2014 FIFA World Cup

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Been waiting for the Zonal Marking write up on the game (thanks to Marc Vaughan for making me aware of the site to begin with)

Hah! You beat me to it! I've been watching that site all day for his write-up.

[whomario]

World Cup player introductions: A deep analysis of how soccer players fold their arms (VIDEO).

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

I don't think many of the criticisms here are MMQB'ing...

Yeah, it was mostly a rant for other places, not here.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

Yeah, it was mostly a rant for other places, not here.

That makes sense. The increase in viewership and visibility is probably a great thing long-term, but listening to the bandwagonning neophytes or reading articles from them drove me crazy at times.

Soccer's a complicated enough game that long-time fans can have a real argument over whether di Maria and de Bruyne were great due to their constant presence, or terrible due to their profligacy, and its borderline impossible to tell at times (especially in transition) whether a Michael Bradley is caught out of position or desperately and heroically covering for a teammate, and this place is at least generally a place where people are willing to have an honest discussion, even if the rhetoric does get a little over the top during it (guilty!)

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

That makes sense. The increase in viewership and visibility is probably a great thing long-term, but listening to the bandwagonning neophytes or reading articles from them drove me crazy at times.

Soccer's a complicated enough game that long-time fans can have a real argument over whether di Maria and de Bruyne were great due to their constant presence, or terrible due to their profligacy, and its borderline impossible to tell at times (especially in transition) whether a Michael Bradley is caught out of position or desperately and heroically covering for a teammate, and this place is at least generally a place where people are willing to have an honest discussion, even if the rhetoric does get a little over the top during it (guilty!)

True

[digamma]

Originally Posted by whomario

World Cup player introductions: A deep analysis of how soccer players fold their arms (VIDEO).

This was fantastic. I think the guy from the Ivory Coast got screwed!

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by HomerSimpson98

The last page or so have been gold, but this is my favorite. I didnt know this is what we were calling wives these days. Awesome.

LOL

That should have read I watched the game at home last night because I only caught the second half while at work. The nazi is definitely at the office.

Though to tell the truth, I did meet my wife at the office. And she did work in finance.

I'll be sharing your post though.

[Abe Sargent]

Viva La France!

[Abe Sargent]

Blast it Germany!

[OldGiants]

Is it 1940?

[Alf]

France is dominating but Germany has already scored. It is so frustrating...

[rowech]

Not really sure what game all of these guys were watching. France really dominated that game in my opinion. Just couldn't get the equalizer.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

That makes sense. The increase in viewership and visibility is probably a great thing long-term, but listening to the bandwagonning neophytes or reading articles from them drove me crazy at times.

Soccer's a complicated enough game that long-time fans can have a real argument over whether di Maria and de Bruyne were great due to their constant presence, or terrible due to their profligacy, and its borderline impossible to tell at times (especially in transition) whether a Michael Bradley is caught out of position or desperately and heroically covering for a teammate, and this place is at least generally a place where people are willing to have an honest discussion, even if the rhetoric does get a little over the top during it (guilty!)

That is what makes soccer great and terrible to discuss at the same time. Strategy seems more open to interpretation than other sports. I think that variability is represented really well in FM.

[Abe Sargent]

let's go Columbia!!!

[Abe Sargent]

Brazil you suck hard

[kingfc22]

Damn.

[kingfc22]

This referee is in WAY over his head.

[kingfc22]

Brazil's strategy is clearly to foul Rodriguez every time he gets near the ball and it's working since this referee is allowing them to get away with it and no cards.

[EagleFan]

That was a really stupid move.

[kingfc22]

Oh and now we're going to card Rodriguez?!? Bullshit.

He's been hammered about 10 times.

[Abe Sargent]

And then they scored again

[SirFozzie]

Ball game.

[bhlloy]

One of the strangest refereeing displays I've seen in a while

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

One of the strangest refereeing displays I've seen in a while

No balls at all.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Ball game.

Game on!

[AlexB]

That is a nasty challenge on Neymar.

[Critch]

Originally Posted by AlexB

That is a nasty challenge on Neymar.

Same guy who kicked Hulk on the knee in the first half. Not sure how he finished the game still on the pitch, never mind without a yellow card.

