World Cup Soccer Discussion Thread (updated)

[TomSea]

There is a nice website where it does all the work, you sign up for it and then, you can join....make predictions,  have a mini-league.

I will start the mini-league, "The No USA World Cup " , cause we missed it.

You first need to sign up for your free profile with Predict the Football. Then go to the "Join Mini-League" page and enter the code 150778.

It's free, code to enter is " 150778 ", I think if one just follows this link and enters the number, it will take you right there. I don't know how this will work, it's a bit late. I think I will do that at the other website as well.

https://worldcup.predictthefootball.com/minileague/join

I'm already in one league, so rather than crash their league with newcomers, I will set this up, maybe it will work, maybe it won't. I can also pm that other league. I just don't want to be a party crasher all of a sudden.

Games start June 14th, that gives us a week, Russia is time zones ahead of us. One can pick the games daily, about to the start of game time. Predictions are made at the top where it reads "profiles and predictions", click that.

I've had so much enjoyment talking about soccer/football with other people, Old Player and people like that at the other website, if they give it a chance, they might like this.

[kevindavis007]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPtgxmA_j2I

[TomSea]

Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov with Egyptian and World Soccer sensation, Mohammed Salah who plays for Egypt and Liverpool:



I hope he has recovered from that play in the Champions League final.

Title updated, this will be just for World Cup discussion.

[dfwgator]

After seeing this monstrosity of a uniform now I'm glad the US isn't in it.

[dfwgator]

I'm rooting for Poland.   Nothing would be better than winning on Russian soil.

[TomSea]

So Poland is in group H, so will be among the last games when they begin for the "group stage".

All groups are good, Poland's group looks like a kind draw.

I don't quite see Iceland advancing out of their group with Argentina, Croatia and Nigeria.  Argentina has elected a conservative government but whomever made that decision not to play Israel because of BDS bothers me.

That's about all I see now. Uruguay looks fairly well positioned in that group A.

The more things change, the more things stay the same... for some reason, oh, my friend told me Belgium has it all and Colombia have a lot of talent as well. We will see.


Another view of the teams.

2 teams (countries) advance out of each group.

So, you have group A for example, host Russia and Uruguay, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.  2 of those countries advance, 2 eliminated. Just in case, some don't know the rules. It would be considered a catastrophe for the host nation not to even make it out of the group stage.

Even we advanced when we hosted in 1994. A great world cup per most people except maybe the Brazil/Italy final and we played fine as a team.

[Axeslinger]

Good lord man!  You’re an American!  Soccer is for Eurotrash...you know all those sorry bastards who either lost, surrendered or were about to lose TWO world wars before we intervened.  Although this DOES explain why they love, Love,Love them some soccer!

[Suppressed]

Enjoy, everyone!


@Freya

[TomSea]

And they are off, Russia leads Saudi Arabia 2-0 at halftime;

Though, I have problems with the Russian Government, "in general" I really don't their athletes, I say in general because, a whole lot of their Olympic athletes couldn't even compete because of the doping issue.

But most of this falls to the background....

Soccerway's new handydandy graphics:

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2018/06/14/world/world-cup/russia/saudi-arabia/2166062/?ICID=HP_MS_01_01

Soccerway general scoreboard:
https://us.soccerway.com

So, I use soccerway but ESPN or other sports outlets work for others.

Good start for Russia.

[TomSea]

Enjoy, everyone!


@Freya

Again, anyone who has spent time at TOS is use to the detractors on soccer, so nobody should let this type of conversation be seen as anything new.  Just brush it off.

[dfwgator]

Again, anyone who has spent time at TOS is use to the detractors on soccer, so nobody should let this type of conversation be seen as anything new.  Just brush it off.

Yep, that's what I do.  Fortunately there are others who are like me.

Man, did Saudi Arabia suck, or what?

[TomSea]

Enjoy, everyone!


@Freya

In the 1920s, there was a traveling Yiddish/Jewish soccer team, they were thought to be one of the best in the world or nearly, I'd have to look it all up again but it is worth remembering.  They even came to New York, furthermore, some Israeli soccer teams have been around since the 1920s or even before.

