2018 FIFA World Cup Megathread

[The Black Party]

"VAR is stopping players cheating and must be banned"

lol whatever

You're missing the point. Cheating is apart of football, and should be cherished, and punished. Not removed from the game completely. Even more exciting is allowed the referee to make mistakes, and having a rare occasion of players getting away with cheating.

[Starblaydia]

"VAR is stopping players cheating and must be banned"

lol whatever

You're missing the point. Cheating is apart of football, and should be cherished, and punished. Not removed from the game completely. Even more exciting is allowed the referee to make mistakes, and having a rare occasion of players getting away with cheating.

No I get your point, I just refute it. Games are necessarily played with rules, of which breaking them requires in-game punishments. It's about winning within those rules, otherwise why have rules? They're not 'made to be broken'.

Also Suarez's handball was a sending off in real time with no technology other than the referee's eyes required, so your dramatic moments will be perfectly intact.

VAR and referees replaying incidents are still getting some wrong, imho, so the system is not perfect but it's overall much better than arguing, remonstrations and holding grudges for the rest of eternity.

[Yaana Noore]

Football isn't about fair play? Uh, yes it is. It's about winning fairly and not cheating. Anything that stops cheating and means that the right decision is given is a step forward in my book.

People who opposed goal line tech said it would take away the excitement out of the game and that those errors were part of the 'fun'. It was bollocks then and bollocks now. VAR has brought exictement anyway, waiting for the ref's decisions can be really thrilling.

Bet you support a team that has never had a big decision go against them.

[The Blaatschapen]

Bet you support a team that has never had a big decision go against them.

Indeed.

We need to qualify for that.

[Ethel mermania]

Bet you support a team that has never had a big decision go against them.

Indeed.

We need to qualify for that.

Blaat: team USA supporter, confirmed.

[The Blaatschapen]

Indeed.

We need to qualify for that.

Blaat: team USA supporter, confirmed.

As much as I like Earnie Stewart.

Still no.

[Esternial]

I created a pool for you lot:

http://tipper.io/en/ns-footie-palooza-5 ... bb83f07549

You've got about an hour for the next match but dropping in later is no biggie.

None of that "fantasy football" shtick. Just pick the outcome for each match.

[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

Good job!

Modern time;s; they did a run through of the song twice so that two different sides could get a video, and meanwhile the video I posted was being made by a third person. All for the joy of taunting.

[Nazis in Space]

Fuck off Brazil, you Joga Bonito wankers. We need a new winner this time.

nO

its been 16 years, that counts as a dry spell

Brazil's first dry spell lasted from 1930 to 1958, 28 years.

Its second dry spell lasted from 1970 to 1994, 24 years.

Its third dry spell is ongoing since 2002, 16 years thus far.

Give them another 16 years, and you may have a point.

[Yaana Noore]

For a side that need to win Colombia have been so negative. Banking on Japan losing?

[San Regada]

For a side that need to win Colombia have been so negative. Banking on Japan losing?

I think they are, which I don't agree with but...

Well Poland just scored so...

[San Regada]

Mina, great goal! Colombia now has 1 foot in the Round of 16. What a turn around this is.

I would like to see Japan equalise against Poland. I prefer them going through than Senegal.

[Cryptomypt]

group h - what a disgrace. japan and poland are being booed and rightfully so. it's reminiscent of the disgrace of gijon, very frustrating to watch. the african teams have been pitiful at this tournament. i guess this is what happens when all the weird teams go. we need ghana, cote d'ivoire, cameroon, and algeria back for the next tournament.

[Yaana Noore]

Ah yes, because Cameroon really contributed last time around.

[San Regada]

Well done Colombia. That first half was shaky but the second half really turned things around.

COLOMBIA TOP OF THE GROUP!!!

¡Oh, gloria inmarcesible!
¡Oh, júbilo inmortal!
En surcos de dolores,
El bien germina ya.

I am also really happy than Japan managed to get through, solely thanks to the fair play rule.

[Cryptomypt]

Ah yes, because Cameroon really contributed last time around.

that squad was largely unchanged from 2010, just 4 years older. i remember matip and choupo moting arrived, but they were the only notable newcomers i can name off the top of my head. the newgens came in and won afcon. wouldn't mind seeing them at a world cup.

[Starblaydia]

group h - what a disgrace. japan and poland are being booed and rightfully so. it's reminiscent of the disgrace of gijon, very frustrating to watch. the african teams have been pitiful at this tournament. i guess this is what happens when all the weird teams go. we need ghana, cote d'ivoire, cameroon, and algeria back for the next tournament.

The end of that match was utter dogshit. Ref should have booked people until they played properly.

[Nimzonia]

With the VAR, we'll never have another legendary moment like Maradona's hand of God, or Suarez's tactical handball vs. Ghana.

Fuck the Hand of God. Olympic athletes are stripped of their medals when they're caught cheating. So should the '86 Argentinians. That game would have been 1000% better if Maradona had been sent off instead.

[Fartsniffage]

The England - Belgium game is going to be ridiculous.

Neither team wants to win it.

[Starblaydia]

The England - Belgium game is going to be ridiculous.

Neither team wants to win it.

Imagine the last 5 minutes of Japan-Poland... for a whole game

[Nimzonia]

The England - Belgium game is going to be ridiculous.

Neither team wants to win it.

So long as it's not a 0-0 draw. I'd like to see England go a whole tournament without a 0-0 for a change. I think Euro 2004 was the last time. For world cups, I think you have to go back to '98.

[Neu Leonstein]

Question: The red button trick for turning off the commentary doesn't seem to work for ITV. Is that user error, or is it genuinely not a feature on ITV?

[Fartsniffage]

Question: The red button trick for turning off the commentary doesn't seem to work for ITV. Is that user error, or is it genuinely not a feature on ITV?

Red button doesn't do the same things on ITV. You're stuck with the wisdom of Glenn Hoddle.

[Yaana Noore]

Question: The red button trick for turning off the commentary doesn't seem to work for ITV. Is that user error, or is it genuinely not a feature on ITV?

Little I hate more than ITV's gang of moronic pundits. It's a punishment that they get to cover England games.

[Starblaydia]

Question: The red button trick for turning off the commentary doesn't seem to work for ITV. Is that user error, or is it genuinely not a feature on ITV?

Little I hate more than ITV's gang of moronic pundits. It's a punishment that they get to cover England games.

Could be worse, you could be watching FOX.