Rio de Janiero - 2014 Fifa World Cup Thread

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

Diego Costa for £32 million isn't looking to hot either...Chelsea could be looking at the 3 most expensive striker flops in history in Shevchenko, Torres and now Costa.

He lacks pace and mobility which for me are essential in the premiership.

Tbf this isn't the same Costa that's been playing for Atletico, a long hard season and a few injuries catching up with him here I think

[Dolphin Ziggler]

I've liked Murphy.

Iniesta still Spain's best player. Negredo and Navas both should have made this squad.

[Guest]

I haven't seen Torres put in a good performance for years.

He looks so poor. Poor touch, poor passes, everything is poor.

[Guest]

Vidal is quality. I would love him at United

[Duty281]

Horrible feeling when you know your team are exiting the WC.

Don't want to be feeling that tomorrow.

We won't go out tomorrow, Skye, even if we lose. #relax

[Guest]

Murphy's been pretty good but him and Savage sound like granddads.

[Guest]

Spain have been beyond pathetic!

What's the point of tika taka in the 80th minute. They need to get people in the box and just try their luck. Too late now.

Chile by far the better team tonight.

[Ent]

Very disappointing from Spain, would have liked to have seen a challenge from them.

They've just made everything too complicated and haven't provided enough forward runs for their midfielders to pick out passes that advance play.

[skyeman]

Horrible feeling when you know your team are exiting the WC.

Don't want to be feeling that tomorrow.

We won't go out tomorrow, Skye, even if we lose. #relax

You don't think Italy would let Uruguay get the draw  

[GSC]

Did you guys know Chile have run hard today?

[Guest]

So anyways Dr Fuentes obviously hasn't come up with a good batch of drugs for the Spanish this tournament

Indeed.. and the dirty government ordered the destruction of the blood bags! How corrupt is that!

[Duty281]

Chile and Holland both through to the last sixteen, Spain and Australia out.

Now Group B is all about the battle for first place, and avoiding Brazil in the last sixteen.

[Lowlandbrit]

I know they're the home team and big favourites to win the tournament, but what have Brazil shown so far that's supposed to terrify either of the teams from this group?

[Ent]

Chile deserved winners, they've been very impressed with them.

The Dutch aren't great at the back so I think chile could well win the group. Would also fancy them to dismiss either of the group a sides.

[skyeman]

I know they're the home team and big favourites to win the tournament, but what have Brazil shown so far that's supposed to terrify either of the teams from this group?

NOTHING. Thus far.

[Crimey]

Really disappointed in Spain, not a single player lived up to their reputations. Diego Costa might have been better off playing for Brazil, does not suit the Spain side at all, whereas Brazil would be perfect for him right now.

For me this tournament should be the end of Casillas, lost his place at club level, awful performance at this tournament. He has had a fantastic career but think he has lost it. May be able to revive it with a move, but seems unlikely.

End of an era really for Spain, but they will be back, the ageing players will go such as Xavi, Alonso and there are young exciting players to replace them so it's not like they have had a golden generation with no replacements.

[skyeman]

Linekar funny, tiki taka, ta ta.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

So anyways Dr Fuentes obviously hasn't come up with a good batch of drugs for the Spanish this tournament

Indeed.. and the dirty government ordered the destruction of the blood bags! How corrupt is that!

Dr Fuentes speaking in December 2010 said;

"If I would talk, the Spanish football team would be stripped of the 2010 World Cup"

Don't get me started on the whole blood bags thing

[Duty281]

Linekar funny, tiki taka, ta ta.

I absolutely him.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Anyways how a team who have a RB released by Nottingham forest and a midfielder relegated with Cardiff (another with osasuna) playing at CB manage to look so good is truly beyond me

Football you mad bastard

[skyeman]

Even with weaker players, if a team can have that togetherness, spirit, chemistry, guts etc. They can be formiddable and a threat to better teams on the day. Glad for it.

[CFCNick]

Very pleased with that result. Got an acca of Holland, Chile, Croatia, Colombia, England. Will probably cash out before the England game depending how high the value is.

Chile were 5/1 when I put it on.

[The Special Juan]

One of the pundits was saying before the game that because the Spanish club teams did well in Europe, they should do well at the Euros. That's not the case - do Real and Atletico play this tika taka nonsense? No. Barcelona, the team Spain are modelled on, died a death this season. It's a massive mistake by del Bosque to continue playing a brand of football which is now ineffective. Only those Spanish players from 2008-2011 could play like that and they're either past their sell-by or are retired (except Iniesta). We'll see a tweaked Spanish team in a couple of years - their youngsters aren't too bad!! Add a handful of them with the experienced heads and they'll do well.

[The Special Juan]

Diego Costa for £32 million isn't looking to hot either...Chelsea could be looking at the 3 most expensive striker flops in history in Shevchenko, Torres and now Costa.

