Group E Matchday 2 - 22 June - Brazil 2-0 Costa Rica, Serbia 1-2 Switzerland

[LFCMadLad]

It's only the group stages! World cup winners peak in the latter stages.

[Toinho]

Hopefully this prick was offside 

[Eco]

1 minute ago, Toinho said:

You're all idiots. 

You're salty. 

I'm still unsure why people get up tight over narrow wins like this when it's only the second match. World Cup winners seem to not hit stride until the end of group stages it seems. The goal of groups is to survive. 

[Eco]

Just now, LFCMadLad said:

It's only the group stages! World cup winners peak in the latter stages.

Damn - Beat me to it. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

Goal for the overrated dickhead!

[Eco]

NEYMAR! NEYMAR! NEYMAR!

[Azeem]

Thanf God i got one predection nailed on 

[LFCMadLad]

Neymar is such a fucking bellend 

[DeadLinesman]

What a fucking cunt Neymar is. Genuinely furious that he was born.

[Eco]

Neymar is weeping...I'm not exactly sure why though. 

[Guest]

Was Neymar crying right there? Out of relief? He was doing lambrettas right after the goal ffs!

[Toinho]

1 minute ago, Stan said:

you said they're going mad for scoring an injury-time winner. Any side would.

We can both agree they should have won the game ages ago but they didn't/hadn't. Ultimately, it was 0-0 in a game they needed to win after the disappointing 1-1 draw against Switzerland.

I didn't miss the point of your post, you just didn't explain what you meant as well as you should have 

Would've hoped the fact "how football has changed" would've been enough for people to realise the fact the great football nation of Brazil had to wait until injury time to beat a very poor Costa Rican side, would've been enough for someone to infer what I was talking about. 

Let me put it simpler. Previous Brazil sides would've wiped the floor with a shit side like Costa Rica and wouldn't have needed a late late goal(or two now) to win it. That's all. Anyway, boring march, hopefully Brazil pick it up in the second round! 

[Tommy]

6 minutes ago, Blue said:

Its hard to pick out who the favourite is in this world cup. Russia to win it I guess 

Croatia 

[SirBalon]

That was a close call although Brazil were always the better side and if anyone had to win it had to be Brazil. They just offered more and in the end the result reflected the dominance. 

[Eco]

1 minute ago, Toinho said:

Would've hoped the fact "how football has changed" would've been enough for people to realise the fact the great football nation of Brazil had to wait until injury time to beat a very poor Costa Rican side, would've been enough for someone to infer what I was talking about. 

Let me put it simpler. Previous Brazil sides would've wiped the floor with a shit side like Costa Rica and wouldn't have needed a late late goal(or two now) to win it. That's all. Anyway, boring march, hopefully Brazil pick it up in the second round! 

People forget how often elite teams struggle in the Group Stages. It's just a common theme we've seen 100 times in past world cups. 

[Eco]

1 minute ago, Tommy said:

Croatia 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Tommy said:

Croatia 

I hope so. I've given them a lot of stick but reality is it would be criminal for them to not get far in a World Cup given what they have.

[Toinho]

6 minutes ago, Eco said:

People forget how often elite teams struggle in the Group Stages. It's just a common theme we've seen 100 times in past world cups. 

By struggle do you mean continually finish first? Just look at 2014(minus Spain) But yeah it's a results game. I suppose that's all that matters and they'll top it. I just think I was expecting a little too much in terms of performance. 

Edit: totally forgot about Italy in 2014. That was shocking! I don't count England as an elite side though. 

[DeadLinesman]

4 minutes ago, Eco said:

People forget how often elite teams struggle in the Group Stages. It's just a common theme we've seen 100 times in past world cups. 

Like England 

[Harry]

1 hour ago, Devon Von Devon said:

Brazil will get 2 goals in the second half 

Word

[Eco]

1 minute ago, Toinho said:

By struggle do you mean continually finish first? Just look at 2014(minus Spain) But yeah it's a results game. I suppose that's all that matters and they'll top it. I just think I was expecting a little too much in terms of performance. 

No - I read a report this week about how teams have struggled in the groups stages, and how their performances have improved greatly once they were in the knockout round. The writer was saying that teams would do well to start scheduling more friendlies before the world cup. 

[Toinho]

Just now, Eco said:

No - I read a report this week about how teams have struggled in the groups stages, and how their performances have improved greatly once they were in the knockout round. The writer was saying that teams would do well to start scheduling more friendlies before the world cup. 

Bit hard with seasons already being super long. I mean Aaron Mooy has played 125 games in the last two seasons or something insane. The players are already probably a little tired. A few friendlies you'd think would be enough? 

I do hope we see some better football from the powerhouses but I also am loving some of the efforts from your Croatia's etc. Great to see. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

6 minutes ago, DeadLinesman said:

Like England 

If the more you struggle in the group stages makes you more elite, that makes us one of the most elite nation's!

[Eco]

1 minute ago, Toinho said:

Bit hard with seasons already being super long. I mean Aaron Mooy has played 125 games in the last two seasons or something insane. The players are already probably a little tired. A few friendlies you'd think would be enough? 

I do hope we see some better football from the powerhouses but I also am loving some of the efforts from your Croatia's etc. Great to see. 

Yeah - I feel like, and I may be wrong, team efforts work in the group stages, and then during the knockouts, is where talent comes out and wins. Russia is playing great as a team, but don't have a ton of talent, Croatia may have the best midfield at the tournament, but are looking so much more dangerous than Brazil, although we all know the Croats has no chance to win, whereas Brazil does. 

[Toinho]

Just now, Eco said:

Yeah - I feel like, and I may be wrong, team efforts work in the group stages, and then during the knockouts, is where talent comes out and wins. Russia is playing great as a team, but don't have a ton of talent, Croatia may have the best midfield at the tournament, but are looking so much more dangerous than Brazil, although we all know the Croats has no chance to win, whereas Brazil does. 

I know it's early, and I agree with you in terms of teams getting better as the tournament goes on, but that could be said Russia and Croatia get better and better and if they do who knows what'll happen?! Perhaps I'm a dreamer but would love an underdog story haha