Round of 16 - Saturday 30th June - Uruguay 2-1 Portugal

[Machado]

Ironically, we played our best game today and it was the one we ended up losing.

[Eco]

Just now, Machado said:

Ironically, we played our best game today and it was the one we ended up losing.

Granted, I didn't watch the first half because my sister's 21st birthday is today, but why hasn't Quaresma been starting? He's looked good to me when on, and scored a wonder goal already this tournament.

[Machado]

Just now, Eco said:

Granted, I didn't watch the first half because my sister's 21st birthday is today, but why hasn't Quaresma been starting? He's looked good to me when on, and scored a wonder goal already this tournament.

He can't keep the up. His intensity won't last for longer than 50 minutes. Maybe in the Turkish league, but not in your regular high demanding world cup game. He's got no pace at all which is only natural for a 34 year old. He can't beat defenders anymore.

His moments of brilliance don't disguise his obvious flaws that (mostly) have come with age.

[ASF]

4 hours ago, Machado said:

Raphael is a very, very good player but had a complicated season with injuries. It would be weird if he showed up at his best level here. I can't judge him. If we played again tomorrow, I would still start him.

William was MOTM today along with Pepe and Bernardo. Bernardo was ridiculously good in the second half, because it was the first time he played in the middle. Yes, it took Fernardo Santos three and a half games to realize we have a world class center mid in the squad.

I tell you more... Bernardo will perhaps miss out on a great career as one of the best #10's in the world because a few years ago he accepted starting to play stuck in a wing. Hopefully Guardiola wakes up to this asap.

Guedes was disappointing but he only just started to play for Portugal. He has NO experience with the national side let alone in big tournaments. Obviously wasn't ready to cope with the pressure, something he needs to work on. He was bad but doesn't deserve abuse. Bruno Fernandes was underwhelming for the same reasons IMO.

Why did Cedric start 3 games? I liked Ricardo today... he was one of the main attacking threats.

Adrien Silva and João Mário both tragic. Need to never be called up again. The midfield needs massive rework and as far as I care Ronaldo can retire from the NT. It looked like he was playing beach football today... shooting from any angle and distance. It got worse in the second half. I get that he wants to make the difference but that's not the right attitude.

As for the game, everything went right for Uruguay and that's about the whole story of the game. Two awesome goals and lots of defending. Some luck as well. Was this karma? Maybe they'll win the WC the same way we won the Euro.

Raphael was one of our best players in the Euro. But if he wasn't at 100%, he needs to be benched. Against Morocco, he was non-existent in his duel with Amrabat. Against Iran, he was wandering around the pitch with no purpose. Today, I can't recall one center from him that didn't hit the first Uruguayan the ball encountered on the way or went outside.

William was good today, but in the past games he slowed down the game, wasn't the same William of the good days.

Bernardo might have been misused on the right, I agree. I always looked at  him as our new maestro. Our best player, of the younger ones.

Guedes is 21 mate. Coming from a good season at Valencia. Ronaldo was 19 when he played in the Euro 2004, coming from a season at Man Utd where, albeit having some notable appearances, he wasn't one of the main figures. That can't be an excuse for him not showing up.

Cédric is our best right-back. Certainly, the best one at defending. I'm always with a foot behind with full-backs that, started their careers as wingers. Except for Miguel. He was class.

We have some good talent coming through. But we need those youngsters to have a chance in the league, with national clubs, and not be sent to Cyprus or Romania because they have all the doors closed in this country, because of foreign players of dubious quality.

[bozziovai]

abysmal defense by portugal, that was their downfall.    that second goal they were caught sleeping, thinking that the tempo would slowly build up but uruguay had other ideas.

[Marc]

That was a quality performance from Uruguay, Suarez and Cavani were unbelievable- Not just the quality of them but the workrate is outstanding. Fuck I hate Suarez but love him at the same time.

 

Saw this stat:

Suarez has played 638 games in his career and missed 6 through injury.

