Brazil though. I can't recall when I last saw a Brazil team that looked this good and this effective. The usual skills & offense bonanza with a deadly high press thrown in? I'm on board for that.
Is this one of the worst quality World Cups ever? | Probably not
- Thread starter Solius
- Start date
I completely forgot about Denmark. They were absolutely honking.
Some of the worst goalkeeping
I think the lack of top level quality (not sure about one of the worst quality World Cups mind you) is one of the reasons the World Cup has been entertaining. It feels like the nations are as close to one another in terms of quality as they have ever been. I think club football has spoilt us in terms of the tempo and the technical level we are used to seeing on a weekly basis.
It has spoiled us but also it has made us bias too tbh. When PL teams or CL teams play terribly, it doesn't nearly get as highlighted as it happens in the world cup or any international competition.
I don't wanna derail this thread but then I don't know where this comment would belong:
The organization and facilities of this world cup has been absolutely top quality and I credit Qatar for that. The stadiums are impeccable and the fans by in large are having a brilliant time.
I personally know a friend who just went and it's a true global village there. Fans of nations who would normally never interact with each other are dancing together and learning about one another.
Look at some of the passionate crowds from Japan, Tunisia, Morocco, France, Spain and so on.
The proximity of Qatar to African and Arab nations has made this world cup accessible to fans who would never have been able to go to a world cup game. Also, the proximity of stadiums to each other has helped in fans mingling and having a good time.
In case someone's gonna tell me how they achieved this, this ain't the thread for it but feel free to debate and argue that what I said above is not true. This is what I have gathered
Ever since this world cup started it's like everyone thinks premier league teams are playing at an Alien level.
Yeah Man City get close to that but if you see every game of theirs they have a lot of stinkers as well.
Yea, a lot of credit has got to go Qatar for making it 1) accessible to fans from non-traditional footballing regions, and 2) the fan festival atmosphere. I have friends there from all walks of life saying what an amazing atmosphere is. My South Asian friend was chanting Moroccan chants when they went through, you have the English fan chanting Free Palestine, you have African and South American fans shoulder to shoulder and having dance offs in the fan villages.
I wish there was a way to post some of the videos I've received from people out there on whatsapp to show what it's like.
Simon Jordan on talkSport just now was extremely complimentary on Qatar / Arab hospitality and how some of his own reservations about the tournament have diminished.
It seems people can't seem to separate Qatar's human rights issues with their ability and competency to host an international football tournament, which suggest that their opinions aren't really valid if they're coming at it from such a biased and agenda driven angle. One can continue the conversation on human rights whilst also giving Qatar credit for doing so well as hosts.
There's also stuff like this -
No catcalling or hassle, why female football fans feel safer in Qatar than at matches at home
Ellie Molloson, an 18-year-old Nottingham Forest fan and advocate for safer spaces for women in football, was "really nervous" about travelling to Qatar to cheer on England.
"I didn't think I was going to feel safe here. I was worried about if I show skin will I get arrested... and it's just not been the case at all," she told ITV News.
She adds: "I felt incredibly safe."
"I've not had any catcalling or any of the strange comments that you would perhaps get in England sometimes.
"They've just been incredibly hospitable."
Ms Molloson spearheaded the HerGameToo campaign to improve the culture on the terraces for women football supporters by fighting sexist abuse in sport.
She travelled to Qatar with her dad as her chaperone, but her experience at the tournament has been better than many of her afternoons on the terraces in England.
"I think the easiest way to describe it is it's much more subdued here. It's much calmer. I've not experienced any sort of hostility, I don't mean necessarily to me personally, I haven't even witnessed anything. And that's regardless of gender. I've just not even seen it.
"Sometimes you get football fans getting a bit angry. And there's been none of that at all."
No catcalling or hassle, why female football fans feel safer in Qatar than at matches at home
Ellie Molloson, an 18-year-old Nottingham Forest fan and advocate for safer spaces for women in football, was "really nervous" about travelling to Qatar to cheer on England.
"I didn't think I was going to feel safe here. I was worried about if I show skin will I get arrested... and it's just not been the case at all," she told ITV News.
She adds: "I felt incredibly safe."
"I've not had any catcalling or any of the strange comments that you would perhaps get in England sometimes.
"They've just been incredibly hospitable."
Ms Molloson spearheaded the HerGameToo campaign to improve the culture on the terraces for women football supporters by fighting sexist abuse in sport.
