FIFA World Cup 2022

[Chris2K]

On 22/11/2022 at 11:30, Tigerstyle said:

Argentina are shit, one man team who can't perform at a World Cup. The rest of their players are bang average.

I think we all knew at the time this wouldn't age well.

[LL!]

Certainly never imagined this group would band together and make it into the finals, but here we are. Congrats, Argentina!

[Bobfoc]

Morocco are the final unbeaten team.

[Tigerstyle]

1 hour ago, Chris2K said:

I think we all knew at the time this wouldn't age well.

Mate farming farmers with one good game where their one man team and one other player from that other good team is just proving my point. Glad I affected your life so much though.

[Moses Julep]

5 minutes ago, Tigerstyle said:

Mate farming farmers with one good game where their one man team and one other player from that other good team is just proving my point. Glad I affected your life so much though.

I’ve read what you’ve written eight times and I think it’s gibberish? Or I’m very tired. 

[Tigerstyle]

Just now, Moses Julep said:

I’ve read what you’ve written eight times and I think it’s gibberish? Or km very tired. 

Both, possibly.

[TheGrandAvatar]

Argentina France final would be good. Just so I can see Mbappe cry now. But want Morroco to go through over the French. Possible I would prefer them to win over Argentina. But can't see it. Hopefully this does make them prove me wrong. Then I'm happy. 

[JasonM]

Decided to watch a compilation of the goals scored in 2002, and it's actually very novel and insightful to see how massively the nature of the game has changed away from "Run and hoof, kick everything at goal" to the heavily skill focused game we have now.

Especially compared to now, the defenses then were absolute shambles and even great keepers like Khan, Barthez, and Seaman made some absolutely shocking moves that wouldn't even get you a spot on the bench nowadays let alone starting in the world cup.

But it has also made me a bit nostalgic, because it felt a lot more chaotic with so many headers and pot shots going in.

 

[gunnar hendershow]

Everything in sport is cyclical and at some point a lot of the way the game is played will turn back to that. It may never become the way it was, but we'll have an era with higher-scoring matches again and maybe even less finesse and skill. Probably if/when more clubs and national teams start plucking phenomenally gifted athletes who may not have the precise skill but can just run through everyone with their size and speed. A bunch of Mbappe-lites.

[JasonM]

22 minutes ago, damhausen said:

Everything in sport is cyclical and at some point a lot of the way the game is played will turn back to that. It may never become the way it was, but we'll have an era with higher-scoring matches again and maybe even less finesse and skill. Probably if/when more clubs and national teams start plucking phenomenally gifted athletes who may not have the precise skill but can just run through everyone with their size and speed. A bunch of Mbappe-lites.

Honestly I am surprised we've not had a 'long shot era' yet. With players becoming more and more skilled, the long shot often gives a player the most open space to lace one at goal.

Kinda like how in the past decade the three point shot has become THE shot in basketball, to the point where near enough everyone needs to be able to shoot one and it's become a game where you either take a dunk/layup or you shoot from behind the arc, and anything in between is sub-optimal.

Football has gone the other way, from speculative crosses and shots to (pardon the meme) trying to walk it in. Playing in such a way that it creates an opportunity for a forward to run past the last man to slide one in after a lot of build up play.

Although it's clear this world cup that counter football is making its resurgence, with the Netherlands making it into the QF's and the most logical extreme in Morocco having a goal difference of 5-1 (with the one goal against being an Own Goal), it's a new generation of shithouse football with an extreme emphasis on positioning rather than old timey 'clog the box' that good teams can play through.

It's honestly what draws me into EC/WC the most, it feels like it's a really nice barometer for the state of Football in terms of what happens on the field.

[gunnar hendershow]

1 hour ago, JasonM said:

Kinda like how in the past decade the three point shot has become THE shot in basketball, to the point where near enough everyone needs to be able to shoot one and it's become a game where you either take a dunk/layup or you shoot from behind the arc, and anything in between is sub-optimal.

Football has gone the other way, from speculative crosses and shots to (pardon the meme) trying to walk it in. Playing in such a way that it creates an opportunity for a forward to run past the last man to slide one in after a lot of build up play.

I will say that analytics are a big reason for both. In basketball, your highest % shots are 2 pt shots in the paint. After that the dropoff from jump shots inside the arc vs outside isn't significant enough that you don't want to try for the extra point on each shot. 

Football lacks that, so the highest % shots (which logically occur closest to the goal) are what every team is trying for. Barring a major rule change teams will always try for those shots, but the buildup to them is what I speculate is going to evolve. Especially during the current ascent of counter pressing tactics.

[TheGrandAvatar]

Remembering Mbappe laughing at the weekend. 

[GoGo Yubari]

should've whistled louder I guess

[Adam]

I honestly think I'd rather see France go through. Messi v Mbappe writes itself, and it's a rematch of the Game of the Tournament from 2018.

 

[Bobfoc]

12 minutes ago, Adam said:

I honestly think I'd rather see France go through. Messi v Mbappe writes itself, and it's a rematch of the Game of the Tournament from 2018.

 

France v Argentina is better for the chances of an exciting match, while Morocco v Argentina is better for the appeal of seeing a big underdog in the final. Either eventuality has some appeal for me.

[Chris2K]

This has been a far closer game than expected, but by this stage under-estimating Morocco is a silly thing to do.

[gunnar hendershow]

Morocco have certainly had their chances. France are just shaky enough where you can't feel like Morocco scoring and then winning is out of the question.

[Chris2K]

Kinda shows the difference there, Morocco had an almost identical chance but didn't take the shot because it wasn't on, it wasn't on for Mbappe either but he still had a go and it broke perfectly.

[gunnar hendershow]

Well this isn't the first time the French have stopped the Moroccan advance at the Pyrenees.

[Adam]

The way Mbappe weaved through the defence before forcing that ball through was quite something.