World Cup 2014
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Brazil v Germany 9 pm Tuesday 8th July
Brazil. No Neymar or Silva and my first thoughts were that's their chances gone but they have Hulk who after a slow start has had a number of chances and has been very unlucky not to score and David luiz who has scored a couple, Marcelo looks a livewire moving up from the back and Oscar put in some good work in the last game making some important tackles, i am not sure why Scholari keeps using Fred and i would much prefer Jo.
Germany as usual are well organised but do look vulnerable in defense to any team playing high tempo stuff, definitely the master tacticians here and a tournament team for sure.
Verdict. Brazil have an excuse if they do not win this but may not need one, its noticeable that the European teams are finding it hard to raise any kind of tempo in the humid conditions and that was very evident in the vastly superior Dutch being taken to the wire by Costa Rica and Belgium's rather lame effort against Argentina, with that advantage and the home crowd i could see Brazil edging Germany in a tight game.
Argentina v Holland 9 pm Wednesday 9th July
Argentina have done what was needed and should have beaten Belgium more convincingly but for some poor finishing, they seem to be getting their act together at the right time and Messi is always dangerous.
Holland looked good in the group stages but have limped through the last 16 and last 8 games, a great counter attack team they are not nearly as effective trying to break teams down and have their limitations as shown against Costa rica.
Verdict. Argentina looked more like the real deal against a decent Belgium outfit and its hard to see how Holland will contain them or get enough decent chances themselves, expect Argentina to dictate matters here and beat the Dutch.
Brazil. No Neymar or Silva and my first thoughts were that's their chances gone but they have Hulk who after a slow start has had a number of chances and has been very unlucky not to score and David luiz who has scored a couple, Marcelo looks a livewire moving up from the back and Oscar put in some good work in the last game making some important tackles, i am not sure why Scholari keeps using Fred and i would much prefer Jo.
Germany as usual are well organised but do look vulnerable in defense to any team playing high tempo stuff, definitely the master tacticians here and a tournament team for sure.
Verdict. Brazil have an excuse if they do not win this but may not need one, its noticeable that the European teams are finding it hard to raise any kind of tempo in the humid conditions and that was very evident in the vastly superior Dutch being taken to the wire by Costa Rica and Belgium's rather lame effort against Argentina, with that advantage and the home crowd i could see Brazil edging Germany in a tight game.
Argentina v Holland 9 pm Wednesday 9th July
Argentina have done what was needed and should have beaten Belgium more convincingly but for some poor finishing, they seem to be getting their act together at the right time and Messi is always dangerous.
Holland looked good in the group stages but have limped through the last 16 and last 8 games, a great counter attack team they are not nearly as effective trying to break teams down and have their limitations as shown against Costa rica.
Verdict. Argentina looked more like the real deal against a decent Belgium outfit and its hard to see how Holland will contain them or get enough decent chances themselves, expect Argentina to dictate matters here and beat the Dutch.
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Replies: 32
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Brazil are without their two most important players, this is a huge loss
they play with the heart too much... the germans play with the head and I expect they will be too clinical and clever for them |
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if you havnt already I would blind back argentina and brazil , it was brazil for me but injuries are tough to ignore , esp Neymar which will have a negative effect on Brazil
I can see players coming out of position more than usual to compensate against Germany Argentina are lookin ordinary but winning every game , I think they have yet to shine and as they say the best teams peak at the right time , and against a dutch side who struggled to overcome Mexico , Costa Rica , and USA Im inclined to side with Argentina now as winners , but a brazil win will do also  |
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Germany v Argentina final (NAP)
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Nailed 3 of the 4 quarter finals but being a bit anti German went against them, Germany do well because they get a group of players and try to stick with them as they have with the majority of this lot who also played together at under 21 level, this is why they are so consistent they know each other well which is why they work well as a unit.
