2018 World Cup Round of 16 Knockout
From the get go we called for unexpected results, and got some...
With Blatter, Platini and others gone from FIFA, aside from the new technology, what's changed? More later.
Meanwhile, defending champion Germany eliminated after losing two first round group games. This is not the first time Germany have been eliminated in group play.
In doing so, Die Mannschaft become the 4th victim out of the last five champions, failing to qualify for the knockout round. Sensing more than a trend?
Moving West, our summary of group qualifiers with eliminations in parenthesis...
Group A: Uruguay's Los Charrúas with 3 wins, allowing no goals in winning a feeble group. Host Mother Russia advancing after beating up two stiffs (Saudia Arabia, Egypt).
Group B: Das Quinas and La Roja muddling along to advance (Morocco, Iran). Expect Portugal and Spain to step it up in the knock out round.
Group C: France and Denmark quietly and efficiently stamping their tickets (Peru, Australia), Les Bleus could be dangerous while the Dynamite seem subdued.
Group D, Croatia's Kockasti with 3 monster wins, allowing 1 goal with subs in a meaningless game vs (Iceland); Argentina's Los Gauchos crawling in the back door with an 86' minute goal to eliminate (Nigeria).
Group E: Switzerland's Nati advancing with 2 draws, and with some help Brazil's Canarinha pulled out their last 2 games (Costa Rica, Serbia).
Group F: Winners of 10 straight matches, out catenaccio-ed Italy to qualify 1-0 on aggregate, had not allowed a goal in over 500 minutes... Who?
Blue Swede leading 1-0, only to lose to Germany 2-1, yet carved out 2 wins to take a tough Group. Mexico's El Tri winning their 1st two matches, then needing a plucky side (S. Korea) to beat the defending champs (Germany).
Sidebar: How the hell does that work? Mexico who beat Germany, would have been eliminated by Germany on goals scored vs other teams? First tiebreaker should always be head to head, another incomprehensible FIFA DOH!!! Moving West...
Group G: Belgium's Les Diables Rouges (nine points) and England's Three Lions both validating dominance in a weak Group (Tunisia, Panama).
Group H: While Japan's Blue Samurai surprised by advancing on "fair play" points. After losing their opener, Columbia's Cafetero's pulled out another weak group with 2 wins vs (Poland, Senegal).
BTW, Fair Play (yellow, red cards) another big FIFA improvement? Ask Senegal why this is a tie breaker and HEAD TO HEAD is NOT?
And now this...
1. Legitimate challenges and the slightest of nudges are penalized with yellow cards and penalty kicks. Hard but honest play is discouraged viz. if you breathe on a Brazilian it's a yellow card.
2. Actual and obvious on field muggings are uncalled, along with illegal offensive pick plays in the box viz. Brazil's 2nd goal vs Serbia. Watch carefully...
Above, in Kevin McHale (The Boston Mugger) style, Brazil's #3 Miranda levels Serbia's #9 Mitrovich, clearing the path for Silva's header and clinching goal.
The replay from the right side box angle (which FIFA have banned) showing Miranda moving into position with clear intent to take out Mitrovich, demonstrates that this was a DESIGNED pick and roll play.
Mitrovich gets up and waves his arms at the officials, no blood, no foul? Oh wait, I swear I am watching a Celtics game with Mendy Rudolph or Richie Powers officiating...
In the NFL that play is an illegal OFFENSIVE SCREEN, in the Boston Garden it used to be called a McHale's Navy mugging. But I digress...
3. Player flops, acting injured, exaggerating every single contact, and especially after little to no contact, all being tolerated and rewarded.
4. FIFA officials. Supposedly the best in the world, at the tournament which formerly defined such, with the best technology available, falling for all of the above.
Yes, soccer like any other sport can be dictated by the whims of a pack of zebras. Whistles (being blown or not) can and do swing games, and ultimately championships.
What is unfortunate is that in FIFA World Cup championships, held once every four years, the refs get it wrong and quite often. Thank goodness some calls are being reversed by VAR, but the application needs to be expanded in scope.
Despite being readily evident to the public, on field and video officials, some of the calls have been dismal and beyond comprehension viz. video (VAR) being used to....
