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

[Shrimper]

World Cup 2018: France did not play football, says Croatia's Dejan Lovren


World Cup 2018: France did not play football, says Croatia's Dejan Lovren

Such a needless comment. Yes, Croatia may have had better passages of play but France were deadly and took their chances. Croatia had twice as many shots but fewer on target than France. Would have helped if Subasic dived too

 

[Ivan13]

1 - First of all, did Greizmann fall easily? Yes. But he was definitely touched and it's a call most refs make. If Mandzukic does not score in his own net, no one mentions it.

2- Kante did NOT TOUCH the Croatian player that led to their free kick goal. On top of that he got a yellow card.

3- In real time I did not see the handball but on the replay it was a clear handball and was it in a natural movement? That's a judgement call the ref made after seeing the replay and he said it was a penalty. I was watching the game with people who were cheering for Croatia and they agreed, after seeing the replay, it will most likely be a penalty.

3- France took advantage of their chances and buried them in the second half. Pogba and Mbappe scored beauties and that's all she wrote.

Bottom line France deserved to win.

1. He was on his knees when he was touched.
2. Yeah, but he kind of did, unlike Brozović.
3. Had ref called it on the spot no qualms, but following what VAR is supposed to be that shouldn't have been a penalty.

 

[Jussi]

There is dissent?

I'm honestly curious about this issue. I have yet to find a ref in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, English or Spanish media that thinks it is a penalty (not saying there are none - the issue doesn't interest me enough to spend more than 15 minutes scanning through online newspapers). Every single article or comment made about the incident is concluding it is not a penalty. Only on TV did a Swedish ref saying he thought it was 50/50 - which is the closest I have come to find a neutral source saying it was the right decision by the ref (it being a 50/50 the conclusion was since he didn't first give the penalty he should not have overturned his own decision later - as VAR should only change "clear mistakes").

I am actually surprised how difficult it is to find anyone, former refs or "experts", that considers the call to be correct. I tend to agree with the Swedish ref so I expected to find articles defending the ref and his decision - I honestly still haven't found a single one.

The head of the Finnish football association's refereeing said it was the correct decision, citing movement of the hand towards the ball.

 

[Havre]

Kante touched the guy when he ran behind him. It’s a foul. Card may be harsh, whatever.


I was never talking about how the game would have gone had the initial goals not been scored. I only talked about what did happen, and how I don’t view these foul calls as bad or unfair. It’s not logic, it’s opinion. Then I observed that Croatia stopped pressing as hard leading to France having more chances, and hypothesised that it was due to fatigue.

I don’t deny that the game is different if France doesn’t score the first goal due to the foul not being called. I just think it’s pointless to make up fantasy scenarios like that.

I would ask the same question to you as I did to someone else before then - what post-game discussion would be interesting?

I personally think France would have won either way. Neither do I believe you become more of a champion if it is "deserved" (or less so if it isn't "deserved"). A final is partly a roll of the dice for both teams. So it is not really about that - I just found your statement silly (even more so now as you made it replying to arguments you yourself find pointless).

 

[member 305909]

There have been WC-finals where my preferred team has lost and yesterday was one of them but with one exception I have had to admit that the better team won and deservedly.

The exception was the 2006 final. That was travesty! France only lost because Zidane flipped his lid (understandably so but still cost the team a victory)

 

[Havre]

The head of the Finnish football association's refereeing said it was the correct decision, citing movement of the hand towards the ball.

Kiitos

Not bad. A full days work and we found two.

 

[koyvoo]

There have been WC-finals where my preferred team has lost and yesterday was one of them but with one exception I have had to admit that the better team won and deservedly.

The exception was the 2006 final. That was travesty! France only lost because Zidane flipped his lid (understandably so but still cost the team a victory)

France really was handing Italy thier hat for most of that game and the Zidane incident was obviously an anomaly, but we’ve seen Italy eat it like that many times and find a way. I preferred the two losing semi finalists in that tournament.

A great example of Italy taking a pounding all game long and finding a result might be the Euro 2000 semi final vs Holland. The Dutch domares them badly. Hit posts, missed penalties, held almost 70% of the ball and created many chances. In the end, Italy won in a shootout and I think it was their first tournament shootout success until the final with France six years later.

 

[Harry22]

There have been WC-finals where my preferred team has lost and yesterday was one of them but with one exception I have had to admit that the better team won and deservedly.

The exception was the 2006 final. That was travesty! France only lost because Zidane flipped his lid (understandably so but still cost the team a victory)

Italy winning in 2006 was a travesty to be honest.

 

[YNWA14]

At the end of the day it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks about that being a penalty or not. Because of the way the rule works it's almost entirely up to that specific ref's interpretation and thus if it's called it's the right call whether we like it or not. Until the rule is made more clear it will always be this way.

Hard not to call that one after video review though.

 

[Incubajerks]

France really was handing Italy thier hat for most of that game and the Zidane incident was obviously an anomaly, but we’ve seen Italy eat it like that many times and find a way. I preferred the two losing semi finalists in that tournament.

