2022 World Cup - Qatar

[JSmith]

Attention, this is the headbutt dance! (headbutt, headbutt)
Headbutt on the right (headbutt headbutt)
Headbutt on the left (headbutt headbutt)
Come on Blues, come on Blues
Zidane, he hit, Zidane, he punched (headbutt)

... some gold right there, top post.


JSmith

 

[artburda]

Attention, this is the headbutt dance! (headbutt, headbutt)
Headbutt on the right (headbutt headbutt)
Headbutt on the left (headbutt headbutt)
Come on Blues, come on Blues
Zidane, he hit, Zidane, he punched (headbutt)

... some gold right there, top post.


JSmith

Still remember watching his very last game. Surreal WTF moment.

 

[Rednaxela]

I don't think that's accurate.
[...]

Correct. There was no disrespect from the Dutch or Van Gaal. The Di Maria and Riquelme stories were dug up old bones. Much to do about nothing.

 

[CtheArgie]

Correct. There was no disrespect from the Dutch or Van Gaal. The Di Maria and Riquelme stories were dug up old bones. Much to do about nothing.

Everyone entitled to their opinion.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Gosh Morocco... what happened? Yeah... it was France.

They had very few chances form the start, but, hell, they give us a hard time! Congrats to Maroc!

Messi Vs Mbappe, should be an interesting final

Interesting duel between two giants of the Paris St Germain. But IMHO, Griezmann is indeed the masterpiece of the team. I'm not that confident for the final with two of our very best guys actually missing (Benzema & Pogba). We'll see!

 

[My adventures in stereo]

They had very few chances form the start, but, hell, they give us a hard time! Congrats to Maroc!

Interesting duel between two giants of the Paris St Germain. But IMHO, Griezmann is indeed the masterpiece of the team. I'm not that confident for the final with two of our very best guys actually missing (Benzema & Pogba). We'll see!

Even a depleted French team is formidable indeed
Mbappe is still developing, Messi though past his peak, is still priceless

 

[Colonel7]

They had very few chances form the start, but, hell, they give us a hard time! Congrats to Maroc!

Interesting duel between two giants of the Paris St Germain. But IMHO, Griezmann is indeed the masterpiece of the team. I'm not that confident for the final with two of our very best guys actually missing (Benzema & Pogba). We'll see!

If Rabiot is back I think you’ll be fine. I would like to see Messi go out in style though

 

[JSmith]

VAR offside technology at 2022 World Cup, and how player data is changing professional sport

Quite interesting how this all works;

How AI quietly conquered the World Cup — and is now changing professional sport

You might've seen the new offside technology being used at the World Cup, but you may not realise what goes into making it possible — or how automated player tracking is changing sport in general.

www.abc.net.au

JSmith

 

[raif71]

To be clear, I don't like soccer/football. I don't like the play acting, the screaming, the whining, the hooligan fans of almost every country. Argie football fans are traditionally absolute hooligans too. I hate the diving. Some brilliant pearls of glorious skill ruined by attitudes of all levels. The yelling at referees...

I never (rarely) played football growing up.

I was always attracted to the dignity of rugby, or what it had. We love going to Rugby World Cups, fans are usually fantastic. My wife fell in love even if she finally put her foot down after too many concussions (and almanacs in my biography) and made me stop. I did continue refereeing it.

But I don't like the singing of Sweet Low, which was not used the first time I went to Twickenham in 1978, and these days I hate the attitude of Rassie Erasmus (the South African director of rugby) with his siege mentality and fans that are now completely blinded and are ruining the sport.

As retired rugby union Welsh referee Nigel Owens once said to a player acting: "This is not soccer!".

Enough said.

By the way, I was always puzzled about the origin of England rugby union singing this. I missed the Offiah connection.Thank you. I have heard many versions before.

play acting

 

[raif71]

mMessi Vs Mbappe, should be an interesting final

or M&M , sweet

 

[blackmetalboon]

Could I wield the proverbial magic wand the one change I'd make to soccer/football is to eliminate the shootout when a game is tied after regulation and overtime. While a shootout can be exciting, it is a terrible disservice to the players. With the shootout their entire game hinges on luck as much as skill, and that is no way to decide an athletic contest. After the first overtime I'd just let them continue playing on until one team scores as a sudden death winner-take-all. Yeah, could take a long time, but at least athleticism would win the day, not luck.

A similar idea was briefly introduced, the Golden Goal. After normal time the first goal won, unfortunately it led teams playing boring, defensive football. It was’t long before it was dropped.

 

[vert]

They had very few chances form the start, but, hell, they give us a hard time! Congrats to Maroc!

Interesting duel between two giants of the Paris St Germain. But IMHO, Griezmann is indeed the masterpiece of the team. I'm not that confident for the final with two of our very best guys actually missing (Benzema & Pogba). We'll see!

Agree, I don't follow football anymore, but Griezmann is among my favorite French players of all time. French flair incarnate. Deschamps's teams always give me a feeling of déjà vu, where have I seen this before, and I think they are a bit reminiscent of the Italian teams around the time Deschamps was at Juventus Turin. Well, why wouldn't he build his team around the winning style he knows best? I love Deschamps, great character, incredible career. France's style is very "realistic" for better or worse, as far as game aesthetics are concerned. But won many games. Vs that great, very cohesive Argentine team, I have questions in the mental toughness department though, given how France broke apart two years ago against Switzerland (after leading 3-1 at 80''). To me, Argentina will be a slight favorite.

 

[My adventures in stereo]

Griezmann has evolved as a player, from a world class forward, to his new role now
He has filled a hole connecting the defense to the attack, providing a valuable buffer to all elements of the team and adapting to the new role with real panache

What a fantastic unselfish player!

 

[RobbanT33]

got no sympathy for griezmann after what he did leaving atletico and going to barca only to go back. he really messed that part of his career up as he was improving year on year. he has played well this WC but he could be running the game at barca now instead just playing counter attacking game at ATL.

 

[Rednaxela]

You mean he was improving at Barcelona?

 

[VintageFlanker]

......

 

[Plcamp]

OMG what a final 2-2 now

 

[VintageFlanker]

C'mon com on come on....

 

[Plcamp]

Feeeeeeel the tension.

 

[poxymoron]

Loving this. What a comeback.