Topic: World Cup: football & teams discussion, plus in-game comments (no flooding!)

[Ray K]

I think they’re being paid to attend, not watch the whole thing

They probably left for a half time pint and got arrested haven't made it back to their seats yet.

[Fromola]

No real football tradition there, so loads have probably turned up for the opening ceremony more than the game, realised how atrocious Qatar are and then jibbed it. See how many turn up for their other 2 games.

[Rob Dylan]

The more teams you have the more weak teams you have, although it works the other way in terms of making it less likely the big nations miss out. The 1994 World Cup for example, the last one with 24 teams, England, France, Portugal and Denmark (reigning Euros holders) all missed out just from Europe. Along with the Czech's (reached Euro 96 final) and also Yugoslavia for political reasons (which included Serbia/Croatia etc who were full of top players).

32 is the perfect number. Increasing it will mean a lot more games like today.

[Elzar]

What a weird WC this is going to be

Are you in the Philharmonic?

[So… Howard Philips]

Are you in the Philharmonic?

He didn’t say the grade 1 listed WC, so probably not the Phil.

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

That guy with tattoos in the audience is definitely Qatari born and bread.

This place has really gone mad with some ignorant and racist shit.

[Fromola]

32 is the perfect number. Increasing it will mean a lot more games like today.

Yeah, 32 is ideal, although from a pure football perspective it'd be a better on-field product with a few more European/South American sides and less Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Panama from the other federations. They have to be fair about it though.

With an extra 16 teams you'd gain an Italy, a Ukraine, a Norway (Haaland/Odegaard), a Chile, a Colombia or Peru (from those missing this tournament) but you'd also gain another 10 of the aforementioned.

[**** The Pain Away.]

My favourite number is 18.

[stockdam]

No real football tradition there, so loads have probably turned up for the opening ceremony more than the game, realised how atrocious Qatar are and then jibbed it. See how many turn up for their other 2 games.

Very few seemed to be interested in the match…..probably just using it to take photos for their Insta feed.

[AndyInVA]

I think they’re being paid to attend, not watch the whole thing

More likely regular Qataris going along to see what soccer is about. Seeing their team losing and not in the game they just went home. It’s just not a soccer country. I’m all for the WC in an Arab country, but why not Morocco or Egypt.

[anandg_lfc]

Are the likes of peter drury and Clive tyldesley doing commentary for this WC? Which channels are they on?

It was painful to hear andy townsend and some other dross in comms. 

[AndyInVA]

I think it was the guy who was furthest away from the camera. The keeper came for the ball and punched it onto the head of an attacker. They must have deemed that to be a pass and so the other attacker was offside. He then headed the ball back to another attacker who crossed it it for the goal.

US TV skipped over that decision in the half time and my friends said the same on UK TV. I watched that goal several times and I did not see any offense anywhere. When the ball was kicked everyone was onside. Not one player on the field had any issues with the goal.

[The North Bank]

More likely regular Qataris going along to see what soccer is about. Seeing their team losing and not in the game they just went home. It’s just not a soccer country. I’m all for the WC in an Arab country, but why not Morocco or Egypt.

The first “Arab” World Cup should’ve been in Egypt. A proper football mad country, no money though, it’s all about money.

[RedG13]

US TV skipped over that decision in the half time and my friends said the same on UK TV. I watched that goal several times and I did not see any offense anywhere. When the ball was kicked everyone was onside. Not one player on the field had any issues with the goal.

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/fifa-world-cup/story/4807433/2022-world-cup-var-review-every-decision-analysed

[jedimaster]

The first “Arab” World Cup should’ve been in Egypt. A proper football mad country, no money though, it’s all about money.

Or Morocco, similarly football mad country and they have had more failed bids than anybody I think.

[I've been a good boy]

Watched our final in May against Real Madrid in Marrakech. Every restaurant and cafe along the street I was in completely packed with people of all ages, including the very elderly. Great experience, even though they was not one Liverpool fan.

[Golyo]

This place has really gone mad with some ignorant and racist shit.

