Brasil vs. The Netherlands: Third Place Match Game Day Thread

One has to think that Netherlands are an early favorite to win in 2018. Germany and Spain will be rebuilding significantly. Italy and England are Italy and England. I am going out on a limb and calling a France-Netherlands final, provided the don't meet in the semis.

 

and vava and pretty much everyone before 86.

 

Dutch favourites in FOUR years ? Can't see RVP and Robben being such a force tbh

 

Whoa, slow down. I'm still trying to enjoy this run. And in UEFA qualifying is never a given.

 

Robben will be 34 and he's a fitness nut. I can see him being a force. The question is if old man time takes a step away from him or not (and if he does Robben will still probably the fast man on the pitch).

 

mebbe. It'll be a UEFA team, given the home field advantage. I can't see anyone but these seriously challenging. Belgium ought to be good for a semi run, though.

 

Vlaar will be 33
de Jong will be 33
van Persie will be 34
Sneijder will be 34
Robben will be 34
Huntelaar will be 34
Kuyt will be 37

Almost the entire frontline will be at the end of their career. Calling Dutch favorites for 2018 is a jump of faith that they will have quality replacements up front. Depends I guess on whether Depay steps up... Probably other players will also appear, although the Dutch league does seem to be a bit less productive lately.

 

Kuyt has either retired or he is a vampire and will play in the next 30 WCs.

 

i cant speak for chile. but for colombia there was a couple of questionable line up changes. that coupled with horrible ref screwed up colombia. but definitely both them and chile would have provided better competition.

 

Looks like a team that could do some damage at Euro2016, which arguably is a better tournament than the World Cup.

 

He seemed a bit pale.

 

We'll keep an eye on him, but to date he hasn't gone Suarez.

 

I assume the we (Dutch) will need luck and some very good talent popping up if we want to make
an impression in 2018. Many of the high profile players will not make it to FIFA 2018, maybe
till UEFA 2016 but that's it.

Fitness will be a key component from now on and 34+ will not (should not) be able to compete.
Maybe a substitute, that stuff.

 

Thank you LahmHam but we'd got this Zombie situation covered. It'd be best if you focused on those mannschaft drones.

 

Both teams weren't defensive or hard-hitting... your perception fools you.

Take out the 2 copa America games, Brazil had the least amount of fouls in every game. More like Brazil played down to the conmebol standard on those games.

 

While an incorrect call, I can see how the referee might have thought it was a penalty. And I dunno how some people think it was a dive by Robben. Maybe he sells it some, but he was clearly pulled back. Plus...maybe the ref was being lenient? The game would have been worse than 3 - 0 had the referee sent off Thiago and left Brazil without their captain and best defender again.

We all saw how crap Luiz was. What a howler of a header by him. Just clear it over the bar. Hint of offside before the cross though, back on that pass to the wing. Either way, Luiz has to clear that ball.

 

Or maybe we can play by the "laws of the game" and admit he should have been sent off and the PK was the correct call.

This was the 3rd place match, if this happens tomorrow someone needs to be watching the game from the bench.

 

Actually, I am going for how Dunga and Scolari billed their approach. (I agree, in that Colombia set the tone with its 7fouls in the first 20, and Chile wasn't far behind. But that is a dead horse.

And yes, giving up 10 goals in two games isn't a shining defensive record

 

Well, you know what the Germans say. In order to catch krull, you need to use vorm.

 

I always wondered why they said that, now I understand. Again KRUL not KRULL. If you are going to label him a PK hero at least spell his name correctly..

 

Krull is closer to krill. You know, the fish.

Geez, do I need to provide pun appreciation classes?

 

Perhaps, I'd signup and many more here obviously need a lesson.