The Official World Cup 2018 Thread

Started by Ball Hopper, November 16, 2017, 05:14:36 AM

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seafoid

Quote from: Syferus on June 29, 2018, 04:37:25 PM
Utterly insane that England have better odds than France.
It's Ladbrokes,  Syf.
If you ever place a bet with a Cork bookmaker, Cork will be shorter odds.  Local money tends to be skewed to the local team.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

gawa316

Quote from: AZOffaly on June 29, 2018, 03:31:24 PM
Quote from: gallsman on June 29, 2018, 03:28:28 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on June 29, 2018, 01:59:20 PM
Quote from: Jeepers Creepers on June 29, 2018, 01:46:38 PM
All that aside, some cracking games lined up for the first knockout stage.

It's hard to see a game I'm not looking forward to in fairness. France Argentina will be a contest to see which of them can actually start performing like they should be able to, Uruguay Portugal might be very defensive, but intriguing, Spain Russia should be very open, Croatia Denmark will be very interesting, Brazil Mexico should be open and entertaining, Belgium Japan the same, Sweden Switzerland should be sneaky good. Two teams that wouldn't get your pulse racing, but they should be a good match and Switzerland impressed me a bit more than i thought they would. And then of course Colombia v England. I hope Rodriguez is able to go, but it's probably unlikely.

The problem is Argentina are performing at their level. They scraped through qualifying and only did so after Messi came back from retirement. The squad isn't good. At all. Mascherano playing centre mid is a terrible idea. All his inspirational, heart on the sleeve stuff is nothing if he's only making up for his own mistakes.

That's true in a general sense, defensively they are a mess, but I don't think Higuain, Messi, Aguero, Di Maria have done as much in an attacking sense as you would expect. But yes, they may not have much more to go, you are right.

How come Dybala isn't getting a sniff?

Boycey

Quote from: seafoid on June 29, 2018, 04:51:02 PM
Quote from: Syferus on June 29, 2018, 04:37:25 PM
Utterly insane that England have better odds than France.
It's Ladbrokes,  Syf.
If you ever place a bet with a Cork bookmaker, Cork will be shorter odds.  Local money tends to be skewed to the local team.

That really doesn't happen anymore, all football betting prices are dictated from the far East.

dec

Quote from: Syferus on June 29, 2018, 04:37:25 PM
Utterly insane that England have better odds than France.

Not really, England are in the easier half of the draw.

Capt Pat

Quote from: gawa316 on June 29, 2018, 04:55:50 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on June 29, 2018, 03:31:24 PM
Quote from: gallsman on June 29, 2018, 03:28:28 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on June 29, 2018, 01:59:20 PM
Quote from: Jeepers Creepers on June 29, 2018, 01:46:38 PM
All that aside, some cracking games lined up for the first knockout stage.

It's hard to see a game I'm not looking forward to in fairness. France Argentina will be a contest to see which of them can actually start performing like they should be able to, Uruguay Portugal might be very defensive, but intriguing, Spain Russia should be very open, Croatia Denmark will be very interesting, Brazil Mexico should be open and entertaining, Belgium Japan the same, Sweden Switzerland should be sneaky good. Two teams that wouldn't get your pulse racing, but they should be a good match and Switzerland impressed me a bit more than i thought they would. And then of course Colombia v England. I hope Rodriguez is able to go, but it's probably unlikely.

The problem is Argentina are performing at their level. They scraped through qualifying and only did so after Messi came back from retirement. The squad isn't good. At all. Mascherano playing centre mid is a terrible idea. All his inspirational, heart on the sleeve stuff is nothing if he's only making up for his own mistakes.

That's true in a general sense, defensively they are a mess, but I don't think Higuain, Messi, Aguero, Di Maria have done as much in an attacking sense as you would expect. But yes, they may not have much more to go, you are right.

How come Dybala isn't getting a sniff?

The manager prefers to give playing time to players like Meza who can't play. I would play Dybala Messi Aguero and Higuain in the same team as they are Argentinas best players. They don't have many good players in midfield or defence.

longballin

Belgium tempting at 7/1  God only knows how England are same price. Should be bout 20/1

thewobbler

Quote from: Capt Pat on June 29, 2018, 05:58:31 PM
Quote from: gawa316 on June 29, 2018, 04:55:50 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on June 29, 2018, 03:31:24 PM
Quote from: gallsman on June 29, 2018, 03:28:28 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on June 29, 2018, 01:59:20 PM
Quote from: Jeepers Creepers on June 29, 2018, 01:46:38 PM
All that aside, some cracking games lined up for the first knockout stage.

