Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
resotele
hi Stoneage, we'll have Sweden - Switzerland !!!

your qualification is a surprise, ours was rather expected

resotele

I had predicted Sweden and Germany to the next round. Mexico was the big surprise, imo. Sweden beat Holland and Italy on their way to Russia.

Congrats to Switzerland as well, although it was foolish keeping their best defenders on the pitch when Brazil had a 2-0 lead.

Now Lichtsteiner and Schär are out for the Sweden-match...

we have other good defenders like Michael Lang (he is the only member of the swiss team who still plays in Switzerland, in Basel), Johan Djourou or Nico Elvedi. Sweden will be a tough game, but that goes for both teams. I guess it will be a hard fight, with hopefully the better end for us

resotele

Quote
resotele

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
resotele
hi Stoneage, we'll have Sweden - Switzerland !!!

your qualification is a surprise, ours was rather expected

resotele

I had predicted Sweden and Germany to the next round. Mexico was the big surprise, imo. Sweden beat Holland and Italy on their way to Russia.

Congrats to Switzerland as well, although it was foolish keeping their best defenders on the pitch when Brazil had a 2-0 lead.

Now Lichtsteiner and Schär are out for the Sweden-match...

we have other good defenders like Michael Lang (he is the only member of the swiss team who still plays in Switzerland, in Basel), Johan Djourou or Nico Elvedi. Sweden will be a tough game, but that goes for both teams. I guess it will be a hard fight, with hopefully the better end for us

resotele

It will be a tight game indeed.

I follow Basel a bit, since our Moi Elyounussi plays there (but not for long, I read..).

Lang is solid as a rock. However, changing out two out of four in the defender-chain before the play offs will never be a dream scenario

I like Grasshoppers.

Big congrats to MonoNom, picked 3 less matches than some of us, sits in 2nd. Very good predicting, Congrats to leader Quique Stone also.

I would have expected more goals scored in these two early games.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2018-06-28 19:31 by BroomWagon.

England - Belgium. Many fear 0-0. The desirable position would be number two in that group apparently. So no team wants to win. Kane is on the bench for instance. How will the audience react to another 0-0?

Coolest player's last name of the world cup:
a british player called : Stones !!!-
Rockandroll,
Mops

Quote
rollmops
Coolest player's last name of the world cup:
a british player called : Stones !!!-
Rockandroll,
Mops

...Stones from England

I'm speechless about Germany's football playing in this WC 2018, still don't know what to think and what to say...

I'm from Uruguay btw and will have a really hard match against Portugal next Saturday...but we believe in our players!

Quote
Stoneage
England - Belgium. Many fear 0-0. The desirable position would be number two in that group apparently. So no team wants to win. Kane is on the bench for instance. How will the audience react to another 0-0?

Look out for three or four English subs making fouls, getting yellow cards toward the end of the match.

I'm from Uruguay btw and will have a really hard match against Portugal next Saturday...but we believe in our players![/quote]

Congratulations (to you and to your team) and I wish you good luck

resotele


edit : changin look to luck



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-06-28 22:31 by resotele.

Quote
resotele
Congratulations (to you and to your team) and I wish you good look
resotele

Thanks!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-06-28 22:28 by Quique-stone.

10 European, 5 South American and 1 Asian team (Japan) through to the round of 16. None from Africa.

Quote
Stoneage
10 European, 5 South American and 1 Asian team (Japan) through to the round of 16. None from Africa.

It was as close as can be with Senegal, though. Well, almost..

Quote
Stoneage
None from Africa.

I guess there must be something notable with Africa in that case, if that's worth of mentioning. Something to be make some moral out of it? Especially if the the Swedes are still "in".

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-06-29 02:00 by Doxa.

Quote
Stoneage
10 European, 5 South American and 1 Asian team (Japan) through to the round of 16. None from Africa.

Africa has a lot of turmoil; Nigeria had some big problems there this past weekend, they have a huge population too.

