# World Cup 2018 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 7, 2018, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615 "2018-06-07T18:09:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 34
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/661 "2018-06-24T16:40:24Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Yes they lost big but they showed courage and never quit. They have nothing to be ashamed of. The cool thing was [how ecstatic that one goal made the Panama fans](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8SdTm1c6iI) despite being down by 5. 😃 Panama is the epitome of a country that’s “just happy to be there.” ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/662 "2018-06-24T16:48:29Z")
Senegals motto should be ’ if we can’t beat em lets beat em.’ ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/663 "2018-06-24T18:39:33Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > The cool thing was [how ecstatic that one goal made the Panama fans](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8SdTm1c6iI) despite being down by 5. 😃 > > Panama is the epitome of a country that’s “just happy to be there.” Ha. I was watching the highlights of the game and came just to post about this; it may be my favorite moment of the World Cup so far. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/664 "2018-06-24T19:03:40Z")
This seems to be the cleanist most professional WC ever. 1 red iirc. No mandates from FIFA about reds for tackling from behind. Many matches decided by a single goal and no 0-0. Wish we could have biannual World Cups. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/665 "2018-06-24T19:12:30Z")
So Belgium and England are exactly tied in goals scored and allowed, meaning if they draw then their placement depends on fair play points. Also, they’re in the last group, so the whole rest of the knockout bracket will be set when they play. Lots of potential for shenanigans depending on how the bracket looks. They both might prefer to finish second, or they might prefer first and try to draw cards to get there. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/666 "2018-06-24T19:24:07Z")
> [@borschevsky](#): > > So Belgium and England are exactly tied in goals scored and allowed, meaning if they draw then their placement depends on fair play points. Also, they’re in the last group, so the whole rest of the knockout bracket will be set when they play. Lots of potential for shenanigans depending on how the bracket looks. They both might prefer to finish second, or they might prefer first and try to draw cards to get there. Second place is almost certainly going to be in the easier half of the bracket. Yellow accumulation gets reset after the next game? So as long as you’re not already carrying one, sure, get another for time wasting or dissent. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/667 "2018-06-24T19:35:52Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Second place is almost certainly going to be in the easier half of the bracket. Yellow accumulation gets reset after the next game? So as long as you’re not already carrying one, sure, get another for time wasting or dissent. If its like 2014 they will be reset after the quarterfinals. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/668 "2018-06-24T19:37:36Z")
Category 5 harrykane inland… England is making up for its 2014 underachievement with a vengeance. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/669 "2018-06-24T19:40:30Z")
This would be a good time for Lewandowski to score 5 goald in 9 minutes… ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/670 "2018-06-24T19:42:07Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > This would be a good time for Lewandowski to score 5 goald in 9 minutes… With Bayern he could, but not with this Polish team. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/671 "2018-06-24T19:56:04Z")
An avalanche of goals today, 14 in three matches. ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/672 "2018-06-24T20:28:41Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Category 5 harrykane inland… > > England is making up for its 2014 underachievement with a vengeance. Let’s hope they get knocked down a notch or five by Belgium. Nothing more annoying than happy England fans. “In defeat, unbeatable; in victory, unbearable.” 😃 FYI, just talking about my neighbours, not all England fans. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/673 "2018-06-24T21:05:56Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Based on the WC squads, a combined squad would probably feature 6 German starters: Neuer, Hummels, Boateng, Kimmich, Kroos, Reus. I think swapping Paulinho for a German central mid is arguable too. > > Yes, La Liga and the EPL are better overall than the Bundesliga, but Bayern was the best team in the world this year. This is all based on what exactly? Bayern was the best? Not sure why you think that. You threw out names of some starters, but I gave you 2 unbiased sources on the best players and you should notice how many Brazilians are on those lists. You give me your opinions, which are unlikely to be swayed. I get it. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/674 "2018-06-24T21:18:36Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > An avalanche of goals today, 14 in three matches. Definitely better than 2010 and 2014; two World Cups in which every other game seemed to be 1-0. (Germany 7-1 Brazil being the one major exception) ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2018, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/675 "2018-06-25T02:14:11Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > nonsense back at you. The idea that he deliberately blocked the ball requires proof. without that the referee is essentially saying an arm anywhere at the time of the kick was a deliberate attempt to block it. > > In this picture the defender’s [eyes are closed](https://goo.gl/images/ZJQYPW). Tell me how he deliberately blocked the kick. every other player has their arms out. Any one of those players could have been charged using the logic the ref used. He does NOT need “proof”. This is exactly the argument I had with another poster either upthread or in another thread on the WC. Putting the arm in the air is done deliberately, so that the ball might strike it. It’s not INTENTIONALLY handling the ball, that is, he doesn’t move his hand to the ball (necessarily). But he deliberately handled it because he put his hand somewhere that the ball might likely strike. Take a simple example rotated 90 degrees: Suppose he is standing in front of the player who is about to cross the ball. He holds his arms out at 90 degree angles to either side of his body. The ball is crossed, hits one of his arms, which he doesn’t have time to move to the ball. This is STILL deliberately handling the ball, because the only reason his arms are there is so that the ball might strike them. Learn the actual Laws and how they are applied by refereeing. I’ve been doing it for almost 30 years now. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2018, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/676 "2018-06-25T02:28:59Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > This is all based on what exactly? Bayern was the best? Not sure why you think that. You threw out names of some starters, but I gave you 2 unbiased sources on the best players and you should notice how many Brazilians are on those lists. You give me your opinions, which are unlikely to be swayed. I get it. You realize that those links are also opinions, right? And also that the latter also predicts Neuer, Hummels, Boateng, Kroos, and Reus as better than all Brazilians at their respective positions? As far as Bayern being the best team, just go watch the CL games against Real Madrid. Bayern outplayed them handily both legs. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2018, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/677 "2018-06-25T02:40:21Z")
