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The FIFA Football World Cup 2018

What's the soccer equivalent of a "full court press"? Because France doesn't seem to be doing it to Belgium.

France seems to be good at creating turnovers, but are just a tad slow at driving the ball down the field after a turnover.

But what does it matter. France had more shots and more shots on goal. That seems to be dictating the game.
 
Lloris had a good day with a couple of stretched out saves and nobody watched the front post on a set piece. That seems to be a recurring theme.
 
So, who's next? :p

The Croats look like tough cookies to me. You may like tea, but do you like it with tough cookies?

Now, it's time to go to bed myself. How am I suppose to sleep with all that noise outside?!
EB
 
Underseer said:
France seems to be good at creating turnovers, but are just a tad slow at driving the ball down the field after a turnover.
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I've always seen France's teams do that, at least when I did watch the matches a long time ago. I can only guess they prefer to control the game and spare the expense of energy for their star players, in particular given there's still a final to play. And Didier Deschamps, the French manager, won the 1998 cup, as a player with France, twenty years ago. There has to be "cultural" continuity in that.
EB
 
Croatia has played 2 games in a row with extra time and penalty kicks. I see them struggling towards the later part of the game with England due to fatigue.
 
Underseer said:
What's the soccer equivalent of a "full court press"? Because France doesn't seem to be doing it to Belgium.

France seems to be good at creating turnovers, but are just a tad slow at driving the ball down the field after a turnover.

But what does it matter. France had more shots and more shots on goal. That seems to be dictating the game.
Click to expand...

When a team attacks with too much force it opens up and weakens their defense, so typically in highly important games like a world cup semi-final the games start off a little more conservatively. Then once a team scores the game opens up and the side who's winning gets more conservative and the team who's losing gets less.

In games that are really lop-sided talent wise you'll often see the stronger team quickly equalize if they fall behind or find themselves in a draw, as they quickly change tactics to get the win.

Note that the above is only a general trend and doesn't always ring true. IIRC when Liverpool played Man City in the Champion's League semis they pressed really hard out of the gate as a kind of shock and awe tactic, rather than sitting back and letting Man City beat them as many other teams have done.
 
ImGod said:
Croatia has played 2 games in a row with extra time and penalty kicks. I see them struggling towards the later part of the game with England due to fatigue.
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Yeah, they looked beat in the 2nd half against Russia.
 
Speakpigeon said:
Underseer said:
France seems to be good at creating turnovers, but are just a tad slow at driving the ball down the field after a turnover.
Click to expand...

I've always seen France's teams do that, at least when I did watch the matches a long time ago. I can only guess they prefer to control the game and spare the expense of energy for their star players, in particular given there's still a final to play. And Didier Deschamps, the French manager, won the 1998 cup, as a player with France, twenty years ago. There has to be "cultural" continuity in that.
EB
Click to expand...

Or maybe they just don't have flashy pirouetting dribblers like the South Americans, nor maniacal I-only-run-in-straight-lines speed demons like Klinsmann. ;)

It would have been nice to see Belgium win given that they've never been to the finals, but since this is only France's 3rd trip to the finals, I still think of them as underdogs rather than a major soccer power.

France vs Croatia would be kind of cool, but France vs England would be epic, and I mean "make homemade hot wings to watch the game" epic.
 
You heard him, World Cup finals at Underseer’s. He’s making wings!
 
ImGod said:
Lloris had a good day with a couple of stretched out saves and nobody watched the front post on a set piece. That seems to be a recurring theme.
Click to expand...

Defending corners has changed a lot from when I played. It used to be you usually had a defender at each post or at the very least a defender on the near post (nearest to the ball). The modern game seems to keep an extra player out of defense as an outlet for a quick counter attack. Felainie was a step too slow to get in for a challenge. It's a shame one of these teams had to go out, I enjoyed watching Belgium, they had some class players in the side although I don't rate that donkey Lukaku.
 
TSwizzle said:
ImGod said:
Lloris had a good day with a couple of stretched out saves and nobody watched the front post on a set piece. That seems to be a recurring theme.
Click to expand...