The South American teams have superior technical skills and will show it if needed to as we saw in the Argentina v Belgium last 8 tie by Di Maria and Higuain a match they should have won more convincingly, these skills and the ability to play a higher tempo of football in the humid conditions lead me to believe it will be a Brazil v Argentina final. The foul and bookings ratios make interesting reading as well. Fouls Bookings Brazil 28 4 Chile 23 3 Brazil 31 2 Columbia 23 2 Germany 18 2 France 15 0 Holland 25 1 Chile 14 1 Argentina 5 0 Nigeria 16 2 Argentina 18 3 Switzerland 29 2 Argentina 11 1 Belgium 14 2 Interesting to note that when they need to Brazil in particular and Holland against a very talented Chilean side were prepared to resort to putting the boot in and the lenient referees can be said to have helped the so called better teams reach this stage. Also interesting that of the 4 teams left the Argentinians are the lowest on fouls committed which for me is no surprise as i believe they are the best team there and not totally dependent on Messi as we saw against Belgium, in fact when Perez came on for Di Maria he showed the strength in depth they have in the squad with a very good display and Di Maria as good as he is will not be missed against the Dutch. For all their organisation its difficult seeing the Germans producing something out of the blue unlike the Brazilians who have that capacity as shown on a number of occasions, the pace that Brazil play at could be the thing that downs the Germans here, the higher the tempo the more mistakes we are likely to see Germany make. So a win at all costs technically superior Brazil to beat an organised but no real star player Germany and the technically gifted Messi and Argentina to beat a counter attack Holland. |
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Who are Brazil's 'star' players?
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so you think argentina are the best team because they have made less fouls then everyone else? brazil have had the toughest matches
playing the south american teams, no doubt about that for me. most of the german players are gifted footballers, they dont have the best player in the world like argentina. brazils star players marcello/luiz/oscar/willian/alvez/ few others not familiar with myself. think the manager of belgium didnt do a good job in the last round, could of set his team up much better, hardly down anything in that game, bit like the french team, weak and more than likely lacking experince. |
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i doubt argentina will
beat the dutch argentina goes as massi goes van gaal knows that expect man to man coverage |
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messi
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Guys
this is comfortably the worst Brazil team to play in a world cup I have ever seen they are even worse than the one 4 years ago I didnt think that was possible but there we are Deutschland have such an advantage in quality in all departments it really isnt funny Scolari has picked such an awful squad the only tactic available to him is to park the bus tomorrow night The match is in mild temperatured Belo Horizonte, it may even rain so the weather will not be an issue Brazil's attack options will probably consist of poor old Freddy up front and whatever Hulk and Oscar can offer when not covering their fullbacks. And whatever they can get from set pieces. It is shameful and absolutely pitiable but the crowd will surely not care as they are more akin to a twickenham rugby crowd than a soccer one. (Not a black face in sight) Against all this Brazil have not lost at home in donkeys years, so I expect big phil to hang on for grim death. Jorgi Low will surely have already figured out that the game going to extra time is not exactly the worst case scenario for him either. Khedira will have to play with Lahm in defence. Gotze on the bench while the hapless Ozil starts I imagine. Yawn The only punting play i can see is backing the 1 1 draw with betstoke who give you money back for a 0 0. If either team win in 90m, it will probably by a single goal. And a blessed mercy at that. |
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a European side has been in final since 50s
no non south American side has won in south America thems the stats also i don't think brazil have lost a competitive fixture at home since 1975 Crazy thing is even tho they have over 200 games at world cups this will only second world cup meeting between Germany and brazil i cannot wait |
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roadrunner46 • July 7, 2014 7:01 PM BST
so you think argentina are the best team because they have made less fouls then everyone else? What it proves is that of the 4 teams left they do not need to foul their opponents in order to progress because the best South American football is technically better than the best European football. What is likely is Argentina taking the game to Holland meaning their defence and midfield will be so over worked they will have little time to supply any decent ball to their danger men Robben, Van Persie and Sneijder and to be honest those 3 were pretty ineffective against a dire Costa Rica outfit that had 1 shot on goal in 120 minutes. |
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ExtremeX • July 7, 2014 7:05 PM BST
i doubt argentina will beat the dutch argentina goes as massi goes van gaal knows that expect man to man coverage Its amazing how much room Messi gets teams think he's having a bad game and don't track him at all then suddenly after long periods of strolling around the pitch can create something out of nothing that's what makes him a cut above the rest. |
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Not that previous results mean anything in relation to what will happen this week but if you need proof of the superior quality of Brazil to Germany over the years.