Look at the size of the thing on his arm. That's South America off my visit list:

[Abe Sargent]

That may have been the worst ref'ed game in the tournament thus far

[ISiddiqui]

Brazil and Columbia was fun to watch though the ref lost control early on.

Anyone else though that Germany's goal was a obvious foul that wasn't called? Hummels was shoving the French defender out of the way with his forearm.

[AlexB]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Brazil and Columbia was fun to watch though the ref lost control early on.

Anyone else though that Germany's goal was a obvious foul that wasn't called? Hummels was shoving the French defender out of the way with his forearm.

Not for me. Hummels was just stronger than the French defender

I personally like the trend towards being more lenient and keeping cards in pockets. Occasionally it gets out of hand, like some of challenges on Rodriguez and Neymar in Brazil/Colombia, but generally IMHO it has helped games flow a little more and added to the entertainment

(Edit: some, not wome!)

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by AlexB

I personally like the trend towards being more lenient and keeping cards in pockets. Occasionally it gets out of hand, like wome of challenges on Rodriguez and Neymar in Brazil/Colombia, but generally IMHO it has helped games flow a little more and added to the entertainment

I definitely agree. Usually FIFA has a clampdown before a World Cup and the refs go card crazy.

[AlexB]

It's one way to cut out diving: if refs blow up for every minor contact, players will exaggerate any contact, stop/starting the game and alienating most sane viewers. Let players play and challenge for the ball, allow a bit of contact, as long as it's not violent or dangerous, and players will stop falling over as much, as they begin to realise the game will carry on with/without them

It's a balance, and you can't go back to the 70s days of just going straight through the back of players, but this WC is an encouraging step in the right direction (generally, with a couple of exceptions)

[Critch]

@Guymowbray: Brazil team doctor has just announced that Neymar's World Cup is over. Fractured 3rd vertebrae, "needs to be immobilised...a few weeks"

[AlexB]

That was one of the exceptions - that should have been a straight red for me.

It was a really nasty challenge: I've had a couple of those hit just off centre so they missed the spine but hit the kidneys. Not as serious as what has happened to Neymar but still hurt like hell, so as soon as I saw it hit centrally I was worried for him.

[Ryan S]

I hope that the pendulum does not swing too far in the other direction after the Neymar injury.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

I hope that the pendulum does not swing too far in the other direction after the Neymar injury.

Agreed. But I suspect it will...

Also, having fractured a vertebra, OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW.

/tk

[Alf]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Brazil and Columbia was fun to watch though the ref lost control early on.

Anyone else though that Germany's goal was a obvious foul that wasn't called? Hummels was shoving the French defender out of the way with his forearm.

Ref could have blown the whistle on that one but I haven't heard anyone complain over that here in France. Even Varane was okay with the no foul stuff.

On the other had, there was a penalty on Griezman that was not awarded (Schweinsteinger doing judo move : leg sweeping in the penalty box). But well, no call was made either.

Damn germans !

Go Brazil now !!!

[terpkristin]

Until or unless they lose, with the US out, my cheering loyalties lie with the Dutch.

/tk

[rowech]

The Brazil-Columbia game had some highly questionable officiating. Not saying it was fixed but there were at least four calls that had major impacts on that game.

[ISiddiqui]

Poor Neymar! It looked super painful and it'll really hurt Brazil.

[MIJB#19]

Curiously, despite that Brazil and Germany have played the most games in the World Cup history, their semi final will be the second time they'll meet. The first time was the 2002 final.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

I hope that the pendulum does not swing too far in the other direction after the Neymar injury.

It all depends on how comfortable FIFA (and the fans of the game) are with losing its players to injuries as a result of the physical play.

[whomario]

so, someone finally managed a kill shot on Neymar ...

disclaimer: Maybe i´m touchy since an absolutely unnecessary challenge in no-mans-land ended my own playing career.

I agree that "stopping flopping" is important, but there is a major difference between not whistling tikki-takki-fouls and not carding brutal challenges. Fact of the matter is that guys like Neymar, Robben, Müller or James get abused all game, every game.
And to an extent, that even explains some of the flopping. And even if they are guilty of flopping, that does not cancel out what is being done to them.

