One of the players from Spain moved past the marker before the ball was kicked. When the ball was kicked, one player was a full head and shoulders beyond the marker.
I'm still digesting Germany's thrashing of Argentina.
Somebody linked an article that talked about Argentina as being the team with the best player in the world, a player better than Maradona. Maybe he will be, but I don't think that for all his dribbling finesse, Messi knows how to influence a match like Maradona did. Maradona was more than just high-speed running and a bullet shot, and the team he carried to World Cup success was inferior to the current crop of players... maybe Cambiasso & Zanetti would've made a difference, perhaps only to the margin of defeat. Germany were brilliant; comfortable sitting back and soaking up pressure, and deadly on the break. How much possession will they be willing to give Spain? Irresistible force vs immovable object.
I'll be surprised if Germany doesn't win the whole thing, pleasantly sursprised but surprised.
I felt as though if Paraguay had won, they would've been Deutschland's toughest competition. But now they get to face off Spain once again in a UEFA 2008 Championship Rematch. I think that Germany is better equipped now than they were 2 years ago. Torres is still trying to find his groove, and although Spain controlled the possession game, it took a pinball shot goal for them to win. I say Deutshland wins this one, but in a very close affair.
I'm still digesting Germany's thrashing of Argentina.
Somebody linked an article that talked about Argentina as being the team with the best player in the world, a player better than Maradona. Maybe he will be, but I don't think that for all his dribbling finesse, Messi knows how to influence a match like Maradona did. Maradona was more than just high-speed running and a bullet shot, and the team he carried to World Cup success was inferior to the current crop of players... maybe Cambiasso & Zanetti would've made a difference, perhaps only to the margin of defeat. Germany were brilliant; comfortable sitting back and soaking up pressure, and deadly on the break. How much possession will they be willing to give Spain? Irresistible force vs immovable object.
I am not totally convinced about Germany. Argentina played like crap on defense today. Missed assignment after missed assignment. Germany's goals were embarrassingly easy. When ARG played some D, they held possession quite easily for about half the game. Then a few more missed assignments and it was garbage time.
I am not saying that Germany is bad or got lucky but I think that Spain plays much better in the back (not to mention they have an outstanding keeper) and will have most of the possession as ARG had today (61%). This is basically going to be a rematch of the quarterfinal strategically. We'll see who cracks first.
So I guess that confirms that England are better than Argentina then ;)
For all the talk of skill etc Germany are once again showing that if you go into a match with an actual set of tactics designed for that specific opponent you can produce devastating results. Still far too few teams that adapt their game plan to exploit weaknesses in the opposition but Germany did it brilliantly in that match.
I wouldn't be mad at them winning it, they're young, entertaining to watch and, if they get there, will have beaten many of the big teams.
While most are happy to spout on about German organisation and efficiency, it's clear that this team is one of the most entertaining to watch for a while. It's built upon a solid tactical base, no doubt, but there is a fluidity within the team that England, for example, could learn from. Maybe it's a step too far to call it total football....?
At this point I'd be happy with a Germany/Netherlands big rivals final or Spain/Netherlands final. Can't call the Germany/Spain semi though.
i'm astonished at the amount of people who still don't believe in Germany as a favourite to win this tournament. saying that the thrashing they laid on Argentina wasn't convincing enough is nothing short of delusional. haters gonna hate and all that, but wake up.
i really can't see Spain beating Germany at all. just looking at the quarters: for all the talk of Spain's midfield, they just weren't stringing passes together anywhere nearly as well as Schweinsteiger and Ozil. David Villa's the top scorer, but he hasn't faced defenders as composed and well organized as Lahm & crew, and Paraguay showed that Spain's defense could be exploited on the break. Germany has shown that it runs the break better than every other team in the tournament. regardless of club form, Klose always seems to find spaces and seams during the WC and germany's midfield has done an amazing job of feeding the ball to him when he does.
Well my bet seems to be well and truly tits-up, but for the sake of seeing a new winner, am rooting for a Dutch/Spanish final.
And hopefully Spain will win, because no idea is so nauseatingly gizzard-churning than that which envisions a beaming Arjen Robben with a winners medal round his scrawny, cheating, cuntly cuntish gregory.
Well my bet seems to be well and truly tits-up, but for the sake of seeing a new winner, am rooting for a Dutch/Spanish final.
And hopefully Spain will win, because no idea is so nauseatingly gizzard-churning than that which envisions a beaming Arjen Robben with a winners medal round his scrawny, cheating, cuntly cuntish gregory.
no idea is so nauseatingly gizzard-churning than that which envisions a beaming Arjen Robben with a winners medal round his scrawny, cheating, cuntly cuntish gregory.
Good point.
Although possibly balanced by the comedy value of seeing Dirk Kuyt with a winners medal.
