The Official World Cup 2018 Megathread

[jdrodrigues]

It's a pain in the ass to beat Portugal. I don't believe many teams can beat us today. Problem is I don't believe we can beat many teams in the world either.

Would not be surprised if we draw the $#@! out of the world cup once again...

Main issue being our attack has to compensate for our defensive screw ups.

 

[Boozad]

First game I've got to see any of due to being on fucking afternoons and it was worth the wait. Spain really should have battered Portugal but De Gea and Ronaldo put paid to that. I don't think I've ever seen such a one man team as Portugal.

 

[Tony Towner]

First game I've got to see any of due to being on $#@!ing afternoons and it was worth the wait. Spain really should have battered Portugal but De Gea and Ronaldo put paid to that. I don't think I've ever seen such a one man team as Portugal.

Argentina 1986

 

[YoungWolf]

Cruyff has probably had the biggest impact on the game of any but that isn't just as a player.

Messi is the greatest of all time for me.

 

[SLB]

Argentina 1986

The difference is we actually won a major competition final without our one man.

And nobody wins a competition based on 1 man, much less an attacker.

 

[Boozad]

Argentina 1986

I was only 9. I remember Maradona's brilliance but I was probably a bit too young to appreciate anything more than that.

 

[Tony Towner]

I was only 9. I remember Maradona's brilliance but I was probably a bit too young to appreciate anything more than that.

Ouch!!!

 

[Boozad]

The difference is we actually won a major competition final without our one man.

And nobody wins a competition based on 1 man, much less an attacker.

Agreed, but tonight if it wasn't for him you'd have lost 3-0.

 

[SLB]

Agreed, but tonight if it wasn't for him you'd have lost 3-0.

You don't know that. Would Portugal have beaten france with him? Éder would never get in...

When you have a genius in the pitch, just like Argentina in 86, he will always outshine everyone else. So the team will always look like a 1 man team. It's not necessarily true though.

 

[Boozad]

You don't know that. Would Portugal have beaten france with him? Éder would never get in...

I don't know that but I'd hazard a very good guess seeing as Ronaldo scored two set pieces (winning one as well) and was gifted a long range pot shot. I don't remember much threat from anyone else during the game so while I couldn't guarantee it I reckon it would be a safe bet.

 

[SLB]

I don't know that but I'd hazard a very good guess seeing as Ronaldo scored two set pieces (winning one as well) and was gifted a long range pot shot. I don't remember much threat from anyone else during the game so while I couldn't guarantee it I reckon it would be a safe bet.

Maybe Bruno Alves would have played as a striker and score a poker of headers. Like I said... without Ronaldo we would still play with 11 men.

 

[Tony Towner]

When you have a genius in the pitch, just like Argentina in 86, he will always outshine everyone else. So the team will always look like a 1 man team. It's not necessarily true though.

Burruchaga was the only other player in that team remotely close to world class

 

[SLB]

Burruchaga was the only other player in that team remotely close to world class

Was there ever a team full of world class players? Not even Brazil...

 

[Tony Towner]

Was there ever a team full of world class players? Not even Brazil...

Full no, but never has one been more reliant on one player and won a World Cup. I despise Maradona for the first goal in the '86 1/4 final, but the way he dragged that team to a World Cup is the greatest individual feat in WC history IMHO(or at least from '82 onwards which are the ones I've seen).

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Spain 2010 are about as complete a World Cup team as you'll ever see.

-------------------Casillas-----------------

Ramos-------Puyol-------Pique-------Capdevila

----------Alonso----Busquets---Xavi--------

-----------Pedro-----Villa--------Iniesta----------

Nine world class players there.

 

[Tony Towner]

Spain 2010 are about as complete a World Cup team as you'll ever see.

-------------------Casillas-----------------

Ramos-------Puyol-------Pique-------Capdevila

----------Alonso----Busquets---Xavi--------

-----------Pedro-----Villa--------Iniesta----------

Nine world class players there.

Torres and Cesc were World Class as well at that point.

 

[SLB]

Actually Puyol, Capdevilla, Casillas, Pedro and Villa don't meet my world class standards.

 

[YoungWolf]

Puyol and Villa most certainly were. Villa was one of the very best attackers in the world at that point!

Casillas was still Madrid number one then too?

They were far too good anyway in that tournament.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Casillas was still the best keeper in the world in 2010.

Just Pedro and Capdevila don't make the cut (and they were both very good then).

 

[Jack Regan]

Argentina 1986

Moreso at Italia 90 I would say, Valdano and Burruchaga were very good footballers in particular, off the top of my hat.

Passarella (probably on his way down) and Pumpido (forget Cameroon in 90) weren't bad either.