OT: World Cup Open Thread (Quarterfinals - Day 1)
Two huge regional battles today in the quarterfinals. Winners face each other in the semifinals. Think all 4 teams playing today could legitimately win the title this year.
12:00 p.m. ET - France vs. Germany (ESPN2)
4:00 p.m. ET - Brazil vs. Colombia (ESPN)
Go Colombia and go asteroid!
Actually, I'm gonna pull for Germany being a quarter German.
My wife's German but as an England fan I just can't do it. Asteroid sounds good to me.
I have France and Colombia winning but not confident in either.
France: Lloris (c), Debuchy, Evra, Varane, Sakho, Cabaye, Valbuena, Benzema, Griezmann, Matuidi, Pogba
Germany: Neuer, Howedes, Hummels, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Klose, Muller, Lahm (c), Kroos, Boateng
Klose getting a start and Lahm presumably at right back again. This is all good news for Germany IMO.
...is no Mertesacher. Thoughts coming in were that Boateng would move to left back replacing Höwedes but instead he's staying at center back. Concerned about his lack of speed and don't think they need his height today? Or maybe he's one of the seven that's ill?
My guess is he's sick. Howedes going out makes more sense.
According to Bierhoff (who's the "manager", in charge of PR so Löw can concentrate on coaching) it's because they want more pace at the back against France's forwards.
Whatever kept Hummels out against Algeria has spread. Except for Kramer they're keeping pretty tight-lipped about who's been affected, but 7 of the 23 are now ill.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jul/03/world-cup-2014-germany-…
The full estimate for the surviving teams:
TEAM |
GROUP
|
SEMI | FINAL | WIN |
Brazil
|
A |
72%
|
53%
|
40%
|
Argentina
|
F |
70%
|
43%
|
17%
|
Netherlands
|
B |
76%
|
39%
|
14%
|
Germany
|
G |
53%
|
17%
|
9%
|
Colombia
|
C |
28%
|
15%
|
8%
|
France
|
E |
47%
|
15%
|
8%
|
Belgium
|
H |
30%
|
12%
|
3%
|
Costa Rica
|
D |
24%
|
6%
|
<1%
|
France and Columbia have been the 2 most fun teams to watch this tourney so I am rooting for both.
Germany's injuries and inconsistent play have me concerned.
That was the soccer equivalent of getting posterized. Hummels just manhandled Varane.
Muller needs to stop bitching about every little thing.
Ozil has been Germany's Michael Bradley this tournament. Talk about falling off the map.
Very choppy play.
Not an exciting game probably due to Germany getting the early goal and then just grinding you into the ground. Some key misses by France. Have to give Germany credit though - they just find a friggin way to get to the semis.
Winning is more fun than exciting is.
France is truly Germany's bitch. In war and football Germany owns France.
There is not much DNA in either Brazil or Columbia to play "shell" defense for 70 minutes so it would seem unlikely. Germany just mucked up that game which is effective but boring. It reminded me of a lot of other years of World Cup where 50-70% of the games were like that. Which is why this WC has been so enjoyable - so few games in this style. I get why they did it, and it worked - and that's all that matters in the end. Just not so fun as a neutral to watch.
Disappointing. France had a pretty spirited second half but didn't show enough creativity to create really good chances. Oh well. With more experience, they'll be tough to beat in the Euros on home soil in 2016.
Germany was terrific in the first half, looking more like the team that played Portugal. In the second they were a little more on their heels but didn't look nearly as vulnerable defensively as against Algeria. The Germany that played today can win it all.
Outside of that last shot from Benzema I never really felt like France had any solid chances. Expected it to be a lot more interesting. Germany's ability to take tactical yellow cards essentially without consequence really killed what probably would have been a couple of great chances for France.
...for not taking silly yellows during the group stage.
Tapped in the back of my head, better grab my face.
now this is a fun game
Colombia's a tactical mess, the referee's lost control (complete disrespect for his spray can by both sides, Fernandinho hacking James down repeatedly with not even an admonition let alone a yellow, same for the ridiculous studs-to-Hulk's-knee). It's kind of ugly and I have a bad feeling about the second half.
McManaman and Darke are two of the world's very worst match officials.
But, yeah. Switzerland-France is in the running and of course there's the Brazil penalty in the opener but this might be the worst officiating job of the entire tournament. I know he doesn't want anyone suspended for the semis but he's going to get someone hurt.
agree
Neymar must weigh 155 soaking wet
EDIT: Wikipedia says 142 lbs.
Well they basically did something so flagrant it forced a yellow