2018 FIFA World Cup Megathread

[Fartsniffage]

England have had their major injury for this world cup. Thankfully it's the manager who has dislocated his shoulder.

Ouch. How'd Southgate do that?

Fell over while out for a run on a squad day off.

[San Regada]

Oh dear... that looks like an own goal. Tragic... Iran has played so well... urgh. Poor keeper, he's been good all game.

I can't really see Iran breaking down Spain's back and getting an equalising. Iran now has to really turn up against Portugal.

[San Regada]

Ouch. How'd Southgate do that?

Fell over while out for a run on a squad day off.

Ouch. He'll still be managing though, right?

[Ko-oren]

I can't really see Iran breaking down Spain's back and getting an equalising.

Will be hard from open play, but we've seen enough goals from set plays to not rule them out just yet. Iran manages to trouble Spain's defence from time to time, so I don't think they're out yet. That said, a second Spanish goal is at least as likely as an equaliser.

[Kohr]

Let's hope that Iran and Iceland never play each other in international football.

Clearly they're both brilliantly drilled in defence, and all due credit; clearly they're also among the two most stultifyingly dull teams ever to take the pitch.

They can't both play defense at once.

[Ko-oren]

Oh man so close to calling it

[San Regada]

Iran scored! VAR reviewing for offside... I hope it wasn't...

[San Regada]

It was disallowed...

Well, good use of VAR once again, but that's tragic for Iran.

No complaints really.

[Neu Leonstein]

Much as one might want to support the underdog, the Iranians have been simulating all sorts of ow-ows from the start. Refs need to become harsher about this stuff, or we just introduce accurate clocks that tell the ref exactly how long extra time needs to be. They manage to count (and interrupt) the clocks in ice hockey or basketball. I'm not saying we do the same in football, but it should be easy enough to have the ref's vibrating armband tell them how much time has been spent playing and how much waiting. Just take away the incentive for this bullshit.

[The South Falls]

The reffing has been bull, yea. They make clusterfucks the size of Paris in the goal, and that's when they notice. Iran almost got it, and that was a nice use of VAR. Maybe VAR is less blind than the refs.

[Yaana Noore]

Iran are playing a six at the back. One of the most boring sides in this tournament for sure and some of their theatrics annoy me. Spain are boring too but at least they have some quality on show. VAR used again correctly.

[Yaana Noore]

The reffing has been bull, yea. They make clusterfucks the size of Paris in the goal, and that's when they notice. Iran almost got it, and that was a nice use of VAR. Maybe VAR is less blind than the refs.

Why do people hate the reffing? It's been fine most of the time and is far better than any tournament in recent memory.

[San Regada]

Much as one might want to support the underdog, the Iranians have been simulating all sorts of ow-ows from the start. Refs need to become harsher about this stuff, or we just introduce accurate clocks that tell the ref exactly how long extra time needs to be. They manage to count (and interrupt) the clocks in ice hockey or basketball. I'm not saying we do the same in football, but it should be easy enough to have the ref's vibrating armband tell them how much time has been spent playing and how much waiting. Just take away the incentive for this bullshit.

I'll agree with you on that one. I have no idea what the goalkeeper was hopping and rolling about, there was barely any contact when (I forgot who exactly it was) 'stood' on his foot. It does make it a bit hard to support the underdogs, but to be fair, simulation like this is something that most teams have been doing. Lets not forget Ronaldive earlier, as well as the 'tap of death.'

[Lillorainen]

Support Iceland. They'll definitely make it out of the group stage!

Might surely be a thing. It will definitely be fun watching them against Nigeria and Croatia.

[The South Falls]

Support Iceland. They'll definitely make it out of the group stage!

Might surely be a thing. It will definitely be fun watching them against Nigeria and Croatia.

I believe in my Naija, but they are pretty sloppy, and not running well.

[Neu Leonstein]

Why do people hate the reffing? It's been fine most of the time and is far better than any tournament in recent memory.

People always hate the reffing. But I hate time wasting way more. And I just can't understand why it's not something that gets cracked down on properly in football in general. Obviously the occasional yellow for a goalie doesn't cut it. An official match clock independent of the ref would fix it, and it wouldn't be intrusive.

[Yaana Noore]

Why do people hate the reffing? It's been fine most of the time and is far better than any tournament in recent memory.

