I wish I had. I did that earlier in the tournament and have no idea why I didn’t do it today
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Night off tomorrow
Time for bed
Awful game. The only good thing about it was the end, the actual end, when it was all over. They should show the game to hospital patients as a replacement for anaesthesia. I’m only just emerging from the torpor and I’m wondering whether I was in for a hip replacement.
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Just finished watching the replay I think the Socceroos would’ve beaten both sides. 
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I think Noway or England will be happy enough taking on Argentina or Switzerland, more predictable than Egypt or Columbia.
Except it looks like the fix is in with Argentina in general and St. Lionel in particular. Twas ever thus.
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Given the number of complaints racking up it’s bewildering to me that the complainants keep watching. If you want Infantino out and real change in football then watching the WC is likely the least likely way to move that forward.
I had at this stage anticipated watching most/many of the knockout out games when the real competition starts. To my surprise I’ve found it remarkably easy to relegate this stuff to just another headline and video to watch whilst having breakfast each day.
I loathe conspiracy theories, but the kid gloves treatment of Argentina is soooo blatant.
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Infantino and Thiefa are amazing - they seem now to have turned half the world against Lionel Messi. What the actual?!!
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It would be interesting to see those stats for previous WC’s. I have always had a feeling that Argentina have been favoured in the past. I’ve not been given to conspiracy theories though, just that refs seem to favour the better players, almost in awe of them.
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I wonder if it’s more that Argentina (and some other teams) commit so many fouls, that the ref. likely feels he would be considered in the wrong to card the same proportion as less dirty teams. However, given Norway are also up there and I’m not sure they’re considered a team of cheats, that is also questionable. Perhaps England and Norway each have an image issue, at different ends of the scale!
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A lot of top leagues are more entertainment than football. Where they also run the refs it’s no surprise these refs tend to protect the product. The likes of Duncan McKenzie, Stan Bowles et al wouid have killed for the protection modern players get.
Perhaps the fouls that England commit are a bit more “Chopper Harris” than other countries?
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Don’t know the answer to this one but conspiracy is very, very unlikely. Unconscious bias is a thing though and perhaps the games ‘legends’ get the benefit of it. That might explain Messi but not the other Argentinians surprising lack of cards.
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I think conspiracy is very unlikely too Stu, but given the results against Egypt and Croatia, and also the Balogun incident, as well as Ronsealo being allowed to play, I can see why many people think there are plots afoot.
Even if there is no conspiracy, it is testament to Thiefa’s monumental incompetence and mismanagement that this World Cup will be forever tainted by scandal and the whiff of corruption, despite some incredible games,some wonderful football and the Cabo Verde fairy story.
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I think it’s down to some teams coaching their players in the art of committing fouls and not being booked.
I’d say Man City do this.
I’d also say when Benitez was in charge of Liverpool, they where obvious coached how to bump and obstruct without conceding a foul.
Other teams obviously coach the dark art of getting opponents booked.
Arsenal 
England probably aren’t as organised as other teams.
England have received 7 yellows, but only 5 where for fouls.
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For anyone thinking conspiracy is too strong a word for what’s going on in the USA, just seen that all 5 officials (refs/assistants/4th official) for the France v Morocco game are Argentinian. Apart from the obvious risk of bias, given France is arguably Argentina’s main rival, it’s the first time all 5 officials have come from the same country. You really can’t ref a match involving your main rival with your own countrymen. Surely all officials at this stage should be clearly neutral? It all feels a bit Balugon/Egyptian. Even if it isn’t, appearances matter.
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Sounds good to me. 
England would definitely prefer not to play France in the final.
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