The Knockout Stages

First topic message reminder :

Round of 16:

France vs Argentina
Portugal vs Uruguay
Spain vs Russia
Croatia vs Denmark
Brazil vs Mexico
Belgium vs Japan
Sweden vs Switzerland
England vs Colombia

There you go Westi, you've got your wish.

VAR giving that in extra-time against Russia would have been remembered as the shock of the tournament.

Spain should win this shootout. Been the better team all game really.

That said, I would love to see that cheat Ramos out of the tournament.

Koke misses, Russia 3-2.

That is a shame for Spain and the tournament really. Russia will bore teams into submission.

Portugal, Spain, Germany and Argentina out... Unbelievable.

Spain are out on Penalties.

David de Gea is so overrated. Playing for a mediocre Manchester United side the delusional press made him out to be the new Iker, whereas he's no more than a Pepe Reina. Congrats Russia

De Gea saves 2 of those at United

Russia win 4-3 on pens.

Teach Spain 2 actually attack and take risks rather than just side to side.

As an England follower, and for this WC. It's a great result, really opens the whole thing up. And on our side of the draw, pretty much guarantees and unfancied side through to final.

This side of the draw is like a really poor euro’s section. England will never a better chance

Well.....England will never have an easier path to a World Cup finals than this. And yes I know game isn't played on paper etc...but if before World Cup someone said beat Columbia...Sweden/Switz and Russia/Croatia/Denmark and you'll be in finals you'd have said...ok expectations is Final

They were crap penalties too!

We may reasonably detest their odious political leaders ; but for the sake of the general population of Russia it is nice to see the hosts getting further into the tournament.

Some freakish save for that last ! Keeper would have been made a Hero of the Soviet Union in the old days ...wonder what they do to honor them these days ?

I hate this whole idea of 'poor team's etc. You have to be so disciplined and really want it to defend and work hard for that length of time and shut out a team far superior to you. A 'poor' side can't do that. Any team who makes it to a quarters of a World Cup beating Spain deserves it.

Much like Germany..Spain were stubborn and the whole tika takka football isn't what it was but the Spanish refuse to move away from it or even adapt...Yes Russia were negative but Spain were hardly exciting...sideways passing does nothing for me!

Work Cup quarters with potentially only two from Argentina/Brazil/Italy/France/Germany/Spain/Portugal/Netherlands/Spain.....who would ever have thought that...

And people say smaller nations don't deserve their spot or expanding tournaments is a bad idea and doesn't improve smaller nations.

Well done Russia.

owen10ozzy wrote:I hate this whole idea of 'poor team's etc. You have to be so disciplined and really want it to defend and work hard for that length of time and shut out a team far superior to you. A 'poor' side can't do that. Any team who makes it to a quarters of a World Cup beating Spain deserves it.

Much like Germany..Spain were stubborn and the whole tika takka football isn't what it was but the Spanish refuse to move away from it or even adapt...Yes Russia were negative but Spain were hardly exciting...sideways  passing does nothing for me!

Agree.
Russia were never going to go toe to toe with Spain. So they set there stall out. And did it fantastically, they were superb defensively. Took there chance, and did what they had to do to get through. Which is the whole point of knock out football.

Spain completed over a 1000 passes, yet never troubled Russia till the 2nd half of extra time.Why Inestia didnt start god knows. Koke only seemed to be able to pass backwards to Ramos or Pique. Why take Costa off, and not play 2 up front Every sub Spain made was like for like rather than to do something positive or change/influence the game. They were just stuck with plan a, and did nothing to change.

As for that side of the competition and England. I'm slightly more cautious. A) because i still take it game by game, let's see how we do v Colombia and take it from there. B) Everyside will see it the same way, that this is a great chance to get to a WC final.

What a start with Croatia vs Denmark

That was an amazing start.

Denmark playing like Russia. With slightly more attacking intent.
Just how good is Modric, player of the tournament in my opinion so far.

After that start. It's been a pretty boring game. 1-1.

Best part is seeing the Russian fans celebrating there win during the game.

The goals will inevitably dry up, if these limited sides get continued success, and progress.

If anything, this games getting worse. Croatia offering absolutely nothing. Denmark doing okay but are limited.

At this rate looks like another game going to pens.