Defending corners has changed a lot from when I played. It used to be you usually had a defender at each post or at the very least a defender on the near post (nearest to the ball). The modern game seems to keep an extra player out of defense as an outlet for a quick counter attack. Felainie was a step too slow to get in for a challenge. It's a shame one of these teams had to go out, I enjoyed watching Belgium, they had some class players in the side although I don't rate that donkey Lukaku.
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That donkey can turn on a dime and sprint out like Michael Owens. Lukaku had a pretty good World Cup. His performances in the EPL haven't been poor. He isn't Ronaldo, but most aren't.
 
Jimmy Higgins said:
That donkey can turn on a dime and sprint out like Michael Owens. Lukaku had a pretty good World Cup. His performances in the EPL haven't been poor. He isn't Ronaldo, but most aren't.
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I've seen him play a few times, occasional flashes of being decent but on the whole, a donkey. No first touch and couldn't trap a bag of cement. As displayed yesterday. Easily edged off the ball at times for a such a big fella.

Yet again the team with the bulk of possession narrowly beaten. Hazard and Courtois complaining the French were "anti-football". I have to agree, as a neutral these games are hard to watch.
 
An intriguing match lined up for today, Croatia play England for a chance to play France in the World Cup final. Two teams that I would say are pretty even matched. It is very difficult to say which team will advance. I am leaning towards Croatia advancing by the skin of their teeth, possibly through penalty kicks which will be disappointing as they have two fantastic midfield players in Modric and Rakitic who may conjure up and bit of magic. England defense is shaky and the midfield give the ball away too frequently. But England can battle.
 
There seems to be a lot of shootouts in this world cup. I'm not a fan of settling things by that method. Maybe they'd be better off just forcing teams to continue play until someone scores in a sudden death. It would force open a team like Russia that was packing the box on defense and hoping the game went to penalties. It might also open the game up during regular play because unlimited extra time would all but mean you'd be defeated in the next round if you didn't take the risks needed to end it.

That wouldn't stop a team up 1-0 from going into a defensive shell, but it might encourage them to try to get a second goal so they don't risk ending up tied at the end with a late goal that pushes them into a long match.

I doubt we'll see a rule change of that level anytime soon. Especially one based on my personal opinion. :D

At least in the first rounds some teams take extra offensive risks because goal differentials can be a deciding factor in getting through.
 
Hot wings are off. Hat's off to Croatia.

Once again, England managed to pull defeat from the jaws of victory.
 
ImGod said:
There seems to be a lot of shootouts in this world cup. I'm not a fan of settling things by that method. Maybe they'd be better off just forcing teams to continue play until someone scores in a sudden death. It would force open a team like Russia that was packing the box on defense and hoping the game went to penalties. It might also open the game up during regular play because unlimited extra time would all but mean you'd be defeated in the next round if you didn't take the risks needed to end it.

That wouldn't stop a team up 1-0 from going into a defensive shell, but it might encourage them to try to get a second goal so they don't risk ending up tied at the end with a late goal that pushes them into a long match.

I doubt we'll see a rule change of that level anytime soon. Especially one based on my personal opinion. :D

At least in the first rounds some teams take extra offensive risks because goal differentials can be a deciding factor in getting through.
Click to expand...

I seem to recall games being settled by sudden death. First team to score wins. Well I think I remember it. Or there was a time where a sort of "penalty kick" was used where the striker ran in on the goalkeeper from the halfway line. Or is that hockey ? I seem to remember something like that for soccer/football.

Anyway, Croatia go through by the skin of their teeth. I didn't watch it but it seems it was an even game. Feel sorry for the England squad, there are a few of them in the squad that seem like good lads, gave their all. Pity they have to hang around for the third spot game, I can't imagine they will be looking forward to that.
 
TSwizzle said:
[
I seem to recall games being settled by sudden death. First team to score wins.
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It was called the "golden goal". It was used to settle these types of matches for awhile.
TSwizzle said:
[
Well I think I remember it. Or there was a time where a sort of "penalty kick" was used where the striker ran in on the goalkeeper from the halfway line.
Click to expand...
MLS tried that for a season or two.
 
Oh gawd, that breakaway PK the MLS had was awful.

I’m not certain why the “golden goal” didn’t catch other than the ridiculous name.
 
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