Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia

[StanSP]

1 minute ago, Sly said:

 

I guess FIFA aren’t feeling in a “loving” mood. 

Gianni Infantino: 

'today, I feel hate' 

[Sly]

1 minute ago, StanSP said:

Gianni Infantino: 

'today, I feel hate' 

FIFA / VAR are on a daily troll to distract us all from this being in Qatar. 

[Lionator]

I fancy Morocco to do Croatia today. 

[Balj]

I just looked it up and Croatia are a younger team than I thought - Modric the outlier. At 27 they should all be at their peak. As they over perform so much I initially thought they must be aging more than that.

[Aus Fox]

Ready for a 3 - 0 Croatia win, Kramaric scoring a couple and 10 pages of why we should have never let him go/ should re-sign him.

[Manini]

This is a good game too - aided by the fact that neither team look that arsed about defending well. 
 

 

Bank on a 0-0 now I’ve said that. 

Edited 23 November 2022 by Manini

[Finnegan]

Definitely been more poor games than good ones in this tournament so far. 

 

This game might be open but it's not really very good is it. 

[Balj]

low quality but high fluidity about this one - enjoyable enough to watch though.

[Super_horns]

Did this ref not get the lots of injury time memo ?

 

Or there hasn’t been any need for much .

[Lcfc098]

They're not just adding extra time on for the sake of it. They're including the minutes for substitutions, injuries, breaks in play which is what everyone wants isn't it?

15 minutes ago, Super_horns said:

Did this ref not get the lots of injury time memo ?

 

Or there hasn’t been any need for much .

 

[David Hankey]

Now had to wait while a Moroccan player finishes his ablutions, presumably more time will be added on.

Edited 23 November 2022 by David Hankey

[Super_horns]

10 minutes ago, Lcfc098 said:

They're not just adding extra time on for the sake of it. They're including the minutes for substitutions, injuries, breaks in play which is what everyone wants isn't it?

 

Yes which is why I say there probably weren’t too many breaks .

[Zear0]

This one has been rough.

[Stinkenzo]

15 minutes ago, Lcfc098 said:

They're not just adding extra time on for the sake of it. They're including the minutes for substitutions, injuries, breaks in play which is what everyone wants isn't it?

 

Isn't that what every countries FA does though? Just that now FIFA are taking it (and correctly so) far more seriously

[David Hankey]

How much longer can Modric stay on the pitch? Another appalling challenge and not for the first time in this match.

 

I was going to say clumsy challenge but the old man knows what he is doing,

[Super_horns]

Morocco not really giving Croatia a chance to play in midfield.

 

Lots if pressure and energy from them .

[Lcfc098]

3 minutes ago, Stinky said:

Isn't that what every countries FA does though? Just that now FIFA are taking it (and correctly so) far more seriously

Not ours

[Balj]

1 minute ago, Stinky said:

Isn't that what every countries FA does though? Just that now FIFA are taking it (and correctly so) far more seriously

Very welcome from Fifa though I'm not aware of a federation that already does this - injury time seems to be about the same across most leagues. 

 

For people like me who have a tight train to catch after a game it's going to involve me running a bit more:)

[Stinkenzo]

1 minute ago, Balj said:

Very welcome from Fifa though I'm not aware of a federation that already does this - injury time seems to be about the same across most leagues. 

 

For people like me who have a tight train to catch after a game it's going to involve me running a bit more:)

I think if this catches on it's probably better to start looking at the 2x 30min halves with a stopwatch model

[StanSP]

Think I've inadvertently and unfairly underestimated Morocco. Didn't realise they had quite a few players in the top leagues in their squad. 

 

Avoiding defeat here would be quite good for them. Gives them a decent chance to finish 2nd if they beat Canada. Wouldn't surprise me if they nick a draw vs Belgium too. 

[Balj]

Just now, Stinky said:

I think if this catches on it's probably better to start looking at the 2x 30min halves with a stopwatch model

I suspect this might be the precursor to exactly that - I think the average is about 35 mins ball in play for a half currently so might start 30/35 mins. Don't have too much of a problem with that except there is then no reason to rush back once the game has stopped. So can see games being even longer as a result - lot of faff in between stopping and starting in sports with stopwatch timing. 

[David Hankey]

How ironic that the first yellow card of this match was as a result of a foul on Modric who is lucky to be on the park at all.

[StanSP]

Jon Champion: how many minutes stoppage time do you think there will be? 

 

John Hartson: I thought Ziyech had gone off, didn't notice he was still on the pitch! 

 

 

Hartson answering a totally different question that wasn't asked just then

 

[Leicesterpool]

Wonder when the dvd release for this game will come on sale.

[Stuntman_Mike]

Unpopular opinion, but I quite enjoy the tight world cup games. Not every game is going to have loads of goals and it just makes the final group games more dramatic.