***Offishul Qatar World Cup 2022 Thread***

[leginten]

3 hours ago, AC Mallin_51 said:

Quite possibly the best game of football I’ve ever watched. Messi a genius but my goodness from the 80th minute onwards Mbappe may have gave one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. He looked like a man on a mission 

I’ve been watching World Cups slavishly since 1966 and that’s the best final I’ve ever seen, despite the first 75 minutes or so being non-vintage. Just the most unbelievable drama. Full marks to both teams. Played in a pretty decent spirit as well. That one will go down in history. I’m still buzzing hours after the match.

[Jambo92]

1 hour ago, jonesy said:

It was good, but that good?

 

Not sure. 

 

It was crap for 80 mins, seen much better games over the piece, from 80 onwards it was a great watch.

 

The world cup in general has been pretty poor quality, with a few quality bursts during games.  Only gripping match from start to finish was England France.

[milky_26]

 

 

[Luckies1874]

 

[Tazio]

I’ll take the clip above and raise it with the introduction of a drone. Mental. 

 

[Pasquale for King]

1 hour ago, CF11JamTart said:

Still no idea why Macron was there. 

 

Apart for some Franco-Qatari love-in. 

 

Although he said that we should depoliticise sport. So who knows? 

 

Cracking game anyway. Best final I can remember (been watching them since 82).

Probably because his predecessor Sarkozy cemented links between the countries when he and Platini had dinner with the Qatari leaders before the vote to award them it.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/487336/amp

[Pasquale for King]

3 hours ago, BackOfTheNet said:

If anyone claims that this World Cup tournament wasn’t one of the greatest of all time then I don’t think I can trust their opinion on football matters in general

On the field definitely, why it was there and the thousands that died alongside the political nature will make it the most memorable. The wee guy winning it also. 

[Pasquale for King]

Sorry if its been mentioned but did the    Golden Boot swivel off its platform as Mbappe walked off with it 😆?

[Tazio]

Sound up 

 

[AC Mallin_51]

9 hours ago, jonesy said:

It was good, but that good?

 

Not sure. 

I’m just taking it on the face of, let’s face it for 80 minutes France we’re absolutely hopeless. Once he scored that first penalty he looked like a man possessed and felt like he was dragging the full team forward himself. That run into the box in extra time I was literally sitting there thinking this lad is gonna win this full thing himself. This was the greatest World Cup final ever, it was Messi’s final and for me Mbappe was the star. I just think to do that in a World Cup final is something truly special, that I might never seen again 

[CF11JamTart]

7 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

Probably because his predecessor Sarkozy cemented links between the countries when he and Platini had dinner with the Qatari leaders before the vote to award them it.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/487336/amp

Yup. That stank

 

But it was Sarkozy not Macron who was at the three way dinner

 

And Macron's official role in the platform? "Official European Chum / Lapdog of Qatar"? 

[Maroon Sailor]

Those who want extra time scrapped may change their minds now.

 

That half hour was better than the regulation time.

 

 

[Kiwidoug]

I'm astonished that the two best strikers in the world shared 7 goals between them in a World Cup final.

 

Just outstanding.

[Maroon Sailor]

[Tommy Brown]

I understand posters saying that the game was a non-event up to France's first goal.

Argentina were outstanding in the first half and should have been more ahead before being pulled level.

The second goal was fantastic one-touch football.

They were constantly slicing France open, the game plan was superb and the French froze.

[Maroon Sailor]

5 minutes ago, Tommy Brown said:

I understand posters saying that the game was a non-event up to France's first goal.

Argentina were outstanding in the first half and should have been more ahead before being pulled level.

The second goal was fantastic one-touch football.

They were constantly slicing France open, the game plan was superb and the French froze.

 

It wasn't a bad final (wasn't great either) up to the 80th minute but it really took off once France got their lifeline.

[briever]

12 minutes ago, Tommy Brown said:

I understand posters saying that the game was a non-event up to France's first goal.

Argentina were outstanding in the first half and should have been more ahead before being pulled level.

The second goal was fantastic one-touch football.

They were constantly slicing France open, the game plan was superb and the French froze.

 

The first 80 wasn't an non-event, Argentina were very good, played positive football as well as nullifying France - So much so they took off Giroud and Dembele on the 40th min.

