The Official World Cup 2018 Megathread

[The Bear]

Probably overdid the celebrations.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Yep. I hope we draw 1_1 with Belgium but get a 90 th minute red card for Ashley Young meaning we come second and avoid that clusterfuck!

I don't. Winning the group could easily be the far better route if Brazil and Germany turns out as i hope.

 

[Jinky]

So looking at how things have panned out so far and who's already through - it's looking likely that we'll see a Spain v Croatia quarter final, which will be a very tasty game IMO. Would like to see Croatia do them over.

The other half of the draw is currently more difficult to predict. I reckon Portugal have enough at the back to keep out Suarez & co, & with Ronaldo up top anything can happen. France/Argentina could go either way - both are gash. I'd probably edge towards France at the moment as I think they just have a bit more quality. So that would see a Quarter final of France v Portugal.

If things stay as they are in groups E & F, that would see Brazil v Germany in the next round of fixtures - meaning it'll likely be one of them that England end up playing in the Quarter finals, as I can't see us not at least drawing or getting a win against Belgium tomorrow (if talk of Belgium making 10 changes are true & Southgate is sticking with Kane etc). Shame, because Belgium will then have a fixture against one of Japan/Senegal/Colombia followed up by Switzerland/Mexico and then Croatia/Spain in the Semi Finals. That's a MUCH easier route to the final.

Of course, anything could happen yet. Be interesting to see how it all pans out.

 

[Del Woppio]

If that's the route by kick off on Thursday we'd be fucking stupid to try and win that game

 

[The Bear]

Other than put the ball in our own net, there's nothing we can do if Belgium have no intention of winning it either.

 

[Tony Towner]

Other than put the ball in our own net, there's nothing we can do if Belgium have no intention of winning it either.

Yellow cards

 

[The Bear]

Oh yeah I forgot about that. We'd have to make 10 changes then!

 

[Del Woppio]

Yup, draw and a few bookings for dissent

 

[b3h]

Kane's on fire, the ball bounces off him and goes in. We'll accidentally win the game

 

[Jinky]

Could we genuinely see a scenario where a boring 0-0 is played out but both benches are encouraging their players to pick up bookings?! Fair play and all that. I can't see it myself.

 

[Tony Towner]

The first part yes, the second overtly no, the possibility discussed beforehand, yes.

 

[Del Woppio]

Would there be any ramifications in terms of disrepute charges etc, I wonder? Obviously Del Loopholio would be on it like car bonnet and then cry when we got expelled from FIFA

 

[BGreenWolf]

With the way that the top teams have been playing at this tournament, I'd far rather head into the knockouts with us brimming with confidence and bang on form and take our chances than throwing the Belgium match. Get some momentum behind us, and we can take anyone in this tournament on.

 

[Tony Towner]

I joked before about Phil Jones coming on two minutes into injury time and snapping someone in half for a red.I think there'd would be uproar over something like that and some sort of charge, although in FIFAland that would probably be 50p and a bag of grapes.

If we were to pick up say 4 or 5 bookings across the game I don't think there is much they can do or say. Bookings are wiped off after the group stage so as long as it wasn't RLC or Walker there wouldn't be any damage done for the knockout stages either.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

If that's the route by kick off on Thursday we'd be fucking stupid to try and win that game

:icon_lol:

How about we just play the game and try to carry on improving, as we have done steadily since March when we looked like no hopers in our worst shape for a tournament in decades.

You don't think it would impact on morale at all if we lost (under whatever circumstances)? Did it work out for us when we rested players vs Slovakia in 2016 and ended up not winning the game, rather than carrying on the momentum from the late win vs Wales?

Besides which, if it's a straight choice between Colombia (if they win the group) and any of the other teams in Group H, then we want to avoid them, surely. They're the best team in that group by a mile and that is our NEXT game, not looking miles down the line and playing silly little Boris Johnson style Machiavellian games.

If we were to pick up say 4 or 5 bookings across the game I don't think there is much they can do or say. Bookings are wiped off after the group stage so as long as it wasn't RLC or Walker there wouldn't be any damage done for the knockout stages either.

Think they are wiped after the second round so also not a good idea.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

They aren't. They are wiped off after the second round.

What if Sweden beat Mexico and Germany win their group because of that, and then combine that with Switzerland beating Costa Rica by say three or four nil?

Throwing the match doesn't look so healthy then does it? Wait until today's games are done at least.

 

[BillyDee]

Would there be any ramifications in terms of disrepute charges etc, I wonder? Obviously Del Loopholio would be on it like car bonnet and then cry when we got expelled from FIFA

FIFA have said anyone deliberately getting a booking to influence the final table will be banned. How they will prove intent, I don't know.

 

[Johnny75]

:icon_lol:

How about we just play the game and try to carry on improving, as we have done steadily since March when we looked like no hopers in our worst shape for a tournament in decades.

You don't think it would impact on morale at all if we lost (under whatever circumstances)? Did it work out for us when we rested players vs Slovakia in 2016 and ended up not winning the game, rather than carrying on the momentum from the late win vs Wales?

Besides which, if it's a straight choice between Colombia (if they win the group) and any of the other teams in Group H, then we want to avoid them, surely. They're the best team in that group by a mile and that is our NEXT game, not looking miles down the line and playing silly little Boris Johnson style Machiavellian games.

Think they are wiped after the second round so also not a good idea.

Absolutely this. I can't imagine what the knock on moral would be to all the players. The first team players are told they are to be kept back because they can't be trusted and the second team players are told they aren't good enough so will lose anyway.

How to destroy moral in 5 easy minutes.

 

[lemonjelly]

Really don't comprehend this notion of throwing the game. Win. Win everything to gather additional momentum and proceed as far as we can. If Belgium put out a 2nd string, and we're able to affect their momentum and morale, do it.

It's the world cup. You're gonna have to play good teams at some point. Fucking about thinking x or y may happen isn't a good idea. Plus there is always the law of unintended consequences to deal with.

 

[Del Woppio]

You bunch of fucking squares are born for second round defeats. Richie Legend is a born winner. Born. Winner.

Gareth knows who's right, just all depends on his stones now