This WC continues with ridiculous amounts of stoppage time.
Belgium outcoached and outplayed.
6 minutes didn’t feel like much compared the amount of time-wasting France committed. Of course, the whole problem would be avoided if football would just ditch the running clock. 
Mbappe deserved a second yellow.
Well deserved win for France, not beautiful, but tactically brilliant and with an invincible defense.
I’m rooting for a France/England final. I’ll be back in CA at a local British pub with all the transplanted crazies!
(No, I’m not British, but there’s plenty near me!)
Kings Head Pub in Santa Monica?
Yeah, France deserved that one. They looked really solid.
But everyone will agree with you, it’s not been needed at all. In many ways VAR has been a nightmare for the South American footballing philosophy. I’m no expert so I stand to be correct but holding in the box is considered part of the art of defending. It may be why lots of South American observers saw the England penalty against Colombia as being unjust but many in Europe can’t understand why it is even a debate. When Maradona used his hand to score in 1986 it was considered less as cheating and more as cunning and clever and well played he also beat the referee. Very much part of the game. Rivaldo holding his head when the ball hit him in the chest was game play not a disgusting bit of cheating. Even the Brazilians mock Neymar’s antics but he comes from a culture where it is very much part of the sport to fool the referee, and also to intimidate the opposition. I’m NOT saying this doesn’t happen elsewhere, this sort of play happens in Europe, but it’s slightly more prevalent in South America. But you can’t play the referee when there’s an assistant sitting in front of a bank of TVs. And the South American teams didn’t seem to understand that this year.
You could argue that VAR, and the way it is applies, comes from a European philosophy with little consideration on how it will disadvantage the South Americans. However I still think it’s a good thing. South American football can be some of the most skilful and exciting in the world. But too often they resort to spoil tactics - this comes when you are nervous or unconfident. All teams and players suffer from this, but South American teams seem to show it in this manner more than others. It’s a football philosophy thing and definitely not a comment on the character of the people of that part of the world - some of the friendliest I’ve ever met. But look what happened when Colombia stopped spoiling and were forced to come out and play. They were the better team!
Brazil didn’t spoil to be fair, but their attempts to fool the referee lost them all sympathy. When they did get fouled they were like the boy who cried wolf and got nothing in return.
So I hope we see a resurgent South America in Qatar. Where they play brilliant, skilful attacking football rather than trying to win with gamesmanship. As I say, everyone does it, but not all to the same extent.
And on another point, VAR has made corners and free kicks much more important in this tournament, because the defenders can do less now than they could before. Even in today’s semi final, with all those amazing attacking players on the pitch, the winner came from a set piece.
As good a team performance as this Cup has seen I think. They played like a proper unit throughout.
Well, France deserved it, but that was a bit of a let off as games go. Neither team able to grab it by the scruff of the neck for any lengthy spell. At least my prediction was correct.
Now, let’s see tomorrow if the English can finally break through to a final.
he means “In the current geological era”
Yeah I was a bit disappointed - one for the purists as they say. Two fine teams but a cagey exchange with France in charge overall. Hazard is some player, mind, but de Bruyne and Lukaku couldn’t impose their game. Lukaku seems to fall into the category of when he’s bad, he’s really bad; tonight was one of those games which will be grist to the mill for his many detractors.
Feel a bit not-arsed about the England game tomorrow evening tbh - it’s analogous to the CL Roma v Liverpool semi where we’ve just had the real final, so it’s like a runners up squared event.
Yeah, that’d be great. I thought of how many outstanding matches there have been between either Germany and England or Germany and France in tournaments, some epic battles, but nothing of the sort between England and France. Strangely, England and France don’t have any shared cup history, so it’s time to begin one!
Alright, fuck France. Fuck Mbappe. If England makes it I’ll take them. Mbappe should have had a stoppage time two yellows in two minutes. Time wasting and then simulation.
Decent game though as far as skill level if not attacking verve. I do think the ref was biased towards France. Bought all their dives and didn’t give Belgium anything, even a clear foul that would have been a great goal opportunity.
I’m considering going to King’s Head. There’s also Britannia, or Cock n Bull, closer to Venice, which I am thinking might have a bit more elbow room, and especially to avoid the tourist trade.
For the same ages and both playing in La Liga, Messi has a higher goals/game rate than Ronaldo.
But Ronaldo is the better player overall, IMO. He is still playing at the highest level of excellence…at 33. We are blessed to be able to watch the two Kings (he and LeBron) rewrite the history books of their sports.
You can certainly make the case that Ronaldo is a better player overall. I just thought it was interesting to see what the comparable rate was for Messi at the same point in Messi’s career given the “Lionel fucking who?” comment.
Actually I was looking at calendar year earlier. If you look at it season by season Ronaldo had 1.05 G/game while Messi had 1.01 G/game. Ronaldo with 0.28 assists/game and Messi with 0.39 assists/game.
Just insane stats all around. The worst season in that span is probably better than the best season for any other player in the world.