She travelled to Qatar with her dad as her chaperone, but her experience at the tournament has been better than many of her afternoons on the terraces in England.
"I think the easiest way to describe it is it's much more subdued here. It's much calmer. I've not experienced any sort of hostility, I don't mean necessarily to me personally, I haven't even witnessed anything. And that's regardless of gender. I've just not even seen it.
"Sometimes you get football fans getting a bit angry. And there's been none of that at all."
What does the US have to do with this
As much as I disliked the corruption and the process which lead to the World Cup being held in Qatar, it has been great so far. Every game is worth watching and apart from a few instances, no one is really head and shoulders above their opponent. One of the best group stages in recent memory.
Yeah Brazil looks fantastic defensively, which is a far cry from how it's normally been with them. They press effectively, every player including attackers works their socks off running, and have an elite keeper behind that back line.
Only way I see them losing is a tight game against France/Argentina tbh. They'll snuff out any threat from the majority of these other teams.
One of the best group stages I’ve seen in a World Cup just for the upsets, late goals and drama in each group hopefully it continues later with Serbia and Switzerland
Yeah this World Cup is really fun to watch.
I agree the quality level is lower, but I think its fun to see a new generation of players trying to go at it and achieve greatness.
Seriously, close the thread.
This World Cup just keeps giving
More great drama between South Korea, Uruguay and Ghana, on a knife edge the whole time. This and last night will live long in the memory. There were many poor games in the first run of group games but it has taken off since then into a classic already
Ok this is officially my favourite World Cup in a long time.
One of the worst threads - prematurely made. Wouldn’t be surprised if OP suffers from premature ejaculation too.
Definitely not.
For me, this is one of the best group-stage rounds of all time since I've watched both replays and live. I don't know what others think, but this is on-par with the best.
It’s getting better and better now for sure. Can’t remember a World Cup as exciting as this one in recent times.
Is this one of the best world cups ever so far? Probably.
The quality of the footy might be lacking but as a sporting spectacle with all the drama it's one of the best I can remember.
The quality still isn't great, but the final set of group matches are inevitably more exciting because there's something on the line.
Drama isn't the same as quality....are you not entertained?!?!?!
You have to bear in mind teams have had sod all preperation to play in this. Normally they have three week training camps. This time round they were practically whisked onto the plane in their club team kit
There's been a few nil-nils, but the drama and the shocks have been something else. Saudi Arabia beating Argentina was jaw dropping, and it's continued from there. I'm absolutely loving it
I never understood this argument about players being undercooked. Most of them are right in the middle of their seasons.
You have to bear in mind teams have had sod all preperation to play in this. Normally they have three week training camps. This time round they were practically whisked onto the plane in their club team kit
There's been a few nil-nils, but the drama and the shocks have been something else. Saudi Arabia beating Argentina was jaw dropping, and it's continued from there. I'm absolutely loving it
And I remember the constant reason being given for poor world cups in June/July was that players were tired after grueling world cups. Especially the England based players. The lack of a Christmas break was often used to explain the poor performances.
It can't go both ways.
Meh I'm considering them interchangeable.
I think what most of us don't want are games from 'quality' technicians like Spain and Portugal knocking it about for 90 minutes, grinding out 1-0 wins. The all-conquering Spain team from a decade or so ago were a great side brimming with quality but god were they dull to watch.
Give me the dramas!
What a tournament. So, so good to watch.
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The best script writers in the world couldn't have scripted this world cup. For sheer drama, I can't remember anything quite like it.
Last round of games has undeniably been great entertainment, but great quality? Not sure about that. However, you give us drama, tension and unpredictable outcomes it can still be a great experience even with the lowered technical level. Lukaku's performance was great entertainment for instance.
Don't be boring and low quality, that is the killer.
Don't be boring and low quality, that is the killer.
Which was the case in 2010 bar a few games.
Can somebody please upload pics / gifs / videos of Luis Suarez learning that Uruguay are knocked out in order to seduce me into watching the WC…
Did he cry? Please, say he cried.
Did he cry? Please, say he cried.
Oh he did, they are still trying to dry the grass from his tears.
the drama then was unbelievable
both teams trying to score and Koreans watching the game on some lads phone.. what a moment
both teams trying to score and Koreans watching the game on some lads phone.. what a moment