2014 FIFA World Cup Brasil™ - Europe vs. America

[LucaAltieri]

What would it take to see a decision that "smacked of corruption", other than a wrong call?

 

I suppose there's the Nigeria OG a couple of weeks ago like

 

With this result I think the suspicion is more because it's Brazil - the golden boys, host nation, money-making brand for FIFA.

 

If it had been England winning that way over Croatia it would have been attributed mainly to shit refereeing.

[The College Dropout]

Would've liked to have seen Rakitic express himself more.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Nice to see the opening game decided by a massive dive. Why change what works eh?

[themanupstairs]

Football is a contact sport. He's allows to touch Fred. He doesn't infringe on Fred. Doesn't have a firm hold of the shirt, didn't pull him back. Just a horrible decision.

 

Reminded me of the MYM sending off for a similar "offence" on Suarez. The only difference is that he was running back trying to catch up to the diving fairy and his silky soft touch will have thrown the racist wildly off balance.

[triggs]

Corrupt as fuck decision and not much quality from either side. Still though...World Cup

Disagree on lack of quality bit. Oscar, Neymar, Rakitic, Modric all showed quality

[Disco]

Chiles, what an embarrassment.

 

Already decided i'm just going to watch the football and ignore all the coverage because of him

 

Anyone who voluntarily watches ITV before kick-off, at half time or at full time deserves everything they get and more.

 

I don't tend to watch ITV for football very often and this World Cup aside i'm going to try not to make a habit of it.

 

Playing 3 ball playing midfielders away to Brasil in an opening day WC game

 

Be interesting (if a little sad for La Liga) to see how Rakitic gets on at Barça, hope he plays a lot.

 

I was looking forward to this because of that, what happened instead they sat back and let Brazil have possession which to me seemed pointless considering the strengths of the team.

 

In no way shape or form, should Gustavo and Paulinho see more of the ball than Modric and Rakitic.

 

I think saying they sat back is doing them a disservice like, two players aside Brazil beat them all over the field but when they got on the ball because of those two (and the widemen) they looked dangerous.

 

It'd be fantasyland to see Croatia go to Brazil and hog the ball.

[Deuce]

Absolutely abhorrent decision not to put Cameroon v Mexico on tonight like. Gasping for more WC.

 

Is the first match usually alone on the first day? I can't recall.

[LucaAltieri]

I was looking forward to this because of that, what happened instead they sat back and let Brazil have possession which to me seemed pointless considering the strengths of the team.

 

In no way shape or form, should Gustavo and Paulinho see more of the ball than Modric and Rakitic.

 

That was mainly the failing of the Croatian defence.

 

Brazil like to press high which vacates a lot of space in the midfield. Which means playing Modric and Rakitic in there was a great idea as they should have had a lot of space to work with. Unfortunately the defence, when the did manage to win the ball, weren't finding them often enough or fast enough.

 

It was a good game plan, just not quite executed properly. 

[Beren]

Absolutely abhorrent decision not to put Cameroon v Mexico on tonight like. Gasping for more WC.

 

Is the first match usually alone on the first day? I can't recall.

 

Don't think so, but memory might be going.

 

As an aside, when Shola got the call-up for Nigeria, I forgot (until now) he'd be playing in Brazilian heat. This is gonna be brutal.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Would've liked to have seen Rakitic express himself more.

 

Thought all 3 of the Croatian midfield could have done, from a pure technical point of view they are more talented and could have easily made Brazil run around a lot more instead it was the Brazilian midfield which made them run around.

[Disco]

Absolutely abhorrent decision not to put Cameroon v Mexico on tonight like. Gasping for more WC.

 

Is the first match usually alone on the first day? I can't recall.

 

No idea but I'm sure I watched Germany and SA in daylight hours.

 

Think they might have started on a Sat though.

[Hanshithispantz]

What would it take to see a decision that "smacked of corruption", other than a wrong call?

 

I suppose there's the Nigeria OG a couple of weeks ago like

 

Before our time but have a read of Argentina 6-0 Peru in '78.

never seen that before. Absolutely ridiculous but given what we know about FIFA I would be amazed if some of these referees (and in turn FIFA) weren't bribed.