For the record, Mexico would NOT be a South American team, Are they Central? Or North America? I'm not sure but they still are in it. They are in CONCACAF, Confederation of North and Central American Federations.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-06-29 02:05 by BroomWagon.

Regarding the African nations: it should be noted that many of the great footballers who would be eligible to represent the country of their parentage or birth opt not too. They'd rather represent their European home.

You're right, Broomwagon. Mexico is a Central American country. Let's change South America to Latin America then.

Doxa: It's just a statistical observation. Not a political statement. Personally, I would have liked an African country is the final stages. They had two teams in 2014 and one in 2010 making that.
I also miss a North American team in the WC. I always liked the way Team USA plays. Very offensive football, entertaining to watch. And why not Finland? Look at Iceland. If Iceland can, Finland can...

Quote
Stoneage
You're right, Broomwagon. Mexico is a Central American country. Let's change South America to Latin America then.

Doxa: It's just a statistical observation. Not a political statement. Personally, I would have liked an African country is the final stages. They had two teams in 2014 and one in 2010 making that.
I also miss a North American team in the WC. I always liked the way Team USA plays. Very offensive football, entertaining to watch. And why not Finland? Look at Iceland. If Iceland can, Finland can...

All of these countries had the opportunity to qualify, like everyone else. Like my own nation (Scotland) they failed to do so because they weren't good enough.

Mexico is part of the North american continent.
Rockandroll,
Mops

You're right, Rollmops. Let's call it Latin America then. So that even people without any sense of direction, like myself, gets it right...

Sorry about the size. Maybe someone can find smaller graphics?





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2018-06-29 20:34 by Stoneage.

The really hot games are France -Argentina, Uruguay - Portugal, Colombia - England and Brasil - Mexico (and Sweden - Switzerland, but probably not for the quality of the players and the game, but for the intensity). The other games have clear favourites : Belgium, Spain and Croatia.

But maybe I'm wrong, as so often in the past week ... coming down again

Today no football, so probably time for a nice bbq in the garden

resotele

I think the hottest (not only due to the hot Russian summer) game will be Brazil-Mexico. Because of the rivalry between the nations and the "derby" feel of it.
And perhaps the England game. Whenever England is involved there is always drama. After all - they invented the game...

There has been a good surprise so far (for how long ?), no russian hooliganism.

But if Russia and England meet in quarter final, then, the 7th of July could be very hot.

I see Portugal and Spain in final.
Portugal imo has improved its offensive game compared to 2 years ago.

I've been impressed by Croatia, they play fast and are tough physically.
they could be the surprise that no one expected.

Quote
jpasc95

But if Russia and England meet in quarter final, then, the 7th of July could be very hot.

very unlikely that Russia will win against Spain



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-06-30 11:42 by slewan.

Quote
Jpasc95
But if Russia and England meet in quarter final, then, the 7th of July could be very hot

Won't happen. They can only meet in a semifinal.

Quote
Jpasc95
There has been a good surprise so far (for how long ?), no russian hooliganism

Surprise, really? Why should they wreck their own championship?

Quote
Stoneage

Quote
Jpasc95
There has been a good surprise so far (for how long ?), no russian hooliganism

Surprise, really? Why should they wreck their own championship?

Some hooligans just don't care for soccer.
Their sole concern is to look for fight and count the wounded.

Quote
jpasc95

Quote
Stoneage

Quote
Jpasc95
There has been a good surprise so far (for how long ?), no russian hooliganism

Surprise, really? Why should they wreck their own championship?

Some hooligans just don't care for soccer.
Their sole concern is to look for fight and count the wounded.

Okey. But in Russia Putin is President. I don't think they dare. Putin isn't like any other European leader...

Quote
Stoneage

Quote
jpasc95

Quote
Stoneage

Quote
Jpasc95
There has been a good surprise so far (for how long ?), no russian hooliganism

Surprise, really? Why should they wreck their own championship?

Some hooligans just don't care for soccer.
Their sole concern is to look for fight and count the wounded.

Okey. But in Russia Putin is President. I don't think they dare. Putin isn't like any other European leader...

I hope you're right !