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Group A - Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Uruguay - URU & RUS advance


Wullie
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19 games gone and only four games have been won by more than a goal. Of those 19 games, three have been drawn. World Cups had more exhibition football when I was a kid. This all feels very pragmatic.

 

I maybe thinking with nostalgia but I think that's because there's less "stacked"  nations, all of them seem to have significant flaws at this WC which is making creative football difficult and making set pieces even more important.

 

I kind of like it though as I've come quite disillusioned with club football tbh.

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Some hipster on the Totally Football Show seemed to think that players haven't sussed what weight to put on the ball in creative situations yet, which is why there hasn't been many goals yet.

 

I'd wager that it's more to do with the fact that the vast majority of teams at this level are much better organised defensively than they once were. If you see a misshapen backline these days - anything other than a straight line - they get laughed at. So many teams are well-organised to compensate for their lack of talent at the business end of the pitch; Tunisia are as good an example as any. Even NUFC.

 

Hopefully it'll open up a bit more at the back end of the group stages when teams might need to go for it a bit more.

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Was listening to a podcast a while ago that touched on this kind of topic. The guest was the author of a book about Italia 90 and he made the point that very few of the teams in the tournament had any kind of tactics at all beyond the formation itself. This was backed up by him talking to lots of players and managers from the teams in the tournament. This meant that individual flair was much more important and easier to show than it is nowadays

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19 games gone and only four games have been won by more than a goal. Of those 19 games, three have been drawn. World Cups had more exhibition football when I was a kid. This all feels very pragmatic.

 

I maybe thinking with nostalgia but I think that's because there's less "stacked"  nations, all of them seem to have significant flaws at this WC which is making creative football difficult and making set pieces even more important.

 

I kind of like it though as I've come quite disillusioned with club football tbh.

 

Can’t stand it. :lol:

 

I think you’re right that there are significantly fewer stacked teams, and those that are stacked are poorer in quality than teams of yesteryear. However, I think it’s more to do with how it is acceptable it now is for minnows to be so unashamedly negative. Maybe I’m pedestalising the old days and selectively remembering a swashbuckling Brazil putting on a show against the tournament dross.

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The shit teams are better at not losing more than anything. 3rd round they likely won't have the choice to be as defensive.... they'll likely just be defensive for ~85 mins and try and steal a goal.

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goals per game per wc, 1990-2014

 

UcqKTMr.png

 

Just looks like everyone went mental in 1994 more than anything. Stupid America.

 

Also, we're on the uptick!

 

 

Playing in games at 2500*F probably contributed to that.

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goals per game per wc, 1990-2014

 

UcqKTMr.png

 

Just looks like everyone went mental in 1994 more than anything. Stupid America.

 

Also, we're on the uptick!

 

 

Playing in games at 2500*F probably contributed to that.

 

Qatar WC should be mint for goals then.

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goals per game per wc, 1990-2014

 

UcqKTMr.png

 

Just looks like everyone went mental in 1994 more than anything. Stupid America.

 

Also, we're on the uptick!

 

 

Must've been the outstanding atmosphere, wonderful fans, luxurious accommodations, and exquisite infrastructure giving players the confidence to play at their very best. Greatest WC evah. #USAUSAUSA #2026 #itscominghome #superpure

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goals per game per wc, 1990-2014

 

UcqKTMr.png

 

Just looks like everyone went mental in 1994 more than anything. Stupid America.

 

Also, we're on the uptick!

 

 

Must've been the outstanding atmosphere, wonderful fans, luxurious accommodations, and exquisite infrastructure giving players the confidence to play at their very best. Greatest WC evah. #USAUSAUSA #2026 #itscominghome #superpure

 

Can’t be many countries that were exponentially better in 94 than current day ;)

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Fifa refuses to reveal Russia drug test numbers following hosts' staggering World Cup start

 

Fifa has refused to reveal how many drugs tests it has conducted on Russia’s World Cup squad following their staggering start to the tournament.

 

The game’s governing body would also not disclose whether any had taken place beyond those post-match amid a call from one of sport’s most senior anti-doping officials for it to publish details of each one carried out at football’s flagship event.

 

pjXcvAz.png

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2018/06/21/fifa-refuse-reveal-russia-drug-test-numbers-following-hostss/

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Guest firetotheworks

 

Absolutely suspicious. No doubt about it.

After watching Icarus (no relation) there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that they've cheated like. [emoji38]
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:lol: The host doing exceedingly well under suspicious circumstances is a World Cup tradition, tbh. I'd be stunned if Qatar leave 2022 with anything less than four points.

 

Fwiw, Russia were abhorrent until exactly nine days ago, doping or not. Even if they have stuffed the players with amphetamines for the matches, the performances are impressive.

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