• There have now been nine 90th-minute winning goals in the 2018 World Cup. There were just 10 in the previous five tournaments combined.

22 minutes ago, coco said:

• There have now been nine 90th-minute winning goals in the 2018 World Cup. There were just 10 in the previous five tournaments combined.

Wow!  Good stat!

So. In that case.

Good luck, England!

Courtois's ratio of conceding "amazing" goals should be the highest in the world. I don't know how to explain this and I know it's not verifiable but no one elite has dropped so many as him.

On 29/06/2018 at 11:13, Krc-fan said:

Do you belive in a final Belgium - England, my best mate, Nibs?

(Please! Think positive! When we all think positive ... )

You have to get past Brazil first. If you manage that, we'll see you there on the 15th July!!

11 hours ago, dkw said:

Kdb as usual goes missing for Belgium.

I was watching that last night and imagining @yorkleyblue sitting there in his smoking jacket with his pipe and nodding to himself knowingly.

 

Have enjoyed watching the Croatia v Denmark and Belgium v Japan games.

I wasn't that bothered at the beginning of this tournament, but admit that it has grown on me .

I wondered yesterday at 2-0 down with Fellaini doing a strange cameo out wide and crossing from the right wing area and with De Bruyne languishing in the depths of defensive midfield whether one of the dark favourites were going out.

Chadli's wide pace was also important as a sub. 

Not sure what happened on the pitch yet they seemed to get organised with Fellaini going central and they were able to capitalise with high balls.

The winning goal was a great team goal, in that last moment De Bruyne forget defensive midfield and went for it, Lukaku did well to pull away the defender to create space and then rolled the ball out wide to Chadli.

The Great Escape was complete.

 

if I was Martinez the takeaway would be to get De Bruyne playing further up the field behind the attacker not at the base of midfield.

Brazil v Belgium should be fun.

 

 

 

 

38 minutes ago, Nibs said:

I was watching that last night and imagining @yorkleyblue sitting there in his smoking jacket with his pipe and nodding to himself knowingly.

 

Ha ha, cognac in one hand, cigar In the other....shed ends very own noel coward. 

13 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

I was expecting him to try and take it himself, it's been that kind of night for him.

I think he did try, just missed the ball by two feet

2 hours ago, Nibs said:

I was watching that last night and imagining @yorkleyblue sitting there in his smoking jacket with his pipe and nodding to himself knowingly.

 

I didn't even notice De Bruyne being subbed on in the 93rd minute, must have distracted by re-filling my pipe,  and then, bugger me, there he was, all fresh and full  of running, beating exactly no-one in a 50 yard run up  field and then managing to  make his first pass of his very short cameo.

29 minutes ago, yorkleyblue said:

I think he did try, just missed the ball by two feet

I didn't even notice De Bruyne being subbed on in the 93rd minute, must have distracted by re-filling my pipe,  and then, bugger me, there he was, all fresh and full  of running, beating exactly no-one in a 50 yard run up  field and then managing to  make his first pass of his very short cameo.

You just can't admit what a match-winner KDB is can you!!

We were watching that game last night and said THIS is the KDB we had at Chelsea!

 

 

14 minutes ago, Nibs said:

You just can't admit what a match-winner KDB is can you!!

We were watching that game last night and said THIS is the KDB we had at Chelsea!

 

 

What, anonymous for the most part, and then sloppy in passing?  I'd agree with you,  and even I admit he had a very good 5 minutes in one game for us.

Fair to say the not so popular decision by the Japanese Coach was fully justified. He rather not qualify for the knock out round than not give it a 100% in it. If only they had a couple of 6'3 defenders, they would have secured one of the best upset in WC. I don't think park the bus would have made any difference, they would have conceded more crosses and headed goals, only chance to survive was to keep the ball. They went down fighting like their name the Blue Samuari, could have won the match had Courtois didn't come up with a couple of good saves. As a neutral, I'm content with Russia made it through the next round with 120 minutes of defending, but hell I respect the Japanese a lot more going toe to toe with one of the best team, sometime it's not all about winning ugly.

Sweden v Switzerland - these teams are bang average. If England can make it past Colombia, surely this is the best chance they'll ever get to reach a semi or even the final.

Sweden v Switzerland - these teams are bang average. If England can make it past Colombia, surely this is the best chance they'll ever get to reach a semi or even the final.

This is surely England's greatest chance at winning the world cup since what, 1990?

 

All that stands in our way to reach the final is (looking like) Sweden and either Croatia or Russia. Bloody mental.

 

We'll cock it up and probably lose to Colombia.

That Swedish team is really pretty poor. Massive over achievement with the talent they've got.  

They defend in numbers and have only conceded to Germany.

I think assuming we get past Columbia they might present an unorthodox yet difficult challenge.

24 minutes ago, AlexTommo said:

This is surely England's greatest chance at winning the world cup since what, 1990?

 

All that stands in our way to reach the final is (looking like) Sweden and either Croatia or Russia. Bloody mental.

 

I don't think we should be getting TOO cocky.  England have played one decent team and lost.  Let's wait and see at 10 this evening

If we do manage to get past Colombia the QF against the Swedes will not be easy there very hard to break down and give everything for each other a very strong hard working team overall...

10 hours ago, Nibs said:

You have to get past Brazil first. If you manage that, we'll see you there on the 15th July!!

Not just Brazil they might need to get past France too.

Another interesting line up would be if both England and Russia met in the SF, probably won't happen yet given the recent geo-political noises...……….

 

Edited July 3, 20188 yr by Strider6003

56 minutes ago, AlexTommo said:

This is surely England's greatest chance at winning the world cup since what, 1990?

 

All that stands in our way to reach the final is (looking like) Sweden and either Croatia or Russia. Bloody mental.

 

The team has to hold their horses and not get a big head. Take the games as they come and score goals first before thinking about the semis or final.

It's been a World Cup filled with giant killings and Sweden seems to be the team that are punching above their weight.

2 minutes ago, robdog said:

Where's the sniper?

4 minutes ago, Strider6003 said:

Where's the sniper?

More like where's the bear? it's like he is acting out being mauled to death