[Interpolic]

That game was a fix IMO, it was obvious at half time that it was a tight game that neither team would run away with.  The penalty decision was a disgrace but the decision to disallow Croatia a second goal was even worse.  The ref wasn't going to let Brazil lose or draw that game.  Was blatantly bent as fuck IMO.

[The College Dropout]

 

Chiles, what an embarrassment.

 

Already decided i'm just going to watch the football and ignore all the coverage because of him

 

Anyone who voluntarily watches ITV before kick-off, at half time or at full time deserves everything they get and more.

 

I don't tend to watch ITV for football very often and this World Cup aside i'm going to try not to make a habit of it.

 

Playing 3 ball playing midfielders away to Brasil in an opening day WC game

 

Be interesting (if a little sad for La Liga) to see how Rakitic gets on at Barça, hope he plays a lot.

 

I was looking forward to this because of that, what happened instead they sat back and let Brazil have possession which to me seemed pointless considering the strengths of the team.

 

In no way shape or form, should Gustavo and Paulinho see more of the ball than Modric and Rakitic.

 

While I agree they've for the measure of the two in central midfield. Trying to win the possession battle would've made Hulk, Oscar and Neymar extremely dangerous and the rest of the team wouldn't be able to cope although early in the second half they had a better midfield 'block' and controlled the tempo more without being gung-ho.

 

 

But I see the logic behind - sit deep and counter. Gustavo and Paulinho can't hurt us if they play in front of us. Let's bring them on then Luca and Ivan can spring fast counters - move the ball quickly, maybe even beat a CM and get on your bikes in support. In the first half for 20 minutes that worked a treat. Once settled (in hindsight) they should've tried to get more control like thy did early in the second.

 

Also both lads have been firmer in the tackle in many games this season and that unlocked the plan. Even then Pletikosa should've saved (all) the first goal.

[Mole_Toonfan]

 

I think saying they sat back is doing them a disservice like, two players aside Brazil beat them all over the field but when they got on the ball because of those two (and the widemen) they looked dangerous.

 

It'd be fantasyland to see Croatia go to Brazil and hog the ball.

 

Not saying hog the ball, but i do think the 3 they played had the ability to express themselves in an attacking sense more than they did.

[Pata]

Football is a contact sport. He's allows to touch Fred. He doesn't infringe on Fred. Doesn't have a firm hold of the shirt, didn't pull him back. Just a horrible decision.

 

It was a wrong decision but I can see why the ref gave it. From his position and angle it looks like first Fred got his left hand pulled and then he saw Lovren's hand on Fred's shoulder. Add to those the perfect dive from Fred and it does look like a pen from his position. Impossible to tell from his angle whether Fred really got pulled or threw himself to the ground. Nothing corrupt, just the way football sadly works now.

 

[Disco]

 

I think saying they sat back is doing them a disservice like, two players aside Brazil beat them all over the field but when they got on the ball because of those two (and the widemen) they looked dangerous.

 

It'd be fantasyland to see Croatia go to Brazil and hog the ball.

 

Not saying hog the ball, but i do think the 3 they played had the ability to express themselves in an attacking sense more than they did.

 

Perhaps but then it's a double edged sword if you expsose the relatively poor defence.

 

Hope they qualify though, they're (based on tonight only) a fun team to watch and I like Olic, he's normally the type of player I hate - a massive try hard whose quality is a bit hit or miss IMO but he seems a good egg and looks a bit like Phil Jones in the facial expression.

[The College Dropout]

My gut was dive and bottle job / fix. Before a single replay.  He falls like it's a dive ffs.

[Mole_Toonfan]

 

I think saying they sat back is doing them a disservice like, two players aside Brazil beat them all over the field but when they got on the ball because of those two (and the widemen) they looked dangerous.

 

It'd be fantasyland to see Croatia go to Brazil and hog the ball.

 

Not saying hog the ball, but i do think the 3 they played had the ability to express themselves in an attacking sense more than they did.

 

Perhaps but then it's a double edged sword if you expsose the relatively poor defence.

