World Cup 2014 Thread

[rhymes450]

I'm going to meet somebody tomorrow who's going to say to me, "I had a feeling this might happen". I'm psyched up for it.

[Macca00]

[wco81]

Anyone feel sorry for them?

After the cheap PK they got against Croatia and then the way they played Columbia, this is a comeuppance.


If karma works again, Netherlands may pay for the dive against Mexico that got them the winning PK.

[Jimmydeicide]

Anyone feel sorry for them?

After the cheap PK they got against Croatia and then the way they played Columbia, this is a comeuppance.


If karma works again, Netherlands may pay for the dive against Mexico that got them the winning PK.

[Macca00]

Anyone feel sorry for them?

Nope.

I don't care about the decisions. I've just hated the way they played like an international version of Mourinho's Chelsea in this tournament. And today they got f@cked.

[XXXIV]

Dont feel sorry the team at all.

The country may be a different story.

[10spro]

That was a good one on Costa, Macca.

[XXXIV]

Watching the replay this is worse than what I imagined. Worst D ever. Germans running free in the box all game.

Yes it did!

[10spro]

[pk500]

Anyone feel sorry for them?

After the cheap PK they got against Croatia and then the way they played Columbia, this is a comeuppance.


If karma works again, Netherlands may pay for the dive against Mexico that got them the winning PK.

Spot on.

[fsquid]

I haven't seen the German's run through a country like that since France in 1940.

[Naples39]

I haven't seen the German's run through a country like that since France in 1940.

[10spro]

Without his right lieutenant, Messi and Argentina will have to adapt to a different system, more of a 4-4-2 than the usual 3 strikers up front. With Di Maria threading lethal passes to him they were pretty much invincible during their path to this WC and have won all their matches in Brazil.

I think Perez will be the fourth man controlling the midfield with Lavezzi playing the swing role.

Getting a bit anxious here, let's go Argentina.

[ScoopBrady]

Germany must have been inspired by this game.

[rhymes450]

I haven't seen the German's run through a country like that since France in 1940.

A WW2 joke. How refreshing!

[rhymes450]

Very tight match. Holland look a bit stronger at this point. Compulsive viewing with so much at stake.

[dougb]

Dreadful match - neither team has looked good and Messi has looked quite poor. Van Persie has been non existent and Robben hasn't looked good either.

Doug

[10spro]

If karma works again, Netherlands may pay for the dive against Mexico that got them the winning PK.

I guess Karma did work. Not much room out there, no one wanted to take chances and the penalty shootout is always great when you're team wins and a tragedy when you don't see the result you want. Argentina's D was strong again today, even though the Dutch had control of the ball especially in the second half they lacked ideas with only Robben creating some chances.

Argentina without Di Maria was content to sit back and was waiting for the perfect counter attack which at times was dangerous. Not a pretty game by any means, flat with both teams playing not to lose but I'll take this trip to the finals and pray that Di Maria can heal quickly enough by Sunday.

ArJJJentina, ArJJJentina!

[rhymes450]

Dreadful match - neither team has looked good and Messi has looked quite poor. Van Persie has been non existent and Robben hasn't looked good either.

Doug

I'm probably a bit of a masochist in enjoying matches where defences give nothing away, especially given the attacking potential of these two teams. At different stages of the match, I think both teams tryed to make the breakthrough but the quality of the defending was very good and neither goalkeeper put a foot wrong. It's true that Messi was well marshalled and put a few passes astray but he still did some nice things, as did Robben, despite the fact that he's a terrible whinger. For me Mascherano was the man of the match. I'd take this type of match any day of the week over yesterday's fiasco.

[XXXIV]

Argentina without Di Maria was content to sit back and was waiting for the perfect counter attack which at times was dangerous. Not a pretty game by any means, flat with both teams playing not to lose but I'll take this trip to the finals and pray that Di Maria can heal quickly enough by Sunday.

ArJJJentina, ArJJJentina!

Gratz 10s!!!

Hoping Di Maria does make it back for sundays game.

[RobVarak]

I've walked around piles of dogshit on the sidewalk that were more entertaining to watch than that game. Both teams cautious to a fault, totally lacking even a remote interest in playing football. A pox on both their houses for subjecting the world to that gutless display!

[10spro]

Dreadful match - neither team has looked good and Messi has looked quite poor. Van Persie has been non existent and Robben hasn't looked good either.

Doug

I'm probably a bit of a masochist in enjoying matches where defences give nothing away, especially given the attacking potential of these two teams. At different stages of the match, I think both teams tryed to make the breakthrough but the quality of the defending was very good and neither goalkeeper put a foot wrong. It's true that Messi was well marshalled and put a few passes astray but he still did some nice things, as did Robben, despite the fact that he's a terrible whinger. For me Mascherano was the man of the match. I'd take this type of match any day of the week over yesterday's fiasco.

He was a horse out there. Took a heavy hit to the head where he clearly was wobbly and along Biglia they patrolled well any attempts from the orange. Just like the game against the Belgians, they were well planted with two solid screens again and the only clear chance that I can recall from them was Robben before ET.

Palacio's header could have sealed the fate without going into penalties but was just short. I also prefer this type of games before witnessing the massacres that Brazil did.

[10spro]

Argentina without Di Maria was content to sit back and was waiting for the perfect counter attack which at times was dangerous. Not a pretty game by any means, flat with both teams playing not to lose but I'll take this trip to the finals and pray that Di Maria can heal quickly enough by Sunday.

ArJJJentina, ArJJJentina!

Gratz 10s!!!

Hoping Di Maria does make it back for sundays game.

Keeping my Ave Maria prayers...

[RobVarak]

Dreadful match - neither team has looked good and Messi has looked quite poor. Van Persie has been non existent and Robben hasn't looked good either.

Doug

I'm probably a bit of a masochist in enjoying matches where defences give nothing away, especially given the attacking potential of these two teams. At different stages of the match, I think both teams tryed to make the breakthrough but the quality of the defending was very good and neither goalkeeper put a foot wrong. It's true that Messi was well marshalled and put a few passes astray but he still did some nice things, as did Robben, despite the fact that he's a terrible whinger. For me Mascherano was the man of the match. I'd take this type of match any day of the week over yesterday's fiasco.

Mascherano was clearly MOTM, with Vlaar giving him a run for his money.

There's a difference between a match where defenses dominate and the attackers can't solve them and a match where neither team ventures to attack in any meaningfully consistent manner. This was the latter. There was almost no movement by either team up front. Nobody committed to the attack on either team.

That I cannot countenance.

It's an affront to the game to allow such gifted attackers like Messi and Robben to be asphyxiated from lack of service and support simply because a coach is afraid to be beaten.

"L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace!"

[XXXIV]

It's an affront to the game to allow such gifted attackers like Messi and Robben to be asphyxiated from lack of service and support simply because a coach is afraid to be beaten.

The Scolari effect?