• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

2014 FIFA World Cup |OT7| Krul luck for Costa Rica after masterstroke from van Gaal

Status
Not open for further replies.

GBG

Banned
I'd like to see a Germany - Argentina final. The Brazilians have spent half the tournament trying to kick the other teams off the pitch and Krul's antics in the shoot out just put me right off the Dutch.

Also if Argentina won the thing it'd finally put an end to all the naysayers who are blind to the fact that Messi is the GOAT.
 

Overdoziz

Banned
imllAJ681DRGb.gif

iBWrutkNshP2G.gif
 

Roland1979

Junior Member
It's not the WC of underdogs tho. How many WCs do the 4 semifinalists there have combined? Even Holland is 3 times runner up.

Edit: that is not to say I agree with him or his tone (he's obviously trolling you and you are falling for it) Sometimes people making a counterpoint is taken like one endorses the other person for some reason, but I don't.

Well let's not ignore everything that happened up until this point. Basically almost all predictions where wrong, expect the ones about Brazil, Germany and Argentina to a lesser extend. I'm not talking about who might win the cup. I'm talking about the high scoring, the small teams advancing, matches that should "easily" be won lost, etc. If football was easy to predict everyone who knows a bit about it would bet money on matches consistently and win. My point was just that his whole rant about Argentina (and the rest) basically has little value and weight, even if all his points are valid (which they are not). I didn't mean a underdog will win the WC, that would have to been have Costa Rica or something. Imagine how that country would explode if it actually did win it. Almost makes me feel sorry about us eliminating them. Almost.
 

NaM

Does not have twelve inches...
I'd like to see a Germany - Argentina final. The Brazilians have spent half the tournament trying to kick the other teams off the pitch and Krul's antics in the shoot out just put me right off the Dutch.

Also if Argentina won the thing it'd finally put an end to all the naysayers who are blind to the fact that Messi is the GOAT.

Messi is GOAT but if he wants to be the best ever he needs a couple of WC, at least 2.
 

Wilbur

Banned
Yes, exactly.

That makes no sense

And I disagree with the general point anyway. If Gareth Bale has incredible seasons forever and scores a hat trick in the next five CL finals, is he never going to be in the GOAT conversation because his country is shit?

Club football is a higher level than international football; the only way the World Cup comes close in terms of difficulty is pressure. Messi has been the best player in his side for all five matches so far. If they win this World Cup, he'll have been the key figure. He doesn't need another one. The rest of his career proves that.
 

markao

Member
Amazing moment, something we will talk about with our grand kids, this photo of the substitution captured it perfectly, that smile on Pinto's face says it all.

wissel_pintosmilec3j8e.jpg

.


And one week after Ned-Mex, I also realise I'm the only one thinking Robben started his Superman impression after his right foot hit Marquez his knee/shin, not because he was stepped on his left foot, still a penalty ;)
 

FootballFan

Member
That makes no sense

And I disagree with the general point anyway. If Gareth Bale has incredible seasons forever and scores a hat trick in the next five CL finals, is he never going to be in the GOAT conversation because his country is shit?

Club football is a higher level than international football; the only way the World Cup comes close in terms of difficulty is pressure. Messi has been the best player in his side for all five matches so far. If they win this World Cup, he'll have been the key figure. He doesn't need another one. The rest of his career proves that.

Yep.

Nothing but truth here.
 

Sadist

Member
Amazing moment, something we will talk about with are grand kids, this photo of the substitution captured it perfectly, that smile on Pinto's face says it all.

wissel_pintosmilec3j8e.jpg

.


And one week after Ned-Mex, I also realise I'm the only one thinking Robben started his Superman impression after his right foot hit Marquez his knee/shin, not because he was stepped on his left foot, still a penalty ;)
Pinto during the sub was hilarious. He kept shaking his head and just didn't understand.
 

NaM

Does not have twelve inches...
That makes no sense.

That's my point, he is the goat but unless he wins at least a couple of world cups in the future he is going to be remembered like one the best, not the best. IMO he is greatest ever but for many he will not until he wins a couple of WC.
 

Hyllian

Member
Did you see this criminal scheme in your media?

http://globoesporte.globo.com/futeb...ligado-fifa-na-mafia-de-cambistas-no-rio.html

A major scheme of ilegal ticket sales. Two foreign suspects arrested this week: the english Raymond Whelan and the Argelian Mohamadou Lamine Fofana. They had more than 100 tickets for the WC2014 finals! They were controlling almost U$$ 100 million in tickets.

