Matchday Thread | GROUP H

Fabio Capello. That's the joke.

 

11 million dollars .

 

After Spain, Russia was the disappointment of the tournament. They had looked like a very solid side since their semifinal run in Euro 2008, and only pulled 2 goals against arguably the weakest group in the tournament.

Congradts to Algeria!

 

New glasses (or new brain?) for Fabio Capello What a terrible loser.

 

One, two, three, viva L'ALGÉRIEEEE

 

I don't see what was such a big surprise about Russia going out at all. On paper both Algeria and even Korea are better squads. Russia is just overrated because they are from UEFA, that's it. Why do you speak of 2008 ? That was such a long time ago, and these are completely different players. In 2012 they had the easiest group at the Euro's and they failed to progress. That to me is more telling than WCQ, where they beat a Portugal that is notorious for being poor in qualifying matches.

 

He can only work with what he has. This Russia team is not very good. IMO its the worst UEFA side in the WC.

 

I've finished watching the two late games that I had recorded on DVR (I saw the group G games live, earlier today).

My feeling is that in spite of Belgium having individual talent, they don't play as a team and they are not as disciplined as the USA. Sure, they played with ten men in second half and still scored, and they got 9 points, but they are the most unconvincing 9-point team of this World Cup.

Big cheating dive at 55 minutes by the Belgian #8. Again, those who blame Fred and Marcelo (who sure are guilty of the same) do fail to see that Brazil doesn't have the monopoly on diving. Since the Belgians aren't the hosts, we didn't hear the same outrage (well, it's helped by the fact that the ref didn't buy it... but he should still have yellow-carded that player).

While the United States doen't have the same individual talent, we seem more prepared for this tournament than the Belgians. I think we can take them.

Russia will need a lot of work to do well when they host the Cup in four years. I don't blame Capello. The human material is rather pedestrian.

Algeria took a while to wake up. They'll likely be decimated by Germany. They seem slow. Germany, a fast and aggressive team, will make a happy meal out of them.

 

The Russian team is not as good as before but Capello still benched his best attacking players in order to suit his defensive philosophy. That was a major failing on his part considering the relatively easy group.

 

Yeah well Dzagoev was benched by him even going back to the Euro's if I remember correctly, and I refuse to believe that Arshavin could not have helped this team somewhat, so yeah I guess Capello is somewhat to blame.

 

Capello is on the plane counting his cash. He doesn't care.

 

as usual, some get way overrated.

 

It's funny how people all of a sudden radically switch opinions while offering their faux-analysis.

A few weeks ago, Algeria was pegged as the worst and most boring team in the World Cup with one of the weakest squads. This was basically a universal opinion by MANY of you. Now that they've actually advanced it's more like, "LOL, Russia was always overrated. Capello sucks. Korea was too young. This isn't surprising."

Okay, if you say so...

 

cant speak for everyone else, but 4 years ago i learned a hard lesson from Algeria when they faced USA. in no way did i take them lightly in this group this time around . i figured Belgium would advance. the second spot i wasnt too sure of. my safest bet would have been korea. but Algeria pulling through is much deserved.

 

I do remember the Euro cup a few years back and they basically dominated Greece for 90 minutes but couldn't finish against 11 men parked in the box. Then they qualified strongly for this WC. I just expected more- but see now that they are not a good squad.

That being said, Algeria proved more competent that I thought they would be.

The nice thing about the group setup, is that while the US was in the group of death, this relatively easy group sat next to them. Belgium may be the weakest group winner- which is a nice reward for qualifying from the toughest group.

 

It's an absolute disgrace the bias on show. Let's see what USA do in the last 16, because from so many of their supporters I keep on hearing how lucky Algeria are. Respect to the USA for getting out of the group, but apart from their organisation and fitness there isn't much quality there. In the likes of Feghouli, Brahimi and Slimani we have loads more attacking quality and I hope we'll show it by giving Germany a tougher test than the USA did.

Overall, I have been pleasantly surprised by the USA, I'll admit it. Very well drilled and organised. But have they really played a great game at this world cup (we can at least say we did in the match against South Korea. We also showed just as much heart and character as them in our match against Russia). They deserved to lose to Ghana for me, they were the better team. Portugal game, they were ok, but reading and listening to what people are saying in the USA you'd think it was a classic and the USA matched Portugal. Consensus here in England, from pundits and everyone I've spoken to, is that it was an entertaining game simply because of the multiple errors both teams made, both on and off the ball. And in the Germany match, the USA looked like they were going to get a real beating in the first 20-25 minutes. After that they defended well but had no threat on counter attack bar maybe a couple of attacks late on. They deserved to lose that match as they did.

I never like doing this because I know how much it annoys me when people do it about Algeria. But why is it everyone else's right to call Algeria lucky (they were in an easy group, the only scored 4 against South Korea because they're a crap team) but yet we can't do the same. USA were lucky to get out of the group. Ghana are a better team and deserved to win the first game, and that would have been it for them. Anyway, congrats and good luck for the next round. You'll make it hard for Belgium, but lack of quality will tell in the end.

 

What better way to get revenge on "dirty Germans" than to gain an advantage from one's own dirty fans in order to advance to the next round. I cant even imagine the complaints from Algerians if a fan tried to blind their keeper before a goal.

 

That laser, I just re-watched and read stories on it. Yes, I think that could obscure one's vision. The thing is, in a soccer-mad country like Brazil with some of their own hooligans in that country, we can't be sure Algerian fans did it. Too bad security could not be on that situation, I re-watched the Algerian goal too. I'd like to know who did such a thing.

 

Do you watch much football? I've seen a laser shone into a goalkeepers eyes on countless occasions, in LaLiga and the Champions league. It happens get over it. It had no effect on Akinfeev who made the decision to come out and missed the ball. The laser weren't on his eyes the whole way through and if you watch again, the weren't on his eyes when the free kick was taken. He misjudges his ability to get to the ball and that's his fault.