I usually don't bet. But after having seen all matches so far, the picture seems to be pretty clear to me: From Argentina, Croatia, England/France and Portugal/Morocco, without intentionally teasing my English friends, I see only one clear favorite to win the World Cup, and one underdog with amazing odds: France and Morocco. Am I alone with my assessment?
Day 18: Croatia vs Brazil | Netherlands vs Argentina (QF 1&2)
- Thread starter Samid
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Morocco in the Semis and Croatia in the Final would be a pretty sweet fixture list for us 
Otamendi really is a piece of shite
What an annoying player, look at Messi running to Martinez to hug him, while Otamendi first reaction is to mock the Dutch
Idiots.. I want Argentina to win it actually but these kind of things make me rethink it all sometimes...
Utter nonsense. They look very ordinary outside of that one player. It’s also the most reliant I’ve ever seen a top side on one player in my lifetime.
Half the time his team mates are struggling to control routing passes or make 5 yard passes.
The dutch players were talking all game. Even the subs enter the field and should have been booked. Van Gaal talking before the match.
Was always going to happen after the number of collisions on the pitch
Maybe an unfortunate angle and not ALL of them are taunting the Dutch, but that's a terrible look. Argentina do make it tough to root for them. Outside of Messi, who by his standards has been a bit of a shithouse in this WC too, think this team would be viewed a lot more like Uruguay.
Hope that ref doesn’t ref the final. Will have 22 yellow cards.
watch the dutch subs during the game.
Not that I really rate Argentina as some super force on the face of it but I believe they have all the tools to best Croatia. Technically sound with plenty of bite and a sprinkle of genius. Could see it going to penalties as well.
Acuna and Montiel are as good a wingback pair as any in the tournament, Otamendi is a rock at the back, Messi and di Maria can unpick any defence, Paredes and de Paul are Ultimate assholes that you would want in your team.
Acuna and Montiel are as good a wingback pair as any in the tournament, Otamendi is a rock at the back, Messi and di Maria can unpick any defence, Paredes and de Paul are Ultimate assholes that you would want in your team.
Lahoz was a joke. I hope that was his last game of the tournament. I counted at least three times where an Argentina player did an excellent slide tackle, cleanly took the ball and he called it back for free kicks. Not booking van Dijk after the scuffle was another strange decision. Timber being allowed to foul with impunity after being booked. I thought Berghuis' yellow was a joke too. Adding 10 minutes was scandalous. Probably did it so he could get as much air time as possible. The Spanish Mike Dean.
Before or after having the ball being kicked at them ?
Paredes is such a cnut.
After today England is now the most likable team as far as i'm concerned with a real chance to win it all (not counting Morocco).
Only the narrative matters for the casual. If Portugal win and Ronaldo doesn't play a single minute in the next three matches, he will be the GOAT for majority of the casuals.
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While all the 'hardman' are busy fighting
In this wc they defintely have incredibly reliant on Messi for creativity. They havnt had a single cleansheet this tournament. Im not saying they are shit, they just look bang average.
It's a really strange narrative. There's nothing wrong to simply say that this Argentina team have done well and Messi has stepped up when he's been needed most, showing that he's the right choice to captain this side.
this exactly
Don't forget the subs!
Mexico
They had clean sheets v Mexico and Poland.
Yeah, that's probably fair.
Aside from maybe Foden, Grealish, Henderson, Pickford, Walker, Dier, Coady, Maguire, Trippier, Stones, Ramsdale, Kane there are very few cnuts in that squad.
I was first rooting for them because of Messi, but then they started their typical sh*thousery. Glad to see Brazil go out after their dancing nonsense, would love to see these guys lose then, bunch of classless players (minus Messi, ironically the best player out of all of them).
Overreaction from the Dutch bench. Granted, I'm sure they really love that seat and hate to see it be hit with a ball but still, no need to react like that.
The tackle was a bad one, admittedly.
edit: that video doesn't show it but the replay did. It was literally an empty part of the bench it hit.
Oh yeah that one
Oh, didn't know that. Stand corrected.
But yeah, his body language was horrendous. He was panicking on the spot and that way too obvious penalty was the result.
See you're proving their point, OTT just to make Messi look better. He's their best player but they aint a bunch of plebs.
A game for gentlemen played by hooligans.
contrast that with the image of flintoff consoling Brett lee after the famous ashes win…….
These guys are clearly saints compared to Paredes and Otamendi.
I agree. As much as I wanted Holland to pull through after Paredes' antics ultimately an Argentina win is what my subconsciousness desires. Just like Croatia earlier, Holland would have been lucky if they had gone through.
But the intention was clear. I don't think he was aiming for an empty seat. I think the reaction was understandable
Before or after the Argentina coach got yellow carded?
You can't be serious, refs were helping Argentina all night.