World Cup 2014 Brazil (Page 5 of 6)

In the new day's cold reflection of the US team's performance,  they had grit but lacked the talent to get there. Without Howard playing the game of his life they had no chance at all, but still came close to stealing a win. Wondolevski's miss of the header at point blank range will live on in infamy here. He's branded for life. To quote the Belgian coach, ... "for my heart, please don't let me go through this again."
Perhaps this WC will ignite a spark to play the game in one of the millions of youngsters that has the talent to become a truly great player. Klinsman can deliver the team if given the talent and I hope he stays on. That is the difference at the highest levels. We don't have one... yet.
I'm really looking forward to the rest of the matches. A truly great World Cup this time. All the teams left standing are excellent and there is no clear favorite in my eyes. One player will step up and be the difference. One team will find the heart to go all the way.
Rick

I saw the same. The linesman called offsides, the referee ignored the call but since it went over the bar it made no difference. The replay showed him not offsides but it is moot. A footnote of the what iffs roster.

2 completely different games tonight.

France-Germany - tactical, with chances few and far between. That the Germans got the early goal meant the French had to come at the Germans and make a game of it. The changes that Germany made to their side pretty much negated what the French could do. Klose and Müller kept the French defence busy, and although France, and Benzema had chances they never looked like beating Neuer who stands out as the most accomplished goalkeeper in the game at the moment.

Hummels goal direct from a free kick settled it, and I might add from a kick needlessly given away, but more of that later.
Germany did what they had to do and France just didn't have enough to get them through. Lahm had another terrific game for Germans. Müller ran his socks off as ever. One nagging problem for Germans is that the left side of team doesn't work at all in this formation. Özil is stuck out there and get no support from Howedes who is a defensive player mostly. So, it means that there is little width to the German game in this formation. I hope they revert to the 3 across the back and I'd love to see Draxler get a chance, but at this late stage with so much to lose(and win) Löw won't risk it.

Brazil/Columbia was a fantastic spectacle of 2 extremes. On the one hand it was ruined by the incompetence of the referee whose refusal to stamp his authority on the game meant that this match set a new WC record of 52 fouls, with another 15 that were not given. His resistance to punish offenders meant that the stupid players (and they really are stupid) believed they could foul at will. Neymar was carried off after another ridiculous assault. Hopefully the injury is not serious, but if it is then the ref is to blame.

The other extreme was one of the highest tempo all out matches I have ever seen at this level. This Brazil seem to know no other way. The defending is agricultural, the fouling persistent. They have no midfield and the ball is just pumped up to Neymar in the hope of a breakaway and a goal. Both their goals came from set pieces and other than that tonight they had little to offer. Fred is a waste of space and Hulk just wasteful. Without Neymar they are a dead duck and with him they are pretty much a one trick pony. I can't see Germany playing at this tempo or allowing it and the German defence will be too good. On Paper Brazil are out next Tuesday by my book, but miracles do happen. If the will of the people pulls them through who knows. Hopefully Germany will put them to the sword.

Columbia? They got sucked into the helter skelter of Brazils gung ho game plan and paid for it.   After the second goal they started to play football as Brazil tired and became more desperate and made the Brazilians look extremely ordinary. If they had done that from the off they might be celebrating now.

An interesting night of football. Strange that a European ref (Spanish) could be so poor. One of the few yellows he did issue was to Brazils captain Silva. He had no choice. Interfering with the keeper as he is about to kick the ball is one of the most obvious punishable fouls out there. Thats what I mean about the total ignorance and stupidity of the modern player. To get a yellow and now be banned from the next game for such a ridiculous offence. Maybe Nike film of clone footballers isn't such a bad idea. At least they could be programmed with the rules................

Just when you think you have seen it all, something happens to surprise you all over again.

No, not Arjen Robben attempting spend a game on his feet, actually the Dutchman was brilliant last night and virtually carried the Dutch team on his own at times. He and Dirk Kuyt were magnificent.

No the surprise comes from LVG who, with seconds remaining opted to swap keepers. It was certainly borne out as an inspired decision with Krul making the necessary saves to see Holland through. I'm glad it did as there has rarely been a more one sided game.

Holland did everything, had chances, but always Navas was there to thwart them. I honestly believe penalties could see them go out but Van persie managed to do one thing right all evening and the other 4 were just as good. So Holland are deservedly there. Here's hoping they can go all the way as they will be worthy finalists.

In the other game Belgium were a massive disappointment. I tipped them for an upset but it never looked on. Was it me or were they almost a full yard slower than the Argentinians everywhere?
The early goal gave Argentina the advantage and despite some scares I thought they were not really troubled. Belgium were ponderous in the build up, could not counter attack and were scandalously wasteful with the ball. On this performance they were wildly overrated.

