SF1: Argentina vs Croatia, 7PM GMT, Lusail Iconic Stadium

[EnterUsernameHere]

"bit of a surprise" to see this Messi? 

[craigcwwe]

Pougatch.  

He just said that the level of Messi's performances this World Cup has come as a little bit of a surprise. 

Honestly, sack the idiot on the spot.

[kopsy101]

1 minute ago, craigcwwe said:

Pougatch.  

He just said that the level of Messi's performances this World Cup has come as a little bit of a surprise. 

Honestly, sack the idiot on the spot.

I thought I misheard that 

[Pukey]

Having Pougatch on one channel and Matterface on another would be bad enough, but having them both on the same channel is just outstandingly awful. Is there anyone who actually likes either of them? 

[Pukey]

3 minutes ago, EnterUsernameHere said:

"bit of a surprise" to see this Messi? 

Keane's face was a picture when he asked that, no idea why Neville answered it like it was a normal, non-stupid question.

[The_jagster]

Was basically just chatting for much of the second half having lost interest as a spectacle.

Croatia are just bad in attack, even when it was 0-0 they were so slow in promising positions. Messi was great but the match was a bit disappointing, would like France to win so we have a classic final, rather than attack vs defence.

[craigcwwe]

2 minutes ago, Pukey said:

Having Pougatch on one channel and Matterface on another would be bad enough, but having them both on the same channel is just outstandingly awful. Is there anyone who actually likes either of them? 

ITV seeing as they continue to pay them.

Edited December 13, 2022 by craigcwwe

[craigcwwe]

1 minute ago, Pukey said:

Keane's face was a picture when he asked that, no idea why Neville answered it like it was a normal, non-stupid question.

Dunno why GNev even answered such a ridiculously stupid question. Pougatch should've been laughed off air and ridiculed front and centre. 

[GunmaN1905]

Just now, The_jagster said:

would like France to win so we have a classic final, rather than attack vs defence.

I'd hate to spoil your fun, but it's most likely going to be defense vs defense.

Argentina opened up the match by giving Croatia the ball and you've seen how France plays the other day.

Argentina is a slow team compared to France and there's no way they'll go out and try to heavily dominate the match.

 

I'd like Morocco to make a match out of it tomorrow, but they have too many injuries and I don't think FIFA would appreciate another one-sided final with a huge underdog after 2018.

[CFuller]

2 minutes ago, Pukey said:

Having Pougatch on one channel and Matterface on another would be bad enough, but having them both on the same channel is just outstandingly awful. Is there anyone who actually likes either of them? 

Come back, Adrian Chiles, all is forgi... erm, not sure I would go that far, to be fair. 

Speaking of Chiles, bet he's chuffed with the result tonight. 

[Pukey]

1 minute ago, CFuller said:

Come back, Adrian Chiles, all is forgi... erm, not sure I would go that far, to be fair. 

Speaking of Chiles, bet he's chuffed with the result tonight. 

At least Chiles would have only made some inoffensive if slightly groan inducing joke rather than asking sincerely if Messi is on a different level to Gary ****ing Neville

[oche balboa]

Messi could go through his career never playing against England 

[EnterUsernameHere]

 

[GunmaN1905]

2 minutes ago, oche balboa said:

Messi could go through his career never playing against England 

How is he going to play against a team that always got eliminated befor Argentina except for one WC.

 

 

For all the meltdowns and horrible takes I have, I've this one is pretty good.

Obviously Lautaro crumbled and Di Maria is not fully fit, can't get them all.

Brazil should've been in the semi-final, but lost because they don't have a striker as I said, Portugal was a victim of awful coach and England should've won the game against injury-ridden France but Southgate was a coward.

Now it's up for Messi to take the trophy.

Call me Nostradamus.

On 04/11/2022 at 20:20, GunmaN1905 said:

National team football will always be different from club football.

Talent doesn't mean much if the system isn't in place to use the talent well.

Argentina being the best example. When they had overwhelming number of great players, they did nothing.

Now they have just enough and with the system in place, they look better than ever.

