Football (World Cup 26)

[kaosmark2]

48 minutes ago, pink_triangle said:

For all the talk about altitude being a disadvantage for England. Surely Mexico having significantly worse players is a bigger disadvantage? I don’t think a single Mexico player would make the England squad.

I think Mexico are a very good team and England would have to play near their best to beat them even outside the altitude/home advantage. I also think several Mexican players would make the squad, even if not the 1st 11. You can't convince me that the Mexican wingers aren't better than Madueke and that their first choice midfield isn't better than Mainoo/Henderson.

[balti-pie]

Unsure about the logistics of staying up/getting up for it - dunno if i can be bothered, i'm working the Monday obvs and i suspect i'm just not as involved as i'd need to be to be getting up in the middle of the night.

 

For NFL games etc ive tried the whole early to bed/try and bank some sleep from 8pm ahead of a game at 1 or 2am, and that works ahead of the game - but its bad in that when the game's over and you try and go back to sleep, if its been an exciting game (the Bears/Packers game last year ffs, i couldnt sleep after that!) its such hard yards - and then im working all day on a psych ward after maybe three hours kip 😄 

 

nah, ill swerve it, sleep through and give the highlights a burl in the morning.  Would strongly fancy Mexico to nick a narrow one in all honesty, which would be fine by me as a neutral. 

[lost]

Seeing loads of post on social media from pubs and bars saying they are opening and then this:

 

 

 

[charlierc]

2 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

For all the talk about altitude being a disadvantage for England. Surely Mexico having significantly worse players is a bigger disadvantage? I don’t think a single Mexico player would make the England squad.

I guess that's the beauty of the unknown at this point. It's a fascinating game in many respects given that, on paper, Mexico aren't the strongest and England have at the very least very good attacking options but Mexico clearly have a good team spirit, good form, de facto home advantage and the benefits of being used to the unique conditions Mexico City has with the altitude. Shame it's on at such a crap start time for us UK watchers. 

 

Presumably whatever the solution is for playing in the altitude, it won't be copying Diego Maradona telling the players to take viagra before a Bolivia v Argentina game when he was Argentina manager and the Argues duly lost 6-1. 

[charlierc]

19 hours ago, lost said:

 

I'm thinking going to bed at 8pm might be the best way to go. Issue is going to be if it goes to pens, thats going to get your heart rate going so no chance of dropping off for at least an hour after the end.

 

I'm pretty sure the pub I watched tonights in won't open as the landlord is 82. I think alot of places will be in two minds with higher rates of pay for staff and then how many people will actually turn up.

Oh yeah extra time and/or penalties will be a killer for the day after if it gets that far. To say nothing of the possibility of an hour delay to the start of the game as happened in the last one at the Azteca the other night thanks to a thunderstorm. 

[Skip997]

Pubs may now be allowed to stay open until the end of England's World Cup match against Mexico, which is due to kick off at 1am UK time on Monday.
 

A and E departments are going to have an nightmare 

[steviewevie]

Excellent. As a moderalte alcoholic I know where I will be Sunday night.

[steviewevie]

Actually, as an introvert who has long moved on from watching the footy in the pub maybe I'll just be at home in bed, drunk.

[SheffJeff]

1 hour ago, steviewevie said:

Excellent. As a moderalte alcoholic I know where I will be Sunday night.

Cos I'm a dickhead I was thinking it was on Monday night so Tuesday morning which I couldn't stay up for... Sunday night though I can so thanks for pointing that out.

[Crazyfool01]

Spain looking decent .

[pink_triangle]

9 hours ago, Skip997 said:

So if Mexico have such a poor squad how have they progressed so far and how are they unbeaten at home for so long?

 

Hopefully they absolutely destroy the arrogant blokes in white

 

 🇲🇽 

I would imagine the main factor for their unbeaten home record is the standard of the opposition. I found this stat online.  
 

The Czechs were the first European side to play at the stadium since 1986. Brazil have not played a competitive match there since 2003. Argentina never have.

[pink_triangle]

8 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

I think Mexico are a very good team and England would have to play near their best to beat them even outside the altitude/home advantage. I also think several Mexican players would make the squad, even if not the 1st 11. You can't convince me that the Mexican wingers aren't better than Madueke and that their first choice midfield isn't better than Mainoo/Henderson.

Which players?? Look at the clubs they play for. Vargas is a squad player at Athletico Madrid, Giminez a squad player at Milan, then nobody else is at one of the bigger European teams. I suppose if Toney is in the squad, you could make a case for Quinones. If these wingers are better then I think they would be at better clubs. I accept there are players like Mora who may get there one day.

[Ben7amin_]

Without meaning any disrespect to the other teams...   Im already excited for the France - Spain semi 

[steviewevie]

Drama in the Portugal Croatia game...VAR is definitely making this world cup interesting.

[steviewevie]

games getting decided by faceless geeky techheads somewhere and can't just lay all the blame on the sh*t ref.

[Skip997]

1 hour ago, Ben7amin_ said:

Without meaning any disrespect to the other teams...   Im already excited for the France - Spain semi 

Shame it can’t be the final 

[balti-pie]

I quite like that the final will probably be between two different continents - it just feels a bit more World Cup Final if its Europe v South America. A european 'derby' just doesnt feel anywhere near as special, particularly with the Nations league stratifying teams into abilities, and France v Spain being played eight times a decade or whatever.

 

(This is just me preferring something for my own aesthetic, and isnt really manageable without hugely crapping the draw up!)

[steviewevie]

1 hour ago, balti-pie said:

I quite like that the final will probably be between two different continents - it just feels a bit more World Cup Final if its Europe v South America. A european 'derby' just doesnt feel anywhere near as special, particularly with the Nations league stratifying teams into abilities, and France v Spain being played eight times a decade or whatever.

 

(This is just me preferring something for my own aesthetic, and isnt really manageable without hugely crapping the draw up!)

It's going to be Africa v North America.

[balti-pie]

2 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

It's going to be Africa v North America.

Absolutely fine with me, but Canada or Mexico, not the US please! 

[charlierc]

1 hour ago, balti-pie said:

I quite like that the final will probably be between two different continents - it just feels a bit more World Cup Final if its Europe v South America. A european 'derby' just doesnt feel anywhere near as special, particularly with the Nations league stratifying teams into abilities, and France v Spain being played eight times a decade or whatever.

 

(This is just me preferring something for my own aesthetic, and isnt really manageable without hugely crapping the draw up!)

Tbf Spain v The Netherlands in 2010 was all European and a memorable final, if only for the Dutch ultraviolence. Italy v France in 2006 was actually a decent game when you take out it's most memorable moment. 

 

I get what you mean though given that making the WC final feel like the Euros isn't quite as special. 

[steviewevie]

Hoping for an England vs USA final.

[charlierc]

51 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

Hoping for an England vs USA final.

Wouldn't be surprised if both get knocked out in the next round tbh.

[Ben7amin_]

Despite performances so far....  I thing England will beat Mexico -  

 

They will be open and more attacking and I think this might unlock Bellingham a lot more than the low block teams.  

[steviewevie]

I think England will be f**ked after 60 minutes and will then lose.

[steviewevie]

COME ON THE SOCCEROOS!