Monzanator

6 hours ago, dareza said:

 

Yugoslavian anthem Hej sloveni was the same as Polish anthem. Music was the same

Yes, but Polish is the original version. The Yugoslavian version was a copy

4 hours ago, EselTheDonkey said:

I voted yes. But they need to completely change the scoring system, like Figure Skating did.

Huh? They changed the scoring system to mirror the pro system because everyone knows Olympic boxing is only a rehearsal before the switch to pros. Likewise with removing the helmets.

6 hours ago, heywoodu said:

I very much hope the IAAF's site is wrong..

 

Any chance he might not be eligible for IAAF competitions, but it's no problem for a European Athletics competition?

This is an article from yesterday.

https://www.dn.pt/lusa/interior/pedro-pichardo-inscrito-preventivamente-por-portugal-nos-europeus-de-atletismo-9662095.html

Google translate says Pichardo was only entered "just in case" IAAF rules him eligible but the POR athletic fed. president says he probably won't be allowed to start?

We need someone speaking Portuguese here

11 hours ago, OlympicsFan said:

Does the polish federation really expect first place in medal table? I think GB will have the same goal.

I think 5 golds would be the best possible result for Poland and in my opinion GB has a good chance to win more golds (mens 100 m, mens 400 m, mens 4 x 400 m, mens 4 x 100 m, womens 100 m, womens 200 m, womens 1500 m, womens long jump, womens 4 x 100 m). Germany also has a small chance to win 5 golds or more (mens shot put, mens discus throw, mens javelin throw, mens triple jump, mens 20 km race walking, mens 10000 m, womens long jump, womens triple jump, womens shot put, womens 100 m hurdles, womens 3000 m SC), but is far more likely to finish 3rd in the medal table.

 

Yep, we won the medal table in Amsterdam and there's a genuine belief we can repeat as the #1 nation.

Fajdek or Nowicki plus Wlodarczyk in the hammer,  both 4x400 relays and Adam Kszczot in the 800m are the biggest favorites for gold. Then we have several outside chances which should bring some medals (Lisek/Wojechowski PV, Haratyk Shot Put, Guba Shot Put, Ennaoui 1500m, Lewandowski 1500m).

11 hours ago, heywoodu said:

Which is why simply posting a link to for example a website of the Polish federation would be helpful as well, there is indeed no need to copy-paste almost a hundred athletes here I think  

There you have it:

http://www.pzla.pl/file/3589-reprezentacja-polski-na-24-mistrzostwa-europy-berlin-6-12-sierpnia-2018.pdf

86 athletes in the Polish squad (most ever for EC). It's way too big for me to post it here

The expectations are to WIN the medal table so beware!  

Jakub Krzewina (400m) is out of the Champs with an Achilles tendom inflammation.

Umtiti was born in Cameroon and there was a report in the Polish media from a missionary on-site that the entire Cameroon cheered for Croatia in the final. I guess that was the case with all former French colonies

Maybe Giroud gets his goal too?

Killing it!

Just now, heywoodu said:

How can one know its 50/50 without using VAR?

These referee decisions are ALWAYS subjective.

Markus Merk once said: Penalty is not what it looks like from the stands, penalty is what I see on the pitch.

Couldn't agree more.

Game over IMO.

5 minutes ago, intoronto said:

All members of the Canadian tv panel agreed that was not a handball, including 2010 WC final referee Howard Webb

England is biased towards Argentina ever since Falklands War & Maradona's goal

5 minutes ago, crovitlaci said:

 

And what it is? Lucky own-goal and a controversial penalty?

Better be lucky than good. France is taking payback after the 1982/86 emotional defeats

France finally take a lesson from Germany. It's not the artistic impression that wins you matches.

Yes, they should IMO. It's the World Cup.

England have looked flat without the set-pieces and Kane ineffective. Sterling must be the most overrated player in the starting line-up. Both he and Alli have contributed literally nothing. Biggest winners are Maguire, Trippier and Pickford. Phil Jones looked like a block of wood out there. Given they've only beaten Panama, Tunisia and Sweden, I think this result will be overhyped going forward.

Belgium was a class above them even with Martinez as a coach.

6 minutes ago, LDOG said:

The first Croatian goal was a foul. Though, they weren't given a big penalty later to be fair.

It wasn't. The England defender lowered his head at waist level while trying to make a clearance. Not a foul IMO.

I'm sorry but Martinez can't wait until 90th minute to bring on the second striker! That was bad in-game coaching. Throw in two subs at the hour mark and roll on from there!

5 minutes ago, bestmen said:

this match will finish by tie 0-0 or 1-0 

far than festival of goals that i imagined 

Hmm.. Belgium didn't get your memo! They're pushing hard...

1 minute ago, thiago_simoes said:

In my mind, this match should have been the final. Whichever team wins the CRO-ENG match is not really up to the task of being World Champion, in my opinion. 

CRO/ENG will have one day less to recover plus they've played extra-time already. Physically either Belgium or France would be superior in the final IMO. Though all 4 teams have rested their starters in Week 3.

Just now, heywoodu said:

And since then, only 4 World Cups have been held in Europe, so that is a sample that says nothing  (not saying I expect a European in the final)

Outside of 1986 all non-UEFA based World Cup finals were given to UEFA refs though. I mean you can see the pattern when you ditch the sample and look at the big picture.

I just don't see an European referee in the final here. The last two Wc finals were given to UEFA refs already and now we have nothing but UEFA teams in the semis and the tournament itself is held in Europe. Just too much Europe involved. Btw, the last time an UEFA referee was given the WC final on European soil was 1974.

Faghani seems like the safest bet for the final. It would have probably been Irmatov before but he had a disappointing performance in the group stage and was send home early.