5. Calling obviously unintentional hand balls and awarding penalty kicks for such. One imagines a team of upper extremity bilateral amputees, completely stumping the refs? Pun and visual intended.
6. Finally, worst of all... watching opposing players and coaches, insanely paid pros acting like, claiming and complaining that all the above, are legitimate fouls or fair play? What happened to winning with honor? Who cares? Whatever it takes?
Sad, disgusting, pathetic behavior, acting like spoiled babies (Neymar waiting in tunnel for official), formerly relegated to child tantrums at the shopping mall, losers and cheats.
It's not who plays better, because the officials can decide the game on the pitch and who advances, by subjectively issuing penalties and cards. Begging our question, what's changed?
No longer the "beautiful game"? Perhaps soccer has become a parody of itself? And Fox are calling this the greatest World Cup of the modern era? Like a stray turd, I shall leave that where I found it. Moving West...
Given our original picks (eliminated: Poland, Iceland, Germany, Serbia), we hit 75% accuracy in naming 12 of the group of 16 (not in order of finish).
We suspect that many of the underdogs in this knockout round of 16, who are outmatched, will be playing for overtime and penalty kicks viz. 1990 Argentina
And now our predictions, winners in bold, suspended players in parenthesis, pay attention...
1A Uruguay
2B Portugal
vs.
1C France
2D Argentina
vs
1E Brazil
2F Mexico (FB Moreno)
vs
1G Belgium
2H Japan
---------------------------------------
1B Spain
2A Russia (FB Smolnikov)
vs
1D Croatia
2C Denmark
vs
1F Sweden (MF Seb Larsson)
2E Switzerland (FB Lichtsteiner, FB Schar)
vs
1H Columbia
2G England
As for the quarters, semi's and final, more to come, stay tuned, no flippin.
Upsets? What if somebody told you Argentina, Brazil and Germany, might not qualify for the knockout round? Crazy? Not so fast Joe...
Argentina have an uphill battle (Iceland, Croatia), making Messi's squad my first "upset" non qualifier.
If Germany (Mexico, S. Korea, Sweden) and Brazil (Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia) read their press clippings and don't wake up fast, both are also in for rude surprises. 2018 World Cup Group StageOur upset favorite Argentina barely crawled through, while Brazil benefited from some unique officiating.
With Blatter, Platini and others gone from FIFA, aside from the new technology, what's changed? More later.
Meanwhile, defending champion Germany eliminated after losing two first round group games. This is not the first time Germany have been eliminated in group play.
In doing so, Die Mannschaft become the 4th victim out of the last five champions, failing to qualify for the knockout round. Sensing more than a trend?
Moving West, our summary of group qualifiers with eliminations in parenthesis...
Group A: Uruguay's Los Charrúas with 3 wins, allowing no goals in winning a feeble group. Host Mother Russia advancing after beating up two stiffs (Saudia Arabia, Egypt).
Group B: Das Quinas and La Roja muddling along to advance (Morocco, Iran). Expect Portugal and Spain to step it up in the knock out round.
Group C: France and Denmark quietly and efficiently stamping their tickets (Peru, Australia), Les Bleus could be dangerous while the Dynamite seem subdued.
Group D, Croatia's Kockasti with 3 monster wins, allowing 1 goal with subs in a meaningless game vs (Iceland); Argentina's Los Gauchos crawling in the back door with an 86' minute goal to eliminate (Nigeria).
Group E: Switzerland's Nati advancing with 2 draws, and with some help Brazil's Canarinha pulled out their last 2 games (Costa Rica, Serbia).
Group F: Winners of 10 straight matches, out catenaccio-ed Italy to qualify 1-0 on aggregate, had not allowed a goal in over 500 minutes... Who?
Blue Swede leading 1-0, only to lose to Germany 2-1, yet carved out 2 wins to take a tough Group. Mexico's El Tri winning their 1st two matches, then needing a plucky side (S. Korea) to beat the defending champs (Germany).
Sidebar: How the hell does that work? Mexico who beat Germany, would have been eliminated by Germany on goals scored vs other teams? First tiebreaker should always be head to head, another incomprehensible FIFA DOH!!! Moving West...
Group G: Belgium's Les Diables Rouges (nine points) and England's Three Lions both validating dominance in a weak Group (Tunisia, Panama).
