World Cup 2014

what's wrong with Ghana?

xpost cracking opening game.

It was an good game but the referee messed it up. The only thing that's consistent about refereeing at the world cup is that it's going to be inconsistent

I'm not quite at nv levels of loving that shit but I wasn't partisan enough for the Croats that the absolutely predictable joke ref didn't add a satisfying tinge of gratified cynicism tbh, most great games have the outrageous talking points.

i think a draw was the likeliest outcome for that game and thats where it was heading. this brazil team is shit but theres time for them to be found out yet.

what's wrong with Ghana?

nothing tbh, just rooting

Nothing wrong, but they're Ghana lose!

I'll leave now.

haha

accran't believe you just did that

That's just capitol.

Isn't it a rule that a player can't touch a goaltender while he is in the air (and inside the box)? I have been under this impression for very long. Perhaps an expert here could illuminate us ?

Pretty sure it isn't a rule

Don't think refereeing was that bad certainly not as bad as the two goalies fucking horror show

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bp0orWpCAAErtHu.jpg

bleeding flag otm

People saying Brazil are shit are missing the fact that they played a very poor game and won 3-1. Croatia never actually scored. Even when Brazil play a bad game, they can crush a team like Croatia.

final goal was just cause croatia was pressing due to dwindling clock, desperation caused byt 2nd goal on a terrible call

prob shouldve been a draw

Isn't it a rule that a player can't touch a goaltender while he is in the air (and inside the box)? I have been under this impression for very long. Perhaps an expert here could illuminate us ?

― Van Horn Street, Thursday, June 12, 2014 8:39 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

no that is not a law.

but yes that was a free kick. there was no chance of playing the ball when you're going for a high ball against a keeper in that situation, so he was playing the man by defn, which is a free kick in almost all circumstances.

the penalty decision was not insane. i thought it was a pen at full speed, but not on the replay.

the neymar yellow should have been a red. that's the only decision i emphatically disagreed with.

ppl saying that Brazil played a poor game and one are ignoring the ref and the opposition gk

won, obv

world cups are always full of trite goalkeepers anyway, especially in the first round. that's hardly a knock against brazil.

Brazil were far from poor - they just weren't that strong

I had no idea that Tommy Smyth was so hated in the UK, his radio calls were the best thing about 2010 (as someone who knows shit about soccer and thinks it's kind of dull on TV but A+ in person).

love the way the BBC news just used "controversial" to elide a borderline iffy penalty with violent protest against intolerable poverty

intolerable poverty of courage from ref u mean

food shortages in re moral fibre

jesus you talk like you've never see a Man United match

Howard Webb'll show these guys how not to favour the top dogs

riots over water shortages and his bottling of same

Lovren was a dick for putting the hand up to his shoulder, after that it's just a bit of bad luck and a ref hamming it up for the TV

Jesus maybe if johnny foreign can't beat Webb then what's the fucking point of an international tournament

like, if England came close to ever winning the damned thing the tarnish would never come off the trophy, knowing what you know about that lumpen crew of camelherded fuckwits. this is like that.

more and more impressed with Croatia tbh, barring pletikosa and olic, and I don't think they'll have as poor a game either of them again.

They didn't have a poor game at all, despite the result. With Mandzukic back that's still a really good team, if a bit soft centred in midfield and ponderous at the back. But that shouldn't be as much of a problem against Mexico or Cameroon where they should be able to control the game. Both have at least one dangerous player but that's better than four or five. They'll still get out of the group.

yeah can't see that group being anything but Brazil - Croatia but we're getting a shade ahead of ourselves perhaps

Also a lot of Brazil's attacks were built on Neymar and sometimes Oscar picking the ball in from deep and running with it, which won't work as well against a proper defensively minded midfield, a lot of their wide threat comes from the fullbacks which leaves them vulnerable. Get one Fernandinho in there to tie the whole thing together.

Not really sure about Olic out on the wing, I know it was his cross for the goal but other than that he didn't really look menacing on the ball and he seemed to be the primary outlet for their attacks

he had a ten minute spell in the second half where he fluffed good possession twice in attack and lost the ball in ludicrous fashion twice in his own defence and I couldn't believe he wasn't hooked straightaway, in a match like that where Croatia had to eke out the maximum bait and space from each spell of ball time he was a complete liability

I did enjoy his bollocking of jelavic for not getting on the end of a second peach cross at 2-1 tho

Oh shit yeah I'd forgotten all about that little pirouette he did, that was ridiculous.

i lolled

srsly game had at least one two worthy contenders for "moment of wc2014" already btwn that and the refs actual physical performance after awarding a comedy peno

i was tempted to shout "objection" at that point

666 new messages ftw

Oh yeah Dunphy said he'd wear a dress on TV if England get to the QF's

any excuse rly

is the mexican team any good btw? enjoyed watching croatia's midfield they were very good at passing the ball? Or maybe it was because Brazil midfield weren't very good at pressing them?

if i were a manager about to play brazil I'd instruct someone with a decent shot to keep driving long shots in with somebody picking the rebound when cesar spills it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXowfyei3xM

xxl - Not that good, no. Yes, they were. That too but more of the other, IMHO

Lots of good passing in Croatia midfield, not so much in the way of protecting the defence.

thought Modric did some good defensive work last night tbh

he worked hard but it's not really his thing is it - they need to find a way to free him further upfield imo