The news about Neymar is very sad. As I said in a previous post I feel the ref is solely to blame for the way the game degenerated into a foul contest. Mehmet Scholl (X Bayern/Germany) is the resident expert on TV here and he was positively seething at the end of the game, clearly very upset at what he considered to be the referee's abject abandonment of his duty to manage the players. He was right.

A serious injury was sustained and not even punished as he played advantage to Brazil! Zuninga has failed to even apologise. No way was this a 'normal' challenge. Normal in that game perhaps, but more judicious refereeing earlier on might have brought a better standard of play. There should have been at least 8 yellows and a minimum of 2 reds in that game.

This referee's name should be expunged from FIFA's list.

Louis van Gaal - got his tactics spot on .... again!  It was a big gamble to change keepers when he did - but apparently, this was all pre-planned, if the game went into ET/ Penalties!

I can't wait for the 14/15 season to start!  It's going to be a bumpy, exciting times for all Manchester United players/fans alike !

Agreed I an. Good article. He covers a plethora of subjects. Easy to say on here now, but being the harbinger of doom that I am, I was saying to friends here before the comp that I thought Brazil would be lucky if they got away without a stadium disaster.
Whilst the capacities of the stadia are modest now, bearing in mind the Maracana's previous capacity (was it really 200k?), I just thought Brazil's overall tardiness in management and construction could be the recipe for a calamity. I've seen various reports regarding black-market ticketing, so imagining a scenario where capacity became swollen at one of their matches in, as Samuels remarked, an untested facility, isn't that difficult.
We've been spared that so far, and the reports regarding the collapsed overpass have been seemingly swept aside. Didn't make much of a headline in Germany after the initial report.

I agree totally with his views on the fouling aspect though. As we saw in Robben's last match he was the epitome of the brave swashbuckling forward trying to stay on his feet. When he was fouled he went down, and it was a foul. More often than not he tried to stay mobile.

It bears out Samuels view and my own thoughts. It becomes counter-productive. He will lose more than he gains. Robben is already a busted flush in that respect. As I have said on here more than once the second most important title at this competition is the Fair play one. The reputation players should be earning is fairness at all costs. This will ultimately pay dividends and trainers need to wake up to it. Re-education is the key. Refs are human and they can be influenced, but more so by an honest player/team than a dishonest one.

If FIFA and clubs don't start re-educating then the rules of the game will have to be changed to include sin bins for 10 minute stints for players. This will then introduce the 'Power play' element we see in Ice hockey and Handball, Basketball for instance. I don't want that and would be prepared for players to give trainers and players the chance. If they don't take it then so be it. The game will be changed for ever.

I'm waiting for the next player to do a 'Di Canio' on a regular basis. Penalty? "No ref it wasn't". Corner? "No, I touched it last".

As for the fouling, here is where the re-education is most urgently needed. This world cup has shown on a match by match basis how tactically stupid players can be when they are not in possession and how ignorant of the rules of the game they are. The fouling creates direct free kick scoring chances for the opposition. Germany's goal against France was a classic example of this.

The fouling at corners at this world cup has been ridiculous. Arms around players, hauling them to ground and in Hollands game against Costa Rica the Dutch defender was actually holding the Costa Rican down preventing him from jumping.
How the officials are not reacting to these fouls is unbelievable. Again, to do so instantly solves the problem. Penalty. Goal conceded. Trainer goes crazy. It won't happen again.

Personally, in the time until full instant replay is introduced I am for an 6 man/woman officials team at senior professional games. 1 ref, 4 line judges (2 per half), and the 'dugout' official. 2 of the line judges should also be tasked with being at the goaline during attacking plays on the goal and corners.

Unsportsmanlike conduct (foul play, cheating, spitting, biting etc etc) to be the subject of post match TV review. Culprits to be retrospectively punished with yellow or red card punishments. Just watch the game clean itself up as the suspensions and fines start to mount up.

Good sportsmanship also to be rewarded. As I say, the Fair Play title should be as important as the league/cup titles themselves. There is a way to win and to lose; with good grace and dignity. It is sadly lacking in football at every level at the moment.

Watched the match at a bar with a work colleague who is a German citizen.  He was quite pleased.  Yes, Brazil's two best players were out, but still, this was just humiliating.

53 days till real football

You know what?,  I had to miss this match!  We had Tix to see EXTREME  last night. I only learnt of this result on the way home. I was gob-smacked ! couldn't believe the score line,  still can't!

I hope the Netherlands can do a similar job on Argentina tonight! 

ps, EXTREME were superb!