World Cup 2018 - Russia

Roke wrote:

I forgot to do a bracket

Yours is probably still in better shape than mine.

I imagine Russia putting 5 on the Saudis looks to bust a lot of brackets, to be fair.

LOL, Iceland. Now i'm rooting for them to finish like, 3rd or 4th.

Interesting (and a positive) use of VAR to pause and review that Serbian player's misconduct at the end of the Serbia/Croatia game and retroactively award a yellow card. I'm liking the use of VAR I have seen thus far.

I get the criticism for the penalty France was awarded but I think that criticism is deflected towards VAR instead of about the necessary criteria to award a penalty.

Can the ground open up and swallow these two teams?

...in truth, my desire for Germany to not repeat outweighs my negative feelings towards our rival, Mexico. I'm pulling for El Tri, but I don't have to like it.

Mexico goal!!!!! I have no reservations rooting for our rivals to the south. Honestly, this game could be 3-0 either way. Both teams have had plenty of chances. That Mexican counter has been lethal.

Champs having a bit of a wobble.

Mexico was the perfect team to come out game 1 and just go full tilt at them.

My problem with VAR is the speed Mexico is hitting in the counter we could actually have a counter goal pulled back for a PK.

Probably cause a riot.

Germany needs some urgency in the second half. They’re calm and poised, as expected, but that’s leading to stagnation. Every time Mexico gets the ball they’re breaking for goal at break neck speed as if it’s life or death. Very fun first half. I expect an emboldened Germany team to come out with goals early in the second.

Agreed, Germany needs to come up with a response to Mexico's counter play otherwise the game is over. Mexico has been very impressive so far. Still a lot of game to go.

If Mexico had some Germanic effectiveness, Germany could've been a 2014 Brazil.

Maybe I can just hope for a draw here, and a South Korean victory over Sweden tomorrow to put them top of the group!

Well that was close.

Mexico has completely changed since substituting Vela off. It’s been Park the bus tactics since and it’s not going well. Germany is going to win 4-1 if they remember how to score goals.

Time for Brandt to show why he’s there and Sane isn’t.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Can the ground open up and swallow these two teams?

...in truth, my desire for Germany to not repeat outweighs my negative feelings towards our rival, Mexico. I'm pulling for El Tri, but I don't have to like it.

I think that I can root for any CONCACAF team except for Mexico.

A large percentage of my ancestors came to the US from Germany, too, so I tend to root for them when they are not playing us.

Wow.

As someone who wants to root for both Mexico and Germany, that was a decent result overall. Germany should be fine to still qualify and Mexico deserved that result. I was impressed by Brandt's 5 minutes. That volley was a great attempt. It will be hard to justify why he's on the bench and Mueller/Draxler are on the field for game 2.

I'll be damned! The surprise of the WC, for now.

Hrdina wrote:
Fedaykin98 wrote:

Can the ground open up and swallow these two teams?

...in truth, my desire for Germany to not repeat outweighs my negative feelings towards our rival, Mexico. I'm pulling for El Tri, but I don't have to like it.

I think that I can root for any CONCACAF team except for Mexico.

A large percentage of my ancestors came to the US from Germany, too, so I tend to root for them when they are not playing us.

I always cheer for Costa Rica and Bryan Ruiz, and I'll cheer for Panama this year because Adolfo Machado of the Dynamo made their team. I would have loved to see Honduras with their three Dynamo players in it.

In the moment, I'm genuinely happy for my many Mexican friends and neighbors. This result may actually push me into hoping Germany somehow drops another one, because I'm trying to find a path out of the group for South Korea.

Mexico needs to fix Lozano by letting him sit the bench. Watching that counter attack and him literally flub the first two or three counter opportunities by being one on one and not even getting a shot off is embarrassing. Heck, the goal he scored should’ve been a one touch shot. Instead he played with it in the box and very nearly got dispossessed before shooting again, which is such a cardinal sin - especially against someone as formidable as Germany.

I’m rooting for Mexico, Iceland and anyone playing Brazil.

Impressive. I had expected Germany to destroy Mexico.

bigred wrote:

Time for Brandt to show why he’s there and Sane isn’t.

Suddenly the whole "leaving Sane out" question got a lot more interesting. Germany sure looked like they could have used his energy and creativity.

BlackSheep wrote:

Mexico needs to fix Lozano by letting him sit the bench. Watching that counter attack and him literally flub the first two or three counter opportunities by being one on one and not even getting a shot off is embarrassing. Heck, the goal he scored should’ve been a one touch shot. Instead he played with it in the box and very nearly got dispossessed before shooting again, which is such a cardinal sin - especially against someone as formidable as Germany.

I’m rooting for Mexico, Iceland and anyone playing Brazil.

There's been a lot of wasting those kinds of opportunities in this tournament so far.

Godzilla Blitz wrote:
bigred wrote:

Time for Brandt to show why he’s there and Sane isn’t.

Suddenly the whole "leaving Sane out" question got a lot more interesting. Germany sure looked like they could have used his energy and creativity.

Indeed.

I’m in the same boat. Born in USA but family ties to Germany and Austria. That’s why I root for therm.

Hats off to Mexico this game. They played a great counter game of which I didn’t expect them to win that way. They could have scored another 2-3 goals. Well done. Germany needs to take this as a wake up call or they will be out sooner that they expect.

Is France the most favored team to actually get a win? Belgium still to come, of course.

Bunch of slow starts for many of the top teams! Understandable for Spain and Portugal, perhaps.

Well there's no super team in this tournament.

Hopefully none of the favorites find form and we get some whacky games.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Is France the most favored team to actually get a win? Belgium still to come, of course.

Bunch of slow starts for many of the top teams! Understandable for Spain and Portugal, perhaps.

Of the 5 favorites who are overwhelming favorites.

3 draws 1 lose 1 win and that was France who didn't look very convincing.

Lots of football left but would be funny if the majority of them all end up on one side of the bracket.

jowner wrote:

Well there's no super team in this tournament.

I'm sorry, but JOLLY GOOD OL' ENGLAND IS STILL YET TO PLAY

*parps out infuriatingly loud rendition of "God Save The Queen" on a trumpet*

Lotsa jokes about Mexico, walls, and Germany failing to overcome a inferior but determined opponent.

I texted my mother, but it appears the only country I'm descended from that's in this year's edition is England. Apparently we've got some Czech, like a lot of Texans.

...If England starts doing well, don't rule out me ordering a Three Lions jersey.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

I texted my mother, but it appears the only country I'm descended from that's in this year's edition is England. Apparently we've got some Czech, like a lot of Texans.

...If England starts doing well, don't rule out me ordering a Three Lions jersey. :lol:

Jamie Vardy Fardy is on the team so you know what to do if you do...

I still think England are going to do well this tournament. Haven't watched today's matches yet but it sounds like I should watch both Germany-Mexico and Switzerland-Brazil.