So, WC last 2, who do you want to win it ?

[Andy TheCatalyst Morrison]

Re: So, WC last 4, who do you want to win it ?

I can understand people have little sympathie for the Dutch, but you must admit: finalist in 1974, 1978 and 2010, 3 times semi-finalists in the last 4 tournaments they participated ... not bad for a country that size.

It has always amazed me how a small country like that produces so many quality players year-on-year.

Back to the seventies and you have the total football with Cruyf, Johny Rep and the rest. In the 80s you have the Reikharts, Gullits and Van Bastens, in the 90s you had the likes of Bergkamp, Overmars and others and now they have Sneijder, Robben and the girl.

As you say eversince, they are head and shoulders above us for performances at all levels and especially the top level. 3 World Cup Final appearances and semi-finalists so many times. I recall they could easily have beaten Brazil in 1994 in American. Came back to 2-2 to get beat by a wonder free-kick from Carlos.

It's so blindingly obvious what is wrong with our game that it is scandalous that the FA consistently choose to ignore it. The best footballing nations do not play 11 a side football on a massive pitch at the age of 11. I have run a junior football team and seen some very very good footballers at under 11 level who get completely lost when it moves to a bigger pitch. Suddenly, from having the ball every couple of minutes and taking players on left, right and centre, they become afraid to lose the ball because they know that they might not get it back again for another 10 minutes. Hence they start playing percentage football. We've been having this debate for years and years but the FA will not address this fundamental issue. And until we do, we will never develop the players to compete at the top level internationally.

 

[citymacc]

Re: So, WC last 4, who do you want to win it ?

Holland, I have them in The Sweep at work! ...or Brazil for Fernandinho, or Argies for...half our squad it seems! NOT GERMANY please...

 

[Andy TheCatalyst Morrison]

Re: So, WC last 4, who do you want to win it ?

Oh yeah, to answer the question ...

Not The Netherlands - Robben is such a c**t that I really hope he signs for the scum so that I can hate him even more. And the wankfest over Van Gaal would be off the scale. Hope he subs Krul on for the shootout and they lose it.

Of the others, don't really care. Would be nice to see Zabs in particular topping off the season with the World Cup though. So, Argentina for me. And that's something I never thought I'd say after 1986!

 

[UnleashTheBeast]

Re: So, WC last 4, who do you want to win it ?

I hope Brasil don't win it
Argentina are good,but they've been extremely lucky during the whole competition,plus I can't stand Messi
I love Germany as a team,so many great players who can perfectly play together,but for me it's Netherlands,always had a soft spot for them

 

[bluemoon32]

Re: So, WC last 4, who do you want to win it ?

I don't mind who wins it, i just hope the remaining games are good to watch.
For all the talk of it being a fantastic world cup the knockout games have been pretty crap compared to the group stage.

 

[eversince 76]

Re: So, WC last 4, who do you want to win it ?

I can understand people have little sympathie for the Dutch, but you must admit: finalist in 1974, 1978 and 2010, 3 times semi-finalists in the last 4 tournaments they participated ... not bad for a country that size.

It has always amazed me how a small country like that produces so many quality players year-on-year.

Back to the seventies and you have the total football with Cruyf, Johny Rep and the rest. In the 80s you have the Reikharts, Gullits and Van Bastens, in the 90s you had the likes of Bergkamp, Overmars and others and now they have Sneijder, Robben and the girl.

As you say eversince, they are head and shoulders above us for performances at all levels and especially the top level. 3 World Cup Final appearances and semi-finalists so many times. I recall they could easily have beaten Brazil in 1994 in American. Came back to 2-2 to get beat by a wonder free-kick from Carlos.

such an arrogant nation it's untrue

Re football however they have got it sussed. At their children's football matches the parents can't speak from what I hear. There is therefore no undue pressure on kids from raging adults who simply ruin their child's chances! in the UK only the best kids thrive because the also-rans have been ridiculed or chastised into failure........

My opinion but it's a vicious circle what we are trying to do in this country

An old workmate ran a Brazilian Soccer School franchise where he employed the same rules, kids learnt ball skills and parents watched, not took control

An arrogant nation? Noohhh. We are better than anyone else in this universe, but arrogant? Sure you don't confuse us with ze Germenz?

Clearly you have not ever visited the Netherlands, let alone a kids footballgame? You really think their parents won't interfere? We Dutch have a bad habbit of thinking we are allowed to interfere with everything, than say it's a free country with freedom of speech and expression of your opinion. Parents don't speak ... funny one that.

 

[scotty123]

Re: So, WC last 4, who do you want to win it ?

DEUTSCHLAND

 

[nedor]

Re: So, WC last 4, who do you want to win it ?

Before the last two matches I would not have said this but certain actions make me want to... anyone but the Dutch, not a fan of players who like to dive all the time which you get in Robben.

I think the final will be Brazil vs Argentina same as what I said would be the most likely outcome for the finals.. given the performance of both teams it could go either way.

Argentina to win for me.. however would not rule out an upset at this point with Brazil vs Germany tonight.

 

[Big Swifty]

Re: So, WC last 4, who do you want to win it ?

I agree 100% with bluemoon32 - the knockout stages have been extremely forgettable, with defences too well organised and teams unwilling to commit players forward for fear of getting caught on the break with no way back in a sudden-death situation. Some teams have, I am sure, been actively playing negatively and awaiting the penalty shoot-out. Basically, no team has convinced.

In the week when the great Alfredo di Stefano has died, it reminds me that some of us have seen, on TV or on film since, the wonderful 7-3 EC final at Glasgow in 1960. I know football has changed since then, but if only we could see a semi or a final approaching the level of skill displayed on that day, with world-class players playing at the peak of their powers.

I think there are some mediocre players left in the competition, whose technical skill, passing ability and shooting have largely been subordinated to the great god athleticism.

And don't get me started on corner kicks - hardly seen a decent one, with the ball played way over everybody's head and going out for a goal-kick or a throw-in on the far side, or driven in too low and easily cleared by the defender on the near post.

I am not expecting any attractive or enjoyable matches among the three that remain.

 

[Big Swifty]

Re: So, WC last 4, who do you want to win it ?

Amendment, to beat the nit-pickers - the remaining four games, if you count the (meaningless) third-place play-off.