FIFA World Cup 2014

[ChewbaccaD]

Wait, DekkerT posts some serious xenophobic bull**** and my post gets deleted?

 

[ILovecycling]

Slight Latin American bias.
Yepes and Luiz in defence

yep,funny and only 2 european players
I would put de vrij in defense and di maria as a midfielder

 

[Zam_Olyas]

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/07/tim-howard-wikipedia-united-states-secretary-of-defense

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Interestingly it has no correlation with goals allowed.

It has, problem is Fifa don´t know about stats like US sports do.
They count blocked shots by defenders that never reached the goal-line as shot on goal.

I did my private stats (w/o BS) which show a (weak) correlation (especially those reaching the goalie, IOW saves). But I have no time to post them, since I am very busy with the GGTG now...

 

[del1962]

Zico's current WC All star team.

Not very balanced, Cabaye would replace Bryan Ruiz for starters, probably have Kompany in for one of the defenders aswell.

I might also go with the Dutch keeper, on the principle that I don't think he has made a mistake all tournament.

 

[Samson777]

Not very balanced, Cabaye would replace Bryan Ruiz for starters, probably have Kompany in for one of the defenders aswell.

I might also go with the Dutch keeper, on the principle that I don't think he has made a mistake all tournament.

Hmm... Try re watching that Mexico game.

I think at least de Jong and Kompany should be in the team. Even if it is obvious that De jong will not make it in the final all star team, due to his injury.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Daley Blind only because of two passes

exactly, it's hilarious, you can make a brilliant future for yourself if you play just 1 genius match at the world cup

 

[del1962]

Hmm... Try re watching that Mexico game.

I think at least de Jong and Kompany should be in the team. Even if it is obvious that De jong will not make it in the final all star team, due to his injury.

Only watched the second half of the Mexico game so I missed his mistakes

De Jong, I really don't like the guy, ever since he broke Ben Arfa's leg.

 

[Samson777]

Only watched the second half of the Mexico game so I missed his mistakes

De Jong, I really don't like the guy, ever since he broke Ben Arfa's leg.

Okay, make sense then. De Jong is no angel, but he's a good football player.

 

[hrotha]

Okay, make sense then. De Jong is no angel, but he's a good football player.

"No angel". He's up there with Pepe.

 

[The Hitch]

"No angel". He's up there with Pepe.

"What the **** more can I do???"













Protests Luis Suarez.

 

[theyoungest]

"What the **** more can I do???"

Protests Luis Suarez.

Karate kick someone in the chest?

Nigel de Jong has been controversial in Holland as well, the last coach didn't select him for a while and he wasn't really in Van Gaal's plans either. But since the complete projected midfield is injured he needed De Jong, and fair to say he's been the best defensive midfielder of the tournament, with hardly any fouls to his name.

Now he's injured as well, and Holland will have to play with their third choice midfield... if they reach the final now it would be a miracle.

 

[l.Harm]

Comparing De Jong to Pepe, please

329 – Nigel de Jong has not received a red card since August 1 2006, playing 329 official games for club & country. Professional.

And the first one saying he should have got red in 2010 is missing the point.

 

[del1962]

Comparing De Jong to Pepe, please





And the first one saying he should have got red in 2010 is missing the point.

I know what De Jong does, not just the Kung Fu Kick, I watched when he used excessive force to break Ben Arfa's leg, the guy is trouble, he nearly ended a fellow pro's career.

 

[l.Harm]

Yes that was a horrible tackle, he made a couple of that. But it's not like he's the only player who's done that. Or should we all hate Matuidi by now?

 

[The Hitch]

Now he's injured as well, and Holland will have to play with their third choice midfield... if they reach the final now it would be a miracle.

Jesus Christ, is this pathetic "omg omg we are gona lose wah !!!!" defense mechanism, in the Dutch gene or something? We've already had it before every single dutch game in this world cup and the previous one and the euros from dt. We also see it on a weekly basis from flo on contador.

A miracle? They are the most likely team in the wc to reach the semis (according to book makers),having by far the easiest qf-try crying to the costa Ricans about how poor your team is, and will be either slight favourites or slight underdogs to make the final depending on who they play there.

 

[l.Harm]

No, was just my assessment on the quality of the squad. That's why the coach changed the system to 5-3-2, cause it's the weakest national team in decades, especially defensively. The match against Spain was a miracle, against Chile very disciplined but at the end only a win meant something for them so of course they would give away lots of spaces. Almost all first halves were pathetic... look at Australia and Mexico. No, still not convinced about this team but they got some luck and have the right mentality (thanks coach).

