2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Thread

[nocho]

I think Germany will choke. They only play well against Portuguese-speaking teams.

 

[ThERat]

The Dutch didn't score in 240 minutes of quarter and semi finals, doubt they can complain about being kicked out.

I think the winner tonight is seemingly Germany, but football doesn't work that way. I just hope we don't see a final that follows the pattern (bar the Ger - Bra game) of the knock out stages. Pretty ordinary, in fact boring stuff.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

The number of people who don't appreciate defense astounds me.

Robben is brilliant, and one of the fastest players in the world...Argentina had him marked at every touch the Dutch had for 120 minutes.

Messi routinely makes runs through multiple defenders and leaves them sprawled in his wake...the Dutch stripped the ball from him multiple times and made him look very ordinary.

With three of the world's finest targets up front the Dutch could never find an open forward pass...that's not boring, that's excellence.

I thought the game was great.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Robben interview showing he's a great sportsman, even in defeat.

 

[Rik Meleet]

Terrible game, boring. Germany wins the World Cup.

Germany is weak in the switch from attack to defense and if Messi becomes the 'real Messi' and the Argentine defense as solid as tonight an Argentine shock victory is very possible.

 

[Sofista]

@Timsup2nothin: I know superb defending when I see it, and that was undoubtedly the case tonight. But with subpar attacking on both sides (let's be thorough and distinguish, however: while Robben wasn't as decisive as the Orange would have hoped, he tried and tried again; Messi was barely visible) it just translated into 120 minutes of slogging under the rain.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

@Timsup2nothin: I know superb defending when I see it, and that was undoubtedly the case tonight. But with subpar attacking on both sides (let's be thorough and distinguish, however: while Robben wasn't as decisive as the Orange would have hoped, he tried and tried again; Messi was barely visible) it just translated into 120 minutes of slogging under the rain.

It's always hard to separate poor offense from good defense, just like the number of people fawning over the 'awesome German goal machine' need to really consider that Brazil literally did not defend...they didn't play poor defense, they actually didn't defend at all. Overall, I think both teams today showed much more, albeit defense that they showed, than either team did yesterday.

 

[Sofista]

Granted the Brazilian defense yesterday panicked like a flock without its shepherd (Thiago Silva) at the first sign of trouble. But previously the German backs have accounted themselves finely, and Brazil's ineffectiveness merely does not alter the impression. I... simply believe that both teams today were just too 'buttoned up' to really construct the chances they should have. Right now Van Gaal repents the choice (although he had less alternatives forward), good luck Argentina come Sunday! (I remain skeptic).

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that Germany isn't a very strong team with great offensive capability...just saying they had no opportunity to really show that yesterday because frankly the way Brazil abdicated there are a lot of teams that could have scored seven. I think some of my local park league teams could have scored at least a few. I know there are teams playing in beer leagues across Brazil that could have scored a few.

 

[dutchfire]

Neither team really deserved a win, I wish we would have gotten it though.

Ron Vlaar was very good today.

 

[Sofista]

...

But hey, we're agreeing! Yesterday's Brazil was a ragtag team praying for a miracle. It was no test for Germany, which makes the wild claims 8understandably) making the rounds of German fan gatherings, but it does not take away from the merits of their team. it was... agonistic training-cum-confidence boost.

Ron Vlaar was very good today.

Best of the Oranges... until the penalty. Everyone here has been there (me, in '94), man.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

Neither team really deserved a win, I wish we would have gotten it though.

Ron Vlaar was very good today.

Vlaar was brilliant...Kuyt was great...Janmaat came into a position where Martins Indi had been eaten alive and closed it down. DeVrij was rock solid.

There was nothing about the Dutch play today that I wouldn't be proud of. When they had possession they couldn't make a pass forward, but it wasn't for lack of effort or ability there was just no openings. Their crosses were ineffective, but it isn't like they left open guys in the box gone begging. Again, there were just no openings.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

But hey, we're agreeing!

Yeah we are. The other critical point here is that Germany played a day earlier and won in a walk while Argentina played grueling defense for 120 minutes a day later. Clearly advantage Germany.

 

[Sofista]

On page 166 I wrote, among other things, that Germany

...have an extra day to rest, spent a hour yesterday playing something like a summer friendly, and are a team of skillful players who can find each other very easily on the pitch...

We're on the same page. All hail our new German overlords...

 

[madviking]

vlaar and garay were probably the two best players on each side.

robben stepped up in aet while messi seemed to go awol

 

[kronic]

That was really boring.

As for the final, meh, every match is a new match.

 

[Tatran]

The final will be a formality.
Actually, this world cup was dead after the second German goal (Klose), yesterday.
Argentina has less quality and the whole team is composed around Messi unlike Germany which is a real team.
They remind me somehow of Guardiola's Barcelona.
And, I'm glad we (the Dutch) are out. We would be easy prey in the final (less quality + 240 minutes gameplay).

 

[Takhisis]

Whee. Netherlands-Germany finale. Argentina, with all due respect, has no chance, even with Messi. It's because of the mind-reading goalkeeper, you see.

How accurate a diagnosis can one do?

The number of people who don't appreciate defense astounds me.

Robben is brilliant, and one of the fastest players in the world...Argentina had him marked at every touch the Dutch had for 120 minutes.

Messi routinely makes runs through multiple defenders and leaves them sprawled in his wake...the Dutch stripped the ball from him multiple times and made him look very ordinary.

With three of the world's finest targets up front the Dutch could never find an open forward pass...that's not boring, that's excellence.

I thought the game was great.

The game had very good defending, that can be appreciated (all those good attackers on either side being nullified!) but that doesn't make for a spectacularitastic game such as either side's 3-2 victories in the group stage.

The final will be a formality.
Actually, this world cup was dead after the second German goal (Klose), yesterday.
Argentina has less quality and the whole team is composed around Messi unlike Germany which is a real team.
They remind me somehow of Guardiola's Barcelona.
And, I'm glad we (the Dutch) are out. We would be easy prey in the final (less quality + 240 minutes gameplay).

I had whoever faced Germany as the underdog for next Sunday, but anything can happen. The Germans (who, in the end, always win) are still the favourites, I think.

 

[BirraImperial]

The curtain is about to come down for this World Cup.

Third Place Playoff:

Brazil vs Netherlands 12 Jul 2014 17:00 Estadio Nacional Brasilia

FINAL:

Germany vs Argentina 13 Jul 2014 16:00 Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro.

 

[ThERat]

I never watch 3rd place matches, but I wouldn't mind to see Netherlands beat Brazil 5-0 ok ok, that was evil, but in all honesty, why do they have such matches?