World Cup 2018 World Cup 2018 Predictions - Who Will be the Winner?? - France vs Croatia Final Poll

[mcgameboy]

Sweden scoring one goal was a big development, because it put Germany AND Mexico at risk. If Sweden and Germany had both won 1-0, Mexico would be out on goals scored in games not involving South Korea.

But scoring two is massive. Now they can afford to concede one goal and still be OK. They now have goal difference AND goals scored working in their favour.

If Mexico do score and still lose, Germany is still gonna be in massive trouble.

Sweden looking like they won't blow it after all.

Edit: Sweden just scored a third. That's them through to the last 16. What a response from them.

 

[chuchu59]

Both Mexicans and Germans will be biting their nails. Mexico thought they were bound to make it a late goal from Germany will clinch it for last cup winners.

 

[mcgameboy]

Oh my goodness

 

[goatwack]

Someone kill me now

 

[dunover]

Auf Wiedersehen Deutschland!

Mind you, their last campaign in Russia didn't turn out too well either....

 

[geordiecolin]

It was inevitable from their first game that the Germans where never likely to regain the trophy. From what I have seen so far there is no team in this competition that England should worry about. I just hope that England don't become too tactical at the expense of their creativity

 

[dunover]

It was inevitable from their first game that the Germans where never likely to regain the trophy. From what I have seen so far there is no team in this competition that England should worry about. I just hope that England don't become too tactical at the expense of their creativity

Tactical? We're talking Gareth Southgate here.

 

[geordiecolin]

Tactical? We're talking Gareth Southgate here.

He has been very good at orchestrating them at set plays and the lads are playing very well together. I just hope that he doesn't try to be the tinker man in the knock out stages

 

[Denis Becker]

Auf Wiedersehen Deutschland!

Mind you, their last campaign in Russia didn't turn out too well either....

Auf Wiedersehen...

with this bad perfomance from us in all 3 groupgames i could only say that the best 2 teams finally goes to 8-finals

big congratulations to sweden!!

 

[Denis Becker]

WC '06 Winner - Italy (...WC '10 knockout in groupphase)
WC '10 Winner - Spain (...WC '14 knockout in groupphase)
WC ' 14 Winner - Germany (...WC '18 knockout in groupphase)
.
.
.
WC '18 Winner - ??? (..)

 

[Webzcas]

South Korea are now my second team in this world cup. Have that for Italia 90 and Euro 96

 

[goatwack]

View attachment 92376 South Korea are now my second team in this world cup. Have that for Italia 90 and Euro 96

I still remember Euro '96, when that Kuntz scored

 

[Denis Becker]

I still remember Euro '96, when that Kuntz scored

...and that Southgate shoot this wonderful penalty

 

[dunover]

I still remember Euro '96, when that Kuntz scored

Those Kuntz score against England every time.

 

[lotusch]

I am so glad Germany is out..
We were watching the game at work and the last 10 minutes no one was working anymore, we all gathered up and watched those fantastic nerve wrecking last 10 minutes..

 

[goatwack]

Those Kuntz score against England every time.

He was a leader of sorts, and someone they all wanted to emulate. They all played like Kuntz in the end. The team resembled a massive Kuntz etc etc

Tonight though, Germany just played like c**ts

 

[dunover]

OK, we MUST LOSE to Belgium tomorrow! Reason is that we are getting Japan, Senegal or Colombia in the last 16. On the assumption that game is highly winnable, we would play the winner of Sweden-Switzerland in the quarters. If we end up winning the group either by winning the game, or drawing it and failing to get enough yellow cards to undertake Belgium the QF opponents would be the winner of Brazil-Mexico. It seems Belgium have 'injuries' to many of their best players apparently, ahem!

We could now make use of the Machine Gun Midget - play the useless little twat, tell him to get booked and the same with other crap ones like Spellcheck and Fanny Hose and just make sure we don't score a goal in the game - job done!

