Todays games - the World Cup edition.

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

Best final in my lifetime and possibly in living memory, absolutely amazing

It transpired to be a great game. The last 40 minutes makes forgetting the first 80 minutes very easy.

But the first 80 minutes were unremarkable. Argentina were very good, their game management made France look poor... for 80 minutes.

It was not an enjoyable match for a neutral. It was boring. In fact for the first 35 minutes of the second half, very little happened. I was bored.

I'm glad I stuck with it though.

 

[Bill S Preston Esq.]

That video really needs sharing as widely as possible, people are so quick to grab any reason to dislike players.

I'm sure the entire nation of France done something similar.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

I'd refuse to wear it if I was about to be in the most photographed moment of my entire life, and if it was covering up the shirt I'd fought for.

I also think you're being naive if you genuinely don't think it was political to choose that exact moment to give him the gift.

I’m anything but naive so it’s probably best we just agree to differ on this.

 

[Flump]

I’m anything but naive so it’s probably best we just agree to differ on this.

Fair enough.

I think most people don't really want politicians sticking their nose into trophy ceremonies. It's grim enough when it's someone you can tolerate, but if we just imagine England had won the hosting bid, then presumably seeing one of Boris or Corbyn podging in and trying to make it about them would have annoyed you!

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Fair enough.

I think most people don't really want politicians sticking their nose into trophy ceremonies. It's grim enough when it's someone you can tolerate, but if we just imagine England had won the hosting bid, then presumably seeing one of Boris or Corbyn podging in and trying to make it about them would have annoyed you!

This is the equivalent of the king handing over a gift to the captain of the winning team. He doesn’t need to do stuff to be popular, he does stuff out of tradition and to enhance the reputation of his nation/kingdom. What Macron was doing was more cringe worthy if you ask me.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

I'd refuse to wear it if I was about to be in the most photographed moment of my entire life, and if it was covering up the shirt I'd fought for.

I also think you're being naive if you genuinely don't think it was political to choose that exact moment to give him the gift.

I also think you know nothing about the etiquette of gift giving and receiving in Arab countries. Messi seemed to know what was going on.

 

[Flump]

I also think you know nothing about the etiquette of gift giving and receiving in Arab countries. Messi seemed to know what was going on.

Yeah, Messi did look a bit glum about it, and clearly took it off shortly afterwards. Still, I'm looking forwards to Trump or Biden getting involved with the ceremony next time.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Yeah, Messi did look a bit glum about it, and clearly took it off shortly afterwards. Still, I'm looking forwards to Trump or Biden getting involved with the ceremony next time.

Trump would lose interest once the USA were out and Biden would probably start reminiscing about the last time he awarded the World Series to Brazil.

 

[tonto]

Trump would lose interest once the USA were out and Biden would probably start reminiscing about the last time he awarded the World Series to Brazil.

Think Biden would be fast asleep to be honest
Talking of keeping politics out of football could someone tell Gary Neville pratt

 

[WolfLing]

Couldn't understand this at the time. They checked for offside on the edge of the box (which was definitely onside), but not in the buildup.

Have the laws changed or something, now meaning Messi wasn't offside in the buildup?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1604568907934752770

I don't really care by the way, I'm not trying to say it's not deserved, just interested to know the thinking behind this one!

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

Couldn't understand this at the time. They checked for offside on the edge of the box (which was definitely onside), but not in the buildup.

Have the laws changed or something, now meaning Messi wasn't offside in the buildup?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1604568907934752770

I don't really care by the way, I'm not trying to say it's not deserved, just interested to know the thinking behind this one!

Always been the case hasn't it?

Messi not interfering with initial pass and becomes active when Martinez takes the touch.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Always been the case hasn't it?

Messi not interfering with initial pass and becomes active when Martinez takes the touch.

Well, always might be a stretch, but currently for sure. Messi well offside for the initial pass. Martinez was on though and so Messi was deemed inactive, even though he becomes active immediately after Martinez lays it off. Mad really, but certainly correct in recent years.

One thing that I've thought with this, the Argentina pen, the handball, it's all been dealt with very quickly. That's reduced the micro analysis that we normally suffer.

 

[WolfLing]

Always been the case hasn't it?

