Not worthy of a thread - 2018 FIFA World Cup edition

[Kaizero]

This world cup is proving having 32 teams is absolutely perfect for balance of making it a World Cup and ensure competitiveness in most games.

 

It’s literally not, beacaue you don’t have  a 48 team tournament to compare with

You have the quality in the World Cup qualifiers to compare it with, clever dick.

 

Also not a great comparison, since as you can tell from the teams in this WC - actually being in the WC has them raising their game and the big teams struggling. Even if there’s more teams, teams being at the WC will in itself make matches clmpetitive because it’s the biggest stage on earth in football.

 

Not saying the quality might not decline, as I’ve not seen it in action yet, but the Euro was significantly more entertaining with more teams, and people kept saying that expansion would ruin things too. Hell, even when the WC expanded to 32 people said it’d ruin the WC.

[Guest firetotheworks]

 

 

This world cup is proving having 32 teams is absolutely perfect for balance of making it a World Cup and ensure competitiveness in most games.

 

It’s literally not, beacaue you don’t have  a 48 team tournament to compare with

You have the quality in the World Cup qualifiers to compare it with, clever dick.

 

Also not a great comparison, since as you can tell from the teams in this WC - actually being in the WC has them raising their game and the big teams struggling. Even if there’s more teams, teams being at the WC will in itself make matches clmpetitive because it’s the biggest stage on earth in football.

 

Not saying the quality might not decline, as I’ve not seen it in action yet, but the Euro was significantly more entertaining with more teams, and people kept saying that expansion would ruin things too. Hell, even when the WC expanded to 32 people said it’d ruin the WC.

 

I'll never be adverse to more football, but I think neesy's point about competitiveness is a very fair one.

[Deuce]

Some of the most entertaining football so far has been played by teams who aren’t expected to accomplish much. Peru, Japan, Costa Rica (in the first game), Senegal. While some of the ugliest football has been played by the more accomplished sides. Not to mention the fact that the the World Cup rarely goes according to plan (I.e. “the big teams always wallop the minnows,” countered by Spain, Portugal, England, and Italy all failing to get out of the groups in 2014).

 

I don’t see much evidence to conclude that expanding it to 48 teams would make for a less competitive tournament. Would love to see those random, uncynical teams getting their shot.

[Bizza]

Keep seeing people drinking beer in the stands, since when was that allowed at football?

[Mole_Toonfan]

Some of the most entertaining football so far has been played by teams who aren’t expected to accomplish much. Peru, Japan, Costa Rica (in the first game), Senegal. While some of the ugliest football has been played by the more accomplished sides. Not to mention the fact that the the World Cup rarely goes according to plan (I.e. “the big teams always wallop the minnows,” countered by Spain, Portugal, England, and Italy all failing to get out of the groups in 2014).

 

I don’t see much evidence to conclude that expanding it to 48 teams would make for a less competitive tournament. Would love to see those random, uncynical teams getting their shot.

 

I've enjoyed the competition of it all tbh, refreshing change from club football. I suppose though it depends what you are looking for.

[WarrenBartonCentrePartin]

Keep seeing people drinking beer in the stands, since when was that allowed at football?

 

Can confirm it was allowed at Euro 2016 - however what isn't obvious, or wasn't obvious then, was that it was 0.5% shit.

[Deuce]

Already some interesting matchups in round 3. Uruguay-Russia, Nigeria-Argentina, England-Belgium, Portugal-Iran

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Been a goal in every game thus far, the quality hasn’t been of the highest standard, but it’s not a dull tournament. Quite enjoying it, although I’ve not seen any game in full since the England game due to being at work. It’s sad to see how uniform tactics and styles have become mind even among those that clearly have different tactics and styles of play, thee is no distinctive or stand out style.

[cubaricho]

Rare video of Mike:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkTJhS2h-Rs/

 

( sorry dude)

[Mike]

Thought we were steak brothers, man.

[Sima]

By the time the next world cup comes around we need to have brought in the 30 minutes each way, stop the clock every time the whistle goes rule.

 

The level of time wasting, injury faking and general douche-baggery is off the scale.

 

As much as I’d like that rule to be implemented too,  FIFA’s argument against reforms such as this is that football needs to be universal regardless of the level and having a clock stop-start would arguably start to fall apart the further you go down the levels.

 

Granted, this stance has wavered a bit due to VAR/Goal-line technology but this would be a more significant step.

