[talkSAFT]

Portugal 3 Spain 3

What a fantastic game last night (apart from Tax-evader hogging the Headlines. Was hoping him and Costa would have a big punch-up and get sent home).

Serious question: Did Spain complete more passes in the 90 minutes than Albion in 2017-18?

[Salopbaggie]

Must have been close

[WBA-Josh]

Portugal 3 Spain 3

What a fantastic game last night (apart from Tax-evader hogging the Headlines. Was hoping him and Costa would have a big punch-up and get sent home).

Serious question:  Did Spain complete more passes in the 90 minutes than Albion in 2017-18?

It was a terrific match and a good end to a fairly average opening day and a bit of the World Cup.

I was hoping that Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos would break each other’s legs in a 50/50 challenge but there’s always next time.

Spain probably completed more passes in one match than Pulis’ entire time at the club.

---

Very dodgy penalty for the French in their match. I can see why it was given but it wasn’t a penalty in my opinion.

Then Umtiti gives away a ridiculous penalty. It was like Superman trying to head a ball.

[Arcane Astral Aeons]

impressed so far
Portugal/Spain last night was outstanding
3rd spanish goal was a worldy
France this morning were shockingly bad-felt for the Aussies
and had a laugh at Messi
great save from the Iceland keeper
but we all know what messi wants to do
get it on his left foot

Peru i thought were excellent
more of the same please

[Salopbaggie]

I must be missing something about the third Spanish goal, everyone seems to be raving about it, especially the pundits.

What I saw was the player hit the ball, granted with a fair bit of power, but it hit the post bounced across the goal hit the other post and ricocheted in. Now I am sure that no one would suggest that was what the player intended to do, if it was OMG, it really was the best goal I have ever seen. So if he did not intend it, hitting two posts, resulting in a ricocheted goal, is extremely lucky in my book, so what am I missing, a good goal yes but worth all the hype, not so sure.

[drewks]

I think I'm missing something too.
I switched on to the Portugal v Spain game,  saw Ronaldo and then lasted about 4 minutes before switching off.
Tippy tappy football does nothing for me,  and I find most footballers - with Ronaldo being the absolute worst - cheating, egotistic and totally embarrassing to watch.

I used to love football. Top level stuff is now just so over hyped and just full of players who think that they're 100x better than they are.

Is it just me??

[Arcane Astral Aeons]

I must be missing something about the third Spanish goal, everyone seems to be raving about it, especially the pundits.

What I saw was the player hit the ball, granted with a fair bit of power, but it hit the post bounced across the goal hit the other post and ricocheted in.  Now I am sure that no one would suggest that was what the player intended to do, if it was OMG, it really was the best goal I have ever seen. So if he did not intend it, hitting two posts, resulting in a ricocheted goal, is extremely lucky in my book, so what am I missing, a good goal yes but worth all the hype, not so sure.

what made that a "worldy"
was the way Nacho kept the shot low
and the swerve on the strike
ok it hit the post
but that was a superb goal
have another look at it
great technique

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

I must be missing something about the third Spanish goal, everyone seems to be raving about it, especially the pundits.

What I saw was the player hit the ball, granted with a fair bit of power, but it hit the post bounced across the goal hit the other post and ricocheted in.  Now I am sure that no one would suggest that was what the player intended to do, if it was OMG, it really was the best goal I have ever seen. So if he did not intend it, hitting two posts, resulting in a ricocheted goal, is extremely lucky in my book, so what am I missing, a good goal yes but worth all the hype, not so sure.

what made that a "worldy"
was the way Nacho kept the shot low
and the swerve on the strike
ok it hit the post
but that was a superb goal
have another look at it
great technique

Bang on. And bear in mind he didn't even take a touch to control it.

90 times out of a hundred when a player shoots first-time from the edge of the box, it balloons over the bar. Another 5 times he hits it into a defender, or straight at the keeper. Another 4 times he'll place it just a bit too wide. So to smash it first time and beat the keeper's reach by inches, but with just enough bend that it curls in off the post, deserves all the praise it gets.

[talkSAFT]

I think I'm missing something too.
I switched on to the Portugal v Spain game,  saw Ronaldo and then lasted about 4 minutes before switching off.
Tippy tappy football does nothing for me,  and I find most footballers - with Ronaldo being the absolute worst - cheating, egotistic and totally embarrassing to watch.

I used to love football. Top level stuff is now just so over hyped and just full of players who think that they're 100x better than they are.

Is it just me??

Some of Spain's inter-passing was better than any long-ball crap we used to watch in the old days. We must remember that coaches like Pulis have all but ruined the game, so that coaches have to find a way through. Portugal, then Iceland yesterday, just stuck 10 men behind the ball, so that today's game necessitates keeping the ball until you can create an opening. Watching Iniesta, Silva, Messi etc wriggling to find that space is much better (for me) than the team that break down an attack before hoofing it up to the Rondons.

[4evaabaggie]

Sounds painful ..... a hoof up the Rondons ... enough to make your eyes water.