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World Cup Discussion Thread - Day 1 (14 June)

dtxspurs

Welcome to the Good Life
Dec 28, 2017
11,234
46,574
Golovin is good, rumored to be off to Juve. The kind of player we should be looking for in midfield.
 

rez9000

Any point?
Feb 8, 2007
11,942
21,098
Ivory Coast
Burkina Faso
Uganda
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Zambia

Syria
Uzbekistan
United Arab Emirates

Honduras
United States of America
Trinidad & Tobago

New Zealand

Chile
Paraguay

Italy
Northern Ireland

These are the additional sides who'd have likely made it to this tournament had it been in the new format. I don't think that would exactly help it as a spectacle.
That's the price you pay. You can't call it a World Cup if you exclude parts of the world from participating. It's like the Americans calling their baseball tournament 'The World Series'.

And as for spectacle, have we not seen five goals scored in this game - one of them an absolute corker?
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
The two Cheryshev goals were class. The freekick... Well, the guy on the end of the wall is a bit of a wimp and how does the keeper get beaten from there by a right footer.

Far too easy and not a great quality spectacle, but five goals isn't a bad start to the tournament.
 

Saoirse

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
6,143
15,550
That's the price you pay. You can't call it a World Cup if you exclude parts of the world from participating. It's like the Americans calling their baseball tournament 'The World Series'.
There'll be a very real price to pay for FIFA too as I can't see the viewing figures for that lot being great. I think the existing 32 team format is far better than that.
 

fatpiranha

dismember
Jun 9, 2003
8,337
21,678
Great start for Russia but the Saudis were truly awful. Fuck knows how many Uruguay will put past them if they play like that.
 

rez9000

Any point?
Feb 8, 2007
11,942
21,098
There'll be a very real price to pay for FIFA too as I can't see the viewing figures for that lot being great. I think the existing 32 team format is far better than that.
On that score, I agree. For me, the 32 team format works well. I disagree with the expansion idea, but agree with setting Europe's slots at 16 (thanks for the info, btw).
 

cwy21

Well-Known Member
May 11, 2009
9,447
7,930
Salah and Suarez will be looking to score 4 or 5 themselves against Saudi Arabia for the golden boot race.
 

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
The two Cheryshev goals were class. The freekick... Well, the guy on the end of the wall is a bit of a wimp and how does the keeper get beaten from there by a right footer.

Far too easy and not a great quality spectacle, but five goals isn't a bad start to the tournament.

It’s harder for a keeper to save from right footer there, curling from out to in than a lefty, curling it in to out, no?

That’s why I couldn’t understand Glenda calling for the lefty (6) fella to take it.

That was a great free kick imo
 

Atomic Flea

AtomicFlea
Jan 9, 2014
443
835
Golovin looked class on that pitch today, albeit vs poor opposition. Could be a few teams after him if he keeps it up!
 

cwy21

Well-Known Member
May 11, 2009
9,447
7,930
I do think 9 spots for Africa are too many. Giving Africa 8 and then the extra spot to Europe would have been better IMO.1
 

Gbspurs

Gatekeeper for debates, King of the plonkers
Jan 27, 2011
26,945
61,824
Pretty harmless comment, no? I'm not saying we should go all out for him and have to have him.

I'm only playing but there will be one of these comments in almost every game this world cup i'm sure!
 
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