And there is obviously Messi. He's been on a decline for a couple of years now, but if you ask me, this is the only tournament he's cared about ever since 2018. He knows it's his last chance and I fully expect him to be on top of his game. Now or never. And when he's on top of his games, he's still by far the best player in the world. Also, Lautaro and Di Maria in current system work better with him than any of the previous strikers they had.

France has too many question marks because of injures and winning two in a row just doesn't happen.

Portugal and England should be top4 with Argentina and Brazil, but they've got horrible coaches who can't use the talent they have at their disposal.

Brazil lacks a clinical striker.

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by GunmaN1905

[Baptista_8]

How are Argentina managing to have so many fans in the stadium every game? Like a home game.

[CFuller]

1 minute ago, oche balboa said:

Messi could go through his career never playing against England 

Crikey, didn't realise that. 17 years since we last played Argentina. 

Luke Young and Paul Konchesky were playing for England that day, for heaven's sake. 

[GunmaN1905]

2 minutes ago, Baptista_8 said:

How are Argentina managing to have so many fans in the stadium every game? Like a home game.

Because they're lunatics obssessed with football. By far the best spectators not just for NT, but for club football too.

In Europe you'll have organized ultras groups, but then you look at Argentinian derbies and it's everyone. Women, childern, elderly...everyone being just mad over football.

 

Shame about Croatian support, but it's FAs own doing. Had more fans 2002 in Korea than in Russia or Qatar.

[The_jagster]

6 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

I'd hate to spoil your fun, but it's most likely going to be defense vs defense.

Argentina opened up the match by giving Croatia the ball and you've seen how France plays the other day.

Argentina is a slow team compared to France and there's no way they'll go out and try to heavily dominate the match.

France were ahead for a lot of the match, so defended more. It's still two teams that would think they could win it in normal time rather than playing for pens and maybe getting a goal from a set piece.

[GunmaN1905]

1 minute ago, The_jagster said:

France were ahead for a lot of the match, so defended more. It's still two teams that would think they could win it in normal time rather than playing for pens and maybe getting a goal from a set piece.

Yeah, I'm not saying they won't try to win, but you won't see a team pushing all the way high up or having fullbacks at the byline knowing it's Messi or Mbappe waiting on the counter.

[Weezer]

25 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Because they're lunatics obssessed with football. By far the best spectators not just for NT, but for club football too.

In Europe you'll have organized ultras groups, but then you look at Argentinian derbies and it's everyone. Women, childern, elderly...everyone being just mad over football.

 

Shame about Croatian support, but it's FAs own doing. Had more fans 2002 in Korea than in Russia or Qatar.

I went to a random club game in Buenos Aires and the atmosphere was ****ing mental. And away fans were banned so it was only home fans and it was still terrifying. Terrifying but brilliant. Colombia and Bolivia too, South American fans are something else.

[Baptista_8]

37 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Because they're lunatics obssessed with football. By far the best spectators not just for NT, but for club football too.

In Europe you'll have organized ultras groups, but then you look at Argentinian derbies and it's everyone. Women, childern, elderly...everyone being just mad over football.

 

Shame about Croatian support, but it's FAs own doing. Had more fans 2002 in Korea than in Russia or Qatar.

But how did they get so many tickets?

[GunmaN1905]

1 minute ago, Baptista_8 said:

But how did they get so many tickets?

Ask @Weezer

Tickets are never an issue when there's interest. As and Englishman, you should know that better than most people with the numbers England used to have, even against hosts like in Portugal.

And there were still tickets available for semi-final this weekend. Some charter flight arrangements from Croatia were as cheap as 1800€, ticket included.

[kpain16]

51 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

How is he going to play against a team that always got eliminated befor Argentina except for one WC.

 

 

For all the meltdowns and horrible takes I have, I've this one is pretty good.

Obviously Lautaro crumbled and Di Maria is not fully fit, can't get them all.

Brazil should've been in the semi-final, but lost because they don't have a striker as I said, Portugal was a victim of awful coach and England should've won the game against injury-ridden France but Southgate was a coward.

Now it's up for Messi to take the trophy.

