World Cup 2014: BRASIL

[Icarus]

Argentina were the better team both in defence and in (the limited amounts of) attack.
Great game, slow at times yet highly tactical, but I tuned out before penalties as it drives me bonkers watching it. :3
Guess the stage is now set for Messi to shred the German defence in the finals.

[Skykid]

Match of the tournament for me, unquestionably.

Argentina off to the final. I hope they win 7-1.

[R-Gray 1]

gg Netherlands "just know how to counterattack""

Classic WC Final Match next -1986-1990

classic WC match -2006-2010

[Eno]

Well, maybe taking Cillessen out for the pks was not such a dick move after all

I sort of wanted our team getting pounded by Argentina just for the grief. Having them finish far above us in 2nd will have to do.

Still cheering for Germany in the finals.

[d3vak]

I eat my words, I honestly didn't expect for Argentina to get THIS better. Their progression curve went like 20 - 30 - 50 - 70 - 100 - 9001

Congratulations to all the argentinian fellows in the forum! Your team has played an awesome match!

[SharkSkin-Man]

Argentina probably just about edged it, if only for Mascherano's performance. Holland got very little joy down the middle almost exclusively as a result of him.

Pretty sure Garay was the regular/first choice penalty taker when he played for Racing, not sure why the ITV crew here in the UK are making out like he'd never taken one before (and his was a beauty too).

[CIT]

What a snooze-fest! Yes, it was a tactical game, but both teams were slow and technically weak. Anyway, Argentina was slightly stronger and Netherlands deserved to flunk out after the dick moves Krul pulled with Costa Rica.
Tough to say who will win the final. Argentina has been defending really well, but Germany has the most well-rounded team. I say Germany win 2:1.

[system11]

I think Germany will do it, they were running like a well oiled machine last match.

Game of the tournament for me was USA/Belgium.

[CIT]

Game of the tournament for me was USA/Belgium.

This!

[Skykid]

What a snooze-fest!

What in the funk?

I think Germany will do it, they were running like a well oiled machine last match.

Not so difficult when faced with almost zero resistance.

[gbaplayer]

What a snooze-fest! Yes, it was a tactical game, but both teams were slow and technically weak. Anyway, Argentina was slightly stronger and Netherlands deserved to flunk out after the dick moves Krul pulled with Costa Rica.
Tough to say who will win the final. Argentina has been defending really well, but Germany has the most well-rounded team. I say Germany win 2:1.

Thanks for those words. The Netherland vs. Argentina game was so boring.
We will crush Argentina in the finals, maybe 1:0 (like in WC 1990), or 4:2 (like in WC 2006) or 4:0 (like in WC 2010).

They have Lionel Messi, we have a TEAM.

[Skykid]

The Netherland vs. Argentina game was so boring.

I don't even... Do you guys not know how to appreciate football or something, the entire match was an end to end war - a non-stop clashing of remarkable skill. It was superb.

All of Germany's games were dull as dishwater, discounting the Brazil match, which was only interesting by virtue of Brazil not being there.

Germany / France was one of the most boring games of the tournament.

They have Lionel Messi, we have a TEAM.

You either don't know anything about the sport or you have condition preventing basic observation. Argentina have a team alright, and believe me, you'll find out in just a few days time.

[d3vak]

^I agree with that.

In fact yesterday's match was a lot better than Brazil v Germany, IMO.

[eckart]

Most of the games where super boring, imo.
Also the game yesterday. The german win was more funny than entertaining, with respect to brazil.

Anyway, we are klose to win on sunday.

[Marcosan30]

Pffff i finally recuperated from yesterday. I saw two ultradefensive teams who put a two men defense on the keyplayers (Messi/Robben). Argentina was a bit better in the first half, Holland was a lot better near the ending off the game. I think it was a big mental disadvantage losing our third substitute.

Krul would have certainly stopped a few penalties.
I hope soccer wins in the final and i am sure germany will take it, they play the most complete soccer

[Khan]

Argentina have a team alright, and believe me, you'll find out in just a few days time.

I hope they lose the cun**!

[soprano1]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/07/1 ... LH20140711

Saw this on my news site and looked for the source in english so you could read it.
Arrogance, or lack of sportsmanship? By this i mean, if they could score more goals as they said, then they should have do it out of respect for their fellow sportsman.

[d3vak]

if they could score more goals as they said, then they should have do it out of respect for their fellow sportsman.

Oh, they did. TWICE. And the way I see it, they didn't lowered their quality that much either.

[gbaplayer]

Tomorrow is the day,we will finally win our 4th WC title.
We were so close in the last 3 WC so it just have to happen this year.

Just wait and see.

[Ruldra]

And off to a good start :<

[Icarus]

Penalty in the first three minutes? That's not a good way to start it off.

EDIT: Aaaaaaaaaaaand they're 2-0 down. Defence are all over the place.

[austere]

Via BBC Sporf (spoof): "Brazil's defence is so bad even blind footballers are scoring against them."

[Limbrooke]

Yeah I stand my earlier retraction. Brazils defense is dogshit right now. Even with Thiago Silva back it's like a tub full of water defending against the plug being pulled. It certainly isn't helped when David Luiz couldn't stay back to defend even if they had him on a leash. More disappointing than that is the fact Oscar now seems to have gotten some life - good timing now that the tournament is over. What an amazingly terrible outcome.

[neorichieb1971]

A bit of bad refereeing.

Robben gets touched by a feather and gets a penalty. Oscar gets bulldozed and nothing.

Although to be fair its probably justice for the amount of favoritism that Brazil got earlier in the competition.

Robben is a very tricky player but the amount of times he goes down is getting ridiculous especially if you just touch him.

[Icarus]

3-0, dead and buried. The third was really nicely taken too.
Brazil had a nice spell of pressure since 25mins into the first half, but you always felt that it would take only one little breakaway for them to be completely undone.

[BIL]

Indeed, beautiful touch.

Love the poor goalie's KO animation too

[R-Gray 1]

Robben best World cups Actor in the history!

I watched only 1st half and I can say again netherlands look like an only counter attack team. Thanks Argentina.

What a big disorder Brasil! OSCAR has talent but he is not ready for being an important player in a national team.

Im watching Kof con evo now

[Moniker]

Haha, soccer is gay.

[Skykid]

Just want to remimd you folks wayyyy earlier in the thread when I said Brazil looked decidedly average this year and unthreatening, and someone or another was telling me about their world cup unbeaten record.

Well there you go.

[austere]

You did get it right, I think we're just suffering from brand name shock at the moment. I didn't expect a team that is historically as strong as Brazil to screw up this badly in a world cup that they're hosting. Defensive play was never their strong point but seriously, Luiz heading it right into Blind's feet?! The own goal at the start of the cup really was a sign of things to come.