QF July 6 Brazil v. Belgium [R]

Courtois was sensational.

I always feel goalkeepers are under appreciated somehow. They can win you or lose you a match even more than strikers.

 

Rojo’s Missed header, fernandinho’s missed header it’s almost as if there was a way to electronically control the ball to change direction / trajectory midair. I dunno how they can do it when it’s just a rubber bladder. Electrify the bladder somehow to change the shape and spin? Would require a microchip inside the ball to make that happen... like they would dumb enough to allow a computer chip in the ball conspiracy theories aside... Lots of missed headers this World Cup.

 

You want VAR to replace the ref, and maybe some sport, some time in the future, will go that way. If we, the world,.could go American Idol mode, Neymar might have won a pk, but he would also have been tossed for simulation.

VAR has circumscribed uses to.protect the flow of the game and one of those limitations is NOT overruling a ref who feels he had a good view of the play. The power/authority of the central ref is paramount. I, personally, would prefer a two ref system, but until that culture changes, VAR is going to be supplement to the reffing. I think VAR has been a positive overall. Linesman have done a better job calling could on their own and I can't think of a blown offside call. I would rather more yellows be brandished for dissent/swarming the ref and for.diving, but the refs were told to keep their cards in their pockets and at least they've been consistent. I'm pretty content with the level of officiating this WC. Save for keepers coming off their line prior to the penalty kick, but that's like basketball players now getting 4 steps. And again, the refs have been consistent.

 

Been thinking that a long time too. Globalization etc... economics affecting teams now... only european teams are allowed to make good defenders cause they are usable in their domestic leagues. You have a good athlete now in South America you will make them into an offensive player for more trade value. Defensive players don’t hit the transfer
Fees offensive players do... nor are
They given the accolades offensive players get. In the end it doesn’t pay financially or status wise... unless I guess u r like Cannavaro on a team that is celebrated for its defense

 

Goalies are equally important as outfield players without any doubt.

 

I couldn't believe with my eyes.
Brazil was very lethargic against Belgium.

 

Utd fanboys are the only ones who elevated De Gea to Lev Yashin level. Courtois outperformed the dude in an important tournament event like FA cup final pulling off some clutch saves. I just don’t feel the hype David gets.

 

Same though he has a lot of save experience because United was so bad* for so long

 

The economy point someone brought up applies to Africa as well and one of the reasons African football is held back. Creative players aren't purchased from Africa because a lot of teams see African players as stereotypes so you will see them get Wingers, Defensive midfielders and Centerbacks. It's really hard to find African players playing as attacking midfielders at the top level in Europe.

 

Whatever you may think about Belgium, they have been part of 2 great matches so far and given us a zillion goals to watch before those 2 games too! I do think that is in good part a reflection of the fact that Belgium aren't great defensively, while they are rather explosive and awesome upfront. Which means we get to see a lot of goals (and goal scoring chances) on both ends when Belgium play!

Not counting their last group game against England, which wasn't played at their regular set up and pace since both had clinched, there hasn't been a game in this tournament so far involving Belgium that didn't give us at least 3 goals! We saw 7 goals from the Tunisia match (5:2), 5 goals from their win against Japan (3:2), and 3 goals from the Panama (3:0) and Brazil games (2:1). And it hasn't been just goals: in almost all these games, there have been plenty of other chances and moments for both sides in games that Belgium have played. Belgium created around 7-8 excellent chances against Tunisia when it scored 5 goals, but it also allowed probably 4-5 excellent chances to Tunisia for the 2 goals it received. Belgium created maybe 5-6 or more excellent chances for the 3 goals they scored against Japan, but they also allowed a similar number of chances against them for the 2 goals Japan scored. And Against Brazil, while Belgium's chances weren't that many (3-4 at most), Brazil certainly had at least 7-8 or more chances even if it ended up scoring only 1 goal!

 

ALOT of freaking own goal in this WC. It just so sad to see you lost by your own goal. You know if my opponent kick it in my net, I'm happy that I got defeated. It better to be lost that way.

You now what, I would be more than happy to just see Brazil lost at 2-0, at LEAST I know that second goal as Begium's goal that they score on their own. It beep hurt when Brazil got their goal in the second half, that would have been an Equalizer if it weren't for Fernandinho’s own goal in the first half.
It just beep hurt that you lost by 1, and that goal was your own goal.

