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Football Thread 2017/18 |OT2| Fractured but Ox

Yeah, you keep going with that then

Nobody gives a fuck about the group stages in a world cup? That's a new one. Messi was also brilliant vs Belgium, but let's just dismiss that, eh. Context is probably key here, since ya know, without his goals they wouldn't have reached the quarters.

What's actually embarrassing is you honestly believing he wasn't a top 5 player in that tourney. I mean, really? Mascherano was consistent all throughout for sure though, but Messi was still more important overall.

Edit: https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/916236157318549504

How the fuck was Messi more important? He was basically a ghost throughout the KO rounds other than 5-10 minute spurts when he came alive and was dancing around the field. Even comparing him at club vs country would be a huge insult to his capabilities with Barca. Argentina's defense was great the entire knockout competition. Consistently great. Brilliant vs Belgium lol? He was pretty damn good but brilliant is a comical overreaction, but that's what happens when you're trying to make a nonsensical point.

And trying to make group stage performances seem like this ever impressive feat is one of the dumbest arguments I've ever read in my life. Can you tell me a player who killed in the group stages that shined and then didn't do all much afterwards that was revered? I'll wait.

You're an embarrassing stan.
 

Zasa

Member
How the fuck was Messi more important? He was basically a ghost throughout the KO rounds other than 5-10 minute spurts when he came alive and was dancing around the field. Even comparing him at club vs country would be a huge insult to his capabilities with Barca. Argentina's defense was great the entire knockout competition. Consistently great. Brilliant vs Belgium lol? He was pretty damn good but brilliant is a comical overreaction, but that's what happens when you're trying to make a nonsensical point.

And trying to make group stage performances seem like this ever impressive feat is one of the dumbest arguments I've ever read in my life. Can you tell me a player who killed in the group stages that shined and then didn't do all much afterwards that was revered? I'll wait.

You're an embarrassing stan.
This strawman arguments tho 😂 Trying to completely discredit Messi’s performance that tourney, alright. Go rewatch the game vs Belgium, if you come out of that thinking Messi wasn’t the best player in the field & vital cog in Argentina’s win. Then you’re an “embarrassment”.

I’m not saying Argentina’s defense wasn’t brilliant, it was throughout the whole tourney. Huge part of their road to finals. But apparently there’s this thing called goals, goals wins you games, & assists help too. Just so happened that without those Argentina wouldn’t have gotten past the quarterfinals. There was this one guy that contributed to 5 of those, few being game winnerrs.

Hey, you’re right mate, at this point we should just stop taking into account group stage performances. I mean at the end of the day, everyone qualifies for the knockout stages. Right.

This isn’t event worth it tbh. Actually trying to argue Messi want a top 5 player in that tourney. I can understand not the best player, Robben was a good shout as well. But not top 5? Says it all really, desperate to discredit.
 
This strawman arguments tho 😂 Trying to completely discredit Messi’s performance that tourney, alright. Go rewatch the game vs Belgium, if you come out of that thinking Messi wasn’t the best player in the field & vital cog in Argentina’s win. Then you’re an “embarrassment”.

I’m not saying Argentina’s defense wasn’t brilliant, it was throughout the whole tourney. Huge part of their road to finals. But apparently there’s this thing called goals, goals wins you games, & assists help too. Just so happened that without those Argentina wouldn’t have gotten past the quarterfinals. There was this one guy that contributed to 5 of those, few being game winnerrs.

Hey, you’re right mate, at this point we should just stop taking into account group stage performances. I mean at the end of the day, everyone qualifies for the knockout stages. Right.