So, the amount of fouls called is not the issue and maybe it adds to the flow of the game (and the ref recognized the foul on Neymar as a foul but signaled advantage), but the number of cards of both colors were way too low, imo. Players don´t care about getting called for a foul in midfield, as long as they don´t get carded.

Also, as for the flow of the game: 52 fouls in the Bra-Col game, but only 4 yellows. So, did that really add to the flow, or wouldn´t have a few more (early) yellows discouraged some of the fouls ?

Of course defense is an integral part of the game (and i enjoy a bravely defending team as much as the next guy and thought f.e. that Hummels work yesterday was a masterpiece), but does that have to include what happens in midfield at times ? All this "sending a message" crap is really pissing me off. Outmuscle a guy to the ball to send a message, how would that be ?

It is a fucking shame that Neymar is out, even for me as a german.

[whomario]

As for the Germany-France game: I agree that the Hummels goal could have in theory, maybe been called, but it never does and part of the reason is that a) both guys are wrestling and b) Varane simply made the mistake of jumping to early

Anyway, France played a fine game after about the 30th minute and the german team had to endure some heavy pressure and got lucky a few times. (IMO, the Schweinsteiger/Griezman thing was not any more of a penalty than the holding/kicking the heel thing where Klose went down. Both were 50/50 calls, imo)

But the german team did show heart out there. I liked all the changes, even leaving in Höwedes miracolously turned out ok for that game. Schweinsteiger, Khedira and Klose are suffering in terms of conditioning and Özil suffers from a bad case of the "what is going on here ? Why am i on this green pitch ? And is that a ball at my feet ?" syndrome.

But having Klose in still made a difference just by him opening up space for others, by being the first line of defense and by forcing the french defenders to spend energy guarding him. By the 2nd half he even made some really nice 1-2 plays and started finding space himself.

And Schweinsteiger/Khedira just is more of a presence in that area than Lahm or Kroos would.

Müller was of course again amazing (seriously, the guy never stops trying and running and working both sides of the ball) and defensively Hummels put in a downright spectacular display. Also, Neuer imo is clearly the best GK in the world. Brilliant on the line (in the first half, when he saved Valbuenas ball, he even had the presence of mind to put the rebound high so it was tough to controll for Benzema), assured on crosses, amazing at sniffing out through balls and the best outfield-skills of any keeper. Plus small stuff like his ridiculously accurate and powerfull outlet throws.

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

It all depends on how comfortable FIFA (and the fans of the game) are with losing its players to injuries as a result of the physical play.

The excessive number of bookings in previous World Cups harmed the quality of the game. I am not suggesting a free for all, just common sense.

Serious foul play should always be penalised to make sure that the good players are not kicked off the park. The referee last night lost control by not exerting his authority early or consistently.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

The excessive number of bookings in previous World Cups harmed the quality of the game. I am not suggesting a free for all, just common sense.

Serious foul play should always be penalised to make sure that the good players are not kicked off the park. The referee last night lost control by not exerting his authority early or consistently.

If I suggested you were looking for a free for all, that was not my intent.

It is the second part of your post that causes the problem for many fans. Using an example from this tournament, Honduras probably don't believe they can compete with the Neymars of the world technically, so they compete by being "physical" and "putting a foot in" and other code words that may not advocate kicking players (I am not limiting this to the good players) off the park but do not discourage kicking players to level the playing field. I noted earlier in the thread, it seemed like the officials have allowed players to be more and more physical as the tournament has gone on. With the increase in physical play, the threshold for serious foul play also increases. Those increases lead to an increase in injury risk for the players.

The sad thing is that if the referee had brandished one or two yellows early in the game to gain control, he probably would have be accused of spoiling the match.

[OldGiants]

Originally Posted by rowech

The Brazil-Columbia game had some highly questionable officiating. Not saying it was fixed but there were at least four calls that had major impacts on that game.

Just wait for Brazil-Germany. IF Brazil wins, it will be because of 2-3 major calls that hand the game to Brazil. I do not see a way to avoid this happening, however.

[Abe Sargent]

Let's go Belgium!!!

[B & B]

This morning I put together a Czech (Kvitova) + Belgium two teamer which would be lovely.


Half way there already and I think that Belgium is a live doggie.

[Abe Sargent]

How come every team I've been rooting for has allowed a goal in teh first ten minutes this round?