Raymond Whelan was arrested at Copacabana Palace, the same hotel where FIFA dirigents are hosted.

EDIT: there was a small note in the guardian site: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jul/07/ray-whelan-arrested-world-cup-ticket-sales
 

Sadist

Member
That's my point, he is the goat but unless he wins at least a couple of world cups in the future he is going to be remembered like one the best, not the best. IMO he is greatest ever but for many he will not until he wins a couple of WC.
I never get this line of thinking; A player isn't just great because of his trophies, but the way he plays and makes his team play. I know a cup is more tangible acomplishment, but Messi will always be remembered as one hell of a player. The best is subjective anyway.

Here's hoping he has an off-day wednesday though :p
 
Ref for NED-ARG match announced:

Cuneyt CAKIR

Reviews of his performance here: Site 1 and Site 2

For reference, he ref'd the BRA-MEX game and the RUS-ALG game.

EDIT: Reddit is shitting on him. *Shrug* His track record doesn't seem this bad, especially this world cup.
 
Brazil vs Netherlands final!

My prediction day 1 simply based on the fact that I go for Brazil (when NZ aren't there lol) and my GF goes for Netherlands.

The dream still lives!
 

Caturro

Member
If Brasil gets Silva's suspension overturned that would look shady as hell.

FIFA already said no. There was not reason to have it overturned, just Brazil grasping at straws there.

Anyways, hoping for a CONMEBOL final and an Argentina victory. I could drown on the amount of tears that will generate.
 

willow ve

Member
FIFA already said no. There was not reason to have it overturned, just Brazil grasping at straws there.

Anyways, hoping for a CONMEBOL final and an Argentina victory. I could drown on the amount of tears that will generate.

Brazil v Argentina for third place would be great fun to watch as well.
 

Probity

Member

I think that people need to get over this phase of Özil being terrible or whatever they are saying. I have been watching him a long time and I will say that there is something about him as a player that you just can't explain. You can watch him play a whole Germany game and say he is terrible. Everyone keeps saying things like 'he is lazy' or 'he is slow,' but that isn't really the thing with him. Like, I agree he hasn't been fantastic offensively this tournament, but he has played the style we've implemented fine, getting into alright positions and directing passing movements and starting chains from around the field. Sure he isn't getting nearly as many assists or key passes in, but he isn't being useless, and overall he has held possession better (in my opinion) than some other people on the team. The issue is that with the formation, he isn't being used his best, which is behind a striker. He likes to play over the wings and forward, and can't really play quickly if we are doing total football - possession style from a wing position.

He hasn't been awful, and if Reus were here he'd be playing instead, but I don't think we should drop him, we should be working to use him more effectively. The playing style we use doesn't appropriately use the abilities that the players really have. Kroos can't play possession style correctly, I don't care how slow people say he is. He can toss up a long ball so well into the box, but he is restricted to set pieces and passes to the wing. He could be a bomber, really, but we don't push up correctly. Müller can't truly find the space he normally would when we play as slow as we do as a team either, because he will be noticed eventually. Götze isn't a LW, at all. We should stop putting him there. We have good forwards in general, but playing slow buildup with the transitions of total football and the midfield of tiki taka, it doesn't work for players like Özil, who thrive on the speed of the team.

At Arsenal, he plays with faster pace, but the quality of the players around him means that his passes are pointless. Also, the constant hate he gets from fans is awful for his confidence, which is something he needs desperately. He plays with a lot more speed in his step and takes a lot more risks when he is feeling good, and you can see that people are putting so much on him that during games he looks unhappy most of the time. He played so well in 2010 because we were such a fast break team, but he can't work with the system well here. I don't think he should be let go, I think we should speed the hell up in our build up play.

Edit: Also, why does everyone hate Germany? I am seeing a lot of Brazil-Argentina final hopes, which I get, but people also like Brazil-Netherlands better than Germany-Anyone, which I don't get. What's the hate for?

rematch of 74

Yes, please. All I want.
 
Messi greatest of all time? Why? Because he had the privilege to play with a generation of spainish footballers that grew up together? Arguably, one of the best club teams ever assembled... What a crock of shit.

Messi needs to win a WC to even be in the conversation.
 

FootballFan

Member
Messi greatest of all time? Why? Because he had the privilege to play with a generation of spainish footballers that grew up together? Arguably, one of the best club teams ever assembled... What a crock of shit.

Messi needs to win a WC to even be in the conversation.

He is the reason it is one of the best club teams ever assembled.

