[Football] WC: Russia vs. Mo Salah

[Easy 10]

Uruguay will be a much stronger test as will the likes of Spain or Portugal in the 2nd round, but they've been the stand-out performers so far.

Stand-out performers ? Cobblers. They put 5 past a truly APPALLING Saudi team, and turned over a bang-average Egypt carrying a half-fit Salah. They've basically had a bye to the last 16. Which was fairly predictable from the draw.

Stand-out performers so far for me are Mexico who played brilliantly to beat Germany, and Switzerland, who surprised me with their unusual positivity when they tamed Brazil. Russia haven't played anyone yet.

 

[symyjym]

Putin 2 - 0 Allah

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Russian players are playing stronger, higher, faster than everyone else in this tournament.

These performances have come from nowhere.

Could we be looking at WC winners?

Would be great for national pride and Putin.

So far, wins against the might of Egypt and Lindisfarne. Tomorrow belongs to me (et cetera).

 

[hart's shirt]

Stand-out performers ? Cobblers. They put 5 past a truly APPALLING Saudi team, and turned over a bang-average Egypt carrying a half-fit Salah. They've basically had a bye to the last 16. Which was fairly predictable from the draw.

Stand-out performers so far for me are Mexico who played brilliantly to beat Germany, and Switzerland, who surprised me with their unusual positivity when they tamed Brazil. Russia haven't played anyone yet.

Agree with you re Mexico, but Brazil didn't really turn up 2nd half. And the Swiss goal could have been a freekick to Brazil for a push in the back.

But it's always been a game of opinions.

A couple of stats on Russia's games so far, courtesy of the BBC:
- Russia's haul of eight goals in their opening two World Cup games is the joint-highest for a host nation, level with Italy in 1934.
- The eight goals in Russia's two matches so far is equal to the total Spain scored in their seven matches to win the tournament in 2010.

As we all know, you can only beat the teams that are put in front of you. Currently seeded 70th in the world, they've hammered 2 higher ranked teams.

Russia's done that with room to spare against a Saudi team that qualified above Mat Ryan's Australia and an Egypt team with Salah that had to win.

Let's see how they do against Uruguay, but it's difficult to criticize much about the style and effectiveness of Russia's football so far.

 

[Weststander]

Stand-out performers ? Cobblers. They put 5 past a truly APPALLING Saudi team, and turned over a bang-average Egypt carrying a half-fit Salah. They've basically had a bye to the last 16. Which was fairly predictable from the draw.

Stand-out performers so far for me are Mexico who played brilliantly to beat Germany, and Switzerland, who surprised me with their unusual positivity when they tamed Brazil. Russia haven't played anyone yet.

Good post.

Conveniently cosey group for the hosts. Strange that.

I thought Mexico were outstanding throughout, with Spain and England very good in spells.

 

[Weststander]

Putin 2 - 0 Allah

FIFA 2 - 0 Cannon Fodder

 

[Easy 10]

Agree with you re Mexico, but Brazil didn't really turn up 2nd half. And the Swiss goal could have been a freekick to Brazil for a push in the back.

But it's always been a game of opinions.

A couple of stats on Russia's games so far, courtesy of the BBC:
- Russia's haul of eight goals in their opening two World Cup games is the joint-highest for a host nation, level with Italy in 1934.
- The eight goals in Russia's two matches so far is equal to the total Spain scored in their seven matches to win the tournament in 2010.

As we all know, you can only beat the teams that are put in front of you. Currently seeded 70th in the world, they've hammered 2 higher ranked teams.

Russia's done that with room to spare against a Saudi team that qualified above Mat Ryan's Australia and an Egypt team with Salah that had to win.

Let's see how they do against Uruguay, but it's difficult to criticize much about the style and effectiveness of Russia's football so far.

Russia have done well so far, probably better than most people predicted. But lets make no bones about it - they've fortunately just had home games against two of the most feeble teams in the tournament, so that doesn't make them anywhere near being THE stand-out team so far IMO. I'd put Mexico, Switzerland and Iceland above them already, and thats also ignoring one of the greatest World Cup games I have ever seen between Spain and Portugal.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

FIFA 2 - 0 Cannon Fodder

Are you suggesting the draw was bent? I am appalled by your cynicism. #fakenews.