The population of Qatar is almost 3 million, yet less than 400000 are Qatari citizens.

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

The population of Qatar is almost 3 million, yet less than 400000 are Qatari citizens.

Ok?

[So… Howard Philips]

The first “Arab” World Cup should’ve been in Egypt. A proper football mad country, no money though, it’s all about money.

Surely between the Maghreb countries they could have put in a joint bid?

[Samie]

Day 2 Fixtures are:

England v Iran
Holland v Senegal
USA v Wales

[Roopy]

The first “Arab” World Cup should’ve been in Egypt. A proper football mad country, no money though, it’s all about money.

Absolutely - Egypt or Morocco (or even shared between the 2) would have been brilliant.

A world cup down here in Australia also would have been epic - absolute shame, still hurts 12 yrs later not getting it.

[The North Bank]

The Qatari “ultras” behind the goal, all Lebanese , not expats either , fans of a first division Lebanese team, shipped in for the tournament and paid to create a fan atmosphere.
Not surprising to be fair, there are people who support man city for a living, this is just a bit more in your face.
 Football is seriously alien to Qatar ,the fans, 2-0 down and off they went. Hell even the players looked like they had never played football.
From a football point of view I think Ecuador missed a trick to cash in, I mean “cash in” in footballing terms, everyone will hammer Qatar so goal difference could come in to play, they took their foot off the gas , there were a lot of goals to be had.

[The North Bank]

Expected England team, probably by watching who is wearing the bibs in training.

Pickford- trippier stones maguire Shaw- rice Bellingham mount - Saka sterling Kane .

There’s goals to be had if you’re playing against England . Defence look bang average.

[Bucko - Dubai]

The first “Arab” World Cup should’ve been in Egypt. A proper football mad country, no money though, it’s all about money.

Think it would have been great for a fans experience to have been a GCC World Cup, feel that part of the fun for fans who go for the whole thing is flying around seeing different cities / places
1 x Dubai
1 x Abu Dhabi
1 x Qatar
1 x Saudi
1 x Bahrain
1 x Oman
1 x Kuwait

[Jm55]

Expected England team, probably by watching who is wearing the bibs in training.

Pickford- trippier stones maguire Shaw- rice Bellingham mount - Saka sterling Kane .

There’s goals to be had if you’re playing against England . Defence look bang average.

Absolutely mad that Maguire is getting anywhere near a World Cup starting 11 after the last couple of years.

[The North Bank]

Absolutely mad that Maguire is getting anywhere near a World Cup starting 11 after the last couple of years.

The obsession with mount and sterling is a bit strange too, they’ve been awful this season, though mount is talented. Surely Foden should be starting.

[The North Bank]

Think it would have been great for a fans experience to have been a GCC World Cup, feel that part of the fun for fans who go for the whole thing is flying around seeing different cities / places
1 x Dubai
1 x Abu Dhabi
1 x Qatar
1 x Saudi
1 x Bahrain
1 x Oman
1 x Kuwait

The other countries are absolutely livid now, especially KSA and UAE, Qatar have pushed themselves forward now as the leaders of the Arab world, it’s one thing having a Grand Prix, bit of golf and a boxing tournament, but getting the World Cup has raised the bar big time, only way MBS and the Dubai lot can match it is getting the cL final..... watch this space.

[Ray K]

Think it would have been great for a fans experience to have been a GCC World Cup, feel that part of the fun for fans who go for the whole thing is flying around seeing different cities / places
1 x Dubai
1 x Abu Dhabi
1 x Qatar
1 x Saudi
1 x Bahrain
1 x Oman
1 x Kuwait

All shite places to visit with no football culture.

[Golyo]

Ok?

So anybody living in Qatar has an 85% chance of not being a citizen of the state, and the guy you accused of racism is probably right.

