Then it's Nigeria versus Gylfi Sigurdsson's Iceland in Volgograd, with the latter able to take a huge step towards the second phase if they can manage a victory.
The final match of day nine sees Serbia clash with Switzerland in Kaliningrad with the Serbs able to confirm their progress to the knockout phase if they can take all three points.
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In fact, that was what brought Tunisia down. The defender was arsing about by the corner flag when he should have kicked the ball against the England player for a throw-in. And this is from someone who loves the way John Stones plays!
The moral of the story – you amend your defensive tactics dependent on the way the opposition play.
The rubbish truck passed by 3 hours earlier than normal to ensure they finish before the game starts. An unofficial public holiday has been declared (certainly in my city) to ensure workers see the game.
So if you are in Brazil, don't fall sick today 'cos the hospitals have skeleton staff! If you are outside the country and have visa problems to get back into Brazil, around game time is a good time to sneak back into the country as the border guards will be more concerned with watching the game.
A Welsh mate of mine, married to a Brazilian, did just that 2-3 World Cups ago! It worked!
Brazilians expect, but are a little nervous after the opening game draw – the first time since 1978 they have failed to win the opening game – thus putting them under a wee bit of pressure to get a result today. And the shockwaves of Argentinians thumping last night reverberate with them.
I talked up Brazil's chances and the qualities of the coach, Tite, before the tournament kicked off. I thought he wasn't at his best against Switzerland. Switzerland are set up on defensive solidity and have big units all over the park.
Tite went a little too gung-ho and didn't really adjust things in-game as Switzerland came back into it.
He is definitely missing the injured Dani Alves as the replacement Danilo barely got over the half way which both Alves and Marcello do so well in support of the attack.
Danilo is injured and Fagner comes in – a more attack-minded full-back, so that might improve them.
With 9 wins and a single 1-0 defeat in 10 previous meetings with Costa Rica, Brazil are firm favourites. Costa Rica aren't as potent as 4 years ago when they were excellent, so it will be a major shock if they get any sort of result.
I hope to see Bryan Oviedo on the pitch at some time, too.
Forca Brasil!
Delighted for the lad.
Brazil is showing nothing – nothing at all – of the scintillating style they displayed in qualifying under Tite.
Neymar is clearly not fully fit. Remember when Rooney and Beckham were rushed back for World Cups after metatarsal injuries and how undercooked they looked? Neymar is looking the same.
Tite has a job on his hands to galvanise his team. Brazilians I'm watching the game with are subdued, unimpressed and distinctly concerned how their team has performed in the tournament to date, not just in this game.
Does anyone feel that this World Cup is very physical? Lots of fouls and hard challenges so far. For me, Modric is the man of the tournament so far. He is really going to be missed when he retires.
I can't see a definite favourite yet but I would love to see Croatia win it.
Maybe they just about deserved it with a slightly improved 2nd half, but playing like this we are not seeing the likely champions.
Anyone outside of Brazil probably doesn't see or hear it, but here in Brazil they have a camera and effects mic following Tite the manager on the sideline, picking up his comments.
In the first half, when the ref spoke with Neymar in the Brazil penalty area for jostling at a Costa Rica corner, signalling to him firmly to cut out the chat, Tite was then shouting repeatedly to his #10 to 'Shut it, stop talking.'
As you saw, Neymar was petulant all game. Towards the end, when two Costa Rica players went down to eat up time, one after commiting a foul on Neymar, the other feigning injury from an innocent raised arm by Marcelo, Neymar – already on a yellow card, and lucky not to have received a 2nd yellow for his simulation in the overturned VAR penalty decision - was again getting lippy with the ref.
The excellent Dutch raise gently laid a hand on Neymar to calm him and Neymar leapt back in indignation, repeating in Portuguese "Don't touch me! Don't touch me!"
Yes, he scored the 2nd goal, laid on a plate for him. But he is clearly not 100%. He hasn't regained that explosive pace from a starting position he has that can carry him past and beyond players. His touch is not quite there.
And as his emotional tearful reaction at the final whistle demonstrated, he is feeling the pressure of expectancy upon his shoulders.
I would have taken Neymar off earlier and replaced him with Firmino and kept Jesus on the pitch.
Tite, having shown such a sure touch in the qualifiers, has messed with his default line-up. In the qualifiers, he rarely had both Willian and Coutinho on the pitch at the same time. It was one or the other.
