FINAL - Germany vs Argentina

[Cabinet96]

For all his goals, Müller is a hard bloke to warm too.

Nah come on, just look at him.

 

[Uppercut]

Apart from the assassination attempts and total lack of ball skills in 2010.

Well for some reason Argentina were only trying to dismantle Schweinsteiger rather than the entire German team. But other than that it was exactly the same.

 

[Uppercut]

Sabella says replacing Lavezzi at half-time was by choice, which is absolutely insane.

 

[Ikki]

The world cup is just a prestigious and highly watched tournament. It's neither the highest standard of football nor is it long enough or does it occur frequently enough to be a true gauge of how great a player is.

When people talk about needing to win it in order to be considered the GOAT or whatever, I cringe. It's simplistic and tedious, yet so widely held as a belief. Messi has already, at 27, scored more goals than Maradona did in his entire career. He probably has more assists too (I'm not sure of the exact figure but he tends to be on par with the assist leader almost every year). He's also a freak of a player that requires multiple defenders and schemes just to keep quiet - he's not just some fox in the box. It's an argument that deserves contempt as it basically suggest that we ignore his record breaking, mind bendingly consistent performances and undermine it because he hasn't won a tournament that occurs every 4 years, lasts only 7 games (at most), and in which you need to be as lucky as you are good.

Interestingly, Messi could have opted to play for Spain. Imagine if he had...

 

[watson]

The world cup is just a prestigious and highly watched tournament. It's neither the highest standard of football nor is it long enough or does it occur frequently enough to be a true gauge of how great a player is.

When people talk about needing to win it in order to be considered the GOAT or whatever, I cringe. It's simplistic and tedious, yet so widely held as a belief. Messi has already, at 27, scored more goals than Maradona did in his entire career. He probably has more assists too (I'm not sure of the exact figure but he tends to be on par with the assist leader almost every year). He's also a freak of a player that requires multiple defenders and schemes just to keep quiet - he's not just some fox in the box. It's an argument that deserves contempt as it basically suggest that we ignore his record breaking, mind bendingly consistent performances and undermine it because he hasn't won a tournament that occurs every 4 years, lasts only 7 games (at most), and in which you need to be as lucky as you are good.

Interestingly, Messi could have opted to play for Spain. Imagine if he had...

Yes, but Messi did miss a golden opportunity in the second half that he really should have buried. He only had the keeper to beat, the angle wasn't that acute, and the ball was on his famed left foot. All in all the attempt was a shocker for a player of his calibre. It will be interesting to see how that miss effects his overall legacy because it probably cost Argentina the World Cup.

 

[GIMH]

Might as well have just watched 2010's final. That was almost exactly the same game.

Well for some reason Argentina were only trying to dismantle Schweinsteiger rather than the entire German team. But other than that it was exactly the same.

Wot

 

[Uppercut]

Obvious best team plays possession game, underdogs play counter-attack, underdogs have clearest chances in normal time but star strikers choke, possession team's subs make a late winner at the end of extra time.

 

[sledger]

Sabella says replacing Lavezzi at half-time was by choice, which is absolutely insane.

A disastrous choice really. He was one of Argentina's best players in the tournament by far. He was looking good yesterday as well I thought, seemed to be one of the few players who looked capable of making something happen when Argentina actually got the ball. Bringing him off by choice, to replace him with a totally out of sorts Aguero so that Messi could drop really deep was a terrible idea.

 

[sledger]

Yes, but Messi did miss a golden opportunity in the second half that he really should have buried. He only had the keeper to beat, the angle wasn't that acute, and the ball was on his famed left foot. All in all the attempt was a shocker for a player of his calibre. It will be interesting to see how that miss effects his overall legacy because it probably cost Argentina the World Cup.

I guess great players are human beings capable of marginal errors just like the rest of us. Who knew?

 

[King Pietersen]

A disastrous choice really. He was one of Argentina's best players in the tournament by far. He was looking good yesterday as well I thought, seemed to be one of the few players who looked capable of making something happen when Argentina actually got the ball. Bringing him off by choice, to replace him with a totally out of sorts Aguero so that Messi could drop really deep was a terrible idea.

A decision that was made even worse when Palacio came on; Aguero should have come on for Higuain, not Lavezzi. Aguero, Messi and Lavezzi would have been a much stronger top 3 for the end of the game.

Messi should have converted his chance without doubt. It wasn't easy, but a player of his quality should be putting them away. Higuain's miss was woeful though, fairly summed up his tournament I thought. Had that one flash of brilliance against Belgium, but looked completely out of knick for the rest of the tournament, and the way he snatched at the one-on-one just summed it all up.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Sabella says replacing Lavezzi at half-time was by choice, which is absolutely insane.

As someone who had money on Argentina, I was absolutely dumbfounded when they pulled him at the half. As much as a love Aguero he's been half-baked for six months now, teams need to rest him and let him heal properly before bringing him back. Lavezzi was their biggest threat for most of the first 45, shocking decision.

 

[Uppercut]

At the time I just assumed it was an injury. Lavezzi had been their best player for the first 45. Hard to believe he could make such an obviously **** decision in such a big game.

 

[Tangles]

That's the coach accused of doing whatever Messi wants so who's descision was it I wonder?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Sabella's clearly a hack and, one imagines, hacks promoted beyond their abilities are often either in thrall to their star men (see McClaren, Steve) or determined to stamp their authority (see Moores, Peter v 1.0).

I'll leave it to the jury to decide which camp Sabella falls into.

 

[Burgey]

Germany celebrate the WC win by having an early night.

There was work to be done next day.

 

[adria1]

Germany played well, Argentina just could convert their chances!!
to summarize Germany's it was tikka takka vol 2.0

 

[OverratedSanity]

At the time I just assumed it was an injury. Lavezzi had been their best player for the first 45. Hard to believe he could make such an obviously **** decision in such a big game.

Yeah that was so stupid. I thought either Lavezzi was injured or Sabella didn't watch the first half.

 

[mahfoudk]

Congratulations Germany

 

[Burgey]

Did they win?