Off Topic World Cup Thread
- Thread starter The RDBD
- Start date
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This World Cup is the most open I can ever remember.
No team to fear - except perhaps France if you let them counterattack like Argentina did.
No team to fear - except perhaps France if you let them counterattack like Argentina did.
The french were always good on the counter, they supplied the exocets.
Going back to TFTB's comment about possession football, the fatal flaw for both Spain and Arsenal was that when teams set up to disrupt their flowing football they both responded in the same way by passing the ball sideways a hell of a lot, which disrupted the flow just as much as getting poleaxed by Charlie Adam or Marc van Bommel would.
Taking Spain as an example, they were playing some gorgeous football in the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008, but as soon as they lost their opening match in 2010 to Switzerland there was a definite shift towards ball retention over forward momentum for the remainder of the tournament, while getting roughed up by the Dutch in the final convinced them the best way to avoid such tactics was to spend approximately 83 minutes of the ninety passing it between themselves and never moving forward - even though this constantly proved to be self-defeating, as evidenced by both the Dutch and Chile teabagging them in 2014, Croatia and Italy beating them quite easily in 2016, and Morocco causing them all manner of problems in this summer's group stages. In fact the only time Spain have looked convincing between the last three major tournaments is their opening game against Portugal, precisely because they cut the crap and actually went on the offensive.
Taking Spain as an example, they were playing some gorgeous football in the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008, but as soon as they lost their opening match in 2010 to Switzerland there was a definite shift towards ball retention over forward momentum for the remainder of the tournament, while getting roughed up by the Dutch in the final convinced them the best way to avoid such tactics was to spend approximately 83 minutes of the ninety passing it between themselves and never moving forward - even though this constantly proved to be self-defeating, as evidenced by both the Dutch and Chile teabagging them in 2014, Croatia and Italy beating them quite easily in 2016, and Morocco causing them all manner of problems in this summer's group stages. In fact the only time Spain have looked convincing between the last three major tournaments is their opening game against Portugal, precisely because they cut the crap and actually went on the offensive.
I didn't realise that LA Galaxy had dos Dos Santos.
Mexico trying to make sure around Brazil's goal and wanting too many touches. You've got to go for it at this level, if you hesitate then you'll be closed down. If you've got the opportunity and an unblocked sight of the goal, hit the bloody thing or cross it straight away. It's the Harry Kane way.
An 'underwhelming'?
Come on Mexico, a consolation goal for the prediction league please.
That sound you hear is England fans wishing they hadn't been so cocky about the tournament being so open, considering England's history of being a rabbit in the headlights when facing Brazil.
Got to beat (probably) Belgium and then France first. If anything tells us we were better off losing to Belgium, it is that.
Bloody BBC. Does Vermaelen play or not
Team news
Belgium v Japan (19:00 BST)
Belgium are back to full strength after naming a weakened team in the win over England - nine changes in total.
Vincent Kompany starts at centre-back alongside Thomas Vermaelen, the only outfield player to keep his place.
Premier League stars Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne and Toby Alderweireld all come back into the team - while Thibaut Courtois starts again. Napoli's Dries Mertens, PSG's Thomas Meunier and Chinese-based duo Axel Witsel and Yannick Carrasco also start.
Team news
Belgium v Japan (19:00 BST)
Belgium are back to full strength after naming a weakened team in the win over England - nine changes in total.
Vincent Kompany starts at centre-back alongside Thomas Vermaelen, the only outfield player to keep his place.
Premier League stars Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne and Toby Alderweireld all come back into the team - while Thibaut Courtois starts again. Napoli's Dries Mertens, PSG's Thomas Meunier and Chinese-based duo Axel Witsel and Yannick Carrasco also start.
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