2018 FIFA World Cup Megathread

[Pope Joan]

After Sweden surprised Mexico with a one sided upset, players of BOTH teams were caught on video after the game, singing together "Auf wiedersehen, Deutschland!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrxGh6Du2xY

[Yaana Noore]

England Belgium to devolve into a mass brawl in order to lose points in the fair play table.

I'm already dreaming of a 0-0 draw. 93rd minute, Dedryck Boyata slides in with a career-ending leg-breaker on Ashley Young to get sent off with Fabian Delph seeing red for reacting violently as seeing his teammate harmed. Young responds by punching his opponent when Boyata comes over to his stretcher to apologise. England finish 2nd for poor discipline.

[Geneviev]

To the German national team:
We, the German people, understand that you can not play football anymore, as most of your good players left after the great success last World Cup. That being said, we are very, very upset. You have ruined our day with your inability to run or play this game that we all enjoy. In fact, I could play better than you did today. Jogi Löw, you should not be trainer anymore. Someone else can do it better, I am sure. Manuel Neuer, even you messed up. This was a terrible World Cup for you and this is a humiliation that we, the German people, are ashamed of.

Anyways, um, that was a bad game for Germany today. The worst World Cup in German football history. They just played badly and didn't deserve to win anyways. It's still disappointing.

[Baltenstein]

After Sweden surprised Mexico with a one sided upset, players of BOTH teams were caught on video after the game, singing together "Auf wiedersehen, Deutschland!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrxGh6Du2xY

Scheiße. Now Germans can't root for either of them anymore, obviously.

[Shofercia]

After Sweden surprised Mexico with a one sided upset, players of BOTH teams were caught on video after the game, singing together "Auf wiedersehen, Deutschland!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrxGh6Du2xY

Good job!

[The South Falls]

To the German national team:
We, the German people, understand that you can not play football anymore, as most of your good players left after the great success last World Cup. That being said, we are very, very upset. You have ruined our day with your inability to run or play this game that we all enjoy. In fact, I could play better than you did today. Jogi Löw, you should not be trainer anymore. Someone else can do it better, I am sure. Manuel Neuer, even you messed up. This was a terrible World Cup for you and this is a humiliation that we, the German people, are ashamed of.

Anyways, um, that was a bad game for Germany today. The worst World Cup in German football history. They just played badly and didn't deserve to win anyways. It's still disappointing.

You can be ashamed. Y'all deserve to be. That was a shit or schiesse game from Germany. They... just... yeesh. They've got some serious issues, and they honestly need to work them out.

[Yaana Noore]

Although the result didn't fit my personal bias, the Serbia-Brazil game was a nice watch - both teams did a good job most of the time. Unlike that, Germany-South Korea wasn't any fun to watch for me - it was boring the first 80 minutes and terrible after that.
This will turn Germany into the laughstock of the world (my comment after determining this: "Hell, even in Antarctica, the penguins will laugh their arses off about us!"). I'm sure Löw will be gone very soon.
Now, since my favorites are out, whom to root for? I'm tending to pick Switzerland right now.

Do people actually have a 2nd team when it comes to internationals? When England get knocked out I just keep watching the tournament and enjoy the football. Having a second team feels far too American for my liking.

[Geneviev]

After Sweden surprised Mexico with a one sided upset, players of BOTH teams were caught on video after the game, singing together "Auf wiedersehen, Deutschland!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrxGh6Du2xY

Scheiße. Now Germans can't root for either of them anymore, obviously.

We've been for Island all along, obviously.

[Freezic Vast]

So, Germany is out, which is really disappointing since I was rooting for them.

Tomorrow, rooting for Colombia, Poland, England, and Panama.

[Geneviev]

To the German national team:
We, the German people, understand that you can not play football anymore, as most of your good players left after the great success last World Cup. That being said, we are very, very upset. You have ruined our day with your inability to run or play this game that we all enjoy. In fact, I could play better than you did today. Jogi Löw, you should not be trainer anymore. Someone else can do it better, I am sure. Manuel Neuer, even you messed up. This was a terrible World Cup for you and this is a humiliation that we, the German people, are ashamed of.

Anyways, um, that was a bad game for Germany today. The worst World Cup in German football history. They just played badly and didn't deserve to win anyways. It's still disappointing.

You can be ashamed. Y'all deserve to be. That was a shit or schiesse game from Germany. They... just... yeesh. They've got some serious issues, and they honestly need to work them out.

That game, and every one before, was awful. This World Cup was a humiliating disaster. So ... better luck next time.

[Riemstagrad]

There is a trend emerging: The World Champion goes out in the group phase.

Doesn't look good for Belgium in 2022...

[DesAnges]

So, Germany is out, which is really disappointing since I was rooting for them.

Tomorrow, rooting for Colombia, Poland, England, and Panama.

Colombia and Poland? Dear God why? Senegal and Japan have been much more fun.

