International Soccer/Football & UEFA Champions League

[Wee S]

2 hours ago, Lamb18 said:

Was Ronaldo benched because he tried to claim his teammate's goal as his?

Where does one start? He's too slow, he doesn't track back, he doesn't change hos position to benefit the team, he demands the ball so he can score for individual glory...I think that's it. Oh and he acts like a brat when subbed off. 

[DoctorAtomic]

Ronaldo is getting up there in years. You don't really want to center your squad around a 37 y/o. He's in great shape of course, but at some point the guard changes.

[Wee S]

He's 5 days older than me (thanks for reminding me of the sands of time @DoctorAtomic lol) and it's sad that he can't just accept his best days are behind him. I'd be mortified if I started acting like that at this age.

[proserpina65]

On 12/6/2022 at 6:04 PM, blackwing said:

And how the Spanish manager instructed every player to practice 1,000 PKs on their own time  when with their own clubs (since they don't really have time to do so as a national team).  And then they still failed.

Recreating the penalty shootout experience on your own is really difficult.  Which is why the national team absolutely should be doing it as a group.  If the powers that be in Spain can't figure out how, they should ask Gareth Southgate because that's exactly what he did for the English national team; he specifically had the players train for penalties after a full practice with as much stadium noise as they could manage to create.  Not that it worked for the Euro final but it did work at the 2018 World Cup.  (Or maybe they shouldn't ask Southgate since I'm thrilled when Spain loses.)

[blackwing]

On 12/7/2022 at 10:38 AM, Wee S said:

Where does one start? He's too slow, he doesn't track back, he doesn't change hos position to benefit the team, he demands the ball so he can score for individual glory...I think that's it. Oh and he acts like a brat when subbed off. 

Love this post, I can't "like" it enough.  This is perfect.  I've taken to calling certain individuals at work a "Ronaldo"... doesn't care about the team as a whole, only cares about getting individual praise and recognition.

[DoctorAtomic]

Practicing PKs on your own is fine to a point. I'm sure players do practice with their clubs because all the league tournaments and champions league also go to PKs in their knockout rounds. However, if you're not including it in training as part of the international squad, it strikes me as passing the buck by the coaching staff. Clearly, it's doable because England has. 

[Just Here]

On 12/7/2022 at 8:58 AM, Lamb18 said:

What does Australia call "soccer"? The Australian Football League is not "soccer" or US football.

Both "soccer" and "football" are used in Australia to refer to association football.  "Soccer" is the traditional term:  The Aussie governing body used to have "soccer" in its name until 2005 (news article, Wikipedia).

[Fukui San]

I believe that Neymar is widely disliked, but that was a pretty great goal to finally put Brazil ahead in the overtime.

[Salacious Kitty]

Croatia answers! 

[Fukui San]

I was wondering how big Croatia was in terms of population. It's 3.9 million people is roughly equivalent to the population of Oklahoma, the 28th most populous state.

[Fukui San]

Goddamn. Sorry, Brazil.

[DoctorAtomic]

I don't care for Neymar's acting, but you don't score 77 goals internationally by accident. Not only cutting sharply past the keeper, but you have a sliver of open goal at that angle and he threaded it. But that's Brazil; they rely on individual's to create, and I think the world is catching up in terms of being able to absorb that.

How often does a squad come from behind in extra time? That was a great team piece of work. Not to mention the first 15 of the extra time when the Croatian guy blasted it over the net. Just focus on making contact. 

WOW

[Salacious Kitty]

Bye Brazil! 

[DoctorAtomic]

I wouldn't say this was a great match. Probably extra time and PKs saved it. Brazil was kind of just waiting for Croatia to overextend, and Croatia was happy to just hang on. Even when they scored, Brazil just expected that was it. 

Croatia didn't counter well. The Croatian keeper has to be man of the match for the 90 alone.

I'm surprised Neymar didn't take a PK. I'd put him third at the least. 