Also, the second link has Sane ahead of all Brazilians at his position and he didn’t make the Germany roster. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2018, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/678 "2018-06-25T02:48:45Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > nonsense back at you. The idea that he deliberately blocked the ball requires proof. without that the referee is essentially saying an arm anywhere at the time of the kick was a deliberate attempt to block it. > > In this picture the defender’s [eyes are closed](https://goo.gl/images/ZJQYPW). Tell me how he deliberately blocked the kick. every other player has their arms out. Any one of those players could have been charged using the logic the ref used. The logic that is used by refs is that if your arm is in an “unnatural” position, it is assumed you put it there in order to handle the ball. Making it deliberate. Like if I leave tacks outside your door, I intended you to step on them even if I didn’t threw them under your feet. Now, there’s an argument that an arm up is a natural position for an arm to be in while sliding (more commonly an arm out from the body when a defender turns his body while defending a cross). If you watch baseball, many feet first slides occur with the arms in a position that would be considered unnatural in soccer. Now, I think the call in question is a PK all day every day, which is why I dislike the wording of that rule. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2018, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/679 "2018-06-25T03:25:19Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Wish we could have biannual World Cups. Biannual = twice a year. Might be a bit much. Biennial = every second year. I’d vote for this. ---
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2018, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-cup-2018/815615/680 "2018-06-25T03:33:17Z")
Don’t have a rooting interest (probably wouldn’t even if Team USA made it), so for no particular reason I decided to do the math. With wins counting for 3 points, that means that every result from 0-9 is possible except for 8. It’s impossible to advance with less than 3 points, because for there to be another team with less than 3 points there must be at least 4 wins among the remaining two teams, so both are assured of 3 or more. Conversely, 9 points (WWW) is, obviously, guaranteed to advance, as is 7 (WWD), as for there to be another team with 7, the remaining teams must be either both DLL or one DDL and one LLL. 3 points is nearly hopeless but there happens to be _one_ tiny ray of hope for both WLL and DDD; one hinging on luck, the other…okay, it’s mostly luck too. 🙂 WLL advances if two other teams also go WLL (meaning the last is WWW), whereupon one advances on goal differential; DDD advances if one other team also goes DDD, and in this case I believe it’s settle with a coin toss since both will have the exact same GD. 5 or 6 points, i.e. WDD and WWL, always advances…UNLESS there’s a complete doormat in the group that goes LLL. In this case it’s possible for the other teams to _all_ go either WDD or WWL, and one will get left out in the cold and fume about how some teams make it with 3 measly points. I think that actually happened in the last World Cup, and this is the exact same predicament Germany is trying to avoid now. In the NFL it’s common practice to root for teams that are out of contention to beat teams that are contesting yours for playoff spots, but that only happens late in the season when the playoff picture is taking shape. In the World Cup, the _first_ three games are like that. Of course you want your team to win, but there’s not much chance it’s going to be so dominant that it can reach the magic 7, much less 9, so you want South Korea or Costa Rica or Morocco to pull it together just once and take someone down a peg so your team’s 4 or 5 points holds up. I honestly have to wonder just how the realities of the round-robin system and how the line between pass and fail can be so incredibly thin affects the mentality of the teams that are on the bubble after two rounds. For one thing, I feel sorry for any squad that gets put in a situation where goal differential is going to make the difference, because “running up the score” is flat-out _impossible_. Maybe it happens on occasion at the peewee level, but not on the world stage with the most elite players of each nation. Furthermore, adding offensive pressure at the sacrifice of leaving ones own net more vulnerable (a common desperation tactic in hockey)…well, that really isn’t an option, because if you give up a goal at any time, ever, even if you’re hammering the opposing goalkeeper it could be 30 minutes or more before these efforts bear fruit, and that just gets you back to where you were before. As for Russia…I’m just hoping for the best at this point. Sheesh, I know that Qatar or UAE or wherever was an incredibly stupid choice because it gets kinda hot in the Mideast in the summer, but THIS was the fallback?? It continues to baffle me that a backwards, repressive human rights nightmare for _its entire existence_ continues to get prestigious international sporting events. After the utter debacle that was the Sochi Olympics, at minimum Russia should’ve been denied the honor of hosting anything until Vladimir Putin was removed from office, and to be really sure after he was dead, and to be _completely_ sure after his body was cremated and the ashes scattered throughout various locations in Siberia. Of course, what _should_ have happened after '02 was that there be worldwide condemnation of the horrible, blatant bias toward Korea and how it screwed over at least two contenders, followed by FIFA coming down on them like a meteor and banning them for at least three World Cups (which honestly wouldn’t have affected their chances in the slightest). Instead everyone dances and prances and makes merry and jokes and gets all cute about the “home field advantage”, the most blatant corruption since the Cold War-era Olympics gets _completely laughed off_, and FIFA does nothing. (And of course the diehard apologists have since come out of the woodwork, because _that’s_ what this messed-up world needs right now. :mad:) This set the precedent of outright **rigging** a World Cup to be **perfectly fine** , and don’t think for a millisecond that the power brokers within Russian soccer haven’t taken notice. They’re going to try to mess things up big time, and the only question is whether or not they succeed. Remember, Korea just _barely_ failed to pull it off (they lost the semifinal and 3rd place matches by 1 goal), and Russia has a long, illustrious history of gaming the system and getting away with it. So fingers crossed. That’s all I got. Huh. Okay, I guess I could pull for England. They’re kinda due. 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