Musketeer Gripweed Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 So, we know there will be a sub forum dedicated to the event soon, but with three months left to go, there is much to discuss, both on and off the park with squads being announced soon, injured players and the country of Russia hosting the event in general. The reason I really started the thread was because of the allegations of racial discrimination against the French players in Russia last night. Now, I don't know if this actually happened or not, but, with what is happening in the political world at the moment and with the spotlight being put on Russia at the moment, is anyone else fearing the worst this summer? Feel free to ignore that question and just talk about football though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Nevis Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 9 hours ago, Musketeer Gripweed said: So, we know there will be a sub forum dedicated to the event soon, but with three months left to go, there is much to discuss, both on and off the park with squads being announced soon, injured players and the country of Russia hosting the event in general. The reason I really started the thread was because of the allegations of racial discrimination against the French players in Russia last night. Now, I don't know if this actually happened or not, but, with what is happening in the political world at the moment and with the spotlight being put on Russia at the moment, is anyone else fearing the worst this summer? Feel free to ignore that question and just talk about football though. There's certainly plenty of potential for trouble. For one thing, it's an utter cert that the Scrappy-Doo mentality of England's hooligans won't cope too well with Russian roid-fuelled mentalists, and there could well be carnage, which would be a wee shame. Racism is still huge problem there however, so it'll be interesting to see how the Russian authorities deal with this, and also how large a rug FIFA will need to deploy to sweep any incidents under. They're no doubt hoping the presumably ludicrous ticket prices will keep most of the usual suspects out of stadia. FIFA will be utterly dreading a match being stopped due to racist chanting or such-like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeSAFC Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 Im personally looking forward to the English getting an absolute doing off the Russians, again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsr Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 If racism is part of Russian football culture (and this seems to be the case), will the Russian authorities give much of a crap about addressing it? I'll watch the World Cup mostly hoping for a hilarious car-crash episode of some sort (not literally involving cars). I expect the actual football to be cagey and dire, and the corruption to be off the scale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameus Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 On the subject of the racism, isn't this just one of the usual things that gets hyped up as the reason why this tournament will definitely kill everyone on Earth, before not really being an issue at the tournament itself? I'm in no doubt that there's a very unsavoury element over there, but the authorities will probably go to great and unnecessary lengths to make sure something like that doesn't happen at the tournament itself. There will probably still be incidents, but imagine they'll be dealt with in the questionable legal environs of the FIFA Court. And it's a stick-on that there will be scenes of hooliganism, probably involving England fans. There will be certain groups of Russia fans, finishing off their 4th facial tattoo, absolutely desperate to get a shot at some of them. Only problem is that they'll likely get an absolute doing, and it'll be painted like they're the injured party. I do feel kind of sorry for the England fans that will be going over there just to watch the tournament, because they'll likely get caught up in it too. Not every one of them is a bulldog tattoo having, garden furniture throwing, brexit-means-brexiting, son of a gun, just the loudest, most obnoxious ones. Mostly, I'm looking forward to VAR turning most games into farces, meaning even the most dour match-ups have the potential for entertainment. And just hope that it's more 2014 in terms of the football than 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanky_ffc Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 It wouldn't be a WC without the keepers moaning about the ball. http://www.espn.co.uk/football/fifa-world-cup/story/3431416/2018-world-cup-ball-criticised-by-spain-and-germany-goalkeepers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buchan30 Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 Think there will certainly be trouble. Some Russian fans will be looking for a scrap, and even given their group, russia may go out at the group stages, leaving them with no games to go to and potentially going around just looking to scrap at other ones. Be interesting to see how not only the russian authorities deal with it, but fifas excuses. On the football front, outside of the favourites, some other games have the potential to be evenly matched. The only thing is, that might make the cagey affairs. But would hope that both teams just go for it. By all accounts brazil, germany and spain seem to be playing the best football. Argentina struggled to qualify and dont think they will go too far. France seem a bit ropey. Gun to my head scenario, i would maybe pick brazil to win it. Apparently a lot more balance in the squad since 4 years ago, not the pressure of a home world cup as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamaldo Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 The sub-forum will get absolutely ruined by gambling chat like the last World Cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
