The Round of 16

[Pata]

That Portugal squad is ridiculously talented and tons of options off the bench too. Think they are a legit contender now, hard to say anyone to be definitely a lot better than them.

[Pata]

3 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

The reason no one was talking about them was because no one had a clue they had Ramos or Leao up their sleeves.

Leao is hardly unknown if you watch any continental football at all.  

[Shak]

11 minutes ago, Flip said:

Portugal have to be the favourites after this. Sure, Swiss players looked ill. But that is a class performance.

 

I mean, your lads were just as impressive last night tbh.

 

Personally would have Brazil as slight favourites over France and then a bit of a gap back to England, Argentina and Portugal who are all much of a muchness IMO. Anything can happen, of course, but I have a hard time seeing any of the other three winning it.

 

Second round was a bit shit tbh, hopefully the quarters are a bit better.

[samptime29]

Wow Portugal. Fair play. Definitely a contender. Really excited for the quarters now.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

ITV solidifying their place as worst football broadcaster having Nigel de Jong as a pundit.

[Astroblack]

Raphael Guerrero is a great player. Kind of underrated in a weird way. 

[Kanj]

Surely the Swiss camp was sick or something? Completely weird collapse from a usually sound side. Portugal also just had their moment, Ramos especially. 

[Lotus]

2 hours ago, Astroblack said:

Raphael Guerrero is a great player. Kind of underrated in a weird way. 

He’s got a wand of a left foot but he’s a bad defender. 
Very lazy when out of position too. 
He’s like those old Brazilian fullbacks from way back when. Only contributed when crossing the half way line. 

[nemtizz]

It's ours if we beat France.

[tgarve]

23 minutes ago, nemtizz said:

It's ours if we beat France.

I agree - especially how much that will change the mentality 

[Jaqen]

1 hour ago, Lotus said:

He’s got a wand of a left foot but he’s a bad defender. 
Very lazy when out of position too. 
He’s like those old Brazilian fullbacks from way back when. Only contributed when crossing the half way line. 

 

Wasn't he a LM that has just been converted down to lb? He plays like it. 

[Deuce]

5 hours ago, Kid Icarus said:

Mad to think Ronaldo would be in my year at school. The thought of playing any kind of competitive sport now compared to when I was 19 feels totally alien. Can't imagine the gear he's on.

Definitely seems like the kind of weirdo who has a “blood boy”

[Deuce]

2 hours ago, nemtizz said:

It's ours if we beat France.

[Lotus]

7 hours ago, Jaqen said:

 

Wasn't he a LM that has just been converted down to lb? He plays like it. 

Yes, think Tuchel decided he could be a LB. Subsequent managers have thought the same for Dortmund. I think it’s lack of serious competition for the place though. 
 

If you have winger in front of him who loves defending and also has the legs to continually give an option wide left then Guerreiro has the space to be good on the ball and no responsibility to bother his arse when out of possession. He can very effective in that set up. He’s got. Wry good vision, good close control and his left foot is a weapon.

[Froggy]

Bruno in the running for player of the tournament, and it's even more satisfying that Ronaldo is nowhere to be seen.  His ego has allowed him to have a spectacular fall from grace this last few months. 

[ponsaelius]

This is basically gaslighting at this point. Setting a team up to completely monopolise possession of the ball, including playing without a forward, and not shooting regularly at goal (because it risks losing the ball and thus being countered upon) is to the intent of suffocation and to prevent any natural cut and thrust of a football match breaking out. It is fundamentally a defensive tactic by its very design. It has been the modus operandi ever since that loss to Switzerland in 2010.

 

Spain's games are always the worst at a tournament for this reason, and the other side is always blamed for it entirely for some reason.

 

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by ponsaelius

[St1pe]

2 hours ago, Froggy said:

Bruno in the running for player of the tournament, and it's even more satisfying that Ronaldo is nowhere to be seen.  His ego has allowed him to have a spectacular fall from grace this last few months. 

Found the shift in narrative around him quite surprising to a certain extent considering he had a good season last year. 
 

Since that self-inflicted wound of his Man U exit and the Morgan interview everyone has been desperate for him to fail. 
 

He’s 38 and still contributing at the top level.

 

For the record I think he’s a bellend. I just found it quite fascinating how the tide can turn on people stemming from social media. 
 

 

 

 

 

[gbandit]

For the record, I’ve always despised him 

[Yorkie]

At this point I'm not sure I've ever disliked a non-Newcastle player more. He's absolutely hideous and I can't wait for him to fuck off.

[Interpolic]

Ronaldo is still contributing in terms of numbers but to the detriment of the team he is in. He would weaken any top side in the world the way he plays now. The intensity of the modern game allows no passengers.

[Flip]

3 hours ago, Froggy said:

Bruno in the running for player of the tournament, and it's even more satisfying that Ronaldo is nowhere to be seen.  His ego has allowed him to have a spectacular fall from grace this last few months. 

Yeah, Bruno has been great the two games I watched against Uruguay and Switzerland. However, FIFA going to find a way to give it to Messi or Mbappé as long as one of them makes it to the final.

[tgarve]

1 hour ago, St1pe said:

Found the shift in narrative around him quite surprising to a certain extent considering he had a good season last year. 
 

Since that self-inflicted wound of his Man U exit and the Morgan interview everyone has been desperate for him to fail. 
 

He’s 38 and still contributing at the top level.

 

For the record I think he’s a bellend. I just found it quite fascinating how the tide can turn on people stemming from social media. 
 

 

 

 

 

The general consensus has been for a while that he handicaps the teams he plays for- he made a huge mistake in not going to city 

[Froggy]

2 hours ago, St1pe said:

Found the shift in narrative around him quite surprising to a certain extent considering he had a good season last year. 
 

Since that self-inflicted wound of his Man U exit and the Morgan interview everyone has been desperate for him to fail. 
 

He’s 38 and still contributing at the top level.

 

For the record I think he’s a bellend. I just found it quite fascinating how the tide can turn on people stemming from social media. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

His reputation was pretty much fully intact with us until he did that interview and shit on anyone and everyone.

 

He made a big mistake going after the manager, who fans have the utmost faith after the decisions he's made so far.

[Kid Icarus]

Football's mad like. The bloke admitted to raping someone and his reputation wasn't just fine, he was a legend. He goes on Piers Morgan and says bad things about a football club and there's a sudden realisation amongst its fans that he is and always has been a cunt. 

 

Not a dig either btw, the same applies with every club and applies 100x over with our owners and the love in for them vs Mike Ashley, an odious cunt in his own right but nothing compared to MBS.

 

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by Kid Icarus

[Froggy]

8 minutes ago, Kid Icarus said:

Football's mad like. The bloke admitted to raping someone and his reputation wasn't just fine, he was a legend. He goes on Piers Morgan and says bad things about a football club and there's a sudden realisation amongst its fans that he is and always has been a cunt. 

 

Not a dig either btw, the same applies with every club and applies 100x over with our owners and the love in for them vs Mike Ashley, an odious cunt in his own right but nothing compared to MBS.

 

That's just a case of innocent until proven guilty and his lawyers have said the Der Spiegel documents are fabrication. Fans will stand by their players until there's evidence that makes it impossible to. I read the Der Spiegel documents, and if they're real then not only is he a scumbag but he's an absolute idiot of the highest degree, and his lawyers are even worse.