The Official 2018 Russia World Cup natter

[Driver101]

Cobnapint said:

48k said:

Correct decision unfortunately. Sadly this is the modern game.

It was the WRONG decision. He clipped the ball. End of.

Even VAR can't get it right. Wtf.

The ref let it go at the time.

Did someone instruct him to review the video as they deemed it a clear and obvious error? Is the ref then automatically watching the video thinking he's got it wrong?

The BBC showed more angles and replays than the ref could have watched in the time he was looking at the screen. If you're going to use VAR they can't do it by skimming over videos.

[mickk]

[redacted]

[TCEvo]

[redacted]

[Ascayman]

[redacted]

[Driver101]

We're not getting to see the analysis of the penalty. It's a conspiracy.

[Puggit]

30,000 Iceland fans in Moscow

[poo at Paul's]

Not read the whole thread, but I am a sort of footy fan, follow it and watch big games on telly and pub etc, and always been quite interested in World Cup, Euros etc. But is it just me that can't get excited about this tournament at all? I'll be honest, I did not even know it started til 2nd day, and there doesn't seem to have been the sort fo run up to in in media, promotions at shops, petrol stations and the like as we have had before?? Is that because it is in Russia and with all the political issues, company's are being a bit mooted about it?

I will be honest, I think after Salisbury nerve agent thing, I am surprised England even went. I think us and few others pulling the footy teams would be more damaging to them and their reputation than a few diplomats being expelled.

I just cant get into it. Even the one in Korea where games were middle of the night, seemed to have more interest in UK.

[Digger]

As has been alluded to before, I haven’t seen a single St George’s flag (or whatever it’s called by the pedantic) flying on a single motorised (or EV) vehicle, and that’s in Central London.

Have they been banned from sale or something?

By the way, it’s a good thing.

[mickk]

Digger said:

As has been alluded to before, I haven’t seen a single St George’s flag (or whatever it’s called by the pedantic) flying on a single motorised (or EV) vehicle, and that’s in Central London.

Have they been banned from sale or something?

By the way, it’s a good thing.

You wait 'til we start on Monday, it may all change especially IF we win our first match.

[coldel]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Gavia said:

coldel said:

Keeper was actually at fault for the third too in my view. Gave way too much to aim at on that side, he was totally in the wrong position. All Ronaldo had to do was get it over the wall on that side of the goal and its in, he could have hit it two yards inside the post and the keeper was still too far away. Really poor goalkeeping all night from him really.

Are you serious? All Ronaldo had to do was ........ of course, all DDG had to do was save the penalty too. No arguments in the second goal.

You could’ve had two keepers in goal and they’d have struggled to stop it. There’s an approach when you’re setting up a wall which is to try to block off half the goal with it and cover the rest as a keeper. If the striker hits the ball up amd over a wall that’s doing its job then younaccpet there’s little you could’ve done.

I wonder how much of this criticism of DDG is because it’s Ronaldo that scored, if it had been Messi, you’d pretty much be wking yourselves dry.

I disagree. It was a good free kick, but not a great one. It doesn't go in the top corner, but a fair distance in from the goalies left hand post. DDG's starting position was far too far to his right, and I said this before the kick was taken. All CR had to do was to get it over the wall and down again, (not an easy skill in itself), and get it to the right side of the goal from CR's point of view, and it was in.

CR has hit loads of free kicks better than that one and had them saved.

Yes completely serious, DDG gave him far too much to aim at, by standing too far to the left he put little pressure on Ronaldo to stick it right in the corner, his main task was to hit the target and miss the wall and not worry too much about precision. Pretty much everyone in the pub agreed when we were discussing it. A bit like when Seaman was beaten by the Koeman freekick a few years back, even the commentator called it before the kick was taken. It wasn't a wonder freekick by any measure, but the keeper made it much easier for him to score.

[bitchstewie]

This looks like it could be quite a game

[l354uge]

I love watching Iceland play, so exciting.
Wish England would stop assuming they're too good to play this way, Iceland have very little quality (siggurdson is good) yet they punch well above their weight.

[bitchstewie]

BOOM!

[mickk]

Boom!!

[bitchstewie]

Fantastic!!

[fathomfive]

Great stuff.

[mickk]

Messi misses.

[bitchstewie]

Did he really just call that save the "Hand of Cod"?

[selym]

fking hell Messi!

[Amirhussain]

Man I wasn’t expecting that miss.