Depends if they get the next World Cup . Main contenders are South America, Middle East again or Europe but it would be neat to see it in Australia/New Zealand but I don’t know if they have the infrastructure there.
Soccer/football thread 2022
- Thread starter Priller
- Start date
Depends if they get the next World Cup . Main contenders are South America, Middle East again or Europe but it would be neat to see it in Australia/New Zealand but I don’t know if they have the infrastructure there.
Priller
Well-known member
Literally all other changes listed are rule or rule enforcement changes. This has nothing to do with gameplay or player protection, it's purely about financial extraction. And anger about these added breaks has nothing to do with tradition, it has to do with not liking being exploited. If the event was struggling to generate revenue, then it might be understandable. But they are not struggling, at all. On the contrary, FIFA is possibly the world's largest money laundering scheme, generating billions that magically vanish across hundreds of national federations.
So if it's just further cash extraction to line the pockets of literal criminals, with zero benefit to the spectacle of the sport or the safety of those playing it, while also taking advantage of a monopoly and captive audience, it fits the enshittification definition pretty closely. The problem with enshittification is the end game often involves the eventual slaughter of the cow rather than milking it...
(Part of the reason mega clubs like Madrid and Juventus have been so keen to form a Super League in Europe is they would like a similar monopoly that affords similar enshittification while simultaneously helping them escape national leagues that are quickly falling behind the Premier League in the big money sweepstakes. None of this benefits fans, none of it benefits players, but it massively benefits the few who have manouvred themselves to the top of one of the few truly global sports.)
So if it's just further cash extraction to line the pockets of literal criminals, with zero benefit to the spectacle of the sport or the safety of those playing it, while also taking advantage of a monopoly and captive audience, it fits the enshittification definition pretty closely. The problem with enshittification is the end game often involves the eventual slaughter of the cow rather than milking it...
(Part of the reason mega clubs like Madrid and Juventus have been so keen to form a Super League in Europe is they would like a similar monopoly that affords similar enshittification while simultaneously helping them escape national leagues that are quickly falling behind the Premier League in the big money sweepstakes. None of this benefits fans, none of it benefits players, but it massively benefits the few who have manouvred themselves to the top of one of the few truly global sports.)
Really looking forward to Japan/Brazil. Japan is a speedy resilient team that should be Brazil's first real test. They may not be as technically gifted but if they can nullify Vinicius Jr and Neymar they have a decent shot.
Edit: Japan is definitely speedy but that seems to be all they are relying on. Looking only for a break on the counter. No real build up from them, they just boot the ball anywhere when Brazil give it away near the Japanese box.
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could not stay awake and missed a thrilla.Oh well Germany/Paraguay starts live in a few minutes.
Near miss off the hop at least hydration lets me get food
Yikes ....Paraguay sets a record for the club.
Good game - not sure what the commentators were smoking but that disallowed goal was the correct call. IMNSHO
What a cliff hanger. Germany in mourning.
Not sure I can stay awake for this one
World Cup 2026: How Morocco won the battle for Dutch-born talent
Morocco’s World Cup meeting with the Netherlands tells a story about migration, identity and the battle for Dutch-born talent.
www.bbc.com
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Mad Mike
Well-known member
At the end of the day, it’s sports entertainment. Soccer leagues are probably looking at North American sports entertainment models.
To put it into perspective, finals (World Cup vs NFL playoffs) FIFA generates about $125m/match, NFL almost $300m. I’m sure taking a spin in the North America has shown FIFA sees there is more to harvest.
Maybe greedy bastards, but not nearly as good as Americans at generating revenue.
Priller
Well-known member
Germany awful, Netherlands cowardly. Both Nagelsmann and Koeman will be gone by the weekend, could be Klopp and Slot taking over respectively. The Dutch playing for a shootout only to look utterly confused once they got there was something to behold.
Good news for Canada is Morocco worked really hard for two hours and will have a day less rest. Bad news is that team is really good and have been for a few years now.
Here's to the underdog, may they continue to prosper...
Good news for Canada is Morocco worked really hard for two hours and will have a day less rest. Bad news is that team is really good and have been for a few years now.
Here's to the underdog, may they continue to prosper...
Two big shocks yesterday for sure. Also a reappearance of tactics I don’t really care much for in defending like maniacs in the hopes of catching a team on the break or playing for the Russian roulette penalty game which was both Japan and Paraguay although it just about worked for Paraguay.
There’s an argument that this is the only way some teams can play against the big guns, but this is the World Cup. At this level you're supposed to be a big gun.
Years ago the England team played very negative football too and the players and the manager said something to the effect of, we don’t care if it’s not pretty it wins games. **** the fans though right.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
I’m no soccer expert, but I’m pretty good at observation in most sports.