People always hate the reffing. But I hate time wasting way more. And I just can't understand why it's not something that gets cracked down on properly in football in general. Obviously the occasional yellow for a goalie doesn't cut it. An official match clock independent of the ref would fix it, and it wouldn't be intrusive.

There's not much worse than time-wasting when you are at the match. You can never truly appreciate how infuriating it is until you watch a team show up playing for the point from minute one in person.

[DesAnges]

Why do people hate the reffing? It's been fine most of the time and is far better than any tournament in recent memory.

People always hate the reffing. But I hate time wasting way more. And I just can't understand why it's not something that gets cracked down on properly in football in general. Obviously the occasional yellow for a goalie doesn't cut it. An official match clock independent of the ref would fix it, and it wouldn't be intrusive.

Watering down the ref's authority is not the way to go.

[The Archregimancy]

Let's hope that Iran and Iceland never play each other in international football.

Clearly they're both brilliantly drilled in defence, and all due credit; clearly they're also among the two most stultifyingly dull teams ever to take the pitch.

They can't both play defense at once.

I wouldn't make that assumption.

You're perhaps too young to remember the W. Germany - Austria match in 1982; while it was played under very specific circumstances, it will always demonstrate what two teams can fail to do when they deliberately set out to do nothing.

Much as one might want to support the underdog, the Iranians have been simulating all sorts of ow-ows from the start. Refs need to become harsher about this stuff, or we just introduce accurate clocks that tell the ref exactly how long extra time needs to be.

In fairness, this Uruguayan referee was much, much better about not getting taken in by Iran than the Colombian referee in the England - Tunisia referee match was when it came to the Tunisian play-acting / rugby tackling.

Perhaps that says something about what referees have to face in the Uruguayan league. Not that Uruguayans would ever attempt to cheat; oh, goodness, no.

[Kohr]

They can't both play defense at once.

I wouldn't make that assumption.

You're perhaps too young to remember the W. Germany - Austria match in 1982; while it was played under very specific circumstances, it will always demonstrate what two teams can fail to do when they deliberately set out to do nothing.

You're right; I don't remember it. I do know of it, though. It's the match where they mutually agreed to let the game end 1-0 so they both would qualify out of the group in place of Algeria.

I don't envision an Iceland-Iran game playing out like that, but we're dealing in hypotheticals, so I guess I really don't know.

[DesAnges]

They can't both play defense at once.

I wouldn't make that assumption.

You're perhaps too young to remember the W. Germany - Austria match in 1982; while it was played under very specific circumstances, it will always demonstrate what two teams can fail to do when they deliberately set out to do nothing.

I find the idea of a 48 team World Cup to be troublesome because of this - unwieldly groups sizes, arcane qualification rules, or 16 groups of 3 with the lingering spectre of the Disgrace of Gijon hanging over all.

Course it could all be made much more fun if they followed the same rules as the Caribbean Cup in 1994.

[Dumb Ideologies]

I wouldn't make that assumption.

You're perhaps too young to remember the W. Germany - Austria match in 1982; while it was played under very specific circumstances, it will always demonstrate what two teams can fail to do when they deliberately set out to do nothing.

I find the idea of a 48 team World Cup to be troublesome because of this - unwieldly groups sizes, arcane qualification rules, or 16 groups of 3 with the lingering spectre of the Disgrace of Gijon hanging over all.

Course it could all be made much more fun if they followed the same rules as the Caribbean Cup in 1994.

Or the ISIS version which banned referees and allowed players to demand compensation if injured or exact revenge.

[DesAnges]

I find the idea of a 48 team World Cup to be troublesome because of this - unwieldly groups sizes, arcane qualification rules, or 16 groups of 3 with the lingering spectre of the Disgrace of Gijon hanging over all.

Course it could all be made much more fun if they followed the same rules as the Caribbean Cup in 1994.

Or the ISIS version which banned referees and allowed players to demand compensation if injured or exact revenge.

I don't remember that episode of Archer.

[Fartsniffage]

Or the ISIS version which banned referees and allowed players to demand compensation if injured or exact revenge.

I don't remember that episode of Archer.

Not Archer, real.

[DesAnges]

I don't remember that episode of Archer.

Not Archer, real.

Hwat