PBP Match Thread: Brazil vs Serbia, 27 June 2018 [R]

Some pundits here in Germany called the last 20 minutes of Brazil yesterday the best display one team showed so far.

 

During those 10 minutes, it was against the ropes, regardless of Brazil needing to win the game or not. Brazil was defending and blocking shots in any possible way. Like a boxer against the ropes covering himself to avoid getting jab after jab to the ribs.

After that, yep, things got much better for you guys and you won fair and square.

 

This France is an excellent tournament team. They will start to raise their level of play and intensity from now on. You forgot EURO 2016 group stage? France barely beat Romania and my country Albania and was far from being impressive. They geared up in the knockout stage and lost unluckily in the Final.

 

Ridiculous. Every team goes through some hard moments or period in a game. Other than that 10 minutes Serbia couldn't threaten Brazil's goal over a longer period. Mexico gives always a good fight to the big boys but they hardly beat any powerhouses. I immadiately downplayed their win against Germany a bit as we all could see that this Germany is not what it used to be. Mexico did a solid job nevertheless but I can't imagine them beating Brazil.

 

Anyways Brazil played the best football so far. They will smash Mexico lol. I honestly don’t mind Brazil winning the WC because they’re absolute joy to watch. I’m glad that Germany didn’t face them because they could’ve smashed us.

 

Brazil took advantage from their experience and class.
Serbian team didn't qualify for a tournament at senior level since 2010 and need to gain both confidence and experience. But if these 2 nations were to meet again in 4 years with the Serbian team keeping improving and the young talents joining and taking more place in the squad it will be much tighter.

 

Lol that Brazilian defense is freakin good. English pundits will say anything when their own team is overrated af.

 

Haha fair enough
I should have taken in consideration that Switzerland was the country where Fifa settled with a swiss chairman and that they would be helped in major moments against both Brazil and Serbia.
I underrated this factor.
Also i didn't expect the main serbian center back to miss the tournament, another mistake.

But i won't change my mind and i don't care at all about being quoted. Serbia will do damages in euro and world cup in the next tournaments there is room for big improvement and they are already not far.

And nothing can bother me when i see Croatia leading a group with 9 points kicking asses left and right

 

Although I don't necessarily like Serbia I have to agree that the refeees played a big role in determining who went through in this group. Serbia didn't disappoint. They did everything in their power but at this level details are decisive.

 

According to many of us here Switzerland got favoured against your Brazil. Serbia outplayed Switzerland for 30 minutes. Switzerland was after that the superior side. Even though as an Albanian who rooted for Switzerland in that match I say Serbia should have gotten a penalty around the hour mark. Imagine they score the penalty and go up 2-1. Maybe they would have won. Nobody knows. Serbia would have been through with 2 wins. If this is not heavily influencing by referees I don't know what it is. No doubt Brazil and the Swiss will represent group E very well the rest of the tournament but Serbia could have done so as well.

 

If you want...swiss is just like mexico...they will do round 16 after round 16 and nothing more...while Serbia is building a team that will have a deep run when things will click.

Not a problem.

 

I guess you just have a much looser definition of against the ropes.

To me, it would be if the match had already been tied during those 10 minutes and Brasil had been reduced to desperation.

Brasil were deliberately defending deep and playing on the counter. Brasil had some counter opportunities that they failed to finish. Those two Serbian chances were uncomfortable and showed that there were substantial risks to continuing with this strategy. So Brasil took the initiative again and scored the second goal fairly quickly afterward.

This is where the boxing analogy breaks down.

It's one thing to be forced into your own half by your opponents when you don't want to be there and need to score. It's quite another to pull back to absorb pressure, cede the initiative, and try to play off of your opponent's errors when *they're* the ones who need the result. Even if this strategy is a miscalculation, I think there's a qualitative difference. To Tite and Brasil's credit, they changed fairly quickly once Serbia showed them the strategy could backfire.

 

A consistent theme in soccer is the punishment of hubris.

This time it was the first time I saw the German fans all cocky and mocking on social media. They're usually careful not to go around spouting crap, but after trashing Brazil 7-1 in their own house, it got to their heads.

Fans are a reflection of the team, the players, the entire culture's Gestalt.

If Brazil goes into their Mexico game convinced they're going to win no matter what, I wouldn't be surprised if they lose.