05 May 1963 West Germany v Brazil L 1-2 International 06 Jun 1965 Brazil v West Germany L 2-0 International 16 Jun 1968 Germany v Brazil W 2-1 International 14 Dec 1968 Brazil v West Germany D 2-2 International 16 Jun 1973 West Germany v Brazil L 0-1 International 12 Jun 1977 Brazil v West Germany D 1-1 International 05 Apr 1978 West Germany v Brazil L 0-1 International 07 Jan 1981 West Germany v Brazil L 1-4 Gold Cup 19 May 1981 West Germany v Brazil L 1-2 International 21 Mar 1982 Brazil v West Germany L 1-0 International 12 Mar 1986 West Germany v Brazil W 2-0 International 12 Dec 1987 Brazil v West Germany D 1-1 International 16 Dec 1992 Brazil v Germany L 3-1 International 17 Nov 1993 Germany v Brazil W 2-1 International 25 Mar 1998 Germany v Brazil L 1-2 International 24 Jul 1999 Brazil v Germany L 4-0 FIFA Confederations Cup 30 Jun 2002 Brazil v Germany L 2-0 FIFA World Cup 07 Sep 2004 Germany v Brazil D 1-1 International 25 Jun 2005 Germany v Brazil L 2-3 FIFA Confederations Cup 10 Aug 2011 Germany v Brazil W 3-2 International wins draws lost Germany 4 5 12 |
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After years of anticipation, the 2014 World Cup has finally kicked off in Brazil, where the host nation has amazingly not lost a competitive match on home soil since 1975.
An incredible 39 years ago, that defeat saw Brazil lose 3-1 to Peru in the first leg of the Copa America semifinal. At that time, none of the players on Brazil's current team were alive |
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i expect either brazil or germany to face argentina or holland in the final. both semis could well be low scoring games decided by a solitary goal or maybe 0-0 and then penalties.
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you have made some good points, like to form my on opinions on what i see in the games. brazil have had a much tougher route to the semis then argentina.
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like to form my OWN opinions
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one set of odds really stands out to me , amazing value and i will reveal after the market has formed a little more and i have taken my share
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of the 4 teams to make the semis .3 of the 4 their quarter finals went unders....
ame again for their last 16 ties. 3/4 went unders.. only hollands game with mexico was over 2.5 semis likely to be very cagey affairs and go under again.. |
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Brazil wins if some of that 11 billion dollars from worldcp budget have been spent to bribe the referees. If there is no bribing, its impossible for Brazil to win. They simply suck. Bad. Sorry.
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Expect Brazil to get all the decisions.. i think theres value in backing a penalty to be scored.. especially if the germans are ahead
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Germany v Holland final for me. 2 best teams in tournament.
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Yeah, Germany have no chance beating that stat of not losing on home soil for 39!
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I can see why lol is at the end of your name!
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Was quite funny in a way seeing the great Brazil capitulating, I quite like watching a good game but that was a joke, anyway I must say I prefer golf
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PS Argentina will win tonight and expect Messi to kick arse
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messi will be marked
man to man tonight i would be very surprised if van gaal lets him "roam" |
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Germany price to win World Cup, has shortened even more, now this game, has gone to extra time
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you´ve convinced me - I´m on Brazil to win the competition and Messi to kick-ass by scoring a hat trick against the NL.
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it should be a great final
but i'll stick with the germans the aggies will need more than just messi |
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ExtremeX • July 9, 2014 8:51 PM BST
messi will be marked man to man tonight i would be very surprised if van gaal lets him "roam" Good post I did read before the game that it was Van Gaal's intention to give Messi as little room as possible so job done and Van Gaal is a very good manager IMO who did a very good job with a Dutch side that just fell short again, to add insult to injury Van Gaal even had a hand training the Argentine goalie to save penalties when he managed at club level its a shame he couldn't have done the same for the Dutch goalie who has never saved a penalty  |
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tx
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