Semifinals discussion

Who do you think will win the World Cup?


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FootballHQ

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Can't believe Sterling was voted England's worst performer in BBC's player rater. Football fans in general can be such numpties.
He's just an easy target with some of the off field stuff and also his poor finishing. With his general play though England need him in the team so that's why he keeps starting.

Despite his goal I think Dele Alli has been poorer in the games and seemingly not even fit.
 

Mrs Smoker

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Really? I can imagine it would be great from a pure footballing perspective but it's not really going to strike the interest of most non-football fans across the globe.
I just want a new World Cup winner.

And even if we care what non-football fans (vile creatures!) want, I reckon "New" World Cup winner might be more interesting than any other scenario.
 

FlawlessThaw

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I just want a new World Cup winner.

And even if we care what non-football fans (vile creatures!) want, I reckon "New" World Cup winner might be more interesting than any other scenario.
That's a fair reasoning for yourself personally and maybe even the game in general (e.g. you don't have to be a significantly huge football nation to win the tournament) but I disagree that a new World Cup winner would be of that interest to general active football fans. England v France would have a great profile across the world.
 

Josep Dowling

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I'm pretty certain that no team has made it to a semi final from two penalty shoot outs as Croatia have done. Argentina, in 1990, did make a final from two penalty shoot outs (defeating Yugoslavia in the QF and Italy in the SF).

If Croatia were to defeat England on penalties then I wonder would their be calls for an alternative means of deciding a winner after extra time.
Why? And what would you suggest?
 

bk1991

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I fancy Belgium to pip France and then handle either Croatia or England in the final. They have a front three that are just humming along and are solid at the back (10 minutes against Japan aside)

Still I would not be surprised if any of the teams won it from here, I would quite like a new team on the trophy.
 

whatwha

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Voted France, but it can easily go to anyone. France haven't been brilliant most of the time, but should be able to stifle Belgium better than Brazil did. The extra quality in midfield might make a difference.

All the matches remaining in the WC look to be extremely even matchups.
 

UweBein

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I am still undecided about France - Belgium. Belgium have the most potent attack and their backline is certainly not bad either. I agree that France do look better in midfield, but were they really great in that area?
 

africanspur

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I think France look the most balanced team out of the 4 left, with no real weaknesses imo and quite a few stars as well.

Feel they'll get through a bruising encounter with Belgium and then dispatch of whichever of Croatia or England they meet.
 

Hanks

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Ognjen Vukojevic, part of the Croatian camp's coaching staff, has been sacked and sent home after the controversial "Glory to Ukraine, this win is for Ukraine and Dynamo Kiev" video he made with Vida post-Russia match.

 
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Dumbstar

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France were my overwhelming favourites to win it before the tournament started and that's still my opinion. Belgium will go back into their strange shell in the semi.

Croatia have ridden their luck a bit. I think that will come to an end against a visibly better organised England. Rashford and RLC have to be brought on a lot earlier by the reluctant/hesitant Southgate to fully exhaust Croatia's tanks. Kane hasn't scored an open play goal for a while and must be eager to change that.
 

11101

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I really hope I'm wrong but I have to go with France. They look like they've woken up in the knockouts and they have so much talent in the side.
 

Ainu

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The one thing I'm most scared of in that France team is their ability to recover the ball in midfield with Kanté and Pogba and quickly break forward from there. If we can avoid those situations I think we have a decent chance.
 

Massive Spanner

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I hope it's Croatia or Belgium. I want to see a new team win it. Helps that they both have small(ish) populations compared to the usual crowd, too.
 

Don _ Conte

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Really torn on France v Belgium.

Take Kante out of the France team and I would definitely favour Belgium, but I think he could be the difference.
 

Revan

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Can't believe Sterling was voted England's worst performer in BBC's player rater. Football fans in general can be such numpties.
It was always going to be between him and Alli. I guess that Alli would have been voted if he didn't score that goal.
 

Revan

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I hope it's Croatia or Belgium. I want to see a new team win it. Helps that they both have small(ish) populations compared to the usual crowd, too.
Imagine Dutch people if Belgium wins a world cup before then. They'll go crazy.
 

Infra-red

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I think France will do it (sadly). I also worry a bit about our chances of dealing with the Croatian midfield. On the plus side, a France-Croatia final has all the ingredients to be a cracker of a game for the neutral :(
 

Jim Beam

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I think France will do it (sadly). I also worry a bit about our chances of dealing with the Croatian midfield. On the plus side, a France-Croatia final has all the ingredients to be a cracker of a game for the neutral :(
Nah, they would put Kante on Modric and it is game over. Heck, I reckon he could man-mark both Modric and Rakitic at the same time.

It is obvious that the winner of France-Belgium will be a big favourite in the final.
 

shaky

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England vs Belgium would be epic
Kane vs Lukaku.
Ashley Young v Lukaku will be interesting. Plus Hazard v Cahill. Stones v De Bruyne. Kane v Vertonghen And Alderwerield. Kompany v Sterling. It would be a great Premier League all star game, and I think it will happen. Croatia don't look like they have much left in the tank and I can see France conceding a hatful against Belgium.
 

Billy Blaggs

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Ashley Young v Lukaku will be interesting. Plus Hazard v Cahill. Stones v De Bruyne. Kane v Vertonghen And Alderwerield. Kompany v Sterling. It would be a great Premier League all star game, and I think it will happen. Croatia don't look like they have much left in the tank and I can see France conceding a hatful against Belgium.

So who wins?
 

Ainu

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Who's likely to fill in for Muenier at right-back for Belgium?
Chadli to right back seems almost certain, so the big question is who replaces him on the left. Carrasco back in seems very risky, so it could end up being Vertonghen on the left of a 4-3-3 or in a 3-5-2 with Vermaelen coming into the team centrally.
 

STaphouse

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Ashley Young v Lukaku will be interesting. Plus Hazard v Cahill. Stones v De Bruyne. Kane v Vertonghen And Alderwerield. Kompany v Sterling. It would be a great Premier League all star game, and I think it will happen. Croatia don't look like they have much left in the tank and I can see France conceding a hatful against Belgium.
Why is Cahill suddenly starting?

Southgate out.
 

AllezLesDiables

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The one thing I'm most scared of in that France team is their ability to recover the ball in midfield with Kanté and Pogba and quickly break forward from there. If we can avoid those situations I think we have a decent chance.
That’s pretty much sums up the game. Belgium cannot allow France counter opportunities with bad turnovers and let Mbappe kill the backline with his speed.

France’s weakness is a lack of a #10. Giroud helps alleviate this weakness with his target play.

So Giroud needs to be held in check.

Hazard needs to be at his best and this might be the game to use Dembele with Witsel and Fellaini in a 4-3-3 with Hazard on the left KDB on the right and Lukaku up front.