World Cup: FINAL: France vs. Croatia, 7/15/2018

[Islesfan22]

Can’t believe Subasic couldn’t get over on that 4th French goal. Looked at it from a few different angles. Leads me to believe the injury he suffered in the Russia game was still bothering him.

Then again, he looked pretty spry on that Kane save from in close in the semi final.

What do they English pundits have to say about the penalty(?):

Over on ITV, Lee Dixon criticised the VAR decision: “The referee has made a big error. It’s not a deliberate handball. In a thousand, million years that is not a penalty.”

Roy Keane agreed: “Football is a great game, best game in the world but that decision disgusts me. I am fuming. Disgraceful decision. That referee has never played football, I can guarantee it.” “Where’s the common sense? We’re not supposed to be talking about the referee. We’re supposed to be talking about the quality, the players. Instead we’re talking about this idiot!”

Ian Wright, however, saw the incident differently: “I’d want that. Yes, that is a penalty. I feel for Croatia, But if you see how many people are appealing for France you can tell how much they all think it’s a penalty.”

Former referee Mark Clattenburg did not see the penalty as a correct decision: “[Perisic’s] hands are in a natural position. No movement towards ball. No penalty.”

VAR is here to stay going forward for better or worse.

Anyhow, congrats to France. Now that it’s sinking in, it’s a hard loss to take because I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to this point, truly a great run it was but things did open up on our side of the draw and we capitalized.

You just know bigger countries with pedigree and resources like Germany, Spain, Italy, Argentina, etc. will regroup and be there in the way of the Croatia’s of the world. And of course, France looks as if they will be around for years with their core group.

Belgium and England should be there as well and I’m sure the Dutch will re-emerge.

Going to the semifinals and finals is a unbelievable achievement for Croatia. Will they ever be back here again odds are probably no but then again nobody expected them to be here again after 1998. Croatia seems to always produce top class players especially midfielders.

 

[mw2noobbuster]

Pogba over Modric? Seriously?

 

[Cassano]

Croatia core I think should've won a major trophy similar to Nedved's Czech team. How they lost to Portugal in the Euros is beyond me.

 

[Crosbyfan]

I've been watching a few of these pundits post game analysis and the vast majority of them agree that this should never have been a penalty but France deserved to win.

Considering the penalty completly flipped this game around, how do they come to this conclusion?

The bold is much stronger than simply claiming it affected the remainder of the game, which I think is an easy statement to defend.

Maybe they (your pundits) thought France deserved to win, despite being outplayed up to that point, and being fortunate not to be already down 1-0? They certainly played better than they had up to that point.

The feed I was watching on CTV the commentators said they felt France was the best Team in the Tournament, but not in the Final.

 

[le_sean]

Team wins 4-2, second goal against is a once in a blue moon fluke.

“The other team was better!”

Nope, France beat them thanks to the counter. That was the plan. You’re not going to win a midfield and set piece battle against the Croatians.

 

[kovacro]

The thing that bothered me about the pk decision by the referee was that he seemed to take quite a bit of time to review it. If it was obvious, the call should have been made within, say 30 seconds max, one maybe two looks at it and you call it a penalty, it’s cut and dry.

The fact he took long to call a penalty tells me he wasn’t really that sure and thus should not have given it.

 

[kovacro]

Croatia core I think should've won a major trophy similar to Nedved's Czech team. How they lost to Portugal in the Euros is beyond me.

We had a TV repairman for a coach.

 

[Jussi]

Pretty obvious hand movement towards the ball.

 

[Nalens Oga]

The thing that bothered me about the VAR is the fact that the ref was looking at it to begin with. He shouldn't get a say, let the trained officials in the comfortable booth make the decision and the ref just relays it. An unnecessary delay and unnecessary power, I had to put up with that shit all season watching the Bundesliga. Take the power away from the on-field official.

 

[N o o d l e s]

Pretty obvious hand movement towards the ball.

Exactly, his hands are at his shoulders but drop down to stop the ball

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

The thing that bothered me about the VAR is the fact that the ref was looking at it to begin with. He shouldn't get a say, let the trained officials in the comfortable booth make the decision and the ref just relays it. An unnecessary delay and unnecessary power, I had to put up with that **** all season watching the Bundesliga. Take the power away from the on-field official.

What a cutie.

And always loved Nzonzi so, underrated. On the ball he has a classic touch. seems like a good dude too.

 

[darko]

It was a clear penalty.

 

[Islesfan22]

Exactly, his hands are at his shoulders but drop down to stop the ball

Both his arms are coming down at the same time just like Matuidi.

 

[Islesfan22]

It was a clear penalty.

lots of pundits disagree also ex refs have said not a pk.

 

[kovacro]

Pretty obvious hand movement towards the ball.

That’s slowed down but to me, at full speed, how does he get out of the way of the ball? Tough to react and I’m sure in that moment he’s not thinking “I’m going to use my hand to knock this out”.

Pintana felt his hand was in an unnatural position and thus made the call to award the penalty. Just found it annoying he took so long to make that call as I had noted in my previous post.

 

[Islesfan22]

Also when the ball hits his left hand coming down the ball hits his shin which makes the ball go out.

 

[darko]

lots of pundits disagree also ex refs have said not a pk.

Because it was a final. If it was group stage no one would say a word. Australia had a similar thing v Denmark.

 

[kovacro]

Because it was a final. If it was group stage no one would say a word. Australia had a similar thing v Denmark.

That drew criticism as well.

 

[N o o d l e s]

Both his arms are coming down at the same time just like Matuidi.

Matuidi's hands didn't stop a ball from heading on net

 

[Harry22]

Croatia dominated possession but couldn’t generate a lot of golden chances. I knew if France could get a few great chances they would bury Croatia, unlike England.

 

[darko]

That drew criticism as well.

I suppose. I thought that was a clear penalty.

 

[BuppY]

Croatia core I think should've won a major trophy similar to Nedved's Czech team. How they lost to Portugal in the Euros is beyond me.

I believe Nedved got injured in the first half in a tied game. What a chance that was for the Czechs to win.

 

[maclean]

Croatia core I think should've won a major trophy similar to Nedved's Czech team. How they lost to Portugal in the Euros is beyond me.

It's interesting you say that because I'm still mad at the Portuguese for that as well even though we actually lost to the Greeks that year. I still have nightmares about it.

 

[Solmors]

France's goals:
1 - Set piece from a flop/dive
2 - PK from a controversial hand ball
3 - Save-able 25 yard shot
4 - Save-able 30 yard shot

Croatia's goals:
1 - Great passing then a great first touch after a set piece
2 - Lucky/fluke play from a bad decision by the French goalie

If both the goalies didn't play like shit, and the refs don't blow the calls, this game is 1-1 or 1-0 in Croatia's favor.

 

[theVladiator]

Croatia should be really proud of their team. Those guys left it all on the field and you can't ask for more than than that. In some ways Croatia reminds me of Uruguay and their "garra charrua", no team can afford to sleep against these giant slayers. That said, I felt they played overly aggressively in the first half. I thought more than a few really rough challenges were card worthy, and the "dick grab" on Mbappe probably deserved a red.