Never has The Armchair felt so relaxed about a vital England game as this one. Yes, Sweden had a couple of great chances and Pickford pulled off some quality saves, but for a QF team, Sweden had precious little to recommend them. Get Zlat Back! England seemed in control and not overly concerned. Maguire was majestic. But Sterling still stuffed up his chances in front of goal. Kane had a quiet game but who cares, it’s like 1990 all over again. England are in the World Cup semi-finals. Unbelievably, but not undeservedly.
Tuesday, 10 July 2018
Friday, 6 July 2018
THEY FINISHED 7TH: BRAZIL
The Armchair doesn't want to sound arrogant, but he has great difficulty in understanding those who thought Brazil would win this World Cup. Even reaching the final should not have been entertained.
The same with Germany and Argentina. They might be big names from the history of the World Cup, but none of them had shown any kind of form coming into the competition, and all were player for player weaker than at least three other big teams, Spain, France and Belgium.
Neymar did OK but is an habitual faker, and in this tournament all that fakery has caught up with them. Penalties they might have falsely earned in the past have been wiped out by VAR. The culture of diving and faking needs to change if these nations are ever to enjoy success on the world stage again.
Brazil seemed to learn that lesson in the second half against Belgium, where chasing the game meant they couldn't afford to waste time on the fakery. But Belgium outclassed them and gave them a taste of their own medicine, winding down the clock and winding up the Brazilians with a little dose of fakery.
What goes round...
The same with Germany and Argentina. They might be big names from the history of the World Cup, but none of them had shown any kind of form coming into the competition, and all were player for player weaker than at least three other big teams, Spain, France and Belgium.
Neymar did OK but is an habitual faker, and in this tournament all that fakery has caught up with them. Penalties they might have falsely earned in the past have been wiped out by VAR. The culture of diving and faking needs to change if these nations are ever to enjoy success on the world stage again.
Brazil seemed to learn that lesson in the second half against Belgium, where chasing the game meant they couldn't afford to waste time on the fakery. But Belgium outclassed them and gave them a taste of their own medicine, winding down the clock and winding up the Brazilians with a little dose of fakery.
What goes round...
World Cup Quarter Final: Brazil 1-2 Belgium
And so another former winner falls. All that remains are European teams, evidence that the continent is now the dominant force in world football, and has been since 2002, the last time a non-Euro team won the World Cup (Brazil).
Belgium's tactical switch proved a Martine Masterstroke. Not good enough to manage Everton apparently, the man has plotted Brazil's downfall, admittedly with a set of players far superior than anything seen playing in blue at Goodison Park.
Two up by half time, the second was a siege as the yellows poured forward. But Belgium poured scorn on their attempts most of the time, succumbing to header near the end. But they held on and deserved their win. Courtois pulled off save after save and their attached trio of De Bruyne, Hazard and Lukaku were immense.
The Armchair's predicted winners are still in it. And, as he predicted, they've seen off Brazil.
Belgium's tactical switch proved a Martine Masterstroke. Not good enough to manage Everton apparently, the man has plotted Brazil's downfall, admittedly with a set of players far superior than anything seen playing in blue at Goodison Park.
Two up by half time, the second was a siege as the yellows poured forward. But Belgium poured scorn on their attempts most of the time, succumbing to header near the end. But they held on and deserved their win. Courtois pulled off save after save and their attached trio of De Bruyne, Hazard and Lukaku were immense.
The Armchair's predicted winners are still in it. And, as he predicted, they've seen off Brazil.
THEY FINISHED 8TH: URUGUAY
With a population half that of London's, it's incredible how many good footballers Uruguay produces per head. Unfortunately one of their best ones was forced to sit out this tie, and it proved crucial as they lacked any sort of offensive threat without him and were simply guided out of the tournament by a superior French team.
Never a team to score a goal fest, they base their success on solid defence and inspired attack. But Suarez hasn't had a brilliant World Cup. And Cavani looked like he was moving into gear before his injury scuppered his nation's hopes.
Never a team to score a goal fest, they base their success on solid defence and inspired attack. But Suarez hasn't had a brilliant World Cup. And Cavani looked like he was moving into gear before his injury scuppered his nation's hopes.
World Cup Quarter Final: France 2-0 Uruguay
Oh, Cavani, where were thee? Your nation needed ye, and there you were injured.
A shadow of the team they were without you, never looked likely to score, and now homeward bound, while France dance on into the final (you need to bring more fans to the next game, though).
The Armchair predicted that France would reach the World Cup Semis and so it has proved. They never looked under threat today, though the Uruguayan keeper will not sleep well tonight, playing over and over the mistake that helped ensure his nation's hopes slipped through his fingers.
Another former winner of the World Cup gone, leaving just France and two others, Brazil and England. And the Armchair predicts we will lose another in tonight's game...
