Semifinal Thread=> France v Belgium| England v Croatia

aklemalp · #1 July 7, 2018, 04:08 PM

Most likely it will be France over Belgium. But belgium is a spirited team, working like a well-oiled Machine

And England-Croatia? Any body's game

In fact, the reason this world cup is a hit/success is because of the upsets/unpredictability of teams.

Roey Haque · #2 July 7, 2018, 05:14 PM

So glad Croatia won. Can you imagine what a worthless semi final Eng vs Rus would be? As if England hasn't had it easy enough so far!

But kudos to Russia, Cheryshev has been one of the revelations, I think he will get an offer from a big club soon.

adamnsu · #3 July 7, 2018, 05:14 PM

I still can’t believe England are in the semis. This country really needed this.

bujhee kom · #4 July 7, 2018, 05:27 PM

My final Final match prediction:
Final match between France and Croatia
With Croatia being the champion Score 2-1

Night_wolf · #5 July 7, 2018, 07:32 PM

I am confused to support which team. dont want Belgium/Croatia/England wining it. and dont want France to win it either as I want Zidane in charge of France when they win it. Most likely Zidane will be France Manager in next WC and if France wins this WC its almost certain they will bow out in the 1st round of the next WC

NoName · #6 July 7, 2018, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Night_wolf
I am confused to support which team. dont want Belgium/Croatia/England wining it. and dont want France to win it either as I want Zidane in charge of France when they win it. Most likely Zidane will be France Manager in next WC and if France wins this WC its almost certain they will bow out in the 1st round of the next WC

Sorry bud, Zidanes coaching the mighty Qatar

Yankees · #7 July 7, 2018, 08:04 PM

France-Eng would be a fun final, especially with their rivalry. But I want to see a new championship nation, so Belgium-Croatia it is.

NoName · #8 July 7, 2018, 08:32 PM

Anybody but England please lol

Night_wolf · #9 July 7, 2018, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoName
Sorry bud, Zidanes coaching the mighty Qatar

lol wut? When did this happen?

icricket · #10 July 8, 2018, 01:38 AM

Semifinal winners will be France and England. But Belgium might surprise us. I wanted to see the final between Russia and Brazil/France. I do not like the Uruguay team at all.

adamnsu · #11 July 8, 2018, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoName
Anybody but England please lol

Andy Murray’s compatriot

Night_wolf · #12 July 8, 2018, 06:58 AM

I just saw Croatia's president

to hell with France/Belgium/England

GO CROATIA!!!!

iDumb · #13 July 8, 2018, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklemalp
In fact, the reason this world cup is a hit/success is because of the upsets/unpredictability of teams.

Can you recall a world cup that wasn't a hit or success ??

That is not the reason LOL. WC is filled with rich histories . It doesn't require surprises to be interesting

If anything too many early exits of major teams made it worse in my opinion

iDumb · #14 July 8, 2018, 07:12 AM

^ I would have liked to see half broken German against England than this poor Sweden team that somehow leapfrogged their way to here .... they were so poor

iDumb · #15 July 8, 2018, 07:14 AM

England side of the bracket is a big joke !!! They are in final without topping a single major soccer force ....

Night_wolf · #16 July 8, 2018, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iDumb
England side of the bracket is a big joke !!! They are in final without topping a single major soccer force ....

England is singing football is coming home! Bhahahahahaha!

ToBeFair · #17 July 8, 2018, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bujhee kom
My final Final match prediction:
Final match between France and Croatia
With Croatia being the champion Score 2-1

Agree with this prediction.

R0ssei · #18 July 9, 2018, 12:42 PM

ENG found it too easy so far.

Both CRO and BEL need to play damn well to be in the final. Although FRA vs ENG would be a tremendous final, I would proly want to see BEL vs CRO instead just to see a new team lift the trophy.

roman · #19 July 9, 2018, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iDumb

If anything too many early exits of major teams made it worse in my opinion

LOL..You just said what I have been telling all my friends. No Italy, No Netherlands..Spain, Germany, Argentina, Brazil disappointed me. What Kind of world cup is this? Ony match I am looking forward to is Fra vs Bel. And its a shame that one of them wont be playing the Final

aklemalp · #20 July 9, 2018, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roman
LOL..You just said what I have been telling all my friends. No Italy, No Netherlands..Spain, Germany, Argentina, Brazil disappointed me. What Kind of world cup is this? Ony match I am looking forward to is Fra vs Bel. And its a shame that one of them wont be playing the Final

I feel the opposite. The novice football fan I am, I was following the lesser teams in the group stages. Some have made it to the Quarters, and one made it to the semis.

