2018 FIFA World Cup Megathread

[Chan Island]

I missed a week of the world cup and then I hear that Brasil isn't going to win.

What is happening this year?

Everyone has been knocked out except France, Belgium, Croatia and England. France and Belgium play each other next.

[Neu Leonstein]

Everyone has been knocked out except France, Belgium, Croatia and England. France and Belgium play each other next.

It really has been a shit show this time around. I'm pretty close to losing interest at this point... I've ended up booking a train trip during the final. The first semi will be interesting, precisely because it is an about even match between World Cup semi-final quality sides, but that's it.

Anyway, yesterday was about avoiding worse, and at least that worked out. Sweden's 'let's defend with ten men and hope we get one in some time' approach should never have allowed them to get this far, and it was fitting that the coach's response to falling behind was to remove Toivonen and Forsberg. England actually scored a goal from open play for once, except of course it was a long high ball out of midfield which was headed in. English football is coming home indeed. I dislike their team less than I have disliked past England editions (though I am incredibly glad to be out of the country, so I'm avoiding the frenzy), but they are well and truly a one-trick pony.

Croatia have a nice mix of central midfield and wingers, so they can vary their angle of attack, but at lot of it does seem to hinge on Modric. If they have a good day, they should be able to slot a couple past England. But the key is for the defense, and defensive midfield, to avoid standards that allow for a high ball into the box. We'll see how well that goes.

Russia... well, they remind me of Domina, the lady whose superpower is luck from Deadpool 2. Karma only came with Modric's penalty (at long, long last). But I liked that character, so whatever. Their fans can be happy with the way the team performed, but I think it's fair to say that you're not going to see any major clubs pull out the cheque book to pick up some of the players.

[Sharania]

Well done, Croatia!

The Times: ‘If Putin gains credibility because of the World Cup, it will be bad for Russians’

Garry Kasparov, the vehement anti-Putin campaigner, tells Matt Dickinson that the World Cup has exposed how the president’s regime can turn the forces of racism and hooliganism on and off, like a tap

This may well be the best of modern World Cups. It might also be “a well-organised charade whose roots go back to Berlin 1936”. That was not Boris Johnson putting his undiplomatic foot in it again but Garry Kasparov, the chess grandmaster and vehement anti-Putin campaigner who has been watching this World Cup, Russia’s progress and the broader wave of positive publicity with his head in his hands.

[Purpelia]

Am I the only one disgusted how people can't keep politics out of anything, not even sports these days? What ever happened to the Olympic spirit of putting all politics aside for the sake of the sport? What ever happened to respecting those of us who want to be entertained and not have politics shoved in our faces? It's Putin this, Putin that. Can't we just talk about the actual sport?

And it's the same thing with all sports these days. And all fields of life. Everyone has a political message these days. Can't we just have our entertainment be entertainment and our politics be politics?

And maybe I am the only one in this. But every time I see an actor or sports person or anyone from the entertainment industry mouth off about politics I just change the channel in disgust even when the message is something I actually support on sheer principal.

[Philjia]

Am I the only one disgusted how people can't keep politics out of anything, not even sports these days? What ever happened to the Olympic spirit of putting all politics aside for the sake of the sport? What ever happened to respecting those of us who want to be entertained and not have politics shoved in our faces? It's Putin this, Putin that. Can't we just talk about the actual sport?

And it's the same thing with all sports these days. And all fields of life. Everyone has a political message these days. Can't we just have our entertainment be entertainment and our politics be politics?

And maybe I am the only one in this. But every time I see an actor or sports person or anyone from the entertainment industry mouth off about politics I just change the channel in disgust even when the message is something I actually support on sheer principal.

Running a well organised international sporting event is a good way for dodgy regimes to look good. It can't not be political.

[Purpelia]

Running a well organised international sporting event is a good way for dodgy regimes to look good. It can't not be political.

Of course running an event of any kind is political propaganda. That's not a problem because the event makers don't shove politics down our throat when doing so. Putin did not put up propaganda posters of him self as a glorious bellowed leader that makes the sun rise and set on command and the harvest rise from the soil or something in the stadium. If he did I'd be laughing at him and changing the channel as well. But instead he like every other government considers the fact he can house such an event to be propaganda enough.

The problem is when everyone else in the world starts shoving politics down our throats when their job is to entertain us. Like when Brazil claimed that the judge cheated against them because they ain't European or when teams make political gestures on the field or when a chess player thinks I should give the slightest damn about what he thinks about politics as if it mattered one bit.

