World Cup Quarter-Finals Thread.

[Blueband Brother]

I liked and cheered on Costa Rica, one of my favourite teams in this tournament as they showed genuine...genuine togetherness with everybody on the same page and fighting for the same course and see how far it took them. Congratulations Costa Rica, you have made your country proud and etched yourselves in world cup history. Nobody will forget the team that overcame a seemingly difficult group but in reality they showed the togetherness and genuine spirit that England and the other teams lacked. They got to the quarter finals of the world cup only loosing on penalties. Heroes.

I guess this is what the world cup is/should be all about. I don't care who wins this cup now but I would say that the best team left in the tournament is Germany. The other teams have been patchy and annoying and have not really convinced. Germany likewise but they have players, great players like the tied world cup goal scoring holder, Schweinsteiger, Lahm, players I call the originals that burst into the world arena in 2006 world cup and have gone on to win a lot of trophies in Europe. Also young, silently world class players like Muller and Kroos who go about their business without any damaging hype and media adulteration.So I will say Germany should and deserve to win it. I picked Brazil before the world cup with Germany second favourites as I sighted the intangible and invaluable spirit and home advantage the Brazilians have, although they are not a great team, they are a good team but not great. Now that Neymar is out and Silva suspended, I cannot see pass Germany.

Unless Messi happens ofcourse.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Di Maria is out injured.

That is why I said "if fit".

Has he been ruled out? (Last I saw he had ice on his thigh/groin.)

I thought you had if fit about Aguero, but Di Maria has not been officially ruled out, but they are checking for a tear. I don't think there is any realistic way he can play. Starting him would be as big a mistake as Atletico made starting Costa against Madrid and Barca in their title deciders.

I had it for any in the list. And I agree, but until he is officially ruled out there is no reason for me to ignore him. Even without him I think this Dutch side showed themselves to be fairly pedestrian—it is difficult to imagine an argument otherwise.

 

[slevin]

They will have been practicing pens all week. If the sub keeper is miles better than the first choice at saving pens, then it will have been agreed beforehand.

Agree 100%

Don't understand the uproar over a tactical sub. He's not a genius for making it, and he's not being a c*nt for making it.

I'm not in uproar. I couldn't really care less. But I think it was a decision to manufacture a situation where he could be made out to look like some sort of master tactician.

In reality, they are both professional international goalkeepers who had an almost identical chance of guessing right and saving the odd penalty.

My feeling is that the substitution was all about the manager and his ego not increasing their chance of winning.

Except he guessed the right way for every single penalty. When's the last time you saw a keeper do that?

 

[Ray78]

It was arrogant from van Gaal but in the end it was the right call.

 

[Marvin]

Dutch got their name on the Cup. Been poor in every game but Spain, but still in it.

 

[nijinsky's fetlocks]

LOL. Maybe because they committed several fouls and could easily have been down to 9 men. I think the ref made the right decision for the game, but by the letter of the law they were very lucky. If things were reversed there would be so many complaints and people crying out about conspiracies.

Costa Rica were denied a nailed on penalty towards the end.
Or did you miss that with your selective eyesight?

Yes they were, but as I said before they should have been down to 9 men long before this point. I am not selective, but you seem to keep seeing what you want. The sad thing is Brazil have been denied two of those penalties at key moments and you still try and nobody has bothered to say anything.

If you don't think that referees have consistently favoured the big teams, and Brazil in particular, there really is little point in discussing games with you, because a blind man with a stick and a fucking dog in a high vis jacket can see it.

 

[1961_vintage]

Wank fest has already started as he's now the chosen one!

Excellent. We need a hate figure in charge at the swamp after the tenure of Mr Pitiful.

That twat looks like he will be perfect.

 

[SebastianBlue]

LOL. Maybe because they committed several fouls and could easily have been down to 9 men. I think the ref made the right decision for the game, but by the letter of the law they were very lucky. If things were reversed there would be so many complaints and people crying out about conspiracies.

Costa Rica were denied a nailed on penalty towards the end.
Or did you miss that with your selective eyesight?

Yes they were, but as I said before they should have been down to 9 men long before this point. I am not selective, but you seem to keep seeing what you want. The sad thing is Brazil have been denied two of those penalties at key moments and you still try and nobody has bothered to say anything.

They have also been favorited by the referees quite a few times as well, so it does cut both ways.

 

[supercrystal7]

That is why I said "if fit".

Has he been ruled out? (Last I saw he had ice on his thigh/groin.)

I thought you had if fit about Aguero, but Di Maria has not been officially ruled out, but they are checking for a tear. I don't think there is any realistic way he can play. Starting him would be as big a mistake as Atletico made starting Costa against Madrid and Barca in their title deciders.

I had it for any in the list. And I agree, but until he is officially ruled out there is no reason for me to ignore him. Even without him I think this Dutch side showed themselves to be fairly pedestrian—it is difficult to imagine an argument otherwise.

This pedestrian Dutch side have beaten Mexico, Spain and Chile. I fancy them to win the match personally. The argument being that Switzerland with more composure could have taken out the Argentinians. If they are missing their second best player DI Maria then it will hurt them further. If RVP remembers how to score, I fancy the Dutch.

 

[Ray78]

Dutch got their name on the Cup. Been poor in every game but Spain, but still in it.

Argentina will wreak havoc with the Dutch defence and if the Argentinians don't go through, Germany will be waiting for them in the final.