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.
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 ...
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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 ...
Spain "champions best generation of footballers in history" destroyed and humillated in the 1st round= best WC ever
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.
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
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.)