A shadow of the team they were without you, never looked likely to score, and now homeward bound, while France dance on into the final (you need to bring more fans to the next game, though).
The Armchair predicted that France would reach the World Cup Semis and so it has proved. They never looked under threat today, though the Uruguayan keeper will not sleep well tonight, playing over and over the mistake that helped ensure his nation's hopes slipped through his fingers.
Another former winner of the World Cup gone, leaving just France and two others, Brazil and England. And the Armchair predicts we will lose another in tonight's game...
World Cup 2018 Quarter Final predictions
And so to the last eight.
A last eight that The Armchair predicted would look like this:
In what's been a World Cup full of shock early exits and over-performing 'minnows' here's how the Quarter Finals actually look:
FRANCE v URUGUAY
BRAZIL v BELGIUM
SWEDEN v ENGLAND
RUSSIA v CROATIA
So a 50% success rate there, with one tie exactly right. Note too, The Armchair correctly predicted that Argentina would fall and Russia would rise to the occasion. Spain lost on penalties, Peru underpeformed, Germany were shocking, and Senegal denied a path to the knockouts by the dubious yellow cards rule.
The Armchair's tip for title remain in the running, but BELGIUM face their biggest test, BRAZIL tonight. Pass that and the bet is definitely on.
Here's how The Armchair sees the World Cup 2018 Quarter Finals shaping up:
With Belgium beating Brazil on penalties...
A last eight that The Armchair predicted would look like this:
In what's been a World Cup full of shock early exits and over-performing 'minnows' here's how the Quarter Finals actually look:
FRANCE v URUGUAY
BRAZIL v BELGIUM
SWEDEN v ENGLAND
RUSSIA v CROATIA
So a 50% success rate there, with one tie exactly right. Note too, The Armchair correctly predicted that Argentina would fall and Russia would rise to the occasion. Spain lost on penalties, Peru underpeformed, Germany were shocking, and Senegal denied a path to the knockouts by the dubious yellow cards rule.
The Armchair's tip for title remain in the running, but BELGIUM face their biggest test, BRAZIL tonight. Pass that and the bet is definitely on.
Here's how The Armchair sees the World Cup 2018 Quarter Finals shaping up:
With Belgium beating Brazil on penalties...
THEY FINISHED 9TH: COLOMBIA
Oh dear. Oh dear. Oh dear. Colombia are as close to the bad boys of the tournament as you’re likely to get. A disgrace against England and few will miss them. They certainly missed Rodriquez in the last game, his presence could have tipped the scales in their favour. But the scales of justice were lenient. They deserved red cards for their appalling behaviour v England, But what goes around is circular, like a football, the one Dier slotted past their despairing keeper. Bye bye. And learn how to behave next time.
THEY FINISHED 10TH: SWITZERLAND
Hmmm. Harumph. So-so. So what. They always seem to qualify from the group stage, not to The Armchair to back them to do that in Euro 2020. Yet, they never look likely to progress further. One of the teams that slipped through The Armchair’s viewing net this World. Didn’t see much of them so they made little impact, but others might be raving about their performances…
THEY FINISHED 11TH: JAPAN
Samurai you win. Samurai you lose. And sometimes you lose and yet can still be regarded as winners. That’s a fair summation of Japan’s World Cup 2018. They qualified on yellow cards, but against Belgium really showed how good a team they are. Only fatigue in the final 20 minutes cost them, against one of the tournament’s strongest nations. So no shame going out. Although having been 2 up with 20 to go, you think what if… what if…
THEY FINISHED 12TH: MEXICO
And so Mexico waves goodbye to another tournament in the early knockout faces. To face Brazil was unfortunate, as the Brazilians are always strong, too strong for most world nations. What if Mexico had won their group and faced Switzerland instead? A different story, which is why that let down in their last group game will really rankle.
THEY FINISHED 13TH: DENMARK
Another victim of PKs, pens, the shoot out, shoot, miss and you’re out. Not a classic Danish team by any stretch of Schmeichel’s arms. No Laudrup brothers as of old. But Scandinavian spirit in abundance. Punching above their weight and unlucky to not beat the better Croats.
THEY FINISHED 14TH: SPAIN
The penalty lottery accounts for another big name. They should never have let it get that far. Superior to Russia in every department apart from passion, they go out of a tournament they could have won. The Armchair predicted they would lose the final, not here, not now. But Iniesta takes a bow, and the team that triumphed in 2010 all but gone. Still, another generation is coming through, with Isco looking particularly talented.
THEY FINISHED 15TH: PORTUGAL
Another big name bites the dust, and it was never going to happen here like it happened in Euro 2016. Although they started with a cracking game v Spain and a hat trick for Ronaldo, their ageing centre backs and overall averageness (apart from Ronaldo) told. But maybe the great man has one more World Cup in him???
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