 

Hope they qualify though, they're (based on tonight only) a fun team to watch and I like Olic, he's normally the type of player I hate - a massive try hard whose quality is a bit hit or miss IMO but he seems a good egg and looks a bit like Phil Jones in the facial expression.

 

They will definitely qualify, Mexico and Cameroon are nowhere near their standard although having said that they missed Mandzukic tonight for me will he be back before the group stages are done?

[Pata]

My gut was dive and bottle job / fix. Before a single replay.  He falls like it's a dive ffs.

 

You had a better angle to see it than the ref.

[smith1__]

Croatia played without Mario Mandzukic.. With him i expect 6 points againts Mexico and Cameroon.. Iam Croatian and iam very sad.. I hate this japanise c***. This is not the first case we are robbed because we are small country. Two years ago we were robbed in the Euro tournament against Spain. Spain deserved to lose and be eliminated in the group stage. Later they win competition..

[JB]

Football is a contact sport. He's allows to touch Fred. He doesn't infringe on Fred. Doesn't have a firm hold of the shirt, didn't pull him back. Just a horrible decision.

 

It was a wrong decision but I can see why the ref gave it. From his position and angle it looks like first Fred got his left hand pulled and then he saw Lovren's hand on Fred's shoulder. Add to those the perfect dive from Fred and it does look like a pen from his position. Impossible to tell from his angle whether Fred really got pulled or threw himself to the ground. Nothing corrupt, just the way football sadly works now.

 

But it's a conspiracy!!!1!

[Flip]

Football is a contact sport. He's allows to touch Fred. He doesn't infringe on Fred. Doesn't have a firm hold of the shirt, didn't pull him back. Just a horrible decision.

 

It was a wrong decision but I can see why the ref gave it. From his position and angle it looks like first Fred got his left hand pulled and then he saw Lovren's hand on Fred's shoulder. Add to those the perfect dive from Fred and it does look like a pen from his position. Impossible to tell from his angle whether Fred really got pulled or threw himself to the ground. Nothing corrupt, just the way football sadly works now.

 

 

Thank you. It's nothing more than an appaling decision. But Fred sold it so I can see how the ref was conned. To think the ref just pointed to the penalty spot for no reason is ridiculous.

 

I still don't agree with saying three decisions went Brazil's way. There really was only one game changer and it was the penalty. A draw would've been fair, but if Neymar deserved a red for that then I'm sorry to disappoint but you won't see any reds like that in football. He gets a yellow because he shouldn't have his arm up there, but peoples bias and hate towards him thinks he deliberately elbows him in the face in the first half of the World Cup in pure rage. It's ridiculous.

 

My gut was dive and bottle job / fix. Before a single replay.  He falls like it's a dive ffs.

 

You had a better angle to see it than the ref.

 

The ref is exactly in the position to see the arm on the shoulder and Fred throwing himself. I'm happy with three points, I think by the end of the game it owuld've come anyways.

 

Also for all of you guys saying the ref is corrupt, how was Croatia able to escape this game with 11 men on the field? 21 fouls against Brazils 5. Persistent fouling and not a yellow ones to Vrsaljko or Perisic. This ref is horrible, but that's on FIFA for putting a god damn japanese ref that in the last World Cup was pretty bad as well for an opening game.

 

** Before some tiresome posters on here begin, I'm not being biased at all. I think a draw would've been fair. But you guys want a red for Neymar and an allowed goal for Olic who jumps elbow first into Julio Cesar.

[Flip]

Croatia played without Mario Mandzukic.. With him i expect 6 points againts Mexico and Cameroon.. Iam Croatian and iam very sad.. I hate this japanise c***. This is not the first case we are robbed because we are small country. Two years ago we were robbed in the Euro tournament against Spain. Spain deserved to lose and be eliminated in the group stage. Later they win competition..

 

I'm pretty sure you'll get those 6 points. Modric and Rakitic are pure and against teams that aren't as good they'll have plenty of space to create. I think Jelavic was a weak point, and Olic was impressive. Those crosses into a Mandzukic and Perisic will be absolutely deadly. Didn't see much of Kovacic though...

[Pata]

Defending Flip here ffs.