World Cup Discussion Thread - Day 7 (20 June)

[riggi]

Come on Iran!

 

[LaSpurs]

I'll give them they know how to create chances, but holy hell do I want them to take their vuvuzelas and go home...

 

[Marty]

It seems like some people want to see exhibition games, where the big teams rack up the score against the minnow teams like it’s another day at training. BORING.

These games have been entertaining so far. Morocco, Iran, England been knocking it about and giving what’s for to the best of their ability.

While I agree with your general point, Iran have just now proved that negativity for the sake of negativity was most likely detrimental to their chances of getting something, because since Spain scored they've carved out a few really good chances and should've scored at least once.

Playing to the best of ability is fine, but being utterly negative when you have players capable of doing good things in attacking areas is not. Iran tonight could've found a much better balance.

 

[wirE]

It was a great call by him. The linos have been pretty good in this tournament.

Overall Imo the ref's been quite good so far in the tournament. The VAR working as a safety net when there's a questionable decision

 

[cwy21]

The linos have been pretty good in this tournament.

They're pretty much always this good. It's just people remember the one or two big offside errors that happen in each World Cup.

 

[Sandros Shiny Head]

How embarrassing was that hahaha

 

[Gbspurs]

How embarrassing was that hahaha

Super cringe

 

[rez9000]

Proud of Iran. Gave it their all.

 

[tiger666]

Good

 

[Anurag Jo]

Proud of Iran. Gave it their all.

Great effort.

 

[werty]

Shame.

Enjoyed the second half.

 

[DFF]

While I agree with your general point, Iran have just now proved that negativity for the sake of negativity was most likely detrimental to their chances of getting something, because since Spain scored they've carved out a few really good chances and should've scored at least once.

Playing to the best of ability is fine, but being utterly negative when you have players capable of doing good things in attacking areas is not. Iran tonight could've found a much better balance.

Or they could’ve played open from the start and been 3-0 down at half time. I don’t blame teams like this setting up conservatively.

No different than when Spurs play bottom half teams that park the bus. Do they have players that can hurt us? Yes. Do I blame them for parking the bus? No, because it seems to work half the bloody time

 

[Shadydan]

Or they could’ve played open from the start and been 3-0 down at half time. I don’t blame teams like this setting up conservatively.

No different than when Spurs play bottom half teams that park the bus. Do they have players that can hurt us? Yes. Do I blame them for parking the bus? No, because it seems to work half the bloody time

I think there's a difference, when Iran went forward they look like they could play a bit and had a bit of composure, they threatened a bit more in the 2nd half when they went forward. I understand the need for pragmatism but I reckon they could have got a bit of joy going forward if they weren't intent on parking the bus.

 

[LSUY]

Or they could’ve played open from the start and been 3-0 down at half time. I don’t blame teams like this setting up conservatively.

No different than when Spurs play bottom half teams that park the bus. Do they have players that can hurt us? Yes. Do I blame them for parking the bus? No, because it seems to work half the bloody time

But there's a difference between parking the bus in order to contain a superior opposition and parking the bus with the extra of going down at the slightest touch in order to waste time. If Iran had just sat back, fine. But the keeper going down hurt, realising he was off the pitch, rolling back on and staying down was just irritating.

 

[DFF]

We’re having a go at Iran for not taking the game to Spain. I’ll feel like I’m in the upside down.

 

[SdB]

The odds on Keane sorting out Billic before the end of the tournament must be shortening.

 

[rez9000]

We’re having a go at Iran for not taking the game to Spain. I’ll feel like I’m in the upside down.

It was like the ITV commentary saying Iran's gamesmanship was 'cheating'. It is, but they haven't used that word to describe any other country's gamesmanship...

 

[DFF]

It was like the ITV commentary saying Iran's gamesmanship was 'cheating'. It is, but they haven't used that word to describe any other country's gamesmanship...

Reminds me of Juve’s “experienced” defending against us. When it’s an uppity team it’s “cheating”.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Germany yes, but France and Belgium - no cohesion, same for the Argies who's game plan is to rely on 1 player, Portugal is just an extreme version of that and Brazil haven't got started yet, I'd say that these teams have created their own problems as opposed to the opposition doing it for them.

It's a mixture of things. I think it's the general raising of standards in world football and it's the inherent issues that even great teams invariably have. And it's the first round of games.

I think Deschamps, Martinez and to a slightly lesser extent, Low are all flawed coaches who are making what could be great teams less effective than they could be, with their applications. And then, as you say, you have teams like Portugal and Argentina, who are very one player centric, but in different ways. But I don’t think any of that that makes for a terrible tournament, it just adds to the intrigue.

I'm now 30 minutes into the Spain (who I think are the probably best team there - in terms of having a great team and playing to the strengths of that team) v Iran game (who must be one of the lowest ranked), and it's like a rerun of Mourinho's Inter v Barca at Camp Nou about 8 years ago, Spain haven't laid a glove on them yet. It's tactically fascinating.

I saw people (cough.. @Trix ) predict Uruguay/Saudi would be the most one sided game of the tournament, it was almost the reverse. That to me is far more interesting than just the "best" teams cantering through everyone.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

54 minutes in, jammy buggers. Iran miss a fabulous chance then Costa gets a fluke. Pressure telling I guess, but Iran had defended so well, they'd barely allowed Spain a sniff.