Missed more through suspension.

[Carnivore Chris]

Does this now mean that Ronaldo isn't a great player? @Teso dos Bichos he was unable to beat a top team and well oiled machine all on his own so this must mean his legacy is tarnished. 

He's lucky he plays in a great Real Madrid where he can play as woefully as he did last night in semis and finals but still win due to Ramos, Bale, Modric and Isco. He's only great in a system where his team mates do their all to smash crosses into the box for him. 

(I'm just using the logic used by yourself) 

[Marc]

All this competition has done is cemented CR7's place as the GOAT. CR7's great tournament means he will win another Ballon D'or

[Panna King]

How did the match end up in the end, I was watching until I saw this image below on the tv and have stared at it for the last 10 hours on pause.

 

[Marc]

1 hour ago, Cannabis said:

It does confuse me a little how your posts were class when you first joined whereas now it's just a mad fishing spree 

I genuinely believe CR7 is the greatest player in my lifetime (find it difficult to judge against players before my lifetime as i've seen clips rather than full games). And Ballon D'ors was always a yard stick used by Messi fans to 'prove' that he was the better player, since CR7 has leveled and will take over this year it's not mentioned.

I agree my posts were class and some still are. I will post seriously about Norwich and some during the WC, but after reading more of this forum, I can't take it seriously. Some very strange people on here and the biggest one for me is the large percentage of people can't post in a sensible manner about the club or country that they support, few other reasons to happy to discuss.

[SirBalon]

29 minutes ago, Marc said:

I genuinely believe CR7 is the greatest player in my lifetime (find it difficult to judge against players before my lifetime as i've seen clips rather than full games). And Ballon D'ors was always a yard stick used by Messi fans to 'prove' that he was the better player, since CR7 has leveled and will take over this year it's not mentioned.

I agree my posts were class and some still are. I will post seriously about Norwich and some during the WC, but after reading more of this forum, I can't take it seriously. Some very strange people on here and the biggest one for me is the large percentage of people can't post in a sensible manner about the club or country that they support, few other reasons to happy to discuss.

It’s people like you that cause that type of posting. It’s your methods that create that type of atmosphere. Look at yourself before criticising other people of things YOU do. 

[Devil-Dick Willie]

1 hour ago, SirBalon said:

It’s people like you that cause that type of posting. It’s your methods that create that type of atmosphere. Look at yourself before criticising other people of things YOU do. 

 

Okay captain novel that no one bothers to read.

 

Gimmie dat sweet sweet banter.

[SirBalon]

Just now, Devil-Dick Willie said:

 

Okay captain novel that no one bothers to read.

 

Gimmie dat sweet sweet banter.

Have you ever met or seen someone that thinks they're all banter (they think they are) and you look at them actually thinking they're idiots?  Not always what one thinks is smart and witty actually ends up being so.

[Marc]

1 hour ago, SirBalon said:

It’s people like you that cause that type of posting. It’s your methods that create that type of atmosphere. Look at yourself before criticising other people of things YOU do. 

You are one of the biggest trolls on here or are you that deluded that you aren’t trolling? 

Portugal team 5x better than Argentina, RM CL win ‘meaningless’, trolling in the Fellaini thread yesterday, the ‘deliberate’ handball. Off the to of my head some of your trolling examples.

[SirBalon]

Just now, Marc said:

You are one of the biggest trolls on here or are you that deluded that you aren’t trolling? 

Portugal team 5x better than Argentina, RM CL win ‘meaningless’, trolling in the Fellaini thread yesterday, the ‘deliberate’ handball. Off the to of my head some of your trolling examples.

I don't troll, idiot!

You're a fool, a court jester but one that's not funny at all.  Very little you post has any essence to it and most of it is mixed with what I now don't even feel it's even stupid enough as a trolling attempt. It's actually a mark of someone that is an attention seeker and rather thick.