[Pasquale for King]

1 hour ago, CF11JamTart said:

Yup. That stank

 

But it was Sarkozy not Macron who was at the three way dinner

 

And Macron's official role in the platform? "Official European Chum / Lapdog of Qatar"? 

They might've promised whoever was in charge was involved, but we were to focus on the football not politics. 

[Maroon Sailor]

How good was that referee BTW?

 

Got all the big calls spot on

[briever]

Just now, Maroon Sailor said:

How good was that referee BTW?

 

Got all the big calls spot on

 

Former player - always surprised why so few pros get into reffing when they retire.

[Jeff]

3 minutes ago, Maroon Sailor said:

How good was that referee BTW?

 

Got all the big calls spot on

 

Aye was very good, unlike panto villain Lahoz a week earlier

[Fozzyonthefence]

1 minute ago, Maroon Sailor said:

How good was that referee BTW?

 

Got all the big calls spot on

Get with the script - it was a FIFA conspiracy to ensure Messi won the World Cup!  
 

Not sure either was a penalty to be honest but the defending players were both a bit naive (in the case of Dembele, ok he’s not a defender, but it was a couple of embarrassingly bad bits of play in the same passage of play, he actually deserved to lose a penalty!).

 

Overall, ref tended to let the play flow which helped the game. 

[Pasquale for King]

5 minutes ago, Maroon Sailor said:

How good was that referee BTW?

 

Got all the big calls spot on

He could well have given a penalty to Argentina in the 2nd half when the slightly rash Upemecano pushed McAllister in the box, similar to the foul on Mount, but was otherwise excellent. 

[Maroon Sailor]

2 minutes ago, briever said:

 

Former player - always surprised why so few pros get into reffing when they retire.

 

Most of them would rather sit in a studio now getting paid for watching matches criticising the players and moaning at the officials.

[Maroon Sailor]

4 minutes ago, Jeff said:

 

Aye was very good, unlike panto villain Lahoz a week earlier

 

Think I read he showed 18 cards that match.

[briever]

1 minute ago, Maroon Sailor said:

 

Most of them would rather sit in a studio now getting paid for watching matches criticising the players and moaning at the officials.

 

But so many of them talk about how difficult the transition is into normal life after football - reffing is a perfect outlet for that.

Most of the better rugby refs now are former test players.

Edited December 19, 2022 by briever

[Fozzyonthefence]

1 minute ago, Pasquale for King said:

He could well have given a penalty to Argentina in the 2nd half when the slightly rash Upemecano pushed McAllister in the box, similar to the foul on Mount, but was otherwise excellent. 

I had forgotten about that, I thought that was more of a penalty than the two given. 

[leginten]

3 minutes ago, Maroon Sailor said:

How good was that referee BTW?

 

Got all the big calls spot on

I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that. If referees keep on awarding penalties like the joke he gave to Argentina in the first half, the game’s deid.

 

And I think France would also have every right to feel aggrieved that he stopped play just before the end of normal time to book an Argentinian player when France were on a very dangerous looking break. Inexplicable. He could have waited until the next break in play.

 

But he deserves credit for his overall control of what could have been an explosive (in the wrong way) match.

[Maroon Sailor]

7 minutes ago, briever said:

 

But so many of them talk about his difficult the transition is into normal life after football - reffing is a perfect outlet for that.

Most of the better rugby refs now are former test players.

 

I agree but I think it's the mentality of a football player not to bother going down that route.

 

I wouldn't expect to see any high profile players do it, not to say they shouldn't or wouldn't be good at it but do they need the hassle that comes with it?

 

Same with going in to management - Much easier to sit in the studio.

 

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by Maroon Sailor

[Jeff]

13 minutes ago, leginten said:

I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that. If referees keep on awarding penalties like the joke he gave to Argentina in the first half, the game’s deid.

 

And I think France would also have every right to feel aggrieved that he stopped play just before the end of normal time to book an Argentinian player when France were on a very dangerous looking break. Inexplicable. He could have waited until the next break in play.

 

But he deserves credit for his overall control of what could have been an explosive (in the wrong way) match.

 

Aww c'mon. Dembele was clumsy as feck (no shock there)

[briever]

10 minutes ago, Maroon Sailor said:

 

I agree but I think it's the mentality of a football player not to bother going down that route.

 

I wouldn't expect to see any high profile players do it, not to say they shouldn't or wouldn't be good at it but do they need the hassle that comes with it?

