[WraithApe]

Well it's now officially a warm up for the World Cup, run every four years, one year prior to the actual WC. So Russia are there as hosts. The others are winners of their respective confederations; Portugal as European champions, and I guess, New Zealand as current Oceania champions. That would normally be Australia, but they now play in the Asian confederation and are there as Asia champions. I think there's also a place for current WC holder, hence Germany's inclusion.

 

[oqvist]

Anothe sure 3 pointer missed in the last minute. Road is paved for England and Slovakia now

 

[oqvist]

England through. Sweden had a bad hair day against Slovakia just wasn´t anywhere. Hopefully Slovakia goes through as best second should have a decent shot at it.

 

[oqvist]

Germany vs England went to penalties. Sorry if I spoiled the Winner! Just watched from last 15 min before over time but it was one team trying to win and the other not to loose just parning the bus. England had 3 days more rest maybe should have used it to try and wear Germany down before the shootout.

 

[WraithApe]

No worries about spoilers - I don't think anyone else is watching the U21 champs! it's certainly not on terrestrial TV here in the UK.

 

[oqvist]

There is surely people watching

Watched Chile vs Portugal. Why don´t they use the video cameras? They are just there for show? Chile got robbed on a 110 % penalty and they don´t check it??? Good to see they won in the end so justice was served anyway.

 

[WraithApe]

The Confeds Cup has been used a testing ground for VAR, and what it's shown is there is a long way to go before it's a viable option. It's been used inconsistently or not at all for the most part. The refs are supposed to use it for contentious decisions, but by and large they're ignoring it and still going with gut instinct, which is wrong half the time. When they do use it, they jog over to the sidelines to take a look at it for themselves - that's what they've got a remote team with earpieces for! The team is also supposed to be able to recommend reviewing a particular decision, but that hasn't happened - or if it has, the refs have just been ignoring their recommendations. The whole system is a mess at present and would be farcical as it stands if rolled out for WC Russia 2018. I personally think technology can't come soon enough, but it needs to be done right.

 

[WraithApe]

Rooting for Mexico against Germany tonight!

 

[oqvist]

That they don´t use it is no excuse for it´s not being a viable option! Technologue is there. So many conservatists in football. It´s good in the most important way though no god damn power breaks for commercials. It ruined the once great game hockey that do so much right but the capitalism is demolishing it!

 

[WraithApe]

That they don´t use it is no excuse for it´s not being a viable option! Technologue is there. So many conservatists in football.

I know! I said, I agree with using technology - but the current state of VAR is a farce, it needs serious improvement in its implementation before the next WC.

 

[oqvist]

I know! I said, I agree with using technology - but the current state of VAR is a farce, it needs serious improvement in its implementation before the next WC.

What is wrong with it though more then that they don´t know how to use it? Have Blatter taking bribes and bought tech from the ´90s:s. As corrupt football is that wouldn´t surprise me tbh.

 

[WraithApe]

What is wrong with it though more then that they don´t know how to use it? Have Blatter taking bribes and bought tech from the ´90s:s. As corrupt football is that wouldn´t surprise me tbh.

Nothing - but the fact they don't seem to know how to use it is a worry. They need to get their act together is all I was saying.

 

[WraithApe]

So does anyone understand this Neymar transfer (and I don't mean the staggering sum involved, not sure anyone understands that!)? Reading today that La Liga have rejected PSG's payment but what's it got to do with them? Isn't it purely a transaction between PSG and Barca?

 

[Raketen]

So does anyone understand this Neymar transfer (and I don't mean the staggering sum involved, not sure anyone understands that!)? Reading today that La Liga have rejected PSG's payment but what's it got to do with them? Isn't it purely a transaction between PSG and Barca?

It seems that the league has some right to adjudicate transfers to make sure everything is above board in terms of payments and the UEFA Financial Fair Play rules, so they were trying to delay the transfer by saying PSG hadn't actually paid up to the release clause yet, and then refusing payment saying the details weren't transparent enough or something... but it looks like the situation is resolved with Barcelona themselves accepting the payment and saying they will provide UEFA with all the details of the transaction or somesuch.

http://www.espnfc.us/story/3171271/la-liga-refuses-to-accept-psg-cash-for-barcelonas-neymar
http://www.espnfc.us/story/3171488/...contract-after-accepting-222-million-euro-fee

 

[WraithApe]

Gotcha. When this deal goes through, it should have a snowball effect in the market. First up, Barca looking to Mbappe or Coutinho to fill that Neymar-shaped void with 222m EUR burning a hole in their back pocket; good bit of business I reckon!