Messi not interfering with initial pass and becomes active when Martinez takes the touch.

Well, always might be a stretch, but currently for sure. Messi well offside for the initial pass. Martinez was on though and so Messi was deemed inactive, even though he becomes active immediately after Martinez lays it off. Mad really, but certainly correct in recent years.

One thing that I've thought with this, the Argentina pen, the handball, it's all been dealt with very quickly. That's reduced the micro analysis that we normally suffer.

Yeah, probably just about a correct decision based on the current laws.

But it would be one that would really annoy you if it was against you, on the basis that if Messi wasn't there, Upamecano probably just holds his ground and heads it clear. In hindsight, that's probably what Upamecano should have done anyway, rather than gone with Messi, as if the pass goes to Messi he's offside anyway.

By making that run and dragging Upamecano out of position, Messi is surely (indirectly) interfering with play.

The FIFA law states that a player is offside if.....

• interfering with an opponent by:
  • preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or
  • challenging an opponent for the ball or
  • clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or
  • making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball

For me, that run by Messi is great. It pulls Upamecano out of position and stops him from being in a position to play the ball. Therefore to me, it's an obvious action by Messi which clearly impacts on the ability of Upamecano to play the ball.

It's maybe like one of those penalty decisions that if given by the ref, wouldn't be overturned, but if not given by the ref, wouldn't be overturned either. As in it's an interpretation of the law that is not an obvious error, so not VARable.

If it had been flagged for offside, I'm not sure Argentina would have had too many arguments.

 

[CelebrityWolf]

Well with the help of four penalties yes.

With the help of four penalties those two players scored one goal less than Wolves have all season and did it in a World cup final.

 

[Zico]

With the help of four penalties those two players scored one goal less than Wolves have all season and did it in a World cup final.

Not a high bar.

 

[Watfordfc]

Yeah, probably just about a correct decision based on the current laws.

But it would be one that would really annoy you if it was against you, on the basis that if Messi wasn't there, Upamecano probably just holds his ground and heads it clear. In hindsight, that's probably what Upamecano should have done anyway, rather than gone with Messi, as if the pass goes to Messi he's offside anyway.

By making that run and dragging Upamecano out of position, Messi is surely (indirectly) interfering with play.

The FIFA law states that a player is offside if.....

• interfering with an opponent by:
  • preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or
  • challenging an opponent for the ball or
  • clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or
  • making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball

For me, that run by Messi is great. It pulls Upamecano out of position and stops him from being in a position to play the ball. Therefore to me, it's an obvious action by Messi which clearly impacts on the ability of Upamecano to play the ball.

It's maybe like one of those penalty decisions that if given by the ref, wouldn't be overturned, but if not given by the ref, wouldn't be overturned either. As in it's an interpretation of the law that is not an obvious error, so not VARable.

If it had been flagged for offside, I'm not sure Argentina would have had too many arguments.

The assistant did flag for offside I think when Messi scored but they over ruled it so guess only looked to see if Martinez was off.

Unfortunately for France he was played on by the defender’s big bum!


Ref did well on the big calls and wasn’t fussy but yes he blew up a few times rather than play advantage.

I think everyone was glad VAR didn’t decide the game mainly.

The players on the pitch did ..

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Couldn't understand this at the time. They checked for offside on the edge of the box (which was definitely onside), but not in the buildup.

Have the laws changed or something, now meaning Messi wasn't offside in the buildup?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1604568907934752770

I don't really care by the way, I'm not trying to say it's not deserved, just interested to know the thinking behind this one!

I agree it is a ludicrous rule . How can you not be gaining an advantage from standing offside

Worst example of this is jota hat trick goal vs Leicester . About 30 yards offside. But raul breaks the trap then all he has to do is square it now jota behind him

 

[WickedWolfie]

Goodson Daka

| Kylian Mbappe's father in 2018: “At first, I wanted my son to play for Cameroon but, someone at the Cameroon Football Federation charged a sum of money that I didn’t have to make him play. The...

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Deeply sad.

 

[Zico]

With the help of four penalties those two players scored one goal less than Wolves have all season and did it in a World cup final.

Plus I've just realised my maths was out and it was actually five penalties!!