Back luck Costa Rica, but Holland deserved the win in the end.
Semifinals should be interesting. Europe vs South America. Messi vs Robben. I can see Brazil going out at this point, no Neymar, no Silva. The Brazilians will continue with their ugly football to try and get a result, but the Germans will handle that easily enough unless the ref is a lame as the last game. The other game is too close to call.
so in the end the big boys all took care of business, and Holland also made it.
I think both Belgium and Colombia were a little overawed by the occasion, and their early defensive mistakes fucked them up for good. The ref in Brasil v Colombia match was an absolute disgrace though, that game would have been 1000x better if Fernandinho had received a yellow early on, and if the referee hadn't made a thousand stupid little calls that killed the flow of the match. Neymar getting zangiefed in the spine was a natural consequence of the shit ref never asserting any authority.
The semi-finals look pretty tasty though. Argentina aren't brilliant by any means but they're starting to look more comfortable and Messi is beginning to boss the game for longer periods, maybe he'll finally have one of those brilliant matches and tear the dutch to shreds? Brazil is going to turn the blood and thunder up another notch, I think that game will depend on how much the germans can resist in the first 15-20 mins. If they hold on long enough the mood will cool down and they'll have a good chance of winning. Lucky for them that Brasil already has a scapegoat in case of failure now, there's less expectation now.
Argentina v Brasil in the final though, that can only end one way:
as much as i wanted to see them thru, i think Costa Rica got exactly what they deserved by going 5-4-1 and playing for pennos from minute 1 and then not executing when they got there.
- I find it incredible that he got that much power kicking the ball with his instep!
Even more incredible: hitting with instep and producing no spin, curl or swerve.
I would have said it was against the laws of physics, but he made it happen.
Basically I'm accusing him of witchcraft.
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
Duderonomy said:
In this WC, Robben > Messi.
IMO.
Mine, too. He's a despicable fucking turd, but he was almost unplayable last night.
Mine, too. He's a despicable fucking turd, but he was almost unplayable last night.
I think the game against Belgium was Messi's best so far. Even if he didn't run at their entire defense, he was excellent in midfield, letting Witsel and Fellaini step up to him so he could then spring a pass to one of his teammates. Their first goal came from a play like that, and there was the crazy long ball he sent to Di Maria from a similar move. His participation in the previous matches was more sporadic, but always enough to swing the game in Argentina's favor. Robben has been amazing, but he's in a better team and plays under a much smarter coach.
on David Luiz's physically impossible free-kick, the Guardian has the best description I've seen so far:
David Luíz struck the free-kick like someone kicking an inflatable on a windy beach.
My takeaway from this game apart from the fact that the keeper sub was a good one....
Robin van Persie's son is called Shaqueel.
What?
He's married to a Muslim woman of Moroccan Dutch descent.
Who
a) did her third year abroad at LSU or
B) has a thing for baritones with a sense of humor.
Have you got a [strike]sense of humour[/strike] baritone voice?
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
Since some of us are already having to endure people declaring the new United manager to be a master tactician before the first ball of the new season's been kicked, it's worth pointing out that the true genius of Van Gaal's decision to put Tim Krul in wasn't that Krul's a penalty expert, but that bringing him on managed to convince Costa Rica he was.
I was out with a few friends yesterday, and we were talking about Neymar getting crocked. I said that, back in the 70s and 80s, if Brazil had lost a key player through injury mid-tournament they'd just rotate in some young lad nobody in Europe had ever heard of from Pernambuco or somewhere, with a name like Clever or Livingston, and he'd blow every fucker's mind. The internet and dedicated sports channels covering football at every level has pretty much killed that off. But that Krul substitution felt like a bit of a throwback to the age where you didn't know everything about everyone beforehand, and you could still be blindsided by something as prosaic as a substitution or a change of tactics.
Since some of us are already having to endure people declaring the new United manager to be a master tactician before the first ball of the new season's been kicked, it's worth pointing out that the true genius of Van Gaal's decision to put Tim Krul in wasn't that Krul's a penalty expert, but that bringing him on managed to convince Costa Rica he was.
I was out with a few friends yesterday, and we were talking about Neymar getting crocked. I said that, back in the 70s and 80s, if Brazil had lost a key player through injury mid-tournament they'd just rotate in some young lad nobody in Europe had ever heard of from Pernambuco or somewhere, with a name like Clever or Livingston, and he'd blow every fucker's mind. The internet and dedicated sports channels covering football at every level has pretty much killed that off. But that Krul substitution felt like a bit of a throwback to the age where you didn't know everything about everyone beforehand, and you could still be blindsided by something as prosaic as a substitution or a change of tactics.
I imagine games like Football Manager have also had something to do with it, but it's maybe more the teams like Chelski who play that game for real, and will most likely have bought and loaned out unknown Brazilian school boys long before the internet gets wind of them. The field is most definitely rinsed.
23000 players, 500 teams, each has a beauty queen.
If the team is crap, a winning queen can get you into another tournament stage.
If Queenie don't show up, death in the family, ill, whatever, team is OUT.
No offside, throw ins are kicks, yellow card can be struck off by donating a ball to a poor kid.
This is fucking genius.
FIFA dudes >
Sponsors >
FIFA harem + hoes + rent boys >
Govt bigwigs >
National soccer federation dudes >
Celebs n royalty >
TV dudes >
Journos >
Players >
Fans >
Locals >
Construction workers
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
Duderonomy said:
In this WC, Robben > Messi.
IMO.
Didn't think I could hate anyone more than Robben, until that goofy ass sub goalie came in and started jumping around like a maniac. It worked, yes. But that's exactly how not to be...smh.
