World Cup: SF: France vs. Belgium, 7/10/2018

[Evilo]

There was nothing about beautiful about how we won in 1954, 1980, 1990 or 1996; but there was in 1972, 1974 & 2014.

French coaches decide how the french play football. Not bringing Rabiot was DD's decision, not playing Fekir was DD's decision, and starting Matuidi over Tolisso was DD's decision.

Matuidi has been huge.

As for that 2014 team, Germany certainly didn't play beautiful football throughout the tournament.

 

[Jussi]

You know what I mean, sassy

Not sure what you mean, but it was factually incorrect, since he still has a game to play.

 

[le_sean]

It’s like saying you prefer the 2010 Capitals because they scored a lot of goals and were exciting to watch. They didn’t win anything and Trotz changed their style so they would. Ask them what their fans prefer.

 

[robertmac43]

The wrong KDB definitely showed up today, unfortunate for Belgium after how great he was against Brazil

 

[cgf]

Imagine playing with your strenghts and trying to win instead making entertaining match for some whiny *****es in a ice hockey forum.

I don't agree that France ignoring their best non-Kante midfielders is "playing with [their] strengths" : dunno:

 

[cgf]

Pogba has ABSOLUTELY controlled the midfield.... without the ball. He was huge in pressing, huge in positionning and masterful in breakouts.

He was absolutely tremendous against the ball, but I think we both know that that's not what I was referring to...specifically with my reference to DD's decision to play on the counter...

 

[Evilo]

He was absolutely tremendous against the ball, but I think we both know that that's not what I was referring to...specifically with my reference to DD's decision to play on the counter...

Playing the counter is not a problem and can be very exciting.
Guy Roux made a career out of it and nobody said Auxerre was boring.

 

[cgf]

Matuidi has been huge.

As for that 2014 team, Germany certainly didn't play beautiful football throughout the tournament.

...because of how DD has you playing, I feel like I'm stuck in a loop with you two lol. Be happy, I'm not criticizing, just saying I think you'd have been even better playing a different style and that the coach is the one who determined your style, not your passport.

Of course not, which should help folks realize that I'm not asking for DD to try & recreate Brazil '82...

 

[Evilo]

Germany beat Algeria with 14 shots in the 14 WC.
France beat Belgium with 19 shots in the 18 WC.

I'm not sure one is more exciting than the other, and if so, which one it is.

 

[Bon Esprit]

The wrong KDB definitely showed up today, unfortunate for Belgium after how great he was against Brazil

For me KDB was almost invisible in the second half. Huge problem for Belgium.

 

[cgf]

don't read, bro.

it happens that I don't like the type of football that wins today. you know, the clogged midfield type. as a european I grew up watching football, once you have the bug it is almost impossible to get rid of it. it pains me that this type of football wins you World Cups today. back in the day Italy was successful playing like this and it was their thing and I was fine with it. today almost everybody tries to play like this.

Dude...they're not playing like Italians or Uruguayans, or how we did in the 80s & 90s...and I'm one of the people on this board who criticizes DD for their style constantly. So don't be silly.

 

[mw2noobbuster]

Another Belgium game where the best players don't show up. Such a shame because they are an absolute powerhouse when they're on.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

DD wants to squeeze out results. Again, that usually is a good approach in tournaments. Heck, Germany for a long time were the masters of it.

He's done everything so far in this World Cup that you could ask them to do. They're in the Final Of course in Euro 2016 it also looked like the title was theirs for sure after they beat the obvious rivals..only for them to lose vs inferior opposition in the Final. DD will be judged by whether they can do it better this time.

I do think that Mbappe adds a factor to their game that they didn't have in 2016. Even though he's not dominating or even always particularly effective, opponents worry about that pace. I think that Belgium would have played far more 'everything or nothing' today once down 0-1 if they hadn't been so worried about Mbappe on the counter. Belgium was playing with more men back in the last 15 minutes today than Germany does from the first minute of the game in any game.