 

[portlock seagull]

Evidently Putin has given an arms discount to both the Saudi and Egyptians then? Funny how several corrupt organisations, countries and cultures can combine to reverse the dismal form of a team just at the right time?

What a load of Beluga...

 

[Weststander]

Yes but I meant more to do with the injury and the total balls up by the goalie, without that and a fit Salah, Liverpool stood a chance,Real are very good but it just did not go for Liverpool.
Egypt are poor, but Russia were meant to be poor too,so the Salah hype was full on, one man team, yes, but he
obviously should not have even gone to Russia.
My point being that it can all go tits up very quickly.

I do understand your point.

Unfortunately or fortunately, in sport, big favourites keep winning. Better players, win the prizes. This was identified many years ago by Florentino Perez, Fergie, Mourinho and Sheikh Mansour - spending on 22 quality players, yields silverware.

With internationals, for many reasons, the hosts were likely to beat two overrated teams in the group.

 

[Easy 10]

Good post.

Conveniently cosey group for the hosts. Strange that.

I thought Mexico were outstanding throughout, with Spain and England very good in spells.

Mexico were superb. I wouldn't want to play them any time soon.

 

[Weststander]

This.

Predictably, Jonathan Pearce was ramping it up to the max prior to kickoff. "This game is ALL about Salah" - err no, its not, you overbearing excitable blob.

Boring wasn't it.

In a way, I can't wait to see Salah, Neymar and Messi out, to stop BBC/ITV hype. The constant comparing with Ronaldo, who until the other night, had always flopped at WC's too.

Just f*cking commentate on what's in front of you.

 

[Weststander]

Mexico were superb. I wouldn't want to play them any time soon.

Loved the 3 counter attackers sitting on the centre line.

Wasn't in the German game plan.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Boring wasn't it.

In a way, I can't wait to see Salah, Neymar and Messi out, to stop BBC/ITV hype. The constant comparing with Ronaldo, who until the other night, had always flopped at WC's too.

Just f*cking commentate on what's in front of you.

Combination of poor broadcasting acoustics and a need to keep the volume down means i have hardly heard a word of recent commentary. It has been a refreshing lack of loss

 

[hart's shirt]

Russia have done well so far, probably better than most people predicted. But lets make no bones about it - they've fortunately just had home games against two of the most feeble teams in the tournament, so that doesn't make them anywhere near being THE stand-out team so far IMO. I'd put Mexico, Switzerland and Iceland above them already, and thats also ignoring one of the greatest World Cup games I have ever seen between Spain and Portugal.

Ok, fair comment. In hindsight I probably should have said 'one of the standout teams'.

I'd concur with the Spain v Portugal game as one of the greatest group games that come to mind.

Iceland somehow gleaned a point by not paying the penalty against a Messi-reliant Argentina despite having only 22% possession and 2 shots on target.

Resolute, but not exciting.

 

[Ernest]

Combination of poor broadcasting acoustics and a need to keep the volume down means i have hardly heard a word of recent commentary. It has been a refreshing lack of loss

I would have thought you’d have turned the sound off and started shouting to your neighbours you’ve put Clive Tyldesley and Jonathon Pearce on ignore

 

[hart's shirt]

Is their world ranking artificially low as a result of not playing any competitive matches for two years though? I’m no expert on Russia, Saudi Arabia or Egypt, but my instinct tells me Russia would almost always be expected to have a better team than the other two and beating them could not be described as a major success.

My honest opinion of both Russia games so far is that they’ve been amongst the lowest in quality in the whole tournament and featured two poor teams slogging it out, admittedly with Russia a cut above each time. That’s not going to help them once they come up against a proper team.

So...let's see how they get against Uruguay, currently ranked 14th, one place higher than Mexico and only 2 places behind England.

Still, there's 'lies, damned lies and statistics'. Rightly or wrongly, Russia are currently ranked 70th and are the lowest ranked team of the 32.

Either way, it's difficult to argue against 8 goals in 2 games in tournament football, regardless of who the opposition is.

They've been a lot of fun to watch.

 

[Mellotron]

Good post.

Conveniently cosey group for the hosts. Strange that.

I thought Mexico were outstanding throughout, with Spain and England very good in spells.

This.

Best teams so far:

Spain (by some way)

Mexico - apart from PISS POOR decision making in front of goal
England - in spells