Basically I guess my issue is that people in entertainment get a bloated ego that makes them think they are more important than the average human just because their job made them famous so they get it in their heads that everyone needs to hear their political ideology.

[The Archregimancy]

Am I the only one disgusted how people can't keep politics out of anything, not even sports these days?

Most of us are managing just fine.

We essentially ignore Sharania for the most part (which is easy enough since he's only interested in grandstanding rather than having a conversation), we forgive Shofercia his occasional handwringing defensiveness about Russia since he is Russian, and Pope Joan's recent tiresome little snit isn't worth getting worked up about.

Most of the time, the rest of us just talk about football.

[Bombadil]

Am I the only one disgusted how people can't keep politics out of anything, not even sports these days?

Most of us are managing just fine.

We essentially ignore Sharania for the most part (which is easy enough since he's only interested in grandstanding rather than having a conversation), we forgive Shofercia his occasional handwringing defensiveness about Russia since he is Russian, and Pope Joan's recent tiresome little snit isn't worth getting worked up about.

Most of the time, the rest of us just talk about football.

..much as we indulge kindly at Arch's occasional meanderings into the intricacies and political implications in Medieval England regarding the delicate offside rule in futte boll.

Not that there were much rules..

By some accounts, in some such events any means could be used to move the ball towards the goal, as long as it did not lead to manslaughter or murder.

[Nimzonia]

England actually scored a goal from open play for once, except of course it was a long high ball out of midfield which was headed in. English football is coming home indeed. I dislike their team less than I have disliked past England editions (though I am incredibly glad to be out of the country, so I'm avoiding the frenzy), but they are well and truly a one-trick pony.

I sure would hate to be from a country that scored fewer goals from open play than England at this world cup.

[Bombadil]

England actually scored a goal from open play for once, except of course it was a long high ball out of midfield which was headed in. English football is coming home indeed. I dislike their team less than I have disliked past England editions (though I am incredibly glad to be out of the country, so I'm avoiding the frenzy), but they are well and truly a one-trick pony.

I sure would hate to be from a country that scored fewer goals from open play than England at this world cup.

I'd hate to be a defensive play against a team that can regularly score in set plays.. let's not single out England in a WC of set play goals given solid and strong defences.

A lot of goals have been penalties, free kicks, set plays or counter attacks.. I've seen little carving up of a defence from anyone.

[Nazis in Space]

I dislike the current poll. I was perfectly fine with all of the eliminated teams advancing.

Am I the only one disgusted how people can't keep politics out of anything, not even sports these days? What ever happened to the Olympic spirit of putting all politics aside for the sake of the sport?

Never existed. Sports has been an extension of politics since the invention of sports. Deal with it and stop whining.

[Neu Leonstein]

I sure would hate to be from a country that scored fewer goals from open play than England at this world cup.

That neither the German nor Australian teams that showed up were any good is well beyond any sort of argument. If one of the many chances in the second half against Mexico had gone in, maybe you can tell some sort of alternative timeline story where they get their act together, but I rather doubt it.

But of course that's got nothing to do with what I said. I just don't like the sort of example it sets when someone can succeed by hoofing high balls into the box from dead ball situations, because I worry that that's all you end up seeing in international tournaments going forward. That's not a problem with Southgate doing what he can with what he's got, as much as it is a problem with so many teams that play the sort of football I like to watch not performing.

[The Archregimancy]

England actually scored a goal from open play for once, except of course it was a long high ball out of midfield which was headed in. English football is coming home indeed. I dislike their team less than I have disliked past England editions (though I am incredibly glad to be out of the country, so I'm avoiding the frenzy), but they are well and truly a one-trick pony.

I sure would hate to be from a country that scored fewer goals from open play than England at this world cup.

It's not an issue that's somehow unique to England this World Cup, though.

This article outlines the statistics at the conclusion of the group stage:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2 ... ike-never/

Two statistics do stick out there. 15 of the 32 teams scored 50% of their goals from set pieces, and while England were in the top three, they came behind Poland and Australia (neither free-scoring teams, admittedly). 43% of all first-round goals came from set pieces (v. 28% in 2014).

VAR (and the resulting significant increase in penalties) seems to have played a role, but it's not the only factor.

For better or for worse, England do seem to be unusually well prepared for set plays, but it's likely that this is at least as much a result of recognising how crucial they would prove to be this time around and preparing accordingly (believable given the current manager's meticulous approach to preparation) rather than a result of England setting some sort of footballing trend.

