The Official Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup thread

[Rossie11]

Here ya go Realspirit
Pepe

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec0CT8yzjAo

[EC Unique]

Rigobert Song 1st man to be sent off in 2 World Cups..
Now namesake Alex after getting the road for Tomahawk style attack..
Lunatics..

When the ref blew him for the elbow Croatia were on a very promising break. Should he not have let play continue to play advantage then show the player the red card?

[Milltown Row2]

Rigobert Song 1st man to be sent off in 2 World Cups..
Now namesake Alex after getting the road for Tomahawk style attack..
Lunatics..

When the ref blew him for the elbow Croatia were on a very promising break. Should he not have let play continue to play advantage then show the player the red card?

This game is done, I'm off to bed

[RealSpiritof98]

Here ya go Realspirit
Pepe

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec0CT8yzjAo

Exactly

[magpie seanie]

Harsh Seanie. Have you been bored with Spain the past 6 years or just the last week?

I would say 4-5 years. Definitely before the last World Cup I was sick of them.

[Rossie11]

The 2012 euro final was a brilliant display when they destroyed Italy.
Barca in 10-11 season was one of the beat seasons any team put together.
I wouldnt think either was boring but can see your point on last World Cup when
they won every game 1-0.
I just think Spain get a hard time as more is expected from them due to amount of possession.
If Italy or Mourihno won all knockout games 1-0 its viewed differently.

[CiKe]

Delighted Spain have been sent packing. The only goal they got in 180 minutes was a penalty that was not a penalty. Their cheating is the worst of any in the world (I was delighted Busquets was one that missed a sitter to get them back into the game) so I am glad no-one will be copying their "style" after this. As was said earlier - I'm sure they can comfort themselves with the possession stats. Boring, boring, boring.

Well done to Chile. Played with great speed, courage and no little skill despite what Del Bosque tried to imply in his post match comments (Chile were good physically - give me a break).

Can't stand Busquets and some of the others play acting at times is just as bad, but are they really any worse on the diving and hamming it up front than Germany (see Pepe vs Thomas Muller), England (Stevie G not shy about diving in the penalty area), Croatia or Brazil? Now that I think about you had a Chilean go off on a stretcher with about 10minutes to go and he was back on 30 seconds later.

I used to think they along with Barcelona, were great to watch, but somewhere along the line it seems they forgot how to shoot with a bit of venom and merely wanted to pass it in from 5 yards. Regarding the physical side of things, Chile were very very fit and were much more on their toes while Spain seemed to be playing with lead in their boots. What the average running stats were I don't know but I noticed that Vidal ran 11km in 88 minutes vs Pedro running 8km in 76 minutes (and he ran more than the average Spanish player in that time). This is not meant to take anything away from Chile by the way - it is a compliment.

Also not sure about the conspiracy theorists "had to have a madrileño" playing. I certainly wouldn't have picked him and think he was partly or wholly responsible for 5 of 7 goals, as well as Atletico's goal in the Champions League final but pretty sure 99% of Spaniards would have been fine with De Gea or Reina starting and Spain winning as opposed to Casillas fluffing his lines again and Spain sent packing. Casillas actually talked after the match about playing on at international level - he should learn from ex Rey Juan Carlos and bow out.

[gallsman]

Harsh Seanie. Have you been bored with Spain the past 6 years or just the last week?

I would say 4-5 years. Definitely before the last World Cup I was sick of them.

I'm sure they care immensely (what is it about United fans that in the last five or six years they all celebrate any loss by Spain or Barcelona?). They've been bloody awful but as was pointed out last night, their average age isn't all that high and a lot will still be around for the Euros in two years time.

Spain, like all teams, have pantomime villains. Busquets is no worse than, for example, Suarez or Ashley Young.

[ballinaman]

Know a lad in Barcelona, serious parties there last night he saying! Independencia!

[southdown]

The South American sides look to be on a level above the rest.  The likes of Chile, Mexico and Columbia have impressed.  Brazil have been poor whilst the Argies probably will be the strongest of the bunch.

For me it's between Argentina and Germany.  I would love to see Holland win it but I just don't think they have it in them.

[AZOffaly]

The South American sides look to be on a level above the rest.  The likes of Chile, Mexico and Columbia have impressed.  Brazil have been poor whilst the Argies probably will be the strongest of the bunch.

For me it's between Argentina and Germany.  I would love to see Holland win it but I just don't think they have it in them.

Can't agree with that.  Chile have done well, Colombia have a big game today, I wasn't overly impressed v Greece. Brazil have been poor, Uruguay were awful against Costa Rica and have a huge game tonight, and Argentina were very average against Bosnia. Ecuador look average enough too. Of course it may change, but I don't see how you can say that the South American sides look to be a level above, right now.  (Mexicans won't thank you for calling them South Americans by the way ).

To me, thus far, the most impressive teams have been Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy and Chile in that order.

[Syferus]

Know a lad in Barcelona, serious parties there last night he saying! Independencia!

Bit rich for the Catalans to be sticking the knife in their own team (feat. Iker Casillas) just because of their jerseys.

Hang on. I live in Ireland. People are petty f**kers. Carry on.

[AZOffaly]

I think the Catalans have their bread buttered on both sides. When Spain win, and Xavi, Busquets, Alba and co play well, they celebrate their Catalan influence on the win. when they lose they celebrate the Imperial Spanish defeat

[WT4E]

The South American sides look to be on a level above the rest.  The likes of Chile, Mexico and Columbia have impressed.  Brazil have been poor whilst the Argies probably will be the strongest of the bunch.

For me it's between Argentina and Germany.  I would love to see Holland win it but I just don't think they have it in them.

Can't agree with that.  Chile have done well, Colombia have a big game today, I wasn't overly impressed v Greece. Brazil have been poor, Uruguay were awful against Costa Rica and have a huge game tonight, and Argentina were very average against Bosnia. Ecuador look average enough too. Of course it may change, but I don't see how you can say that the South American sides look to be a level above, right now.  (Mexicans won't thank you for calling them South Americans by the way ).

To me, thus far, the most impressive teams have been Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy and Chile in that order.

I honestly don't think Brazil have been as bad as people are saying. They were nervy against a good Croatia team but got the job done and then they would have beaten a well set up Mexican side had it not been for a goalie having the game and luck of his life. They'll finish winners of the group and I wouldn't be surprised if they still go the whole way.

[AZOffaly]

I'll be surprised. I think the first good team that they come up against will beat them, if refereeing decisions are not a major factor. If Brazil score first they'll be grand, but they are not dynamic enough in an attacking sense to put real pressure on good teams. Fred is pathetic so far, and Jo seems even worse. Apart from Neymar they don't really have a good player going forward (he has impressed me in fairness and I was prepared to hate him). Liverpool bias alert!! I think Phil Coutinho would add something to that team going forward, but they are still hamstrung by their striker issue.