Football (World Cup 26)

[Comfy Bean]

12 hours ago, thetime said:

 

I don't get fans cheering on players for England, the players that they spend the next 2 years despising. I have never cheered for an England goal, just seems weird celebrating a Liverpool or City player scoring. 

I understand your point here but disagree with it. 
What if you sign a player from a rival who you’ve spent years despising ?

I have personal experience…..he’s a prick…..then he’s our prick….then he leaves and I’m back to he’s a prick and always was 😂

If your cheering on your country then I’m seeing it the same as he’s “our” prick, at least for those 90 mins.

[Comfy Bean]

10 hours ago, charlierc said:

I'm perfectly aware that a lot of English flags you see at major tournaments are adorned with the names or badges of lower league sides. Is that necessarily a bad thing though? There's more to English football than those 6 clubs who thought they were better than everyone else when they tried to sign up with the Super League project. 

Good point well made 👍

[thetime]

17 hours ago, kaosmark2 said:

 I knew a few friends from Manchester who'd supported them for years when they got their first trophies, and it was genuine joy, not like the smug expectation of Man U fans winning a league again.

 

 

People forget utd only won 3 trophies in 22 years. When utd won there first title in 26 years, that feeling has not been matched since. 

[lost]

They went into the Fergie period with a bigger supporter base than Arsenal but less top division titles than Everton.

 

Its because the generation before weren't glory hunters rather the munich air disaster was more a princess Di moment that gained them huge support from people that simply wanted them to do well after tragedy.

 

[Punksnotdead]

2 hours ago, thetime said:

 

People forget utd only won 3 trophies in 22 years. When utd won there first title in 26 years, that feeling has not been matched since. 

This is true. I picked United as a young boy in the early 70's because Bobby Charlton was my Dad's favourite player. We were relegated a couple of years later, so it always annoys me when people accuse me of being a glory hunter! 

[thetime]

11 minutes ago, Punksnotdead said:

This is true. I picked United as a young boy in the early 70's because Bobby Charlton was my Dad's favourite player. We were relegated a couple of years later, so it always annoys me when people accuse me of being a glory hunter! 

 

I would hazard a guess, not many on here born/live by the team they support. 

 

If your parent supports them thats fair enough.

 

I started supporting utd around 81/82, but did not live in manc. My dad never liked football, all my family supported Rangers through my mom's side (Glasgow based). 

 

So on that basis I am a glory hunter, although its not something that bothers me. Usually shuts people up with my encyclopedia knowledge of utd. 

[Crazyfool01]

France 2 -1 

 

 

[charlierc]

12 hours ago, thetime said:

 

People forget utd only won 3 trophies in 22 years. When utd won there first title in 26 years, that feeling has not been matched since. 

I think the sensation of the first one in a long time hits differently. It's easy to forget Man Utd have had trophy droughts, while for all it's a valid concern the Europa League is becoming an easy win for Premier League outfits, it was still Spurs' first trophy in nearly 20 years and Villa's first in 30. Indeed, I support a club who hadn't won a major trophy in donkey's years before the Carabao last year and much as I can admit I was snotty about it in the past, the realisation we'd actually done it was incredible. Genuinely just a very happy day for me, which I'm not sure it quite would've been for the Liverpool team we beat - sure, they'd have enjoyed it in the moment, but it would've been a third Carabao trophy in four years and I don't see how you can enjoy it in the same way. 

 

So yeah, given how trophy starved England have been, I can forgive people for going nuts if the 60 year drought is over in just over a week's time. Even if I'm not convinced it will. 

[charlierc]

21 hours ago, Comfy Bean said:

Good point well made 👍

Hell I actually find the EFL leagues more exciting to keep track of than the Premier League. Feels like there's always some fun crazy sh*t going on down there. And this is to say nothing of those who are happy to sack off the pro game altogether and find greater joy in the non-league scene. 

[steviewevie]

Come on Morocco, only because that makes it easier for England in the final or something.

[steviewevie]

Boring 

[Crazyfool01]

Ridiculous delay and shite penalty 

[steviewevie]

Yes come on Morocco/England!

[steviewevie]

Lower camera angle gives it a division 2 feel

[Punksnotdead]

Allez les Blues! Nothing to do with England this time, I just think France are the most entertaining team I've seen this tournament.

[Skip997]

10 minutes ago, Punksnotdead said:

Allez les Blues! Nothing to do with England this time, I just think France are the most entertaining team I've seen this tournament.

Yeah 

but also the better France are the less worried I am

[charlierc]

11 hours ago, Crazyfool01 said:

Ridiculous delay and shite penalty 

Why was it even nearly 4 minutes to take the damn thing? I missed it.

 

Such is Mbappe as a talent though that he can miss a penalty, sky an easy chance and then still have the drive to go again and wallop one in before teeing up Dembele for number 2.

 

If Spain beat Belgium this evening, sets up a decent semi on one side of the equation. Though admittedly an England v Argentina semi (if it happens - it could but it also might not) would also be appointment viewing.

[Ben7amin_]

Gutted for Morocco but they did not look Frances level at all 

 

No clue what the f**k the ref was doing on the penalty - clearly Mbappe was not understanding why the ref was not letting him take it -  could not have been hard to elaborate to him what the problem was even if there is a language barrier 

[Crazyfool01]

6 hours ago, charlierc said:

Why was it even nearly 4 minutes to take the damn thing? I missed it.

 

Such is Mbappe as a talent though that he can miss a penalty, sky an easy chance and then still have the drive to go again and wallop one in before teeing up Dembele for number 2.

 

If Spain beat Belgium this evening, sets up a decent semi on one side of the equation. Though admittedly an England v Argentina semi (if it happens - it could but it also might not) would also be appointment viewing.

Were they still checking VAR ? Looked like that on the screen when the commentary team had long since decided it was a penalty but 4 mins was ridiculous where it could have been decided almost instantly 

[steviewevie]

England getting their excuses in early the w*nkers.

 

and come on Belgium.

[Crazyfool01]

Spain 2 Belgium 0 

[steviewevie]

Oh if we're doing predictions 2-1 Belgium Lukaku winner in injury time.

[steviewevie]

This LA stadium is kind of amazing 

[charlierc]

Yellow card for Michael Oliver there. 

[charlierc]

9 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

This LA stadium is kind of amazing 

You'd want it to be for a cost of over $5bn.

 

I'm intrigued to see how it'll function as a swimming pool complex as apparently that's the plan for when LA hosts the next Olympics.