The Syndicate

Just found out I only get 2 round of 16 games instead of the four I’d expect. Might need dunyas links at that point!

But I wouldn’t have time for more than that anyway. And I can’t watch live, it’s all overnight.

dunya wrote: ↑Sat Jun 16, 2018 7:51 pm @Golden, why are you limited to the 1 game? Is that all your tv broadcasts or is it a choice / timezone constraint?

If anyone needs an excellent free stream, lmk. I'll pm you link.

It’s what I get without paying.

What I actually get

Serbia/Switzerland (cool... I like it,,, cos I get Iceland later)
South Korea/Mexico (what??? zero Germany games?)
Poland/Colombia
Uruguay/Russia
Iceland/Croatia
Sweden/Mexico (and only one Brazil game...)
England/Belgium

All up a pretty decent line up, I'll take it. Surprised at no Germany, no France, only one Brazil. The only real gripe I have is Russia/Egypt. Just because it's in Russia doesn't mean they need to give me every Russia game.

Hopefully they'll do decent quarterfinals. Won't find that out until next week.

I have to stick to watching the one game I get each day. Some of them aren't my preference.

So I get:

Portugal/Spain (good, although Morocco/Iran might have been fun)
Peru/Denmark (definitely the pick of the day, but I hope I get to see Iceland at some point)
Brazil/Switzerland (definitely)
Tunisia/England (dull and boring - give me Belgium vs Panama - might skip this one possibly)
Russia/Egypt (ugh, just because Russia are the hosts... Poland/Senegal would have been much better)
Portugal/Morocco (Sounds good)
Argentina/Croatia (should be fun)

And that reminds me that the following weeks listings should be out today so I need to go find them.

If I could have my choice, for the rest I'd get

Nigeria/Iceland (but will probably get Brazil/Costa Rica)
Germany/Sweden
Poland/Colombia (but I bet we get England again)
Uruguay/Russia (this day has lots of good options, but I can live with three Russias to see a Uruguay)
Iceland/Croatia (I'll get Denmark/France probably)
Brazil/Serbia (Sweden/Mexico would be just fine too)
Senegal/Colombia (but we'll get England vs Belgium, which is ok).

Looks like I'm probably sentenced to either no Belgium or no Senegal, ugh.

If you could watch just one game per day, which would you pick?

PS Tunisia sounds like tuna and now I keep thinking about fish.

dunya wrote: ↑Wed Jun 13, 2018 8:47 pmdisgraceful decision by the ref.

We should totally have been allowed to lose to Netherlands in the round of 16.

dunya wrote: ↑Wed Jun 13, 2018 8:41 pm I dont remember that game, but Italy came out last in the group. I guess if NZ had won, then Slovakia would have been kicked out of the group stages :o I'll have to see the penalty call for myself cos you're definitely biased.

Yeah, go find it!

dunya wrote: ↑Wed Jun 13, 2018 8:16 pm I had to revisit WC 2010 to refresh my memory on NZ's games. I don't remember them but wow you drew every single game in a group with Paraguay, Slovakia and Italy. you guys were probably playing full defence mode.

Italy were given a penalty late in the game that was thoroughly undeserved to save them from missing out. It absolutely felt like an attempt to ensure a big name didn't get eliminated.

Mark Paston should just about have been given the golden glove, and might have been if we'd had the chance to prove it in knockout games. We didn't go full defence (although our defenders were decently strong), but realistically it was our goalkeeper that kept us about. But it's not like we are known for our scintillating strikers and midfielders. Although Smeltz was pretty decent and now Chris Wood has become pretty good too.

PS we were cheated in 2010.

And yet New Zealand and Australia keep beating England in nearly everything that England cares about (Football being the only exception).

It’s remarkable how little Kiwis care about football. We call it soccer. We have one professional team. When we do well (eg 2010) people suddenly care, and then immediately forget about it again straight afterwards.

dunya wrote: ↑Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:52 pm

Golden wrote: ↑Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:37 pm Why is everyone going for Russia? Just home advantage, or history? Seems to me they are in turmoil, they don't seem like a great chance to win or qualify. I guess they do have a weaker pool though.

Have you seen Saudi Arabia play?

also host countries always have a push of motivation. They have an easy group; between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, I don't see Russia struggling to get second place out of the group after Uruguay. Egypt's strongest weapon was Mo Salah and he had a shoulder injury recently (though he will be playing...). If Egypt win Russia in these group stages, it'll be a great upset (for me...not Russians ). I'd love to see that. Unlikely, though.

Have I seen any of these teams play?

I can't actually remember if I watched anything in 2014 now. I just remember that I drew Netherlands out of the hat. I need one of those hats.

Why is everyone going for Russia? Just home advantage, or history? Seems to me they are in turmoil, they don't seem like a great chance to win or qualify. I guess they do have a weaker pool though.