World Cup - Group A

Although my first post might not make it seem like it, I actually think he did v well for the most part, apart from the 1st and 3rd goal. I think the penalty, like I said, was saveable, but he couldn't have done much better with it and was v unfortunate that it was even given tbh.

His anticipation of long shots was questionable all night - not just at the 1st and 3rd goal, I thought; but generally, I agree: he had a decent game. I just feel that, in times gone by, he might not have conceded 2 of the goals tonight. Who are Croatia's other keeper options?

 

Subašić and Zelenika. Both are quite uninspiring. Pletikosa won the Russian Cup with Rostov, so...

 

1 - Hulk is *-awful, how the * is he a professional footballer, let alone starting for Brazil

2 - That wasn't a penalty but I'm not too annoyed because I still think Croatia will come 2nd in this group

3 - Oscar played very well, man of the match

4 - Pletikosa should have done better for the penalty and Oscar's goal....weird because whenever I've seen him he's been pretty solid

5 - At the Confederations Cup, Neymar didn't really do much in open play but was involved in goals and assists.....seems like it will be the same again this year

6 - The ref was obviously biased but that's always the way with the host nations

I want a European team to win it.

 

Game was ruined by cheating and a poor referee. Feel sorry for Croatia, why even bother turning up when you have that against you. Video technology has to be introduced, far too many games have been made unfair and ruined. Maybe with that we could actually get a proper game of football.

 

Fifa note to refs;

Rememeber now guys, you must do all you can to prevent Brazil exiting the competition early...as this would create a lack of interest in the competition from the local population...they might turn there attention to something else..like joining the protests outside the stadiums...and we dont want that now, do we ?

Keep up the good work guys, all the best.


Sepp.

 

I think I've probably put myself across wrong. I've always liked Pletikosa, and wanted Celtic to sign him when we were in for him, but he's clearly not the keeper he once was. Did well enough tonight, and I don't doubt he still 'has it', but my first reaction to both the 1st and 3rd goals was 'Pletikosa would probably have saved that at his peak.'

 

Neymar is frighteningly good; already joint seventh of all time in Brazil's list of record goalscorers, something like 33 goals in 50 caps. Only 22 years old too.

Say what you like about his diving and theatrics, but what a talent that guy is.

Also, he could theoretically still partake in another four World Cup tournaments after this one:

2018 WC - 26 years old.
2022 WC - 30 years old.
2026 WC - 34 years old.
2030 WC - 38 years old.

Assuming he doesn't get seriously injured of course. Simply frightening.

 

Perhaps. But I think it's more the fault of the selector that caused us to concede 3 goals. No real MF destroyer was played.

 

The only frightening thing about him is that at a competition where the refs have already been proven to give Brazil the decisions, he will use that to his advantage. He's a remarkably poor specimen of a human and a supremely overhyped footballer. He won't make that 2022 World Cup because he'll be back in mid table Brazil having failed at several different European clubs.

 

I don't blame you for harbouring a grudge after the Brown incident last year, but you have to admit, the guy is different class as a footballer.

Despicable human being in some respects, but his talent has never been in doubt.

 

In World Cups and CL games, i agree.The cheating * even had the nerve to put both forefingers to the sky as though claiming divine intervention.

Im so confused now......i now want Brasil to lose after that, and i want Argentina to win it.....but Di Maria is the biggest cheat in the game!

 

Of course it is. He wasn't that good for Barcelona last season, pretty much did the bare minimum anyone in a side that good would do. Most importantly, did not show up at any point when the pressure was on during the latter half of the season. The likes of Messi, Iniesta and Xavi have made their reputations on having the bottle to put in big performances in the games that count, a feat Neymar spectacularly failed to achieve. All he contributed in their biggest games was a dive to get Ramos sent off. When they brought him on against Atletico in the last game, needing a win to win the league, there was absolutely never any danger of him coming up with anything.

And again tonight on the big stage he did * all except score two goals any competent goalkeeper would have stopped.

He has really improved that side of his game this year. It was what I'd hoped Neymar would do when he moved to Barca but as Scott Brown and everyone on this site knows he just continued to get away with it. But Di Maria this season, in addition to becoming a much much better player, definitely cut the diving out a lot.

 

Can't argue with Neymars international record- he is sorta doing the opposite and being outstanding for his country and not quite outstanding for his club, where as Messi is obviously a Barca legend but still question marks remain about his contribution to Argentina, even though he's picked up his scoring rate for them recently.

I hope this is Messi's world cup.

 

depends what you mean by different class. Yes he is quite a good footballer but hes nowhere near as good as most folk make out. Hes coming off of a very mediocre season for barcelona where he didn't come close to fulfilling the hype around himself. I rate him but i just don't ever think he will be in the class that messi and ronaldo are in currently, which most people seem to believe. For me he will always be in the second tier of stars who are great players but never really talked about as the best in the world. For example this season alone gareth bale was the better player between he and neymar yet for some reason alot of folk are keen to anoint neymar as the third best talent in the world

 

Neymar is a diving * yes, not in doubt. But I dunno how anyone can call him a despicable human without actually knowing him. He actually seems a really decent guy off the pitch, for example what he did with that child when he was playing for Brazil in South Africa and the same for santos.

He's a bit like ronaldo in some respects, because he acts like a * on the pitch people call him all sorts when in actual fact off it, he seems a decent guy. Exact same as Sergio Ramos in fact, absolute * while he is playing, but I know a couple if folk who have met him and said he was a top guy and was more than happy to stop for photos, autographs etc.

 

Am I the only one who doesn't think Fred actually dived? Think he slipped a bit and went down but he wasn't claiming or bsing theatrical at all really. The ref just gave it.

 

I think he was theatrical mate, and he was certainly claiming for it halfway down. Whether it was a dive or a slip, I think it was a bit of both. I think he has realised he is slipping, then makes a meal out of it looking for the pen.

I felt sorry for Croatia last night, the game looked like it was heading for a draw before the pen, then even after that shocking decision, they score a perfectly good goal, and it gets chopped off. All this, on top of the fact Neymar should have been sent off in my opinion. The ref had a howler last night, and in the end, Croatia couldn't win that game.

 

Aye, can see what you mean mate. Ref definitely had a big hand in it.

 

It got to the point where it just seemed like the officials had to make sure Brazil won that game. If he sees Neymar's elbow on Modric as a foul, which he did, it has to be a red in my opinion. I think he knew exactly what he was doing. Imagine it was the other way round, Neymar would still be on the floor just now trying to get Modric sent off. I've even bet him for top goalscorer, and still wanted him shown a red :smiley-laughing002: