World Cup: R16: Uruguay vs. Portugal, 6/30/2018

[Deficient Mode]

*Inhales deeply*

Fans badly overestimate the impact one player can have on the final result in this sport. Even the greatest player will fail in an unfavorable context with poor team synergy. Even hockey is a more individualistic sport. Your yearning for one player to stamp his authority on the match and lead his team to victory says far more about your mind than it serves as some kind of accurate or insightful commentary on the sport.

 

[Chimaera]

Uruguay probably isn’t the better team. They had their star players create a bit of magic (while Portugal didn’t) while out working Portugal. They’re scrappy, dirty and they got it done. But it wasn’t pretty.

 

[Luigi Habs]

Torreira-Godin-Gimenez were big for Uruguay.

Surprised Caceres is doing really well.

 

[Bondurant]

At 37 Ronaldo will probably still be the best Portuguese player.

 

[Ceremony]

*Inhales deeply*

Fans badly overestimate the impact one player can have on the final result in this sport. Even the greatest player will fail in an unfavorable context with poor team synergy. Even hockey is a more individualistic sport. Your yearning for one player to stamp his authority on the match and lead his team to victory says far more about your mind than it serves as some kind of accurate or insightful commentary on the sport.

The Messi vs. Ronaldo thread is thataway

 

[John Pedro]

*Inhales deeply*

Fans badly overestimate the impact one player can have on the final result in this sport. Even the greatest player will fail in an unfavorable context with poor team synergy. Even hockey is a more individualistic sport. Your yearning for one player to stamp his authority on the match and lead his team to victory says far more about your mind than it serves as some kind of accurate or insightful commentary on the sport.

I wonder if McDavid would score a goal in a knockout WC game...

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Portugal simply didn't have enough quality to offer to go far..but of course we said that in 2016 too..I guess you can't expect lightning to strike twice in the same place.

*Inhales deeply*

Fans badly overestimate the impact one player can have on the final result in this sport. Even the greatest player will fail in an unfavorable context with poor team synergy. Even hockey is a more individualistic sport. Your yearning for one player to stamp his authority on the match and lead his team to victory says far more about your mind than it serves as some kind of accurate or insightful commentary on the sport.

Well, yes, but on the other hand, he could at least play well.

 

[hatterson]

I support Uruguay, but I would not say they were better, period. Great strikers and some play-it-safe mentality unsupported by a goalie whose hand are rather shaky. I hope Cavani gets himself together though.

I’d say there were better in the sense they converted their chances.

Portugal had a few more, and more of the run of play in the second half, but didn’t convert. They had 2-3 very good chances to equialize but didn’t put them on target.

 

[John Pedro]

Uruguay probably isn’t the better team. They had their star players create a bit of magic (while Portugal didn’t) while out working Portugal. They’re scrappy, dirty and they got it done. But it wasn’t pretty.

Their defense is so much better than Portugal's, their midfielder is also better and they don't rely only on a single individual as Portugal does. At this moment, Portugal is Ronaldo + Bernardo and a bunch of so-so players.

 

[les Habs]

Disgraceful reffing. TF did all that extra time come from? Oh well, tough loss for all the HF Pepe fans.

 

[c9777666]

Uruguay probably isn’t the better team. They had their star players create a bit of magic (while Portugal didn’t) while out working Portugal. They’re scrappy, dirty and they got it done. But it wasn’t pretty.

Sounds like they're soccer's equivalent of a Dead Puck Era hockey team.

 

[N o o d l e s]

Typical. Scores a couple of lucky goals and then disappears.

?????

 

[c9777666]

Yoohoo, this WC is finally rid of the Messi-Ronaldo nonsense.

And yet we aren't rid of Suarez.

 

[Stray Wasp]

?????

That post needs to be seen in the context of a running gag throughout the thread for which we are indebted to SEPH's unique appreciation of Cavani's talents.

 

[Peen]

Cavani was just unbelievable. Him and Suarez. They did anything they wanted to.

Godin and Giminez were walls

But for me Laxalt was the best player. He was everywhere.

 

[JaymzB]

*Inhales deeply*

Fans badly overestimate the impact one player can have on the final result in this sport. Even the greatest player will fail in an unfavorable context with poor team synergy. Even hockey is a more individualistic sport. Your yearning for one player to stamp his authority on the match and lead his team to victory says far more about your mind than it serves as some kind of accurate or insightful commentary on the sport.

If Messi's Barca and Ronaldo's Real have taught me anything, its that they have one great player and a bunch of nobodies.

That's why they have been able to spend such little money building great teams.

 

[les Habs]

Where is that genius from the other match to comment on Ronaldo's charisma and ability to rise to the occasion?

 

[Stray Wasp]

Where is that genius from the other match to comment on Ronaldo's charisma and ability to rise to the occasion?

Trying to purchase a false beard to stick on their chin?

 

[Corto]

Cavani is a beast, as most know.

Suarez is an awful sportsman (I don't want to go as far to say "human being") and he can rot.
Entire Uruguay squad seems to take note from Suarez and this ref tonight was AMAZING.

He let so much stuff go that other refs would call (just because players were throwing themselves and yelling after every contact), I loved it.

 

[Troubadour]

And yet we aren't rid of Suarez.

Well that's a good thing. Let's hope we keep Cavani as well.

 

[les Habs]

So how many WC knockout round goals does Ronaldo have?

 

[Pouchkine]

Messi and Ronaldo both can't deliver on the big stage. Nothing new.

 

[Troubadour]

I’d say there were better in the sense they converted their chances.

Portugal had a few more, and more of the run of play in the second half, but didn’t convert. They had 2-3 very good chances to equialize but didn’t put them on target.

Yeah well, they're good up front, have been for some time now (Forlán-Suárez punch was a sight to behold as well), but rather haphazard all around. A couple of great strikers took them pretty far in 2010. I'm wondering how deep they can go this year. Still amazing for a three and a half million country.

 

[Corto]

Oh, also, William Carvalho was fantastic.

I want to thank the di*do brothers for counting coppers and not buying the guy last season when Bilic was pushing for him.
And by "thank" I mean they can suck it.

 

[S E P H]

I just don't see it...Cavani opened his body up and did a nice curve for his goal, but again Portugal defenders got lost and he was wide open on the wing.

If his team gets past France with him leading the way then I will absolutely take back everything I said about him from all the past years'.

*Inhales deeply*

Fans badly overestimate the impact one player can have on the final result in this sport. Even the greatest player will fail in an unfavorable context with poor team synergy. Even hockey is a more individualistic sport. Your yearning for one player to stamp his authority on the match and lead his team to victory says far more about your mind than it serves as some kind of accurate or insightful commentary on the sport.

It depends entirely on the size of the playing surface IMHO. Rugby is probably the biggest sport which requires the most teamwork for a team to win a game. Basketball is played on a very small surface so you see the more talented and athletic players dominate. So you're correct that football requires more teamwork than hockey, but it's based upon how big the sport needs to be played. The problem though with Ronaldo and Messi is that because football is like a religion, you just keep hearing about these two over and over again. Just look on this board, you have a Messi vs Ronaldo thread yet we don't have a France vs Brasil best out of the nations thread.

People watch sports for individuals, it is sort of sad but I think that is the truth. F1 is a perfect example of this, people watch it for the indiviudal drivers when in reality the cars are true objects between making a driver good or not. If you put Lewis Hamilton in a Haas F1 car he will drive as a 15th place driver, if you put Romain Grosjean in Red Bull he will finish in the top 5 consistently.