2014 FIFA World Cup™ Semi-Finals: Germany vs Brazil| Tuesday, Jul 8, 3:00 PM

Kroos will play I am sure. Özil hopefully not.

 

Sure. LOOL.

Germany was without Ballack in the WC final 2002 ... nevertheless, they played their best match of the tournament against Brazil. And Brazil has the support of the crowd on Tuesday, nearby 2 days more rest.

I doubt that.

So Brazil is just about Neymar & Silva? They have enough top players (like no other nation) to replace them. It's funny to notice how some media and fans try to make the hosts being outsiders against Germany.

And Germany has to cope without Reus (best BL player).

 

I disagree. Other than Lahm, Kroos is the one player we can't replace. I also don't think that crosses will amount to much, the Brazilian back line looks solid there. I think here, Germany needs to play a possession game. Sit back and control the ball. Brazil will come blazing at us. If we can weather that initial storm, the eventual mistake will happen and open a path for us.

Actually, I think this might actually be the game Löw has been preparing for all along with his 4-CB back line. So it wouldn't surprise me to see Lahm back in DM for this one.

 

Oh yes, Brazil has always been known for being physical and not technical (in contrast to Germany). ;-))

Brazilians are never inferior to any other nation considering the purely footballing aspect ... and you should be smart enough to know that.

Haha, another laugher.

Who cares about your prediction?

Wow, another so-called expert.

 

Yes, Germany will win this easily, Borussia!

 

I honestly think your fondness of Klose (whom I definitely respect as a player as well) clouds the view of the ref, whom the German friend I watched with (as well as media after the game) thought did a very good job. Also, total fouls: France 15, Germany 18. I'm just saying...

 

I feel very bad for Neymar. But yes, other teams lost very valuable players at some point leading up to the cup. For my team, Montolivo had become a very important player, and Giuseppe Rossi was not chosen most likely due to not being fully recovered from injury. Both players could have had significant impact on Italy's play. It happens every tournament, unfortunately.

 

Well you seem to be a Brazilian lover and Germany hater writing shit after shit. Brazil is a fighter team like no one else but mostly due to the fact the cup is in Brazil and they have the fans behind them. And secondly they are certainly not a tactical and technically good team. Certainly not. But I think you cant see any tactical advantages for other nations or whatever? They play in their country with their climate conditions with lots and lots of great fans. They are 100% the favorites. But that shouldnt matter...

And Neymar IS the player of the tournament. Everyone talked and talks about him. He is the best player of Brazil. Now he is gone. That helps Germany. Doesnt decide the match yet of course. We'll see.

 

I'll admit I'm still a bit better about the result (just kidding... alright maybe just a little) though worth noting Nesta, who at the time was possibly the world's top defender, in 2006 got injured in the group stage against the Czechs and wasn't able to go in the knockout stages. And we all know what would happen after...

That being said Neymar and Thiago Silva being out is huge. Really a huge football tragedy in the case of the former, considering what he was meaning to the entire Brazilian nation (at least if media reports are true about how every Brazilian seemed to be wearing a Neymar Jr. #10 jersey), and the fact he is the superior talent Brazil has in the offensive third of the field.

 

Yes, I'm a Germany hater. Do you feel better now? Be happy that you "super soccer brain" won't have to read my shit in this thread anymore ... as I'm off to Bella Italia soon.

 

Both are big losses without a doubt. But a team who wins the World Cup must overcome these things. It is part of the difficulty of winning one. But it can be done.

Nesta being out looked like an enormous loss when it happened. But others became better like Materazzi, as strange as it sounds. That defense ended up only allowing and own goal and a penalty.

 

I strongly disagree. Messi and Robeens are the players of the tournament...

 

You cheeky bloke you

 

First, let me say that Brasilians have tremendous respect for Germany, which we consider one of the true giants of international football. I attended the 2006 match in Frankfurt where we were eliminated by France. Instead of coming home after the match, I decided to explore a bit, and fell in love with your beautiful country--and with your team from that year. I live in the U.S., but I've never seen anything like Germany's infrastructure and organization (Munich especially). I still have the jersey. It seemed like your team, for the first time, made many younger Germans feel like they could be proud to wear their nation's colors (helping to overcome an unfortunate history of nationalism). It was an amazing thing to witness in-person. I was really disappointed when they couldn't get past Italy.

I say all of this because the 2014 World Cup is probably the last chance for that generation of players. For that reason, and also to avenge 2002, they will be very motivated to beat Brasil. They've been studying us and planning for this encounter. I've said elsewhere that rigorous preparation is Germany macumba. Without Neymar, this is a pretty yeoman Seleção, by historical standards. We're outclassed at most positions compared to Germany. Even with Neymar, it would be an incredibly difficult match for us. There's no use in lamenting his absence; Germany had nothing to do with his injury, and we'll have to face them with the remaining 22 players on our roster. Even in Brasil, they're considered strong favorites going into the match.

And that's the thing. On the World Cup Tonight broadcast on the day of the Chile game, Michael Ballack talked about how hard it was in 2006, when Germany weren't just any hosts, but hosts with an incredible footballing tradition that meant that anything less than a semifinal berth would be considered a huge disappointment. He said that he saw Brasil as facing an analogous scenario this time around, and so, was probably experiencing the same kind of pressure. In his view, the quarterfinal is the toughest test. Once the host team makes it past there, the pressure lifts, and it gets easier to play to win rather than not to lose. People start to believe. It then becomes to be more of an advantage rather than a burden for a big footballing nation to play at home.

This is true generally. But now, with Neymar's injury, the pressure evaporates. We will obviously be disappointed if they lose. But as long as the Seleção puts up a good fight, Brasil will not blame them for losing. There will be no Mineiraço or Maracanaço 2.0. Neymar's injury has unified Brasil behind the Seleção, and it may motivate the players to perform at their very best. Under those circumstances, it's not inconceivable that we could pull this one out. We're not Algeria or Ghana--with all due respect to those teams--we're Brasil, playing in Brasil, on a 39-year, 62-game unbeaten streak in competitive games. We've had tough matches where we were outclassed but somehow managed to scrape a result. So while I rationally expect a loss, emotionally I still believe in our ability to get to the final--and wouldn't be shocked if that happens.

I still would rather have Neymar.

 

if you're wrong promise never to post again?

 

Swelling can occur after, which would still cause paralysis, while what you're thinking of is a severing the spinal chord which would cause instant paralysis.

Most Paralysis from accidents occur due to swelling and subsequent trauma, but that's also the reversible one.

 

Brazil will win this comfortably. They never lose at home

 

You've forgotten Mario Gomez. He has been injured all year so it seems no one remembers he even exists. He scored some very important goals at the last Euros and his finishing skills and physicality are attributes completely missing in Germany's squad now.

 

Brazil 4 - 1 Germany
4' Fred 29' Lahm
12' Oscar
63' Henrique
89' Henrique

 

You forgot Landon Donovan!

 

BA HA HA... Not even close

 

Who?

 

Fouls committed so far :

Brazil : 96
Germany : 57

 

Lol never lose at home? Hmm Uruguay might want a word with you.


With that said, Germany vs Netherlands final is going to be exciting.