World Cup 2018 | 15th June Matches | Next Match: Portugal vs Spain, KO 19:00 (BST)

[citytilllidie]

Over to you Lionel

 

[SpiritofBurnden]

Portugal and Spain demonstrated the required level and if you can't hack it, don't bother making a mockery of the sport at this level.

Does this required level include the comedy goalkeeping?

 

[lancs blue]

I was working late so watched the recording without knowing the score. Fantastic game of football, Spain should really have won it and look a safe bet for the semis if they get Ramos back to stabilise the back line, Nacho basically invited the supreme narcissist to fall over his leg and Pique's challenge for the free kick was a bit impetuous and made it easy for the ref to give the free kick. Dave and Isco ran the midfield superbly and if we see a cleaner strike than Nacho's in the tournament we'll be lucky.

I suspect De Gea isn't even the best keeper in his own back garden.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

It's not the game it was back in the day, if a defender hangs a leg out stupidly, the forward will make sure that there is contact, our player's do it as do the player's of every pro team in the World.

Obligatory ronaldo is a ****, which is also true.

 

[aguero93:20]

Ronaldo has 'dived' twice.

We can argue about the amount of contact etc, but neither player was remotely trying to foul him, they were just moving to try & intercept. Their crimes, were not being able to retract their challenges quickly enough, to stop Ronaldo manufacturing fouls out of the situations.

Because v.a.r. saw nothing wrong in his actions (as opposed to the opposite conclusion from similar actions last night) Ronaldo's diving is fully legitimate & never happened.

Welcome to the world of v.a.r.

Nev, you're the lad shouting at the cloud. Don't worry, we'll ban VAR and it'll stop Ronaldo manufacturing fouls when defenders commit to tackles. No VAR, No underhanded tactics. It's all sorted.

 

[rabby]

By fuck the interpretation of what constitutes a foul these days has become almost impossible to understand.
A defender can shield the ball out of play for a goal-kick with the most blatant of obstruction imaginable,his arse backed into the opposing player with his arms outstretched and openly barging his opponent out of play and never a foul given.
Tonight we have a defender with the intention of making a tackle,realises his timing is off and withdraws from the tackle making it clear with arms raised and straightening his legs.Ronaldo in anticipation of a tackle does what many forwards do in this situation and leaves a leg trailing hoping to make contact(which doesn't happen) and hits the deck.
Penalty given,no VAR intervention and none of the commentators or pundits even question the decision.
There are times it's easy to get pissed off with the game.

 

[BlueHammer85]

I enjoyed a fantastic game of football. That'll do for me.

How dare you! Only moaning allowed

 

[Wretched Vengeance]

How dare you! Only moaning allowed

Just you wait till England play.

 

[mat]

Just watching the full match replay.

If Merlin had played for the rags he'd be lauded as much the fake Ronaldo.

Boils my piss watching him play so well and little acknowledgement for it.

 

[BlueAnorak]

Taking Merlin off cost Spain the game. As soon as he went off, suddenly Portugal were getting the ball upfield. That's what sacking your manager does the day before the tournament starts. Wrong sub.
As to the pen at the start of the game I ask: "Would I be disappointed if City hadn't got a penalty in similar circumstances. My answer is yes I would.