The World Cup

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Sportbilly /Detroit Blade said:
David "you know" Batty

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Like the poster above, never heard Batty talk. This was the first tournament that got me into football and I remember it vividly.

Great attitude and mindset of Batty. Seems pretty unphased by it, able to process and move on quickly.
More importantly, he had the bollocks to take one and seemingly wasn't nervous about the outcome.
Great individual ownership.
 
Davalon said:
It wouldn't surprise me.

As much as I'm desperate to see us win something in my lifetime, I have to acknowledge we've rarely been good enough.

If we get through tonight, i wouldn't be confident against Spain (or France for that matter). They were the two stand out teams before and are that notch above us imho. Nonetheless you've got to be in it to win it.

I'll be disappointed if we lose fair and square tonight but if it's something controversial, that will really leave a bitter taste, especially considering previous encounters.

What's bothering me is that it's Messi's last WC and FIFA won't want two European teams in the final.
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I’m expecting controversy, but I think we have as good a chance as ever to make them final.

It’s not that we’re especially better than Argentina, but we’ve become much more tournament savvy in the last 10-20 years because the England players are reaching semi and finals of big tournaments on the club stage on a regular basis.

Looking at the squad, am I right in thinking that only Pickford, Anderson and Toney haven’t won a major trophy?
 
PeterNdlovu081 said:
What happened in 2006, 2010 and 2018?

Were they busy with something else?
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Were they held in the Americas with what some see as the greatest player of all time bowing out from the World Cup who just happens to be from the Americas and also had UEFA openly criticising FIFA during the tournament for making a controversial decision based on the host President asking the head of FIFA to overturn a suspension?

Let's hope these concerns that many share don't come to pass tonight.

Even the choice of referee has a whiff about it.
 



PeterNdlovu081 said:
What happened in 2006, 2010 and 2018?

Were they busy with something else?
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Same applies there, but they're in the past. Sundays final is upcoming.

FIFA, especially now are much more of a global brand that will constantly want to see later stages which are mixed with teams from different continents. They don't want to just see European domination.
 
PeterNdlovu081 said:
It's either fixed or it isn't.

You can't have it both ways.
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I can have it how I want. No-one is suggesting that Infantino is sitting down with the officials telling them they make Argentina win at all costs. If England literally play Argentina off the pitch and win easy then there's sweet fa anyone can do.

However, if it's closer and certain incidents allow for leeway one way or another......
 
Davalon said:
I can have it how I want. No-one is suggesting that Infantino is sitting down with the officials telling them they make Argentina win at all costs. If England literally play Argentina off the pitch and win easy then there's sweet fa anyone can do.

However, if it's closer and certain incidents allow for leeway one way or another......
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I don't like Argentina or Messi but I just don't buy any of it.

It was also Ronaldo's last World Cup who is a bigger global name than Messi.

Why didn't they help Portugal?

They were on the different side of the draw to Argentina as well so they could have had a Messi v Ronaldo final.
 
PeterNdlovu081 said:
I don't like Argentina or Messi but I just don't buy any of it.

It was also Ronaldo's last World Cup who is a bigger global name than Messi.

Why didn't they help Portugal?

They were on the different side of the draw to Argentina as well so they could have had a Messi v Ronaldo final.
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That's fair enough and I sincerely hope you're right.

I think you're looking at it from the point of view that people are suggesting it's one big fix and the outcome is inevitable. IMHO it's more that people are more concerned that any debatable decisions won't go our way and Messi will get more protection and leeway than others. He's already got away with one shocking challenge so far.
 
PeterNdlovu081 said:
It's either fixed or it isn't.

You can't have it both ways.
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Depends on the terminology.

Fixed is far more binary than saying it’s heavily influenced to achieve a desired outcome…

It may not be fixed or rigged but FIFA under Infantino have managed to be far more open to corruption than even Blatter could’ve hoped.

The way the seedings and groups have allowed for easier routes for certain players, how Infantino has got behind Argentina and openly say that he suffered with Argentina fans, how the technology and decision making has been used or not used to again allow certain decisions as well as the farce with Trump, hydration breaks, extended half time for the final. It’s all shown that the tournament has been manipulated as far as possible away from the simple game
 
PeterNdlovu081 said:
I don't like Argentina or Messi but I just don't buy any of it.

It was also Ronaldo's last World Cup who is a bigger global name than Messi.

Why didn't they help Portugal?

They were on the different side of the draw to Argentina as well so they could have had a Messi v Ronaldo final.
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Because Portugal couldn’t be helped. They weren’t good enough.

Edit: they even allowed Ronaldo to escape his ban as well
 
Davalon said:
That's fair enough and I sincerely hope you're right.

I think you're looking at it from the point of view that people are suggesting it's one big fix and the outcome is inevitable. IMHO it's more that people are more concerned that any debatable decisions won't go our way and Messi will get more protection and leeway than others. He's already got away with one shocking challenge so far.
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People complained about the Argentina v Egypt game but even after the disallowed Egypt goal they still scored a second and were winning 2-0 with only 12 minutes of normal time left to play.

It was entirely Egypt's fault that they blew a two goal lead.

We'll see what happens tonight anyway.

Hopefully it all passes without any contentious incidents whatever the result.
 
Davalon said:
That's fair enough and I sincerely hope you're right.

I think you're looking at it from the point of view that people are suggesting it's one big fix and the outcome is inevitable. IMHO it's more that people are more concerned that any debatable decisions won't go our way and Messi will get more protection and leeway than others. He's already got away with one shocking challenge so far.
Click to expand...

I do agree that Messi should have been sent off by the way.
 
Swannyblade said:
You might want to ask some Croatians that same question
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That was a strange one because it seemed impossible to tell if there was any touch on the ball from looking at the replays.

But now they're apparently using this new ball technology.

Who knows?

Has that been called upon in any of the other matches since?

I can't remember any but I've missed quite a few games since the group stages.
 
PeterNdlovu081 said:
That was a strange one because it seemed impossible to tell if there was any touch on the ball from looking at the replays.

But now they're apparently using this new ball technology.

Who knows?

Has that been called upon in any of the other matches since?

I can't remember any but I've missed quite a few games since the group stages.
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Yes, they used it to determine if the ball struck the overhead wire in the Eng v Nor game. Apparently no contact was detected, despite the cameras and people in the stadium saying differently. Doesn't fill you with much confidence in the tech, or those deciding how and when it's applied.
 



Is it fixed. Probably not.*

Do "bigger" teams and star players get more decisions**. Undoubtedly.

Are England one of the bigger teams. Yep. But there's noone bigger than Messi. It won't be a surprise if he gets a couple go in his direction that, say, Elliot Anderson wouldn't or doesn't.

*Although Infantino hasn't helped himself with the whole Balogun stuff

**See Gerrard, S/Styles, R and intent to founl
 
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