2018 FIFA World Cup

Your favorite to win the 2018 World Cup?


  • Total voters
    19

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Just watching it now.
Naymar is a great talent but Coutinho is far more productive and reliable.
Naymar reminds me of Robinho too often flatters to deceive
It gets better as the match goes on:lol:
 
The Germans don't see England as a rival or old enemy in football, they assume they will win, their rivals are Brazil Italy and Argentina.

That's one of the most arrogant statements i have heard in a while. And when its come down to important matches between the two countries there has been nothing to separate the two sides except the odd goal or a penalty shoot out. And lets face it, Germans assume they will beat everyone. Well their assumptions didnt get them very far with South korea. Germany are a good physical unit, and like i said they can be clinical. But their play lacks any kind of passion or flare. Individual skill is severely lacking and this world cup has exposed all that. But hey its just imo. And at least German fans have a new song to sing now.....

Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye :wave:
 
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That's one of the most arrogant statements i have heard in a while. And when its come down to important matches between the two countries there has been nothing to separate the two sides except the odd goal or a penalty shoot out. And lets face it, Germans assume they will beat everyone. Well their assumptions didnt get them very far with South korea. But hey at least German fans have a new song to sing now.....

Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye :wave:
I am a brit I just worked in Germany, The Germans are with England as England are with Scotland. The Germans assume they will beat England because they normally do. Ive seen 3 championships in Germany, they don't expect to win at all.
 
I am a brit I just worked in Germany, The Germans are with England as England are with Scotland. The Germans assume they will beat England because they normally do. Ive seen 3 championships in Germany, they don't expect to win at all.
Perhaps i misread you. It's cool. Im not trying to be obnoxious. And i too spent 2 years in Germany during my tour. I actually like the country and the people were always very friendly. A lot of good teams are being exposed in this world cup. Im just glad England didnt go into the tournament with any huge expectation. After all, just look at the Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard and Rooney etc.... generation. Supposedly world class players who choked at every major tournament. The last national competition England played well in was way back in Euro 96. Before that it was Italia 90. The golden balls generation wasnt so golden after all. More like copper lol
I dont expect England to win or come close, but as long as they play with some guile and effort i'll be happy.
 
That's one of the most arrogant statements i have heard in a while. And when its come down to important matches between the two countries there has been nothing to separate the two sides except the odd goal or a penalty shoot out. And lets face it, Germans assume they will beat everyone. Well their assumptions didnt get them very far with South korea. Germany are a good physical unit, and like i said they can be clinical. But their play lacks any kind of passion or flare. Individual skill is severely lacking and this world cup has exposed all that. But hey its just imo. And at least German fans have a new song to sing now.....

Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye :wave:

Actually there was nothing arrogant about it. Germany does not view England as a rival team, and has not for at least 40 years. Not trying to be mean, but it's the truth.

Brazil
Argentina
Italy
Netherland

Those are the rival teams.

The German team does not lack talent. They are 2nd to none in those regards. Thry have an excellent youth program to develop thst talent.

What this team lacks is leadership. After the 2014 WC when the leaders Lahm, Schweinsteiger and Klose retired, they lost that element.

Germany will find it very soon, and they will be back for the Euro 2020 as strong as ever.
 
Perhaps i misread you. It's cool. Im not trying to be obnoxious. And i too spent 2 years in Germany during my tour. I actually like the country and the people were always very friendly. A lot of good teams are being exposed in this world cup. Im just glad England didnt go into the tournament with any huge expectation. After all, just look at the Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard and Rooney etc.... generation. Supposedly world class players who choked at every major tournament. The last national competition England played well in was way back in Euro 96. Before that it was Italia 90. The golden balls generation wasnt so golden after all. More like copper lol
I dont expect England to win or come close, but as long as they play with some guile and effort i'll be happy.
The England team was picked by the press, playing Lampard Gerrard and Beckham made as much sense as playing 3 Beckenbauers for their clubs they were attacking, playmaking midfielders who took set pieces and corners.
 
Not seen the Brazil game, i have not seen what Naymar brings to Brazil apart from diving and rolling around faking injuries

So that brings up a point I'd like an answer to. I don't consider myself a football/soccer fan and am not very knowledgeable about it. However, when the WC comes around, I do watch some games with interest. Whereas I do see the attraction to the game concept and the skill of the players, I have to say though that I don't understand why these kinds of theatrics by many players are apparently tolerated by the fans and FIFA. To me, it does a HUGE disservice to the game and is possibly the main reason that the game can't seem to increase its fan base in North America. In North American sports, there is nowhere near this kind of ridiculous behaviour.