Call me Nostradamus.

 

I always found you very knowledgeable really. You'd be a great pundit. The horrible takes just adding value to the viewer

[SouthCoastRed]

18 minutes ago, Baptista_8 said:

But how did they get so many tickets?

It’s always amazed me how easy it is to get tickets at tournaments. 
I’ve been to 4 world cups and 6 euros and never (apart from Italia 90, and that was because I was an idiot and bought the wrong semi final ones!) had a problem getting tickets for anything, apart from the Final.

[GunmaN1905]

11 minutes ago, kpain16 said:

I always found you very knowledgeable really. You'd be a great pundit. The horrible takes just adding value to the viewer

Imagine the live TV meltdowns, better than Jeličić.

3 minutes ago, SouthCoastRed said:

It’s always amazed me how easy it is to get tickets at tournaments. 
I’ve been to 4 world cups and 6 euros and never (apart from Italia 90, and that was because I was an idiot and bought the wrong semi final ones!) had a problem getting tickets for anything, apart from the Final.

Most people just aren't resourceful enough. For example Croatians and Argentinians would go into uncertainty and think they can get the tickets, while a lot of people from "organized" countries would just assume everything is functional and give up as soon as they see no tickets available on FIFA site.

Germany 2024 should be worth going to as it's the last decent tournament before shambles with the tournament system. Not to mention the beer and infrastructure. 

[Wolf_pd]

Genuinely thought Matterface was a nickname for someone you all hate. 

[Pukey]

Just now, Wolf_pd said:

Genuinely thought Matterface was a nickname for someone you all hate. 

There's like a million other words we could put before "face" if it was gonna be a nickname tbf  

[EdL]

2 hours ago, Harryseaess said:

Yeah and an indirect free kick is awarded?

That rule was changed, its direct now

[Wolf_pd]

9 minutes ago, Pukey said:

There's like a million other words we could put before "face" if it was gonna be a nickname tbf  

True, but ****face isn’t allowed right?

[Weezer]

47 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Ask @Weezer

Tickets are never an issue when there's interest. As and Englishman, you should know that better than most people with the numbers England used to have, even against hosts like in Portugal.

And there were still tickets available for semi-final this weekend. Some charter flight arrangements from Croatia were as cheap as 1800€, ticket included.

Friends in high places  

You just have to be persistent. There were tickets available for tonight’s game available today but when I looked several times yesterday there were nothing.

Its still no guarantee though, I’ve been to 7 games during this tournament but 3 of the 4 England games I’ve been to I had to rely on others getting the tickets for me.

Also when you get to this stage of the tournament it’s ‘who you know’. You’re not going to get tickets through official channels because the bulk of tickets go to friends of friends of FIFA. I only got tickets England-France tickets because my girlfriend’s boss is quite high up in Doha bureaucracy.

Edited December 13, 2022 by Weezer

[skybluedave]

God, I hope Messi wins this. He is the GOAT for me and a lot of people, but if he wins this, playing like this. He literally will become the official unarguable undisputed GOAT. 

Like there will never be a debate about it again. Even the most hardcore Ronaldo fans will doff their cap and say 'yep, fair play. You won it'. And also the 'but Maradona' stuff ends too. 

[EdL]

43 minutes ago, skybluedave said:

God, I hope Messi wins this. He is the GOAT for me and a lot of people, but if he wins this, playing like this. He literally will become the official unarguable undisputed GOAT. 

Like there will never be a debate about it again. Even the most hardcore Ronaldo fans will doff their cap and say 'yep, fair play. You won it'. And also the 'but Maradona' stuff ends too. 

People on the internet stop arguing? zero chance

[PMLF]

Former player Michel Bastos on Croatia after their defeat today:

We were beaten by this team?

[VamPook]

GOAT

[EnterUsernameHere]

No surprise but Messi has confirmed Sunday's his last world cup game.

Would love nothing more than it to end with him lifting the trophy.

[samuelawachie]

47 minutes ago, EnterUsernameHere said:

No surprise but Messi has confirmed Sunday's his last world cup game.

Would love nothing more than it to end with him lifting the trophy.