[Baltenstein]

Scheiße. Now Germans can't root for either of them anymore, obviously.

We've been for Island all along, obviously.

It's actually almost a pity that Germany didn't advance to knockout stage to be subsequently destroyed by Brazil (I'm thinking 3-0 or 4-0 or so) and redeem the Brazilian national team and Brazil as a whole from their 2014 trauma. I mean, it's not as if they didn't deserve it.
But on the other hand, the South Korean team now at least has something to boast about forever.

[DesAnges]

We've been for Island all along, obviously.

It's actually almost a pity that Germany didn't advance to knockout stage to be subsequently destroyed by Brazil (I'm thinking 3-0 or 4-0 or so) and redeem the Brazilian national team and Brazil as a whole from their 2014 trauma. I mean, it's not as if they didn't deserve it.
But on the other hand, the South Korean team now at least has something to boast about forever.

Germany deserved to be ratted or Brazil deserved to turn them over?

Because I've not been that impressed by Brazil. Very suspect defensively, if Serbia could finish they'd've won that game.

[Baltenstein]

It's actually almost a pity that Germany didn't advance to knockout stage to be subsequently destroyed by Brazil (I'm thinking 3-0 or 4-0 or so) and redeem the Brazilian national team and Brazil as a whole from their 2014 trauma. I mean, it's not as if they didn't deserve it.
But on the other hand, the South Korean team now at least has something to boast about forever.

Germany deserved to be ratted or Brazil deserved to turn them over?

The former, most definitively.

[Geneviev]

We've been for Island all along, obviously.

It's actually almost a pity that Germany didn't advance to knockout stage to be subsequently destroyed by Brazil (I'm thinking 3-0 or 4-0 or so) and redeem the Brazilian national team and Brazil as a whole from their 2014 trauma. I mean, it's not as if they didn't deserve it.
But on the other hand, the South Korean team now at least has something to boast about forever.

Germany needs something to be proud of. Don't take the 7:1 away from us.

[DesAnges]

Germany deserved to be ratted or Brazil deserved to turn them over?

The former, most definitively.

I think going out of the group stage is punishment enough.

[Tobiasia]

England Belgium to devolve into a mass brawl in order to lose points in the fair play table.

I'm already dreaming of a 0-0 draw. 93rd minute, Dedryck Boyata slides in with a career-ending leg-breaker on Ashley Young to get sent off with Fabian Delph seeing red for reacting violently as seeing his teammate harmed. Young responds by punching his opponent when Boyata comes over to his stretcher to apologise. England finish 2nd for poor discipline.

Young being injured would probably benefit the England team tbh, there are so many better players than Young idk how he was picked, but I guess that’s why I’m not the England manager Southgate is.

[DesAnges]

I'm already dreaming of a 0-0 draw. 93rd minute, Dedryck Boyata slides in with a career-ending leg-breaker on Ashley Young to get sent off with Fabian Delph seeing red for reacting violently as seeing his teammate harmed. Young responds by punching his opponent when Boyata comes over to his stretcher to apologise. England finish 2nd for poor discipline.

Young being injured would probably benefit the England team tbh, there are so many better players than Young idk how he was picked, but I guess that’s why I’m not the England manager Southgate is.

Who would you pick at LB over Ashley Young (ignoring Danny Rose as he's already in the squad)?

[DesAnges]

It's actually almost a pity that Germany didn't advance to knockout stage to be subsequently destroyed by Brazil (I'm thinking 3-0 or 4-0 or so) and redeem the Brazilian national team and Brazil as a whole from their 2014 trauma. I mean, it's not as if they didn't deserve it.
But on the other hand, the South Korean team now at least has something to boast about forever.

Germany needs something to be proud of. Don't take the 7:1 away from us.

Or.

Yano.

The World Cup.

[Tobiasia]

Although the result didn't fit my personal bias, the Serbia-Brazil game was a nice watch - both teams did a good job most of the time. Unlike that, Germany-South Korea wasn't any fun to watch for me - it was boring the first 80 minutes and terrible after that.
This will turn Germany into the laughstock of the world (my comment after determining this: "Hell, even in Antarctica, the penguins will laugh their arses off about us!"). I'm sure Löw will be gone very soon.
Now, since my favorites are out, whom to root for? I'm tending to pick Switzerland right now.

Do people actually have a 2nd team when it comes to internationals? When England get knocked out I just keep watching the tournament and enjoy the football. Having a second team feels far too American for my liking.

I just keep watching, but I usually have a side I want to win for each match.

[Tobiasia]

Young being injured would probably benefit the England team tbh, there are so many better players than Young idk how he was picked, but I guess that’s why I’m not the England manager Southgate is.

Who would you pick at LB over Ashley Young (ignoring Danny Rose as he's already in the squad)?

I’d put Young in the squad as a reserve and play Rose as the starter. Young is still ok but he’s more wooden and slow than the rest of the more dynamic England team.

