The ONLY World Cup thread (merged)

[1989]

That Chelsea defence was shite though, it only had Terry, Carvalho, Cashley, Ivanovic and Cech in their primes.

That Atletico defence was also shite, Courtois, Godin and Miranda, Oblak etc? Meh.

Right augie?

[1989]

Xhaka played really well tonight against a top class Brazil midfield with Behrami next to him doing the dirty work. Great what happens when there is a proper system for the players to thrive.

Torreira will be his Behrami and that will be Granit's making at this club.

[GoonerMuzz]

Xhaka played really well tonight against a top class Brazil midfield with Behrami next to him doing the dirty work. Great what happens when there is a proper system for the players to thrive.

Torreira will be his Behrami and that will be Granit's making at this club.

No he didn't he was gash as usual, should have been yellow carded early on for his pull on Naymar and gave the ball away multiple times throughout the first half, he was better in the second but then Brazil were off the pace for most of it, Xhaka was his usual aimless self and no amount of rose tinted glasses is going to change that

Just to add the much vaunted Lichsteiner had a torrid time against the pace he was facing and although lacking support ahead of him didn't help his cause he looked exactly what he is a 34 year old past his prime, his recovery whenever he got forward was like watching BVG at times, and yes i'm being harsh but i want players not future coaches brought in to our club.

[DB10GOONER]

Xhaka played really well tonight against a top class Brazil midfield with Behrami next to him doing the dirty work. Great what happens when there is a proper system for the players to thrive.

Torreira will be his Behrami and that will be Granit's making at this club.

No he didn't he was gash as usual, should have been yellow carded early on for his pull on Naymar and gave the ball away multiple times throughout the first half, he was better in the second but then Brazil were off the pace for most of it, Xhaka was his usual aimless self and no amount of rose tinted glasses is going to change that

Just to add the much vaunted Lichsteiner had a torrid time against the pace he was facing and although lacking support ahead of him didn't help his cause he looked exactly what he is a 34 year old past his prime, his recovery whenever he got forward was like watching BVG at times, and yes i'm being harsh but i want players not future coaches brought in to our club.

This ^^. I sometimes wonder what the fuck some people are watching . Xhaka was gash. As usual. He has zero footballing brains. Zero. If the silly cùnt manages to get one 50 yard diagonal ball on target he suddenly has "been effective" or "showed what he can really do". Ffs let's just ignore the amount of times that diagonal ball gets nowhere near its intended target or the amount of times he pisses possession away cheaply or gets caught square on or the stupid unnecessary cowardly fouls on the halfway line.

[DB10GOONER]

Ozil brought his abysmal big-match Arsenal form to the international stage today. Apart from being lacklustre and creating nothing, his attempt to track the guy who broke from midfield and then wave a lazy leg as the Mexican scorer cut inside to his right foot was pathetic.

I had hoped we might get an inflated fee of about £60 million for him due to the long-term contract Wenger "persuaded him" to sign. After today, that will be £25 million at most. Still hope we cash in.

You’re talking a load of absolute fucking shite ! Ozil was one of the Germans better players! Always available to receive a pass and rarely gave away possession!
This Germany side don’t have their “general” a Moeller, a Ballack, a Schweinsteiger.
I can’t see them winning it bassd on today’s performance! You can beat Europes mediocre in the qualifying rounds with a bit of flair and quality players but you need more when it comes to the World Cup.
For fuck sake Bob!! Don’t blame Ozil for their result tonight.

I'm not concerned with the rest of the German team (though I think Kroos put in a decent shift). We'll have to agree to disagree about Ozil.....it was like watching him in an Arsenal shirt from February onwards. Stank the place out.

Ffs mate get your head out of the 1970s!
Forget people putting in "a decent shift". Forget quantity over quality. A decent shift wins fuck all. Kroos was fucking appalling. Apart from running around a lot he fucked everything that came to him either by pissing the pass away or being selfish and fluffing his shot when he should have passed.

Not taking anything from a decent Mexico performance but the entire German team underperformed (as they do in at least one group game in every world cup) yet we still have people pull out the old Ozil agenda whilst ignoring the fact that Germany's best two chances were created by him.