This isn’t event worth it tbh. Actually trying to argue Messi want a top 5 player in that tourney. I can understand not the best player, Robben was a good shout as well. But not top 5? Says it all really, desperate to discredit.
I'm not discrediting him, he was really good but not amazing. He was great vs Belgium but brilliant is a bullshit hyperbole. There were like 3-4 Germans better than him, Robben, Mascherano, James. Messi was in the second tier and if his name wasn't Messi, this would never be a topic of conversation.


is there any friendlies going on today, Zasa about to spot the best player in the world out of it brehs
 

Zasa

Member
I'm not discrediting him, he was really good but not amazing. He was great vs Belgium but brilliant is a bullshit hyperbole. There were like 3-4 Germans better than him, Robben, Mascherano, James. Messi was in the second tier and if his name wasn't Messi, this would never be a topic of conversation.


is there any friendlies going on today, Zasa about to spot the best player in the world out of it brehs
Haha alright, maybe if you repeat it enough times it’ll come true.

Stay ignorant, mate. Go moan about Bayern some more while you’re at it, seems to be the only thing you know
 

Lashley

Why does he wear the mask!?
Well this thread was nice for all of two months

Cya in 2019 when the mods give us a final chance
 

Syder

Member
I'm not blaming the pitch, stadium or the fans for the shit performance, but when the national team are playing in an 85% full, soulless stadium with shit fans on a chewed up pitch from an American Football game the week before, that says all you need to know about the FA's priorities and the state of the England national team.

The FA is all about making money and wanking each other off. They don't care about investing in quality, local facilities or doing the hard work of ensuring there is continuity between age groups and quality coaching widely available. The players and Southgate are just a product of that system.

I say scrap the FA, create a "new FA" which is actually accountable to the fans, sell Wembley to the NFL, plough the proceeds into building as many 3g pitches possible with dedicated, trained coaches and have England play at decent stadiums from St Mary's to St James.
giphy.gif
Bollocks was it.

Though I seem to remember someone wanting the ref to be the one going off on a stretcher "the cunt". So simply disagreeing with the decision is mild.
FootyGAF Quote of the Year.
Well this thread was nice for all of two months

Cya in 2019 when the mods give us a final chance
What do you mean?
 
Haha alright, maybe if you repeat it enough times it’ll come true.

Stay ignorant, mate. Go moan about Bayern some more while you’re at it, seems to be the only thing you know

You have yet to make a point other than jerk off over Messi's group stage performances and overrate a single game.

Bayern shitting the bed and Bayern fans complaining, ain't nothing wrong with that.
giphy.gif
 

Zasa

Member
You have yet to make a point other than jerk off over Messi's group stage performances and overrate a single game.

Bayern shitting the bed and Bayern fans complaining, ain't nothing wrong with that.
giphy.gif
You call it that, sure. I see it as more of you being woefully incompetent of rating performances & being wholly ignorant on the basics of judging a tourney performance.

Clearly this is going nowhere 😂
 
As a Belgian I don't really remember Messi's performance against us that game. Higuain scored an amazing goal and nothing else happened all game long afaik.
 
Tying to Macedonia, what a joke. If this is what to expect for the playoffs we are in deep trouble. At least I can take solace in Croatia and Serbia both failing to win as well.

Congrats to Spain for making it. Hope to see you in Russia.
 

Lashley

Why does he wear the mask!?
Hey now.

Pique could put up a cool Instagram post of them both with a natty caption suggesting that she'll stay. And who would refute that?

Nothing, and I mean nothing would bring me more joy than him posting a picture of him and her with the caption

"se queda"
 
Finland ties it!

That is how we roll when it comes to football. Completely blew the early qualification rounds and lose any chances to make the WC (or Euro) and then when there isn't any stakes left we start to troll top teams (winning against Iceland and draw against croatia). Wonder if I see us in Word or Euro Cup during my lifetime (Finland is one of those rare countries in Europe that has never made it to either).
 
That is how we roll when it comes to football. Completely blew the early qualification rounds and lose any chances to make the WC (or Euro) and then when there isn't any stakes left we start to troll top teams (winning against Iceland and draw against croatia). Wonder if I see us in Word or Euro Cup during my lifetime (Finland is one of those rare countries in Europe that has never made it to either).

Well given that the Euro expanded to 24 teams, the chances of Finland making it are greater than they used to be.
 

