World Cup Thread.

BritPat said:

Part of me is glad Brazil suffered some Karma after watching them trying to kick James Rodriguez out of the game. As for Scolari's cheek to claim they've not been protected.....doofus. Shame to see Neymar out though, he's been exceptional and was last night again.

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Scolari is a dumb ass, he comes from a place where violent soccer is the norm and he said in the press he was not going to be kind anymore, so I bet he told the players to kick Rodriguez ass, Fernandinho should have been red carded in the first half, and Thiago Silva yellowed as well, but Karma is a *****, lost his best player in a pay back. Can't expect in a soccer match to beat the hell out of your opponent and no answer.

Brazil has gone too far in this World Cup, that team is a mess, no midfield, no offense, only the defenders and Neymar. Won the quarter finals with 2 defenders scoring, that's not how it goes. Germany is going to win.

Egh, Colombia and Costa Rica getting eliminated in back to back days... that's no fun.

On the bright side for Brazil, I don't think that losing Thiago Silva will be that big of a deal. He's a hell of a player, but he'll be replaced by Dante, who I really really like. And since Dante starts for Bayern Munich, alongside half of the German national team... who knows, maybe his familiarity with the opponents will help him defend. Muller and Gotze are both Bayern guys, so he practices against them a lot. There's no replacing Neymar, though. Once Costa went with Spain, it was pretty much Neymar or bust for Brazil, as far as world-class finishers go.

Also, I gotta agree with Condon here - Brazil/Colombia was a hell of a game to watch, regardless of the scoring drought. In an ideal world the refs would have actually exerted some control over the game, but unfortunately that didn't happen. Still, there was a ton of really good play in that game. Two world class teams generally being world class.

Honestly, I don't get how the same football fans who decry the rule changes that are neutering NFL defenses can then go and complain about defensive soccer games. Good defense is fun to watch in any sport.

varjao said:

Scolari is a dumb ass, he comes from a place where violent soccer is the norm and he said in the press he was not going to be kind anymore, so I bet he told the players to kick Rodriguez ass, Fernandinho should have been red carded in the first half, and Thiago Silva yellowed as well, but Karma is a *****, lost his best player in a pay back. Can't expect in a soccer match to beat the hell out of your opponent and no answer.

Brazil has gone too far in this World Cup, that team is a mess, no midfield, no offense, only the defenders and Neymar. Won the quarter finals with 2 defenders scoring, that's not how it goes. Germany is going to win.

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Zuniga all but said that it was a tit-for-tat hit after the fact. They were going after James all game, so Zuniga went after Neymar. **** happens.

final heart-pounding for costa rica netherlands but deserved victory for the orange

and now two GREAT semi-finals, perhaps the best 4 came to the showdown

two teams from South America and two Europeans

I have to admit that I think this is the best soccer World Cup ever

so many many great games

shmessy said:

From here on, anyone who wants to talk about their dislike of soccer can start their own thread (we can call it Jurassic Park). But from now on, the obnoxious act of entering a thread to ***** and moan about the subject of that thread will be effectively blocked. Best wishes to the members of that generation and let's all wish them a nutritious lunch, a competent nurse and good luck with their hip replacements.

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Great idea, and nice parting shot at the seniors on the way out.

Posters can save their negative thoughts for the football posts where they belong.

varjao said:

Brazil has gone too far in this World Cup, that team is a mess, no midfield, no offense, only the defenders and Neymar. Won the quarter finals with 2 defenders scoring, that's not how it goes. Germany is going to win.

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It's in brazil...so the odds of them winning are very high no matter how poorly they play.

Don't feel the slightest bit sorry for Neymar, infact I'm quite happy, he's a cheat and deserves what he gets.

condon84 said:

If one could not enjoy that Brazil/Colombia game, then they will never enjoy futbol. That game was wide open and entertaining as hell.

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Some people spend their entire life pissing in the pool, it must be a miserable existence.

AzorianPats said:

Dutch advance.

Holland-Argentina is gonna be a great game.

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The diving dutchmen squeeze by again, hopefully Messi sends them packing.

BradyFTW! said:

And since Dante starts for Bayern Munich, alongside half of the German national team... who knows, maybe his familiarity with the opponents will help him defend. Muller and Gotze are both Bayern guys, so he practices against them a lot.

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That's a two way street.

BritPat said:

Part of me is glad Brazil suffered some Karma after watching them trying to kick James Rodriguez out of the game. As for Scolari's cheek to claim they've not been protected.....doofus. Shame to see Neymar out though, he's been exceptional and was last night again.