A great example of Italy taking a pounding all game long and finding a result might be the Euro 2000 semi final vs Holland. The Dutch domares them badly. Hit posts, missed penalties, held almost 70% of the ball and created many chances. In the end, Italy won in a shootout and I think it was their first tournament shootout success until the final with France six years later.

Italy played one man short almost all game against Holland. I have to say that game was a blast, i knew we could find a way.


Uh and btw in 2006 the better team won, just like France yesterday.

 

[Suiteness]

The exception was the 2006 final. That was travesty! France only lost because Zidane flipped his lid (understandably so but still cost the team a victory)

I don't know, Luca Toni scored a goal that was overturned for some reason that looked completely valid to me.

 

[Bergyesque]

1. He was on his knees when he was touched.
2. Yeah, but he kind of did, unlike Brozović.
3. Had ref called it on the spot no qualms, but following what VAR is supposed to be that shouldn't have been a penalty.

Well, isn't exactly what VAR is supposed to be: allowing the ref a chance to see and judge a "possible infraction" he had no chance to see on the spot?

 

[koyvoo]

Italy played one man short almost all game against Holland. I have to say that game was a blast, i knew we could find a way.

Honestly, I enjoy those contrasting battles. They are amongst the most memorable. And big debates going on about pragmatic approaches and defensive consciousness, Italy are king. And I won’t take anything away from them for it.

 

[le_sean]

World Cup 2018: France did not play football, says Croatia's Dejan Lovren


World Cup 2018: France did not play football, says Croatia's Dejan Lovren

 

[YEM]

The exception was the 2006 final. That was travesty! France only lost because Zidane flipped his lid (understandably so but still cost the team a victory)

that incident did happen well into extra time, game was a coin toss at that point

 

[koyvoo]

Haha. I love it. Winning trumps all. Griezmann already with the two stars shirt but Pogba not? Lol.

Edit- nevermind about Pogba’s shirt. My bad.

 

[Evilo]

Lovren is embarrassing here.
Lloris had zero save to make. He got beaten twice, one because of his own lack of concentration, but Croatia never had chances to score.
To dominate and be worthy of winning titles, one would think you have to shoot the ball on net.
France clearly didn't control much in the first half, except clearing every crossing attempt from their explosed FB positions. That's the reason Croatia didn't have chances except for a set play.

 

[koyvoo]

I just @ Lovren on his personal instagram in a few French celebratory photos and videos.

 

[Dr Pepper]

I'm happy France won, as it helped clinch my World Cup office pool.

But I could've done without Griezmann flopping early on to get that free kick, and that stupid "L" dance he did after the PK, right in front of the Croatian supporters. Might as well have been flipping them the bird.

Show some class.

 

[koyvoo]

Lovren is embarrassing here.
Lloris had zero save to make. He got beaten twice, one because of his own lack of concentration, but Croatia never had chances to score.
To dominate and be worthy of winning titles, one would think you have to shoot the ball on net.
France clearly didn't control much in the first half, except clearing every crossing attempt from their explosed FB positions. That's the reason Croatia didn't have chances except for a set play.

Watch the first 10 mins of the second half again. Croatia was still pushing. Lloris was alert on a couple of threatening crosses coming in and did push a menacing shot on goal over his crossbar with a very good save.

 

[Evilo]

Watch the first 10 mins of the second half again. Croatia was still pushing. Lloris was alert on a couple of threatening crosses coming in and did push a menacing shot on goal over his crossbar with a very good save.

OK, one save.
Does that change anything? Not really.

 

[Corto]

I love that people are attacking Lovren again for the title - which he never says even in the article.

"They had their one tactic and you have to respect it," said Lovren. "They waited for their chance and scored. They played every game like that."
He added: "I'm disappointed because we lost the game but played much better football than them."

That's the closest it gets to that BS title in the article.
He never said France didn't deserve it or anything of the sort, including "not playing football".

 

[Corto]

Howard Webb, who reffed the 2010 final says no penalty.

Most of the press, pundits and former refs say no pen (Clattenburg, for example, a bunch of other refs as well).
In my mind, never a pen. More I watch, more sick to my stomach I get.

Doesn't count for anything now, only makes it worse, it broke the game.

Coming back against this France once is hard enough, twice is too much too ask.
They're defensive, but they're predatory and clinical... If you fall behind, you have a mountain to climb to even score - let alone not open yourself to Mbappe burning you at the back.

 

[Ivan13]

I love that people are attacking Lovren again for the title - which he never says even in the article.



That's the closest it gets to that BS title in the article.
He never said France didn't deserve it or anything of the sort, including "not playing football".

Reading is hard.

 

[Harry22]

I love that people are attacking Lovren again for the title - which he never says even in the article.



That's the closest it gets to that BS title in the article.
He never said France didn't deserve it or anything of the sort, including "not playing football".

Playing much better football meaning what? Made some good crosses but couldn't generate much shots on net?