[Neu Leonstein]

< Cause target man is not an adequate description of Timo Werner. >

Exactly.

Germany performed well with a Target Man. Is Timo Werner the best the country has, perhaps one who plays as a smaller pacey attacker with technique easily snuffed out in a crowded box?

Werner is a forward for a counter-attacking side. He is basically the same speed as Sane. The problem is that while in 2010, Germany could play as a counterattacking side, they've changed their style since then. The way they ended the 2010 campaign was hugely influential in that, because the way Spain dominated them was what convinced Loew that the way to go was to combine Spain's ability to dominate a game by monopolising possession with the counterattacking prowess that 2010 Germany had.

At the same time, oppositions stopped inviting German counters, both in qualifiers and in tournaments. The German team became about breaking down defenses. The high line that had helped with "gegenpressing" and being in a position to counter aggressively gradually morphed into being about monopolising possession well in the opposition half, switching play from side to side until an incisive pass could pierce through and create a chance. And I think Germany was at its best when that worked.

But I think since then, it morphed again... the creative passing, the little one-twos that they did at their best were enabled by stretching opposition defenses laterally, and the way to do that was by pushing the fullbacks up for crosses. But instead of being a tool that helps create the space the creative players can use, it became more and more the only thing they did. It became easier to deal with (especially since there was only one Lahm, and then only one Kimmich, so the play naturally ended up coming from only one side).

I think this tournament that process reached its peak. Can you remember an incisive passing combination played by Kroos, Oezil, Reus, Guendogan, Mueller or Draxler? No, it was: pass to Kimmich and hope the cross is decent. Too often it wasn't, and even when it was, Werner is not the best man to be at the end of it. Remember how I complained that France is too predictable with passes by Pogba through the middle? Germany did the opposite - they were too predictable with the crosses.

Add to that the well-established vulnerability to the counter, which comes from pushing up the defenders, having the central defenders spread out to allow the fullbacks more freedom going forward, and having no really good defensive midfield bruiser, and you end up with the performance they showed at this tournament.

It wasn't good enough - they played three poor games, and they went out quite justifiably as a result. I'm disappointed, but I didn't like how they played and I think it's time to drop what is in my view a tactic that ended up not allowing the best players that Germany has do the thing they're best at (and that includes the next generation, who are clearly quite good - see Confed Cup and U21 World Cup). If they don't have an amazing target man who will be at the end of any cross, don't play crosses all the time. Add a good portion of complacency (which I shared... I thought the questionable performances over the past year or two would all magically disappear because after all, they are a tournament team), and you get this mess.

Should Loew go? Maybe. I'm not sure I can think of a replacement right about now - I really think it would have to be someone who will stick around for several major tournaments, so it should be the right person. But regardless of who the coach is, I think there needs to be something of a rethink of how the German team approaches matches tactically. A new generation of players will require a new approach. Maybe it's time for the German team to go back to giving the opposition more of the ball and more of the field and create some space to break into that a Werner, Reus, Brandt, or Sane can exploit.

EDIT : Did Ozil play? Don't recall seeing him on the pitch.

Unfair. Here are his passes, with those leading to shots on goal in yellow.

[Baltenstein]

It's actually almost a pity that Germany didn't advance to knockout stage to be subsequently destroyed by Brazil (I'm thinking 3-0 or 4-0 or so) and redeem the Brazilian national team and Brazil as a whole from their 2014 trauma. I mean, it's not as if they didn't deserve it.
But on the other hand, the South Korean team now at least has something to boast about forever.

Germany needs something to be proud of. Don't take the 7:1 away from us.

Come on, we're the second most succesful team of all time. We can manage with the most succesful team of all time winning its re-match.

And being defeated by Brazil is rather less humiliating than getting kicked out of the WC by the combined powers of Mexico and South Korea, don't you think?

[DesAnges]

Who would you pick at LB over Ashley Young (ignoring Danny Rose as he's already in the squad)?

I’d put Young in the squad as a reserve and play Rose as the starter. Young is still ok but he’s more wooden and slow than the rest of the more dynamic England team.

See, I understand why Young plays. He's a more natural attacker than Rose and is drilled at club level by an extremely defensive coach, adds a bit of firmness.

Problem is, if he plays ahead of Maguire* and behind Lingard is means that England entirely lack players with a left foot. Completely closes off that side of the pitch.

*His attitude to only using his right foot is hilarious.

England Belgium to devolve into a mass brawl in order to lose points in the fair play table.

I'm already dreaming of a 0-0 draw. 93rd minute, Dedryck Boyata slides in with a career-ending leg-breaker on Ashley Young to get sent off with Fabian Delph seeing red for reacting violently as seeing his teammate harmed. Young responds by punching his opponent when Boyata comes over to his stretcher to apologise. England finish 2nd for poor discipline.

As I've seen elsewhere, just sub on Nick Pope and get him to headbutt someone.