QATAR WORLD CUP

Portugal...2-0...Uruguay......or was it Brazil ?

 

Oops of course it was… although I did mention at home that I’d seen Ronaldo in the crowd and that his face had somehow become too large for his body. Did you see him? This caused great confusion until was pointed out there are two Ronaldos, one Brazilian, one Portuguese. Is there a theme here?

 

There have been comments about the Adidas match ball seeming to be to light.....hence the reason that there has been very few free kick goals at this World Cup.

Manufacturer Adidas says it travels faster in flight than any World Cup ball.....the twenty piece panel ball has a design that "improves the accuracy, flight, stability and swerve" and the core is made to maximise air retention and shape. However, the tournament is still waiting for its first direct free-kick goal despite specalists such as Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo being there.

Kieran Trippier, the England full-back, has disclosed that the "Al Rithla" ball used at the World cup feels lighter......and is hard to adapt to.......Trippier admits the match ball is the same for every player. it has been noticeable that it feels like the "Al Rihla" will balloon if too much power is put on crosses and free kicks.

 

Netherlands...2-0...Qatar......time we will never get back yaaawwwnnnn.

Ecuador...1-2...Senegal.....

Netherlands and Senegal go through.....but neither look like world beaters.

 

So big one tonight.....if we stay top we'll get a tie against Senegal.....and if successful it would probably be a tie against France......oh dear so they could be coming home Dec11th.....in time for Christmas shopping.

 

Iran...0-1...USA

Wales...0-3...England.....No contest.

USA and England go through.

England...v...Senegal.....Sunday...Dec 4th....7pm.

 

The Brazilian Ronaldo has ballooned a lot since his playing days and has a look of the chap in the film The Goonies about him whereas the Christiano one just has a big head.

We scored from a set piece tonight so that kills the "nobody has scored from......" statement now. Was better from England this time but have to say that Wales were a poor side. The passion expected just wasn't there. 3 - 0 looked very comfortable.

 

Australia...1-0...Denmark

Tunisia...1-0...France......They made nine changes and lost.....squad not so strong as they thought....Englands probably better.

 

we should not fear france .. argentina look decent when they play but brazil will be there i assume.. but then we have the Ronanldo show .. who knows ..

home on the 19th December will be good .. im in london that week , my birthday

 

Poland...0-2...Argentina

Saudi Arabia...1-2...Mexico

 

Another ludicrous penalty in the Argentina (or was it Portugal?) v Poland game. Ball’s in the air, Polish keeper flails for it and makes minor (and I mean minor) contact with the sainted Messi’s head. VAR. ref called to screen. penalty, God of Football steps in and keeper saves.

Keepers shouldn’t get more protection either way than outfielders but if we’re going to give penalties like that, aerial challenges are dead. VAR is rewriting the rule book on the fly.

 

Justice done in the end.

Not the first penalty Messi has missed.....I think he missed one just before Victoria came to the throne.

 

Amazement in football circles that Dutch referee Danny Makkelie came up with such a poor decision as the one that gave Argentina their first half penalty.

He is a strong contender to take charge of the World Cup Final.....the Dutchman has impressed in many of the high-profile games at which he has officiated....including earlier group games at these finals.

He didn't originally give a penalty against Wojciech Szczesny who had attempted to flick away a cross as Lionel Messi ran in for a header....the Ref had seen no foul.

But Makkelie had been put under pressure by VAR to go over to the pitch side monitor....and it was inevitable he would change his mind....but it was the wrong call.

Justice was served when Messi's penalty was saved.....That may of got Makkelie out of jail.....but it has probably cost him the final too.

Daily Telegraph Sport...01/12/2022.

 

Canada...1-2...Morocco.......Morocco win group.

Croatia...0-0...Belgium.......Croatia go through.......Belgium No 2 in the world rankings.....go home.

 

Costa Rica...2-4...Germany....Not enough.

Japan...2-1...Spain.....Japan win group.....Spain second.

The longer this goes on the better England's chances look.

 

Has VAR struck yet again? Have to say the ball looked out of play and haven't yet seen anything to dispute that. Not bothered if it hacks the Germans off but they are going to kick off big time aren't they.

 

Japan's winning goal was scored from this VAR moment.....how thick is a cigarette paper from being out was this moment.....although believe it or not my heart isn't bleeding too much for Germany.

This moment shouldn't have been important.....Germany didn't do enough earlier in their group to move on to the last sixteen.....plus Belgium also going out it was a good day for England.

Unfortunately Englands half of the draw still has France and Argentina in it....so not all that helpful at present

 

I saw this on the news this morning: it's the whole of the ball over the whole of the line and although the base of the ball is certainly grounded outside the pitch, the inward edge does just and only just look to be overhanging the line. If you think about it, from wherever the base sits, there's nearly 5cm of "shadow" sticking out all around.

 

Ghana...0-2...Uruguay......both out.

South Korea...2-1...Portugal.....both in.

 

Cameroon...1-0...Brazil.....Brazil go through.

Serbia...2-3...Switzerland......also Switzerland.

Only unbeaten teams......Morocco, Croatia, USA, Netherlands and England.

Surprising departures.....Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Mexico, Uruguay.

Last 16 matches.

Netherlands...v...USA
Argentina...v...Australia
France...v...Poland
England...v...Senegal
Japan...v...Croatia
Brazil...v...South Korea
Morocco...v...Spain
Portugal...Switzerland

France, Brazil or Spain.....to win the Final....and they've already all been beaten ?