Group E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan (Japan and Spain qualify)

[TheBrownBottle]

That’s a fantastically shite goal - utterly laughable by Japan

[Mike]

1 minute ago, ponsaelius said:

I'm absolutely done with this World Cup, man. It's hateful

 

You know this is the last good World Cup, aye?

[TheBrownBottle]

The Japanese keeper is was channeling prime Mike Hooper there

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

If this result remains the same, Germany have a good chance of going through even with a loss to Spain today.

[Pata]

50 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

I know Japan won the first game, and I admittedly missed the second half, but I actually think they might be shit. Certainly less than the sum of their parts and really hard to watch compared to past Japan teams.

 

They were absolute garbage for the first 70 minutes against Germany. Germany probably second favourites to go through right now, funny group.

[Yorkie]

2 minutes ago, gbandit said:

Japan had an absolutely amazing opportunity to go through today and now they’ve got a decent chance of being dumped out when they play Spain. What a joke 

 

Aye, so annoying. Germany just need to avoid defeat tonight really; four points should be enough for them.

[Pata]

Just now, Yorkie said:

 

Aye, so annoying. Germany just need to avoid defeat tonight really; four points should be enough for them.

 

Even 3 points could be enough if they batter Costa Rica.

[gbandit]

This is exactly the type of performance that Japan are known for, absolutely enraging 

[joeyt]

Mad how they didn't start Mitoma

[gbandit]

Japan have been abysmal at shielding the ball and being first to the ball when they already have a headstart. Also been absurdly bad at lofted passes, always too much on them

[Yorkie]

Endo is absolutely terrible.

[LiquidAK]

Ah that's absolutely gutting for the Japanese. 

[ponsaelius]

Yeah I'm done with this tournament like. So many teams getting rewarded for setting up and playing absolutely abominable football. It's hideous.

 

The Japan manager is hardly any better either. Playing a 5 ft 5 winger from the J League over players who are playing for big clubs in Europe. Then waiting until you're losing before bringing everybody who is any good on. Idiots, shite.

[gbandit]

It’s been a shite tournament so far. I’ve not watched all the games as I just started a new job and have a newborn but of the 8-10 games I’ve watched they’ve almost all been awful 

[ponsaelius]

Saudi against Poland and Canada against Belgium are two of the only games I've seen where any team properly went at it from the off and played with real vigour and high intensity. And they both couldn't score and lost. 

[gbandit]

Aye, Canada against Belgium had the best pace to it out of all the games I’ve watched 

[Kimbo]

I’m trying to remember if group stages are always this shite.

[Jaqen]

More annoyed about that than the England game 

 

What an absolutely pathetic loss. Type of keeping you see at under 12 level when it's their first time in full size goals. 

 

[ponsaelius]

1 minute ago, Kimbo said:

I’m trying to remember if group stages are always this shite.

 

They're definitely not, like. Brazil 2014 was brilliant in the group stages then fizzled out a bit in the knockouts.

 

Russia 2018 perhaps wasn't quite as good in the group stages as Brazil but was actually good all throughout the competition. And there was only one 0-0 in the whole thing.

 

The only tournament in my lifetime that was as bad as this so far was 2010 where the football was utterly dreadful. But the Jabulani was so crap you at least got the odd random screamer out of nowhere to break the monotony of the football and endless buzzing of the crowd.

[Yorkie]

1 minute ago, Kimbo said:

I’m trying to remember if group stages are always this shite.

 

Pretty sure this is the worst in my lifetime. South Africa was bad as well iirc but this is on another level. Terrible game after terrible game. Sewelly's right about the spoiling tactics being probably the biggest issue but honestly it's just the total lack of quality which has made it so tedious to watch too. There's been so little genuinely great football; feel like I've only seen it from like three teams but they didn't even make for particularly good contests (eg France/Australia, Spain/Costa Rica).

[toon25]

2 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

Pretty sure this is the worst in my lifetime. South Africa was bad as well iirc but this is on another level. Terrible game after terrible game. Sewelly's right about the spoiling tactics being probably the biggest issue but honestly it's just the total lack of quality which has made it so tedious to watch too. There's been so little genuinely great football; feel like I've only seen it from like three teams but they didn't even make for particularly good contests (eg France/Australia, Spain/Costa Rica).

Totally agree with this. We'd see more quality from a round of League 2 fixtures on a Saturday.

 

It's been utterly dreadful stuff. Very little by way of exciting new talent or players to watch either. A lot of the top sides haven't moved on since the last world cup and those that have - England included - have shite, safety-first, approaches/coaches.

 

 

Edited November 27, 2022 by toon25

[Paullow]

Great result for Germany. They'll possibly go through on 3 points now.

 

I guess on paper it makes the group more interesting because if Japan and Spain won then it would just be group winners on the line, or had Japan drew and Germany lost, then Japan would have been effectively through on goal difference (vs Costa Rica), but now every team will be in it on the last day, but you'd expect Germany to comfortable beat CR, and probably Spain beating Japan (unless they play out of draw...)

 

Japan must be fuming, beat Germany, in a great position, then lose to the worst team in the competition.

[Nate]

Joe Cole fancying some of those Klinsmann headlines. 

[Rich]

Only took watching five games on the bounce to kill @ponsaelius’ enthusiasm. ?

[ponsaelius]