So, @Suppressed ,  good if you think all of this is funny, again, most American fans have seen this kind of poking fun at the game and it's all in good fun anyway, at least, I'll say so.

http://gottfriedfuchs.blogspot.com/2013/09/some-jewish-teams.html

That real good Jewish team, played matches around the world, even in NYC. Here are a few of the teams in old Europe:


 Kurenets 1920s (Belarus, USSR)


 Grodzisk Mazovyet (Poland)

http://eilatgordinlevitan.com/kurenets/kurenets.html

Israeli league in current day Israel:
https://us.soccerway.com/national/israel/ligat-haal/20172018/championship-round/r41564/


Established, 1906

https://us.soccerway.com/teams/israel/maccabi-tel-aviv-fc/1204/

So, carry on!

[dfwgator]

Reminds me of the Tottenham Hotspurs fans who have the "Yid Army".  Ajax Amsterdam is another team that has a huge Jewish following.

[TomSea]

This remains the highlight of Saudi Arabian World Cup appearances, USA 1994, KSA defeated Belgium. This really is a great goal.

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[GrouchoTex]

Germany v Mexico math up up intrigues me a bit.

[dfwgator]

Saudis went through several coaches last year, before getting the Chilean coach, after they failed to qualify.

[Suppressed]

So, @Suppressed ,  good if you think all of this is funny, again, most American fans have seen this kind of poking fun at the game and it's all in good fun anyway, at least, I'll say so.

@TomSea

The IT Crowd is a UK show.

I've been to professional soccer matches, and I tried to express a friendly wish to fans.  I'm trying to parse your reply, and I hope you're not taking my post badly.  Yes, all in good fun.

Moss: Did you see that ludicrous display last night?

Harry: What was Wenger thinking sending Walcott on that early?

Moss: Thing about Arsenal is, they always try and walk it in.

[GrouchoTex]

So we only have 10 people where I work.
We work for a German company, and we have one of their employees over here for 6 months.
we know who he is rooting for.
Our General Manager's father retired to his homeland of Columbia.
Our production manager is from England.
One of our machinist is Croatian

What are the odds?

The English guy and I worked together before, in a company based out of England.
They let us take the time off during the World Cup 12 years ago, when England would have (Central time) day game to go watch it.
We went to watch one match in a Houston area sports bar, and I think I may have been the only American in the place, besides the waitstaff.
It was great. People with St. George's Cross flags painted on their faces, singing "Hail, Britannia".
A lot of beer sold that day.

[aligncare]

My 91-year-old aunt is crazy about soccer. She’s been in America 50 years and doesn’t speak a word of English, and she’s disappointed Italy is out of it, but she loves her some soccer.

[Suppressed]

Leading off...

[TomSea]

Join The Prediction Mini-League (if one feels so inclined):

We have 1 match out of the way, 2 tomorrow, if it is not against forum rules and one wants to try predictions,  I'd think one could still enter, just enter for free membership and then, key this code in:   544030  , they said its okay to invite people, the more the merrier. Now, nearly 40 are entered.

Website: https://worldcup.predictthefootball.com/minileague/join

Again, respectfully moderators, if this is not okay per forum rules,  please delete.

One game out of the way, so, however more are there, remember, scores are predicted as well. So Russia won, and most of the mini-league got that correct.

Minileague comprised mainly of the IORR, It's Only Rock and Roll Rolling Stones forum.

[dfwgator]

Leading off...

I gotta go with Russia on this one.

[Suppressed]

Watch the Football!

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[dfwgator]

@TomSea

The IT Crowd is a UK show.
 

Best show, ever.

[TomSea]

GO IRAN!

 

Actually, the Iran Football Team has many of the Shah's backers as fans.... so, when we see these teams, for me, it's not about the government behind them because it's not.

For L.A.'s Iranian American community, the World Cup means much more than soccer games
By Melissa Etehad
Jun 15, 2018 |

For many, the World Cup gives people a chance to sideline politics and unite under the feel-good umbrella of sports diplomacy.

In the current geopolitical climate, fat chance of that.

Read more at: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-iranian-americans-world-cup-20180615-story.html

Every World Cup since 2002, I've checked in on this Iran Persian football forum, (disclaimer should be made for strong language there that I have seen in the past)  for the most part, they are just normal people and as said earlier, I think a lot of them are supportive of the Shah and came here in the aftermath of the Iranian revolution.  So, the team gets the people's backing...

In 2006, the movie "Offside" was made by an Iranian film maker, it was about women disguising themselves as men to get in to see the Iranian national football team. Iran is presently playing Morocco.  0-0.

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Oh, and Iran almost scored there, they look to be the better team.

They beat us at the World Cup in 1998.