Messi is GOAT.
 

jtb

Banned
I have no idea when this narrative that Ozil is a shit player started but it was and remains fucking idiotic. he's a world class player and Germany's best. he's doing fine. Low should drop him if he wants to lose.

Messi greatest of all time? Why? Because he had the privilege to play with a generation of spainish footballers that grew up together? Arguably, one of the best club teams ever assembled... What a crock of shit.

Messi needs to win a WC to even be in the conversation.

lol
 

Probity

Member
Messi greatest of all time? Why? Because he had the privilege to play with a generation of spainish footballers that grew up together? Arguably, one of the best club teams ever assembled... What a crock of shit.

Messi needs to win a WC to even be in the conversation.

See, I am not sure, but I am confident from my years of watching and playing football, that it may just be a team game. I am also not entirely positive, but I think that when you are good, you start for good teams, and play internationally. I also think, that if you're good but the rest of your team doesn't step up, you can't always win. Not sure though.

I am not saying Messi is the greatest, but he is good, and winning a World Cup won't make him the best, it will just make him a great player that got the chance to lift the trophy. Cruyff never won a World Cup, but he is well regarded as one of he best European players of all time. Zico didn't win won either. CR never will, but are you going to say that him and Messi aren't some of the better players in the world just because they've not won the Cup?

It is such a flawed logic, that you must have accolades to be considered great. To be considered one of the best INDIVIDUAL players, all you really need to prove that is INDIVIDUAL trophies, medals, and other accolades. Messi has plenty of awards for being a standout player, and trying to say he only plays well because he is on a team of good players is dumb, because even with the stars of Barca, he is a standout. It is hard to be a standout in a team of them. Still, I stand by the fact that he isn't the best of all time, but he surely is one among the many great players in history, with our without a cup.
 

GunBR

Member
Messi greatest of all time? Why? Because he had the privilege to play with a generation of spainish footballers that grew up together? Arguably, one of the best club teams ever assembled... What a crock of shit.

Messi needs to win a WC to even be in the conversation.

He already is one of the best of all time, he don't need a WC for this

But, if he never wins a WC probably Maradona will remain his status of the best of all time in Argentina. Even if Messi makes 30 goals in just one season of the UCL (or something similar)
 

FootballFan

Member
Just imagine how good you need to be to stand out easily and so often carry a team considered "the greatest club team assembled"

Incredible.
 

valeo

Member
I think that people need to get over this phase of Özil being terrible or whatever they are saying. I have been watching him a long time and I will say that there is something about him as a player that you just can't explain. You can watch him play a whole Germany game and say he is terrible. Everyone keeps saying things like 'he is lazy' or 'he is slow,' but that isn't really the thing with him. Like, I agree he hasn't been fantastic offensively this tournament, but he has played the style we've implemented fine, getting into alright positions and directing passing movements and starting chains from around the field. Sure he isn't getting nearly as many assists or key passes in, but he isn't being useless, and overall he has held possession better (in my opinion) than some other people on the team. The issue is that with the formation, he isn't being used his best, which is behind a striker. He likes to play over the wings and forward, and can't really play quickly if we are doing total football - possession style from a wing position.

He hasn't been awful, and if Reus were here he'd be playing instead, but I don't think we should drop him, we should be working to use him more effectively. The playing style we use doesn't appropriately use the abilities that the players really have. Kroos can't play possession style correctly, I don't care how slow people say he is. He can toss up a long ball so well into the box, but he is restricted to set pieces and passes to the wing. He could be a bomber, really, but we don't push up correctly. Müller can't truly find the space he normally would when we play as slow as we do as a team either, because he will be noticed eventually. Götze isn't a LW, at all. We should stop putting him there. We have good forwards in general, but playing slow buildup with the transitions of total football and the midfield of tiki taka, it doesn't work for players like Özil, who thrive on the speed of the team.

At Arsenal, he plays with faster pace, but the quality of the players around him means that his passes are pointless. Also, the constant hate he gets from fans is awful for his confidence, which is something he needs desperately. He plays with a lot more speed in his step and takes a lot more risks when he is feeling good, and you can see that people are putting so much on him that during games he looks unhappy most of the time. He played so well in 2010 because we were such a fast break team, but he can't work with the system well here. I don't think he should be let go, I think we should speed the hell up in our build up play.

Edit: Also, why does everyone hate Germany? I am seeing a lot of Brazil-Argentina final hopes, which I get, but people also like Brazil-Netherlands better than Germany-Anyone, which I don't get. What's the hate for?



Yes, please. All I want.

No hate for Germany - rather, indifference. Germany are boring.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom