Knockout Stage - Final | Vive la France

I have England down to lose in the quarter finals. Not because I hate them. I don't, I'd like to see them win it but they have lost in 2 quarter finals before. 

If England to win the thing, then all those England fans over 50 can stop reminising about 1966 for once and for all and show up to a few Nix games instead.

I hope France win, Croatia win, Belgium win in the other three. It might show "diving doesn't win you dick".

Now that we have stopped talking about England, may I say I would not be surprised if Uruguay puts France to sword this time.

Yes I know it is a big ask, but not as unlikely as you might think.   They have been playing so cleanly (by their standards) this year that it implies high confidence and decent skills.  They've only coughed up one goal so far, with a solid tidy defence.  Suarez and Cavani are getting on, but are playing well upfront. Yes France is also playing very well but they might be given a bit too much expectation this time around.   

And frankly, wouldn't you want a country of just under 4 million, with half of them living in one city, constantly overshadowed by their larger neighbour, to have at least a go at the top prize after being one of them world class acts of the game 80 years ago?

Just off the press......Neymar's family reunion!!

I haven't seen either France or Uruguay in a game yet this WC so can't really call that one. I don't care who wins at all in that match anyhow but since the French bombed the rainbow warrior in 1984 I think it would only be justice if they were to be KO'd

Plus I am still hanging onto my rage about French nuclear testing in the pacific and if France lose I will give herbs a spin. Just joking, I am more of a Black Metal sort of guy

Brazil v Belgium is the tasty game from this round tho imo and I think if Belgium get an early goal Brazil's head will goe down and Belgium could well go on to win the game. Whatever the result you know that at least Brazil will win a few Oscars for acting regardless.

Hope so as I want someone new to win the WC this year, although England would be good too....oops talking about England again...

I've got a tenner on Neymar getting a genuine fouling twice and three "dives" in the course of the game. Fingers crossed.

If not England i would like to see Croatia or Belgium (in that order). Someone new would be great and those two have played some decent football this tournament.

Croatia v Belgium final would make for a nice change.

[quote=Lonegunmen]

Croatia v Belgium final would make for a nice change.

[/quote

England v Belgium would be better.

True but  was going for two countries that have never been in a final.

erm the mod post saying England are one of the most hated teams?

France????? Mate??? Belgium ftw. 

geez, if El Grap sees England like I see the Aussie cricket team fine. Don't need to be douches about it. But with Sterling, Lingard, Rashford. Stones and Southgate they seem more like Peter Pan and the Lost Boys than any bunch of arrogant bullies. 

Indeed.

one of the "most hated teams" errr really? Hmmmmm

Anyhow I ended up staying up and watching both games last night: France look like WC winners to me. Never troubled by Uruguay and coasted to victory

Once Belgium scored against Brazil I was pretty sure they would go on to win and so it turned out: excellent tactics by Belgium but also they had huge helpings of luck along with some woeful brazilian shooting to see them through.

I'm not a brazil hater, but I am happy to see them ko'd as it leaves the chance for some quite interesting permutations for the final.

France bossed Uruguay 2 : Nil

Belgium outsmarted Brazil 2 to 1

Super entertaining games. France and Belgium best teams in this World Cup, their semi final will be an absolutely cracker.

Neymar will forever be the boy who cried wolf. No ref is actually going to give him a penalty anymore (and rightly so).

Well deserved semi-final spots for France & Belgium. Actually the semi-final I predicted pre-tournament.

What did you think of the not given penalty to Brazil that looked like a foul? I thought the ball was probably out of play when the contact happened... 

Was great refereeing to ignore Neymar's dives.

The VAR is not there to say 'this is a foul/this is not a foul'. It is there to say if a clear and obvious error has occurred and they are quite different.

The Brazilian had a heavy touch and I don't believe he had any chance of getting the ball before it crossed the goalline. There is glancing contact on the shin from Kompany but enough for a foul and the manner which he goes in is questionable. The Brazilian goes over to either a: avoid more contact or b: to accentuate the contact. That’s where he gets hit again with most/more of the force/contact. The glance on the shin is a foul and in the middle of the field, that’s a freekick all day. Now the referee does not feel this is enough to be a foul in the penalty area. When I look at that, I see a free kick and a penalty. The ball is in play at point of contact. What do I know about refereeing? Plenty of footballers will tell you 'very little'.....

When the VAR looks at this, the only question they are answering is 'by not giving the penalty, is this a clear and obvious error'. On some forums I troll, there is very much a mixed opinion on whether or not this is a penalty. By that position alone, this is not a clear and obvious error. If you have some people saying 'this is a penalty' and some people saying 'this is not a penalty' then a clear and obvious error has not occurred. From there, the VAR can't intervene.

