Popular Post HanoiVillan Posted June 17, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted June 17, 2018 Interested me, anyway. 4 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 So with the majority of top teams having played now, there hasn’t really been a stand out team or one to fear. Spain probably look the best but they couldn’t get the win. Now not saying England could win it, but it really is a very open tournament and with a bit of luck they could go far. I suppose it changes once in the knockout stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 Tells us a lot but means very little at this stage. Spain won in 2010 and lost their opening match 1-0 to Switzerland. Spain, Portugal and Mexico have impressed. Russia and Croatia have beaten some really poor teams so it's hard to really judge Uruguay, Serbia and France have struggled to victory. Denmark did a real smash and grab job on Peru. Who, like Germany and Brazil tonight and Argentina would be alright if they shot on target and not at the keeper and didn't miss penalties etc. All of them could easily improve. Iceland and Switzerland will be happier with the draws than the South American giants but none of them lost their opener either. Iran beating Morocco seems pretty inconsequential in the great scheme of things. Egypt offer little without Salah. Australia miss a Cahill/Viduka type focal point. Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Costa Rica have been pretty poor. 2 days to go till the second round of group games kicks off with Russia Egypt on Tuesday night. Salah had better be fit really or Egypt are off home. Sweden v S.Korea should be feisty after Mexico's shock win. England and Belgium get stuck in against Tunisia and Panama and I'm looking forward to Japan v Colombia much more than Poland v Senegal although Lewandowski is one of those players who could set the tournament alight with goals and more goals as is Mane and that Senegal team is no Nigeria. Still bloody love the World Cup me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Great World Cup so far! What a game here, too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC857Q8BvZw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 already been more free kicks scored than 2014 and there have been 9 penalties (13 in 2014) also the 2nd quickest red card in WC history Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 All good for Sweden. No shocks for England or Belgium and First blood to Japan and Senegal in group H then. Bring on round 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TheAuthority Posted June 20, 2018 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted June 20, 2018 5 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 (edited) Have to say that even thou apparently every nation and player in the tournament except Harry Kane is either crap or a word removed (according to VT) I'm kinda enjoying the WC so far. Edited June 20, 2018 by sne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAuthority Posted June 20, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted June 20, 2018 1 hour ago, sne said: Have to say that even thou apparently every nation and player in the tournament except Harry Kane is either crap or a word removed (according to VT) I'm kinda enjoying the WC so far. Harry Kane. Not for me - it's just hype 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 5 minutes ago, TheAuthority said: Harry Kane. Not for me - it's just hype I've also been told he's a bit of a word removed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAuthority Posted June 20, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted June 20, 2018 1 minute ago, sne said: I've also been told he's a bit of a word removed Absolute rocket polisher 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 you can almost guarantee the sun employs a 5 man team for the sole purpose of finding some dirt on him in an attempt to make everyone think he's a word removed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hornso Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 The bigger nations definitely haven't been as dominate as I thought they were going to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAuthority Posted June 21, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted June 21, 2018 (edited) Only really got to watch the highlights today but really enjoyed watching players I've never heard have great games for Morocco & Iran. That's whats great about World Cups! The nutmeg of Pique by the Iranian winger Edit: Oh and the name of the referee in the Uruguay vs Saudi game was Clement Turpin Edited June 21, 2018 by TheAuthority Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 said in the match thread there seems to be loads of players getting their 100th cap, so i had a look... muslera Suarez maybe bruno alves (on 96) pique lloris corluka maybe ochoa cooper maybe honda maybe lewandowski blazczkowski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 23 minutes ago, villa4europe said: said in the match thread there seems to be loads of players getting their 100th cap, so i had a look... muslera Suarez maybe bruno alves (on 96) pique lloris corluka maybe ochoa cooper maybe honda maybe lewandowski blazczkowski Sebastian Larsson 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 1 hour ago, sne said: Sebastian Larsson He was on a 100 before the tournament On another note I always find it funny Sweden always give a large amount of caps to average players. Niclas Alexandersson being a centurion and he was average at best in his time in England. Anders Svensson, Mikael Nilsson, Teddy Lucic and Tobias Linderoth among others who were decent but not for large amount of caps they won Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Just now, Zatman said: He was on a 100 before the tournament On another note I always find it funny Sweden always give a large amount of caps to average players. Niclas Alexandersson being a centurion and he was average at best in his time in England. Anders Svensson, Mikael Nilsson, Teddy Lucic and Tobias Linderoth among others who were decent but not for large amount of caps they won True, he got it in the cap before the WC He was, but he was amazing during a large period of his spell at IFK Göteborg. Sweden is a small country with a small number of top players. We also have a tradition of having managers who value teamwork and routine above anything else. Sometimes to our detriment. Pretty much all managers in the last 40 years have come through the Bosön academy and are schooled in the English influenced 4-4-2 system introduced by Bob Haughton and Roy Hodgson and then developed by Sven Göran Eriksson, and are molded the same way. It's only in the last few years that things have evolved a bit. Our current manager is very much from the old school of Swedish managers and his team is a hard working collective that can draw 0-0 against most teams in the world on a good day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 Really enjoying the traditional powers having to sweat it out. I predict one of the outliers will win it. (Mexico, Croatia, England... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srsmithusa Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 I used to be involved in the sport at a fairly high level, mostly because I love "the beautiful game." Because of work demands, I've limited myself to Villa and an occasional MLS match just because it happens to be on TV when I have some time. In the champoinship, under Bruce, I had completely forgotten what the beautiful game looked like. Watching these games in the world cup have reminded me of what an amazing joy it is to watch this game played with intelligence, speed, and ability. Now, can we please get promoted so I can enjoy it like this again? (PS. I didn't say that villa always played "the beautiful game" but at least I got to see the Premier League and some of them could be a joy to watch) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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