**Official World Cup Brazil 2014 Thread**

[80s Shorts]

I thought he did well defensively, fighting a losing battle trying to cover the holes single handedly while Paulinho charged around like a moron and the fullbacks tried their hardest to avoid defending. He does nothing with the ball, but I didn't expect him to

Gustavo was utter garbage.
He is slow, he can't read the game, and he has the accurate distribution of a postman on acid.
You must have been watching a different game to the rest of us.

Honest question. Can someone please explain to me how these fools start over Fern? They are both clearly.....clearly inferior. Is it reputation? Some type of ingrained Brazilian bias?

No, the manager picks them.

 

[80s Shorts]

Gustavo was utter garbage.
He is slow, he can't read the game, and he has the accurate distribution of a postman on acid.
You must have been watching a different game to the rest of us.

Gustavo had the highest pass completion of anyone on the pitch (at a pretty ridiculous 96%), so criticising his distribution seems strange. Uninspired yes, but criticising the accuracy just seems bizarre?

Maybe I phrased it badly - he usually finds a man, but not the one who could inspire a promising counter attack.
He handles the ball like a hot potato, and just offloads it to the nearest shirt, rather than try anything creative or positive.
Workmanlike is possibly the best description, but this being Brazil I expect a bit more imagination really.

You said he was utter garbage. Im not sure how you could phrase it differently if that is what you think.

 

[Armaan]

Brazil weren't great, but can't write them off. Opening day nerves, and a lot of pressure, building momentum is important if you want to win a tournament, look at Italy in 82, or even Spain last time around. They will top the group, the Mexico and Cameroon teams are probably the poorest Mexico and Cameroon teams ever in a World Cup. The referee will get hammered which is a shame really.

why is it a shame? It was a shambolic performance by him and he cheated Croatia out of that match. Deserves all the abuse he gets.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Tbh I think they need two of him more than they need none of him. With both fullbacks and both CB's going on the rampage, they need the central midfielders to cover for them far more than they need them to create imo. If they had him with Fernandinho instead of Paulinho, I think they'd be fine. Either that or get fullbacks with even a slight willingness to defend

Just summed up my response to your earlier comment. Both Paulinho and Gustavo failed to cover for the fullbacks many times. Fernandinho would never have allowed Croatia to fill that space so easily, or let Modric have the lay of the land.

I agree, but I blame Paulinho for that as he didn't seem to be even trying to do anything defensively. Gustavo seemed to be almost forced into a third CB so often that he couldn't get out to the wide areas or press Modric, it was too much work for one player so he was left chasing shadows. If Fernandinho was playing with Paulinho, he would of been struggling just as much, no one can cover both fullbacks, a CB who charges forward and then also press the other teams central midfielders.

Neymar playing centrally doesn't help, as Oscar would of put more pressure on Modric/Rakitic, but both central midfielders need to be doing mental amounts of covering in that system for it to work, not just one of them. The fullbacks need to seriously buck up their ideas as well

I think they were both equally complicit and that Gustavo's positioning was more to blame for the third CB role than anything else. Then again, Scolari could have instructed him to form a back five on the counter (similar to Mourinho's Inter). I would say that is a poor strategy with such bombastic fullbacks, but I am not an international manager.

Also, I can't say I could imagine Oscar consistently putting pressure on Modric or Rakitic given that is not generally his strength and it looks like he was asked to occupy the center forward position on attack—it would be draining physically to make up that space on a regular basis.

I do agree Dani Alves and Marcelo were either playing far beyond their defined roles or it was a very poor tactical structure.

 

[Bluep*ss]

I have just thought of this scenario - Protests outside stadiums -riot police - helicopters -Tear gas. As soon as Brazil get knocked out there will be MORE riots and the tournament will disintegrate - teams will fly home and the World Cup will not be finished. Sep Slatter will say "wonderful World Cup - rubs his hands with glee - and stuffs all the brown envelopes into his satchel" - luvly jubly.................

 

[Bluep*ss]

Fred has no scruples or pride at all. What kind of man cheats so openly with over a billion people watching?

Hey ! - lay off our Fred - he touched the ball 7 times in the whole game - including the kick off. Cheating tw*t.

 

[TCIB]

I have just thought of this scenario - Protests outside stadiums -riot police - helicopters -Tear gas. As soon as Brazil get knocked out there will be MORE riots and the tournament will disintegrate - teams will fly home and the World Cup will not be finished. Sep Slatter will say "wonderful World Cup - rubs his hands with glee - and stuffs all the brown envelopes into his satchel" - luvly jubly.................

I have been more interested in the social aspect and from what i can gather people are as pissed off as can be.
Utilities are taxed to high heaven, schooling is past breaking point and the fact 12billion has been spent on the event has rightly pissed a large number of people off.
Manaus for example does not even have a team and is so remote you have to go via the amazon to get their. That stadium cost just shy of 300mil quid.

You will get a few fans going from cheering to rioting but their police are brutal.
Not all, but death squads do exist.
They kill homeless kids so they do not hassle rich areas and basically don't give a shit about smashing you up or worry about any consequences.

 

[BongoBlue]

Gustavo was utter garbage.
He is slow, he can't read the game, and he has the accurate distribution of a postman on acid.
You must have been watching a different game to the rest of us.

Honest question. Can someone please explain to me how these fools start over Fern? They are both clearly.....clearly inferior. Is it reputation? Some type of ingrained Brazilian bias?

No, the manager picks them.

And he is notoriously loyal to certain players. And will stick with them no matter what.
But hey, he has won a world cup before. Mind you, that was with Ronaldo (real) and Rivaldo etc. No comparison to this workmanlike Brazil side who will get by on Neymar, Oscar and favourable ref decisions. Unfortunately, we won't see a lot of our Dinho...

 

[Dicko69]

I didn't watch the post match crap, was the reason croatias 2nd goal was disallowed clarified

 

[Blue Til Death]

I thought Brasil were less than ordinary last night to be honest and I would have said Croatia were unlucky but I cant because I hate that useless fat bastard Chiles who claims he is half Croat.

If they play like they did last night against any of the fancied sides they will be battered. Was Fred crap because he didn't get any service because of the greedy **** Neymar and an Inept and ineffectual midfield, or is he just crap..!