He lacks pace and mobility which for me are essential in the premiership.

Tbf this isn't the same Costa that's been playing for Atletico, a long hard season and a few injuries catching up with him here I think

I think he's overrated. He's had 1 good season and before last season had never scored more than 9 goals in a season. He could flourish at Chelsea but equally could be the next Hulk. Obviously we won't know until then.

[Duty281]

Bright start by Cameroon, despite some pathetic cheating on their part.

[NickisBHAFC]

Spain were never going to win this world cup. But to lose 2 games, very easily no one in the world would of predicted. Incredible stuff.

Always said Chile would get out of that group, but i never thought it would be at the expense of Spain! 

Diego Costa will be a let down at Chelsea.

[NickisBHAFC]

Croatia winning. My dark horses for the tournament.

[skyeman]

Spain were never going to win this world cup. But to lose 2 games, very easily no one in the world would of predicted. Incredible stuff.

Always said Chile would get out of that group, but i never thought it would be at the expense of Spain! 

Diego Costa will be a let down at Chelsea.

If he is, why do they sign so many flops.

[Duty281]

Should be a stroll now for Croatia, before their crunch game against Mexico where a win is imperative.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I don't buy this tika taka is dead nonsense

It's just not being implemented or played well, especially by Spain this tournament who seen to be a combination of the barca style trying to integrate the real style as well

No coincidence the decline of xavi has also seen the "decline of tika taka" either

[NickisBHAFC]

Crespo, Torres, names that spring to mind.

[skyeman]

Crespo, Torres, names that spring to mind.

Shevchenko  

[skyeman]

Thought this would have been more comfortable for Croatia. Should be now, Song off.

[Duty281]

Well done referee; pathetic by Song. Mind you, he's not the only one who had embarrassed himself tonight on the Cameroon team.

[skyeman]

Deserved the red too. Stupid.

[NickisBHAFC]

Alex Song you waste of space. Waits 4 years to play in the best tournament in the world and he does that.

[CFCNick]

Crespo, Torres, names that spring to mind.

Crespo isn't a flop. Look at his numbers for 05/06. Definitely not a flop.

[CFCNick]

Diego Costa for £32 million isn't looking to hot either...Chelsea could be looking at the 3 most expensive striker flops in history in Shevchenko, Torres and now Costa.

He lacks pace and mobility which for me are essential in the premiership.

Tbf this isn't the same Costa that's been playing for Atletico, a long hard season and a few injuries catching up with him here I think

I think he's overrated.  He's had 1 good season and before last season had never scored more than 9 goals in a season.  He could flourish at Chelsea but equally could be the next Hulk.  Obviously we won't know until then.

Drogba only had one season in a top flight league in any country before signing for Chelsea.

[Duty281]

Croatia just need to retain possession and keep themselves in optimum condition for the must-win game against Mexico. Maybe they should just briefly rise out of second gear to put this contest out of reach...just to be safe.

And Brazil must remember to attack with width against Cameroon, and not get bunched in the middle against a compact defence.

[skyeman]

Croatia just need to retain possession and keep themselves in optimum condition for the must-win game against Mexico. Maybe they should just briefly rise out of second gear to put this contest out of reach...just to be safe.

And Brazil must remember to attack with width against Cameroon, and not get bunched in the middle against a compact defence.

Aye, they could take a breather here and if needed go up a gear.

[NickisBHAFC]

Crespo, Torres, names that spring to mind.

Crespo isn't a flop. Look at his numbers for 05/06. Definitely not a flop.

100% a flop. Veron as well.

[NickisBHAFC]

Alex Song if you're gonna smack someone, at least smack them.

[Crimey]

I didn't want Diego Costa at Liverpool at the start of the summer and I'm not sure if my mind has been changed. Can't see him replicating his form from last year, particularly in the Premier League. Seems too slow without a good enough physical or technical game to make up for it. Not worth £32 million.

[The Special Juan]

What the hell is he doing? Hope he's banned for at least 5 games.

[Crimey]

Alex Song is a stupid, stupid boy. Let his team down who were doing a decent job against a good Croatia side.

[skyeman]

LOL Can only be banned against Brazil. But for that, he should be, even by UEFA.

[Lowlandbrit]

No coincidence the decline of xavi has also seen the "decline of tika taka" either

That's the problem with a system based around your midfield passing the ball around so quickly and efficiently that the opponents aren't able to react.

[Duty281]

Bye-bye, Cameroon!

[skyeman]

Oh well, this is over. Good night all.

The big one later on.

[CFCNick]

Crespo, Torres, names that spring to mind.

Crespo isn't a flop. Look at his numbers for 05/06. Definitely not a flop.

100% a flop. Veron as well.

You aren't old enough to remember how good Crespo was that season.

(sound like a broken record using the "you're too young" line)

[NickisBHAFC]

Yep done and dusted. Well done Alex Song.

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