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Semi Finals - France v Spain (Wed), England v Argentina (Thu)

32 replies · 690 views

2 days ago

Well here we are. Semi final time. Two proper heavyweight clashes following on from a fairly pedestrian quarter final weekend.

France vs Spain could probably be the final. France have been the best team at the tournament so far. A front four up there with any in World Cup history. Spain are European champions. Yamal has not lit up the tournament like he did in Germany two years ago, but they have a rock solid defence and a world class midfield. I think France edge it but Spain will be a proper test.

England vs Argentina. The history on and off the field gives this all the makings of a classic. Neither side have lit the tournament on fire, but they've got themselves here and you can hardly argue against either of them belonging in the final four. It will likely come down to Messi and Alvarez vs Kane and Bellingham. England interestingly lead Argentina 3-2 on head to head at World Cups. England slight favourites but a genuine coin flip. I'm going to pick England after extra time.

Only three proper matches left to enjoy. Fingers crossed they are all memorable.

Three for me, and two for them.

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1 day ago

Spain have bossed France this morning. Haven't really let them into the match and have really exposed the french middle.

I have an amazing ability to find my way out of mazes. I'm pathological.

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1 day ago

Spain just so effective at shutting down France's attack and then building up something for themselves.

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1 day ago

Spain the favourites and I’m rooting for them in the final, regardless of whether they play Argentina or England.

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1 day ago

HattyCW wrote:
Spain the favourites and I’m rooting for them in the final, regardless of whether they play Argentina or England.

Spain definitely the better side. Can't see England getting anywhere near them even if they are lucky enough to beat Argentina.

If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid

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1 day ago

Leggy wrote:
HattyCW wrote:
Spain the favourites and I’m rooting for them in the final, regardless of whether they play Argentina or England.
Spain definitely the better side. Can't see England getting anywhere near them even if they are lucky enough to beat Argentina.

Agree with both of these posts. Spain are just so good at squeezing the life out of their opponents. France couldn’t get the ball off them.

Very disappointing end for France but their weaker midfield along with Saliba going off injured early on really exposed them this morning.

Three for me, and two for them.

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1 day ago

Can't quite figure it out if Spain have lifted up a notch for this game, or if France did not turn up. There was a consistent mismatch throughout the game, it did not ebb and flow as you would expect with two relatively well matched sides. Spanish midfield appeared to be from another planet, while France had diabolically poor passing accuracy.

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1 day ago

Spain dominant, pressured the French at every moment and they had no answer. The pen was from a defender panicing and the second goal was brilliant.
Spain have to go into the finals as faves.

Queenslander 3x a year.

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1 day ago · edited 1 day ago · History

This is the problem with this 48 team cup you get these big mismatches.

Can’t believe possession was only 51/49 . The bit of the game I watched France couldn’t get the ball and were too shell shocked and error ridden to do anything remotely helpful with it when they got it.

Still if England can sneak past Argentina, you’d think Tuchel would watch this game and at least come up with some kind of a plan to keep it interesting, no matter how desperate…

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1 day ago

that comment reeks of sarcasm - France v Spain a mismatch (lol)

France certainly looked shell shocked and didnt offer much.

England v Argentina will be a different game, can see both teams being very anxious and more worried about not losing than actually winning. It could take a while for a first goal.

Queenslander 3x a year.

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1 day ago

theprof wrote:
that comment reeks of sarcasm - France v Spain a mismatch (lol)

France certainly looked shell shocked and didnt offer much.

England v Argentina will be a different game, can see both teams being very anxious and more worried about not losing than actually winning. It could take a while for a first goal.

The second and third paragraphs are less flippant!

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1 day ago

It would be a stretch now to say that France, alongside the Hungary of 1954, the Netherlands of 1974 or the Brazil of 1982 as one of the greatest sides not to win the World Cup, but there was a point before the 1-0 win over Paraguay in the last 16 when that might have seemed an appropriate comparison.

Deschamps leaves the job having won a World Cup and reached another final and semi-final. He reached a Euros final and a semi-final. To get to the last four of five major tournaments over a 14-year stretch sounds like a remarkable achievement and in some ways it is. But Deschamps has been blessed with generation after generation of extraordinary players; one trophy with those players is perhaps only par. And there is an argument, voiced most vociferously by those grown weary of his football style, that Deschamps, for all his apparent success, held France back... Lets see how Zidane does with this team

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1 day ago

martinb wrote:
theprof wrote:
that comment reeks of sarcasm - France v Spain a mismatch (lol)

France certainly looked shell shocked and didnt offer much.

England v Argentina will be a different game, can see both teams being very anxious and more worried about not losing than actually winning. It could take a while for a first goal.
The second and third paragraphs are less flippant!

I certainly agree with the second paragraph. Shell-shock is probably the best description indeed. But this was not a "mismatch" of quality; Spain simply played a better game and France had no answer to the Spanish game plan.
If it wasn't for the penalty, this could have, arguably (and that is big "if") , gone scoreless all the way to extra time, but on the balance of probabilities I would say that Spain was always going to win it. They prevented France from scoring just like they did to other teams all tournament. And they only needed one or two chances themselves.

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about 22 hours ago

Spain now on 37 games unbeaten. If they win the final they get the all time record.
I think people have over estimated France and underestimated Spain. Yes France has four world class attackers but behind that their midfield is very ordinary. Their wide defenders are poor.
Spain by contrast have the best midfield in the world. Rodri is unbelievably good and Olmo and Ruiz top class. They 100% won the midfield right from the start.
Tactically it was a masterclass. Their wingers cut in and overloaded the midfield and their wide defenders played very high. France had no answer and couldnt get the ball quickly through to their attackers. Olise had a stinker. My biggest surprise was Deschamps didnt really respond and change things up
Spain will win this WC. They have no weaknesses.

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about 16 hours ago

Argies win it. England paid the price for not controlling the game after they scored. Then they lacked the ability to open Argentina to trouble them.
Can't wait for the final, definitely has the best two teams in it.

I have an amazing ability to find my way out of mazes. I'm pathological.

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about 16 hours ago

England far too negative too early yet again. No different from a Southgate performance.

Equaliser was always coming and then England were fucked with the subs they made. Awful from Tuchel given England were better up until that point.

Three for me, and two for them.

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about 15 hours ago · edited about 15 hours ago · History

4 quarters and a closer.

They nearly got away with it. Pickford was doing heroics.

But 9 in the box behind the ball and no one closing down the shot? Sloppy.

Probably should’ve taken Spence off earlier too. Had a great game, but was stuffed.

Martinez has a habit of getting the job done. No comparable player for England.

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about 15 hours ago

Last game they really surged after their goal and had ten minutes really threatening. Not so much today.

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about 15 hours ago

Sport is cruel. Just ludicrous to have so many defenders on and sit in the penalty area with no forward outlet with half an hour still to go. Throw extra defenders on for the last few minutes but you can't hold on like that for 30+ minutes. Always ends up being the guy who should have been sent off earlier to score too.

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about 15 hours ago

I missed that someone should've been sent off. What for?

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about 15 hours ago

I think with the scrutiny of the VAR and the whole world it would be pretty hard for the ref not to send off someone if the offence merited it.

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about 15 hours ago

Messi superb passing. Well deserved win in the end.

Oi Oi Edgecumbe... lets have a clean sheet

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about 15 hours ago

England went up and tried parking the bus for the remainder of the match, which isn't something you can get away with against world class teams like Argentina. Feel kinda bad for Pickford, the Enzo goal was pretty bad but otherwise I thought he did a really good job that match. Honestly I think Argentina will do it. Ever since the Egypt game I've been thinking they can't keep getting away with these last minute comebacks, yet they keep doing it.

Also Messi playing against a kid he once baptised gives similar vibes to Lebron creating his own teammate lol

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about 14 hours ago

Oi Oi Edgecumbe wrote:
Messi superb passing. Well deserved win in the end.

No doubt the best team won
England just don't have enough quality players. Too many unforced errors.
Kane was poor and should have been subbed. You can't beat teams like Argentina if you don't have the ball and when you do get it, give is away almost immediately.

If you are old and wise you were probably young and stupid

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about 14 hours ago

WHERE ARE HATERS TODAY??? WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SAY ITS "RIGGED" OR "WAIT TILL ARGENTINA PLAY A BETTER TEAM" OR "ARGETINA ARE JUST MESSI!!" what a bloody team man, never ever ever die... and have this ability to make subtle tactical changes that make big impacts while not panicking... Enzo, Alexis, De Paul when he came on.. And all the british pundits pre game said "Oh, theyre old, they wont win" or "they struggled against Egypt & Cape Verde" WHERE ARE YOU NOW???? VAMOS ARGENTINA LA CONCHA DE SU MADREEEE

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about 14 hours ago

Colvinator wrote:
I missed that someone should've been sent off. What for?

The elbow to the back of the head in the 3rd minute.

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about 14 hours ago

ajc28 wrote:
Colvinator wrote:
I missed that someone should've been sent off. What for?
The elbow to the back of the head in the 3rd minute.

LOL. You could argue it could've been a yellow maybe, but no way that is a red.

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about 14 hours ago · edited about 14 hours ago · History

ajc28 wrote:
Colvinator wrote:
I missed that someone should've been sent off. What for?
The elbow to the back of the head in the 3rd minute.

"Elbow". Lmao. Should've been yellow, but calling it an elbow is ridiculous.

https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1uxff6j/enzo_fernandezs_challenge_on_elliot_anderson/

England fans are as consistent as their football team.

Valley FC til I die?

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about 13 hours ago

Enjoyed that thought the ref did a pretty good job especially in that first 20min most other refs would have thrown yellows around ruining the game
Worst thing England did was score that woke the Argies up from there they were the only team in it. But for the posts it would have been a battering.
Two games in a row Kane went missing when the going got tough.

GET YOUR SHIRTS OFF FOR THE BOYS

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about 13 hours ago

Kane did do a fantastic Pirlo impersonation however!

It was his ball over the top that caused problems and allowed the counter to catch Martinez and Argentina napping.

He played some lovely switches too. He didn’t score, but the delivery wasn’t there.

He also did some stellar work winning defensive headers.

If someone had been present in DM for that one moment we could be arguing now about how important his deep lying role was.

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about 13 hours ago · edited about 13 hours ago · History

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1LhTYPJmmL/

AFC assistant coach Emilano Tade on the other hand probably very happy right now.

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about 1 hour ago

Nixieboys222 wrote:
WHERE ARE HATERS TODAY??? WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SAY ITS "RIGGED" OR "WAIT TILL ARGENTINA PLAY A BETTER TEAM" OR "ARGETINA ARE JUST MESSI!!" what a bloody team man, never ever ever die... and have this ability to make subtle tactical changes that make big impacts while not panicking... Enzo, Alexis, De Paul when he came on.. And all the british pundits pre game said "Oh, theyre old, they wont win" or "they struggled against Egypt & Cape Verde" WHERE ARE YOU NOW???? VAMOS ARGENTINA LA CONCHA DE SU MADREEEE

100% I was one of those who doubted them…so sorry
When Fernandez smacked that goal in I cheered like crazy. What a match. This is why we love football. Argentinians are amazing. Such character, such mental strength. They never ever give up. England just collapsed in the last 20 mins.
Every single Argentine deserved credit. What warriors.
I’m so happy, it’s made my WC
Congratulations Nixieboys…..I bet you wish you were in BA. Huge huge party there tonight

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about 1 hour ago

Saw this quote in The Guardian
“ There’s a reason why England didn’t win tonight. 60 years and underperformance against the elite or best international sides doesn’t lie. Collectively, England simply are not good enough. Exceptionalism, entitlement and media hype will never hide the fact”

Sums it it really

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