That said, if scoring from open play is the primary criterion for footballing support, then France and Belgium were the clear first round trendsetters out of the semifinalists.

[The Archregimancy]

Most of us are managing just fine.

We essentially ignore Sharania for the most part (which is easy enough since he's only interested in grandstanding rather than having a conversation), we forgive Shofercia his occasional handwringing defensiveness about Russia since he is Russian, and Pope Joan's recent tiresome little snit isn't worth getting worked up about.

Most of the time, the rest of us just talk about football.

..much as we indulge kindly at Arch's occasional meanderings into the intricacies and political implications in Medieval England regarding the delicate offside rule in futte boll.

Not that there were much rules..

By some accounts, in some such events any means could be used to move the ball towards the goal, as long as it did not lead to manslaughter or murder.

You think you jest; but, as it happens, this takes place not too far from where I live:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Shr ... ourne_game

[Starblaydia]

You think you jest; but, as it happens, this takes place not too far from where I live:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Shr ... ourne_game

Derbyshire represent.

[Jerzylvania]

..much as we indulge kindly at Arch's occasional meanderings into the intricacies and political implications in Medieval England regarding the delicate offside rule in futte boll.

Not that there were much rules..

By some accounts, in some such events any means could be used to move the ball towards the goal, as long as it did not lead to manslaughter or murder.

You think you jest; but, as it happens, this takes place not too far from where I live:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Shr ... ourne_game

That is as awesome as hell.

Thank you for that particular post.

[Yaana Noore]

I sure would hate to be from a country that scored fewer goals from open play than England at this world cup.

It's not an issue that's somehow unique to England this World Cup, though.

This article outlines the statistics at the conclusion of the group stage:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2 ... ike-never/

Two statistics do stick out there. 15 of the 32 teams scored 50% of their goals from set pieces, and while England were in the top three, they came behind Poland and Australia (neither free-scoring teams, admittedly). 43% of all first-round goals came from set pieces (v. 28% in 2014).

VAR (and the resulting significant increase in penalties) seems to have played a role, but it's not the only factor.

For better or for worse, England do seem to be unusually well prepared for set plays, but it's likely that this is at least as much a result of recognising how crucial they would prove to be this time around and preparing accordingly (believable given the current manager's meticulous approach to preparation) rather than a result of England setting some sort of footballing trend.

That said, if scoring from open play is the primary criterion for footballing support, then France and Belgium were the clear first round trendsetters out of the semifinalists.

England appear to do so well at corners thanks to their attacking coach - Allan Russell who they hired last year. He was hired to work with the strikers across the men and women's sides and through the age groups and seems to be pretty good at drilling teams on attacking set pieces.

Also had an idea for the next poll, how about goal of the tournament (so far?). So many options to choose from. Pavard v Argetina, Di Maria v France, De Bruyne v Brazil, Ronaldo's FK against Spain, Nacho against Portugal, Lingard against Panama, Messi vs Nigeria, Cheryshev v Croatia... could go on.

[Unconquered Frontier]

I'm a Celtic fan so football and politics are entwined with me. I think apolitical = status quo politics.

I'm really proud of what Alli's achieved in his life. From what I read he didn't have the best of starts and here he is at a world cup semi. I've only read the England team but they seem like a good bunch of lads.

For the record, if this was Gazza and Butcher I would not want them to win. But it isn't. I don't sing Rule Britannia but I find the Don't Take Me Home song funny.

I love that the top dogs here are England and France both of whom it would have been a surprise to be winners at the world cup at the start of the tournament. We might have another new winner (hopefully Belgium with Boyata playing) or we might have a second time winner but either way it won't be someone who's used to it.

[Yaana Noore]

I'm a Celtic fan so football and politics are entwined with me. I think apolitical = status quo politics.

I'm really proud of what Alli's achieved in his life. From what I read he didn't have the best of starts and here he is at a world cup semi. I've only read the England team but they seem like a good bunch of lads.

For the record, if this was Gazza and Butcher I would not want them to win. But it isn't. I don't sing Rule Britannia but I find the Don't Take Me Home song funny.

I love that the top dogs here are England and France both of whom it would have been a surprise to be winners at the world cup at the start of the tournament. We might have another new winner (hopefully Belgium with Boyata playing) or we might have a second time winner but either way it won't be someone who's used to it.

How can one man wish such poor fortune on a team?

[Shofercia]

Well done, Croatia!

