Let's all laugh at Brazil

Mockney said:
Because too many underdog “shocks” invariably lead to shit later stage games when the tournament is supposed to be reaching its defining stages.*

I completely get people enjoying the humbling narrative of it all, but I also get people wanting to see Brazil and Argentina face up in a World Cup semi, rather than a side who aren’t fun to watch and have gotten there by winning one solitary game against Canada.

Both opinions are fine.

(*It’s like that year everyone got knocked out of the FA Cup and we had a Portsmouth Cardiff final… Amazing for those teams, hugely spiriting for the notion of romance… fecking appalling to watch.)
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Does Croatia beating Brazil really count as an underdog though, feel a lot of people are really unfairly putting Croatia down, it was always going to be a close game.

There is also a very easy answer to situations like the Cardiff vs Portsmouth final however, can do what I did when it was that final and just not bother watching
 
At least, Nerman can visit his sister sooner without an excuse. It's that time of the year
 
Jev said:
So you guys just hate all nations now? Would much rather watch Brazil-Argentina than watch another game of Croatia trying to defend their way to another penalty shootout. How anyone but Croatians could root for them over Brazil is beyond me.
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Hang on just a second! Croatia play to their strengths. If Brazil were what they were cracked up to be they would have won. But they weren’t .
Brazil were overhyped. Good team no doubt but sloppy. The signs were there when they scraped to a 1-0 over the Swiss and lost to Camaroon.
Croatia had a true football genius in Luca Midric too, reason enough to cheer for them.
Brazil have only themselves to blame.
 
Happy to laugh at Brazil, yeah.

Croatia is neither here nor there, though. Have no particular sympathy for 'em, but whatever.
 
It's weird to see people hating on Brazil here. One of the only teams worth watching these days. Shame, Brazil-Argentina would have been a great semifinal.

Croatia-England would be the worst possible tie for the final. Utterly boring. At least England-France should be fun.
 
LoneStar said:
It's weird to see people hating on Brazil here. One of the only teams worth watching these days. Shame, Brazil-Argentina would have been a great semifinal.

Croatia-England would be the worst possible tie for the final. Utterly boring. At least England-France should be fun.
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If only football was played on paper ! It’s so boring when it’s not apparently !
 
Croatia resuming their 2018 MO of going through extra time and penalties every round all the way to the final.
 
hellhunter said:
Croatia played 613 passes (Brazil 610) and had 50% possession. This wasn't the bus parking job people pretend it to be
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That wasn't the issue. The issue was, they didn't try and do anything of use with the possession they had. It was pointlessly keeping the ball for the sake of keeping it, without any threat of penetration. It was boring to watch.
 
Skills said:
That wasn't the issue. The issue was, they didn't try and do anything of use with the possession they had. It was pointlessly keeping the ball for the sake of keeping it, without any threat of penetration. It was boring to watch.
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Don't think that was necessarily by design, they're just fairly poor in the final third
 
I can't comprehend neutrals not wanting a Brazil - Argentina World Cup semi-final. What a rare treat we almost had.
 
berbatrick said:
Yup.
I liked the 7-1 because they were overhyped, refs were giving them a lot, the whole "we'll win at home" thing was a bit nauseating, their football wasn't great, and they played quite dirty.

They were fun to watch this time, Croatia aren't. Would have loved a Argentina-Brazil match rather than yet another grind to penalties.
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Yeah agreed. This time (mostly due to United players there), I have vast interest for them to go further. And they are actually fun to watch.

It's the same with Argentina. This time I actually quite like them.
 
Roy Keane had more insight than was given credit for. Partly because he just blabbers around giving out rather than dialling in on what he knows intuitivelu. There is a reason the dancing bothered him, it’s pure lack of focus, low objectives and distracting.

Winners compete with themselves to be the best they can be, always looking for better and hungry for the big prize, that’s not dancing after scoring your 3rd and 4th against Korea four games from the final. The fact the manager joined in shows he was along for the ride rather than driving the engine.

How many thousand times have you heard a footballer say they are just focused on the next match after a win. It always sounds a cliche but it is still right and the product of decades of sports psychology research. Croatia are very good and best of luck to them but Brazil could have been special. Give Brazil Alex Ferguson at his prime and there would have been less dancing but a better chance of a cup at Christmas.
 
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Why put Rodyrgo take the 1st penalty.. ? They should let Neymar or other more senior players to take the 1st penalty.. The coach putting unnecessary immense pressure on Rodrygo for taking the 1st penalty.
 
Skills said:
That wasn't the issue. The issue was, they didn't try and do anything of use with the possession they had. It was pointlessly keeping the ball for the sake of keeping it, without any threat of penetration. It was boring to watch.
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So why didn't Brazil just press harder and take the ball away? It's because they too were content being as risk averse as possible.
 
Redfrog said:
If only football was played on paper ! It’s so boring when it’s not apparently !
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It's all personal preference mate. I would rather see both teams have a go at each other constantly rather than one team attack vs other team defending.

4-3 scoreline sounds much better than a 1-1 and penalties. To each his own.
 
LoneStar said:
It's all personal preference mate. I would rather see both teams have a go at each other constantly rather than one team attack vs other team defending.

4-3 scoreline sounds much better than a 1-1 and penalties. To each his own.
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Hopefully Argentina will turn this time around then.
 
Lay said:
Since 2002

Quarter finals
Quarter finals
Semi Finals (7-1 :lol:)
Quarter finals
Quarter finals.

Pretty disappointing for such a successful nation.
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Tbf in 2006 they played against a great french team and Zidane at the top of his game. No shame in losing that game.
 
LoneStar said:
It's all personal preference mate. I would rather see both teams have a go at each other constantly rather than one team attack vs other team defending.

4-3 scoreline sounds much better than a 1-1 and penalties. To each his own.
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Exactly but some here have a hard time understanding that.
 
England tomorrow so it's a bit premature for the Englishman to laugh
 
Crackers said:
A compact style with very few chances is a perfectly fine version of football, even if it looks a bit ugly (compared to Brazils naive attacking strategy). Croatia played smartly.
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This is the World cup not a league game , where you play for a draw and get it, with long throws and in the main play is defence to get a sniff and bit of luck which they had if that's what people like watching, well done to them .

Morroco game be same absolute boar by great at spot kicks.
 
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