 

[geordiecolin]

My prediction is a "concussed" Pickford will take a goal kick while facing the wrong direction thus conceding the most unfortunate howler in history which hands Belgium the game. Get your money on this happening @ 5000-1.
As a side bet get your cash on Vardy Teabagging the ref after rugby tackling him @ 10000-1

 

[geordiecolin]

I still remember Euro '96, when that Kuntz scored

Don't mention the VAR

 

[geordiecolin]

 

[goatwack]

Don't mention the VAR

Didn't need VAR, it didn't swing the result. Kroos' sublime through-ball to the Korean practically on the goalline was a joy to behold!

 

[Welshy88]

England will beat Belgium reserves.
Harry Kane will want more goals to win that golden boot.
Belgium are smart enough to realise you got to lose the battle to win the war .

 

[geordiecolin]

I was hoping for a little bit of poetic licence there Goatie

 

[Webzcas]

I still remember Euro '96, when that Kuntz scored

 

[Webzcas]

I have unashamedly got my car ready in preparation for the match tonight

 

[dunover]

Ironic we all seem to have German cars though….

 

[Webzcas]

Ironic we all see to have German cars though….

The irony is not lost on me!

 

[Retired IncomeNetwork Rep]

IT'S COMING HOME!!!

 

[goatwack]

Ok, what to do eh. You don't want to send out a message you're scared to meet Brazil, how would that work for morale

I say trounce Japan, go into the Quarters with some momentum. Brazil are woeful at set-pieces anyway

 

[snorky510238]

Ok, what to do eh. You don't want to send out a message you're scared to meet Brazil, how would that work for morale

I say trounce Japan, go into the Quarters with some momentum. Brazil are woeful at set-pieces anyway

Could set a new record for og’s in 1 game.

 

[mcgameboy]

Bottom line - you play to win. Playing to lose is a horrible message to send.

Forget easier paths to this round and that round and all that bullshit. Say to the other 15 teams "we are not scared of ANY of you, because we are here to WIN".

Besides, is a path of Japan, Brazil and Uruguay that much easier than a path of Colombia, Sweden and Croatia?

I don't think so.

Apart from anything else, the 2010s have been a decade to forget for England in terms of tournament football.
Two last 16 exits to Germany and Iceland, a group stage exit and a QF loss on penalties against Italy.
For a country that has one of the biggest domestic leagues on the planet, England have been woeful under-performers in tournaments since 2006.

This is the first time in 12 years that England have actually performed well and given the fans cause for optimism.
And it has come at the best possible time, during a tournament that is arguably the most wide-open in decades.

And now is the time to suddenly think "Oh I've got an idea, how about losing a game on PURPOSE?"

Please, do me a favour.

I would accept that Brazil are probably the favourites to win on paper.

But the last time I checked, the game is won on grass, not paper.

Have people already forgotten what happened two years ago?

 

[dunover]

Well I am relieved in a way that we lost. It demonstrates the lack of quality in our squad which means anything to smooth the path is preferable to playing a good team too early. A Sweden-England QF?

 

[Welshy88]

Lets be honest . Colombia ,Sweden and Switzerland are delighted to avoid Belgium.
I think it's very open for that Semi final place.

 

[Jono777]

Well I am relieved in a way that we lost. It demonstrates the lack of quality in our squad which means anything to smooth the path is preferable to playing a good team too early. A Sweden-England QF?

Possibly??

However if memory serves, over the years we've met Sweden several times in some group stages or another, stubborn stalewarts who always hold us to draws.

If this happens in a knock out stage, we all know what happens next

 

[paul7388]

Sweden England QF

Personally if i was England i would rather have won the group and faced Japan in next round and then take whoever i got hit with. Colombia in next round is much harder and i am surprised people are thinking they will make QF'S. Plus i think Swiss will knock out Sweden anyway.

