World Cup 2014

[Kingface]

For me Argentina, Brazil, Germany and France have flattered to deceive somewhat.......I've been far more impressed with the less fancied teams, even if they have their limits.

Hopefully Costa Rica and Colombia can cause some further upset......Costa Rica just need to play teams who will attack them so they can play on the counter.

Agree for the most part, although France were impressive in the group stage and I think for them to get to the Quarter-Finals and narrowly lose to a top team like Germany is a massive improvement over their last 2 or 3 tournament outings.

Brazil are absolutely dreadful to watch and they won't beat Germany by kicking them to death like they did to Colombia earlier. I think if Colombia were just a bit less careless with the ball at times, they would have found Brazil out.

To be honest the standard of this World Cup, after starting so well, is starting to dip quite a bit in my view. Needs more honest and entertaining contests.

 

[Cronopio]

I now realize I'm an idiot with my prediction Germany - Brazil in the final.

 

[Kingface]

So a mostly dull set of Quarter-Final matches have come to an end, although Netherlands vs Costa Rica from the 70th minute onwards was great to watch.

Argentina vs Belgium was one of the worst matches of the tournament for me. Started with such promise with an early goal but was all downhill from there. Argentina unimpressive again but Belgium were even more awful. Took them until the last 20 minutes or so to play with any kind of urgency and then their execution and decision-making was poor.

Netherlands took a while to get going against Costa Rica but in the end they should have really won it in normal time. Sneijder couldn't have been more unlucky to not score at least one goal. Costa Rica put an amazing effort in once again but they offer very little up front and rode their luck at times.

I'm kinda happy Netherlands got through, just because they'll have a better chance at beating the Argies than Costa Rica would have had. I think it'll be a Germany vs Netherlands Final.

 

[Cronopio]

The first half hour from the Dutch was a disgrace. Rolling the ball between the defenders and passing back to the keeper is just cowardly play. Hopefully they'll return with more attack against Argentina (they're gonna need it). As for Costa Rica: Kudos. I've been very impressed, not least with their amazing goal keeper. That dude is gonna get signed by one of the big 'uns before you know it.

 

[Symphony]

One word......wow! Hats off to Germany for their demolition of Brazil last night. I fancied them to win....but 7-1?? 5-0 at half time??

Maybe the pressure got to them but I think it showed clearly that Thiago Silva was missed far more than Neymar last night. He clearly leads the back 4 when he is playing but in his absence the defence were shocking. David Luiz, Marcello and Maicon particularly for their ridiculous forays forward when they should have been considering their defensive duties.

Clearly Germany switched off quite a bit in the second half, can't really blame them though. They probably couldn't quite believe what was happening in that first half either.

 

[Symphony]

...and congrats to Miroslav Klose on his 16th goal in World Cup Finals too. Not a flashy player but an old fashioned poacher and that's great to see in this era of superstar "10's"

I know i've been vocal in my criticism of Fred for Brazil but again last night....did he kick the ball more than twice? My vote for the worst centre forward ever to lead the line for a major international side

 

[Power_Metal_Dom]

Internet was aflame last night and the office this morning hasn't talked about anything else! Haha!

Oft Mentioned Points:

- Not in a million years could you expect this, just unheard of, history making stuff. Brazil - most lauded team in the history of football? Host nation with millions behind them? Semi final of the world cup? FIVE goals down in 30 minutes?!?!!!

- Tonnes of stats to lay on the shame all the more thickly...not beaten on their home soil by a foreign team in 39 years...biggest WC defeat ever...Klose scoring the record number of WC goals...Brazil no longer number of world cup goals champs....the list goes on and on check it out here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineirazo#Records

- Germany are an incredible footballing force but this wasn't an outgunning...it was significant parts amazingly clinical and surgical German efficiency and guts but it was also utterly abysmal Brazilian defending. I'm not even sure they walked onto the field with full confidence...it was just completely shattered inside minutes. Germany walked through massive gaps in the back line...there was no need at all for flair...just efficient passing and tapping it in around static and blind defenders.

- WHAT a goal from Schürrle at that angle! - http://gfycat.com/ImpassionedLankyElver

- WHAT a save from the Brazilian goalie! http://gfycat.com/SimpleWellgroomedGannet

- I went for a cuppa/pee/turned away for a second and it jumped from 1 to 4 nil! Madness.

- Soon became embarrassing/painful to watch. Glad they at least got 1 goal to give the fans some small reprieve

- Fred and Hulk may as well have not been on the pitch

- BLITZKRIEG!

- What a world cup this has been! SO ENTERTAINING!

 

[Power_Metal_Dom]

Well that's it then

Bit of an anticlimactic final considering what a wonderfully entertaining tournament it's been but then best team surely won it. Germany have been brilliant throughout, very well done to them.

 

[Symphony]

Absolutely...congrats to Germany, without doubt worthy winners. Agreed the final wasn't a marvellous game but I've seen worse finals that's for sure.

Messi though....player of the tournament? Not even in my Top 5 I'm afraid.

 

[Kingface]

Indeed, glad to see Germany win it rather than Argentina. I thought the first half was pretty good but then it became more and more infuriating watching apparently quality players incapable of shooting a ball in anything other than a completely tame manner. And then finally a Goal came!

They need to stop presenting those best player and best goalkeeper awards because they are a complete farce and really are pointless.

One thing I definitely won't miss from this World Cup and is all the vomit-inducing OTT talk about how amazing Messi is. It is seriously embarrassing. Yes he's a very good Footballer but he isn't from another planet, he's not a higher power, he's someone who has bad or indifferent performances just like every other Footballer that has ever played. And seeing everything remotely good he does blown completely out of proportion is infuriating.

For example his goal against Iran in the Group Stages. Chesterfield FC used to have a Striker called Craig Davies who scored goals like that for fun! The only difference being as he is right-footed, he would cut inside from the left and shoot with the right.

To end on a positive note, I thought it was a thoroughly enjoyable World Cup overall, I think it had the best Group Stages of any World Cup I remember watching properly (from France 98 onwards) and overall it was at the very least a dramatic improvement over the last World Cup. Seeing Germany thrash Brazil was quite amazing and definitely one of the highlights, if only because you'll surely never see that again?!