Think of Tommy Smiths penalty against Italy in WC2010. Would the VAR over-rule that and say 'that’s a clear and obvious error'? No. We may agree/disagree on whether it’s a foul or not but you can make a penalty there so it’s not clearly and obviously wrong.

Always remember, VAR is not there to assess foul/no foul. Only if the decision made is clearly and obviously wrong. I believe this is clearly and obviously wrong but others do not. I however have my own issues with VAR and its use and am not a fan of it.

So then why is Neymar not pinged for his dive then? Its pretty clear and obvious that he took a dive.

VAR doesn't rule on giving yellow cards for dives. It seems the ref clearly thought it was a dive, but it seems this World Cup refs aren't giving out a great deal of yellow cards, and that includes for diving. Seems to be part of the instruction to refs.

What is just an error, and what is a clear and obvious error is clearly subjective. Watching it again, I lean on the side that the Brazil not given penalty was one was a clear & obvious error. Defender sliding off his feet and hits the ankle/shin while ball still in play. Was happy it wasn't given though!

I’ve been hit up so much about Neymar and his diving. Here goes...

Fact: you need zero contact for simulation. Zero. This is modern day football. To be sanctioned with a yellow card and IDFK for simulation, there must be zero contact. This is non negotiable. If there is the slightest bit of contact, it cannot be simulation. Contact does happen in football and you can play on - it’s not always a foul. There are players that go down easily (dive) but if there is contact, it is not simulation.

Situation 1: Brazil Costa Rica. Neymar goes down, penalty is awarded.

VAR asks itself ‘is this penalty decision clearly and obvious wrong?’ Replay. Yes recommend On Field Review. Referee looks at it and probably goes it’s wrong but there is some contact. Essentially it should just be play on. Overturn. Correct outcome.

Situation 2: Brazil Belgium. Neymar goes down, penalty not awarded.

VAR asks itself ‘is no penalty decision clearly and obviously wrong?’ Replay. No - do not intervene.

In addition to that, I believe that the VAR would not get involved in punishing simulation. It will come as part of the On Field Review where there is clearly no contact (so there would need to be a penalty given for the On Field Review, overturn, then simulation sanctioned). They would not be saying in situation 2 above ‘hey this is simulation, you need to stop and sanction this’ because the decision to play on is correct so they do not intervene.

Hope that helps.

Where there is clear and obvious simulation or diving, I think there needs to be 'match review' people punishing people for it after the game. I don't want to slow down the game down for VARs about possible yellow card situations, but players need to know there will be punishments for it. Especially when it's consistent.

Two awesome games with 4 excellent teams playing great footy

Loved it this morning

Wouldn't you just love to play against Neymar?

If I could catch him, I'd love to leave something on his knee :-)

Given the refs are (rightly) ignoring him now, I'd probably get away with it too

Yes never tell a Scot he is English.

But Feverish was referring to why a born & bred Kiwi may want England to lose. As you pointed out, you are Scottish.

I did the London OE, loved it, and yes is one reason why I’d like to see the 3 Lions do well. The Poms I count as friends are dry witted, good fun, self effacing and know that their national football team will bring them as much heartache as joy.

They have little chance of winning the WC though, beating Sweden for starters is probably a 50:50 call. 

In the last two games tonight there are a lot of players that will miss the semi finals if they get another yellow card.

There are two Swedes, four English, five Russians and an incredible 8 Croatians. 

It's interesting the difference in attitudes to England in New Zealand football vs other sports. Most rugby/cricket fans in NZ tend to not cheer on England vs other sides except Australia, regardless of whether they have been on an OE to the UK or not. Most people form who they support or not in sport before they are 18, though it can develop over time.

With football there is a lot of cheering on England, and also a lot of wanting England to lose, it's quite polarising, but certainly a lot more support for England than they get in New Zealand for other sports.

Eric Cantona is a funny guy: especially with his Neymar suitcase

Come on Sweden!

At the other world cups we generally have our own NZ teams to support. At the football one rarely so. Plus the EPLhas many fans in NZ, so English players often are well known.

Nice goal by England!.

Come in England!

Pushed the defender over nicely and headed it well too. :)

Stirling - causes all sorts of problems for defenders but never the goal keeper. 

Sweden all at sea from set pieces.

First time in my living memory that England have had a decent goalkeeper.

You must be young

Well done ENGLAND

Peter Shilton

Ray Clemence 

Get in!!!!