FIFA WC 26 - Other Nations LIVE Match Thread ⚽

[Keeper66]

I believe in the rules but that has been stretched for years if you want it on point.
The shirt pulling in corners
The holding back etcetc
As mentioned that clean game has gonnne
If the ref played to the rules it would be stopped every minute.
It’s a shame but how it is today

For the first few games the ref might be stopping it every minute at the start of the game. But players (and coaches) will quickly realise that they can’t get away with it anymore (amazing what a few cards and penalty kicks will achieve), and from then on all the bullshit fouls, etc would stop, or at least be greatly minimised.

That is my belief, anyway.

 

[Keeper66]

Lamine Yamal actually has heaps of potential and came through the Barcelona farm system at La Masia though.

Sarcasm is lost on you, isn’t it.

 

[Keeper66]

Wow!

Had no idea.

Conceding only 1 goal is incredible!

You had no idea?!?! Did you actually watch any games or take any notice of results?

 

[Decentric]

Eh - yes and no. I also think it wasn't a foul, but once the referee stops play, the referee stops play.

Hypothetically, if you had been adjudicating, would you have allowed the goal?

Love having experienced refs on this forum!

 

[riquelmes_laces]

Respectfully disagree.

The first extra time Spanish disallowed goal should have stood, to make it 2-0.

Loved watching such astute Spanish movement to support the Spaniard on the ball.

Sometimes there was minimal movement, because the superb body shape led to flawless passing technique, hence accuracy, which led to Spanish eye of the needle passing through condensed Argentinian space.

I’m sure plenty agree with you though, RL. To quote them I think LFC and SBear agree with you.

I’m sure many people would disagree with my opinion.

I just think for all the resources they have, this reliance of false 9’s just makes hard work of it.

They could be so much more ruthless.

They beat 10 men.

If Enzo stays on the field, that game goes to penalties, I have no doubt about it.

 

[Decentric]

English media and fans can be savage on their coaches.

I think England coming third is a momentous achievement.

Beating France, who overall were the second best team behind Spain, to achieve third is a great achievement. The greatest Pom achievement since 1966 in big comps.

Given England have 130-140 domestic players playing EPL every week, in ostensibly the top world league, this should extrapolate to having the greatest quantity of quality players.

Apart from longer bullet like passing, technically Spanish, French and Portuguese players superseded them though.

 

[NicCarBel]

Hypothetically, if you had been adjudicating, would you have allowed the goal?

Love having experienced refs on this forum!

No, I wouldn't have blown the whistle for a foul - so if things played out the same way, then yes would have been a goal. But once I've blown the whistle, anything after that is moot

 

[Decentric]

I’m sure many people would disagree with my opinion.

I just think for all the resources they have, this reliance of false 9’s just makes hard work of it.

They could be so much more ruthless.

They beat 10 men.

If Enzo stays on the field, that game goes to penalties, I have no doubt about it.

A number would like more action in games. They have said they get bored with sustained periods of possession.

One phenomenon the Dutch impart is having the ball means the other team can’t score. Possession is also an effective defensive strategy.

 

[Decentric]

No, I wouldn't have blown the whistle for a foul - so if things played out the same way, then yes would have been a goal. But once I've blown the whistle, anything after that is moot

Thanks, NCB,

So it is plausible that having a different ref, Spain could have won 2-0.

 

[rebelliousfeminist974]

English media and fans can be savage on their coaches.

I think England coming third is a momentous achievement.

Beating France, who overall were the second best team behind Spain, to achieve third is a great achievement. The greatest Pom achievement since 1966 in big comps.

Given England have 130-140 domestic players playing EPL every week, in ostensibly the top world league, this should extrapolate to having the greatest quantity of quality players.

Apart from longer bullet like passing, technically Spanish, French and Portuguese players superseded them though.

It's also England's best result at a World Cup on foreign soil to be coming third this cycle and the first time they've managed to get the job done in the third place match after previously losing in 1990 and 2018.

 

[NicCarBel]

Thanks, NCB,

So it is plausible that having a different ref, Spain could have won 2-0.

Yes - but I think there's a lot of that across many of the games this tournament. I will admit, this tournament I don't think the refereeing (overall) fared very well. 2018 and 2022 very impressive in retrospect.

