MUNDIAL XXII

[Captain Ron 12866]

HOLY  SHIT!!!! OY OY OY!!!!

[Captain Ron 12866]

That mother fucker can look as stupid as he wants!!! He just sent Australia to the World Cup!!!!

[Cheeseweasel 26438]

So many drunk Aussies tonight...

[Captain Ron 12866]

Australia opened with a bad PK, Peru lost on one. WOW.

[Braff Zacklin 13552]

Said it before and will say it again: if you're in any way connected to one of the teams playing, penalty shootouts are the absolute worst way to decide a match.

But if you're a fan of neither and just watching for pure entertainment, holy shit, they are pure intensity and adrenaline.

[Captain Ron 12866]

1 minute ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Said it before and will say it again: if you're in any way connected to one of the teams playing, penalty shootouts are the absolute worst way to decide a match.

But if you're a fan of neither and just watching for pure entertainment, holy shit, they are pure intensity and adrenaline.

Nah, Australia absolutely would have been happy going to PKs in this game. They were a significantly weaker team. They had maybe 1 shot that was semi-scary in this game.

Peru should have put these guys away in the game. They should have pressured them all game long. They had maybe 20 minutes of pressure that I thought oh yeah, you look like the better team. They played it safe a lot more than they should have and the result ...

[Braff Zacklin 13552]

1 minute ago, Captain Ron said:

Nah, Australia absolutely would have been happy going to PKs in this game. They were a significantly weaker team. They had maybe 1 shot that was semi-scary in this game.

Peru should have put these guys away in the game. They should have pressured them all game long. They had maybe 20 minutes of pressure that I thought oh yeah, you look like the better team. They played it safe a lot more than they should have and the result ...

[Captain Ron 12866]

Uh, no.

You just said this is the worst way for these games to be decided if you're one of these teams. I am telling you Australia absolutely were happy to have this game go to PKs because they probably had a better chance to win the game this way than in open play.

[Braff Zacklin 13552]

No, that's how you read it, which was dumb. And it's your right to be dumb ... so long as you own it.

The Socceroos are happy with the outcome, but they were not enjoying the process because it's intensely nerve-wracking and ultimately comes down to chance. Neither were their supporters. Same for anyone associated with Peru.

But for those with no affiliations to either team, the penalty shootout was a blast. That was the point.

[Napoleon 8660]

10 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

Nah, Australia absolutely would have been happy going to PKs…

Peru should have put these guys away in the game. They should have pressured them all game long. They had maybe 20 minutes of pressure that I thought oh yeah, you look like the better team. They played it safe a lot more than they should have and the result ...

Um, no.

This is why the Peruvian official said that it was insane to play these playoff matches in Qatar in the summer. 

Even though this is at night on a “cool” day, the Heat Index AFTER the game finished was…

 

Incans aren’t used to that shit. Here’s the weather right now in Peru.

And this week’s forecast.

 

The Peruvians could have run around a neutral pitch in Switzerland 🇨🇭 or Andorra 🇦🇩 and pressured  Australia 🇦🇺 all game long, but they couldn’t due it on a June night in Qatar. 

Australia was always going to have the advantage once this game was scheduled for June in Qatar. 

[Captain Ron 12866]

And I still disagree. Australia was in far more stress during the game. When Peru was going full out they were in a far greater risk of loss because ever falling down in this game was probably the end for them.

They were absolutely loose in this shootout and were able weather the early miss. Peru was the one shitting bricks because they should have beaten this team 5 times over.

 

I'm not dumb and I'm not wrong. That would be you both cases.

[Napoleon 8660]

CORRECTION: Ooops, I put Quito instead of LIMA.

 

Same thing, different Incans.

[Captain Ron 12866]

 

[Hagbard Celine 10850]

in '06 australia broke through with half a roster that played in europe led by tim cahill who single-handedly avenged Darwin

australia has no geo-political animosity with carthage, the danes, or the frogs, and based on these past 2 games are going to be cannon fodder for GD in their group

 

for tomorrow's game, kiwi were the shock side 12 years ago playing 2 amateurs and managing 3 draws against italy, slovakia and paraguay ....  no easy feat

would love to see them do it again.....  but even if they hold level to kicks, navas is still the best in the world and kiwi are going home

bet the house on ticos

[Captain Ron 12866]

This doesn't really fit anywhere else right now - FIFA to announce the host cities for 2026 Thursday.

[Cheeseweasel 26438]

1 minute ago, Captain Ron said:

This doesn't really fit anywhere else right now - FIFA to announce the host cities for 2026 Thursday.

AKA, who bribed the most officials.

[Napoleon 8660]

I was just thinking about grass in Jerry World and there is no reason that with 4 years to plan, the temporary grass can’t be designed:

1) To go into Jerry World a week or two in advance.

2) For growing lamps to be used to further growth once the grass is installed so that the footing is firmer. 

3a) For lawn mowing to be done with battery powered riding mowers AND…

3b) the roof and sides opened every day so that the stadium doesn’t smell like oil, gas, and cut grass. 
 

