If I’m being honest I think I seem to be missing out on a brilliant Brazil team from what I’ve heard. And with them and Argentina being in the same half it’s hard because that is one of my favourite international fixtures, skill and often extreme violence. Still the main thing is proper football starts again on Saturday.Bosscat wrote: ↑Mon Dec 05, 2022 3:45 pmMust admit Ian I wasn't going to bother too much (apart from England) but have been watching bits of a lot of matches and like I just said spotting the fancy dress fans has been fun. But I wouldn't criticise those who don't watch for whatever reasons anyone might have.
Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Really enjoying it especially watching England and the best young player Bellingham.on the downside just count how many times ally mcoist says absolutely in his co commentaries
Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
He's still one of the better commentators out there. Dion Dublin is painful, offers no insight whatsoever.Stantheman wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 1:24 pmReally enjoying it especially watching England and the best young player Bellingham.on the downside just count how many times ally mcoist says absolutely in his co commentaries
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
I could listen to McCoist say absolutely on a 24 hour loop in preference over 1 word from Sam Matterface and his tiresome about to break voice tone.
Whoever thought this boring clown was a good option should also be relieved of his duties, it is a sad state when you hope to hear more from Lee Dixon
Whoever thought this boring clown was a good option should also be relieved of his duties, it is a sad state when you hope to hear more from Lee Dixon
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
in the USA we have Ian Darke - I really like him
Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Got a lovely picture of a Moroccan fan with a horse in the stadium just before ko,but for some reason can’t attach it.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Im a bit bored of it now tbh. Its just not the same appeal when you cant watch it with a pint in a warm beer garden
Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Alan Pace seems to be enjoying it
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Really enjoying it, especially without all the distractions of Idiots throwing plastic furniture around whilst embarrassing their Country.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
We can watch it here with a warm pint in a cold beer garden ZizkovŽižkovClaret wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 4:02 pmIm a bit bored of it now tbh. Its just not the same appeal when you cant watch it with a cold pint in a warm beer garden
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Heres a picture a friend has sent to me on Whatsapp from Sundays game after the match.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Ronaldo benched for tonight's crucial game.
Quelle suprise.
Quelle suprise.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
I don't personally know him but my m8 does who sent me the pictureLoyalclaret wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:46 pmI was talking to his sister whilst she was on the Brazil match last night!
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Shame about Ronaldo ,has been one of the greatest players of all times,should have bowed out 18 months ago,& his reputation would have been in tact,but has let himself down ,& will be remembered by many as a spoiled brat,especially ABU fans,I hated Shearer for being a Rovers ******* ,but still begrudgingly have to admit that he was one of the best English strikers of all time,same should happen with CR7.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Only one thought in my mind at the moment, when the heck are we getting anass back
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
They are both sound Clarets. His sister is on the Portugal game now
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
No World Cup now on telly until Friday......but if you still need your footy fix there's always Stockport ( remember them) v Charlton in FA Cup tomorrow night, Itv 4 I think.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Didn't know about that game cheers.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
so now we have the QF line-up FIVE of FIFA's top ranked eight are there:
Brazil
Argentina
England
France
Netherlands
the three interlopers being :
Portugal (9th)
Morocco (22nd)
Croatia (12th)
Brazil
Argentina
England
France
Netherlands
the three interlopers being :
Portugal (9th)
Morocco (22nd)
Croatia (12th)
Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Elo ranking:-
1. Brazil
2. Argentina
3. Netherlands
4. Portugal
5. France
6. Spain xxx
7. England
8. Italy xxx
11. Croatia
15. Morocco.
Wales dropped horribly after the Iran loss.
1. Brazil
2. Argentina
3. Netherlands
4. Portugal
5. France
6. Spain xxx
7. England
8. Italy xxx
11. Croatia
15. Morocco.
Wales dropped horribly after the Iran loss.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Fantastic to get rid of Spain and their tiresome style.
A sad day though for the purists who love 1000 sideways passes in a game.
A sad day though for the purists who love 1000 sideways passes in a game.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Really does make you wonder how on earth a team like Wales were ranked as high as 19th.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Has anyone seen that Twitter account that predicted the quarter final matches before the tournament started. Scary how accurate he has got it.
(For the record he predicts a Brazil and England final. With england winning it).
(For the record he predicts a Brazil and England final. With england winning it).
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Not seen it but that is a remarkable feat to get the QFs right, given the teams that have gone out.Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 8:34 amHas anyone seen that Twitter account that predicted the quarter final matches before the tournament started. Scary how accurate he has got it.
(For the record he predicts a Brazil and England final. With england winning it).
Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
I'm sure there were thousands of Twitter accounts making predictions pre-tournament. A few of them are bound to get it right.Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 8:34 amHas anyone seen that Twitter account that predicted the quarter final matches before the tournament started. Scary how accurate he has got it.
(For the record he predicts a Brazil and England final. With england winning it).
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Sounds like he’s basically got all the favourites most people were predicting and Morocco. Most quarter final line ups for World Cup have at least one “outsider”.Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 8:34 amHas anyone seen that Twitter account that predicted the quarter final matches before the tournament started. Scary how accurate he has got it.
(For the record he predicts a Brazil and England final. With england winning it).
Brazil v England for final is first favourite v 4th favourite pre tournament.
Again hardly Mystic Meg - more like Predictable Pete !
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Rankings have lots of flaws in them.
Look at how high Belgium have been ranked for a decade yet they have never won a tournament (not even the shitty ones !). I’m struggling to think of even a semi final they have made ?
Yet they have been ranked in top 3 and often no 1 loads in recent years.
Not sure there is a better way to rank teams btw but the current one is not a great guide.
Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Its not Hurstwood and his amazing Technicolour XL Spreadsheet is itNewcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 8:34 amHas anyone seen that Twitter account that predicted the quarter final matches before the tournament started. Scary how accurate he has got it.
(For the record he predicts a Brazil and England final. With england winning it).
Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
They made the semi final of the last World Cup and played England in the third place playoff.Big Vinny K wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 9:02 amRankings have lots of flaws in them.
Look at how high Belgium have been ranked for a decade yet they have never won a tournament (not even the shitty ones !). I’m struggling to think of even a semi final they have made ?
Yet they have been ranked in top 3 and often no 1 loads in recent years.
Not sure there is a better way to rank teams btw but the current one is not a great guide.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
But to get all 16 teams exactly correct in the round of 16 and then to predict the winners is pretty remarkable.
The odds of getting that all correct must be astonishingly high.
Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
The odds on winning the lottery are pretty high too but someone correctly predicts the numbers.Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 9:45 amBut to get all 16 teams exactly correct in the round of 16 and then to predict the winners is pretty remarkable.
The odds of getting that all correct must be astonishingly high.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
In terms of predicting the Group winners, I wonder if anyone, anywhere selected Japan to win Group E (ahead of Spain and Germany) and Morocco to win Group F (ahead of Croatia and Belgium).
The odds offered by William Hill on that happening were 10/1 and 11/1 respectively.
The odds offered by William Hill on that happening were 10/1 and 11/1 respectively.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
That bloke on Twitter did hahaRoyboyclaret wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 10:10 amIn terms of predicting the Group winners, I wonder if anyone, anywhere selected Japan to win Group E (ahead of Spain and Germany) and Morocco to win Group F (ahead of Croatia and Belgium).
The odds offered by William Hill on that happening were 10/1 and 11/1 respectively.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
There will be 1000s of people on twitter who have predicted the results before it began law of averages tell you someone will have got them right. Likewise how mnay have you seen that have been retweeted where they have predicted wrongly.
It is the same as the horse tipsters on there who boom a 6/4 winner but then don't mention the next 5 that all lose.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
I know it’s pure luck, but still I don’t think I have ever seen anyone get every prediction right this far into a tournament.claretonthecoast1882 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 10:24 amThere will be 1000s of people on twitter who have predicted the results before it began law of averages tell you someone will have got them right. Likewise how mnay have you seen that have been retweeted where they have predicted wrongly.
It is the same as the horse tipsters on there who boom a 6/4 winner but then don't mention the next 5 that all lose.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
I think the point that some are making can be better made with the analogy that if you put an infinite number of monkeys in a room with a typewriter and give them sufficient time, they will eventually produce the complete works of Shakespeare.Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 10:42 amI know it’s pure luck, but still I don’t think I have ever seen anyone get every prediction right this far into a tournament.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Despite all the upsets a fairly predictable last 8 Morocco apart, and European nations to the fore again with 5 of the quarter-finalists, Brazil and Argentina are perennially in the latter stages of World Cups.
Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
If the monkeys are infinite, one of them will do it first time (presuming they have a typewriter each)
Alternatively, you could give one monkey infinite time and it will get there in the end.
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Don't those Twitter accounts just post every single permutation possible for the QFs (when nobody is following) then just delete the incorrect ones once the places have been settled?
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
Monkeys; typewriters; works of ShakespeareNewcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 8:34 amHas anyone seen that Twitter account that predicted the quarter final matches before the tournament started. Scary how accurate he has got it.
(For the record he predicts a Brazil and England final. With england winning it).
You’ve found the monkey who wrote Hamlet that’s all
Edit - just noticed it’s already highlighted above
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
The BBC seem to think the 3rd quarter final is best represented by 2 substitutes
Anass in good company in that graphic
Anass in good company in that graphic
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
They’ve predicted the goal scorers surely!aiboforceN wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 1:40 pmThe BBC seem to think the 3rd quarter final is best represented by 2 substitutes
Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
I have enjoyed it so far avoiding the media bs and just watching the games and always enjoy the crowd shots. Well done to the Qataris they are doing a great job. Looking forward to the inevitable France v Brazil final.
Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
I've enjoyed it, probably more than I expected to, lived in Qatar twice, left Jan 2013 so seeing the city shots has been good for me. I definitely haven't watched as many games as normal, really enjoyed the crowd watching, particularly Senegal, love seeing people have a good time. Looking forward to the next games but won't watch al of them, I'm doing quite a bit of work with the Dutch and having Team's meeting, they all seem confident they will beat Argentina, which I certainly hope they do. Like watching the underdogs cause upsets and was jumping around last night watching Spain implode and definitely hoping for a repeat and seeing Portugal fall next, have to say I thought the Swiss would give them a tough game, similar to how I thought S Korea would perform, clearly got those two completely wrong.
Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
You start to watch and then have to live with withdrawal symptoms!!!
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Re: Thoughts on the World Cup so far?
I spotted that BBC graphic too.
3 months ago you’d have been carted off by the men in white coats if you had said Zaroury would be on such a graphic in such esteemed company.
That was before he made his debut for us, before he kicked on at the Turf, before he switched allegiance to Morocco, before he got selected and before they had their great run.
All it needs now is a couple more fairy tales for him - a winner for Morocco and a title for us (the latter more likely hopefully).
3 months ago you’d have been carted off by the men in white coats if you had said Zaroury would be on such a graphic in such esteemed company.
That was before he made his debut for us, before he kicked on at the Turf, before he switched allegiance to Morocco, before he got selected and before they had their great run.
All it needs now is a couple more fairy tales for him - a winner for Morocco and a title for us (the latter more likely hopefully).