2022/23 Soccer Thread: Finals Week(s)

I'm dreaming of a Portugal v Argentina finals where Ronaldo watches Messi from the bench.

Pink Stripes wrote:

I'm dreaming of a Portugal v Argentina finals where Ronaldo watches Messi from the bench.

Nah it's going to be France Brazil 1998 rematch and revenge.

Today was fun, but Brazil and France are still ahead of the other teams IMO. Maybe France less so as a team but Mbappe powered.

There's always the chance Deschamps boners it though.

jowner wrote:
Pink Stripes wrote:

I'm dreaming of a Portugal v Argentina finals where Ronaldo watches Messi from the bench.

Nah it's going to be France Brazil 1998 rematch and revenge.

Today was fun, but Brazil and France are still ahead of the other teams IMO. Maybe France less so as a team but Mbappe powered.

There's always the chance Deschamps boners it though.

I'd rate Brazil as more fragile than France and they still haven't really played against a good team yet. I'd like to see what their "A" team can do when it's not all going their way.

I agree France and Brazil are still the favorites. I said I was dreaming.

I was Brazil agnostic, but I am now pro-Brazil, just to piss off Roy Keane et al.

Dunno if Argentinia or Holland will win - but both of them will easily brush of Brazil.

IMAGE(https://media.tenor.com/i6hjygrFuyIAAAAC/hot-take-funhaus.gif)

Peoj Snamreh wrote:

Dunno if Argentinia or Holland will win - but both of them will easily brush of Brazil.

Oh, I wish I could believe that. Granted the last time we played them, we won, and the time we were supposed to play again after that, they just quit.

An interesting note about Spain in Sid Lowe's wrap-up:

Over the past two tournaments, they have won just twice inside 90 minutes. Elimination in Russia 2018 was also on penalties.

Lotta passing, but surprisingly little end product.

Prederick wrote:

An interesting note about Spain in Sid Lowe's wrap-up:

Over the past two tournaments, they have won just twice inside 90 minutes. Elimination in Russia 2018 was also on penalties.

Lotta passing, but surprisingly little end product.

It only applies recently and tournament small sample size is going to make it hard to draw forceful conclusions, but I saw someone make the point today that the extra 2 subs might make Spain's *wear the opposition out with our passing & possession* strategy slightly less effective with more fresh legs on the pitch.

It's an interesting thought, anyway.

I'd post about the latest defensive, ridiculous thing the Qatari authorities said about the latest worker death, but unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that it is fairly pointless, because the event has begun and as Jon Oliver pointed out, once the ball started getting kicked around, any issues were going to get subsumed by the sport.

Militao looks like he forgot his kit for gym and had to pick some shorts out of lost and found.

If Croatia pull this off on penalties (can't see them actually scoring) it has to be one of the greatest recent heists.

I can't really be that critical of Brazil as Croatia are just defending so well. This isn't Spain pass pass pass no intent.

That was a nifty goal

Fred, Casemiro and Antony on. It's a shame McTominay isn't Brazilian.

Wtf just happened.

Ooh 1st pk save

Bye Brazil

Whoops. What a surprise.

IMAGE(https://media1.giphy.com/media/2wSaulb0fsDydh0IoB/giphy.gif?cid=790b761177cd35168b650246ed78b27d393318ae27701fce&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g)

Modric is still a magnificent beast.

Thought Brazil had this in the bag, but Croatia are so tenacious.
And here I was thinking Netherlands would go through too... Is it opposite day for me?

I can't wait to see 41 year old Modric running the game from midfield in 2026.

Mr Bismarck wrote:

I can't wait to see 41 year old Modric running the game from midfield in 2026.

He's ridiculous.

But I had a suspicion that Croatia was more than capable of just dragging Brazil down, and lo and behold.

Brazil on 117 minutes : "We did it, we finally killed Croatia."

IMAGE(https://pa1.narvii.com/6211/aaf3454162863d41f8a98dced7236d92cb214676_hq.gif)

That Messi fella, eh?

Unbelievable pass

Someone has pointed out that the Netherlands are wearing the wrong shade of orange and now I can't see anything else.

BBC MbM wrote:

Over an hour played. Netherlands have had 57% possession, made 90 more passes than Argentina, more passes in the opposition half and have made more crosses.

And had one off-target shot.

That's a PK?

I was already questioning the ref falling for some of the other stuff.

This is turning out to be very comfortable for Argentina. Netherlands aren't looking good today.

Edit: Me and my big mouth...

LOL, literally their first shot on target.