accies1874 Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 Every single English pundit will implode due to VAR - I can't fucking wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanky_ffc Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 1 hour ago, accies1874 said: Every single English pundit will implode due to VAR - I can't fucking wait. The biennial Ian Wright 'England getting papped out' meltdown will be more spectacular than normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabGaz Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 Every single English pundit will implode due to VAR - I can't fucking wait. I’m looking forward to that as well. One of the highlights from the last World Cup was Jonathan Pearce’s head exploding over a simple thing like goal line technology so f**k knows how he’ll manage to cope with VAR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David W Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 1 hour ago, ArabGaz said: I’m looking forward to that as well. One of the highlights from the last World Cup was Jonathan Pearce’s head exploding over a simple thing like goal line technology so f**k knows how he’ll manage to cope with VAR. He was commentating on a German game a few weeks back and didn't realise a goal had been ruled out (obviously as he actually wasn't there). Talked for ages assuming the game was 1-1 when it was actually 1-0 still. Was quite funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buchan30 Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 The sub-forum will get absolutely ruined by gambling chat like the last World Cup. Bet you a tenner it won’t Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsr Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 5 hours ago, accies1874 said: Every single English pundit will implode due to VAR - I can't fucking wait. Every single English pundit will fail to understand the rules of how VAR actually works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musketeer Gripweed Posted March 29, 2018 Author Share Posted March 29, 2018 No English referees there either now. I expect Russian conspiracy theories will start shortly. By the time June comes the media will be foaming at the mouth about Russia. Sit back and enjoy the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Archer (Raconteur) Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 13 minutes ago, Musketeer Gripweed said: No English referees there either now. I expect Russian conspiracy theories will start shortly. By the time June comes the media will be foaming at the mouth about Russia. Sit back and enjoy the show. At least we'll be spared England references in the latter stages once the team has been punted out at the group stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellisdee Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 I think there will be quite a lot of the racist bashing from the Russians especially. They've got Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Egypt in their group, who all have black players in (I think) So it will be even worse if all those get a result against Russia, which is a possibility because the Russian team are shit. I think Russia could go out in the group stage, and that would probably make the atmosphere even worse when the host nation goes out early. I can remember the Confederations Cup being a dour affair, so it could may well turn out to be the same if the aforementioned were to happen. Hopefully the other teams will make it a great spectacle. I don't have any preference to who wins, as long as there are some great games then I'll be happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergie's no1 fan Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 I'm pretty sure there has been a bit of panic before the last few major tournaments (maybe just World Cups) about dodgy local gangs and fear of fans safety going to the likes of South Africa and Brazil but it ended up being mass hysteria over nothing. You'll get the pick pockets and thieving barstewards but that happens to tourists everywhere on the planet. I think the only ones that should be worried are the English, unfortunately for the decent England fans who just want to go and watch their team, I fear the neanderthals in their support will be to blame for them getting an absolute pasting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameus Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 Didn't they say before 2010 that if you travelled to South Africa, you'd definitely be killed? Tried to find the quote, although in the mists of my mind I think it might have been Sol Campbell that said it, so...aye. There was an article from the BBC pointing to the very high murder rate, but I'd imagine you could write a similar story about the US, but I doubt you'd get that if they were hosting. I'd actually almost be more worried if the tournament goes off with not a peep. There are clearly some pretty backwards mindsets in the country, so if none of that comes out it's obviously good for those visiting, but where have those people gone? FIFA court probably. Or down the Thunderdome to knock about some English blokes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanky_ffc Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 Whilst I do think the media here go OTT when it comes to VAR (mainly due to not understanding it properly or decisions not going the way they want), it does have the potential to be a shambles at this WC as the majority of the refs will likely be using it for the first time. Thankfully I enjoy the seethe more than I dislike the occasional stoppage in play, so I'll be kicking back with the popcorn if/when the chaos unfolds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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