Yeah. That’ll be a dream come true. 
I hope it happens for him. 

[JD nawrat]

12 hours ago, skybluedave said:

God, I hope Messi wins this. He is the GOAT for me and a lot of people, but if he wins this, playing like this. He literally will become the official unarguable undisputed GOAT. 

Like there will never be a debate about it again. Even the most hardcore Ronaldo fans will doff their cap and say 'yep, fair play. You won it'. And also the 'but Maradona' stuff ends too. 

This feels naive. 

The argument will be, "yeah he won a World Cup, but Maradona single-handedly won one*". "Pelé won three of them!" etc 

CR fanboys will never concede that Messi is better. Even if Messi had 4 WCs. 

Edited December 14, 2022 by JD nawrat
*1 not 2

[Darius1998]

39 minutes ago, JD nawrat said:

This feels naive. 

The argument will be, "yeah he won a World Cup, but Maradona single-handedly won 2". "Pelé won three of them!" etc 

CR fanboys will never concede that Messi is better. Even if Messi had 4 WCs. 

Maradona wasn't in the 1978 squad. 

I agree with the rest though, no way they will ever agree about Messi being better.

[RubenJ]

They will say Qatar arranged it because he’s at PSG. Think that’s going to be the main narrative for the Ronaldo is the best lunatics. 

[VamPook]

Don't think this Argentina team is even that detestable compared to previous ones

They could have acted alot worse in game during the Holland match

And look at the reaction to the Croatia players after last night's game

[Constantine]

2 hours ago, JD nawrat said:

This feels naive. 

The argument will be, "yeah he won a World Cup, but Maradona single-handedly won 2". "Pelé won three of them!" etc 

CR fanboys will never concede that Messi is better. Even if Messi had 4 WCs. 

And that's even without Mbappe in the conversation. Too early to tell, but he could break pretty much every record known to man...

[kopsy101]

24 minutes ago, VamPook said:

Don't think this Argentina team is even that detestable compared to previous ones

They could have acted alot worse in game during the Holland match

And look at the reaction to the Croatia players after last night's game

I think it's quite a British thing to dislike these kinda teams.

Oh, no please and thankyou's followed by tea and crumpets after dispatching that penalty, how awfully rude and ill mannered 

[Muttley84]

2 hours ago, JD nawrat said:

Maradona single-handedly won 2

Is this ironic for the CR7 fans or am I missing something here?

[Wolf_pd]

7 minutes ago, Muttley84 said:

Is this ironic for the CR7 fans or am I missing something here?

No, just a miscalculation. Maradona won only one of course.

[JD nawrat]

40 minutes ago, Muttley84 said:

Is this ironic for the CR7 fans or am I missing something here?

Yes i mistakenly thought he was part of the 78 squad. 

[Barry Cartman]

Quote

-What is your dream? -Play a World Cup - And your idol in soccer? -Messi Julian Alvarez. 11 years.

Messi saying Alvarez deserved MOTM in a World Cup Semi whilst Ronaldo is trying to steal team mates goals saying they flicked his hair 

[Pukey]

3 hours ago, RubenJ said:

They will say Qatar arranged it because he’s at PSG. Think that’s going to be the main narrative for the Ronaldo is the best lunatics. 

There's people crying about how many penalties he's had, when the only one that was particularly dodgy he ended up missing anyway and another was in a defeat

[VamPook]

 

[GunmaN1905]

54 minutes ago, Pukey said:

There's people crying about how many penalties he's had, when the only one that was particularly dodgy he ended up missing anyway and another was in a defeat

Forget about penalties, just go over the cards and fouls in every match they play and tell it's 50-50.

Anyone who's played football knows constant slight protection of a team is way more infuriating that one bad decision.

Refereeing Argentina has had so far is the refereeing any fan would want for their team, every 50-50 situation went their way, alongside leniency with cards.

(Just before haters jump in, Croatia had awful setup last night and we wouldn't have scored if we played for two more days, I'm talking about the tournament in general.)

[Rob1981]

This is amazing  

Edited December 14, 2022 by Rob1981