Semi final 1: Brazil vs Germany

[GIMH]

Spain just spent six straight years dicking all over the idea that you have to play like modern Brazil to win trophies.

They spent six straight years dicking over the idea that great teams are fun to watch too tbf. **** them

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah but in a way that's because they were too good. Never going to be a fun watch when one team can't get a touch of the ball. In their defence, if both teams try to play the Spain way, you almost always get a great game.

 

[GIMH]

Tbf they were decent to watch at the Euros in 08. Seemed to get duller as the years went by.

 

[Uppercut]

Beating Italy 4-0 in 2012 was great fun too. Also had a spectacular demolition of Ireland () in that tournament.

In general I agree though. It was more fun when teams didn't have a clue how to play against them and just got cut apart. Torres (and to a lesser extent Villa) turning crap was a disaster too.

 

[Furball]

Tbf they were decent to watch at the Euros in 08. Seemed to get duller as the years went by.

Largely because teams worked out that their best shot was to pack their defence.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Man I couldn't think of a worse team to watch than Spain at the last WC. Would rather watch Pulis-era Stoke, at least you could get amusement out of them kicking the **** out of people.

 

[GIMH]

Largely because teams worked out that their best shot was to pack their defence.

Nah they were just dull. It's not an exciting style of football.

It was like Jacques Kallis. Sure, it worked & you couldn't really fault it technically, but man was it dull.

 

[social]

It's weird how a lot of people expect Brazil to play how they used to in the 70s and 80s despite the game becoming that much more professional and hard edged everywhere else. Let's be honest, if your own side went for all out flair and attack and was consistently beaten, there'd be hell to pay. But for some reason we all want Brazil to keep playing like it's 1970, and when they basically do what every other country does, we seem to say what a shame it is they aren't the Brazil of old.

Mate, we tried it without half the talent of Brazil at our disposal, lost every match and have been roundly praised

Things need to be put into perspective with Brazil - they just need to win and the way they did it will quickly be consigned to the vault

IIRC the Brazilians played **** football in '94 but won and people don't really go on about it now

 

[Stapel]

It's weird how a lot of people expect Brazil to play how they used to in the 70s and 80s despite the game becoming that much more professional and hard edged everywhere else. Let's be honest, if your own side went for all out flair and attack and was consistently beaten, there'd be hell to pay. But for some reason we all want Brazil to keep playing like it's 1970, and when they basically do what every other country does, we seem to say what a shame it is they aren't the Brazil of old.

Try to find some footage of the 1974 WC. You'll be amazed about the ridiculous number of really bad Brazilian fouls. The much applauded Dutch team of 1974 weren't exactly a bunchof choir boys either.

We simply tend to romanticise the past.

 

[wpdavid]

Try to find some footage of the 1974 WC. You'll be amazed about the ridiculous number of really bad Brazilian fouls. The much applauded Dutch team of 1974 weren't exactly a bunchof choir boys either.

We simply tend to romanticise the past.

Yeah but 1974 was something of a one-off for Brazil. I'm not saying they never fouled anyone apart from that tournament, but they'd clearly come determined not to experience a repeat of being kicked out of it as they were in 1966. Plus they weren't nearly as good as they had been in 1970 of course. We were all shocked watching them because it was so out of character. As for Holland, they could look after themselves if necessary, but they could play. In fact, the occasions when they did get stuck in tended to result in them losing their focus and the game, as against Czeckoslavakia in the 1976 EC. That's a mile away from Brazil kicking James Rodriguez all over the park last week because they weren't good enough to win through legitimate means.

And I don't get the whole argument that the way Brazil played in 1982 wasn't sustainable, therefore everyone's moved on. What wasn't sustainable was having a back four as poor as that side did. Look at the famous Italy match, and two of the three goals were down to village green defending. Even having one defensive midfielder wouldn't have compromised them a huge amount, given the talent at their disposal that year. The reason they haven't played like that since then is they haven't had a bunch of midfielders in the same league as Zico, Socrates, Falcao, Eder and Cerezo. Just a shame that Ronaldo wasn't born 20 years earlier. Or Romario 12 years earlier. Or even the Italian back four being born a few thousand miles south west.

The trouble that's becoming increasingly clear with this year's WC is that even the best sides are relatively ordinary. Brazil were over-dependent on one player in a way that few good sides have been in the past. Holland and Argentina still are. Barring ****-ups or Messi doing a Maradona, this one is Germany's to lose, and neutrals couldn't really argue against them deserving it. Great though the group games were, I think the tournament is in danger of fizzling out.

 

[Pothas]

Mate, we tried it without half the talent of Brazil at our disposal, lost every match and have been roundly praised

Things need to be put into perspective with Brazil - they just need to win and the way they did it will quickly be consigned to the vault

IIRC the Brazilians played **** football in '94 but won and people don't really go on about it now

People don't go on about what a great side they were though, but they do for 82 side.

 

[sledger]

Getting quite excited for this evening now.

Mixed feelings though. Want time to hurry up so I can watch the game, but also don't want it to hurry up, because the sooner the game is here/over the sooner the World Cup is finished.

 

[sledger]

Ok, so predictions.

My tip is that Germany will get it done here. I think the loss of Thiago Silva will hit Brazil hard.

 

[Teja.]

I really have no idea who'll win but I really hope Germany pulls it off.

 

[Uppercut]

I'd have said Germany's knockout wins were even less impressive than Brazil's, but with Silva and Neymar out they're just so, so much better man-for-man. Which Brazilians would get in the Germany side? Marcelo might be the only one. Another semi-final exit would reflect very badly on Low.

 

[Tangles]

Brazils strategy of defend, set pieces and Neymar will now rely on set pieces for goals. That just won't be enough against Germany I feel. Can Brazil defend and disrupt/kick enough to hold and force extra time and penalties. Without Thiago I can see 1-0 Germany from a set piece.

 

[Furball]

Löw is a clown.

 

[smash84]

Hoping for a German win today

 

[wpdavid]

Löw is a clown.

Because?

 

[Furball]

Because?

He's an utterly useless manager; Germany's success is in spite of him. Clueless with personnel and tactics.

Literally anyone could have achieved the success Germany have had over the last 6 years, he's simply landed the job at the right time.

Plus he's got a really stupid hairdo.