[Fromola]

The Qatari “ultras” behind the goal, all Lebanese , not expats either , fans of a first division Lebanese team, shipped in for the tournament and paid to create a fan atmosphere.
Not surprising to be fair, there are people who support man city for a living, this is just a bit more in your face.
 Football is seriously alien to Qatar ,the fans, 2-0 down and off they went. Hell even the players looked like they had never played football.
From a football point of view I think Ecuador missed a trick to cash in, I mean “cash in” in footballing terms, everyone will hammer Qatar so goal difference could come in to play, they took their foot off the gas , there were a lot of goals to be had.

Yeah could mean they have to beat Senegal last game depending how the other games go, whereas Senegal can sit back for a draw.

Not sure how good Senegal are though. AFCON was exceptionally bad quality this year and they haven't got Mane.

[24/7]

Ok?

Wind yer neck in - this is fuck all to do with racism and everything to do with pointing out how contrived and artificial the whole set up is. Wanna bang the RAWK IS RACIST drum? Fuck off to Twitter and do it. If ANY of the moderation team felt that that original post was racist, it would have been deleted and the user banned. Full stop. At least four mods were reading the the thread last night, not one of us saw the point being made to be a racist one. Seems only you do.

[Libertine]

All shite places to visit with no football culture.

Think of all the shopping malls you could go to though.

[Fromola]

Expected England team, probably by watching who is wearing the bibs in training.

Pickford- trippier stones maguire Shaw- rice Bellingham mount - Saka sterling Kane .

There’s goals to be had if you’re playing against England . Defence look bang average.

Looks really poor defensively, haven't got Walker's recovery pace which has got them out of a lot of jams, 3 CB's or 2 holding midfielders.

On the other hand if they take the handbreak off and actually go for it they've got the quality going forward to beat most teams.

[Elzar]

All shite places to visit with no football culture.

Not a reason to keep the World Cup away from these places. If they have the stadia and plan to host, in a joint bid, then they should have every chance and the World Cup should be shared around the world - not just kept in countries that we class as having football culture. Plenty of places in the middle east and africa are football mad. It's about letting them host it in the correct way, and making sure they aren't going to stop any fans enjoying it.

Colin Murray said on saturday's fighting talk that any nation hosting the world cup, should also be willing to host a women's world cup as a very minimum. Plenty of other things to consider too.

[Elzar]

Today's games:

1pm - England vs Iran - BBC

4pm - Senegal vs Netherlands - ITV

7pm - USA vs Wales - ITV

First two games might be quite boring, I reckon tonight's will be all over the place though and we could get a bit of fun.

[tubby]

Yeah quite interested in USA vs Wales, don't care who wins but it's going to be a really intense affair because they both know only one of them is likely to be runner up to England.

[ScouserAtHeart]

On the other hand if they take the handbreak off and actually go for it they've got the quality going forward to beat most teams.

Bit too late now to change the manager you feel.

Although Spain did it last time around

[Fromola]

Today's games:

1pm - England vs Iran - BBC

4pm - Senegal vs Netherlands - ITV

7pm - USA vs Wales - ITV

First two games might be quite boring, I reckon tonight's will be all over the place though and we could get a bit of fun.

I like watching USA at the World Cup. They tend to give it their all and just go for it. Always just lack a decent striker for this level, need Pulisic to have a good tournament.

[Bucko - Dubai]

The other countries are absolutely livid now, especially KSA and UAE, Qatar have pushed themselves forward now as the leaders of the Arab world, it’s one thing having a Grand Prix, bit of golf and a boxing tournament, but getting the World Cup has raised the bar big time, only way MBS and the Dubai lot can match it is getting the cL final..... watch this space.

Agreed however living in Dubai I think they are doing very well from it. A lot of fans are staying here and flying to Qatar just for the games which makes sense, every hotel is full and every bar has made it accessible. Also with the much higher tolerance for drinking than Qatar it makes it a much better environment
A usually empty airport the opposite end of Dubai from the main is doing shuttle flights to Doha every 15 minutes

[Crosby Nick]

Forgot Queiroz coaches Iran. He lives to stink a game out and England don’t usually need much help on that front. I’m taking the dog for a walk in the pissing rain!