Is there or has there ever been any effort to recognize this behaviour as a problem and to do something about it?

35404351_1978652978841259_9034992293056086016_n.jpg
 
So that brings up a point I'd like an answer to. I don't consider myself a football/soccer fan and am not very knowledgeable about it. However, when the WC comes around, I do watch some games with interest. Whereas I do see the attraction to the game concept and the skill of the players, I have to say though that I don't understand why these kinds of theatrics by many players are apparently tolerated by the fans and FIFA. To me, it does a HUGE disservice to the game and is possibly the main reason that the game can't seem to increase its fan base in North America. In North American sports, there is nowhere near this kind of ridiculous behaviour.

Is there or has there ever been any effort to recognize this behaviour as a problem and to do something about it?

View attachment 499683
Football used to be a very hard physical contact game. The men who played it frequently had their careers ended and later life affected by the fouls and hard tackles. Some of the best players were almost kicked out of the game like George Best Marc Overmars and Diego Maradona. The referees have been told to protect players, to do that they give them a yellow card which means if he commits another bad foul he can be sent off. This has become part of the game. I hate it but I am neutral, I don't have team I support. To football fans they hate everyone doing it except their own player. The stupid thing is in UK and France we watch Rugby which is as hard a physical game as American Football and they don't have the protection.
 
Football used to be a very hard physical contact game. The men who played it frequently had their careers ended and later life affected by the fouls and hard tackles. Some of the best players were almost kicked out of the game like George Best Marc Overmars and Diego Maradona. The referees have been told to protect players, to do that they give them a yellow card which means if he commits another bad foul he can be sent off. This has become part of the game. I hate it but I am neutral, I don't have team I support. To football fans they hate everyone doing it except their own player. The stupid thing is in UK and France we watch Rugby which is as hard a physical game as American Football and they don't have the protection.

Absolutely correct.

As for the rugby and protection comparison to American Football, I think a lot of that has to do with the kind of tackling and hitting. Rugby while an extremely rough sport, has less head to head contact, and head on tackling than American Football does. The types of injuries are different. In the NFL you see more severe head, neck and spinal injuries. Again Rugby is brutally rough, just a different type of rough.

Also in 1905, American Football was almost banned because of deaths caused by head injuries. 18 players died, and over 150 were seriously injured. Because of this helmets became more and more the practice, but it was not until 1943 that they became mandatory.
 
Don't forget the Dutch. We view them more of a rival than the Brits.
For us it is the same. Beating Germany is almost more important than winning the cup :lol:
Remarkable though is that they sold more German shirts than Belgian ones in my country this year. It seems that if we don't play them, it's okay to root for Germany after all.
Btw I vote for an Oscar for Neymar.
 
For us it is the same. Beating Germany is almost more important than winning the cup :lol:
Remarkable though is that they sold more German shirts than Belgian ones in my country this year. It seems that if we don't play them, it's okay to root for Germany after all.
Btw I vote for an Oscar for Neymar.

I think the rivalry with the Dutch is the one I love the most. The one with the Italians I hate the most...;)
 
Australia was eliminated by Peru and the lackadaisical effort by France against Denmark, which resulted in a draw . both results were enough to kill us off.

Surprised at the German elimination
 
Germany play some top sides and not Tunisia or Panama so I don't feel the joy of them going out. No big deal.
Don't watch every game but have watched Brazil every game. I think the Serbs gave it a go.
England or rather the 2018 world cup winners as I like to call them....face Belgium so will have to find info on how strong each team will play.as 2nd place look nice. Probably plenty of own goals!!!
 
Absolutely correct.

As for the rugby and protection comparison to American Football, I think a lot of that has to do with the kind of tackling and hitting. Rugby while an extremely rough sport, has less head to head contact, and head on tackling than American Football does. The types of injuries are different. In the NFL you see more severe head, neck and spinal injuries. Again Rugby is brutally rough, just a different type of rough.

Also in 1905, American Football was almost banned because of deaths caused by head injuries. 18 players died, and over 150 were seriously injured. Because of this helmets became more and more the practice, but it was not until 1943 that they became mandatory.
The number and effects of concussion is increasing in Rugby too, despite various rule changes to reduce head injuries like high and spear tackles. Rugby players have changed since it became a professional game, they have put on weight and it is all muscle. From 1962 to present day it is 85Kg to 104 Kg in average weight, but the big guys, the forwards in the England team average 114Kg with the biggest players the props getting up to 155Kg.
 
I know about and understand the yellow card syatem for fouls. That's fine. But why don't they yellow card the injury embellishers? Does soccer have an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty like the NHL? If not why not?
 

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