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Brazil 2014--The FIFA World Cup Thread

Argentina dominated Belgium in possession, shots on goal, turnovers, etc. It was... humbling to watch Argentina do to Belgium what Belgium did to us.
 
Dutch_labrat said:
I have tried hard to understand this referee and my only explanation left is that this poor man was just not able enough to handle a game like this. Not just out of his depth but snorkeling straight down the Mariana trench.

He was not allowing tough play nor was he trying to control a violent match and certainly he was not favoring one side he was just utterly random. With no logic, no plan and no heuristic they might as well have used one of those wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube men with a randomized whistle.
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I did a bit of searching about the Brazil-Colombia referee, Carlos Velasco Carballo of Spain. Apparently, prior to the World Cup, he had a very good reputation, which included being known for being quick to issue yellow and red cards, to the extend that critics called him "card-happy." While we can't know for sure what was going on in Carballo's mind, I've seen it suggested by some former referees that he overreacted to criticism for his previously tight officiating.
 
:sad-smiley-021:

Oh well. There can only be one (said Connor McLeod), and everyone else must go home. Not that I expected CR or anyone from Concacaf to beat the clockwork orange (or beat Brazil or Germany for that matter). It was a good run while it lasted.
 
Perspicuo said:
:sad-smiley-021:

Oh well. There can only be one (said Connor McLeod), and everyone else must go home. Not that I expected CR or anyone from Concacaf to beat the clockwork orange (or beat Brazil or Germany for that matter). It was a good run while it lasted.
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Los Ticos had a very good run, and they definitely brought their "A" game today, something further they can be proud of. Sadly, some of the Dutch players--not all, Robben and Sneijder were conspicuous exceptions--seemed to be on cruise control a lot of the time.
 
Perspicuo said:
:sad-smiley-021:

Oh well. There can only be one (said Connor McLeod), and everyone else must go home. Not that I expected CR or anyone from Concacaf to beat the clockwork orange (or beat Brazil or Germany for that matter). It was a good run while it lasted.
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I cheered for Los Ticos. They played with passion throughout all their games. They are part of the represented nations where it seems like people are born with a "soccer" marker in their genes. To compare with those represented nations where their teams are "machine like" or clinical. All those teams also bring along their cultural blue prints on the field.
 
I was on fire for the Round of 16, 7 of 8. Quarterfinals 1 of 4. I had Columbia via penalties. France v Germany was the US cliche of what Americans think of football.
 
Jimmy Higgins said:
I was on fire for the Round of 16, 7 of 8. Quarterfinals 1 of 4. I had Columbia via penalties. France v Germany was the US cliche of what Americans think of football.
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Not taking cheap shots about how Americans "understand " soccer here but " the US cliche of what Americans think of football", as I finally took the time to watch France/Germany which I had taped as I was at work, that was my thought too. I also wondered why Deschamps kept Giroud on the bench until the last 5 minutes when I felt that Valbuena had been under performing already in the first half. Something was off with Valbuena.
 
Semifinal #1, Brazil-Germany, is a few hours away. A lot of uncertainty about this one--probably the safest expectation is that it will definitely be a very physical match.
 
MarkW said:
Semifinal #1, Brazil-Germany, is a few hours away. A lot of uncertainty about this one--probably the safest expectation is that it will definitely be a very physical match.
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I find it hard to think Brazil has a chance without Neymar. They were relying way too much on him. Which really does suck for Brazil, as he was taken out by a Columbian defender. Oddly enough, Suarez banned four months from football for a biting incident which caused little damage (yes third time and he deserves a suspension), but nothing for the cracked vertebrae (which could have been a career ending injury).

I edge Germany. In these games, coaching counts for more than talent.
 
Jimmy Higgins said:
Oddly enough, Suarez banned four months from football for a biting incident which caused little damage (yes third time and he deserves a suspension), but nothing for the cracked vertebrae (which could have been a career ending injury).
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Biting is not part of the game in any way and so it can only be classified as unsportsmanlike behavior. And as you said, he has done it before.
On the other hand, people jumping on each other happens all the time in the course of the game and is thus not automatically unsportsmanlike behavior unless you can show he did it on purpose to injure Neymar.


As far as the semis, I think Germany (2:0) and Argentina (2:1) will win, which would set up an (almost) repeat of 1990 final and I think Germany will come out ahead now as well. Brazil takes 3rd place match.
 
rousseau said:
Well then.
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Not much more to say.

For those who don't mind knowing more detail:


Germany scored five goals in the first half hour, four of them in a six minute stretch, as Brazil's defense basically fell apart. Brazil is missing Thiago Silva as much or more as they miss Neymar.

 
Germany in a rout. Finally, not scoreless in regulation. Yay.
 
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