World Cup 2014 Thread

[10spro]

Speaking of slow D's how do you leave Suarez out of all people so wide open?

Big win.

[rhymes450]

Speaking of slow D's how do you leave Suarez out of all people so wide open?

Big win.

Ooof! Suarez made England pay dearly. Not sure I'd blame Cahill for that. Maybe just unfortunate that it was Gerrard that got the touch that seemed to play Suarez onside. I think Cahill has played a great WC so far and England have been refreshing and just a bit unlucky in my book. They've got some great young players in that side and with a bit of luck, Rooney could've had a hatrick. England still not out and they deserve to be not out. They've been involved in 2 really good matches.

[10spro]

Regarding the end of Spain's reign two key players in the midfield did not live up to expectations IMO. Xabi Alonso and S. Busquets. Both important in maintaining the tiki-taka system.

Alonso remains an excellent player with the ball, but his diminishing abilities without, was sucked the life out of Spain’s midfield. With Busquets and Alonso unable to make the difference, and as important as Puyol is at the back defending, his late injuries and lack of speed wouldn't have changed much the results that we all know today.

I think that the absence of Thiago Alcantara through injury would have made a better replacement for the inefficient Alonso.

With Spain’s defensive line set high up the field, their static yet passive midfield meant that almost every counter attempted by the Dutch, and later the Chileans, became a dangerous scurry to limit the damage of long balls over the top or from the flanks.

Javi Martinez who's a proven anchorman playing midfield should have been battling with the likes of Vidal yesterday instead of playing in the back behind two holding midfielders unable to hold their ground. Was Costa 100% ready to play?

Koke would have been another good alternative in the middle, how about playing Fabregas a bit more? But in the end it was the managers' fault for over trusting a group of aging players that brought him so much success at the last WC and Euro Cups competition.

Del Bosque had players to mix it up and bring some kind of a renaissance by changing some of the old guard, but when you had so much success in the past, his mistakes was resting on his laurels.

[rhymes450]

Regarding the end of Spain's reign two key players in the midfield did not live up to expectations IMO. Xabi Alonso and S. Busquets. Both important in maintaining the tiki-taka system.

Alonso remains an excellent player with the ball, but his diminishing abilities without, was sucked the life out of Spain’s midfield. With Busquets and Alonso unable to make the difference, and as important as Puyol is at the back defending, his late injuries and lack of speed wouldn't have changed much the results that we all know today.

I think that the absence of Thiago Alcantara through injury would have made a better replacement for the inefficient Alonso.

With Spain’s defensive line set high up the field, their static yet passive midfield meant that almost every counter attempted by the Dutch, and later the Chileans, became a dangerous scurry to limit the damage of long balls over the top or from the flanks.

Javi Martinez who's a proven anchorman playing midfield should have been battling with the likes of Vidal yesterday instead of playing in the back behind two holding midfielders unable to hold their ground. Was Costa 100% ready to play?

Koke would have been another good alternative in the middle, how about playing Fabregas a bit more? But in the end it was the managers' fault for over trusting a group of aging players that brought him so much success at the last WC and Euro Cups competition.

Del Bosque had players to mix it up and bring some kind of a renaissance by changing some of the old guard, but when you had so much success in the past, his mistakes was resting on his laurels.

Fair points. Definitely hard to choose between whether Busquets or Alonso was more out of gas. Busquets could hardly put one foot in front of the other for the whole match. Javi Martinez might have been a better option. Adding to Rob's point earlier, Costa doesn't know the other players as well as Torres and Villa and it might have been better to go with those guys in the starting line up, especially given the question marks over Costa's recent injury. I'd've always found room for Xavi Hernandez, though he may not have been at 100%. That being said, I find it hard to blame Del Bosque, not just because of his track record, but also because he's one of my favourite people in sport. Nothing but admiration for the man, how he deals with the press and behaves himself...exemplary IMO.

[RobVarak]

Ref's decision not to give the obvious second yellow to Godin just 20' into the match was enormous. That was an indefensible mistake, IMO.

In other news, maybe now Hodgson might feel Suarez is world class?

[RobVarak]

Come on, Japan! Do the entire soccer-loving world a favor, for the love of GOD!

(Sorry XXXIV, but you know that ever game we're subjected to with this team is just unfair to those of us with eyes.)