There is no reason for any indoor temporary grass pitch to be tearing out in big chunks like in years past. The technology exists for these pitches to be awesome. Do what needs to be done. Even Seattle could follow this method of growing grass in that shitty-ass weather. If they can grow grass all across England, you can grow grass in Seattle… and Arlington, Atlanta, Los Angeles.

Glendale fucking Arizona can do it, everyone should be able to do it. 

[Trey3216 15343]

15 hours ago, Captain Ron said:

 

 

[Hagbard Celine 10850]

1 hour ago, Napoleon said:

I was just thinking about grass in Jerry World and there is no reason that with 4 years to plan, the temporary grass can’t be designed:

1) To go into Jerry World a week or two in advance.

2) For growing lamps to be used to further growth once the grass is installed so that the footing is firmer. 

3a) For lawn mowing to be done with battery powered riding mowers AND…

3b) the roof and sides opened every day so that the stadium doesn’t smell like oil, gas, and cut grass. 
 

There is no reason for any indoor temporary grass pitch to be tearing out in big chunks like in years past. The technology exists for these pitches to be awesome. Do what needs to be done. Even Seattle could follow this method of growing grass in that shitty-ass weather. If they can grow grass all across England, you can grow grass in Seattle… and Arlington, Atlanta, Los Angeles.

Glendale fucking Arizona can do it, everyone should be able to do it. 

all 2016 centenario stadiums with turf had grass installed including the deathstar

[Horny Bull 2759]

Costa Rica already up 1-0.

[Napoleon 8660]

1 hour ago, Hagbard Celine said:

all 2016 centenario stadiums with turf had grass installed including the deathstar

Correct, but the grass in the Deathstar always comes out in major clumps. It is always part of the commentary. 

Unless they underwater it, which they did within the last 2 years, I believe. Then the surface is hard and the ball doesn’t bounce normally. They need to just take great care in prepping the grass. The time, money, and technology exists to do so.

[Horny Bull 2759]

New Zealand equalizer wiped out by a foul after a VAR check.

[Bottlecap 1523]

FIFA does not want two oceania nations in this tournament obvs

[Bottlecap 1523]

all whites look like the better side so far

[Braff Zacklin 13552]

2 minutes ago, Bottlecap said:

all whites look like the better side so far

#noracist?

[Horny Bull 2759]

Is it just me or does Costa Rica’s coach look like Don Eladio?

[Napoleon 8660]

This Costa Rica side looks nothing like the team that spanked us in the last match of qualifying. 

Also, Bryan Ruiz is ass. 

[Trey3216 15343]

11 minutes ago, Horny Bull said:

Is it just me or does Costa Rica’s coach look like Don Eladio?

Quite a bit  

[The Dog 44019]

that should be a red.

[Horny Bull 2759]

Red card for New Zealand.

[Braff Zacklin 13552]

13 minutes ago, Horny Bull said:

Is it just me or does Costa Rica’s coach look like Don Eladio?

[Napoleon 8660]

Just now, The Dog said:

that should be a red.

That is correct.

Such a stupid move. Such an obvious red upon review. 

[Knoxtnhorn 5971]

"Hey Chief!  We need a goal to get our nation in the WC for the first time in 12 years.  Go get 'em!"

Red card 8 mins later.

[Hagbard Celine 10850]

11 minutes ago, Napoleon said:

This Costa Rica side looks nothing like the team that spanked us in the last match of qualifying. 

Also, Bryan Ruiz is ass. 

they went with almost all domestic players

[Trey3216 15343]

13 minutes ago, Napoleon said:

This Costa Rica side looks nothing like the team that spanked us in the last match of qualifying. 

Also, Bryan Ruiz is ass. 

Ruiz turns the ball over like Nipple and runs like Pepi.  Bad combo  

[Napoleon 8660]

That was an absolutely intentional clacking if knees instigated by the Kiwi sub. 

[Napoleon 8660]

If you told me that Costa Rica was playing with 10 men and New Zealand had 11, I would totally believe you. 

Two days in a row the better team is going to lose. 

[Captain Ron 12866]

Time for a Liverpool keeper finish?

[Horny Bull 2759]

Costa Rica holds on.

[Captain Ron 12866]

4 minutes ago, Napoleon said:

If you told me that Costa Rica was playing with 10 men and New Zealand had 11, I would totally believe you. 

Two days in a row the better team is going to lose. 

I completely blanked on this game and didn't see it except the end. Was this a case that New Zealand was better or did CRC let them come at them with the early goal?

[InkaUtexas 25859]

Damn Ticos are in. 

[Napoleon 8660]

12 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

I completely blanked on this game and didn't see it except the end. Was this a case that New Zealand was better or did CRC let them come at them with the early goal?

I only saw the second half, but I think that it was a combination of the two. 

Costa Rica scored in the 3rd minute on their only shot of the first half and have Keylor Navas.

Bryan Ruiz came in at halftime and looked like he had played a full 120 minutes in yesterday’s match.

Even if Costa Rica wasn’t trying to push for a second goal, they couldn’t put together more than a couple of passes to at least make the Kiwis work. They look USMNT of the 1990s bad. 

