Lowest quality World Cup ever?

I think this high pressing/pressure style that all teams seem to have adopted is part of the reason, it's exchausting to watch, players get almost zero time on the ball so it's a massive @#%&!fest.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Costa Rica who didn’t lose a game in normal time during the last World Cup, beating Italy and Uruguay.

By all accounts a bit unfortunate against Serbia. More so than the standard of the top sides going up, the smaller ones are better. Minnows like Costa Rica have the Real Madrid goalkeeper and several players who play in La Liga and Serie A.

Their players now get plenty of top level experience due to the globalisation of the game and this has been the priory for their players for four years. The days of expecting to walk over every smaller nation without issue are gone.

Thought Cost Rica were alright tbh, just lacked any attacking threat, which always makes it difficult to avoid a siege. But that’s the problem throughout the tournament; the attacking talent is hardly plentiful and certainly isn’t spread out..

I think we're seeing the overall dearth of genuine world class talent there is now.

Originally Posted by Cream

I barely watched. The thread stated 'utter shit' several times.

Take it up with them pls.



Absolutely not.

New to Fred match threads pal? Brazil (and Neymar) are shit up until the moment they score, then Costa Rica are shit. Someone has to be shit

Originally Posted by dunk

Thought Cost Rica were alright tbh, just lacked any attacking threat, which always makes it difficult to avoid a siege. But that’s the problem throughout the tournament; the attacking talent is hardly plentiful and certainly isn’t spread out..

I just think it’s tough to break it down.

We always see the step up in performances from lower league teams in the Cups who somehow make it difficult for the big clubs. No surprise that experienced players with countries on their back who have been waiting for years for this match can do similar.

There’s also inevitable caution from all involved. Easy to say just go out and play but the pressure is immense.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Their players now get plenty of top level experience due to the globalisation of the game and this has been the priory for their players for four years. The days of expecting to walk over every smaller nation without issue are gone.

crikey. imagine the career bestie could have had with that approach.

Peru and Morocco have been good to watch. 0 goals and 0 points but played with skill and speed.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

I think we're seeing the overall dearth of genuine world class talent there is now.

We see that every week ffs

Originally Posted by jem

crikey. imagine the career bestie could have had with that approach.

I do think this World Cup is increasingly a bit dull. But more to do with approach than lack of quality imo. Twenty years ago France won it with a shit centre forward and Brazil got to the final with two old midfielders who were playing in Japan at that stage of their careers, and holding onto a 34yo Bebeto. Nostalgia often allows you to forgets the mediocrity.

Originally Posted by Stickman

Pretty sure it was Euro 92 that was the tipping point.

Nah, the rule got changed before that - hence the (reality based) quip that Liverpool have never won the league since then

Originally Posted by Buck

Peru and Morocco have been good to watch. 0 goals and 0 points but played with skill and speed.

#proudofthelads

Originally Posted by Sparky***

I think we're seeing the overall dearth of genuine world class talent there is now.

How are you defining world class?

It’s got a good few depths to plummet yet to be as bad as South Africa

Tonight’s game was the 5/6 injury time winner....

Brilliant WC, one of the best

Originally Posted by Bunker Buster

Tonight’s game was the 5/6 injury time winner....

Brilliant WC, one of the best

There's been some lovely goals but overall pretty £#%&! so far. 4 out of 10.

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

Not massively convincing yesterday, shurely?

Iran are so negative I'm not sure any side in this would beat them in convincing fashion tbh. Especially going off what the other sides have done thus far.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

I do think this World Cup is increasingly a bit dull. But more to do with approach than lack of quality imo. Twenty years ago France won it with a shit centre forward and Brazil got to the final with two old midfielders who were playing in Japan at that stage of their careers, and holding onto a 34yo Bebeto. Nostalgia often allows you to forgets the mediocrity.

Sampaio was 30, hardly over the hill. He had been chasing the cash in Japan. Both of those squads would be heavily favoured to win this tournament. The French squad was built around an all-time great back four and an excellent midfield, the two combined would be comfortably better than any other in this tournament.

There have been more highlights in this WC than I expected from some pretty mediocre teams.

By my reckoning the QF's aren't going to be much better...

France v Argentina
Portugal v Uruguay
Brazil v Germany

Originally Posted by atticusgrinch

How are you defining world class?

It's a freak that we've had Ronnie and Messi playing at the same time. They're one in a generation type freaks of players.

Low ceiling level

Higher base level than several I can think of

Originally Posted by General Woundwort

There's been some lovely goals but overall pretty £#%&! so far. 4 out of 10.

Madness, solid 8

Originally Posted by Coracao

Iran are so negative I'm not sure any side in this would beat them in convincing fashion tbh. Especially going off what the other sides have done thus far.



Sampaio was 30, hardly over the hill. He had been chasing the cash in Japan. Both of those squads would be heavily favoured to win this tournament. The French squad was built around an all-time great back four and an excellent midfield, the two combined would be comfortably better than any other in this tournament.

Over the hill or not, he was hardly an exceptional player nor was he at the peak of his career, and it proved a poor midfield which was exposed badly in the final. Junior Baiano at centre-back too? Let's not pretend they didn't have some very average players in the line-up.

The solid French base had to drive them because the strikers did nothing after the group phase. Blanc's Golden Goal after 0-0 normal time vs Paraguay; 0-0 and pens vs Italy; beat Croatia with two inexplicable goals from Thuram - the only two he scored in 142 caps

They'd have been given plenty of stick on here for squeezing through. Meanwhile, 20 years from now the new generation of Fredsters will be getting misty-eyed about a Spain team that contained De Gea, Ramos, Pique, Busquets, Iniesta, Silva and Golden Boot Costa