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Post by dem on Jul 9, 2014 8:32:36 GMT
Can't quite believe what I've just seen with that game. Somewhat astounding. I'm very used to the German game. That driving through the central defense is a common theme. Normally though there is a defense to stop the remorseless blitzkrieg. I'm putting it down to a) massive corruption (I don't think this is really true) b) a miserable Brazilian performance coinciding with an exceptional German performance I'll go with (b). Brazil 1 Germany 7: It was a contest for all of ten minutes until Thomas Muller took advantage of non-existent marking to tap in from a corner (ironically, a mirror-image of the suspended Thiago Silva's opener for Brazil versus Columbia which would soon seem a long, long time ago), after which the hosts simply disintegrated, Jogi's giants steaming into a five goal lead on the half hour. As impressive as the Germans were, the Samba specialists looked a pub side who'd opted to field their eleven top non-functional alkies. It was painful to watch, so just as well their fans were blinded by tears, as, no doubt, were Sepp Blatter, Dilma Rousseff and her hugely unpopular government, David Luiz replica shirt stockists the world over, and Cameroon wondering how they lost 4-1 to such a shower. Mercifully, the BBC had not called upon shrieking harpie Robbie Savage to co-commentate - at least we were spared that. Far from flattering the Germans, the scoreline would have been harsher had not Julio Cesar pulled off the odd decent save. Luiz should have walked for either one of two snide elbow jobs. On the rare occasions they strayed stray into the opposition box, Marcelo and Hulk were reduced to performing a stars in their eyes approximation of Arjen Robben, but Mex ref was having none of their antics. Oscar celebrated his last gasp "consolation" with all the joie de vivre of a condemned man approaching the gallows and who can blame him? 200, 000 dreams shattered and the Argies laughing their tits off. Speaking of whom .... Today Semi-final 2: Argentina V Netherlands. (ITV 21.00) ... wouldn't it be extremely smirk inducing if the Messi mob still end up facing Brazil, just a day earlier than planned. |
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Post by franklinmarsh on Jul 9, 2014 9:13:17 GMT
Indeedy. And one in the eye for Nig Farage were it to be an all European final. The question is - if Germany face Argentina, who would we support? I'd have to go for Germany.
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Post by jamesdoig on Jul 9, 2014 10:10:22 GMT
The question is - if Germany face Argentina, who would we support? I'd have to go for Germany. Yes, I'd have to go for Germany, but only because of Joachim Low's haircut. |
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Jul 9, 2014 10:25:01 GMT
The question is - if Germany face Argentina, who would we support? I'd have to go for Germany. Yes, I'd have to go for Germany, but only because of Joachim Low's haircut. 'Pub side' was my main vocal interruption when watching here with my German wife and neighbours. Brazil were shockingly poor. I'll be supporting Germany although I have a strange unaccountable feeling that Argentina will beat the Netherlands and pull a shocking victory. |
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Post by jamesdoig on Jul 10, 2014 7:22:56 GMT
I'll be supporting Germany although I have a strange unaccountable feeling that Argentina will beat the Netherlands and pull a shocking victory. Craig, you're on track so far. |
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Post by dem on Jul 10, 2014 7:51:43 GMT
Semi Final 2: Argentina 0 Netherlands 0 (a.e.t. Argentina win 4-2 on penalties). Yegads, but that was grim. In terms of excitement, an extended remix of Nigeria V Iran with added tedium. bride of dem, who has developed into quite the Gabby Logan over course of tournament, wisely skipped the entire 120 minutes of nothingness, only tuning in for the spot kicks. By then I'd muted the sound and slapped on DIY compilation of top football smash hits to alleviate on-screen boredom. Admittedly, some have only the most tenuous connection to football (even more have only the most tenuous connection to "music"), but it added an appropriately masochistic element and you gotta get your cheap thrills where you can. Will be praying for an early goal either way in final. The Fall - Kicker Conspiracy
Jess Conrad and Tanya Tenola - Soccer Superstar
Showbiz Soccer Team - Showbiz Soccer
Bobby Moore & Francis Lee with England 1970 - Sugar Sugar
Shuttleworth - England's Heartbeat
Andy Cameron - Ally's Tartan Army/ Ah Want Tae Be A Punk Rocker
New Order - World In Motion
The Fall - Theme From Sparta FC
Ed Banger & The Nosebleeds - Kinnel Tommy
Serious Drinking - Bobby Moore Was Innocent
Subbuteo Ltd - Subbuteo Sound
Slade - Give Us A Goal
Ted Taylor Orchestra - Bubbles
Steve Bent - I'm Going To Spain
Kevin Keegan - Head Over Heels In Love
Branded - Get Your Tits Out For The Lads
Half Man Half Buscuit - All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit
Slaughter & The Dogs - Where Have All The Bootboys Gone
The Tone-Def Allstars - Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr. Klinsmann
Primal Scream - Swastika Eyes
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Post by ripper on Jul 10, 2014 8:25:43 GMT
Brazil v Germany: Amazing...seeing the hopes of 200m people crumble in the space of 20 or so minutes was painful. I think even the germans were a little embarrassed at just how easy it had been and how fast the opposition had folded. A german win wasn't too surprising, but the scale and nature of their victory certainly was.
Argentina v Netherlands: Oh, dear...again brazilian hopes are dashed as the dutch fall at the last hurdle to Brazil's biggest rival. Dem, your bride is a wise woman for opting out of the tedium; it was sleep-inducing at times.