But tbh, the other countries don't convince me as well, all shown their weaknesses. Costa Rica should be a win, then Argentina/Belgium is not impossible either (Argentina very vulnerable, Belgium played well against USA but showed weakness as well). And so are all the others (France/Germany/Brazil) except Colombia (who didn't really got tested so far).

So from that point of view it is possible of course to become the next world champion, but imo still unlikely to happen. And no, it's def not in the Dutch genes, half the country thinks we're world champion already.

 

[theyoungest]

Jesus Christ, is this pathetic "omg omg we are gona lose wah !!!!" defense mechanism, in the Dutch gene or something? We've already had it before every single dutch game in this world cup and the previous one and the euros from dt. We also see it on a weekly basis from flo on contador.

A miracle? They are the most likely team in the wc to reach the semis (according to book makers),having by far the easiest qf-try crying to the costa Ricans about how poor your team is, and will be either slight favourites or slight underdogs to make the final depending on who they play there.

I'm not talking about the match against Costa Rica per se, on paper Holland are the overwhelming favourites for that one. But I'm talking about the tournament as a whole.

If they were all fit I think Van Gaal would have gone for Strootman-Van der Vaart-Van Ginkel in midfield. None of them were available, so now it's Sneijder-De Jong-Wijnaldum. And now De Jong is injured as well. That's not what you call an ideal situation, so certainly in retrospect it would be a miracle if they reach the final.

So from that point of view it is possible of course to become the next world champion, but imo still unlikely to happen. And no, it's def not in the Dutch genes, half the country thinks we're world champion already.

That's nonsense. No one expected anything from this team. Yes, now it has turned around quite a bit, but not as much as our dear Southern neighbours in Belgium.

 

[l.Harm]

noooo he would never play with Van der Vaart. I think it would be Strootman-Sneijder-De Jong.

 

[theyoungest]

noooo he would never play with Van der Vaart. I think it would be Strootman-Sneijder-De Jong.

Van der Vaart played more matches in qualifying than Sneijder did. Van Gaal wanted more pace than Sneijder could offer.

 

[l.Harm]

Van der Vaart could've been in the squad, but was left out because of an 'injury'. Which was just a way of not selecting him but more honorable.

 

[ILovecycling]

Jesus Christ, is this pathetic "omg omg we are gona lose wah !!!!" defense mechanism, in the Dutch gene or something? We've already had it before every single dutch game in this world cup and the previous one and the euros from dt. We also see it on a weekly basis from flo on contador.

A miracle? They are the most likely team in the wc to reach the semis (according to book makers),having by far the easiest qf-try crying to the costa Ricans about how poor your team is, and will be either slight favourites or slight underdogs to make the final depending on who they play there.

Totaly agree with the first part,imo its 1000x more annyoing than say 'we're gonna win win win'.I should probably visit nederland to find out what is behind this


And yes,for me they are 2nd biggest favourite,(not by bookies,they are so ridiculous,they have Colombia at 5/1 for brasil game) so it wouldnt be a miracle at all.

 

[Arnout]

Van der Vaart played more matches in qualifying than Sneijder did. Van Gaal wanted more pace than Sneijder could offer.

Van der Vaart would've never played even if he was fit. Even four years ago when his general fitness level was more up to it he wasn't first choice. Van Ginkel is really stretching it in terms of excuses, he has never been a regular in the squad. Besides, he was fit but didn't make the best 27 cut. I give you Strootman, but you're really desperate in your search for excuses.

 

[theyoungest]

Van der Vaart would've never played even if he was fit. Even four years ago when his general fitness level was more up to it he wasn't first choice. Van Ginkel is really stretching it in terms of excuses, he has never been a regular in the squad. Besides, he was fit but didn't make the best 27 cut. I give you Strootman, but you're really desperate in your search for excuses.

Ain't it funny how everyone who doesn't agree with you is looking for excuses

Van der Vaart was a regular in the qualifying matches, much more so than Sneijder, who could hardly keep up in the few matches he played. In the last few months, this has changed completely, of course. As for Van Ginkel, yes he was fit but he hadn't played any matches for Chelsea... which is Van Gaal's main selection criterion.

Given how Van Gaal initially wanted to play, Strootman-Van der Vaart-Van Ginkel (if all fit) would simply have been the best option.

 

[l.Harm]

C'mon there has been no indication whatsoever that Van Ginkel would play. He has 2 caps