[dougb]

Come on, Japan! Do the entire soccer-loving world a favor, for the love of GOD!

(Sorry XXXIV, but you know that ever game we're subjected to with this team is just unfair to those of us with eyes.)

Greece aren't just parking the bus across their area, I swear I saw one of Onassis's old rust buckets across their area!

Doug

[XXXIV]

I happily only got to see the last half hour.

Going down to ten men for a team that cant score? You expect clockwork orange?

Samaras...you are pathetic! I would have done better with that corner kick! That is as good a chance as you can have.

Oh and Rob no need to apologize. I understand where you are coming from and I will still be rooting for Croatia.

Now I go watch replays. Wanna see what the idiot did to get the red.

[XXXIV]

That second yellow was close but the first one could have been a red so I think Katsouranis got what he deserved.

Gerrard with a really bad run of luck lately.

A day late but I was sorry to see Spain lose. Wanted to see them at least challenge for another title. What an awesome accomplishment winning three straight majors.

[Danimal]

Best line of the match "Japan couldn't penetrate the Greeks rear guard"

I know this make me 12 but I laughed so hard.

[XXXIV]

Best line of the match "Japan couldn't penetrate the Greeks rear guard"

I know this make me 12 but I laughed so hard.

You said hard.

[10spro]

It's been a fantastic week of footie action so far and I think the quality level is going to continue. We all get sooo pumped and excited cheering for our own favorites in this round, wait until the elimination round starts.

The best celebration after a goal goes to the Colombians IMO. Colorful, practical, a young team, (many are only playing their 1st WC) led by an experienced coach that can surprise many. And they are doing it without Falcao.

A lot of upside for this team after missing some WC action in awhile, yet they'll be primed for the next two WC's to shine.

England despite the two losses are not out of the woods yet but a lot has to happen at the right time for them. I don't think they' been bad necessarily but there's just no creativity in the final 25% of the pitch where execution is a must. Was listening to the fans comments and they are all disappointed obviously many calling them rubbish, and to start rebuilding.

I wouldn't go that far, but they need luck of course and win their next match.

[Jimmydeicide]

Speaking of slow D's how do you leave Suarez out of all people so wide open?

Big win.

Ooof! Suarez made England pay dearly. Not sure I'd blame Cahill for that. Maybe just unfortunate that it was Gerrard that got the touch that seemed to play Suarez onside. I think Cahill has played a great WC so far and England have been refreshing and just a bit unlucky in my book. They've got some great young players in that side and with a bit of luck, Rooney could've had a hatrick. England still not out and they deserve to be not out. They've been involved in 2 really good matches.

I pretty much agree with this, i at least enjoyed the way they played for the most part but no pay off.
disappointed in a few players jagelka i know he was picked but did the commentators say his name once... in 2 games now!!
Sturridge, oh Danny if you put as much effort into getting by a player as you did flopping down on the ground we would have won both games because its that lack of commitment and desire that is the difference in these games. To me if your focused and really want to win you ride challenges refuse to go down strain with every sinew to do what you can , Barkley does a pretty good impression of it.
Johnson has been disappointing other than run and lucky cross to Rooney.
Didnt get Sterling on the ball enough and Wellbeck is a little off at times.

At least Liverpool fans now know what its like to play against Suarez.

Sighhhh it never gets easier i can tell you that.
COME ON PIRLO and the ITIY'S

[wco81]

All these stars on the England team are done now with international tourneys?

Maybe bring up the next generation?

[pk500]

All these stars on the England team are done now with international tourneys?

Maybe bring up the next generation?

Hodgson and the FA already have. The old guard of Terry, Cole, Lampard, Scholes, Beckham, etc. were left behind or retired. Younger players like Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Johnson, Jagielka, Cahill, Sturridge and Sterling were included in this team. This is one of the youngest, fastest England World Cup teams in quite some time.

Gerrard and Hart look to be surplus goods from the 2010 team. Gerrard is an aged talisman, at best. He has not played well at all in Brazil.

Rooney is on the cusp, probably starting the ride down the right side of the career parabola. But he's still the closest thing England has to a world-class player even though he's not among the 10 best forwards in the world. Plus Hodgson is playing him out of position, making the smart decision to put the younger, faster, more dangerous Sterling in that spot.

Still, England's major problem is the talent gap. Couple that with the ridiculously unrealistic delusions and expectations of the nation, and it's a blueprint for a letdown at every tournament.

