FIFA World Cup 2014

[TarJak]

What a boring match.

[Catfish]

^ Did not find it boring, well played by both sides. And it is not the boring "standing football" from two decades ago.

Fast paced, lot of runs towards the german goal (with 30 degrees Celsius), but the german defence was very good, especially Neuer

Better than against Algeria, nice game with a lot of chances for France.
Very good passes in the german team, only Hoewedes never got one - wrong side.

Semi final !!

[Oberon]

This is going to wind up as Germany vs Netherlands, isn't it?

That's gonna make for a match and a half.

[soopaman2]

I lost a dollar to my old lady on that Colombia game.

So embarassing when someone who never even watched a match, one ups me in sports picking.


She came in second in our football (gridiron) pool last year just picking based on uniform colors, and maybe a player she heard of. Women...

She's picking Germany all the way, the Jerseys are "cute".

I would drop a few bucks on them, she has been stellar.

[Skybird]

Finally the Germans seem to regain what traditionally is seen as their core virtue: real Kampfgeist. I am still not satisfied with how they played - but they played a lot better in most regards then before, and the changes in the lineup helped. However, the French had their moments, too. Hummels and Boateng did extremely well, Lahm showed where he really belongs in Löw's team. Klose was a disappointment, he really did not had the match on his radar, it seemed to me. The attackers' department scored too little goals. That a defender scored the only goal, hopefully doe snot become symptomatic for things to come.

Brazil now waits for them, and the Kolumbians showed them their limits. With one key player banned (second yellow), and their star player maybe also missing, or handicapped, the German might have a chance to beat Brazil indeed, if they can figure out how to take Luiz out of the match.

The matches tomorrow probably will see Argentinia and Netherlands as winners as predicted, but I do not know who will beat whom of these two. Key is to find a solution to neutralise Robben, or Messi.

[Skybird]

Oh, and hang the referee of the match BRA-COL. That man was an offence to the rules and the game. The match marks the record climax in number of fouls at this tournament. And what did he do in reacting to it? He let it happen, did nothing. Some cards, and Neymar would not be in hospital now, crying from pain according to witnesses in hospital. I counted at least half a dozen fouls worthy to be rewarded with a yellow, and one maybe even a red. Them match saw over 50 fouls in total.

[mapuc]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Oh, and hang the referee of the match BRA-COL. That man was an offence to the rules and the game. The match marks the record climax in number of fouls at this tournament. And what did he do in reacting to it? He let it happen, did nothing. Some cards, and Neymar would not be in hospital now, crying from pain according to witnesses in hospital. I counted at least half a dozen fouls worthy to be rewarded with a yellow, and one maybe even a red. Them match saw over 50 fouls in total.

Agree on the referee-issue. We need pro-referees that doesn't care(or ain't afraid) if one of the team are playing at home with thousands of spectators supporting them. There was a few Brazilians that got a yellow card.

Markus

[Skybird]

The Brazilian goalie got one yellow for a last-minute brake, the penalty resulted in the 1:2.

And Silva got one yellow for interfering with the goalie during kickoff.

There were 56 fouls, and one seriously injured player (Neymar).

No, I do not think the relation fits.

[Feuer Frei!]

I'm happy with the Germans performance.
Finally, the best Aufstellung since the tournament started.
And Ice Ice Mertesacker wasn't missed. Plain to see why.

Lahm, good game, took him a while to get into the game,
Klose, very unimpressive.
Normally involves himself very well and aggressive, but in this game? maybe too hot or too old.

Mats, du bist ein Star I like his style, he is Germany's best defender, without a doubt.

Schweinsteiger, good game, controlling things from the middle.

Neuer, no libero antics needed this time but made a crucial save in the dying minute of game that would have been painful for us.
He could have gone down to cover a low shot but stayed upright, and like a pillar defended the strike away. Awesome.
Once again, it proves he is currently nO. 1 shot stopper in the world.

Defensively, still some holes and worries, but, a much better performance.

