The Official Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup thread
Discussion
I think South Africa was a watershed in the relationship between England and the fans. I know loads of people, myself included, who don't really care that much anymore. Club football is far more important to me than the national side.
I'd like us to do well, but if we play the same dirge as the last 2 world cups, then the sooner we're out the better.
I'd like us to do well, but if we play the same dirge as the last 2 world cups, then the sooner we're out the better.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
I think South Africa was a watershed in the relationship between England and the fans. I know loads of people, myself included, who don't really care that much anymore.
Agreed. SA was absolutely garbage, I have never seen such a poor, disinterested England side. Still not arsed that much but f
k it, it's the World Cup. I'm going to watch the tournament with enthusiasm.hornetrider said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
I think South Africa was a watershed in the relationship between England and the fans. I know loads of people, myself included, who don't really care that much anymore.
Agreed. SA was absolutely garbage, I have never seen such a poor, disinterested England side. Still not arsed that much but fk it, it's the World Cup. I'm going to watch the tournament with enthusiasm.That set the tone for the whole sorry episode. Let's hope that our kids can at least give it a go in a free spirited manner. I honestly wouldn't mind if we lost all three and went home early. So long as we played with passion, pace and a willingness to win. Rather than in a negative, circumspect manner.
No fear!!!! (Please).
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Amirhussain said:
True, all records have to come to an end, but still, Ronaldo is my all time favourite player.
All time? Why? It's a free world, but he wouldn't make my top 20.Awesome, awesome player.
BlackST said:
Amirhussain said:
Because of his hype.
I think his hype has settled down now.He will never be at the level of Messi or Ronaldo and I think Bale and Suarez are better players than Neymar is and will ever be.
He turned the league apart that he played in prior to La Liga and I think has found the level where he will just coast along at in La Liga.
Never an 87m euro player.
Playing in the Brazilian league is like playground football - no-one wants to defend - so a good attacking player is always going to look great, but when I've seen him play for Brazil he has looked effective. Certainly more than the show pony I thought he'd be when I first saw him.
He's 22 and has played 40 times for an international team that has no shortage of decent attacking players (scoring 30 goals along the way...although mostly in friendlies, it has to be said) and which is managed by Big Phil Scolari. He's clearly no dud.
Blib said:
I well remember the sight of the squad alighting from their bus at their South African base hotel in 2010. They were met by some local dancers. There the players stood. Bemused, bored, with almost contemptuous looks on their faces as they sullenly watched the spectacle with headphones clamped to their ears.
If I was England manager my first job would be the banning of fking headphones. The coach pulls in, fans are waiting, you get off the bus, at least have the common courtesy to pretend to be interested, even if in reality you couldn't care less. TwigtheWonderkid said:
If I was England manager my first job would be the banning of fking headphones. The coach pulls in, fans are waiting, you get off the bus, at least have the common courtesy to pretend to be interested, even if in reality you couldn't care less.
I take your point, and for training sessions or whatever I agree, but before a game I imagine a lot of players benefit from that artificial distance. king headphones. The coach pulls in, fans are waiting, you get off the bus, at least have the common courtesy to pretend to be interested, even if in reality you couldn't care less. I suspect that playing an international game in front of tens of thousands in a stadium and hundreds of millions worldwide is extremely stressful, and I imagine that inside they're a bundle of nerves. The closest everyday equivalent I can think of is having to do a job interview live on TV; all you want to do is focus on what you're about to do, and the last thing you want as you're walking in to prepare is a seething crowd of fat people with calf tattoos bulging out from behind a metal barrier and bellowing at you to sign their half-empty bottle of WKD.
That's what I'm wondering, anyway.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Brazil will do nothing, over rated in my view and short of options up front. Naymar is crap. Plus pressure of expectation. Argentina to win it, or Belgium as an outside bet.
Brazil aren't amazing but they're definitely a team and that's more important than having the best players. Neymar has the weight of the world on his shoulders yes but he seems to relish it for Brazil. Scolari knows how to win the World Cup and they'll have that home crowd behind them. Can see them being massively pumped up for each game like they were last year for the Confederations Cup. I'd actually back them.Argentina are the complete opposite. Entirely reliant on Messi. They're horrible defensively and apart from Di Maria they aren't brilliant in midfield either. Aguero is barely fit at the minute so it all falls on Leo. They'll be undone by the first good team they play after battering everyone in that easy group that they've got.
Belgium are the massively overrated ones. They're all good individually but they don't gel and Lukaku generally does nothing up front for his national team so they'll struggle for goals though.
In any case, at least we don't have to worry about getting too invested in England. If by some miracle we get through the group we'll be out in the next round.
BlackST said:
I think his hype has settled down now.
He will never be at the level of Messi or Ronaldo and I think Bale and Suarez are better players than Neymar is and will ever be.
He turned the league apart that he played in prior to La Liga and I think has found the level where he will just coast along at in La Liga.
Never an 87m euro player.
Just ridiculous to mention Suarez and Bale in one sentence....He will never be at the level of Messi or Ronaldo and I think Bale and Suarez are better players than Neymar is and will ever be.
He turned the league apart that he played in prior to La Liga and I think has found the level where he will just coast along at in La Liga.
Never an 87m euro player.
And the only thing Bale does better than Neymar is running.
100 million for a player that played a decent half season at Tottenham.
Now that's a hype.
DeltonaS said:
Just ridiculous to mention Suarez and Bale in one sentence....
And the only thing Bale does better than Neymar is running.
100 million for a player that played a decent half season at Tottenham.
Now that's a hype.
He has a nice shiny Champions league winners medal, & his running also earned himself & his team team a Spanish cup winners medal too. And the only thing Bale does better than Neymar is running.
100 million for a player that played a decent half season at Tottenham.
Now that's a hype.
But i take your point he's no Neymar , he's just a good runner, Shame he won't get to show Luis his medals in Brazil.
It's amazing what just one season can do for a player at a top, top club isn't it.
Edited by Black can man on Saturday 31st May 00:48
Black can man said:
It's amazing what just one season can do for a player at a top, top club isn't it.
Bale should still be playing in the PL for Tw@ttenham where he can run (run forrest...) in front of 28.763 paying spectators and three (visually) handicaped...That's his place, not Real.Edited by Black can man on Saturday 31st May 00:48
Edited by DeltonaS on Monday 2nd June 06:03
Sad to see two nasty injuries tonight for players heading to the World Cup.
Italy's Montolivo suffers a suspected broken leg in their friendly while Mexico's Luis Montes is stretchered off with a horrifying looking leg injury as well. Always think it's particularly sad when a player misses a once-in-four-years event like this.
Italy's Montolivo suffers a suspected broken leg in their friendly while Mexico's Luis Montes is stretchered off with a horrifying looking leg injury as well. Always think it's particularly sad when a player misses a once-in-four-years event like this.
DeltonaS said:
Black can man said:
It's amazing what just one season can do for a player at a top, top club isn't it.
Bale should still be playing in the PL for Tw@ttenham where he can run (run forest...) in front of 28.763 paying spectators and three (visually) handicaped...That's his place, not Real.Edited by Black can man on Saturday 31st May 00:48
Edited by DeltonaS on Saturday 31st May 16:35
king stupid aren't they .y2blade said:
Football fan or not the build up has been strangely low key this time, undoubtedly preparing us for the disappointing but inevitable fate of the England Team.
Come on Engerluuund
Couldn't agree more. We are way behind ALOT of nations & will be another disappointing world cup for us.Come on Engerluuund
Just hope we get further than Germany! Not likely though
TwigtheWonderkid said:
I think South Africa was a watershed in the relationship between England and the fans. I know loads of people, myself included, who don't really care that much anymore. Club football is far more important to me than the national side.
I'd like us to do well, but if we play the same dirge as the last 2 world cups, then the sooner we're out the better.
That's how I feel about the national team nowI'd like us to do well, but if we play the same dirge as the last 2 world cups, then the sooner we're out the better.
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