3 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

Bye Brazil! 

I believe it is 'adeus'!

Edited December 9, 2022 by DoctorAtomic

[proserpina65]

You go, Croatia!  Not that I want you to win the whole shebang, but anyone who takes out Brazil is on my happy list.

[Salacious Kitty]

11 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I believe it is 'adeus'!

Despite being half Portuguese, I don't speak a lick of the language. Thanks for the correction. ✌️

[Wee S]

I didn't mind Brazil, but I'm kinda glad they're out because who doesn't love an upset? Just using that Neymar gif from psg when he was shocked at going out of the CL on repeat...never gets old.

[Crashcourse]

I only watch soccer during World Cup and I usually root for the underdog.  

So congrats, Croatia!

[DoctorAtomic]

Everyone is talking about Messi's last tour, but Modric is 37. He might be on his final run too. 

[DoctorAtomic]

It's a late game fracas! Chaos!

[DoctorAtomic]

I do not believe what I just saw!

I was just yelling to not take the direct shot because they were too close, and it didn't work the last time. I think the US tried that once. 

[DoctorAtomic]

I'm thinking shooting first in the PKs *isn't* the advantage anymore.

[xaxat]

I am only a casual fan of international football, but holy shit! That was an exciting day of action.

[blackwing]

Holy crap, this was an amazing day.  Both games look like the favorites are in a comfortable position, both games get tied up late.  Both go to PKs.  Brazil falters, Argentina wins.

The Argentina/Netherlands game was crazy.  So many yellow cards.  Seems to me that the Dutch as a whole are one of the taller countries in the world, while the Argentines are one of the shorter, and it showed here in the players.  It was so funny seeing one of these Dutch 6'6" redwood giants standing next to a 5'7" Argentine sapling.  The Dutch couldn't really capitalise that much on their height advantage on the set pieces.

I am happy for Messi, glad that Argentina will now face Croatia instead of Brazil.  Would love to see Argentina/France or Argentina/England in the finals, with Argentina winning it all.  Messi is such a joy to watch.

[DoctorAtomic]

The announcers did make a good point of the official managing the game to not send anyone off. You're all on cards; you know where the line is. They wipe accumulation after the quarters, so the official actually has more latitude in judgement imo. 

[meep.meep]

I can't bring myself to like Messi.  Such a flopper!  And he only runs half the field.

Who got the card during the PKs?

[DoctorAtomic]

I think one of the Dutch guys was making a scene in the box because the Argentine goalkeeper was doing his deal. 

[Wee S]

I know the legend Edgar Davids got a yellow...long may he reign on the Dutch sidelines in future.

[AimingforYoko]

American soccer reporter Grant Wahl dies in Qatar.

Man, 48 is way too young. I remember his work for SI. R.I.P.

[Fukui San]

Oh my God. I’ve heard him often on shows like Slate’s Hang Up and Listen. He’ll be missed. 

[DoctorAtomic]

What was the vertical leap on that guy? Even Ronaldo was impressed. 

[Wee S]

What an exciting day. Morocco look like a genuinely exciting team to watch. When they hit the break, they all pour forward -including the defenders! They just need to take a moment with their end product.

Portugal have the world class superstars, and I think they thought this would be a walk-over, but Morocco have shown up and if they don't start to slow, it's theirs for the taking.

As for later, my mates asked me to go to the pub to watch ENGFRA and I've politely declined as I most likely will be the only France supporter there. Would juat be too stressful to watch!

[DoctorAtomic]

Ronaldo is on. 

[DoctorAtomic]

What a thriller! 

[Wee S]

Absolutely delighted for Morocco!! They deserved that!!

Looks like Ronaldo left straight away and good riddance to him.

The fact Morocco took out big teams like Belgium, Spain and now Portugal...there's no luck in that. Amazing effort!

Edited December 10, 2022 by Wee S
Celebrating Morocco more!

