World Cup Thread

[Deez]

Jul 12, 2014 23:11:09 GMT @cavelly2k said:

Jul 12, 2014 21:40:45 GMT Deez said:

BBC have had the best pundits by a country mile and I'm not a fan of BBC. But imo Matterface has been ahead of the rest.

Would still rather listen to a WC fan zone commentary any day of the week!

ITV have been the worst coverage since they tried putting adverts in straight after a goal

There hasn't been a single commentator worth praising. They have all been shit. Townsend has actually been beaten to bellend of the tournament by half of the BBC line up. Savage is a fucking quilt and Lawrenson is the usual gimp.

I could do a better job than those idiots. That's what I miss the most about any sports now, no fanzone

2 things have let this world cup down.

1. The quality of officials has been comical at best. No consistency or any decent performance come to think of it.

2. The commentary. Its put a downer on what has been the best world cup I cab remember.

Genuinely don't understand why they don't keep fan zone. If they put a huge contract about swearing, it would still be sort cheap and grab most people to choose then over ITV. Fanzone was the best

[ZlattackRed]

Jul 12, 2014 20:19:32 GMT Bestie said:

David Luiz plays at Centre back ...

Hilarity ensues.

Imagine the state of PSG next season with the Brazilian blockbuster duo. Leonardo is trying to make PSG mini-Brazil with the likes of Silva, Luiz, Marquinhos, Alex, Maxwell & Moura. Nice lil recipe for disaster. Its almost like saying if you are not French then you are a Brazilian.

P.S. Brazil score 1-10 after the quarter finals

[Bestie]

I'd take Marquinhos in fairness.

[_]

Jul 12, 2014 22:42:23 GMT Deez said:

Jul 12, 2014 22:14:44 GMT _ said:

The partying on the night of the semi final lasted until the very early hours. All the pubs are open until 4am or later so it's been quite a World Cup for parties. The last few nights have been quiet possibly due to the heavy rain but already the sofas and armchairs are in place in the arenas for tomorrow. It's all a bit like towels on deck chairs! Most companies are closed Monday morning and the whole mood has shifted towards a definite win tomorrow. However, my Brazilian neighbours took down their flags and have been very quiet. 

Haha! My old man mentioned he saw a ground in Germany full of sofas and armchairs, not actually seen it myself! Imagine it will be like Armageddon tomorrow night.

Rain has been a big factor in the last two weeks. More rain is forecast but it will not stop tonight from happening in the streets.
It was eerily quiet last night after the Dutch game. First Saturday night without some kind of partying - but the supermarkets were plundered for beer and booze so it will all go off tonight. Fireworks have also disappeared from the shelves. With no shops open on a Sunday all the prep was done yesterday. Positions have already been marked for place owners at public arenas and in the pubs. I will be with a load of Bavarians so it will be noisy! Most employers have granted an amnesty for tomorrow!! 

Has to be said Nationalism is overwhelming again over here. The TV commentators have been talking up the game and the Germans have gone from being average chancers to now the big winners. The fans in Brazil are very confident and that has been endorsed by Mueller who told us that Germany will now be rampant for the next ten years. Lot of talk about a new age of German football. Back here the fans are running around in shirts and more funny are the objects that can be stuck to cars or placed on dashboards. Red/Gold/Black is everywhere and even the ladies in the cake shops have little make up flags on their cheeks and eyebrows. A lot of interesting goodies like national coloured cakes and special beers.

There is an unpleasant side to all this nationalism. The extremists use it as an opportunity to stir up issues so it's always best to avoid the Skinhead areas. Those areas are usually marked by the old Imperial colours of red/white/black (not like our colours). They also tend to raise their right arms a lot!! Politics in football is quite strong in Germany with some club's fan bases divided by police lines in the stands because of their political extremism. 

Have read some of the comments about the TV coverage. I have to say the TV show has worked. ARD and Erste shared the tournament and shared their stage so it was almost visual consistent from beginning to end. Professional TV commentators ran the shows but players like Scholl and Kahn kept up a reasonable level of football commentary. They also brought in German speaking others like Robben and Elber as well as the German national referee representative to discuss decisions. Several managers like Klopp discussed managerial issues and the changing shape of football tactics. From a general football fan perspective this has been quite a feast of learning that perhaps BBC could learn from.

