World Cup 2018 thread

[Goofle]

Really? I've always thought he was a loser.

[Ol’ Qwerty Bastard]

i suppose as an arsenal fan you would know

[Cuthbert]

Chile down 1-0 at HT.

Germany are going to be a threat again next year, no reason why they can't win it. Werner coming through at the right time.

Bastards.

[Cuthbert]

Lukaku scored a hat trick last night, Belgium 9-0 Malta.

Ronaldo scored one too, Portugal 5-1 Faroe Islands.

The big hitters of world football shouldn't have to qualify imo, make it top 20 in the world rankings are included automatically and have everyone else fight for 12 places, what good do either Belgium, Portugal, Faroe Islands or Malta get from last night's games?

The Netherlands lost 4-0 away to France. The current Dutch side is as bad as I've ever known it, 3 points behind a play off place in 4th (need to finish 2nd). They've gone from 4th to 36th in the world rankings. Their squad no longer has any big hitters unless you count 33 year olds Robben & Sneijder and 34 year old van Persie.

[Ol’ Qwerty Bastard]

really hope it's Belgium's year but i don't think we're there yet. France are looking brilliant and most of their best players aren't even in their prime yet. think they'll give Germany a run for their money as the powerhouse of world football in the coming years.

biggest difference for me is France have the star players whereas Germany is a team where everyone has a role to serve and that's it.

would rather have Pogba and Kante in a big game than any German midfielders and Mbappe and Griezy up front are better than any attack Germany can mount.

'course defensively the Germans are rock solid

[Cuthbert]

Belgium have got no chance tbh. I said a few years ago on here, they have big names all over the pitch but aren't really a great team. Same as England were 2004-2010.

San Marino - Northern Ireland
Lithuania - Scotland
Malta - England

Tempted to watch the Scotland match tonight, no point watching England because it's a matter of how many we win by. Same with NI and they've already pretty much confirmed a play off spot. Scotland win and they are one point behind 2nd place with three games to go, so I'll watch them.

#TeamUK

Oh btw I think Brazil might win the WC.

[Ol’ Qwerty Bastard]

disagree, they're a great team they just lack the depth of a France, Germany, Brazil, etc.

Hazard, Lukaku, Carrasco, Nainggolan, Dembele, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, De Bruyne, Courtois, Mertens, Benteke, etc etc etc

can't think of an English team that could rival that imho. with Naingo stepping down this year we have a big gap to fill though and it will be a few years before Tielemans or Dendonker are ready to fill it.

anyway, you're right that they don't have a chance but the ratio of overall players to great players is pretty ****ing spectacular. it's just hard to compete with the elite nations who can field 2 or 3 entire teams of world class players.

[Ol’ Qwerty Bastard]

oh and i'll put $50 on France going further than Brazil right now if you want it

[Cuthbert]

Originally Posted by Qwertyy

disagree, they're a great team they just lack the depth of a France, Germany, Brazil, etc.

Any time I've watched them they haven't looked great and I've seen a fair amount because I followed Wales in their qualifying campaign for the Euros. They're a solid, unspectacular team, no different to England were. Their tournament performances are nothing special at all.

Hazard, Lukaku, Carrasco, Nainggolan, Dembele, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, De Bruyne, Courtois, Mertens, Benteke, etc etc etc

can't think of an English team that could rival that imho. with Naingo stepping down this year we have a big gap to fill though and it will be a few years before Tielemans or Dendonker are ready to fill it.

England's 04-06 side was better than that on paper.

GK - James/Robinson, not great but not poor either.

Cole, Ferdinand and Terry were world class centre backs/full back who were all league champions (Rio would become one in '07). Campbell and Woodgate in back up as well.

Lampard, Gerrard, Scholes and Beckham were all world class midfielders at some point in their careers. Beckham was a Ballon d'Or runner up.

Owen won the Ballon d'Or and was unquestionably world class.
Rooney was actually very good back then too.

The only world class players I'd say Belgium have are Hazard and maybe De Bruyne. Courtois possibly, maybe one or two of their defenders if you're being really generous. Only area they're better than England 04-06 is GK.

anyway, you're right that they don't have a chance but the ratio of overall players to great players is pretty ****ing spectacular. it's just hard to compete with the elite nations who can field 2 or 3 entire teams of world class players.

oh and i'll put $50 on France going further than Brazil right now if you want it

Anything could happen between now and the squad announcements tbh.

[Ol’ Qwerty Bastard]

they have coaching issues imo because it's constantly a matter of choking in big games that they should be winning.

the game vs the welsh boys was embarassing because it's not like we were robbed, we just played like ****.

if they can keep pumping out these youth studs they aren't far away from really stirring the football world up.