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FIFA World Cup 2014

#2,581
matante said:
I thought they looked good in the first half, just messing up on that final ball. They fell apart in the second half, but even then had a few chances. It was their sloppy final ball which killed them today.
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That, and a master-class in strong-handed goalkeeping.

The Germans always looked like they had another gear. I think if they hit top form in the semi and end up playing Brazil they could bag a hat full.
 
#2,582
matante said:
American kids generally don't have that handicap.

I will bet many Scottish and Irish ten-year olds will say "We will never win the world cup" if asked. They won't say that based on their competitive position. They'll say it based on what previous generations have done. That's the wrong attitude.
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American kids may not have that 'handicap' and they do usually top the tables, by a fair margin, in the confidence metrics, a confidence which isn't always matched in ability. Being reserved is not always a bad thing, but it has to be a balancing act.

We thrive on being the underdogs, we pull out our best performances when people simply write us off. Even in recent history, where we don't pull out the win, we still give much bigger teams a run for their money (going down 3-2 to England and 4-3 (agg) to Spain, both just last year). Heck, we must be doing something right, earlier this week saw a youth player from the domestic team I support being bought for several million by Sporting Lisbon (Ryan Gauld, a name to watch in the future). I've watched the sporting greats of my country through the highs and the lows, and there are plenty of those. You may call it a handicap, but sometimes having the grit instead of the faith or knowing you're the wee guy going up against a giant - is all the motivation you need.

 
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#2,584
i_got_a_mohawk said:
American kids may not have that 'handicap' and they do usually top the tables, by a fair margin, in the confidence metrics, a confidence which isn't always matched in ability. Being reserved is not always a bad thing, but it has to be a balancing act.

We thrive on being the underdogs, we pull out our best performances when people simply write us off. Even in recent history, where we don't pull out the win, we still give much bigger teams a run for their money (going down 3-2 to England and 4-3 (agg) to Spain, both just last year). Heck, we must be doing something right, earlier this week saw a youth player from the domestic team I support being bought for several million by Sporting Lisbon (Ryan Gauld, a name to watch in the future). I've watched the sporting greats of my country through the highs and the lows, and there are plenty of those. You may call it a handicap, but sometimes having the grit instead of the faith or knowing you're the wee guy going up against a giant - is all the motivation you need.

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Uruguay has 3 million people and professional footballers all over the world and on many elite clubs--and they've been pulling that off for a long time. I don't know how they do it, but they do it. In Spanish it's called "garra charrua".
 
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#2,592
Been on catch up on the matches so just coming into the thread now that I've seen the matches.

Overall :
Germany France was a bit eutotrash; Germans were never out of second gear and French huffed and puffed . I think the Germans have a lot in reserve and they will destroy Brazil - if they are allowed to by FIFA/Ref/Axis of Evil.

Brazil Colombia; total bahookie gravy, they looked like two pub teams, aided and abetted by some of the most disgraceful refereeing I have ever seen - and I've seen some sh*te.

The only saving grace for that spineless nonsense would be if the officials were under FIFA orders which I could well believe, I would hope that no group of officials at this level are so pathetically poor, given that they are allegedly, the elite of their profession.

Matante, I think the discussion about belief isn't really one that can be concluded; I don't know how many 10 year olds you have experience of: the ones I have known didn't analyse or think about things like that and at that age, I don't believe they should; they should just be enjoying playing and exploring the game and developing their skills.

Anyway, this is about the World Cup as Bill reminded us, so we should probably leave comparative national psyche and belief systems for another thread. :)
 
#2,594
I'll risk the mod stick.

The yanks just wish they had the passion, the history, the knowledge and the connection with the beautiful game that we have.

You need to earn your stripes from following your team through thick and thin, rain or shine...not from the telly and the internet.

Cheeze is exempt from the above generalisation.
 
#2,595
MartinG1957 said:
Just saw a stat from that game :
54 fouls
Brazil 32, Colombia 21
2 yellow cards each.
Utter disgrace: looked to me like Brazil's game plan was to intimidate Colombia out of the match and the officials let them do it.
Hope Germany mince them.
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It's funny. I've never rooted for the Germans anything like this before.

Whodathunkit?
 
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