It's hard to see a game I'm not looking forward to in fairness. France Argentina will be a contest to see which of them can actually start performing like they should be able to, Uruguay Portugal might be very defensive, but intriguing, Spain Russia should be very open, Croatia Denmark will be very interesting, Brazil Mexico should be open and entertaining, Belgium Japan the same, Sweden Switzerland should be sneaky good. Two teams that wouldn't get your pulse racing, but they should be a good match and Switzerland impressed me a bit more than i thought they would. And then of course Colombia v England. I hope Rodriguez is able to go, but it's probably unlikely.

The problem is Argentina are performing at their level. They scraped through qualifying and only did so after Messi came back from retirement. The squad isn't good. At all. Mascherano playing centre mid is a terrible idea. All his inspirational, heart on the sleeve stuff is nothing if he's only making up for his own mistakes.

That's true in a general sense, defensively they are a mess, but I don't think Higuain, Messi, Aguero, Di Maria have done as much in an attacking sense as you would expect. But yes, they may not have much more to go, you are right.

How come Dybala isn't getting a sniff?

The manager prefers to give playing time to players like Meza who can't play. I would play Dybala Messi Aguero and Higuain in the same team as they are Argentinas best players. They don't have many good players in midfield or defence.

Even if you'd Keane and Viera in midfield you'd get your arse handed to you on a plate with that line up. And Argentina have neither, nothing close.


Re England's price. They just qualified from the same group as Belgium with a nigh-on identical record (Janujaz scorer a belter, Rashford missed an easier chance, and the presence of Danny Welbeck tells you how much England were bothered), and clearly have a more straightforward path to the final and to each way money. The variance in their odds and Belgium isn't due to the weight of bets being taken, but an algorithm which understands this shit better than people who change their mind everytime they watch a match (or read a report on one).

longballin

Quote from: thewobbler on June 29, 2018, 06:41:40 PM
Quote from: Capt Pat on June 29, 2018, 05:58:31 PM
Quote from: gawa316 on June 29, 2018, 04:55:50 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on June 29, 2018, 03:31:24 PM
Quote from: gallsman on June 29, 2018, 03:28:28 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on June 29, 2018, 01:59:20 PM
Quote from: Jeepers Creepers on June 29, 2018, 01:46:38 PM
All that aside, some cracking games lined up for the first knockout stage.

It's hard to see a game I'm not looking forward to in fairness. France Argentina will be a contest to see which of them can actually start performing like they should be able to, Uruguay Portugal might be very defensive, but intriguing, Spain Russia should be very open, Croatia Denmark will be very interesting, Brazil Mexico should be open and entertaining, Belgium Japan the same, Sweden Switzerland should be sneaky good. Two teams that wouldn't get your pulse racing, but they should be a good match and Switzerland impressed me a bit more than i thought they would. And then of course Colombia v England. I hope Rodriguez is able to go, but it's probably unlikely.

The problem is Argentina are performing at their level. They scraped through qualifying and only did so after Messi came back from retirement. The squad isn't good. At all. Mascherano playing centre mid is a terrible idea. All his inspirational, heart on the sleeve stuff is nothing if he's only making up for his own mistakes.

That's true in a general sense, defensively they are a mess, but I don't think Higuain, Messi, Aguero, Di Maria have done as much in an attacking sense as you would expect. But yes, they may not have much more to go, you are right.

How come Dybala isn't getting a sniff?

The manager prefers to give playing time to players like Meza who can't play. I would play Dybala Messi Aguero and Higuain in the same team as they are Argentinas best players. They don't have many good players in midfield or defence.

Even if you'd Keane and Viera in midfield you'd get your arse handed to you on a plate with that line up. And Argentina have neither, nothing close.


Re England's price. They just qualified from the same group as Belgium with a nigh-on identical record (Janujaz scorer a belter, Rashford missed an easier chance, and the presence of Danny Welbeck tells you how much England were bothered), and clearly have a more straightforward path to the final and to each way money. The variance in their odds and Belgium isn't due to the weight of bets being taken, but an algorithm which understands this shit better than people who change their mind everytime they watch a match (or read a report on one).

I hear you. Though from were I sit Belgium look way superior to England

gawa316

Quote from: Capt Pat on June 29, 2018, 05:58:31 PM
Quote from: gawa316 on June 29, 2018, 04:55:50 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on June 29, 2018, 03:31:24 PM
Quote from: gallsman on June 29, 2018, 03:28:28 PM
Quote from: AZOffaly on June 29, 2018, 01:59:20 PM
Quote from: Jeepers Creepers on June 29, 2018, 01:46:38 PM
All that aside, some cracking games lined up for the first knockout stage.