I get it that diehard football fans are dejected that the major teams/favorites (barring France?) are not gonna lift the cup.

This world cup has made me wanna follow soccer more now. Prior to this WC, my interest in soccer was minimal.

I look forward to more after the WC is over

The prospect of more teams in the next worldcup even guarantee more following among the once-newbie-football like myself.

Is this football's version of T20 cricket?

mufi_02 · #21 July 9, 2018, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roman
LOL..You just said what I have been telling all my friends. No Italy, No Netherlands..Spain, Germany, Argentina, Brazil disappointed me. What Kind of world cup is this? Ony match I am looking forward to is Fra vs Bel. And its a shame that one of them wont be playing the Final

thing is over the years the gap between powerhouse nations and smaller nations has reduced. for the last 20 years, club football has exploded beyond imaginations. so talented players play across various leagues and with the best.

from the top of my head --

croatia has luka modric/kovacic (real madrid), rakitic (barca), mandzukic (juve), lovren (liverpool), perisic (inter)..

while belgium has hazard/courtouis (chelsea), de bruyne/kompany (man city), lukaku/fellaini (man u).

croatia/belgium are not brazil/germany but they have so many good players with top flight club experience that they can deliver and perform even better as a team compared to other big nations.

mufi_02 · #22 July 9, 2018, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklemalp

This world cup has made me wanna follow soccer more now. Prior to this WC, my interest in soccer was minimal.

Is this football's version of T20 cricket?

do it. start with following EPL and Champions League. Then pick another European league (la liga, bundesliga, seria A). Timing works perfectly as most games are Sat/Sunday US time.

that's how I spend my weekend morning!

what do you mean by Football's T20?

aklemalp · #23 July 9, 2018, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mufi_02
do it. start with following EPL and Champions League. Then pick another European league (la liga, bundesliga, seria A). Timing works perfectly as most games are Sat/Sunday US time.

that's how I spend my weekend morning!

what do you mean by Football's T20?

That's sounds excellent. I like the way how the guys from Belgium play. It's exciting/entertaining.

RE: Football's T20
In the sense that it's (football) drawing newer fans the same way T20 did to the cricket.

roman · #24 July 9, 2018, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mufi_02
thing is over the years the gap between powerhouse nations and smaller nations has reduced. for the last 20 years, club football has exploded beyond imaginations. so talented players play across various leagues and with the best.

from the top of my head --

croatia has luka modric/kovacic (real madrid), rakitic (barca), mandzukic (juve), lovren (liverpool), perisic (inter)..

while belgium has hazard/courtouis (chelsea), de bruyne/kompany (man city), lukaku/fellaini (man u).

croatia/belgium are not brazil/germany but they have so many good players with top flight club experience that they can deliver and perform even better as a team compared to other big nations.

I know bro..But I still dont want to accept those small teams knocking major teams. At least not just yet. I want the players of small teams do really well in the PLs but in world cup, I want my major teams to be there..Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, England, France and Uruguay need to play the Qtr final for the world cup to be exciting for me..

But I do get that the quality of football is lot better this time. Teams like Iran, Croatia, Mexico, japan, Morocco played really well. Group stage was fun

NoName · #25 July 9, 2018, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roman
I know bro..But I still dont want to accept those small teams knocking major teams. At least not just yet. I want the players of small teams do really well in the PLs but in world cup, I want my major teams to be there..Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, England, France and Uruguay need to play the Qtr final for the world cup to be exciting for me..

But I do get that the quality of football is lot better this time. Teams like Iran, Croatia, Mexico, japan, Morocco played really well. Group stage was fun

Lol, how would you feel when old-school cricket fans say stuff like that; wanting Ind, Pak, Aus, SA etc in the SFs and QFs :P