The play-off for 3rd and 4th places should be interesting. Brazil's fans can be very unforgiving, so the team could be in for a torrid reception when they take the field. As for the final, I shall be hoping for a german win.
Dem, great playlist, but surely you need a bit of Hoddle and Waddle to make it complete :-).
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Post by dem on Jul 10, 2014 14:40:35 GMT
Dem, great playlist, but surely you need a bit of Hoddle and Waddle to make it complete :-). That one's set aside for Vol 2, rip, along with Roy Hudd's Scooch-tastic The Day We Won The Cup ("Oi granddad, stop messing about with me horizontal 'old.") and Ramsey's Men, Black Grape's England's Irie, Paul Gascoigne & Lindisfarne's 's hot ' sweaty Fog On The Tine, and Gracie Fierlds' Pass Shoot Goal (you will pray for death). Vol 1 is interspersed with snippets of commentary (David Coleman on "the Battle of Santiago"), news items ("No one minute silence for Thatcher at football grounds", Sir Alf Ramsey on those hot-headed Argentinian "animals," etc., and abuse of $$hitehawk FC courtesy of the Wealdstone Raider. |
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Post by ripper on Jul 10, 2014 20:39:08 GMT
Great stuff, Dem, good to hear that vol 2 is on the way. I've been mainly listening to 5Live's coverage, of which Chris Waddle is often sitting alongside the commentator, yet each time he speaks to give his opinion I keep thinking of he and Hoddle dancing around on TOTP in all their 1980s finery.
Mike Ingham, chief Football Correspondant for 5Live is hanging up his microphone after the world cup is over, so they will have to find someone else to partner Alan Green for England games.
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Post by franklinmarsh on Jul 14, 2014 9:56:48 GMT
Hooray For Deutschland! Which gave me an opportunity to slap on Die Toten Hosen's Ein Kleines Bisschen Horrorschau - Hier Kommt Alex!
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Post by ripper on Jul 15, 2014 10:28:34 GMT
Argentina certainly had their chances to win the game and I was sure it was going to penalties when extra time was ticking down, but you can't help but admire the germans. Time after time they are there or thereabouts and congrats to them on their win. Never mind, though, the FA has put a target for England to win the World Cup by 2022 so it's bound to happen, isn't it? :-)
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Post by dem on Jul 18, 2014 9:16:05 GMT
Argentina certainly had their chances to win the game and I was sure it was going to penalties when extra time was ticking down, but you can't help but admire the germans. Time after time they are there or thereabouts and congrats to them on their win. Never mind, though, the FA has put a target for England to win the World Cup by 2022 so it's bound to happen, isn't it? :-) I think the FA should concentrate on improving England's truly abysmal record in the Euro's before deluding themselves with talk of world cup glory. And in bloody Qatar, of all places. Meaningless FIFA money-grabbing 3rd & 4th place play off that no blighter wants to play in Brazil 0 Netherlands 3. Only caught the highlights. And to think pre-tournament Pele was raving about Brazil's superb defence .... Final Argentina 0 Germany 1. (aet) A real throwback, arguably as filthy at times as the notorious Spain-Netherlands scrap in the 2019 final, the main difference being a relative lack of cards (2 yellows each). It was also a far better match even if Mascherano mob failed to muster one shot on target in 120 minutes. Pick of the fouls, any one from Garay's concussion-inducing nut on young Christoph Kramer, Manuel Neuer's low-budget Harald Schumacher job on Higuan and the half-fit and clearly frustrated about it Sergio Aguero punch in the eye of the equally combative Bastian Schweinsteiger. Just as we were all glooming that yet another final would be decided on penalties, André Schürrle delivered a pin-point cross for Mario Götze to chest down and smash past Sergio Romero. A popular victory for the man with the creosote hair and his splendid squad. Presentation was fun too, with Blatter booed into the fourth dimension. Adidas sponsored Lionel Messi had the good grace to look surprised and even annoyed at being awarded the Adidas player of the tournament award, having done little bar miss a few sitters since the knock out stages. |
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Post by ripper on Jul 19, 2014 10:13:53 GMT
On the day of the final I looked to see what the temperature was in Qatar and it was 45 deg C...that's a bit on the "phew, what a scorcher" side if you ask me. I know there is a plan to change the competition to january but doesn't that make a nonsense of first awarding WC2022 to Qatar then having to move the time it is played? It will be interesting to see if any of the countries that bid for 2022 kick up a fuss about all this.
The German FA and league agreed that their primary aim was to produce a strong national team and it has paid dividends. I just can't see our premier league agreeing to that; there is just too much money involved in promoting the PL as a brand around the world. Yes, the PL is probably the most exciting and most watched in the world, but I believe that the national sides of the UK have paid a heavy price for it. Look at the top sides of 20 or 30 years ago: all would have sprinklings of scots, irish and welsh, but today there is hardly room for english players, let alone those from the rest of the UK.
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Jul 27, 2014 23:09:05 GMT
I've watched my son (now thirteen) move through the German football system since he was 5 years old and have been fortunate enough to see him in youth tournaments throughout Germany. He's played in Holland, Belgium, Poland (and Scotland). The organisation of the German system is unsurprisingly outstanding. The Dutch breathe football. My son said loads of the Polish players were of a higher stand than the Germans. It's just a hunch because I have seen very little of the English system but I believe England and the rest of the UK would need either a miracle or an entire cultural rethink to get anywhere near the standards set on the continent to actually win a tournament. We have players just as good at youth level but by the time they reach the adult game something - perhaps commitment -is just not there
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