The Times: ‘If Putin gains credibility because of the World Cup, it will be bad for Russians’

Garry Kasparov, the vehement anti-Putin campaigner, tells Matt Dickinson that the World Cup has exposed how the president’s regime can turn the forces of racism and hooliganism on and off, like a tap

This may well be the best of modern World Cups. It might also be “a well-organised charade whose roots go back to Berlin 1936”. That was not Boris Johnson putting his undiplomatic foot in it again but Garry Kasparov, the chess grandmaster and vehement anti-Putin campaigner who has been watching this World Cup, Russia’s progress and the broader wave of positive publicity with his head in his hands.

Oh dear, Kasparov went completely insane. Fact is, when compared to Russia's 145 million people, there never was really that much racism in Russia, (I challenged anyone on NSG to find a single instance of Crimean Tatars being persecuted primarily on race/ethnicity - thus far it's been crickets,) and as far's hooliganism is concerned, any decent Government can prevent most occurrences of hooliganism at major events. Most of the trolling against Central Asians is around their accents, not their ethnicity. But what's even more hilarious, is Kasparov's assertion that Europe should resist Russia like Croatia's soccer team.

Part of a soccer player's job is to win the game. Part of a manager's job is to strike a balance between short and long term profit projections. Demanding that players win a game isn't demanding much; that's what they're supposed to do. Demanding that Europeans pay double the price of gas that they're currently paying, (Americans - double your utilities price to understand,) in a move that may or may not preserve a corrupt regime in Ukraine, is a tad different than asking players to win a game. Kasparov fails to grasp that. Russian "Liberals" ladies and gentlemen, and you wonder why they cannot win elections...

Running a well organised international sporting event is a good way for dodgy regimes to look good. It can't not be political.

Sure it can, if people were to boycott the media that's politicizing it, and politicize their events whenever you get a chance. You ensure that their reporters "accidentally" have bureaucratic mistakes, (i.e. luggage lost, visa incomplete, double booked visa time slot, looks exactly like a witness in a case and has to be detained on the spot just long enough to miss the game, etc,) boycott their channels, and politicize their events, i.e. "Happy Birthday Gasparov, really sucks to get your ass kicked by everyone in politics, don't it?" and slowly they'll get the message not to politicize sports. I view those who try to politicize sports, (and NSG has been surprisingly good at keeping this thread free of politics,) as those trying to pathetically leech off of major events, since most don't want to hear their crap.

They're like paparazzi, only for normal people, bugging us when we really wish they'd sod off. With that said, let's all return to the game that we Love. Even though Russia lost, I think it's been a great tournament for Russia, because after it, soccer will start massively developing in Russia. It took use 12 years to develop hockey. Let's see if we can win a World by the end of 2030. I believe it's possible.

[The Blaatschapen]

Am I the only one disgusted how people can't keep politics out of anything, not even sports these days? What ever happened to the Olympic spirit of putting all politics aside for the sake of the sport? What ever happened to respecting those of us who want to be entertained and not have politics shoved in our faces? It's Putin this, Putin that. Can't we just talk about the actual sport?

And it's the same thing with all sports these days. And all fields of life. Everyone has a political message these days. Can't we just have our entertainment be entertainment and our politics be politics?

And maybe I am the only one in this. But every time I see an actor or sports person or anyone from the entertainment industry mouth off about politics I just change the channel in disgust even when the message is something I actually support on sheer principal.

These days? Sports and politics have been intertwined since at least 1936.

[The Archregimancy]

These days? Sports and politics have been intertwined since at least 1936.

And Domagoj Vida's post-match celebrations following Croatia's win on penalties hasn't helped much.

Russians may now find themselves in the slightly awkward position of perhaps preferring England over a bunch of Slavs this coming Wednesday.

But now that we've acknowledged Vida's behaviour - since it was bound to be mentioned sooner or later I thought it would be best to bring it up in a controlled context - I'd be grateful if this didn't suddenly devolve into a thread about the Donbass; there are other places to engage in a detailed discussion of the rights and wrongs of the current politics of the latter.

[Nioya]

How do I do this? I only have a roku. How do I watch the game?

[Blaneu]

People making a big deal of England scoring primarily from set-pieces and not looking that dangerous from open play, but I mean, France didn't exactly sparkle in attack from open play in 1998 and they still won it. Scoring from set-plays is very useful, it ensures England can convert pressure into goals, something we used to be naff at.

[DesAnges]

France both of whom it would have been a surprise to be winners at the world cup at the start of the tournament

What? France came into this as one of the favourites.