The Official World Cup 2018 Thread

[Dougal Maguire]

Any cnut supporting England deserves lined up at a wall and shot in the head. Twice. f**k it bring it home.

What a really sad post.

I thought it was quite funny to be honest. I'm not convinced it should all be taken literally

Your sense of humour is well known for being terrible.

How do you know anything about me. In any case I would consider myself to have problems if I ever said anything that you'd find funny or even agree with

[Dougal Maguire]

Should be a cracking game, different styles with plenty opportunities for both teams to score.. could be a 3-3 game!

I'll be cheering on Croatia as we'll be on holiday in Trogir (Croatia) would imagine the place will bouncing come Wednesday!

I've actually liked the England team and manager, but won't be supporting them

Where's Trogir?  I'm in Zadar. Will be in Split on Wednesday

[Milltown Row2]

Any cnut supporting England deserves lined up at a wall and shot in the head. Twice. f**k it bring it home.

What a really sad post.

I thought it was quite funny to be honest. I'm not convinced it should all be taken literally

Your sense of humour is well known for being terrible.

How do you know anything about me. In any case I would consider myself to have problems if I ever said anything that you'd find funny or even agree with

The problem with some posters on here is that anything that is posted, regardless of context, humour or wit (poor or otherwise) is taken as gospel.

Should be a cracking game, different styles with plenty opportunities for both teams to score.. could be a 3-3 game!

I'll be cheering on Croatia as we'll be on holiday in Trogir (Croatia) would imagine the place will bouncing come Wednesday!

I've actually liked the England team and manager, but won't be supporting them

Where's Trogir?  I'm in Zadar. Will be in Split on Wednesday

It's about 8km apparently from Split airport, the north side of airport, a walled town on a small island I'm lead to believe.

[Dougal Maguire]

Good stuff. I'm actually in Split on Tuesday and Dubrovnik on Wednesday and Thursday. Mind you I might have had difficulty getting there as I forgot my driving licence. As luck would have it tbe wife had hers so thanks to that I got the car. Have now been sent a screen shot of my licence which I'm told will suffice if stopped by police. Enjoy your holiday.

[Kurtz]

Croatia right back Sime Vrsaljko(Athletico Madrid) is out of semi final

Croatia Goalkeeper and Mario Mandzukic still getting treatment

[Walter Cronc]

Croatia right back Sime Vrsaljko(Athletico Madrid) is out of semi final

Croatia Goalkeeper and Mario Mandzukic still getting treatment

Corluka proved in 20mins hes way off the pace.

Advantage England.

[WT4E]

Can't believe England have had such a handy route to a semi and possibly final - had they played Brazil or France they would have got tanked, They have beaten Tunisia, Panama, Sewden and are in the World Cup semi!  Had Ireland that set of fixtures they could end up in the WC semi!

[Kurtz]

Can't believe England have had such a handy route to a semi and possibly final - had they played Brazil or France they would have got tanked, They have beaten Tunisia, Panama, Sewden and are in the World Cup semi!  Had Ireland that set of fixtures they could end up in the WC semi!

it happens
No one gave Italy a hope in 2006
in 1986 France had amazing team but fell in semi final

[seafoid]

I think Croatia are too nervous. England have a great chance.

[sid waddell]

I think Croatia are too nervous. England have a great chance.

England have greater confidence in their identity as a nation which belongs among the world's elite.

[Kurtz]

I think Croatia are too nervous. England have a great chance.

England have greater confidence in their identity as a nation which belongs among the world's elite.

I hear there is a party at Charlie Tully's house if England win 
free booze

[Jeepers Creepers]

Can't believe England have had such a handy route to a semi and possibly final - had they played Brazil or France they would have got tanked, They have beaten Tunisia, Panama, Sewden and are in the World Cup semi!  Had Ireland that set of fixtures they could end up in the WC semi!

A master stroke by Southgate throwing the game against Belgium?

[Milltown Row2]

Can't believe England have had such a handy route to a semi and possibly final - had they played Brazil or France they would have got tanked, They have beaten Tunisia, Panama, Sewden and are in the World Cup semi!  Had Ireland that set of fixtures they could end up in the WC semi!

A master stroke by Southgate throwing the game against Belgium?

Both teams threw out shitty teams and Englands shitty team was shittier than Belgiums, I'd imagine both France and Belgium will have more confidence of beating England should they get to the final... Croatia will play better because England won't sit back and flood the defence

[seafoid]

I think Croatia are too nervous. England have a great chance.

England have greater confidence in their identity as a nation which belongs among the world's elite.

English identity is subordinate to Britishness. Any time it gets an airing you get stuff like Brexit happening. The English are easy to manipulate.

[Main Street]

I fancy France for the Jules Rimet, I thought they were the most impressive of the 1/4 final winners, with world cup pedigree coming to the fore in the way they controlled  that 2nd half v Uruguay. At Euro 2016 they peaked in the semis, had only 2 full days rest before the final where they were flat. Deschamps  and the team look more settled this time.

9 times out of ten I'd take this Croatia team to beat England but WC competition circumstances are such that the odds have evened out for both teams. Probably England will try to close out space that Modric operates in but Croatia can also offer threat from their two excellent wingers. I'll go for  battle hardened Croatia over England who stumbled through their only real test v Columbia. 
Modric v Pirlo? who would come out on top as the classier midfielder?