The 2013-2014 Football Thread

[twietee]

Typical Italian way: let everybody think you got 'em by surprise just to get ultimately outplayed yourself. Very cost efficient performance unlike England. Not sure what's up with Roo but he was almost lost in the team going for powerplay. Only thing I'd critisize Hodgson for. I'm always rooting for Italy so that was a delightful game to watch.

Best game so far imo, followed by Mex/Aus. Costa Rica was amazing but Uruguay just looked abysmal.

Refs aside, this was a great start into the tourney altogether!

 

[mojolicious]

England must start understanding to really shine at a tournament you need tactics

BURN THE WITCH!!!!

Really enjoyable game to watch. If that's the highlight of England's campaign, we'll always have warm memories of the Sterling>Rooney>Sturridge goal and, even better, the early Sterling Wonderstrike.

 

[swiftaw]

BURN THE WITCH!!!!

Really enjoyable game to watch. If that's the highlight of England's campaign, we'll always have warm memories of the Sterling>Rooney>Sturridge goal and, even better, the early Sterling Wonderstrike.

I really thought that early Sterling strike had gone in. It looked like it from the camera angle.

 

[pachyderm]

Typical Italian way: let everybody think you got 'em by surprise just to get ultimately outplayed yourself. Very cost efficient performance unlike England. Not sure what's up with Roo but he was almost lost in the team going for powerplay. Only thing I'd critisize Hodgson for. I'm always rooting for Italy so that was a delightful game to watch.

Best game so far imo, followed by Mex/Aus. Costa Rica was amazing but Uruguay just looked abysmal.

Refs aside, this was a great start into the tourney altogether!

rooney would be my man on the free kicks. i don't think he took any did he?

 

[twietee]

I really thought that early Sterling strike had gone in. It looked like it from the camera angle.

Me too. Thought it was the coolest possible way to celebrate too for a second or two...

Pachy, Gerrard that worse than Rooney at free kicks? I can understand keeping him around but Rooney either wasn't fully fit or lacked somewhere else; three good actions (possibly exaggerated) aren't enough if it means teammates have to run even more to compensate for that. Couldn't believe my ears that he hasn't scored one single goal during a wc campaign.

That said, I think they still have a more than fair chance to make it to the semi.

 

[swiftaw]

rooney would be my man on the free kicks. i don't think he took any did he?

After the corner he took that never even went into play, I don't want Rooney anywhere near set pieces.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

One thing does worry me a bit - the possibility that the heat drives teams to play more defensive football so as not to run themselves into the ground. Si far that has not happened but at the later stages we might see more Mourinho-ball. Italy stayed fresh longer because they weren't doing much running.

 

[twietee]

After the corner he took that never even went into play, I don't want Rooney anywhere near set pieces.

I forgot that one already. Quite shocking.

One thing does worry me a bit - the possibility that the heat drives teams to play more defensive football so as not to run themselves into the ground. Si far that has not happened but at the later stages we might see more Mourinho-ball. Italy stayed fresh longer because they weren't doing much running.

Let's hope not. Italy created little but had about 70% possession in first half so that wasn't your usual 'park the bus'. England did play the counter attacking part. I like how Italians play (but one team's enough to do so) so we may disagree a bit here. They created more, better and clearer chances too over the whole time imo. Not by wide margin of course.

 

[Cox Orange]

There is one thought that came to my mind re croatia (I know it is cold coffee)...

The last time when there was a goal line referee assistant they did not get the goal against England (Euro cup) counted, because the assistant did not look at the ball. This time you have goal line technology and they don't get the goal against Brazil, because the referee decides against it.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Let's hope not. Italy created little but had about 70% possession in first half so that wasn't your usual 'park the bus'. England did play the counter attacking part. I like how Italians play (but one team's enough to do so) so we may disagree a bit here. They created more, better and clearer chances too over the whole time imo. Not by wide margin of course.

Italy can play a reactive game with style, but if everyone tried that the tournament would become very dull.

 

[twietee]

There is one thought that came to my mind re croatia (I know it is cold coffee)...

