After a period of Serb pressure when they could have equalised Brasil scored and then showboated. Brasil showing why they are one of the favourites.
Pick Tap a talk Kiwi......its great for all your tap a talk needs Sent from my STF-L09 using Tapatalk
Leaving tapatalk aside for a minute... Before today's games, the top half contains Uruguay, Portugal, France, Argentina, a rapidly improving Brazil, and Mexico. The lower half contains a so-far-misfiring Spain, Russia, an impressive Croatia, Denmark, Sweden, and Switzerland. Neither half present easy games, but it's hard to see that the top half doesn't hold far more challenging opponents that the lower half. OK - go try to win the game. But remember - there may just be a silver lining if we don't win... Plus I'm not at home the night of July 6, so playing the quarter final the following day against Sweden / Switzerland would suit me fine
I've worked out why Ozil had such a strange way about him during their brief world cup stay... please log in to view this image It must be that he didn't relish another three weeks jumping on and off the Mannschaft......
I had the pleasure of watching Spain's games with Portugal and Morocco. They look one of the best teams I've seen and if that was misfiring and they fix it, they will go a long, long way.
They should have beaten Portugal, but couldn't get over the line. They only beat Iran 1-0 (a result that was actually harsh on Iran, who played extremely well) and the final game needed a stoppage time equaliser for them to progress. I think misfiring is fair. The thing with Spain is that they really haven't progressed in the last six years, since winning Euro 2012. The team is still basically the same and they always revert to type - tiki-taka. Other teams know how to combat this now and set out a very compact formation that pushes the Spaniards wide, letting them play on the counter. Spain really don't have an answer to that. It's also an aging team, with the average age in the squad 28.5 (the average age of the first eleven is higher still). I'm not suggesting that they can't come good - I just don't yet see evidence that they will.
I have not gone all feminist on you but a serious question. Are there any female lino's out in Russia? if not why?
Their experience is only a benefit when the likes of Iniesta and Costa are still doing their stuff and they have other players like Isco and Aspas in form and scoring.
I don't think Iniesta is the player he was four years ago. His performances for club and country haven't shown the mastery he did before. Costa needs service and as we all know is a tackle away from a red card every time - should have been carded against Portugal for the challenge before his first goal. Isco and Aspas have been good, but that's why Spain qualified - had they not, Spain would likely have been out.
Fifteen minutes and it's all changed in Group H. After Poland finally took the lead against Japan to drop them from first to third in the group, Colombia have just scored against Senegal to leap to the top of the group. Senegal are now going home on yellow cards....
can't say i feel any sympathy for Senegal. I wanted them to go through as an african side but seeing their lack of ambition and basically just trying to kick columbia off the park i don't think they really deserved to go through
Southgate has made 8 changes for tonight's game. Too many I feel. Only Pickford, Stones and Lingard keep their places.
