Off Topic International Break Thread

I don’t know if it’s been mentioned on here but amazing work from Denmark’s captain Kjaer to put Eriksen in the recovery position and clear his airways before the medics got there. To have the presence of mind to do that halfway through an intense football game and when it’s your mate on the floor is admirable

 

I have a certain amount of sympathy for them, it's a huge shock and not one you can be prepared for. The pictures carrying on too long and the commentator trying to commentate on who's consoling the guy's wife made a grim show and I think it's much more important that this is learned from. I know I couldn't take my eyes off, just as I couldn't with Fabrice, perhaps I'm as bad.

That said, there's a whole lot more to look at too. Players are pushed hard at the best of times but over covid they've been pushed even further, along with rules on drugs being used beyond their intended purpose. You can't say either were involved in this specific case but it's pushed up the danger for footballers, all in the pursuit of keeping the money flowing. It's properly ****ed up. Can someone check what the temperatures in Qatar are going to be like next summer? We're sleep walking into that still, aren't we.

 

Yeah superb captain's display. Got the players to form a protective barrier too. Can see why he is indeed captain.

 

They are resuming the game at 7.30. Really?

 

Very relevant final point NKNG.

 

I'm very surprised too.
To me, he's just a well known footballer, but I've been finding it difficult for him not to be dominating my every thought. How do players prepare and focus, especially those who know him well?

 

Apparently Eriksen had a facetime call with the Danish players telling them to continue with the game as he was feeling better.

And as I'm typing this Finland go 1-0!

 

According to BBC London both sets of players agreed to replay only after assurances from the Danish FA that Christian was comfortable and in recovery

 

Did Christian die and was revived? Well done to the medical people! Good luck boy!

 

Denmark miss the penalty Eriksen probably would have scored

 

Terrible decision to play the game. That the players apparently wanted to finish the game is neither here nor there, they'd just been through something incredibly traumatic which is naturally draining. Again duty of care to the players is absent, authorities shouldn't have made it an option.

 

Gutted for PEH to miss the pen but understandably his mind may not have been totally there.

Belgium 2 up against Russia. Zirkhov is playing which amazes me, he must be about 50 no?

 

Touch of class by Lukaku after he scored Belgium's first goal, ran to the camera and said "Chris, I love you!".

 

The show must go on is not the right attitude.
The problem is that logistically they can’t accommodate the game at another time because of the schedule. They don’t want to mess up their tournament after the delay and other COVID related issues.

 

It was only impossible to reschedule from a prime-spot on TV point of view, otherwise it was completely workable and would have given us a better game than we saw.

 

Yep, I agree.

 

Fancied Lukaku for the Golden Boot before that start; fancy him even more now.

 

Belgium have been coasting a bit this second half but Lukaku looks in excellent form. Could be ominous. Though Russia showed you can get at this Belgium side at the start of the second half when they made things a little uncomfortable, before running out of steam.

 

Without Hazard and De Bruyne too

 

Good point. Hazard came on towards the end and he clearly can still beat a man, but he had a few wayward passes and seems to have lost that yard of initial acceleration that he initially had. Given his fitness is likely awful too I doubt we’ll see him starting much unless maybe the 3rd group game if Belgium win the second.