RocknRola

Member
I'm ready for that Italy vs Portugal playoff!
If all goes well, you'll get an Italy vs Switzerland :p

If we don't fuck up tomorrow against Andorra (they better not fuck up, the bastards >.>) I very much doubt the Swiss will manage to actually hold onto a tie or even a win here (our last match is against them at home, Benfica's stadium which will likely be super packed too).
 
If all goes well, you'll get an Italy vs Switzerland :p

If we don't fuck up tomorrow against Andorra (they better not fuck up, the bastards >.>) I very much doubt the Swiss will manage to actually hold onto a tie or even a win here (our last match is against them at home, Benfica's stadium which will likely be super packed too).

Portugal would as fun as it would be terrifying but I'm also not sure if I'd be down for facing the Swiss. Still anything is better than having to face Croatia to get in though.
 

Red Devil

Member
#EntregaBrasil needs to trend worldwide. :p

Huh, actually if Ecuador does that wouldn't it be pointless for Brazil to throw away their match?

Btw, there should be more South American teams in the WC. I know that 5 out of 10 is a lot, but when you compare these teams with other national teams... :/ When is the next round of the qualifying? I want to watch it live.

It could be a lot worse if for 2030 there's a triple hosting by Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay specially if they indeedly increase the number of participants to 48 in 2026...

This strawman arguments tho 😂 Trying to completely discredit Messi’s performance that tourney, alright. Go rewatch the game vs Belgium, if you come out of that thinking Messi wasn’t the best player in the field & vital cog in Argentina’s win. Then you’re an “embarrassment”.

I’m not saying Argentina’s defense wasn’t brilliant, it was throughout the whole tourney. Huge part of their road to finals. But apparently there’s this thing called goals, goals wins you games, & assists help too. Just so happened that without those Argentina wouldn’t have gotten past the quarterfinals. There was this one guy that contributed to 5 of those, few being game winnerrs.

Hey, you’re right mate, at this point we should just stop taking into account group stage performances. I mean at the end of the day, everyone qualifies for the knockout stages. Right.

This isn’t event worth it tbh. Actually trying to argue Messi want a top 5 player in that tourney. I can understand not the best player, Robben was a good shout as well. But not top 5? Says it all really, desperate to discredit.

Against Belgium, the match was 1-0, goal by memes' favorite player Higuaín in a play that Messi had barely anything to do, I could understand against Iran(because that was what happened) but definitely not against Belgium, Switzerland, Netherlands or Germany either. And the funny thing about the World Cup is how we kept hearing how Argentina was very weak defensively but very strong offensively, after the groups stages in the following four matches they only scored 2 goals and only got scored one against.
 

RocknRola

Member
Portugal would as fun as it would be terrifying but I'm also not sure if I'd be down for facing the Swiss. Still anything is better than having to face Croatia to get in though.

I actually would rather not play Italy, like ever lol We haven't won a single (official) match with them since 1958 lol

Even in regards to friendlies our track record is awful haha
 

Syder

Member
Nations that have qualified for the 2018 World Cup so far:

Europe
Russia (hosts)
Belgium
England
Germany
Spain​


South America
Brazil​


North and Central America (CONCACAF)
Mexico​


Asia
Iran
Japan
Saudi Arabia
South Korea​


11 of 32 teams confirmed.
 

RocknRola

Member
Our media is saying that if Portugal wins the last 2 matches it has left, it'll join Russia, Germany and Brasil (and possibly other teams, they weren't clear on that) in Pot 1 for the actual World Cup Group Stage draws.

Nice!
 

Ryan_MSF

Member
As an irishman i'm delighted with our win, two great goals by Daryl Murphy keeping the dream alive

As a Manchester City fan I fucking hate International break, can the next week hurry up pls
 
USA vs Panamá about to start. If the US loses, it'll be impossible for them to qualify directly to the world cup and will have to fight for the playoff spot on the final day.
 
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