Oof.

More alarming for Spain than the 4-1 penalty (Mbappé just beating/pulled back by Porro, see some given and not) is again what could happen when France establish themselves in Spain's half. Rodri screening helps, plus two different CBs, but yeah, obviously this isn't Spain (or Yamal)'s strength...

Then 4-0, with Spain again so easily getting by France's midfield and turning Olise into a weakness... More of the same rather dependent on how much Spain go for it (+ Pedri just being better than he has been, with burnout sadly a predictable factor for him, or Olmo doing this stuff), but eek.

(That said, without seeing any replays showing lines, I'm surprised VAR didn't pull Yamal up with a side-on replay showing him to be I think slightly offside, but 🤷‍♂️...)

2nd half/ffs my Windows isn't activating after reinstalling. Two more mini-scares for Spain with what can happen if some of that French front four gets loose, plus more Hernandez... But then the penalty at the other end, with Koné dispossessed and Rabiot fouling for 3-0 (Yamal converting).

Just before half-time, another alarm for Spain turning it over and letting France's attackers pounce in transition. An obvious advertisement for Rodri being there.

Dembélé is indeed offside here, but I love Mbappé dropping, initiating, moving like this. For all the hype over the front four in general, how he's also been doing this stuff in this WC ‒ compared to how much he hung out at LW in 2022 ‒ may be the key feature of any French WC win, imho.

Now a look into what may happen if Spain do sit back and allow France to encamp themselves in their half, as has been customary for France in this WC. Couple of small/medium scares, and you'd expect Mbappé to put away the second with his current form, but again, (likely) no Hernandez now.

Zubimendi, who plays that deep pass through for the second here, also not starting now and Rodri and his somewhat more safe passing being in his place. But yeah, Rabiot is just poor for the first goal, while Koné has way too much space in midfield to keep track of for the second...

The fairly easy first two goals for Spain that come in quick succession. The big rebuttal for France is their backline being completely different now and they should just defend better, as well as Oyarzabal's form/Williams + Merino not starting. The real worry for me is midfield.

The good and bad of Rabiot, albeit with disclaimers of a) Huijsen, the defender who steps up and regains here, plus (probably, from the start) Williams not being present now, and b) some luck being involved in the second clip of playing through Spain's press.

More stuff going for/against each team that is/isn't likely to be there this time (from the start). Again, one of the main questions for me now is if Spain are willing to play+press high like this in a far more important semi-final and the fear of France's attack being greater.

And then this just a couple of minutes later, but stuff I *doubt* will happen given Oyarzabal's form these last two games, Williams almost certainly not starting/not being 100% and, going the other way, Théo Hernandez (who has another chance soon after) presumably not starting.

And already five minutes in, instructive stuff for both. France have some trouble playing out from Spain's pressing, looks like job done for Spain reposessing, but then Merino (starting here) is dispossessed by Dembélé and it's suddenly a clear breakaway that, well, is why opponents sit back.

A disclaimer that Koné's been good value in this WC, but...no wonder France kicking off now just kick it straight out of play deep in the opponent's half. 😅

On the other hand, should be an even stronger Spain midfield this time around, providing de la Fuente doesn’t muck it up and drop Olmo. Each side just having different CBs (and FBs in France’s case) this time around and more like the below Euro 2024 🇪🇸 2-1 🇫🇷 SF also eases defensive concerns.

2025 UNL SF line-ups, with 🇪🇸 trouncing 🇫🇷 for most of it (4-0 and then 5-1 around an hour in, deceptively finished 5-4). On the face of it, hugely alarming for 🇫🇷 that they had the same front six then, but while there’s indeed the potential there for 🇪🇸 to take advantage of that top heavy shape...

Beyond this graphic triggering me re: Tomislav Ivić's career... A good if (understandably) still imperfect job getting the 2018 cycle on track when parachuted in, then a lot of deeply frustrating utilisation and (avoided) team rebuilding since then, masked by a very flaky 2022 3rd-place campaign.

Anyway, how I'll remember CR7 by the end, despite the ridiculous goal tally and trophy haul. Singularities suck, in more senses than one.

Tyler: "We're all sorry to see [Ronaldo] go." No, it's this I miss, in a team that actually played. #PORESP

I'm not aghast at not moving him on as such ‒ lack of time until the AC and all that, it's frustrating but there's indeed enough logic there (and it gets to the AC's scheduling, not being more evenly in-between WCs). It's these words. Ro32 is fucking par at best, and the WCQ group wasn't difficult.

And 2026…*against* Colombia, and on the same day Egypt make the WC last 16 for the first time. Beautiful. Just in football terms and not to be really vindictive/personal, enough of Carlos Queiroz at the World Cup, please. #COLGHA #FIFAWorldCup

Serious mood

The third-place table

Most notable thing while watching #PARAUS so predictably be a painfully tolerated/celebrated nothingburger was seeing this from the other game and thinking back to how Thom Yorke was actually offered the chance to do the Fight Club soundtrack (turning it down due to post-OK Computer burnout).

All of Tunisia's WC results. One three-goal defeat their worst result until this WC, have now lost by four twice in succession. Yikes.

I wish it was the case as an overall goal difference > head-to-head tiebreaker guy, but for this World Cup, FIFA have changed it to head-to-head as the first tie-breaker. With Ivory Coast the only team that can catch Germany on points, Germany have won the group. digitalhub.fifa.com/m/636f5c9c6f...

On the other hand WRT wisdom of past tweets, catching up with #ECUCUW... bsky.app/profile/hira...