 

[TheAddict]

@mcgameboy
I'm no England manager but i probably should have been, but over the past 10-20 years we have had many good individual game winning players. i always got the impression managers had a tendancy to play some key players in wrong positions in order to fit in other well known names, almost as though in doing so they felt content with the idea that at the least they wouldn't get much of the blame while collecting their multi million quid pay cheque if eng lost while doing so. (yes sven, fabio, i am glancing at you)

 

[goatwack]

Possibly??

However if memory serves, over the years we've met Sweden several times in some group stages or another, stubborn stalewarts who always hold us to draws.

If this happens in a knock out stage, we all know what happens next

Thomas Brolin (shudders) scoring in a Euro '92 qualifier....I think Sweden won that 2-1, with ol' turnip in charge "Do I not like that" Graham Taylor

 

[dunover]

"Brolin, Dahlin, Brolin ohhhhh!!!!!!!" That commentary imprinted on my brain.

 

[goatwack]

@mcgameboy
I'm no England manager but i probably should have been, but over the past 10-20 years we have had many good individual game winning players. i always got the impression managers had a tendancy to play some key players in wrong positions in order to fit in other well known names, almost as though in doing so they felt content with the idea that at the least they wouldn't get much of the blame while collecting their multi million quid pay cheque if eng lost while doing so. (yes sven, fabio, i am glancing at you)

No one really had the balls to drop the big names. Instead we had successive managers shoehorn superstars into one team, but losing the 'team' element in the process. Like sticking Paul Scholes on the left

Or ever playing John Barnes

 

[mcgameboy]

Colombia is not an easy game for England.

And even if they get past them, they get Sweden or SwitzVARland. I wouldn't feel good about either, especially the latter,
because FIFA seem to be on a mission to keep them in the tournament at any cost.

And Sweden have had it tough right from the get go. France and Holland in qualifying, Italy in a playoff, Mexico and Germany in the group stage.
Until yesterday happened, Germany had never exited at the group stage and Mexico haven't exited at the group stage since 1978, a run of 7 tournaments
which has now been extended to 8 after getting through yesterday.

So they have been thoroughly battle tested. And they are still here, despite the mental hammer blow of that loss to Germany.

PS After seeing how the Japan - Poland game ended (like Germany v Austria in '82, but only for 15 minutes instead of 80), I hope Belgium DESTROY Japan.

 

[mcgameboy]

"Brolin, Dahlin, Brolin ohhhhh!!!!!!!" That commentary imprinted on my brain.

Ah...the famous commentary by Barry Davies. Back in the days of Fantasy Football with Baddiel and Skinner, I think they once said it sounded like the start of a Dolly Parton song

 

[geordiecolin]

I just thought you would enjoy this

 

[dunover]

I see the BBC mob were unable to conceal their disappointment that no African side made it through to the knockouts. I think they had a little commiseration wake off camera. When Colombia were leading Senegal who needed to equalize to progress ahead of Japan, you could feel them trying to suck the ball into the Colombian net. When this didn't happen, afterwards they all had their 'Nick Robinson the-BNP-have-won-a-seat' faces on.

 

[goatwack]

Argentina doing their best 'Pub team defending' impression

 

[mcgameboy]

Mbappe is terrorising them. France look well up for this. Meanwhile, Umtiti is doing Pepe impersonations (seriously dude, get a grip) .

 

[goatwack]

France are playing much like they did during '98 and 2000, when winning back-to-back tournaments. They may be boring as sin but look a very safe bet for this tournament too.

Mbappe, Griezmann, Pogba- what's not to like? If two or three of their players 'click' then they'd be unplayable.

Despite having the best keeper left in the knockouts, their defence is their only 'weak' spot, a mite inexperienced. Although Varane has quite some CL and tournament experience now

 

[goatwack]

I see Di Maria bundled that one in with his shin

 

[robby811]

lolololol

 

[goatwack]

I forthwith retract post #196

*As it seems France's defence really is a bit 'suspect'




*Opinion subject to change as this game is a bit barmy

 

[Jono777]

Argentina REALLY need to lose.

I have a "fuck off 3", one has already gone............

EDIT: Fucking hell, that was a cracker!!!!!!!!!!