheat. If he's right then the ref has come to the correct decision.

 

[Flip]

"Meanwhile, any player or substitute who gestures with his hands for a ‘VAR review’ will be shown a yellow card."

 

 

Probably one for the football pet hates, but I hate it when people moan about people trying to get an opponent booked or now the above.

 

If that person's clearly cheating then fair enough, but 7 out of 10 times I'd say the player who's protesting is normally spot on.

 

A better way would be if a player is asking for a VAR review, it gets reviewed. If it's blatantly a wrong appeal, he gets a yellow or some.sort of suspension for being a tit and a cheat. If he's right then the ref has come to the correct decision.

 

 

or as in the NFL, they have a certain amount of times to ask for a review.

[Guest]

Might as well start playing games behind closed doors when a home set of fans start chanting, "Off, off, off" or whinge at a corner or penalty appeal when it's never going in their favour. Goodison Park would be empty 9 games a season like.

[samptime29]

Group H looks tough to call.

 

Poland, Senegal, Japan, Columbia. I can any of those teams qualifying.

[Flip]

Group H looks tough to call.

 

Poland, Senegal, Japan, Columbia. I can any of those teams qualifying.

 

Don't actually see Japan having any chance there. It's all going to be close games, but think the other three are much stronger sides. Expect Colombia to win it, and then one of Senegal and Poland to qualify.

[triggs]

"Meanwhile, any player or substitute who gestures with his hands for a ‘VAR review’ will be shown a yellow card."

 

 

Probably one for the football pet hates, but I hate it when people moan about people trying to get an opponent booked or now the above.

 

If that person's clearly cheating then fair enough, but 7 out of 10 times I'd say the player who's protesting is normally spot on.

 

A better way would be if a player is asking for a VAR review, it gets reviewed. If it's blatantly a wrong appeal, he gets a yellow or some.sort of suspension for being a tit and a cheat. If he's right then the ref has come to the correct decision.

Aye. If some cunt hacks me down as I'm getting away I'd be screaming at the ref if they didn't get a yellow

[Fedyan]

German embassy have put one of those weird Berlin bear things, World Cup themed, in front of it. Also, a huge poster on how they cannae wait and all. Good thing it's not in the center, the freaking monstrosity I bet they fancy their chances, those Germans.

 

A whole bunch of trolleys and buses around the city have been WC themed as well, and the subway cars will be decorated as well. Hopefully, no fancy cocaine addicts (affectionally referred to as modern artists) will be allowed anywhere near. Also, as I was jogging this past morning saw a big Costa Rica flag in my neighborhood. Those forrins, no shame at all

 

Watching us play Austria now, with Mourinho in attendance. What a spectacle. Not.

 

Also, staring to develop a real irrational hatred for Vardy and Hart. I can literally start a freaking farm, such is the amount of Panini stickers with those mugshots.

[Away Day Gadgie]

German embassy have put one of those weird Berlin bear things, World Cup themed, in front of it. Also, a huge poster on how they cannae wait and all. Good thing it's not in the center, the freaking monstrosity I bet they fancy their chances, those Germans.

 

A whole bunch of trolleys and buses around the city have been WC themed as well, and the subway cars will be decorated as well. Hopefully, no fancy cocaine addicts (affectionally referred to as modern artists) will be allowed anywhere near. Also, as I was jogging this past morning saw a big Costa Rica flag in my neighborhood. Those forrins, no shame at all

 

Watching us play Austria now, with Mourinho in attendance. What a spectacle. Not.

 

Also, staring to develop a real irrational hatred for Vardy and Hart. I can literally start a freaking farm, such is the amount of Panini stickers with those mugshots.

 

I like your posts ?

[Minhosa]

Is it worth putting the groups/fixtures in the opening post for this now?

[Raconteur]

German embassy have put one of those weird Berlin bear things, World Cup themed, in front of it. Also, a huge poster on how they cannae wait and all. Good thing it's not in the center, the freaking monstrosity I bet they fancy their chances, those Germans.

 

A whole bunch of trolleys and buses around the city have been WC themed as well, and the subway cars will be decorated as well. Hopefully, no fancy cocaine addicts (affectionally referred to as modern artists) will be allowed anywhere near. Also, as I was jogging this past morning saw a big Costa Rica flag in my neighborhood. Those forrins, no shame at all

 

Watching us play Austria now, with Mourinho in attendance. What a spectacle. Not.

 

Also, staring to develop a real irrational hatred for Vardy and Hart. I can literally start a freaking farm, such is the amount of Panini stickers with those mugshots.

 

I like your posts ?

 

I think it's the Panini love - I'm invested and hopes he completes the set

 

[Leek]

Does anyone know if we're doing that quids in on whos top scorer again?

[Wullie]

Paolo Guerrero cleared to play for Peru.

[Fedyan]

I am sure a seasoned traveler had this sorted, but just in case - don't forget about the time difference if your arrangements include arriving/departing from city city on matchday. For convenience, there is a general Moscow time standard as a reference here, so Samara is -1 hour, Kaliningrad is +1 hour and Ekaterinburg is +2 hours. All the other cities are within the above-mentioned timezone. I once almost missed the train back home from a weekend on juice in Samara because I forgot about this, so just make sure you have this addressed in your arrangements.

 

The wait is unbearable.

[Mike]

Howay the Belgians.

[Flip]

 

The official tv opening. Majestic.

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

 

The official tv opening. Majestic.

This one is just ok, not as catchy as Brazil's. The South Africa one will stay with me forever. The football in that World Cup was relatively poor, but I'll always remember sitting in my Auntie's house in Lagos every evening and hearing that song while I was cursing Yakubu and laughing at the crying Ghanians. Great memories.

 

Russia will be the first World Cup I attend in person, and I am unreasonably excited, despite the mental cost of everything. I just hope the Super Eagles do not ruin my trip. They have a very decent chance of a good run, imo. Group D is tough, but I like the team that Rohr has put together, it will be a hard fought thing for all four teams, I don't believe Argentina will get out of it unblemished, either.

 

Of the other African sides, my heart holds optimism for Senegal and Egypt, primarily because of their groups. Morocco are better than Egypt and probably equal to Senegal, imo, but they will need to steal at least a draw against one of the Iberians. They were the second best side to Naija in the qualifiers and did not concede a goal, so it is definitely possible. There is no hope for Tunisia, they are poor. Egypt England are fortunate because 2 of the 3 worst sides are in their group, imo (the other being Panama).