Slightly scruffy opener. Brazil merely adequate.
On that showing, Brazil are not good enough to win the World Cup. Although they WILL win if they enjoy as many bent decisions as they got there.
Brazil deserved to win, but they were lucky to get this very dubious penalty. But we knew it was going to happen: the home team is always helped by dubious decisions from the referee, especially in the first couple of games. Croatia was far better than I had expected; I had seen them against Belgium twice, and they look more comfortable now. They are in need of a better goal keeper though.
For those of you active on facebook, I opened an international (English language) group there:
It’s always the problem with refs from less competitive leagues. Neymar could had seen a red card, if he wasn’t Neymar. Croatia was OK, but their two best players (Modric and Rakitic) weren’t the most influential ones in the game.
Dubious decisions for home team encapsulated in this one.
Never a penalty in a million years and Neymar should not have been on the field to take it in the first place. If the ref sees his arm in the face challenge well enough to give him a yellow he has to give him a red.
I very rarely agree with last.caress on footballing matters (his taste in teams is poor at best) but he is bang on with his comment.
On that showing, Brazil are not good enough to win the World Cup. Although they WILL win if they enjoy as many bent decisions as they got there.
In the last WC Spain hasn’t made one good game before the half final. I watched only parts of the game, about 35 min overall, and for me Brazil was always the more dangerous team.
I still think that if someone betrays so obvious like Neymar, he should be suspended after the game for the next 2 games. Just like if he got the red card. This would help to reduce the constant cheating.
Well, I take that back. I didn’t enjoy them yesterday. A very mediocre side by their standards, more than happy to punch below the belt; not something I associated with the better Brazilian sides down the years.
Those demonstrations out there will only get worse if Brazil hit a banana skin and go out early.
Neymar deserved of course the red card for his blow in the first half, but i think the cheater (in the case of the penalty) was Fred.
He should be punished for cheating, yes. But the Fifa will say that the left hand of the defender touched Fred’s shoulder. Ridiculous of course, but they’ll find a way to protect the referee and the home team. I remember Holland getting a very controversial penalty on EURO 2000, and the Uefa coming up with a similar lame excuse.
Of course, Fred was the cheater, not Neymar.
I just remember that in 2006 Frings was suspended for a quarrel after the game (against Argentina), and only after a protest from Italy. And the TV pictures were taken as proof. And he was suspended deaspite the Argentinian player said that Frings did more or less nothing.
But, yes, the Fifa (the most corrupt organisation on earth) will do nothing. And, I think, obvious cheating in a game was never punished after the game.
Worst than the penalty for me was the aggression from Neymar, let’s not forget he scored a few moments after that so crucial to the game, and like someone said if the ref shown a yellow card he saw something.
To be honest I think Spain he’s still the team to beat, Brazil depends too much on both their side backs to attack, and that can be countered by strong teams
I’m looking forward to this evening’s tear-up between Spain and the Netherlands even though, as an opening game, it’ll likely be more a cagey affair than a spectacle.
I think the Dutch will come to win, the Spaniards will come not to lose. Consequently I see either a frustrating 0-0 or the Spanish exploiting gaps as the Dutch stretch themselves, nicking the game 1-0 against play.
I’m HOPING to see the Oranje annihilate the tiki-takas 0-5. Won’t happen of course, but I can hope.
Brazil MUST reach at least QF, it would be huge security and financial risk if they don’t. So, it’s not like this wasn’t expected. I would like to point out 5:21 score in committed fouls, 1:8 at halftime. Many fouls weren’t given to Croatia. That said, Brazil was better, but they depend too much on Neymar. Croatia sorely missed Mandzukic, Jelavic isn’t nearly on the same level, he cannot put pressure to defenders the way Mandzukic can. Also, two important players, Kranjcar and Pranjic got injured just before WC, they would be good substitutions for Kovacic who was little bit affraid of the moment. Croatia allowed Brazil too much space after 0:1 and only started playing in the second half, Modric was secure and good, but more is expected from Rakitic. In the second half things looked pretty even, but referee put the end to that. Anything is possible in this group (apart from Brazil not passing through it).
