Roar Guru
Joined May 2010
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Approaching a history making World Cup final, either Spain or the Netherlands will win a first ever title. Spain produced its best performance last…
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[caption id="attachment_30933" width="300" caption="The forwards of the German nationa soccer team nominated for the World Cup. AP Photos"][/caption] Germany has played the most exciting…
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Germany handed Diego Maradona’s Argentina an absolute 4-0 football lesson, on the back of comical defending, clinical build-up play and finishing, and some tactical…
The highlight of the World Cup to this point has arrived – a quarterfinal clash between Argentina and Germany. Trash talk has been the…
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Football fans around the globe should be demanding an answer. England, denied a clear Frank Lampard goal, in turn goes crashing out of the…
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What an effort. It was a victory and an extremely good one. The Socceroos may be out of the World Cup and we all…
A lack of goals can always be made up for with high drama and it did as Group C, which was quickly becoming the…
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Joachim Low absolutely showed up Diego Maradona in so many aspects. More to come anyway..
Argentine attack to prevail post trash talk
Make that 4-0. I don’t underestimate Germany, I just overestimated Argentina.
It was 4-0 against the Socceroos.
Argentine attack to prevail post trash talk
Really? Hm, no one has picked up on that. Thanks.
No doubt about your attacking players mate, it’s your central defensive pairing I’m more worried about. Mertesacker is 25 and Friedrich, 31, in the centre of the German defence – yours is a touch older.
I think both defences are in for a tough night.
Argentine attack to prevail post trash talk
It was a great match. The Dutch barely outplayed Brazil, if at all, but took their chances – which is what football is about. They did outplay them mentally though, no doubt.
I won’t be calling the Dutch team ‘great’ or the Brazilian one for that matter until they win something. And this is their best chance yet..
Dutch capitalize on mentally weak Brazil
I like it. Thank God it’s back after a couple of rest days.
Axel, will the Netherlands win? What will they produce against a quality side?
Dour Dutch need to turn on the dazzle
That’s the question! It’s going to have to be more than what they have thrown up thus far though.
Dour Dutch need to turn on the dazzle
Check out the link left by whiskeymac above for a good story on the Dutch.
You could put together a fairly decent starting 11 with the players on the Netherlands bench.
Conservativeness won't get teams any further
I must apologize to Paul. An octopus can make someone look like an idiot now!
Good call on the three goals in four games. They struggled to break down Japan.
Against Slovakia (2-0) they were fluent, Italy (1-1) was more conservative and they also struggled against New Zealand (0-0).
I think Spain will win comfortably but surely Paraguay will play with more attacking freedom given there is little to no expectation on them to progress any further.
When you have players like Nelson Valdez and Roque Santa Cruz – the dangerous Lucas Barrios and Oscar Cardozo, you hold some threat. I guess you could make a case for every World Cup team though.
From memory, they employ a 4-3-3 (they took six strikers, Australia took three), someone will correct me if I’m wrong, but they need to go forward.
Simple reason is I don’t think they can keep Spain from scoring.
Don’t tell me you’re sticking with Paul the Octopus on the Argentina-Germany game?
Conservativeness won't get teams any further
Should Maradona play five in the midfield to cope with Germany’s five? Only Serbia did it and it succeeded.
You don’t want either out, but who will win? I’ll go Argentina.
Thanks Smoky, I knew I should research the word itself.
Conservativeness won't get teams any further
It’s funny that. The best way to break down a defensive team is by waiting..
It could have so easily been a failed campaign.
Real worried about Argentina defence – conceded horror goal against South Korea and the way Mexican Javier Hernandez turned in the box with his back to goal was so simple and proved so fruitful to score. A 22-year-old doing that to an experienced defence..
Conservativeness won't get teams any further
It’s funny you say Argentina and Germany can’t go negative, because there has been stories Maradona is considering a change in formation.
He currently applies what looks like a 4-1-2-1-2 but could revert to a 4-4-2 for the German clash, the formation which beat the Germans either earlier this year, or late last.
Brazil is naturally attacking and they create good chances, which have been taken. As for the Dutch, well, we’ll see if they change their game – maybe if they are forced to by going a goal down?
Conservativeness won't get teams any further
I was surprised Japan didn’t want to attack, particularly after its performance against Denmark.
Sure, the Danes were chasing the game in the group, but the Japanese looked unbelievably dangerous going forward.
They didn’t deserve to win against Paraguay.
As for your point on defences winning Cups, agree – and Brazil’s is the one.
Conservativeness won't get teams any further
Not sure about those in particular..
But I know SBS can give it to you in less than a minute where it measures the distance between the players etc.
What's the answer, Sepp and FIFA?
Hiddink says he is entitled to play for Germany – no argument there.
Obviously, he was born there.
But he says he is at the World Cup under a “false” passport – where would he come up with something like that?
Hiddink is well-respected by football people, surely he’d know anything he says holds some weight.
He’s a star – player of the tournament thus far? Or D. Villa pipping him?
What's the answer, Sepp and FIFA?
That’s true. Are Hiddink’s comments sour grapes or could there be more to it?
Blatter’s grass roots argument is crap: referees, linesmen, the grounds etc etc
What's the answer, Sepp and FIFA?
I remembered a couple of moments from AFL GFs in recent years Michael.
The Tom Hawkins “goal” that from memory, either clearly missed or hit the post (or both) last year.
The Anthony Rocca ‘over the post’ behind against Brisbane.
Both in close games..
What's the answer, Sepp and FIFA?
AndyRoo – hard to find up there.
Are you refereeing to this: http://arsenalaction.com/2010/06/28/guss-hiddink-the-german-passport-for-mesut-ozil-is-false/
If that’s true.. does anyone know the consequences?
What's the answer, Sepp and FIFA?
DId you see the linesman’s view? He couldn’t even see Villa..
I’m happy for them to be allowed, but would it have been if the linesman was in a better position? Eh, hypotheticals.
What's the answer, Sepp and FIFA?
Closer than I thought.
Here’s why it wasn’t called: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQQVuQD3120
What's the answer, Sepp and FIFA?
It wasn’t that close Art. There’s three Portuguese defenders appealing for offside – couldn’t protest because replays have been banned at the grounds!
I don’t mind benefit of the doubt to the striker, but we’ve seen closer called – if it was benefit of the doubt all tournament, we probably would’ve seen more goals!
Not a Tevez error, no way!
What's the answer, Sepp and FIFA?
Amazing.
David Villa’s winner against Portugal was offside.
What's the answer, Sepp and FIFA?
The discussion has made me realise one thing dasilva.
The fourth official, who has access to the referees via a mike and access to a replay, can easily do this job.
A decision can be overturned in less than a minute – anything with a touch of doubt should be left as the original decision made by the referee/linesman.
Glaring errors such as the Lampard and Tevez one wouldn’t exist.
What's the answer, Sepp and FIFA?
It’s funny – one of his lines make’s it sound like he put all the blame on the officials for the Tevez goal.
Blatter said: “The only principle we are going to bring back for discussion is goal-line technology.
“Football is a game that never stops and the moment there was a discussion if the ball was in or out, or there was a goal-scoring opportunity, do we give a possibility to a team to call for replays once or twice like in tennis?
“For situations like the Mexico game you don’t need technology.”
dasilva – I assume you’d like it for offsides..
What's the answer, Sepp and FIFA?
I wrote yesterday Argentina would win so I’m not much better JR!
Allowing the three of them to not drop back was ludicrous because Germany had way too much space.
I was surprised Milito, Aguero didn’t get a run/get a run earlier.
Germany stunningly exposes Argentina