 

[LFC]

For the first few games the ref might be stopping it every minute at the start of the game. But players (and coaches) will quickly realise that they can’t get away with it anymore (amazing what a few cards and penalty kicks will achieve), and from then on all the bullshit fouls, etc would stop, or at least be greatly minimised.

That is my belief, anyway.

very true K66, the ref can and should set the precedence as they once did.
I won't say wonder why not for most will say its all a set up so I answered my question.
I really shrug my shoulders over all this nowadays, hence why I say I'm happy seeing the game flow but I understand all the whinging.
Trouble is as mentioned all this allowed play has gone on for decade and more.
I can't stand the shirt pulling/more so the massive man hugs during corners more than aggressive tackling.

 

[Keeper66]

English media and fans can be savage on their coaches.

I think England coming third is a momentous achievement.

Beating France, who overall were the second best team behind Spain, to achieve third is a great achievement. The greatest Pom achievement since 1966 in big comps.

No it isn’t, England have made the final (and been beaten twice) in the last two Euros.

 

[LFC]

I’m sure many people would disagree with my opinion.

I just think for all the resources they have, this reliance of false 9’s just makes hard work of it.

They could be so much more ruthless.

They beat 10 men.

If Enzo stays on the field, that game goes to penalties, I have no doubt about it.

I am with you (put aside the 10man scenario) mind you Argies defiant defensive work was first class at the same time I do marvel/impressed by the Spaniards brilliant one touch craftsmanship.
Now that’s technical football ability to the max.

 

[NicCarBel]

I’m sure many people would disagree with my opinion.

I just think for all the resources they have, this reliance of false 9’s just makes hard work of it.

They could be so much more ruthless.

They beat 10 men.

If Enzo stays on the field, that game goes to penalties, I have no doubt about it.

There is a lot of truth in this - I was thinking through the normal 90 minutes, that Spain, despite how many shots to 0 they had, didn't really test Martinez except for that save at the end, and there was a header a little bit earlier. Everything before that was going straight to him.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Yawn football triumphs. Players happy but nowhere near as emotive as previous winners. It's almost as if they knew their slow grinding away at the competition would get them victory.

Additionally the fans at the game are unlikely to be purists and just there for vibes.

Thank God thats over with.

 

[Dinamo]

I’m sure many people would disagree with my opinion.

I just think for all the resources they have, this reliance of false 9’s just makes hard work of it.

They could be so much more ruthless.

They beat 10 men.

If Enzo stays on the field, that game goes to penalties, I have no doubt about it.

That's exactly how they went out in 2018 and 2022. I think they were better in Euro 2024 because they had Morata, a fit Nico Williams and Yamal was in better form. Borja Iglesias is the traditional nine replacement for Morata but he's never scored an international goal so you can't really rely on him.

In saying that, only conceding 1 goal in 8 games is incredibly impressive and they had the most difficult path to the final of all the big teams. Deserved winners in my view.

 

[HonestSpursFan]

Also Women's & Men's Champions. Pretty incredible.

I did say this before. Incredible achievement! It really shows how Spain gets it right across the board (compare this to Argentina whose women’s team aren’t near as successful, in fact the Matildas are better than them).

Mind you Spain are one of only two teams to have ever won both (winning their first WWC in 2023), the other being Germany (who’ve won the WWC twice). The other countries that’ve won the (official, post-1991) WWC are the USA (five times), Norway and Japan (once each).

 

[HonestSpursFan]

Borja Iglesias is the traditional nine replacement for Morata but he's never scored an international goal so you can't really rely on him.

He only has (ironically) nine caps for Spain but as a 33-year-old striker it’s wild that he’s never scored a single international goal.

 

[Robbos]

I did say this before. Incredible achievement! It really shows how Spain gets it right across the board (compare this to Argentina whose women’s team aren’t near as successful, in fact the Matildas are better than them).

Mind you Spain are one of only two teams to have ever won both (winning their first WWC in 2023), the other being Germany (who’ve won the WWC twice). The other countries that’ve won the (official, post-1991) WWC are the USA (five times), Norway and Japan (once each).

Not just world champions, they are without doubt the best playing football nation in both men & women.
Great credit to them.