Agreed. That said, they will face either Spain or the Netherlands in the last 16 (barring a calamity), and on that showing it’ll take some monstrous officiating to see them past either of those sides. On pure ability and with an unbiased ref, they won’t make it imho.
Still, this is FIFA we’re talking about. They’ll happily leave blatantly bent decisions out there for all to see. And not one f*ck will they give about it.
I think Brazil is stronger than most people think (while Holland has a fairly unexperienced team with a few top class players, so I don’t see them beating Brazil in the second round): this Brazilian team is no match for the 1970 team, which had only one weak spot, the goal keeper, but otherwise more world class players than any other team in history (Pelé, Jairzinho, Gerzon, Revelinho, Tostao, Clodoaldo, Carlos Alberto … unbelievable) and the actual team has no Romario ('94) or Ronaldo (2002) up-front, but they are physically strong and the players are well-focussed and determined. Furthermore Scolari is a coach who knows how to build a winning team. The weakest links are probably this man up-front, Fred (not a great player if you ask me) and the goal keeper, Julio César: good reflexes, but physically he’s over his peak and he never was very good on high crosses. It was noticeable yesterday too, with this Croatian goal not given. The decision was correct: you may not attack the goal keeper in the goal keeper’s box, but just try what this Croatian did with a real goal keeper who dominates his area, Peter Schmeichel for example. It would’ve been the end of the line for this Croatian player.
My prediction: they’ll make it to the last four, but might be eliminated in a semi-final by a strong opponent (and a good referee)
Whatever, with already 5 titles I hope that every other team makes it. Unless Brazil really plays so good that the 6th title would be deserved without a doubt.
Hmm, from that point of view Italy should not make it either. 
And my usual preferences are as always Germany and England.
I’ve seen a few people make that point now, as though it’s a bad thing. For “inexperienced” you could also say “young” or “fearless”. Peppered with those “few top class players”, I see the recipe for success at last. IF they don’t implode as usual.
Heh, a dutchman who frequents a football forum to which I contribute said of his Oranje regarding tonight’s game (and I quote): “we’re gonna lose so badly I feel…que sera… too much inexperience i feel, also a very brittle defense (good goalkeeper and right back though) too much responsibility lying on the shoulders of RVP, Robben and Sneijder (De Jong and De Guzman possibily too)
van Gaal is a ****ing madman on top off that…not charmed by him at all… RVP and Robben are the absolute leaders , Sneijder is well respected as well as Kuyt, Vlaar and De Jong. watch out for Memphis Depay; huge talent! plays for my local club PSV Eindhoven.”
I’m going-for Cameroon, then Australia… yeah, tonight’s ‘glamour game’ might be too early in the tournament. I think Nederlands will win it.
[quote=“last.caress, post:117, topic:3252”]I’ve seen a few people make that point now, as though it’s a bad thing. For “inexperienced” you could also say “young” or “fearless”. Peppered with those “few top class players”, I see the recipe for success at last. IF they don’t implode as usual.
Heh, a dutchman who frequents a football forum to which I contribute said of his Oranje regarding tonight’s game (and I quote): “we’re gonna lose so badly I feel…que sera… too much inexperience i feel, also a very brittle defense (good goalkeeper and right back though) too much responsibility lying on the shoulders of RVP, Robben and Sneijder (De Jong and De Guzman possibily too)
van Gaal is a ****ing madman on top off that…not charmed by him at all… RVP and Robben are the absolute leaders , Sneijder is well respected as well as Kuyt, Vlaar and De Jong. watch out for Memphis Depay; huge talent! plays for my local club PSV Eindhoven.”[/quote]
Depay is indeed a great talent, Van Gaal will bring him as a substitute, I suppose (Van Persie and Robben are his first choice), unless he returns to 4-3-3 (but I think he doesn’t have the players for it): you need at least a box-to-box player, and the one he had in mind, Strootman, is injured. Sneyder can’t fulfill this role, he’s not dynamic enough.
I left very similar comment on another forum, lots of people are underestimating Holland. If there is one nation who knows how to work with young players that is the Holland. I haven’t watch them play recently, but on paper it looks like this: few (3?) top-class players + young players from best youth farms + strict madman at the helm who was the part of the same youth system. Well, many other teams would love to have that. And based on the way how they walked through qualifications, it doesn’t look good only on paper.