The last time when there was a goal line referee assistant they did not get the goal against England (Euro cup) counted, because the assistant did not look at the ball. This time you have goal line technology and they don't get the goal against Brazil, because the referee decides against it.

I read that the ref has some history with Brazi about a pen not given to Kaka, etc pp; but I personally am not that shenengian about the opener, pen was a joke, but the rest was mostly reasonable imo.

Italy can play a reactive game with style, but if everyone tried that the tournament would become very dull.

That's why I wrote one's enough. But reactionary can mean a lot. Netherlands (ad well as England during the first half) played reactionary, but beautifully! Germany 2010 played the same and everybody loved it. No point in running and gunning when the players can't make to the 90min either. But Manaus (?) was a rather extreme clima wasn't it?

What was with the situation re Gerrard(?): pen?

 

[Happybunny]

I read that the ref has some history with Brazi about a pen not given to Kaka, etc pp; but I personally am not that shenengian about the opener, pen was a joke, but the rest was mostly reasonable imo.



That's why I wrote one's enough. But reactionary can mean a lot. Netherlands (ad well as England during the first half) played reactionary, but beautifully! Germany 2010 played the same and everybody loved it. No point in running and gunning when the players can't make to the 90min either. But Manaus (?) was a rather extreme clima wasn't it?

What was with the situation re Gerrard(?): pen?

If you think that's bad, Just wait until 2022 and 50 C in the shade, and there is no shade.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

That's why I wrote one's enough. But reactionary can mean a lot. Netherlands (ad well as England during the first half) played reactionary, but beautifully! Germany 2010 played the same and everybody loved it. No point in running and gunning when the players can't make to the 90min either. But Manaus (?) was a rather extreme clima wasn't it?

It will be interesting to see how Chile fare...they are a pressing team. Just think if poor Atletico Madrid were playing in this heat.

Reactive is one thing; but playing with a fear of the ball whenever the team is not actually counterattacking (like a Mourinho side) is another.

What was with the situation re Gerrard(?): pen?

I think it could have been a penalty but was probably the right call. It was not a dive/obvious mistake by the ref, like the Brazil penalty. Gerrard didn't make a big issue of it.

 

[twietee]

Fair play then. One of those situations where perception may differ quite a bit depending whether one's team is involved or not.

Btw. my guess is that Germany will play much more conservative than usual. Climatic conditions, lack of real success before but most of all injured (Gündogan) or out of form (Schweinsteiger, Khedira) players in CM enforce 4 CBs at the back because Lahm goes midfielder. Meaning about zero attacking threat by left or right backs! Pity that Durm won't play most likely. Here's hope he makes it vs Ghana and USA, but Portugal may be too dangerous to test him.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

The Swiss beat Ecuador 2-1 with almost the last kick of the game, an exciting end to a relatively tame match. Ecuador got the ball into the Swiss box, but Michael Arroyo took one too many touches and got dispossessed. The Swiss counterattacked, got fouled badly, the ref played advantage and the Swiss profited as Haris Seferovic roofed a cross with seconds of added time left. A textbook counterattack.

It's a good world cup when even the Swiss can be exciting.

Btw. my guess is that Germany will play much more conservative than usual. Climatic conditions, lack of real success before but most of all injured (Gündogan) or out of form (Schweinsteiger, Khedira) players in CM enforce 4 CBs at the back because Lahm goes midfielder. Meaning about zero attacking threat by left or right backs! Pity that Durm won't play most likely. Here's hope he makes it vs Ghana and USA, but Portugal may be too dangerous to test him.

Germany should be able to dominate possession against us Yanks and the Ghanaians - both teams will focus on soaking up pressure and counterattacking. USA's task will be not to allow the Germans to suck them in and commit too many players forward. Germany will have to be wary of rapid counterattacks.

If Germany's lack of fullbacks forces them to play a bit narrow, USA might have some joy with Fabian Johnson and DaMarcus Beasley attacking up the flanks. Altidore will want to hold up the ball or turn his defender while Dempsey will seek to ghost in and poach goals. I expect to lose but I hope we can at at least get a goal or two.