Costa Rica absolutely needs to jettison Ruiz and all of the old guys (except Navas) and only go with the young domestic players. This looked like a B squad for them, and that’s against NEW ZEALAND!

[InkaUtexas 25859]

So which is the pool of death? The Dutch have it the easiest I think. 9 points. 

 

 

[Captain Ron 12866]

8 minutes ago, InkaUtexas said:

So which is the pool of death? The Dutch have it the easiest I think. 9 points. 

 

 

FIFA Rankings of each group (based on that graphic
A - 51, 46, 20, 10
B - 5, 21, 15, 18
C - 4, 49, 9, 26
D - 3, 42, 11, 35
E - 7, 31, 12, 23
F - 2, 38, 24, 16
G - 1, 25, 14, 37
H - 8, 60, 13, 29

I hate to say it you really have to think Group B is your Group of Death because you have 4 teams all top 21 in the World and 2 of them are going home in the first round. Our 4th place team would be seeded 3rd in every other group! Plus 1 of the teams literally wants to kill the other 3.

[Captain Ron 12866]

23 minutes ago, Napoleon said:

I only saw the second half, but I think that it was a combination of the two. 

Costa Rica scored in the 3rd minute on their only shot of the first half and have Keylor Navas.

Bryan Ruiz came in at halftime and looked like he had played a full 120 minutes in yesterday’s match.

Even if Costa Rica wasn’t trying to push for a second goal, they couldn’t put together more than a couple of passes to at least make the Kiwis work. They look USMNT of the 1990s bad. 

Costa Rica absolutely needs to jettison Ruiz and all of the old guys (except Navas) and only go with the young domestic players. This looked like a B squad for them, and that’s against NEW ZEALAND!

Methuselah thinks Brain Ruiz is old. Remember when he had 10 yards on a break away against us and was caught form behind EASILY?

I know he is a national hero, but the guy has no business being on the field for the national team. He is a waste of space.

[InkaUtexas 25859]

7 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

FIFA Rankings of each group (based on that graphic
A - 51, 46, 20, 10
B - 5, 21, 15, 18
C - 4, 49, 9, 26
D - 3, 42, 11, 35
E - 7, 31, 12, 23
F - 2, 38, 24, 16
G - 1, 25, 14, 37
H - 8, 60, 13, 29

I hate to say it you really have to think Group B is your Group of Death because you have 4 teams all top 21 in the World and 2 of them are going home in the first round. Our 4th place team would be seeded 3rd in every other group! Plus 1 of the teams literally wants to kill the other 3.

Agree. Thanks for the rankings. I also think G could be rough. Lets all remember what Cameroon did to Argentina! 

[Knoxtnhorn 5971]

Costa Rica - "We're in the WC!"

WC draw for CR the past three editions ...

Spain

Germany

Japan

Uruguay

Italy

England

Serbia

Swiss

Brazil

I think Serbia is the "worst" team at a current FIFA ranking of 25th.  Geez.

Edited June 14, 2022 by Knoxtnhorn

[Braff Zacklin 13552]

Bear in mind the Ticos in 2014 bossed that group with Uruguay, Italy and England, finishing top of the table, then edging Greece on kicks in the round of 16 before losing to Netherlands (also on kicks) in the quarterfinals. That truly was their Golden Generation, but, as others have noted, it's past time for the old guard to give way to the next wave.

[Napoleon 8660]

18 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Bear in mind the Ticos in 2014 bossed that group with Uruguay, Italy and England, finishing top of the table, then edging Greece on kicks in the round of 16 before losing to Netherlands (also on kicks) in the quarterfinals. That truly was their Golden Generation, but, as others have noted, it's past time for the old guard to give way to the next wave.

Well, in 2014, the rest of Costa Rica’s 🇨🇷 group was TOOTHLESS:

Italy was still playing their the puppet master of their 2006 roster, Pirlo (35 y.o.), along with the Roman Bloody Elbow, De Rossi💪🏼🩸(30 y.o.) and…

England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 was still trying to go with a Gerrard (34 y.o.) & Lampard (35 y.o.) midfield that never worked, but melted in the humidity of Brazil while…

Uruguay 🇺🇾 started with some bite 🦷🧛‍♂️🩸, but that led to Luis Suarez being tossed from the entire tournament. So without 2010’s Golden Boot 🥾 winner, Diego Forlán & Suarez, Uruguay was as toothless as the geezers.

That was an easy year to pick Costa Rica 🇨🇷 to advance. I think that I had Uruguay & Costa Rica advancing…

RANT: If Higuaín had fucking hit his chance in the first half of the final, I would have won the Shaggy pool and finished in the #80s of ESPN’s pool that had about 1.5M entrants. 🤬 /RANT

This year will be difficult for Costa Rica. Navas is strong & commanding, but he’s noticeably started his decline. Ruiz smells of salve. If the manager doesn’t go with young, fit, hungry domestic outfield guys + Joel Campbell, they’re fucked. 

[Captain Ron 12866]

In a not so shocking move, FIFA has increased the team rosters from 23 to 26. Ideally for more subs, give more time to rest for players.