Crazy last 10 minutes in the Holland v Costa Rica game, the Dutch have hammered at the door but can't break it down. Hopefully Costa Rica upset the apple-cart.

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Could not agree more. Here's great article about Brazil and their penchant for rough play:

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/blog/2014/07/07/brazil-reaped-what-it-had-sown

It is all very well for Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari to complain that Neymar was being hunted on the field. The hunting started from his side. This is an unfortunate part of the contemporary Brazilian game. It is called tactical fouling. Its aim is to prevent the opposition gaining any fluency in possession by repeatedly interrupting the game with fouls.

I well recall being in the stadium for the final of the 2007 Copa America. Brazil, with an understrength side, pulled off a surprise by beating Argentina 3-0. It was a clinical counter-attacking triumph. But, up against a team with the likes of Riquelme, Veron and a young Lionel Messi, Brazil opened up its tool box and committed around 45 fouls.

Last year's Confederations Cup final against Spain was another resounding 3-0 win for Brazil, with some superb Neymar moments along the way. But the Spanish were entitled to a little grumble about the persistent fouling by their opponent – Brazil committed 26 fouls in that game, five fewer than its total against Colombia.

If any player was hunted on the field at Fortaleza last Saturday (AEST) it was the number ten of Colombia, James Rodriguez. Again and again he was on the end of vicious fouls from Brazil midfielder Fernandinho, who appeared to be acting to a plan to intimidate his opponent out of the game. And the referee did nothing.

It goes into it a little bit more in the article including the previous game Brazil played against Chile.

I can't believe Scolari has the balls to ***** about refereeing in this world cup. And on top of that they have appealed the yellow to Silva? WTF? I was under the impression that yellow cards were not appeal-able. And what the eff is there to appeal? That is a yellow under every circumstance. He clearly and deliberately ran into the keeper to disrupt the punt. I'd really like to find out what they are using as an excuse and if it is more or less asinine than Luis Suarez excuse for the Chiellini bite.

After the impact ... I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent. At that moment I hit my face against the player leaving a small bruise on my cheek and a strong pain in my teeth.

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BradyFTW! said:

Egh, Colombia and Costa Rica getting eliminated in back to back days... that's no fun.

On the bright side for Brazil, I don't think that losing Thiago Silva will be that big of a deal. He's a hell of a player, but he'll be replaced by Dante, who I really really like. And since Dante starts for Bayern Munich, alongside half of the German national team... who knows, maybe his familiarity with the opponents will help him defend. Muller and Gotze are both Bayern guys, so he practices against them a lot. There's no replacing Neymar, though. Once Costa went with Spain, it was pretty much Neymar or bust for Brazil, as far as world-class finishers go.

Also, I gotta agree with Condon here - Brazil/Colombia was a hell of a game to watch, regardless of the scoring drought. In an ideal world the refs would have actually exerted some control over the game, but unfortunately that didn't happen. Still, there was a ton of really good play in that game. Two world class teams generally being world class.

Honestly, I don't get how the same football fans who decry the rule changes that are neutering NFL defenses can then go and complain about defensive soccer games. Good defense is fun to watch in any sport.

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I didn't enjoy the Brazil/Columbia game because of all the fouls and lack of cards shown. Ref had no control of that game. That ruined the game for me.

Game didn't lack goals. There was 3. I found Holland - Costa Rica and even Brazil - Mexico much more entertaining. And neither game had goals.

Am I the only one expecting a Germany - Messi final?

Germany probably the most deserving team, but it just seems destined for Messi to win, and stamp his name among the greats.

You guys have no idea, Scolari is dumb ass coach, an impolite ass who thinks he knows something, he doesn't even know the rules as you can see by him complaining about Thiago Silva's yellow card, saying that the ball was "on play" when the goal keeper released to kick, THAT, ACCORDING TO THE RULE, is a ball still in possession of the goal keeper.

He's an idiot, his only merit as a coach is on the motivation side, he's stupid when it comes to strategy, tactics, he can't change a game, he can't change a formation during the game. He prefers to dress his lucky jacket in a ****ing hot weather, WHAT A JOKE. This is serious. In a Florida Like Weather he did this in the first game and so on, Brazilian TV captured and interviewed him.

He's just dumb dumb dumb, if a guy like this gets to win 2 WC that would be a shame to soccer.

