Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Germany -Netherlands match would be great but they still have to beat the Argentinians

So.... How did the US hang with Germany for only a 1-0 loss?

 cincydooley wrote:
So.... How did the US hang with Germany for only a 1-0 loss?

Because Tim Howard

 Hlaine Larkin mk2 wrote:

 cincydooley wrote:
So.... How did the US hang with Germany for only a 1-0 loss?

Because Tim Howard

But I don't really recall him standing on his head vs Germany. He played well, yes, but I feel like the game was fairly close the entire time.

Oh wait. Nevermind. The US only had 1 shot on goal to Germany's 9. And only 37% possession.

Yikes.

Tim Howard man.

 cincydooley wrote:

 Hlaine Larkin mk2 wrote:

 cincydooley wrote:
So.... How did the US hang with Germany for only a 1-0 loss?

Because Tim Howard

But I don't really recall him standing on his head vs Germany. He played well, yes, but I feel like the game was fairly close the entire time.

Oh wait. Nevermind. The US only had 1 shot on goal to Germany's 9. And only 37% possession.

Yikes.

Tim Howard man.

But there's also that whole, "We won't give up until the final whistle" thing that the US soccer team has... As with Rugby, and some other sports: we (America) can put up some stellar athletes, and we'll put up a good fight, but where we lack in many respects is the technical game.

very interesting so far, if uneventful in terms of goals.

I reckon Argentina might edge it (much better in possession), and I think the main men will be Higuain and Lavezzi. Messi's being mobbed every time he gets the ball, and Robben and RVP aren't getting much of the ball due to the Argentinian defense and the fact that the only properly good passer, Sneijder, is having some serious issues. I reckon 2-0 or 3-1 to the Argentinians, as much as I want a Dutch victory.

Yeah, not much of a showing so far. Hope they light a nice fire under those arses for second half.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Darn, if only Robben nailed that one at just over 90mins.

Really shouldn't have taken that second touch when he was still open and at a better angle. But no, he took that touch and got blocked *sigh*

Better from the Dutch this half, midfielders have actually showed up and Robben's been getting involved.
Sneijder needs to get his gak together with his long balls though.

Yeah, Vlaar has kept us alive this entire match though.

Give that man a medal.

Someone fahkin score already.

Preferably from the Dutch.

Ref is dropping the ball a bit.

The guy for Argentina with the pony tail looks like a art critic from San Francisco.

Hah, well, this went nowhere fast.

Let's see how this ends.

Netherlands had two penalties saved. They're not winning this shoot-out.

Germany - Argentina it is.

Kthnxbai.

Back to ignoring soccer again.

I hope Germany crushes Argentina. What a crappy way to end a hard fought match.

feth, there goes my hopes of an epic final. Argentina are gonna get torn apart trying to defend against Germany.

Alas, it is over. The Netherlands played a good match, but they were rather weak on the mid field. Still a very close, exciting match though. The Netherlands played very well overall, they did much better than was expected and it has been a great tournament.
Guess it is back to cheering for Germany than.
Deutsch-land! Deutsch-land!
I predict a victory for Germany in the finals, Argentina is good, but Germany, given their past performances in this tournament should outclass them.
Netherlands can still win third place.

 Iron_Captain wrote:

Netherlands can still win third place.

Don't worry, ze Germans softened up that Brazilian defense for ya

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:

 Iron_Captain wrote:

Netherlands can still win third place.

Don't worry, ze Germans softened up that Brazilian defense for ya

What defense?

 Iron_Captain wrote:

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:

 Iron_Captain wrote:

Netherlands can still win third place.

Don't worry, ze Germans softened up that Brazilian defense for ya

What defense?

Honestly, with Thiago Silva in there it won't be that weak. The main problem was communication, which Thiago Silva, as a very good defender and team captain, should fix somewhat.
Still relatively weak for a semi-final team, but hey, no weaker than Holland's.

Germany and Brazil also both have an extra day and only played 90 (well, Germany didn't have to play full steam for 90) minutes.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
It's from the internet, so likelihood of bs is pretty high, but it was nice anyway:

This sad Brazilian fan was shown crying. But no ones published this beautiful picture of him handing the trophy to a German fan. He was quoted as saying "Take it to the final! As you can see, it is not easy, but you deserve it, congratulations"
(Roughly translated)

I blame FIFA.

Go Germany!

 d-usa wrote:

This sad Brazilian fan was shown crying. But no ones published this beautiful picture of him handing the trophy to a German fan. He was quoted as saying "Take it to the final! As you can see, it is not easy, but you deserve it, congratulations"
(Roughly translated)

I saw this, half the comments were people saying how gentlemanly and sportmanlike this act was, the other half were just saying "If my team got crushed 7-1, I'd give my trophy to the next random fan I saw... the next hot, blonde random fan."
Gotta love the cynicism of the internet sometimes.


On another note, apparently the Argentinian goalie had notes of where the Dutch shoot during penalties, kinda reminiscent of that whole thing with Lehmann against the Argentinians two world cups back

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/worldcup/netherlands-vs-argentina-world-cup-2014-penalty-shootout-hero-sergio-romero-had-notes-on-dutch-players-stuffed-in-his-shorts-9597813.html

people (mostly the dutch) are saying how unfair it is, but I say there's nothing in the rules against it, and it's literally what Krul did last game except the Argentinian had his in notes rather than by memory.

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/military-defeat-by-britain-key-to-world-cup-success-2014071188499

BEING beaten by Britain in a military conflict is the secret to winning the World Cup, it has been claimed.

“It’s just a shame we haven’t had a civil war in a while. Otherwise we might score some goals too.”

Yes England. That is exactly what you need to do.

What are the chances that, despite only 90% of countries in the world have been beaten in war by Britain, several have gone on to win world cups? Staggering!

On another note, I really hope Low doesn't play Ozil in the final, he's had no impact whatsoever in the games I've seen, even in the crushing of Brazil or the game where he scored against Algeria.
The squad should be:

Neuer
Howedes - Mertesacker/Hummels - Boateng - Lahm
Schweinsteiger - Khedira
Muller - Kroos - Schurrle
Klose

Well, that game was... well, pretty damned dirty. Lots of fouls on both sides. Glad to see Brazil get beaten again (really don't think they deserved to make it to the semis), but Oscar really should have won that penalty, awful decision from the ref, no way you can fake that kind of fall. Especially seeing as the defender the ref thought made no contact had to be substituted for slamming into him

only watched the second half and the second goal in the first half, but again the defense had a horrible game, and the midfield just didn't do anything to help cover for it.

I'm also rather glad that match is over... I watched the first two goals, and stopped watching. To me, as an uneducated soccer newb, I felt that Robben was trying to make up for a lack of diving in this match. His card I'm not sure if it was for fouling the other player, or for diving trying to get a foul