World Cup - Group A

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It wasn't a dive in itself, but an easy fall- most likely. Too bad Lovren decided to grip his shoulder, which is an open invitation for the referee to call that a penalty.

Unlike offsides, or the matter of the ball crossing the goal-line, fouls, penalties and cards are not objective categories. There, the ref's criteria matter.

 

I can see a fair few goals in the match tonight Mexico have been defending well lately only conceding one goal against far better teams on the day so if they open the scoring I think Cameroon will leak goals when trying to get level.

 

It was his first season, give him a break. He has moved across the world to a place where he doesn't speak the language, into a team that was on the down overall.

He isn't the first player to have an unspectacular first season at a new club and he won't be the last. His international form and Santos form shows that when he is settled he can perform to a world class standard.

People only ever want instant results now...

Well last night he didn't fail....

Messi has been at Barcelona for 14 years, Iniesta has been there for 18 years and Xavi has been at Barcelona since 1991. Neymar has been there a year. These great players didn't just churn out good results instantly. It has taken them years to get used to the Barcelona style and what they are expected to do within that system.

 

Neymar's an overrated, diving, cheating *.

 

Thought Oscar was excellent last night, Gustavo and Olic were also very good

 

And he is also a very good player.

 

Good match, but Croats were robbed by referee. Oscar is my MOTM, he really surprised me as I don't rate him too much.

Croatia:

I agree with Leone that Croatia needed one solid DM because their CM's were lost when they had to defend. Also I expected to see Croatian CM's controlling the game. Olić was knackered by 50th minute, he's not young anymore, he must learn how to endure the whole game. Vrsaljko is * (he's maybe right back, but still), where is Strinić. I really expected to see them getting a point, they were unlucky and they were always defending like they are Serbia. :smiley-laughing002:

Brazil:

Nothing special, good counter attacking team though. Neymar is the only player who reminds on those famous Brazilian players with his skill, but sometimes he think he's playing 5 vs 5. Hernanes must start imo, as they struggle with creativity (they only rely on Oscar) and carrying out the ball from defense. Hulk is the most overrated player ever and Cesar looks pretty shaky.

 

Strinić is injured. Neymar was helped by the fact that no butcher was present in the midfield. It's easier to dribble and move when you don't have fears of being put out of the WC by an injury caused by someone's nasty tackle.
Fred took Lovren's gift in a flash. Grabbing someone by the shoulder as Dejan did, is an open invitation for a semi-dive. The referee, naturally awarded the PK(he's usually trigger happy). Conclusion: Lovren is a naive numpty, Fred is an opportunistic *, while Nishimura isn't a good referee or worse- he's been bribed.

 

What a load of *


Your hate for him is overshadowing your thinking to how good he really is.

 

Hulk is * he should be dropped for someone who can actually connect a pass, Fred is probably the worst ever striker to lead Brazil at a World Cup and Cesar looks like someone has grabbed him on the way into the stadium and told him to play in goals.
Neymar and Oscar good going forward - snuff those two out and Brazil will struggle big time to create.
Rest of the team is solid, if unspectacular. Full backs didn't get forward as far as i expected either. Scolari obviously didn't want to lose the first match as that would have put huge pressure on them. And he is also a greetin faced * as well.

 

Im not his biggest fan. In fact i think he is a little rat the way he get's players cards with his rolling around the floor. But he is by far Brazil's best player (not saying much i know) and a ball hair away from being World Class.
Parallels with Maradona in 86 spring to mind - the only true creative force in an otherwise solid if boring team. He could win this thing for Brazil pretty much on his own.

Plus his goals to game ratio for Brazil is phenomenal - better than Pele and fat Ronaldo by far.

 

Croatia was robbed.
That was not penalty. Well if something like it had happened in Brazil's penalty box I'm sure Croatia wouldn't have got a penalty.
That goal Perišić scored. I don't know what was wrong their. Foul? I don't think so.
2-2 was the fair result

 

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Toe poke is back...

 

Only saw the highlights this morning. What a joke of a penalty, and the goal Croatia had disallowed should have stood too. Hopefully Croatia bounce back and still get through. Brazil looked fairly average, but the they'll get better and they have the refs on their side too. Odds on favs to me now lol.

 

I feel for Croatia. However I cannot see Brazil going far anyway, I haven't bothered to check who they'll likely face in the Round of 16 but they're going to struggle generally. What was most telling was that their individual ability is generally very good, some of them are excellent, but as a team they look disorganised.

However I think the team will know they got lucky and it might be the scare they need.

 

I thought Perisic and Olic both had very good games for Croatia.

 

Yeah Perisic had a good game aswell, some good crosses he put in, one for Jela and Olic i think.

 

The one he put in first time on the volley in the second half was superb. The one for Olic was a peach as well, I thought he should have scored actually with that. Certainly should have worked the keeper.