RobVarak wrote:
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?
Probably was a little on the coaches minds not to lay a turd like Brazil but my eyes where bleeding watching the Dutch go from the opposing 18 all the way back to the keeper all game.
Kuyt never made a forward pass all game not counting his horrendous crossing.
Mascherano has been my favorite player in world football since I first saw him play for River Plate on FOX Soccer Channel in 2003 or 2004. A man's man.
"You know why I love boxers? I love them because they face fear. And they face it alone." - Nick Charles
"First on the throttle, last on the brakes." - @MotoGP Twitter signature
dougb wrote: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!"
Yep, it's official...All the match reports I've looked at on internet seem to confirm that I'm the only non-Argentine on the planet who was able to find any enjoyment in the thing. I'm going to send that 100% malt, own-brand beer I was drinking to the laboratory to see if it contains some kind of secret ingredient that acts as an antidote to boring football
RobVarak wrote: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!
I agree. It was a very boring match to watch. Made the US team look like an offensive juggernaut.
The final should be good though, especially if Germany gets one or 2 quick goals. Will force Argentina to attack.
Jimmydeicide wrote:How many had you drank? for crying out loud
Not that many! If I can get an import/export license for the stuff, I could be on the road to millions. For example, on formalising their subscriptions, Chelsea season ticket holders could be issued with a couple of crates, just to get them through the first few matches of the season .
10spro wrote:And the horrible defending continues for Brazil...
Looked like offside in the build up to the second goal but even so, that defensive header from the six-yard box onto the penalty spot was gruesome. Maybe he was afraid to put it out for a corner in case he misdirected it into the top corner of the net.
We can blame it on offsides (which it was by an inch) the penalty kick that was a foul, but not in the penalty area but in general they lack a leader, someone that grabs the team by the horn and say 'Let's go, enough of this crap'.
An example, David Luiz has a big heart but his desire to attack leaves the back completely vulnerable and there's no one covering his spot. He's everywhere, and he can't forget what his main position and goal is, which is to prevent the opponent from scoring.
Leave the attack for the midfielders and forwards.
Remember Dunga? That's the type of leadership and captaincy that they need. They need more Bebetos, Romarios in the making.
10spro wrote:And the horrible defending continues for Brazil...
Looked like offside in the build up to the second goal but even so, that defensive header from the six-yard box onto the penalty spot was gruesome. Maybe he was afraid to put it out for a corner in case he misdirected it into the top corner of the net.
Then he better find another position to play. Looks like he could have had the time to head it sideways. And this is not putting the finger on Luiz alone, the closest player to Blind was miles away.
Jimmydeicide wrote:How many had you drank? for crying out loud
Not that many! If I can get an import/export license for the stuff, I could be on the road to millions. For example, on formalising their subscriptions, Chelsea season ticket holders could be issued with a couple of crates, just to get them through the first few matches of the season .
Put me down for a case also. It must have Absinthe like qualities.
XXXIV wrote:Three. Fitting. Must be nice to be alone in the box like that.
Jimmydeicide wrote:
Put me down for a case also. It must have Absinthe like qualities.
Ill take two after watching this s*** today.
I know Im a wuss but I really feel bad for the people of Brazil. Sad.
I feel sorry for them too. 10 goals in 2 matches might be ok for the Faroe Islands but it's unthinkable for Brazil, especially when they're hosting the World Cup.
Maybe they should have just gone with Ronaldinho, Robinho and Kaka and had a stab at playing the beautiful game with the oldsters.
s*** on a stick - pretty apt description of Brasil's national team. At this rate perhaps they'll consider dropping tem as a seeded team it the next World Cup.
Can't believe Chelsea got 48 million pounds for that defender. Collectively Brazil's entire defense isn't worth much more than a bag of balls.
Only thing worse than the team is their football federation which finds new and innovative ways to funnel money into their pockets.
Doug
"Every major sport has come under the influence of organized crime. FIFA actually is organized crime" - Charles Pierce
The grand stage is set. It's been three years of playing qualification games to make into the final 32 nations and to be here today playing for the World Cup is anyone's dream that follows futbol at heart. I am not blind, the Germans are favorites how can they not be? You look at every position and they are deep. They defend together, they attack together, they all work in harmony.
But Argentina has heart and the best player in the world. Always among the top footie countries in the world and it's hard to imagine that's been more than two decades for them to be in this stage.
Let's attack, let's play some long passes behind Boateng and Hummels where they seem a bit uncertain. Super pumped for the event, Vamos Argentina! The redeemer is wearing our colors.
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