[pisthpeeps]

Originally Posted by joe1980

What do you guys think was the best match so far in this World Cup? I feel that it is Brazil vs Chile in the round of 16 was the best and had lots of action.

Same here. One heck of a match where you are at the edge of your seat throughout. Both the teams were soo charged up. Chile gave a very good fight.

Coming back to yesterday's Netherlands-Argentina match - I was half asleep half awake. What a boring match that was. I came back to my senses only in the second half of the extra time.

[Samba]

Wow so many Germany supporters! I have a doubt here, are all the German supporters a fan of the German foot ball team or rather a fan of German cars that lead to support Germany.

Out of my favorite 3 team 2 are playing the final! My favorite 3 were Italy (I love the thud sound and i madly love Fiat & Ferrari and love eating Pizza's too), Germany (I love the German engineering) and Argentia (am a fan boy of Maradona and Messi). Lol.

On a serious note Germany gave 7 goals to Brazil. Brazil defense was pathetic. In yesterdays match i saw Argentina defence improved a lot from there 1st game and now they are playing a team game. They are no more a one man (Messi) dependent team. Waiting for a thrilling final. Mind says Germany heart says Argentina.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

For me, outstanding players - Perez, Higuain, Mascherano and Demichelis. Kuyt was tireless and even switched places. Sad that van Gaal seemed disgusted with him.

True, Perez, Lavezzi and Mascherano did all the good job but Higuain couldn't find the net. Messi was caught napping man a times. Kuyt was aimless. His long rangers were pathetic that he was booed by the spectators.

Originally Posted by pisthpeeps

Same here. One heck of a match where you are at the edge of your seat throughout. Both the teams were soo charged up. Chile gave a very good fight.

My best match for the tournament would be the BRA-GER semis. Germany displayed what football is all about. Next would be NED-AUS, there was a lot of strike and counter strike.

Originally Posted by Samba

Wow so many Germany supporters! I have a doubt here, are all the German supporters a fan of the German foot ball team or rather a fan of German cars that lead to support Germany.

German football (Oliver Kahn, Ballack) occupied my mind much before I knew about German engineering. But only recently, I am a fan of them due to their change in style of play. However, good question you threw up.

In yesterdays match i saw Argentina defence improved a lot from there 1st game and now they are playing a team game.

100% agree with you but..

They are no more a one man (Messi) dependent team.

I feel they are still dependent. Most of their passes are aimed at Messi. They look at him as a Messiah.

My favorite 3 were Italy (I love the thud sound and i madly love Fiat & Ferrari and love eating Pizza's too), Germany (I love the German engineering) and Argentia (am a fan boy of Maradona and Messi).

We have favorites in common. Italy>Argentina>Germany. But it will stay with who is a better player in the tournament and Germany it will be for this final, though I'll be happy either way. What was the thud sound?

[Samba]

Originally Posted by thoma

We have favorites in common. Italy>Argentina>Germany. But it will stay with who is a better player in the tournament and Germany it will be for this final, though I'll be happy either way. What was the thud sound?

The famous Italian thud while closing the door of a car.

Pele, Maradona, Ronaldo, Zidane all these iconic players have lifted the world cup once. So only for Messi i will be supporting Argentina this time.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by Samba

The famous Italian thud while closing the door of a car.

LOL! Germans may better them in offering volumes of metal all over. But no issues since you love them too

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by thoma

I feel they are still dependent. Most of their passes are aimed at Messi. They look at him as a Messiah.

So true. Despite all the hardwork they do in defence and midfield, up front they search for Messi. They need to create better options, rather than depend on Messi. But that said, give Messi the ball and he manages to create good chances for the others.

Germany has its work cut out to choke Argentina -> keep Messi off the ball.

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

So true. Despite all the hardwork they do in defence and midfield, up front they search for Messi. They need to create better options, rather than depend on Messi. But that said, give Messi the ball and he manages to create good chances for the others.

Germany has its work cut out to choke Argentina -> keep Messi off the ball.

Guess this will be solved to an extent if Di Maria is fit for the finals.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Germany has its work cut out to choke Argentina -> keep Messi off the ball.

Originally Posted by naveenroy

Guess this will be solved to an extent if Di Maria is fit for the finals.

I guess Messi is really fed up of his restricted movement. He didn't seem to keep moving to collect the next pass, once he passed the ball. Argentina really need to plan another route if they have to find the net against Germany.

[Chetan_Rao]

They may get Di Maria on the subs bench, but there's no way he's going to be able to start Vs Germany. If his injury updates are anything to go by, he's pretty much in the same situation as Diego Costa before the UCL final. We know how that one went.

[NPV]

Pride at stake - Anyone planning to watch the play off for 3rd and 4th places ?
Hopefully Brazil Vs Netherlands will be a well contested match.

[kaushik_s]

Never actually have watched a third place match. But this time planning to watch it. Hopefully it'll be a good game and Brazil regain some of its glory. But seems bit too tough after what happened in the semi.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by thoma

I've to eat my words. Romero has proved otherwise for penalty kicks. Now all that ARG might be looking at the finals is for a goalless 120 min. If so, my pick would be Neuer ahead of Romero.

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Looks like he had a good day at the office. He made 2 saves during the penalties to help Argentina go through to the finals.

May be I was not that all wrong initially. This is what I found lacking in Romero, there is a chance during the game that someone scores of his rebound, he doesn't collect the cleanest / doesn't foolproof his collect.

OMG! How close this was. I'm sure a Buffon or Casillas or a Neuer would have sealed the slightest of possibility.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HexdW8tbR2g

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...land-argentina

http://balls.ie/football/rule-clarif...-have-counted/

[harry10]

There shouldn't be a third place match as the Netherlands coach is rightly grumbling about. Not only it adds more pain but the losing team will feel like a Loser after getting drubbed in consecutive matches.
Will see it though cos Brazil needs to restore some confidence and Neds will like to end on a winning note.

[raj.barcode]

Holland were too strong for Brazil and 2 goals in 18 mins was too much for Brazil to recover from.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by raj.barcode

Holland were too strong for Brazil and 2 goals in 18 mins was too much for Brazil to recover from.

It was a joke of a match with neither team looking too interested in playing.