2022 World Cup - Qatar

[Welsh Exile]

I much as I would like to **** on England that ref was pretty bad. He must've been embarrassed by not giving that penalty, it was so obviously a pen, as blatant as you get and he was right by it. VAR obviously got him to review it and he looked pretty sheepish. Saka was getting kicked left right and Center all game as well and he did nothing about it but blew up at some soft ones so was inconsistent. Wasn't the worse referring performance I've seen but amazed he's got a chance at the final.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

He's just done the second leg of the Copa do Brasil final. I thought he was good during the USA- Netherlands game. He wasn't as awful as either of the refs on the Friday games. Sounds like the English press are big mad that England lost and want to take it out on the ref.

Although IMO England didn't lose because of him, he did need VAR to save him even for blatant fouls even when right in front of him. The second penalty being the prime example.

However There was the lead up to the first goal - the foul by Upamecano on Saka, which VAR could not go back for once he or linesman didn't give it. Also the foul on Kane on the edge of the penalty area because VAR could only say whether it was in the area or not. As he did not give the original foul it was play ones

These are the type of decisions he did not get right which in a world cup final could affect the result, which I think should count against him getting it.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Will probably miss tonight's game or half watch at best. I think regardless of who wins I'll be cheering for France or Morocco in the final but I'd like to see Croatia do it.

I think Croatia could come out and play dirty, the last game would have been very emotionally draining on Argentina. If it was made clear that they'd have to go through it again early on it could be a struggle. Referees have let a lot go to this point in the tournament which has benefitted Croatia's imposing defensive players, could be a fun one.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Referees have let a lot go to this point in the tournament which has benefitted Croatia's imposing defensive players

I can see arguments for and against that. A couple of red cards in arg vs nl wouldnt have been out of the question, but i can recall quite a few penalties that are 99% not pinged.
Italian ref, crowd is ours, i like our odds.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Can't call tonight's semi. Wouldn't be surprised if it goes to a penalty shootout. Looking forward to seeing the tactical battle and of course Modric and Messi perform and how they impact the match.

France v Morocco. France for me. I see Morocco's run end at the semis similar to SK's in 2002 which came to a halt v Germany. They celebrated too hard when they beat Portugal. That was the equivalent of their "final."

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Mark the price up by 50% and sell them exclusively in Wales, Scotland and Ireland - they'll make their money back in no time

 

[Bada-Bing!]

FIFA World Cup 2022: England vs France - tactical analysis

Tactical analysis of the tactics in the FIFA World Cup quarter-final between England and France. Read about the tactics from England vs France in our tactical analysis.

totalfootballanalysis.com

Pretty good tactical analysis of the game. For me it confirms England's progressive passing wasn't good enough.

England had more possession than France but most of it was in their own half. Most of the progressive passes they did make were to wide left to Shaw or right to Saka. When they did create chances on target from open play it was from outside the penalty area and a decent keeper like Lloris should and did save them.

Not sure where Southgate goes with this even if he does stay on. He's allowed Kane to be his main striker and also his number 10, but he's not a Greizmamn or Messi type number 10 and neither Foden or Saka were getting into the penalty area for him to thread through balls.

Whilst the progressive passers of the team are from his centre backs - Maguire and Stones, rather than his midfielders. But they were often too slow to get the French defence and defensive midfield out of position and into Foden, Saka and Kane to make chances.

No wonder they produced so few chances from open play and had to rely on free kicks, when they were given, and penalties.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

V

 

[Bada-Bing!]

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Can a keeper not stand his ground there? Not exactly sure what he's supposed to do, just let him in?

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Lovely goal from Alvarez.

Croatia now have to come out to play.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Might as well call it here really,
Croatia's best bet was trying to hold on for a 0-0, they're not chasing down a 0-2

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

Croatia's best bet was trying to hold on for a 0-0, they're not chasing down a 0-2

Trust me, I'd LOVE that to be true but they did chase brazil from behind and caught up with em. AND we were 2-0 ahead of NL and they managed to equalize things.
These guys (cro) run till they drop, they tend to make few mistakes and **** you up when you do. I'm glad we managed to capitalize on the few chances we had so far.
Now they are forced to take some serious chances.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Might as well call it here really,
Croatia's best bet was trying to hold on for a 0-0, they're not chasing down a 0-2

Netherlands did. Only takes one goal to get Argentina nervous and then stick big striker up there like Holland did.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Can a keeper not stand his ground there? Not exactly sure what he's supposed to do, just let him in?

ITV pundits agree with you - where else was he supposed to go? Walton - ex ref saying GK needed to make contact with the ball and impeded Alvarez's progress and therefore was a foul.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

I think it was a foul but I also think it's more evidence for my argument that having a pk for all fouls inside the 18 and no fouls outside the box is one of the dumbest things in sport.

 

[General Melchett]

ITV pundits agree with you - where else was he supposed to go. Walton - ex ref saying GK needed to make contact with the ball and impeded Alvarez's progress and therefore was a foul.

Yeah never a penalty. Keeper stood his ground and if anything it was a foul on the keeper (Alvarez deliberately initiated contact with the keeper's planted leg) or it was a coming together at the very worst.

Walton talking out of his arse.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

ITV pundits agree with you - where else was he supposed to go? Walton - ex ref saying GK needed to make contact with the ball and impeded Alvarez's progress and therefore was a foul.

Fair, it was a genuine question and observation. Seems flawed, possibly something that soccer could learn from rugby re standing ground.

Argentina deserve the lead anyway, a final against France would be pretty epic.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

If he was standing ground in the basketball defence style of drawing a foul (both feet planted and completely stationary prior to contact) I could see an argument against a penalty. But from my take the keeper was still actively moving towards the ball, totally missed it and impeded the opposing player.

Happy to see criticism of football refs though as sometimes it reads here that rugby union is the only sport with contentious refereeing decisions.