It's hard to see a game I'm not looking forward to in fairness. France Argentina will be a contest to see which of them can actually start performing like they should be able to, Uruguay Portugal might be very defensive, but intriguing, Spain Russia should be very open, Croatia Denmark will be very interesting, Brazil Mexico should be open and entertaining, Belgium Japan the same, Sweden Switzerland should be sneaky good. Two teams that wouldn't get your pulse racing, but they should be a good match and Switzerland impressed me a bit more than i thought they would. And then of course Colombia v England. I hope Rodriguez is able to go, but it's probably unlikely.

The problem is Argentina are performing at their level. They scraped through qualifying and only did so after Messi came back from retirement. The squad isn't good. At all. Mascherano playing centre mid is a terrible idea. All his inspirational, heart on the sleeve stuff is nothing if he's only making up for his own mistakes.

That's true in a general sense, defensively they are a mess, but I don't think Higuain, Messi, Aguero, Di Maria have done as much in an attacking sense as you would expect. But yes, they may not have much more to go, you are right.

How come Dybala isn't getting a sniff?

The manager prefers to give playing time to players like Meza who can't play. I would play Dybala Messi Aguero and Higuain in the same team as they are Argentinas best players. They don't have many good players in midfield or defence.

I thought they would've lined up something like below


—————Masch— Benega————-
Dybala————Messi——-Di Maria
——————-Aguero—————-

BennyHarp

#879
Quote from: longballin on June 29, 2018, 06:25:30 PM
Belgium tempting at 7/1  God only knows how England are same price. Should be bout 20/1

Was listening to a guy from Coral on the radio who was saying that England would have been 9/1 today had they won last night.
That was never a square ball!!

gallsman

Di Maria has been poor at all levels since the 2014 WC. He looked good against Nigeria for about ten mins and then was just a mess. The suggestion is that with Messi and mascherano effectively running the team, dybala doesn't get in as he encroaches too much on Messi's space. He's a second striker or a false nine, not a creative midfielder or a winger. Higuaín is an excellent goalscorer but goes missing in big games too often for it to be clichéd to suggest he bottles it. Has missed huge cheers to win Argentina the WC and a Copa America. Their biggest mistake (ignoring politics and personality clashes) has been leaving Icardi behind.

Banega will play every minute from now on. Long overdue creativity. Biglia isn't great but he should play ahead of mascherano for the legs if nothing else. The defence is just appalling.

Dougal Maguire

Quote from: BennyHarp on June 29, 2018, 09:02:51 PM
Quote from: longballin on June 29, 2018, 06:25:30 PM
Belgium tempting at 7/1  God only knows how England are same price. Should be bout 20/1

Was listening to a guy from Coral on the radio who was saying that England won have been 9/1 today had they won last night.
They're falling into the same arrogance trap the Germans fell into. They're looking 3 games ahead. Fully expect Columbia to send them packing
Careful now

sid waddell

France v Argentina: France should win this at a canter, but I don't trust them - the Aussies and Peru troubled them. Argentina are so shapeless that I think France will get there, but on a narrow scoreline, maybe 2-1.

Uruguay v Portugal: 0-0 and penalties. Uruguay to win that with it not reaching the final Portuguese penalty.

Spain v Russia: Think there's a reasonable chance of a shock here. Spain have looked less impressive by the game and the departure of their manager may be beginning to show. I'll go with Russia to win on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Crotia v Denmark: Croatia have been impressive so far, but I sense a shock here. The Danes are dogged and organised, have not yet conceded a goal from play, and have Christian Eriksen. 1-0 to Denmark.

Brazil v Mexico: I suspect Mexico have shot their load and Brazil will brush them aside. 3-0.

Belgium v Japan: Workmanlike victory for Belgium. 2-0.

Sweden v Switzerland: Sweden have wreaked a trail of destruction, beating France in qualification and eliminating Italy and Germany. I think this may be as far as they go. They'll meet a team who are every bit as organised as they are, and have a touch more class. 1-0 to the Swiss.

Colombia v England: I think this could be a classic in the vein of Argentina v England 1998. Fascinating clash of styles. I expect England to have trouble with Colombia's passing style and I'd be very surprised if they don't concede. But in turn I expect Colombia to have a lot of problems with England's physicality. 2-2. England to finally slay their penalties bogey.

Which would leave the quarter-finals as:
Uruguay v France
Brazil v Belgium
Russia v Denmark
Switzerland v England





gallsman

Pavón in for Higuaín the only Argentina change.