Costa Rica at World Cup 2014

#07

makes new threads with tweets in the OP
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Without 'superstars', without 'world class players', Costa Rica have beaten Uruguay and Italy. Had we been able to match their organisation and ability to execute a plan we would be in the last 16 with them.

Costa Rica set up to take advantage of the weaknesses of their opponents. We set up to shoehorn the big names into the side, even though it left a tired 34 year old playing in a two man midfield without a Lucas Leiva type to cover him.

There's a lesson there for club England (or whatever the hell they call themselves!)

For as long as they remain in the tournament I'm backing Costa Rica. They are the team England should have been at this World Cup.
 
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After seeing Japan absolutely piss on them in the friendlies shortly before this WC, I expected them to be one of the biggest whipping boys of the tournament. They've definitely proved me wrong. They've been excellent so far!

Are they the "Ghana" of 2014?
 
Mad Winger said:
After seeing Japan absolutely piss on them in the friendlies shortly before this WC, I expected them to be one of the biggest whipping boys of the tournament. They've definitely proved me wrong. They've been excellent so far!

Are they the "Ghana" of 2014?
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Costa Rica have done a more impressive feat thus far I say. They outplayed Uruguay and Italy.
Honestly did not expect this. They did well in the qualifiers, but well behind the US, and Mexico were in shambles. You look at their squad and see no world class players. I expected them, like most people, to be the whipping boys of the group, not England!
 
Isn't there anyone from Costa Rica in this forum? I would love to read a background story or two about their accomplishment so far.

Edit: link in the OP was a nice read.
 
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I wouldn't be surprised if FIFA are disappointed that Costa Rica have shown up box office draws England and Italy. Why 7 tests from the same team?
 
LetMeRollIt said:
Isn't there anyone from Costa Rica in this forum? I would love to read a background story or two about their accomplishment so far.
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My wife's from Costa Rica. I'm kinda glad that England's hypothetical progression path didn't come to pass, because it would have made for a very uncomfortable Tuesday evening for both of us! Costa Ricans are immensely proud of what their players have accomplished so far (especially silencing Maradona and Mourinho who were both less than complimentary prior to the tournament). What they're enjoying most is that they haven't just scraped through the games, they outplayed both Uruguay and Italy and thoroughly deserve to be where they are.

I really hope that their competition doesn't just fizzle out. Even if they don't progress further than the last 16, if they at least make a game of it, this'll go down as their best ever World Cup and probably their best ever team (the only time they've progressed so far was back in 1990). I also hope that we get behind them as a nation, as it's a fantastic country and the friendliest people (and I'm not just saying that!).
 
Nights said:
They played really well, and definitely outplayed both Uruguay and Italy.

Saw a story on the Guardian today about them:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/21/costa-rica-fifa-drug-test-italy-world-cup

Pretty bad timing on FIFA's part imo.
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Yeah, unfair of Fifa if they're not testing the same number if people on each team. Maradonna being one of the guys complaining makes me laugh in a funny way...

@bonsaiboi, thanks for the story. Yes, you guys should be proud.
 
When they went 1-0 down against Uruguay I remember thinking how unlucky teams like them are to be drawn in such difficult groups where all teams are a level above.

Feels amazing seeing them top the group with a game to spare, it's where I expect them to finish as well because I see them getting a point (or more) against England.
 
So, Costa Rica has the best defense at this WC.

They have conceded 2 goals in 5 games, the only team conceding less than .5 goals per game.

Germany, France, Argentina and Belgium have conceded 3 in 5 games, but are full of much bigger names.

Should we be looking at any of their defenders?
 
gooDevil said:
So, Costa Rica has the best defense at this WC.

They have conceded 2 goals in 5 games, the only team conceding less than .5 goals per game.

Germany, France, Argentina and Belgium have conceded 3 in 5 games, but are full of much bigger names.

Should we be looking at any of their defenders?
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No.

They don't have world class defenders. They defended well as a team and that gets you far if you can do that.
 
Bojan11 said:
No.

They don't have world class defenders. They defended well as a team and that gets you far if you can do that.
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Isn't a team made up of individuals? I'm not a believer that teams can pull off great performances by "luck" and by "fighting spirit". All that helps, but you need some quality. Costa Rica's goalkeeper is world class - period. The defenders should also be looked at.
 


Their preparation was superb and was reflected in their performances. Individual plans for players in the squad worked at over years, that's the kind of thing England need to have and obviously don't.

The regular excuses have already been trotted out for why we failed: winter break, foreign players...passion. We'd do much better to look at why sides like Costa Rica (and Algeria and the U.S.A. for that matter) looked much more organised and much better prepared for the World Cup than we did.
 
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