 

Same with going in to management - Much easier to sit in the studio.

 

 

 

There are only a limited number of pundit places - even for morons.

[Hansel]

[Sooperstar]

A word on Deschamps, who I think is a bit of an arsehole, but seems to be really good in charge of this French team.

 

If Zidane replaces him I'm not convinced he will be as successful.

 

 

[Pasquale for King]

22 minutes ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

I had forgotten about that, I thought that was more of a penalty than the two given. 

It wouldve been as soft as the other two but still penalties in todays game i suppose. 

[Pasquale for King]

28 minutes ago, Maroon Sailor said:

 

Most of them would rather sit in a studio now getting paid for watching matches criticising the players and moaning at the officials.

Its one reason why theres so few decent English manager, quite ironic when they all want an Englishman to lead them 😆. 

[leginten]

12 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Its one reason why theres so few decent English manager, quite ironic when they all want an Englishman to lead them 😆. 

The idea of Jenas and Shearer as co-managers has a lot to commend it, in my view.

[Fozzyonthefence]

21 minutes ago, briever said:

 

There are only a limited number of pundit places - even for morons.

Even less pundit places available for ex (male) players these days as they have to fill their quota of female pundits.  
 

And seems to be less managerial vacancies available for English managers down south too so maybe we’ll start to see more ex players become refs.  I still can’t see many wanting to do it though. 

[Pasquale for King]

4 minutes ago, leginten said:

The idea of Jenas and Shearer as co-managers has a lot to commend it, in my view.

More relegations on the cards 😆 

[OmiyaHearts]

If I ever decide a game is 'the best Ive ever seen', I can guarantee it will involve Heart of Midlothian.

[Malinga the Swinga]

2 minutes ago, OmiyaHearts said:

If I ever decide a game is 'the best Ive ever seen', I can guarantee it will involve Heart of Midlothian.

Is the only correct answer. 

[Notts1874]

Messi mugging off the Salt Bae prick 😁😁😁

[Tommy Brown]

1 hour ago, briever said:

 

The first 80 wasn't an non-event, Argentina were very good, played positive football as well as nullifying France - So much so they took off Giroud and Dembele on the 40th min.

Exactly my point.

[Tommy Brown]

10 minutes ago, Notts1874 said:

Messi mugging off the Salt Bae prick 😁😁😁

Who the the f%&k is he?

[Notts1874]

2 minutes ago, Tommy Brown said:

Who the the f%&k is he?

If you don't already know then you are best never knowing 😂😂😂. He basically sells vastly overpriced steaks to people who have more money than sense. 

[leginten]

2 minutes ago, Notts1874 said:

If you don't already know then you are best never knowing 😂😂😂. He basically sells vastly overpriced steaks to people who have more money than sense. 

Steak just isn’t steak unless it’s covered in gold leaf…

[Notts1874]

2 minutes ago, leginten said:

Steak just isn’t steak unless it’s covered in gold leaf…

With salt sprinkled over it in a very strange manner, and then cut up for you as if you are a child. 

[Luckies1874]

 

[A_A wehatethehibs]

For me definitely the best game I’ve ever seen. When I say “best” I am talking about the very best players in the world slugging it for the absolute biggest prize there is.
 

I have never seen the 2 absolute best teams slug it out for the W like that. Especially in extra time. So often it gets cagey. That had absolutely everything you love about our sport. Bite, sportsmanship, great goals, individual + team play, great saves, powerhouse midfield play, brick shithouse defending, missed big chances, comebacks, top managers and subs, drama. There was absolutely no fear of losing from either team. 

 

I never wanted it to end. It was the type of game where I thought, bring back replays. Let those 2 teams give us another 90
 

Yes you might see that type of game at lower levels but there is a different energy when it’s the best of the best, deciding who gets that solid gold trophy. 
 

A heavyweight clash for the ages.

[milky_26]

14 minutes ago, Notts1874 said:

With salt sprinkled over it in a very strange manner, and then cut up for you as if you are a child. 

And you are charged £1450 for the steak while he pays his staff close to the minimum wage

[Notts1874]

26 minutes ago, milky_26 said:

And you are charged £1450 for the steak while he pays his staff close to the minimum wage

I didn't know about the minimum wage stuff but it doesn't surprise me.