Let’s hope so

Croatia 1-1 Denmark - ET

Prefer Croatia to progress, purely from a footballing perspective later in the tournament. Russia, Sweden and Switzerland all pretty pragmatic sides, with little quality. Uruguay also quite limited.

After that 2nd half, might as well not bother with extra time and go straight to them.
This games has been absolutely dire.

Denmark have been the better side in my opinion. It's strange that the one player who's letting them down is Eriksen who's had a poor WC.
1st half of ET has been no better than the game.

Not a great pen.

Might redeem him shortly.

Penalty Croatia, superb ball by Modric. Something happens at last.
Modric misses. And we head to a penalty shoot out. Does this give Denmark the advantage in the pens.

What a tackle that is now by Jorgensen

It’s Penalties

And it's pens again. After the first 4 mins, and the late Croatia pen on 116 mins. This games lacked everything.

And just to carry on the theme of this games, it takes to the 3rd pen to actually score one.

Now that's a penalty

Croatia progress

Damn

Fabulous goal keeping from both. Felt like they both had to take great penalties to score

Croatia win on pens, after 5 are missed in the shoot out.

Croatia v Russia, in the QF on Saturday night

Have to agree that both GKs performance were the highlight of this game. Kudos to Modric, needed some
Balls to go out there and score after missing earlier.

Be an interesting QF if not an entertaining one. Russia average but inspired, Croatia a much better team but have a habit of underperforming in the knockout rounds.

GSC wrote:Be an interesting QF if not an entertaining one. Russia average but inspired, Croatia a much better team but have a habit of underperforming in the knockout rounds.

Add in that the winner's will be in the sf of an open half of the draw. We're Croatia haven't been for 20 years, Russia longer.
I expect it to be a tense, nervy game.
Maybe not a fantastic game, but an intriguing game of chess.
Wouldn't be surprised if it went to ET or pens.

Luke wrote:And it's pens again. After the first 4 mins, and the late Croatia pen on 116 mins. This games lacked everything.

Check out Buzz Killington over here

Now you all know my pessimism (at best) regards England...but not only do we have the easier route on paper...we now have semi final opponents who have gone to pens awaiting us....we don't make the final now we absolutely never will in my life time!....

That said....my accumulator has Columbia knocking us out anyway

Owen there setting up every possible angle to be as negative as **** if England lose.

Let's win a knockout game for the first time since 2006 before we start talking about easy routes

yeah been a long time since we beat anyone decent in a tournament yet some England fans have us in the final already. think Tuesday will be the biggest test that i think we'll lose, if we do get through i fancy us more against the European sides were used to facing

draw really opening up for England if they can keep their nerve , spain were way too predictable yesterday against a very organised and ordinary Russian team

GSC wrote:Owen there setting up every possible angle to be as negative as **** if England lose.

Let's win a knockout game for the first time since 2006 before we start talking about easy routes

Nah you know me GSC, I had no expectations from England heading into the tournament. Anything past this p point should be seen as progress because....Well it is! I'm certainly not as giddy as some appear to be over us...and I'm definitely not on board with this whole idea that the football we are playing is a vast improvement over anything we have seen for a decade. That being said Southgate has created a culture and mentality within not just the squad but the setup as a whole which looks to be working.

I'd disagree, think there's been a massive overhaul within the England camp from top to bottom, not just obviously of the old guard of players but in style of play, mentality & grassroots progression. Whilst this World Cup may come too soon to fully show this progression remains to be seen but for myself it shows great similarities to the German team after their disastrous Euro 2000 campaign.

You could flip the open bottom half of the draw and say all the teams left in it will fancy their chances.

Colombia could be looking and saying they only have to beat a team who haven't won a knockout game for 12 years and they have a simple run to the final!

As said, any of the teams in that half will fancy their chances and it will be the team that rises to the occasion and puts in the best performance.

Afro wrote:You could flip the open bottom half of the draw and say all the teams left in it will fancy their chances.

Colombia could be looking and saying they only have to beat a team who haven't won a knockout game for 12 years and they have a simple run to the final!

As said, any of the teams in that half will fancy their chances and it will be the team that rises to the occasion and puts in the best performance.

More confident in my sweepstake team - Switzerland. Highest ranked side left in that half I think!

poland have clearly proven that playing the ranking system doesn't necessarily work

Aren't they changing the way they do rankings so that it is more in line with the ELO system