Group H: While Japan's Blue Samurai surprised by advancing on "fair play" points. After losing their opener, Columbia's Cafetero's pulled out another weak group with 2 wins vs (Poland, Senegal).
BTW, Fair Play (yellow, red cards) another big FIFA improvement? Ask Senegal why this is a tie breaker and HEAD TO HEAD is NOT?
And now this...
In the case of both Sweden and Serbia, even with the best of intentions and technology, FIFA employees and officials have somehow once again, managed to decide the game on the pitch. - Gameday 3 - Group StageIt seems that in the game of football or soccer, the rules and participants have changed since I indulged many years ago.... a short half dozen Natterings...
1. Legitimate challenges and the slightest of nudges are penalized with yellow cards and penalty kicks. Hard but honest play is discouraged viz. if you breathe on a Brazilian it's a yellow card.
2. Actual and obvious on field muggings are uncalled, along with illegal offensive pick plays in the box viz. Brazil's 2nd goal vs Serbia. Watch carefully...
Above, in Kevin McHale (The Boston Mugger) style, Brazil's #3 Miranda levels Serbia's #9 Mitrovich, clearing the path for Silva's header and clinching goal.
The replay from the right side box angle (which FIFA have banned) showing Miranda moving into position with clear intent to take out Mitrovich, demonstrates that this was a DESIGNED pick and roll play.
Mitrovich gets up and waves his arms at the officials, no blood, no foul? Oh wait, I swear I am watching a Celtics game with Mendy Rudolph or Richie Powers officiating...
In the NFL that play is an illegal OFFENSIVE SCREEN, in the Boston Garden it used to be called a McHale's Navy mugging. But I digress...
3. Player flops, acting injured, exaggerating every single contact, and especially after little to no contact, all being tolerated and rewarded.
4. FIFA officials. Supposedly the best in the world, at the tournament which formerly defined such, with the best technology available, falling for all of the above.
Yes, soccer like any other sport can be dictated by the whims of a pack of zebras. Whistles (being blown or not) can and do swing games, and ultimately championships.
What is unfortunate is that in FIFA World Cup championships, held once every four years, the refs get it wrong and quite often. Thank goodness some calls are being reversed by VAR, but the application needs to be expanded in scope.
Despite being readily evident to the public, on field and video officials, some of the calls have been dismal and beyond comprehension viz. video (VAR) being used to....
5. Calling obviously unintentional hand balls and awarding penalty kicks for such. One imagines a team of upper extremity bilateral amputees, completely stumping the refs? Pun and visual intended.
6. Finally, worst of all... watching opposing players and coaches, insanely paid pros acting like, claiming and complaining that all the above, are legitimate fouls or fair play? What happened to winning with honor? Who cares? Whatever it takes?
Sad, disgusting, pathetic behavior, acting like spoiled babies (Neymar waiting in tunnel for official), formerly relegated to child tantrums at the shopping mall, losers and cheats.
It's not who plays better, because the officials can decide the game on the pitch and who advances, by subjectively issuing penalties and cards. Begging our question, what's changed?
No longer the "beautiful game"? Perhaps soccer has become a parody of itself? And Fox are calling this the greatest World Cup of the modern era? Like a stray turd, I shall leave that where I found it. Moving West...
Given our original picks (eliminated: Poland, Iceland, Germany, Serbia), we hit 75% accuracy in naming 12 of the group of 16 (not in order of finish).
We suspect that many of the underdogs in this knockout round of 16, who are outmatched, will be playing for overtime and penalty kicks viz. 1990 Argentina
And now our predictions, winners in bold, suspended players in parenthesis, pay attention...
1A Uruguay
2B Portugal
vs.
1C France
2D Argentina
vs
1E Brazil
2F Mexico (FB Moreno)
vs
1G Belgium
2H Japan
---------------------------------------
1B Spain
2A Russia (FB Smolnikov)
vs
1D Croatia
2C Denmark
vs
1F Sweden (MF Seb Larsson)
2E Switzerland (FB Lichtsteiner, FB Schar)
vs
1H Columbia
2G England
As for the quarters, semi's and final, more to come, stay tuned, no flippin.
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