From a United fan's perspective the discussions have been quite interesting especially regarding LVG. When the Dutch beat Spain the German pundits showered LVG in laurels as one of the top managers of the world. After the Mexico game they thought he had run out of tactical ideas. After defeat in the semi Scholl went completely over the top about LVG. He had worked with LVG at BM and went on and on about his tactical failings and continual poor performances in the final stages of major competitions. Kahn's opinion last night was that on his day LVG can be brilliant but his off days can be a disaster. One has to note that Kahn and Scholl are BM men and their sound bites usually consistent to BM philosophy. There has also been mutterings about RVP's inconsistency.

One interesting comment now circling in almost every interview is the burn out factor. Many players are saying their clubs are recalling them too early and they feel they need a longer rest. The other discussion has been possible moves. The German players have said their agents have been under constant pressure but under instructions for no moves!! I think it will be very hard for British clubs to get the German heroes for next season. If Germany win tonight the heroes will be treated like gods and its unlikely any of the big names will want to lose their moment of national greatness. 

As as a long term English resident it's all a bit galling watching our pathetic exit and having to meet and greet with overbearing Germans who are usually mice-like for the other eleven months of the year. This is my fifth World Cup in Germany and have now seen the Geoff Hurst goal over a thousand times. Tonight it will be shown over and over!! England can never achieve anything in the World Cup until an ethos like the Germans is adopted. That's not just the manager but the attitude of the players, their clubs, the fans and the FA. It seems to me the PL and TV will always block this now they dominate English domestic football. 

Its difficult to explain the full extent of this except with one small example. Sunday morning is usually three hours of live football chat on one of the main TV channels. Fans from all clubs flock to take part with players, managers and experts. This morning started with Netzer, Breitner, and Beckenbauer serenading us with the past. Past games with Maradona are being compared with what will happen with Messi. Lots of talk about who will cancel out Messi tonight. The fans wear their colours but their only concern is Germany. There is no discussion about transfers or domestic clubs it's only about Germany. That kind of intensity is extended to the radio, and even the churches are having a little prayer for the team, especially since the Pope is on the other side. 

Tonight I'm siding with Germany but I think Argentina are a real threat. Their economy of effort is remarkable. They shift with an effective system that nearly caught out the Dutch. Their penalties were well rehearsed. In effect they have a strong game plan and philosophy, which many pundits have missed. It's not that Messi's the best player in the world but that he is a strong link in a fluid system that presses and prods for gaps. I think the German midfield will have to be careful that they don't open up too early. Whatever the result, I hope its decided in playing time and not with penalties. 

[johnboy14]

Im not sure who to support in this game to be honest. I like the way the Germans play football but if you've been around them on holiday there an annoying tribe. The archies are hard to like period, maybe its our history with them and there annoying president. Coin toss this one.

[_]

7.00pm here in Germany and all the public venues are full and the public warned not to bother trying to get in. Streets are totally quiet, its a really weird atmosphere. The Media are going crazy with all kinds of stupid stories. Lots of expectation and a little fear in the air.

[traffordbrown]

Jul 13, 2014 17:02:00 GMT _ said:

7.00pm here in Germany and all the public venues are full and the public warned not to bother trying to get in. Streets are totally quiet, its a really weird atmosphere. The Media are going crazy with all kinds of stupid stories. Lots of expectation and a little fear in the air.

Where abouts in Germany Phil?

[_]

Near Cologne. 

Heavy rain, euphoria, mass hysteria and paranoia - only the Germans can do this!

[Deleted]

I wish bbc would stop sucking off messi ffs

[.]

Tom Hanks at 22, in goal for Germany. lol.

[_]

Messi giving Hummels a wretched time. He had to come good sometime. This is turning into an interesting game of attacking and countering.

[Deleted]

Messi just strolling about the pitch not even trying to help the team.... yeah, worlds greatest

[Deez]

Bringing aguero on at half time for a WC final. Not too shabby.

Not quite got the same ring to it as bringing Cleverley on away on a Tuesday night at Stoke.

[mocthezuma]

I wonder what made Kroos decide he wanted to emulate Gerrard. He almost pulled it off.

[king nothing]

Neuer is a lucky lad.