[AimingforYoko]

16 minutes ago, Wee S said:

The fact Morocco took out big teams like Belgium, Spain and now Portugal...

Take that, colonizers!

[Leeds]

I can't decide whether I have the courage/stomach to watch the England/France match or whether I need go to my friend's house.  She'll be doing gentle, loving things like watching her grandchildren and knitting, all the while having no clue as to what I'm trying to escape.

[wanderingstar]

Quote

Looks like Ronaldo left straight away and good riddance to him.

The best part of this result!

Edited December 10, 2022 by Gillian Rosh

[Wee S]

I'm watch a Hallmark Christmas movie over watching the ENGFRA match. I seriously can't cope. There's no coping with eng fans if they put out the current world champions...I just can't. Gonna be the longest 900 million minutes of added time in my life.

[proserpina65]

The football gods giveth and they taketh away.  I got to watch Neymar cry like a little bitch baby but then had to watch the Dutch lose yet another penalty shootout.  Argh!!!!!!!!  So now, go Croatia!

That Morocco victory was amazing, and the perfect example of why nothing is certain at the World Cup.  And Ronald gets to take his stupid smirky face home.  It does make me worry about England, though, given the statement about the football gods above.

[twoods]

What a goal. Wow.

[Wee S]

Just now, proserpina65 said:

 It does make me worry about England, though, given the statement about the football gods above.

If they win and I have to suffer with the combo of 1966 and 'It's Coming Home', I will blame you @proserpina65. I could barely cope last year when it was the euros and they made the final then! Getting one over the old enemy of France...I just darent go there!

[proserpina65]

14 minutes ago, Wee S said:

If they win and I have to suffer with the combo of 1966 and 'It's Coming Home', I will blame you @proserpina65. I could barely cope last year when it was the euros and they made the final then! Getting one over the old enemy of France...I just darent go there!

I'm watching the match with a friend tonight.  (She's recording it.)  We're both rooting for England, but I cannot deny that France has a great team and I'm hoping for an exciting match.  And I can live with it if France wins.  They're not one of the teams I automatically root against (I see you, Brazil and Portugal), and hey, they have Olivier Giroud and I really liked him when he played for Arsenal.

[Wee S]

Balls.

(Only comfort is it wasn't scored from open play).

[Wee S]

Vive la France!!!!!

Now, as a history teacher, a redux of France v Morocco a la 1911! For France, the third Morocco Crisis incoming and this time they won't be so easy to defeat!

[DoctorAtomic]

I didn't see the first penalty. Was it legit? 

The second was so dumb. I have to say England probably played better, but the keeper stepped up. 

[Fukui San]

Has any enterprising musician written a mocking response to Its Coming Home they could play whenever England get eliminated? I’m thinking you could adapt Charlie on the MBTA with its refrain “Did he ever return, no he never returned. His fate is still unlearned...”

[Wee S]

The thing is, the women's team won the euros so technically it has "come home" (in eng any championship will do) but because it was won by the women, it won't count.

Forget a response to it @Fukui San, I never want to heart that song ever again!

[Oosala]

Thrilled with the Morocco win.  Crying for the England loss.  Why do I put myself through this?  And how could Kane have missed that second PK so badly?  But it was so fun watching Ronaldo crying like a baby as he ran away at the end.  What a dick.

[DoctorAtomic]

I think Kane missed purely because he was in his own head. Aren't Kane and Lloris teammates? I think that's one. Second, Kane beat him with a great shot before.

So, does Kane go to the same spot? Does Lloris just say, wtf ever, I'll just go where he went last time; I know that's his spot because he told me in practice. Let him beat me with his best. Then Kane thinking, no, I'll go right this time. He won't think that. Unless he does because I went left. And so on, for like ten seconds. 

tbh, it's a lack of mental toughness somewhat. Pick the spot and take the shot. If he saves it; he saves it. It's also ego. Kane could have given it to someone else. Total wildcard at that point.