 

[Happybunny]

Justice was done Switzerland 2 Ecuador 1.

Both teams disappointed with their game play, but at least the Swiss tried to play football.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Typical Honduran performance - tough and quite dirty. Wilson Palacios is a disgrace, stamping on Pogba's leg - twice - and then pretending to be badly injured himself. France should be 3-0 up by now but aren't quite finishing their chances.

 

[twietee]

Typical Honduran performance - tough and quite dirty. Wilson Palacios is a disgrace, stamping on Pogba's leg - twice - and then pretending to be badly injured himself. France should be 3-0 up by now but aren't quite finishing their chances.

Glad someone else sees it that way! Tv voice said Pogba should be thankful for that yellow... oÔ

----------

Justice called.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

USA plays Honduras all the time. They have some good players but prefer to kick teams all over the pitch instead of playing football. I think they rely on crap refereeing to get by in CONCACAF.

Palacios got what he deserved.

 

[takao]

Glad someone else sees it that way! Tv voice said Pogba should be thankful for that yellow... oÔ

----------

Justice called.

IMHO true ... kicking out while lying on the floor normally is a red but so is multipel stomping on opponents on the floor

to calm everybody down he went with yellow for both ... and palacios got what he deserved


on "fear of the ball": England 2012

England played quite nice ... getting the younger players on the squad sure helped them

it's one thing to play a counter attacking game and another to do literally nothing and then grind out a 1:0 after a goal through a header after an corner

Holland could have sat there with the 3:1 and played it over the time but they continued to press in the midfield and forced errors .. just like Germany did vs Argentina and England in 2010

edit:
Also i second the talk about Germany playing more conservative. It's not like scoring goals helped them the last tournaments
counting the world cup 2006,euro2008, world cup 2010 and euro 2012 they have scored a mind-blowing total of 50 goals combined and haven't won a single title. (Italy: 25; Spain: 41)

 

[twietee]

Well, he could have definitely gotten a red for that. The ref did alright, but as a commentator (?) you don't watch the slomo three times with Palacios stomping all over his legs multiple times and all you say is that Pogba was lucky there?

Anyway, boring game.

 

[Happybunny]

It’s good to see France back in International football with good team, with as to be expected a great Mid Field.
The goals when they came were worth waiting for.
Honduras were just terrible, a dirty side with the philosophy of anything above the ground kick it experts.

 

[oscillatewildly]

...

What do you all think of Rooney's performance? He really should have scored an equalizer with that shot he put wide. He disappeared later. Precise cross for England's goal though. Wellbeck = the poor man's Dirk Kuyt.

...

Rooney is a scapegoat for the lazy. England fail, Rooney's fault, England win the World Cup, the Lion Gerrard. The latter was garbage yesterday and the former was wasted wide - if they want a quality ball in, use Baines properly.

Sterling did well but faded - tired efforts giving the ball away; maybe subbed if they weren't forced to replace Sturridge. The latter, like Rooney, was mixed - missing from good positions. Wilshere thinks he is going to score a 'Norwich' goal every time he goes forward but runs to the 'D', hits a brick wall, and falls down. England's midfield is screwed - relying on Gerrard is nuts.

Other than that, it's rosy.

Cheers,
OW

 

[jsolares]

Glad someone else sees it that way! Tv voice said Pogba should be thankful for that yellow... oÔ

----------

Justice called.

He was lucky it was just a yellow, they both were, getting kicked doesn't justify kicking the other player.

The yellow on the penalty was harsh, harsh doesn't mean wrong though, too bad for our neighbours to the east, they were outplayed badly, it could've been a lot more. Good to see the good version of Benzema out there

 

[twietee]

He was lucky it was just a yellow, they both were, getting kicked doesn't justify kicking the other player.

Never said any different, only pointing out that it's strange to single out only Pogba's action like the tv-voice did.
I personally think Palacio's action much meaner (let alone the carrying away, really?), glad he finally got what he deserved not much later by his own stupidity.