The question I'm shuffling in my head right now is if you're very thick or just plain retarded.

What is it wally?

[Devil-Dick Willie]

31 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

I don't troll, idiot!

You're a fool, a court jester but one that's not funny at all.  Very little you post has any essence to it and most of it is mixed with what I now don't even feel it's even stupid enough as a trolling attempt. It's actually a mark of someone that is an attention seeker and rather thick.

The question I'm shuffling in my head right now is if you're very thick or just plain retarded.

What is it wally?

 

Your monthly Sir Balon melt down, brought to you by... the truth

[SirBalon]

Just now, Devil-Dick Willie said:

 

Your monthly Sir Balon melt down, brought to you by... the truth

Don't let me even get started on the truth

[bozziovai]

5 hours ago, Marc said:

All this competition has done is cemented CR7's place as the GOAT. CR7's great tournament means he will win another Ballon D'or

i'm a big ronaldo fan and a recent convert of messi.     i like them both but after seeing the tragedy that has befallen yesterday, i could only say that both are ------

 

in this world cup.     Ronaldo had a very good start against spain and i don't know what happened to him or with portugal but as the tournament went on, their confidence has waned.    As for Messi, he should have stayed in international retirement.     

[Marc]

2 hours ago, SirBalon said:

I don't troll, idiot!

You're a fool, a court jester but one that's not funny at all.  Very little you post has any essence to it and most of it is mixed with what I now don't even feel it's even stupid enough as a trolling attempt. It's actually a mark of someone that is an attention seeker and rather thick.

The question I'm shuffling in my head right now is if you're very thick or just plain retarded.

What is it wally?

Rattled AF, great meltdown, but could I please remind you of the below from your fellow moderator @The Palace Fan could the responsible and respectful mods please look into the blow. Use of 'retard' as an insult not needed as per below post.

 

16 hours ago, The Palace Fan said:

On a side note, I've seen it used a couple of times but can people please not use words such as 'retard' when referring to somebody that has a different opinion to them. Whilst I'm sure it's not meant with malice, the reality is we don't know everybody's background here, and we could well have members who have disabled children that could take offence to that word being used.

I don't mean to sound like a 'snowflake' here, but the word retard isn't really necessary when the word idiot would be just as effective.

 

[Marc]

2 minutes ago, Teso dos Bichos said:

 

Such a poor excuse for a admin./mod with that better than you attitude, such a shame. 

Rise above the insults @Marc

I will, cheers mate. No name calling from myself. Very strange.

[Marc]

4 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

SirBalon was and continues to be the best poster we have here. Behind the scenes he's a fantastic moderator too. 

Quite sad how you're putting so much effort into rattling the staff when if it wasn't for the staff doing their jobs you wouldn't have a platform to air your views. 

I have no problem with the staff you do a great job, just have a problem with Balon's use of language, if it was Teso he'd be kicked off the forum. Not needed.

[Stan]

29 minutes ago, Marc said:

I have no problem with the staff you do a great job, just have a problem with Balon's use of language, if it was Teso he'd be kicked off the forum. Not needed.

He wouldn't but I get the point. 

Let's nip this in the bud for now as its being sorted out and discussed about what was said and what's gone on. We'll continue to look in to it. @Marc, Batard has already PM'd you so we'll keep you updated via there. 

Let's keep any discussion in this thread from now on about the football. 

 

[Cicero]

Cavani's second was a thing of beaut. Can't stand Uruguay, but you cannot deny their solidity. They aren't appealing on the eye, but they get the job done. Hope Arsenal don't get Torreira, as he will dramatically improve their midfield. Been saying for a while now that he is Uruguay's next big talent. That said, hope France batter them. Hard to sympathise  with this Portugal side, as they refuse to play their talented players, or even implement a style that could really get the best out of them. Easily could field a team that could be one of if not the best in the tournament. 

Shame Ronaldo  CR7 wasn't fit to play. They could of really used him.