The difference I saw in the Morocco v. Netherlands match way confidence and drive. Morocco played in an always on, and showed confidence - Netherlands, not so much.
Looked like the young bulls playing the old.
Priller
Well-known member
I'm with you when it comes to sides like the Netherlands, who had no business being so conservative against Morocco. I mean, I guess that's what you get when you appoint Ronald 'Everton' Koeman, who has never been a dynamic coach, but still...
Even Japan, I thought they had the legs and the pace to run at Brazil, who have some holes in their defense.
But for Paraguay, that was the only way forward for them. They simply don't have the players to go toe-to-toe with Germany, even this 'worst German side in living memory' Germany.
Also helps when you have less to lose. The pressure at a World Cup in incredible, probably more than any other sporting event. Morocco going out to the Netherlands would have been a disappointment to them, but acceptable. It's a catastrophe for the Dutch, though, who see themselves as outside contenders to win the whole thing.
You saw that in the penalties taken. With less pressure (e.g. in a pro league game), the conversion rate sits somewhere between 75-85%. World Cup shoot-out pens typically convert at 65-70%, and the Dutch only hit 40% of theirs. All of that is fair enough if you had done everything you could to avoid pens in the first place, but they seemed to try and kill the game like Paraguay. As noted above, their manager was a great player, but has had a pretty spotty past as a coach...
Speaking of pens, I find it unreasonably satisfying when a shooter who indulges in stutter-step nonsense ends up missing like Kluivert and a couple others. Pick a spot, line it up, and put your laces through the ball. All this garbage taking advantage of the limitations on a keeper (especially now that they enforce them staying on the line) is so irritating in its lack of confidence. If you hit a ball well, it's unsaveable. My all-time favourite example of this was van Dijk eyeballing the Chelsea keeper in the League Cup final a few years ago after Kepa was using gamesmanship to try and put Liverpool off:
Harry Kane's penalty technique annoys me intensely.
Priller
Well-known member
Exactly. I feel like shooters already have so many advantages. If keepers have to stay on their line, all this tip-toe nonsense should be discouraged and shooters should have to maintain a consistent speed in approaching the ball. You want to tip-toe? Fine, you don't get to suddenly speed up to get power.
I actually think it should be that once the shooter starts moving, the keeper should be allowed to move wherever they want as well. That way, if you want to get cute approaching the ball, the keeper can attack the shooter and cut down the angles. It would cut down on the mega run-ups as well.
It would make scoring a penalty harder, but that's a good thing I'm my books, especially because so many pens from a foul are marginal.
Not sure how much sleep I will get today if any. Picked up the France Sweden game on delay and bailed after the second French goal......clearly Sweden was overmatched. Went a predictable course tho could have been even more goals.
Mexico Ecuador starting now live....not likely to make the distance.
Mexico Ecuador starting now live....not likely to make the distance.
I’d be very surprised if France aren’t in the final. It only takes one bad game though.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
I’m watching the games seriously for the first time this cup.
I’m cheering for Canada… because I’m Canadian.
I’m starting to get the beauty part, I think. I wish the beauty happened more than a few times a game.
I’ve also been observing the controversial hydration breaks. I haven’t noticed
seismic changes, but its clear in a few games that momentum changes post break.
One thing that irritates me is the injury embellishments. In any other sport, fans and regulators punish that behaviour , treating it as an ultimate low in sportsmanship.
I’m cheering for Canada… because I’m Canadian.
I’m starting to get the beauty part, I think. I wish the beauty happened more than a few times a game.
I’ve also been observing the controversial hydration breaks. I haven’t noticed
seismic changes, but its clear in a few games that momentum changes post break.
One thing that irritates me is the injury embellishments. In any other sport, fans and regulators punish that behaviour , treating it as an ultimate low in sportsmanship.
They are clamping down on the embellishment in this World Cup which is a good thing. It’s still there though and your average fan finds it just as irritating too.
Canada have a lot of heart but are still a relatively “young” team and play like a US side from several years ago which is still mostly reliant on speed. There’s a few players with good talent though. Having said that the worst match I’ve seen so far was a Canadian game because it was just full of errors and turn overs. That could also be early nerves too and it’s a shame they have lost home country advantage now. This could be the year of the underdog though.
I think England are overrated. Brazil aren’t the Brazil of old. Argentina are not the same team as 4 years ago despite the Messi magic. France is arguably stronger than 4 years ago. My prediction is France v X in the final but I’m not at all sure who X will be which keeps things very interesting this time around.
It’s a shame that Brazil-Argentina isn’t a possible final match. They could meet in the semis though. That would be my dream match up from a fans/viewers point of view. They are both very attack minded,
Oh dear. Not the best start to the England game.