Bring on Brazil, Scolare was quoted before the columbia game saying to his critics: They can go to hell

Let's hope Brazil goes to hell in the Germany game (fig. speaking ofc)

[Feuer Frei!]

So it looks like Neymar is out. Breaking his 3rd vertebrae in the Columbia match.

And Silva, the captain definately out after receiving a second yellow in that game.

Good for Germany.

[Skybird]

Yes, good for Germany, but while I am grinning over Silva who really simply acted stupidly and foolish and deserves his ban, I regret Neyma - you do not want to sneak to victory by your opponent being tackled by fate like this.

Makes me even more angry about this piece of dog dirt of a referee. He really paved the road by his inactivity for the mountain starting to slide. And Neymar was given a very special treatment by the Colombians all game long already. A ref has the duty to prevent such goings. I think he shares his part in repsonsibility for Neyma's serious injury.

On the German team lineup, one more change I want to see: leave out Özil. The tournament bypasses him completely so far, he definitely got caught on the wrong foot by it. Five matches, five self-neutralizations - not impressive at all. Schürrle from beginning on?

[Jimbuna]

Not overly impressed with either game last night but that is what often happens 'entertainment' wise when the stakes are high.

Looking forward to the Brazil v Germany encounter and wouldn't be surprised if the winner of that game wins the competition outright.

[Skybird]

http://www.welt.de/sport/fussball/wm...Nachspiel.html

Carlos Velasco Carballo ist als Schiedsrichter verschrien, bei dem die Karten locker sitzen, Gelbe wie Rote. Er ist dadurch schon vielfach auffällig geworden, zum Unwillen vieler. In der spanischen Liga, wo er pfeift, brachte er es mal auf die Bilanz von 135 Verwarnungen und Platzverweisen in 20 Spielen.

Die Frage ist nun, was nur aus Kartenpistolero Carballo geworden ist, der die Leitung des WM-Viertelfinals der Brasilianer gegen Kolumbien aus der Hand gab und beide Teams wild aufeinander losgehen ließ. Insbesondere in der letzten halben Stunde, wo seine ordnende Hand dringend vonnöten gewesen wäre. Es dauerte 40 quälend lange Fouls, ehe Carballo die erste Verwarnung aussprach. Das Spiel und die Spieler waren ihm da schon entglitten.


Es ist hypothetisch, aber vielleicht wäre dieses Foul in der 87. Minute gar nicht erst passiert, hätte er energischer durchgegriffen und den Entgleisungen zeitiger einen Riegel vorgeschoben.

The same referee, article says, is known to be shooting sharp with cards, holding a league record of having given 135 yellow red in 20 Spanish league matches
...? Are we talking about the same ref...?

What has FIFA told their referees to do in the tournament that such a card-sniper turns into such a blind lamb? Waste players if it helps to boost the number of dramatic scenes? Gladiator fights attract more audience and thus are better for sponsors than sportsmanship? Money over fair play? Considering what a criminal Mafia-like clan FIFA is, it would not be surprising.

Also this:
http://www.welt.de/sport/fussball/wm...Nachspiel.html

Quite some critics attest that FIFA seems to run a policy that favours gladiator fights over technical skilled players - who just get plowed under.

Some centimeters higher - and Neymar would have been paralysed for life. Imagine what heart-warmingly biographic documentaries FIFA could have filmed over such a bitter fate!" Think of all that money for sold DVD and broadcasting licenses! FIFA really had bad luck yesterday.

[Feuer Frei!]

I'm wondering if the ref was influenced by the Columbian cartel(s) maybe.

Not the first time the Columbian underworld has fingers in Columbian matches.

When one's life is threatened, and that of your family, a bad performance is not that unusual.

Remember Escobar !

It would not be a far-fetched notion that.
A match stat:
Columbia 23 fouls to Brazil 31,

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Schürrle from beginning on?

Maybe Poldi, Mezut is a Angriffs-Verhinderer at the moment to the National Elf.

Problem is, Mezut is Jogy's darling.