So far 2014 >>>>> 2010

Discussion in 'World Cup 2014: General' started by johnbarley2, Jun 14, 2014.

  1. Dominican Lou

    Dominican Lou Member+

    Nov 27, 2004
    1936 Catalonia
    The first few days of this WC >>> the first few days of any WC since 1990 (my earliest memory)

    I got a feeling it'll continue like this. Fans everywhere are talking about how exciting the games are, I'm sure all players are getting somehow inspired by it.
     
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  2. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    Still lots of goals today.

    I don't think this is because defenders are bad all of a sudden. There are lots of world class defenders and defensive midfielders out there.

    I think it's pretty much down to tactics. The better teams are playing aggressive. Fullbacks are going into attack providing great service like Daley Blind, Serge Aurier and Ricardo Rodriguez ... 3 fullbacks/wingbacks with 2 assists each. Other fullbacks are also busy attacking like Darmian, Ayovi, Debuchy, Dani Alves ... even a goal by Pablo Armero ...
     
  3. Ed-D

    Ed-D Member

    Spurs
    United States
    Jun 13, 2005
    NY
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Teams are playing for wins too, which is why you haven't had a single tied game yet! I think that as they get more practical match experience playing together the defenses will become better organized and well, better.
     
  4. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    Hell yeah it's better than 2010
     
  5. zahzah

    zahzah Member+

    Jun 27, 2011
    Club:
    FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
    One small glitch so far - there may have been a lot of goals, but very few really nice ones. RvP's header is a standout, but a majority seem to be scored off of silly mistakes.
     
  6. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar

    :eek:

    There have been a lot of very clinical goals ... All the goals in the Japan/CIV game. All the goals in the Switzerland/Ecuador game. All the goals in the Italy/England game. Almost all the goals in the Chile/Australia game. All 3 of Costa Rica's goals. Robben had a nice one. Neymar, Messi and Benzema too already on board with nice finishes.

    There's always going to be some ugly goals too, but I've been impressed with the finishing so far,
     
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  7. Ed-D

    Ed-D Member

    Spurs
    United States
    Jun 13, 2005
    NY
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sturridge's finish was clinical. So were the Costa Rican goals. But all goals in the Swiss match should have been prevented, several Dutch goals were due to shoddy defending/goalkeeping (van Persie's obviously not among them) and Balotelli's goal was on Gary Cahill.
     
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  8. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    All goals in theory should and could be defended. That doesn't mean that there isn't quality in the team that scores it. Balotelli's goal was a result of great tactical play on the wing exposing the fullback and then a 100% perfect cross. The first Swiss goal was a result of a beautiful corner service. The second one was textbook counter attack ... and especially the moment where Behrami (I think) fights through a tackle to continue the attack. Most of Holland's goals were sloppy defending... that's true.
     
  9. Christina99

    Christina99 Member+

    Argentina
    Sep 22, 2013
    Buenos Aires
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
     
  10. rickumali

    rickumali Member

    Nov 12, 2006
    Arlington, MA, USA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm enjoying this fact for sure! I can appreciate the draw result, but I like that all the games so far have pressed for a result.
     
  11. Ed-D

    Ed-D Member

    Spurs
    United States
    Jun 13, 2005
    NY
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ha yeah I'm actually going to skip this one. First game I'm not watching (by choice. Family obligations kept me from watching France v Honduras)
     
  12. Bonizzoni

    Bonizzoni Member

    May 4, 2004
    São Paulo - Brasil
    Club:
    Olympique de Marseille
    Nat'l Team:
    Turkmenistan
    The goal onslaught continues.
     
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  13. AcesHigh

    AcesHigh Member+

    Nov 30, 2005
    Novo Hamburgo
    Club:
    Gremio Porto Alegre
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    lol, Arena da Baixada looks more full for Iran x Nigeria than most other stadiums!!!


    my guess: companies didn´t bother to buy tickets for this match to distribute to their employees, nor FIFA bothered to distribute these tickets to their sponsors.


    the result? The tickets for Iran x Nigeria ended in the hands of FOOTBALL FANS instead of corporations, and they are packing the stadium.

    I don´t doubt that South Korea vs Algeria in Porto Alegre will be more full than the matches featuring France, Nederlands or Argentina, for the same reason.
     
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  14. johnbarley2

    johnbarley2 Member+

    Jan 19, 2013
    Interesting.
     
  15. johnbarley2

    johnbarley2 Member+

    Jan 19, 2013
    Balotelli's goal came from a brilliant dummy and perfect cross. Oscar's goal was great
     
  16. Ed-D

    Ed-D Member

    Spurs
    United States
    Jun 13, 2005
    NY
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  17. fingersave

    fingersave Member

    Sep 28, 2009
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dempsey's goal against Ghana was special. He had that defender backpedaling without any idea where Dempsey would lead him, Dempsey crossed him up and then placed a slick curling left-footer off of the far post.

    Brilliant goal.
     
  18. baseballbert

    baseballbert Member

    Jun 18, 2014
    Mexico's goalie was awesome today. Guy was a wall!

    That was a really up tempo game in spite of the score. Really fun to watch.
     
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  19. zahzah

    zahzah Member+

    Jun 27, 2011
    Club:
    FK Crvena Zvezda Beograd
    Ghana's goal vs USA was much better TBH
     
  20. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    Continues to be more entertaining IMO than S. Africa. S. Africa was a particularly slow starter. There was all the talk of Jabulani and people couldn't control the finishing.

    It took awhile but S. Africa did become a little more exciting in the knockout rounds ... except maybe Spain's boring 1-0 wins. Netherlands had all exciting games on the way to the final. Uruguay games were exciting too. And Ghana ...
     
  21. Christina99

    Christina99 Member+

    Argentina
    Sep 22, 2013
    Buenos Aires
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    Spain "champions best generation of footballers in history" destroyed and humillated in the 1st round= best WC ever
     
  22. mfw13

    mfw13 Member+

    Jul 19, 2003
    Seattle
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    I respectfully have to disagree. Name a single defender active in this World Cup even fit to tie the shoelaces of the likes of Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Patrick Vieira, or Bobby Moore.

    All the top teams (Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Holland, England, Germany) are comparatively weak defensively compared to top World Cup teams of the past.
     
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  23. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    I think Brazil and Germany have the strongest defenses in this WC ... Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Per Mertesacker and Mats Hummels are all great center backs
     
  24. Ed-D

    Ed-D Member

    Spurs
    United States
    Jun 13, 2005
    NY
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Don't forget Philip Lahm (though not a centerback)
     
  25. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I read a comment recently, maybe by Jurgen K., that in the modern game, fullbacks often have to function as playmakers. The way the game has evolved, it's hard to make plays from the middle because that area is so congested. There are so few "chalk on their boots" wingers nowadays. As a result, fullbacks are counted on by many teams to provide assists.

    And fullbacks providing assists aren't fullbacks who are staying back to help central defenders double team strikers. IOW, I think that what has happened is that central defenders have a harder job nowadays.

    Further, God makes millions of people every month. There's no way He decided to stop making quality defenders for a couple of years. The talent level just doesn't change that much (unless it's for the better as African nations and Asian nations develop more and better talent.)
     
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