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
neil_something said:
skel said:
no idea is so nauseatingly gizzard-churning than that which envisions a beaming Arjen Robben with a winners medal round his scrawny, cheating, cuntly cuntish gregory.
Good point.
Although possibly balanced by the comedy value of seeing Dirk Kuyt with a winners medal.
If he wore it under his shirt at OT next season, that'd be real comedy. I'd want Gary Neville to come out of retirement just so Dirk could rub the cunt's nose in it.
no idea is so nauseatingly gizzard-churning than that which envisions a beaming Arjen Robben with a winners medal round his scrawny, cheating, cuntly cuntish gregory.
Good point.
Although possibly balanced by the comedy value of seeing Dirk Kuyt with a winners medal.
If he wore it under his shirt at OT next season, that'd be real comedy. I'd want Gary Neville to come out of retirement just so Dirk could rub the cunt's nose in it.
It would certainly give him someone else to show it to when Stevie was away undertaking national captain duties on and off the [strike]bed[/strike] pitch.........
I think our Boot Lickin Moron would probably welcome Dirk with open arms if recent newspaper comments are anything to go by.
It'd be nice to see The Wayne actually fit at a major tournament as well. Think that's his third major tournament and the third major tournament in a row he's either been recovering from injury or got injured at. All bias aside, if you compare the form he was in before the injury to the form he was in when he came back it's clear that he wasn't anywhere near as sharp as he should have been.
Sadly seems to have been a bit of a theme with this WC with Torres and the like as well.
I'm super-hyped for the game tomorrow. As I'm half spanish, half german one of my countries will reach the final for sure. That's a comfortable situation but doesn't add to the exictement on the other hand. Germany-Netherlands would be great for another chapter of this classic.
Comments
Three penalties, two saves, one goal disallowed!
pretty awesome, whatever's going on....
One of the players from Spain moved past the marker before the ball was kicked. When the ball was kicked, one player was a full head and shoulders beyond the marker.
Somebody linked an article that talked about Argentina as being the team with the best player in the world, a player better than Maradona. Maybe he will be, but I don't think that for all his dribbling finesse, Messi knows how to influence a match like Maradona did. Maradona was more than just high-speed running and a bullet shot, and the team he carried to World Cup success was inferior to the current crop of players... maybe Cambiasso & Zanetti would've made a difference, perhaps only to the margin of defeat. Germany were brilliant; comfortable sitting back and soaking up pressure, and deadly on the break. How much possession will they be willing to give Spain? Irresistible force vs immovable object.
I felt as though if Paraguay had won, they would've been Deutschland's toughest competition. But now they get to face off Spain once again in a UEFA 2008 Championship Rematch. I think that Germany is better equipped now than they were 2 years ago. Torres is still trying to find his groove, and although Spain controlled the possession game, it took a pinball shot goal for them to win. I say Deutshland wins this one, but in a very close affair.
I am not totally convinced about Germany. Argentina played like crap on defense today. Missed assignment after missed assignment. Germany's goals were embarrassingly easy. When ARG played some D, they held possession quite easily for about half the game. Then a few more missed assignments and it was garbage time.
I am not saying that Germany is bad or got lucky but I think that Spain plays much better in the back (not to mention they have an outstanding keeper) and will have most of the possession as ARG had today (61%). This is basically going to be a rematch of the quarterfinal strategically. We'll see who cracks first.
For all the talk of skill etc Germany are once again showing that if you go into a match with an actual set of tactics designed for that specific opponent you can produce devastating results. Still far too few teams that adapt their game plan to exploit weaknesses in the opposition but Germany did it brilliantly in that match.
I wouldn't be mad at them winning it, they're young, entertaining to watch and, if they get there, will have beaten many of the big teams.
At this point I'd be happy with a Germany/Netherlands big rivals final or Spain/Netherlands final. Can't call the Germany/Spain semi though.
And hopefully Spain will win, because no idea is so nauseatingly gizzard-churning than that which envisions a beaming Arjen Robben with a winners medal round his scrawny, cheating, cuntly cuntish gregory.
Best. Post. Evar.
Good point.
Although possibly balanced by the comedy value of seeing Dirk Kuyt with a winners medal.
If he wore it under his shirt at OT next season, that'd be real comedy. I'd want Gary Neville to come out of retirement just so Dirk could rub the cunt's nose in it.
It would certainly give him someone else to show it to when Stevie was away undertaking national captain duties on and off the [strike]bed[/strike] pitch.........
I think our Boot Lickin Moron would probably welcome Dirk with open arms if recent newspaper comments are anything to go by.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8790868.stm
"You wait, in four years' time you'll see a different player."
Yes. Older, balder and fatter.
b/w
Srs doe, I think it was the entire team not being able to string a pass together that hindered Wazza.
Sadly seems to have been a bit of a theme with this WC with Torres and the like as well.