World Cup: Day 11

Go Aussies. Great goal.

Can the Danes save their bacon??

So I'm guessing Australia now has more "sometimes" fans than America?

Way to go, Socceroos!!!!

It's just VAR madness.

He's not gaining any advantage because it's played back to him (not offside) by a defender!

The game's gone.

Proud to be an Aussie today! Well done lads. Let's hope for a Poland win as I fancy them in the knockout round over Argentina.

Brett,

Novel concept, being happy your country won. Are you sure there's not an Australian Prime Minister from 40 years who you dislike that she prevent you from supporting your country? Or does that only preclude England fans from being able to support their team?

Anyway, congrats. One of my good friends is an Aussie and he was not optimistic before the tournament. I am happy you lot won. You tend to have teams that are greater than the sum of your parts. Good luck in the next round.

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong under the shade of a Coolibah tree!

Well, Mike is giving it a bit of a rest but after that performance yesterday there is yet another reason why letting Antonee Robinson go was a failure. He is rightfully receiving praise for his sportsmanship, a decent man and a damn good footballer.

Still here, Dale. Just holding an icepack on my privates in solidarity with Pulisic, so I can't type much.

Kinky!

Just I've done cos that was never a penalty

Michael

Agreed that was ludicrous but it could backfire now as Messi might start thinking it's not gonna be his day.

Never a penalty, really weak decision. Delighted the keeper saved it, brilliant save and pushed it out of play too, awesome stuff.

Just ridiculous and laughable penalty decision. Great save. Justice served. But how on earth are these so-called professional referees, with all the benefits of video, making so many terrible decisions?
Time maybe to abandon VAR. The decisions are not going to be any worse.

Var is ruining the game and is now being run by armchair supporters who are slowly taking the genuine excitement like scoring out of the game while they take a couple of minutes to got back to off sides, if that doesn't work how far back can they find a poor tackle and to save face ask the referee to look at the TV as they think he made a mistake and the referee normally will agree with them.

I'm starting to think it needs abandoning for subjective decisions. Just use it for offsides and goal-line technology.

It's highly debatable whether the VAR has improved subjective decisions, often it makes a worse decision than the real-time referee's gut decision on what he sees.

It's meant to stop possible corruption but it seems the VAR is creating a perfect environment for corrupt decisions to be guaranteed when required.

Really interesting. If things remain as they are, Poland will make the second round and Mexico will go home... because they have more yellow cards.

Seriously Mike? A Polish player has just been booked for nothing imo. They are so very condescending these referees, although they are talking about drawing lots on the television here.

Tony #18

It's only lots if Poland end up with the same number of yellow cards as Mexico.

I hope Poland get eliminated in the next 5 minutes. I don't know why they bothered turning up with this negative shite.

Mexico out!

Great day. Mexico out.

See ya later El Tri!

Looks like Mexico out, Poland in. Mexico had a goal scored against them in the last couple of minutes in extra time.

Crying Mexican fans. Lovely.

You are no gentleman Gringo.

Paul,

My Grandad was Polish so I always try to root for them but time after time they are so boring and negative. They rarely get the ball to Lewandowski and, when they do, he usually wastes it in the big tournaments. France won't have to get out of second gear to beat them.

As for Mexico? Too little, too late. They were also boring and negative up until tonight. Shame Ecuador can't progress instead of either of them.

Is it a France v England, quarter final, if they can both win their next game?

Tony,

Unfortunately. Yes.

I thought I saw Funes Mori our former player, playing for Mexico tonight, turned out it was his twin brother.

I thought Messi showed shocking sportsmanship and arrogance, after an innocuous foul by Lewandowski, who tapped him to apologise, and he completely ignored him.

Yep, Christy, Rogelio Funes Mori has been one of the top scorers in the Mexican league for years, and he changed his citizenship last year.

Christy,

You thought that was confusing, how about Neco Williams and Nico Williams? And then Nico who plays for Spain has a brother who plays for Ghana.

Some really entertaining games yesterday and today and the usual ''unexpected'' results in some games.

Still cannot fathom that stupid change in the offside calls.

Why the hell they cannot go back to what it was and flag as soon as a player is off. It just wastes time and energy. Just call it when there is clear daylight between the player and the defender.

Another beef is corner kicks. Why does the referee always enter a bunch of players who are jostling each other before the kick is taken? Can't he just let the kick be taken and then call the first infringement he sees?

Sometimes I really think some of the people running the game are idiots.

Congratulations to Australia getting through. Great Goal.

To me there's more than a hint of "The Emperor's New Clothes" in this World Cup.

Australia have 24-year-old Harry Souttar, a 6'-6" Stoke City centre-back (55 appearances in six seasons) in their defence. Stoke loaned him out for several seasons to those centres of football excellence Ross County and Fleetwood Town.

So, is he (and various others in "lesser" clubs who are thriving in their national teams) someone we should be looking at, or is our scouting team lacking in a significant way, or is the World Cup mostly mundane in terms of the type exhilarating skill we used to take for granted watching Eusebio, Pele, Cruyff, Zico, Socrates, Maradona, Platini and so many more?

I think the Danes go down for the moment as the tournament's biggest turds (albeit they're probably just keeping the seat warm for Belgium until tomorrow) – zero goals against Tunisia and Australia? Sheesh. Mexico were a huge disappointment, but at least they went down swinging.

Glad I wasn't the only one who thought he was losing his mind when it looked like Mexico brought Ramiro Funes Mori on... as an attacker.

Bill Gienapp

Yep. A Sterling dive away from the Euros final. Waltz through qualifying. Beat France twice in a year and then …. No wins, no goals. Big letdown. That said, I thought they were greater than the sum of their parts so I guess now they're showing their level.

I'm kinda sad I always had a thing for Denmark since 86, Preben Elkjaer, Hummel et al but they really fell flat on their faces. But yeah, I agree, Belgium will be next. De Bruyne saying they're too old, Hazard denying there is dissension in camp while also saying whoever leaked it should be kicked out of the team.

I fancy Morocco to win the group with Croatia second. But if Martinez gets the sack, Ian Edwards will be happy as his biggest fan, expecting him to return to Everton.

Our Mike (Gaynes) Everton story featuring on the official site

Well done, Mike, what a brilliant story exquisitely told.

Thanks, guys.

There you go, Mike. I told you to enter your story. Well done.

Great story, Mike. When's your next visit?

Mike,

Your story is heart-warming, but that picture? Did you guys just get put on stand-by after auditioning for Usual Suspects?

Don 34 - he's been scouted for a while.

Rogues Gallery, Darren.

Peter, I already made my second visit, in December 2018. I stopped off in England on the way home from a European choir tour. I had the honor of accompanying Dave Abrahams to Anfield for what turned out to be the Pickford Derby. (Tony got me my ticket.) And met up with many of the same fine lads.

I'm hoping to come over again this spring.