The reason England will never win a major tournament is that too many fans, players, managers, and pundits value the piano movers over the piano players and until you all can change that outdated mindset you will continue to fail at the big tournaments. Whilst ideally you want a healthy mix of both, the truth is skill and technique will nearly always beat effort.

[augie]

That Chelsea defence was shite though, it only had Terry, Carvalho, Cashley, Ivanovic and Cech in their primes.

That Atletico defence was also shite, Courtois, Godin and Miranda, Oblak etc? Meh.

Right augie?

That atletico defence was top drawer it really was, and he never got a sniff all night - that is ok tbf, but what pisses me off is that people are still adament that he turns up for the big games, when atletico nullified him in both finals, he was shit against the victims, and he was selfish and poor against barca in both finals.
Why is it that people cant accept that he has a poor record in the finals ? I have said on a few occasions that he is a top player so I aint denying that, but it seems that saying he is a top player is suposed to rule out the option of saying that he is shit in the finals

[Gunner Rob]

been quite impressed with the World Cup so far - some exciting matches.

HOWEVER I would argue all that excitement has involved the top teams.
I do wonder if it is going to be quite as exciting when the tournament goes to 48 teams and they have the proposed SIXTEEN groups of 3 teams.
there is unlikely to be a decent match until the knock out stages.

[1989]

Xhaka played really well tonight against a top class Brazil midfield with Behrami next to him doing the dirty work. Great what happens when there is a proper system for the players to thrive.

Torreira will be his Behrami and that will be Granit's making at this club.

No he didn't he was gash as usual, should have been yellow carded early on for his pull on Naymar and gave the ball away multiple times throughout the first half, he was better in the second but then Brazil were off the pace for most of it, Xhaka was his usual aimless self and no amount of rose tinted glasses is going to change that

Just to add the much vaunted Lichsteiner had a torrid time against the pace he was facing and although lacking support ahead of him didn't help his cause he looked exactly what he is a 34 year old past his prime, his recovery whenever he got forward was like watching BVG at times, and yes i'm being harsh but i want players not future coaches brought in to our club.

Disagree. Xhaka was solid if unspectacular. Did his job in midfield. There's a reason why Coutinho and Co hardly created any chances or were able to break through the lines. Got the captaincy armband after Lichtsteiner went off. Good days work for our number 34.

[Clash]

That Chelsea defence was shite though, it only had Terry, Carvalho, Cashley, Ivanovic and Cech in their primes.

That Atletico defence was also shite, Courtois, Godin and Miranda, Oblak etc? Meh.

Right augie?

That atletico defence was top drawer it really was, and he never got a sniff all night - that is ok tbf, but what pisses me off is that people are still adament that he turns up for the big games, when atletico nullified him in both finals, he was shit against the victims, and he was selfish and poor against barca in both finals.
Why is it that people cant accept that he has a poor record in the finals ? I have said on a few occasions that he is a top player so I aint denying that, but it seems that saying he is a top player is suposed to rule out the option of saying that he is shit in the finals

I cant stand Ronaldo but one thing that I think he deals with better than most is a pressure situation on the big occasion. Admittedly he may not have been great in most of the finals he has played in, so you're right about that, but which players have consistently shone in finals? Finals are notoriously dull and cagey affairs where it is rare for a the best players to shine.

Someone like Zidane has done it for club and country in finals but even he got a red card in a world cup final by allowing himself to be riled (although in some ways I admire him more for doing what he did)

[Clash]

been quite impressed with the World Cup so far - some exciting matches.

HOWEVER I would argue all that excitement has involved the top teams.
I do wonder if it is going to be quite as exciting when the tournament goes to 48 teams and they have the proposed SIXTEEN groups of 3 teams.
there is unlikely to be a decent match until the knock out stages.

Yeah I'm enjoying it so far.

And despite the corruption (which goes on everywhere) I also think Russia is a good country for a world cup. Maybe the last of the big European nations never to have held it. Russia have produced some good teams and players over the years so I think they can justify hosting it. I would rather it was there than one of the nations that has hosted it before like fucking France .

This might be the last of the world cups as we know it though. Qatar seems ridiculous for numerous reasons and the one after that with 3 nations just isnt right.

[Jock Gooner]

Xhaka played really well tonight against a top class Brazil midfield with Behrami next to him doing the dirty work. Great what happens when there is a proper system for the players to thrive.

Torreira will be his Behrami and that will be Granit's making at this club.

No he didn't he was gash as usual, should have been yellow carded early on for his pull on Naymar and gave the ball away multiple times throughout the first half, he was better in the second but then Brazil were off the pace for most of it, Xhaka was his usual aimless self and no amount of rose tinted glasses is going to change that

Just to add the much vaunted Lichsteiner had a torrid time against the pace he was facing and although lacking support ahead of him didn't help his cause he looked exactly what he is a 34 year old past his prime, his recovery whenever he got forward was like watching BVG at times, and yes i'm being harsh but i want players not future coaches brought in to our club.

Disagree. Xhaka was solid if unspectacular. Did his job in midfield. There's a reason why Coutinho and Co hardly created any chances or were able to break through the lines. Got the captaincy armband after Lichtsteiner went off. Good days work for our number 34.

I am not a Xhaka fan and I really couldn't give a toss about how he performs for the Swiss. In fairness to him he probably had an ok game which when you consider was up against Brazil isn't the worst of displays.

However I am prepared to give him a chance in an Arsenal shirt on the basis that Dick sets up the side correctly and loses the whole square pegs routine. We will know for certain by October whether there is anything to him or not although if I had money on it I cant say I would back Xhaka.

[LeftfootlegendGooner]

Ozil brought his abysmal big-match Arsenal form to the international stage today. Apart from being lacklustre and creating nothing, his attempt to track the guy who broke from midfield and then wave a lazy leg as the Mexican scorer cut inside to his right foot was pathetic.

I had hoped we might get an inflated fee of about £60 million for him due to the long-term contract Wenger "persuaded him" to sign. After today, that will be £25 million at most. Still hope we cash in.

You’re talking a load of absolute fucking shite ! Ozil was one of the Germans better players! Always available to receive a pass and rarely gave away possession!
This Germany side don’t have their “general” a Moeller, a Ballack, a Schweinsteiger.
I can’t see them winning it bassd on today’s performance! You can beat Europes mediocre in the qualifying rounds with a bit of flair and quality players but you need more when it comes to the World Cup.
For fuck sake Bob!! Don’t blame Ozil for their result tonight.

I'm not concerned with the rest of the German team (though I think Kroos put in a decent shift). We'll have to agree to disagree about Ozil.....it was like watching him in an Arsenal shirt from February onwards. Stank the place out.

Ffs mate get your head out of the 1970s!
Forget people putting in "a decent shift". Forget quantity over quality. A decent shift wins fuck all. Kroos was fucking appalling. Apart from running around a lot he fucked everything that came to him either by pissing the pass away or being selfish and fluffing his shot when he should have passed.

Not taking anything from a decent Mexico performance but the entire German team underperformed (as they do in at least one group game in every world cup) yet we still have people pull out the old Ozil agenda whilst ignoring the fact that Germany's best two chances were created by him.

The reason England will never win a major tournament is that too many fans, players, managers, and pundits value the piano movers over the piano players and until you all can change that outdated mindset you will continue to fail at the big tournaments. Whilst ideally you want a healthy mix of both, the truth is skill and technique will nearly always beat effort.

Umm yes we have you *word censored*

[augie]

I've watched the first half hour of the sweden game and I have to say that I am witnessing one of the most biast, corrupt performances from a ref that I have seen in a long time. If a korean player looks at a swedish player he gives a free, and how the swedish centre back didnt get a yellow for dragging down the scum korean player is a disgrace

[rodders999]

how the swedish centre back didnt get a yellow for dragging down the scum korean player is a disgrace

Ohhhh racist

[corkbarry]

Watching the games on my own is not the most exciting way. One needs debate about certain things that are happening.
Tonight i am going to my daughters house to cheer England on. COYBIW


I reckon the longer they stay in the Tournament the better chance that Kane or Ali might get a broken leg