So I'm still finding my feet in Barcelona, and as I'm new to the teaching job I haven't really put in enough time learning Spanish (well, it's not a particularly good excuse, but it's the only one I've got right now). I speak English with students and friends everyday, but there can be moments when I'm acutely aware of just how oblivious I am to the majority of communication going on around me, and I might feel a little alienated and tell myself to hit the Spanish books.
But there are other times when meaning and intent transcends the language barrier so starkly that I almost appreciate my ignorance. Early last Saturday evening I was walking back to my flat, the barrio was still, and I was deep in thought when a single word came from an open window.
It was said quickly, not loudly, or as an extended yell, but it was projected from the gut with a speed and tone that spoke of the seriousness of the matter at hand, to cut through any other ongoing conversations in the vicinity, to alert all in ear shot in the way Meerkats might use a special bark of warning for an Eagle's shadow.
"Gol"
A little indulgent I grant you, but I've been thinking about that ever since. Fuck I love football.
Yeah, that was Higuain's strike. I still can't get my head around the Catalan mentality regarding the national team. Now the line is that of course the Spanish team failed because the Catalan players were out of form, Spain only won on the back of Barca's success, the Spanish players can't step up. Pffft.
Comments
Damn.
I'll miss that series. Certainly better than the psychic octopus.
Robin van Persie's son is called Shaquille.
What?
Semifinals should be interesting. Europe vs South America. Messi vs Robben. I can see Brazil going out at this point, no Neymar, no Silva. The Brazilians will continue with their ugly football to try and get a result, but the Germans will handle that easily enough unless the ref is a lame as the last game. The other game is too close to call.
Brazil (toby.d)
vs
Germany (okem)
Holland (Bassie)
vs
Argentina (DOR)
Who
a) did her third year abroad at LSU or
B) has a thing for baritones with a sense of humor.
I think both Belgium and Colombia were a little overawed by the occasion, and their early defensive mistakes fucked them up for good. The ref in Brasil v Colombia match was an absolute disgrace though, that game would have been 1000x better if Fernandinho had received a yellow early on, and if the referee hadn't made a thousand stupid little calls that killed the flow of the match. Neymar getting zangiefed in the spine was a natural consequence of the shit ref never asserting any authority.
The semi-finals look pretty tasty though. Argentina aren't brilliant by any means but they're starting to look more comfortable and Messi is beginning to boss the game for longer periods, maybe he'll finally have one of those brilliant matches and tear the dutch to shreds? Brazil is going to turn the blood and thunder up another notch, I think that game will depend on how much the germans can resist in the first 15-20 mins. If they hold on long enough the mood will cool down and they'll have a good chance of winning. Lucky for them that Brasil already has a scapegoat in case of failure now, there's less expectation now.
Argentina v Brasil in the final though, that can only end one way:
IMO.
can you honestly remember a better world cup?
Even more incredible: hitting with instep and producing no spin, curl or swerve.
I would have said it was against the laws of physics, but he made it happen.
Basically I'm accusing him of witchcraft.
Mine, too. He's a despicable fucking turd, but he was almost unplayable last night.
I think the game against Belgium was Messi's best so far. Even if he didn't run at their entire defense, he was excellent in midfield, letting Witsel and Fellaini step up to him so he could then spring a pass to one of his teammates. Their first goal came from a play like that, and there was the crazy long ball he sent to Di Maria from a similar move. His participation in the previous matches was more sporadic, but always enough to swing the game in Argentina's favor. Robben has been amazing, but he's in a better team and plays under a much smarter coach.
on David Luiz's physically impossible free-kick, the Guardian has the best description I've seen so far:
Have you got a [strike]sense of humour[/strike] baritone voice?
I was out with a few friends yesterday, and we were talking about Neymar getting crocked. I said that, back in the 70s and 80s, if Brazil had lost a key player through injury mid-tournament they'd just rotate in some young lad nobody in Europe had ever heard of from Pernambuco or somewhere, with a name like Clever or Livingston, and he'd blow every fucker's mind. The internet and dedicated sports channels covering football at every level has pretty much killed that off. But that Krul substitution felt like a bit of a throwback to the age where you didn't know everything about everyone beforehand, and you could still be blindsided by something as prosaic as a substitution or a change of tactics.
:walk_away_son:
23000 players, 500 teams, each has a beauty queen.
If the team is crap, a winning queen can get you into another tournament stage.
If Queenie don't show up, death in the family, ill, whatever, team is OUT.
No offside, throw ins are kicks, yellow card can be struck off by donating a ball to a poor kid.
This is fucking genius.
Yellows rescinded, extra magic minutes etc...
Would rather see tits than a bacon face, doe.
Getting their prioritiÔé¼$ right.
FIFA dudes >
Sponsors >
FIFA harem + hoes + rent boys >
Govt bigwigs >
National soccer federation dudes >
Celebs n royalty >
TV dudes >
Journos >
Players >
Fans >
Locals >
Construction workers
Didn't think I could hate anyone more than Robben, until that goofy ass sub goalie came in and started jumping around like a maniac. It worked, yes. But that's exactly how not to be...smh.
But there are other times when meaning and intent transcends the language barrier so starkly that I almost appreciate my ignorance. Early last Saturday evening I was walking back to my flat, the barrio was still, and I was deep in thought when a single word came from an open window.
It was said quickly, not loudly, or as an extended yell, but it was projected from the gut with a speed and tone that spoke of the seriousness of the matter at hand, to cut through any other ongoing conversations in the vicinity, to alert all in ear shot in the way Meerkats might use a special bark of warning for an Eagle's shadow.
"Gol"
A little indulgent I grant you, but I've been thinking about that ever since. Fuck I love football.
They won it together, they flopped it together.
is that russian dude still around??