[mrmojorisin75]

By the time the next world cup comes around we need to have brought in the 30 minutes each way, stop the clock every time the whistle goes rule.

 

The level of time wasting, injury faking and general douche-baggery is off the scale.

 

As much as I’d like that rule to be implemented too,  FIFA’s argument against reforms such as this is that football needs to be universal regardless of the level and having a clock stop-start would arguably start to fall apart the further you go down the levels.

 

Granted, this stance has wavered a bit due to VAR/Goal-line technology but this would be a more significant step.

 

30 mins each way, what's this shit?

[Sima]

Ball in play at all times for 30 mins (clock stops when ball is dead) rather than 45 minutes including ball being dead.

 

The average game has the ball in play for around 30 minutes each half anyway.

[Guest neesy111]

Ball in play is a joke even without VAR.  It's something like 70 mins on average for each PL game.

 

Still got absolutely no idea why the multi-ball rule isn't used in the PL still.

[Wullie]

Removing the ability of the referee to punish time wasting would arguably increase the level of shithousery that goes on late in games, not decrease it. It's not the time lost that's the issue, it's the niggly stopping of play and the breaking of momentum. A 30 minute clock won't stop this but it will reduce the referee's power to stop it happening. Tim Vickery makes a very convincing case on this.

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

Meanwhile the best NBA commentator is a woman.

When did Hubie or Walt Frazier have the sex change?

Keep seeing people drinking beer in the stands, since when was that allowed at football?

 

Can confirm it was allowed at Euro 2016 - however what isn't obvious, or wasn't obvious then, was that it was 0.5% shit.

It's the same here. They are selling diluted Budweiser in light-up cups for 350 ruble. At the cost and quality, the only drunks are those that arrived at the stadium that way.

This world cup is proving having 32 teams is absolutely perfect for balance of making it a World Cup and ensure competitiveness in most games.

Outside of Asia and Oceania (which is just lacking in depth of serious football nations compared to the sides that regularly qualify from AFC), I think the next 16 teams added will be fairly competitive. Everyone has talent and the lesser teams are at least tactically sound for the most part. The days of teams showing up to these events and just being embarrassed or looking clueless is over. The quality will be similar.

 

The bigger issue is with the idiotic format of the 48 team tournament. Instead of just doubling a normal 24 team tournament (the winner would play 8 matches instead of 7), we will have nonsensical three team groups in order to placate the clubs.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

I think Scott has been the best pundit tbh. I generally don't care about their analysis (and I don't care about hers either) but she's enthusiastic and doesn't come across as an awkward cringe/isnt boring/isn't weird like Keane etc so wins by default. The only problem is she talks like fucking Alan Pardew.

 

She is good, like. But you're right, her accent often ruins what her brain is telling her to verbalise. The analysis of Aguero's goal against Iceland and his centre of gravity, and a few other things from that game, were really clever and insightful. Just a shame she can often talk like she's gurning her tits off.

 

She's absolutely lush.  So smiley

 

Aye, proper smitten, like.

[54]

I think Scott has been the best pundit tbh. I generally don't care about their analysis (and I don't care about hers either) but she's enthusiastic and doesn't come across as an awkward cringe/isnt boring/isn't weird like Keane etc so wins by default. The only problem is she talks like f***ing Alan Pardew.

 

She is good, like. But you're right, her accent often ruins what her brain is telling her to verbalise. The analysis of Aguero's goal against Iceland and his centre of gravity, and a few other things from that game, were really clever and insightful. Just a shame she can often talk like she's gurning her tits off.

 

She's absolutely lush.  So smiley

 

Aye, proper smitten, like.

[Deuce]

Tunisia just missing a touch of class on some of these through balls

[Anderson]

 

What a modern day Yugoslavian team might've looked like.

[Stifler]

Are Sky and ITV sharing a studio?

[nufcjb]

Are Sky and ITV sharing a studio?

You mean BBC and ITV right? Not exactly the same studio but its next to each other at the Kremlin.

[nufcjb]

Am I Iooking in the wrong place or is there no world cup babes thread this time around for some reason?

[Stifler]

Are Sky and ITV sharing a studio?

You mean BBC and ITV right? Not exactly the same studio but its next to each other at the Kremlin.

Aye, sorry, BBC and ITV. Until today I haven’t seen manny games on ITV, though I have seen commentators and pundits move across the channels for different matches.

[joeyt]

Big Al and some Magskis