Similarly, Fernandinho was a mainstay at the heart of the midfield. He hasn't been starting. Tite needs to go back to that template and he will have a better-balanced team, because his big players are not producing yet.
Besides Neymar being off-colour, Marcelo is being uncharacteristically wasteful in possession, as is Casimiro. Willian is peripheral, Coutinho a little better but has contributed 2 goals. Gabriel Jesus for me has played better than all of them, but can't do it all on his own.
Ironically, before the World Cup for 3 weeks each night on the national news they profiled each player, with comments from Tite. He described Paulinho as 'the invisible man', in the sense of his ability to 'ghost' into the opposition penalty area undetected and pop up with vital goals at critical times.
The invisible Paulinho we are seeing at this World Cup is the one Spurs fans are more familiar with in his time there: invisible in the sense he contributed nothing to the team.
Brazil need to improve a lot, in many areas and many individuals, to be considered likely contenders at this World Cup.
That was Iceland's shot at getting back in it. On the back of a dumb foul by Nigeria, too.
The guy may be maddening or inconsistent but he's got quality stardust and is a match winner, was the one shining light in a terrible Stoke team and even Stoke fans I knew admitted he was several levels above what they could offer him.
I'd rather have an inconsistent Shaqiri that a consistently shite bunch of players that we currently possess on our books.
He's lazy. He'd infuriate Evertonians as he'd completely check out and couldn't be bothered in a bunch of games.
He's got talent. His switch-flipping attitude would cause frustration and locker room angst.
I'll pass. Build a team. Shaquiri isn't a team player.
That's him in a nutshell.
Proper cockwomble this lad, brutish and very skillful. 1/5 he turns it on. Wouldn't waste my breath.
Sometimes though us Evertonians have become too accustomed to these “dogs of war†hero's and too intolerant of “flair playersâ€
Always putting players in cult status because the simply put a shift in.
Of course I want players to put a shift in and work hard but sadly hard work alone hasn't exactly been overproductive at this club in terms of success yielded.
Am I all that evil for actually wanting a player at Everton next season that might just be capable of doing something that might get me off my seat rather than simply applauding another effortless run to a corner flag by Calvert-Lewin etc?
The cream usually scrape through to the knockout stage when they up the ante and then the real action starts.
Remember how well Besic played at the last World Cup but failed to reproduce after Everton signed him.
However, people like Shaqiri can be very annoying to watch and I don't think he would be an asset at Everton having watched him at Stoke last season.
Some players are putting themselves in the shop window in Russia to see which club will bite and offer them the big money deal.
No not at all. You're not evil at all for wanting an Everton player with skill who gets you out of your seat.
I just don't think Shaquiri is that man.
Find a young Arteta.
You're thoughts are excellent and I agree – we do need something, some player, to get us excited and to bring real flair and talent to our club – especially in midfield! We both agree on the end game. It's just that I don't think Shaquiri is the guy.
I can see how signing “Chucky†Lozano would qualify as a special kind of "bums off seats" attacking player but I think that might have been a deal that should have been done prior to his World Cup exposure.
But yes, we do need that kind of signing .
He wouldn't be a guaranteed starter, which could push him to try harder. But he'd offer international quality competition for Sigurdsson. He can play as a midfielder or as a forward, thus also offering an alternative to Walcott on wide right.
Still hopeful on Lozano – if we have money for one marquee signing, he would be the one. No way should Lozano go to someone like Man City or Barca, he wouldn't play and they'd ruin him. If he came, even at 㿔 million, I could see us doubling or tripling our money in 3 years.
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1 Posted 22/06/2018 at 06:17:01
The Argentinians were pissing about at the back in the first half. The arl fella and me were Whatsapping – "Can't do that at this level. Don't play together enough. Will end in disaster."
Good call that man!
For a top top player Messi body language was telling. The Belgians and Croatians have impressed me the most so far.
The Nigerians really have to win. Iceland just has to avoid defeat. A Nigerian win and they know a draw against Argentina takes them through. A draw sets up Iceland nicely, as it secures top spot in the group for Croatia and makes their last match absolutely meaningless for the Croats. An Icelandic win and the Croats would still have something to play for on matchday 3, so I suspect they'd prefer to draw and take their chances against disinterested Croatians.