Scolari went luck in 2002, even I could be champion with that squad of Ronaldo Phenom, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos and a lot of other top players.

varjao said:

You guys have no idea, Scolari is dumb ass coach, an impolite ass who thinks he knows something, he doesn't even know the rules as you can see by him complaining about Thiago Silva's yellow card, saying that the ball was "on play" when the goal keeper released to kick, THAT, ACCORDING TO THE RULE, is a ball still in possession of the goal keeper.

He's an idiot, his only merit as a coach is on the motivation side, he's stupid when it comes to strategy, tactics, he can't change a game, he can't change a formation during the game. He prefers to dress his lucky jacket in a ****ing hot weather, WHAT A JOKE. This is serious. In a Florida Like Weather he did this in the first game and so on, Brazilian TV captured and interviewed him.

He's just dumb dumb dumb, if a guy like this gets to win 2 WC that would be a shame to soccer.

Scolari went luck in 2002, even I could be champion with that squad of Ronaldo Phenom, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos and a lot of other top players.

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You know, i've been wondering for quite some time if you were brazilian or not. I finally have a answer!

Only Brazilians understand the amount of stupidity inside Scolari's head

varjao said:

You guys have no idea, Scolari is dumb ass coach, an impolite ass who thinks he knows something, he doesn't even know the rules as you can see by him complaining about Thiago Silva's yellow card, saying that the ball was "on play" when the goal keeper released to kick, THAT, ACCORDING TO THE RULE, is a ball still in possession of the goal keeper.

He's an idiot, his only merit as a coach is on the motivation side, he's stupid when it comes to strategy, tactics, he can't change a game, he can't change a formation during the game. He prefers to dress his lucky jacket in a ****ing hot weather, WHAT A JOKE. This is serious. In a Florida Like Weather he did this in the first game and so on, Brazilian TV captured and interviewed him.

He's just dumb dumb dumb, if a guy like this gets to win 2 WC that would be a shame to soccer.

Scolari went luck in 2002, even I could be champion with that squad of Ronaldo Phenom, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos and a lot of other top players.

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Varjao, my man you might be right about all this... But I still love him lol

He alone completely changed (for the better) the landscape of Portuguese football. After the embarrassing campaign during the 2002 WC. With a bunch of guys from the so called "golden generation" of Portuguese football, which I can now say looking back at it the most underachieving squad I've seen in a sport I really care for. He really transitioned that team perfectly to the CR7/ Porto CL squad years.

We should have won Euro 04, and we were one of the top teams during WC 06.

From 04-07 Portugal were one of the top 3 teams in the world. ..

AzorianPats said:

Am I the only one expecting a Germany - Messi final?

Germany probably the most deserving team, but it just seems destined for Messi to win, and stamp his name among the greats.

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Messi and good draws have carried Argentina this far and while they obviously have a chance because they are in the semis I have seen nothing from them in this tournament that looks a like a World Cup Champion, other than Messi, of course, and that's coming from someone who wants Argentina to win because i want Messi to get the credit he deserves as the greatest player of his generation and one of the greatest of all time. It's odd because i am one of many who think this is one of the greatest World Cup's of all time yet none of the final four have really played the kind of soccer that sets them apart as one of the great world cup team's, hopefully we will see some greatness in the last 3 games because otherwise we will be left with a great World Cup with only an average championship team, at least imo.

AzorianPats said:

I didn't enjoy the Brazil/Columbia game because of all the fouls and lack of cards shown. Ref had no control of that game. That ruined the game for me.

Game didn't lack goals. There was 3. I found Holland - Costa Rica and even Brazil - Mexico much more entertaining. And neither game had goals.

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I agree, i thought the ref in the Brazil/Columbia game never had control of the game and it suffered for it. I do think brazil was the better team and should have won but the game itself could have been much better.

Ivan said:

Messi and good draws have carried Argentina this far and while they obviously have a chance because they are in the semis I have seen nothing from them in this tournament that looks a like a World Cup Champion, other than Messi, of course, and that's coming from someone who wants Argentina to win because i want Messi to get the credit he deserves as the greatest player of his generation and one of the greatest of all time. It's odd because i am one of many who think this is one of the greatest World Cup's of all time yet none of the final four have really played the kind of soccer that sets them apart as one of the great world cup team's, hopefully we will see some greatness in the last 3 games because otherwise we will be left with a great World Cup with only an average championship team, at least imo.

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Ivan, I actually agree. No team as stood out this WC, but the games have been fascinating!

Apart of me thinks Germany as been at the door step of every major tournament since 06, that sooner or later it's gotta be their time. The flip side of that is Messi. The greatest players win WC. And this might be Messi last chance at doing that. I can see him having a Maradona like finish to this tournament and carrying Argentina to the cup.