England is the best 0-2 team in this tournament. It's a cliche, but true. It could be 2-0 in many other groups. Yet almost all English fans and many English media are calling the team sh*te, screaming for a total rebuild.

OK, fine. Rebuild with what? The FA and Hodgson already have began a youth movement with this squad. England just does not produce as many quality, world-class footballers as in the past. That's the icy, jagged truth few Englishmen will dare to accept.

[GB_Simo]

OK, fine. Rebuild with what? The FA and Hodgson already have began a youth movement with this squad. England just does not produce as many quality, world-class footballers as in the past. That's the icy, jagged truth few Englishmen will dare to accept.

It will doubtless have been noted that the Daily Mirror are slating Hodgson for picking exactly the team they recommended the day before, while the Daily Mail have done much the same. No matter what the England manager does, or who that manager is, the one thing he can never do in the eyes of the media is win.

Meanwhile, the sainted Redknapp appeared in The S*n today and described England's defence as "solid". I kid you not.

Roy did what he could with what he had. The young lads you referenced (though inexperience and youth are not always the same thing: Johnson's 29, Jagielka pushing 32, Cahill 28) gave it everything they could, the elder statesmen faded as per the script. I don't pretend to know who could or should replace them but I do know that this tournament, particularly the Italy match, represents the first one in an age where I've genuinely enjoyed watching some of our football. That's a start, which is all we should reasonably have expected. Realistic expectations are not our strong point...

[rhymes450]

The England performance was described as a "modern-day football scandal" in the Daily Mail. Even one guy in the Guardian described Uruguay as "no great shakes". Well maybe not but Cavani and Suarez looked pretty good to me and defending against them can't be easy down on the pitch. Maybe it all looks a bit easier from the press box. I guess it'd be suicide for a journalist to say "hey I thought England played well and with a bit of luck could've won the two matches and then we'd be talking about the dawn of a new era". To me, the easy way out is to just take the result, do a bit of reverse engineering and call for the heads of the culprits and you even get kudos for being a hard-hitting journalist who doesn't shy away from telling it like it is. My two cents worth.

[wco81]

Maybe they need to field a British Isles or UK team instead of an England one, to become more competitive in international tourneys.

You can say England has some promising young players but probably all the big nations in the sport have great talent in the pipeline.

[XXXIV]

Or maybe they dont.

England were very unlucky not to get anything out of the game vs Italy and even unluckier not to win the game vs Uruguay.

Stay the course and avoid the psychos.

[10spro]

With the stunning Costa Rica win today, the Lainamerican world knows all well that Argentina and Brazil have good company when it comes to good competition besides these two superpowers that have ruled the Latin world for so long, with the exception of Honduras.

Los chicos' counter attack today was lethal and kept guys like Chiellini honest the entire game with their quickness. To me they are Cinderella team of this WC.

I've been saying it since I followed the qualies in SA, there's no easy team anymore. Maybe Paraguay should have made an appearance too but the resurgence of teams like Colombia and Ecuador are not to be taken lightly. Chile is a young team too and showed Spain the door.

They may not and will never have he rich resources of Europe but when it comes to skills and growing good footballers, SA is always a good place to start. Players like James Rodriguez will be playing next season in the EPL. Ruiz' header today was a beauty, many of these guys are just primed for the big money in Europe soon.

And the fountain of good Latin players is just beginning...

[10spro]

After 45 minutes and at 73% ball possession, Argentina is not as sharp as I' d like them to be. Players like Di Maria, Aguero and even Messi are not precise when they have the ball. They had a few chances with the header but overall Iran is defending quite well. The Albiceletes need a wake up call.

[XXXIV]

MESSI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[10spro]

MESSI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank GOD! Terrible game by Argentina, they made me suffer so much in this game. Imprecise, lack of ideas, the D gave me chills every time Iran decided to test Romero, in fact they were lucky that a PK was not granted to them. But Argentina has the best player in the world, in a game where he didn't do much but that's why he's the best. It takes a second of brilliance for him to change the outcome of a game.

They were lucky. Mommy, how much I suffered...

[wco81]

Columbia and Chile have looked good, Brazil and Argentina, not so much.

They better hope the heat wilts the Europeans.

[RobVarak]

Awful game, wonderful finish. The call on the Spanish broadcast was especially terrific.