3rd place playoff - Brazil vs Netherlands

[Burgey]

Go Yankee, pick two teams from sides KO'ed and play an exhibition before the final.

Better yet, just don't have it.

 

[Bahnz]

It's a bit silly, but will be watching it. The 3rd place playoff in 2010 was probably the most entertaining game of the entire tournament (not that that's saying much).

 

[Tangles]

It's intriguing just to see how Brazil react.

 

[King Pietersen]

Imo, Brazil should change up their plans, and line up with:

---------------------------------Julio Cesar----------------------------------
---Alves----------------T Silva-------------Dante-------------Marcelo---
------------------------------------D Luiz-----------------------------------------
--------------------------Gustavo-----------Ramires--------------------------
----Hulk--------------------------Oscar------------------------Willian--------

Maicon has been no better than Alves defensively, so you might as well pick the better, faster attacking wing back. Luiz then has to drop out of central defence, and move into a role where he'll be much more effective, as a deep-lying playmaker, allowing him to make his ridiculous runs forward without as much reliance on him running back, with Gustavo covering, and also with encouragement to utilise his passing. Gustavo and Ramires in central midfield, Gustavo as a defensive minded midfielder, that sits when Luiz goes forward, and Ramires in place of Fernandinho who was dire against Germany. Willian should then play ahead of Bernard, and then another major change, going strikerless, and utilising Oscar as a false nine, in a Muller-esque role in place of Fred. He's been by far the hardest working Brazilian player, and has been used in that role by Mourinho, and he can't do any worse than Fred or Jo. Don't know whether it'll be enough to beat Holland, but it looks a much stronger line-up than the one that turned up against Germany, and the best you can do with this group of players. Thoughts?

 

[sledger]

Hulk is crap.

Also, if you're going to play with a false nine you can't have a central midfield consisting of Luiz, Gustavo and Ramires.

 

[King Pietersen]

Hulk is crap, but who would you pick? The options are so limited. If Neymar was fit, I'd play him up top, and move Oscar out right, but with Neymar out, the options are so limited. Bernard certainly didn't look any better than Hulk against Germany.

Why's that then? I think it's decent balance. Luiz as a deep-lying playmaker, Gustavo sitting, and Ramires as more of a box-to-box midfielder.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Will support Brazil in this. They've suffered more than what I wanted them too. Plus, Netherlands have whinged like little bitches since they lost the semi.

 

[Furball]

The 'third place' game is a parody that is little more a sad embarrassment to the players and their fans alike. You could argue that the game is a chance for the players to redeem themselves a bit, but I'm 99% sure that all the Brazilian and Dutch players want to do is to return home and put their feet up with their families and friends.

FIFA really needs to take a hard look at this piece sporting stupidity and dump it. After all, can anyone remember the third place winner from 1998, or even 2006 without Googling it? And even if the odd person does remember, do they really care?

I can name you all the winners back to 1986 without googling if you'd like.

 

[GIMH]

World Cup third-place play-off: the unloved match that can stir the soul | Scott Murray | Football | The Guardian

 

[Tangles]

RVP is playing today so I assume he isn't injured. He has looked off the pace for most of the tournament so I had wondered if he was carrying a niggle.

 

[Furball]

Complete bottlejob from the ref there. Utterly abysmal.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Bahahaha what a start

 

[superkingdave]

Surely that's about as clear cut a red as you can get?

 

[Furball]

Oh, and it was a stonewall penalty, regardless of what that idiot commentator thinks.

 

[Tangles]

Surely that's about as clear cut a red as you can get?

Yep. And then he gives Robben a yellow. Lol

 

[grecian]

RVP is playing today so I assume he isn't injured. He has looked off the pace for most of the tournament so I had wondered if he was carrying a niggle.

Yeah, makes Van gaal taking him off in the last match all the more bizarre. Takes pens, and he could have sneaked a goal.

Still brazil being punished for leaving Fred out, clearly the main man.

 

[Tangles]

Fred and Jo sound like the strike partnership for a Sunday pub team.

 

[Cabinet96]

Van Persie to confirm the ridiculousness of this match by scoring four penalties and winning the Golden Boot.

So far so good then.

 

[Spark]

Oh come on.

 

[Cabinet96]

This is actually ridiculous.