You know this freaking own goal has happened throughout this WC, and ALOT too. It happened in the group stage (like that own goal of Australia gave to France in the group stage, that just one example only, there more), then happen again in the knockout stage, then now it happened again in the quarter-finals. I wouldn't be surprise if it happened again in the semi-finals, or even the final.

Has anyone in Russia that with tickets to watch the game, have you bought one of this Russia's soccer ball and cut open it up and see what in it? lol.

 

I mean that is a very shallow evidence as being stereotypes

Currently there aren't great attacking midfielders from Africa so they are purchased. Keita is what box to box?

If your point was that only def mids were bought from Africa maybe. Africa has produced plenty footballers on every positions and those player were bought by big European teams..... except GK for some reason

You also need to understand that European usually clubs have a 3 foreigner limit. England doesn't they have a different kind of limitation

So they will choose a less EU player if that means they can use a spot for world class non EU player whichs is usualy from S America

 

Actually, Brazil also tried to do that on Lukaku, but they didn't count on the referee playing advantage (great call on his part) on favour of Belgium, when De Bruyne received the ball and was about to do his move. What came next, was a beauty, where even to attempt fouling was beyond Brazil's possibilities to do so.

Nope.

Full of class, at almost the whole pitch. While Brazil had a strong forward minded team, but a very weak back, in Belgium, there wasn't any weak spots in how they managed to do their game.

In this match if you really watched it, you'll notice they didn't need luck, and what they did, is actually make count their few chances up front, while never giving their eventual opponents a clear chance to be scored on. At all times through the match, it seemed that Belgium was closer than Brazil, in scoring the next goal.

You want to believe that possession makes a team better, well seems that despite the amount of titles your team may have in the past, you still can't learn, that what actually made them win things in the past, is putting the ball past the 3 posts at the back of the opponent side of the pitch, more times than those that the opponent did on your side. Never was due to holding the ball almost for ever, without allowing the opponent to have it.

 

Here's a good tactical analysis of the game.

 

Renato Augusto's former club

🎶 It’s a bittersweet symphony this liiiiiife 🎶 https://t.co/S9yk7xiCCS

— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) July 6, 2018

 

Brazil had an awful lot of chances, but their xG amounted to 2.5, which means they settled for a lot of poor shots. Of course, they also had a few shots in great positions that didn't go in.

 

In 1934 World Cup Italy had 5 Oriundis (Demaria, Guaita, Monti, Orsi and Guarisi) out of 22 players, but only 2 (Monti and Orsi) were starters.. not too much to claim it should have been Argentina's WC I think.. and by the way, Argentina took part in that WC, but got eliminated by Sweden in the first round.
(Anyway I don't deny the contribution those players made, specially Orsi, and as Italian I'm grateful to them).
In 1938, instead, Italy had just 1 Oriundo (Andreolo), who was Uruguayan, not Argentinean, and he wasn't even pivotal for the team like Orsi was.

 

Nah, you keep saying this but we must stop using shots as main indicators. Germany had three times the number of shots Mexico had but Mexico was clearly the better team. Heck, Brazil had more shots than Germany had in the 2014 semifinal. Yes, let’s repeat that: In their 7-1 destruction Brazil had more shots on goal than Germany had

 

That was a borderline dive as well. However ypu clearly missed the very first blatant dive, where even the referee was digusted.

 

Great analysis. It was obvious in the game Belgium were happy for Brazil to have the ball out wide and cross it. They felt confident in dealing with them.

Brazil could't play there way through the middle where Belgium were stacked except with Renato's late chance. All Neymar could really do was take optimistic shots from far out.

Fernandinho and Paulinho also deserve a special mention for being so poor defensively and not helping on counters better.

 

Really impressed with Belgium's performance yesterday. I hope they make it to the final. Hazard-De Bruyne-Lukaku is a lethal trio.

 

If it wasnt for Belgoum goalkeeper imcredible saves, they would have taken 3 or 4.

Cant say the same for Brazil. Their Goalkeeper almost didnt have to work, and when he had to, it was a goal.