World Cup 2026

[Zoupa]

I (sorta) feel for France's opponents. They try to turtle like Paraguay or Morocco because they don't want to open up the game due to our offensive players. Even then, it could have been 5 or 6 nil today.

I'm not quite sure what the thinking is with this turtling strategy. Morocco had one shot on target the whole game and only like 4 attempts. Do they really plan to push the game to nil nil from the get go and pray for penalties?

[HVC]

It looked like their plan was to counter attack,  but their passing failed them.  When i looked at halftime the were sitting at like 78% accuracy. Once France went up 2-0 it was their turn to turtle and moroccos possession and passing rate went up (ended at 88%), but by then it was too late.

[crazy canuck]

I (sorta) feel for France's opponents. They try to turtle like Paraguay or Morocco because they don't want to open up the game due to our offensive players. Even then, it could have been 5 or 6 nil today.

I'm not quite sure what the thinking is with this turtling strategy. Morocco had one shot on target the whole game and only like 4 attempts. Do they really plan to push the game to nil nil from the get go and pray for penalties?

What can anybody do against France?  I don't know much about the sport, but they look like they have no weaknesses and look like they're going to score every time they start pressing into the opponents end.

It's like playing against the Chicago Bulls at the height of Jordan's ability. There's just no way to beat them.

[Jacob]

I don't know enough about basketball to say whether the comparison makes sense.

IMO France is a great team, and the favourites, but they're still potentially beatable. It's one game. With a few lucky bounces one way and bad bounces the other, I think several of the remaining teams have a fighting chance if they face France.

[mongers]

Have we had a France-Argentina final before?

[HVC]

Have we had a France-Argentina final before?

... joke?

[Duque de Bragança]

Have we had a France-Argentina final before?

... joke?

 
English humour.

[crazy canuck]

I don't know enough about basketball to say whether the comparison makes sense.

IMO France is a great team, and the favourites, but they're still potentially beatable. It's one game. With a few lucky bounces one way and bad bounces the other, I think several of the remaining teams have a fighting chance if they face France.

There are only several teams left And all of them have had difficulty keeping the ball out their net, while France has not been scored on in the knockout phase.

I mean even the Americans scored against Belgium.

It's true anything can happen in sport, but beating France in this tournament is going to take heroics.  That's why I'm picking Norway as the underdog. They seem to be the team most likely to rise to the challenge.  But if Norway pulls it off, it won't be because they had a fighting chance going in. It will be a victory for the ages.

[Sheilbh]

I don't know enough about basketball to say whether the comparison makes sense.

IMO France is a great team, and the favourites, but they're still potentially beatable. It's one game. With a few lucky bounces one way and bad bounces the other, I think several of the remaining teams have a fighting chance if they face France.

Yeah I agree. I think Morocco will regret playing quite so conservatively but I get why. I think in 2030 as joint hosts Morocco are a real contender though.

My comparison would be the Brazil team of the late 90s/2000s when they basically had a very good player in every position and 2-3 of the world's best forward players. Although obviously a team that beat them was France.

[crazy canuck]

I don't know enough about basketball to say whether the comparison makes sense.

IMO France is a great team, and the favourites, but they're still potentially beatable. It's one game. With a few lucky bounces one way and bad bounces the other, I think several of the remaining teams have a fighting chance if they face France.

Yeah I agree. I think Morocco will regret playing quite so conservatively but I get why. I think in 2030 as joint hosts Morocco are a real contender though.

My comparison would be the Brazil team of the late 90s/2000s when they basically had a very good player in every position and 2-3 of the world's best forward players. Although obviously a team that beat them was France.

So not a great comparison, France had very good players in every position that year too

[HVC]

France is a great team, and while we joke about Argentina's easy ride France had a super easy group too (played against bench warmer Norwegians ), and needed a penalty against Paraguay. Didn't see that  game so the score line may not have reflected reality. They did well against morocco, but at the same token morroco didn't play well either.

Still my fav to win, but they'd serve themselves very poorly to be over confident. 

[HVC]

Have we had a France-Argentina final before?

... joke?

 
English humour.

I can never tell with our friend mongers haha

[mongers]

Have we had a France-Argentina final before?

... joke?

 
English humour.

Thanks Duque, but it's not sophisticated, question was just born out of sheer ignorance on my part. 

edit:
OK I search and turns out it was the last WC final, just show how little effect these things have on me.

 

[mongers]

Have we had a France-Argentina final before?

... joke?

 
English humour.

I can never tell with our friend mongers haha

HVC, just assume I'm thick and/or most political, cultural and recreational things I have very little interest in. 

[HVC]

Have we had a France-Argentina final before?

... joke?

 
English humour.

I can never tell with our friend mongers haha

HVC, just assume I'm thick and/or most political, cultural and recreational things I have very little interest in. 

fair enough