 

[cgf]

Possession stat for possession obssessed posters :
France had 36% possession, Belgium 64 %.
France had 19 shots, Belgium 9.
France had 6 fouls, Belgium had 16 (even though they had the ball remember).

You know that I care about the way possession is worked, not the raw totals. Come on now. At least show me the decency I show you...even if I don't show it to some of our WC-related "visitors"...

 

[Human]

Dude...they're not playing like Italians or Uruguayans, or how we did in the 80s & 90s...and I'm one of the people on this board who criticizes DD for their style constantly. So don't be silly.

they totally do. no wonder their worst game was Kante's worst game by far.

 

[cgf]

If you wanna be a purely beautiful team, good luck winning titles. Being a good tournament team, sometimes means having to play an ugly game, despite your intent. There was nothing beautiful about Germany’s win over Algeria 4 years ago, but they contained a survivalist quality that some beautiful teams don’t have. Nothing wrong with it.

More major titles have been won in the past ~20 years playing attractive football than by playing negative football. So this truism just isn't true anymore, at least since the bosman ruling & the major pro-offense rule changes that happened 2-odd decades ago

Sometimes you have to grind it out, obviously. But that's different than setting out to grind out every match.

 

[ProPAIN]

Belgium:
Shat it. Lukaku looked about the only one who turned up, but having to do everything himself was never going to work. De Bruyne was a passenger, Hazard anonymous and if Nacer Chadli is your best option for a game like this you'd be as well playing a man down.

What the **** are you talking about? Hazard anonymous and Lukaku turned up? Wow

Hazard was the only one who did something worth a damn. He was clearly fouled by Giroud and that freekick was in a great position. He was brilliant all tournament even today but didn't have the support

Congrats to France. Played disciplined.

We needed Nainggolan, had that p**** Dembele instead. Lukaku was invisible, big mouth and big head..."beast" my ass...

Mbappe is class, no doubt about it, he's going to be a star, but he was being a prime d*** at the end.

Rooting for Croatia

 

[Evilo]

You know that I care about the way possession is worked, not the raw totals. Come on now. At least show me the decency I show you...even if I don't show it to some of our WC-related "visitors"...

Wasn't directed at you specifically, though you do tend to be obssessed with possession.

 

[cgf]

Highlight was still that double backheel by Mbappe to launch Giroud one on one with Courtois... Incredible

He's an absolute delight.

 

[Suiteness]

If the final will be a tight, cagey affair that will more than likely be won by a set-piece goal, it's quite frankly impossible to predict who will come up on the winning end of that. Im personally hoping for penalties

As far is quality of play, this is hands down the worst WC since Italia 1990. France 98 feels like something that was lifted from novel compared to this dreck.

 

[Evilo]

Rooting for Croatia

And you work in France you traitor !

I know I would have pulled for Belgium.

 

[cgf]

Wasn't directed at you specifically, though you do tend to be obssessed with possession.

I'm obsessed with courageous & proactive football, not possession...which is why I assumed I was one of the people you were directing that at ;-)

I have a ton of respect for Pep & his disciples, but I love Favre's style just as much and I don't think Favre has instructed his team to press high up the pitch yet

 

[cgf]

It’s like saying you prefer the 2010 Capitals because they scored a lot of goals and were exciting to watch. They didn’t win anything and Trotz changed their style so they would. Ask them what their fans prefer.

So how is that anyway the same if they didn't win & you do? lol I get being defensive, but damn man. At least try to use some logic when setting up your strawmen.

 

[cgf]

Germany beat Algeria with 14 shots in the 14 WC.
France beat Belgium with 19 shots in the 18 WC.

I'm not sure one is more exciting than the other, and if so, which one it is.

The one that didn't grind out every game...

Are you two just too drunk? Let's try this again tomorrow, when you've sobered up...

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

One has to ask how did Belgium/Uruguay not score a single goal against France but the walking joke that is Argentina managed 3. Football eh?