FIFA 2014 World Cup all-purpose thread

[Bortukal]

Ohmygerrrrrd! Greece gonna win it on a PK given at 90+1!

 

[Bortukal]

Wow. Just wow. That was super cruel -- downright evil -- of the universe to do that to Ivory Coast.

 

[cmr27]

I wanna meet the guy who picked Costa Rica v. Greece in the Sweet 16.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Was it a legit penalty? I was driving home when it happened.

 

[Alsacs]

Th

I wanna meet the guy who picked Costa Rica v. Greece in the Sweet 16.

They should go straight to penalties in that match.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

Was it a legit penalty? I was driving home when it happened.

Not at all. Greece's guy stubbed his own toe going for the shot and tumbled over. Just sickening for Ivory Coast.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Not at all. Greece's guy stubbed his own toe going for the shot and tumbled over. Just sickening for Ivory Coast.

Yep. However, in defense to the referee, it did look rotten in real time. But when you run slow mo it is clear as day that the Greek player catches the IC player's leg on his back swing and then drives his own foot into the dirt on the follow through, resulting in a self-inflicted trip.

Just like you don't call the charge with a few seconds left on the clock (outside of Durham and Atlanta, anyway), you don't whistle a penalty in the last :30 of stoppage time unless it is just outright blatant. This was far from.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Uruguay's coach says Suarez's chomp is no big deal. Paraphrasing: Stuff happens on the pitch. It's a soccer match, not a morality contest.

Really?!

 

[Alsacs]

So if the USA can advance our knockout round is now pretty easy to see. If we finish 2nd it would be Belgium, Argentina-Equador, then Mexico/Netherlands-Costa Rica-Greece.
If we win the group it would be Algeria/Russia, France, Columbia-Uruguay/ Chile--Brazil
Sign me up for finishing 2nd we can beat the Waffles if we play well.
Now let's get a result against Germany.

 

[CuseTroop]

for those of you, like me, who know nothing about Mr. Luis Suarez, here is a nice little read:

http://screamer.deadspin.com/the-ma...cers-notorious-super-1595589954/+billyhaisley

 

[PeteCalvin]

for those of you, like me, who know nothing about Mr. Luis Suarez, here is a nice little read:

http://screamer.deadspin.com/the-many-crimes-of-luis-suarez-soccers-notorious-super-1595589954/ billyhaisley

By the way, Troop, my kids have been walking around saying "Hungry, hungry Suarez" all evening. You just had to post that brilliant photoshop, didn't you?

 

[PoppyHart]

Let's get to what really matters. Is the rapper dude really rocking the cut? How about the guy with the "crazy hair"?

 

[Alsacs]

Not at all. Greece's guy stubbed his own toe going for the shot and tumbled over. Just sickening for Ivory Coast.

I saw it as a foul but he ref didn't have to call it

 

[Alsacs]

My picks for the day
Argentina 2 Nigeria 0, Bosnia 1 Iran 0
France 2 Ecuador 0, Switzerland 2 Honduras 0
Group E winner Argentina
runner up Nigeria
Group winner France
runner up Switzerland
Knockout matchups Argentina v. Switzerland and France v. Nigeria.

 

[BlazeOrange]

Two yellows in one game = red card. Player is out for the remainder of that game and the next.

Two yellow cards accumulated over the course of multiple games from group play to the quarterfinals results in the player missing the next match.

For example: Jermaine Jones got a yellow against Portugal. If he gets one yellow against Germany, he would stay in the game but have to sit out the Round of 16 match should we advance.

Is that correct? I've seen other people saying that the cards are re-set after group play and maybe again at a later stage. Or at least yellow cards - not sure if red card suspensions would still hold. There appears to have been a rule change and I can't tell who is re-stating the old rules, who references the new ones, and who is just plain guessing.

 

[Bortukal]

Is that correct? I've seen other people saying that the cards are re-set after group play and maybe again at a later stage. Or at least yellow cards - not sure if red card suspensions would still hold. There appears to have been a rule change and I can't tell who is re-stating the old rules, who references the new ones, and who is just plain guessing.

They reset after the quarterfinals. FIFA changed the ruling on that for the 2010 WC. Before then, they reset after group play.

 

[Bortukal]

Here's a good primer on the rules surrounding cards: http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2014/06/12/counting-the-cards-at-the-world-cup

 

[Alsacs]

If the USA can get a result against Germany I honestly think the only team that will have an advantage against the USA and making a WC final would be a quarterfinal against Argentina and Messi.

Germany could bounce us out tomorrow, or Belgium potentially next Tuesday if we are lucky. However, Argentina would be the best of the 8 teams on that half if the USA finished 2nd behind Germany. Netherlands-Mexico, Greece-Costa Rica, Argentina-Switzerland, Belgium-USA if we can just draw Germany.

 

[CUSU]

If the USA can get a result against Germany I honestly think the only team that will have an advantage against the USA and making a WC final would be a quarterfinal against Argentina and Messi.

Germany could bounce us out tomorrow, or Belgium potentially next Tuesday if we are lucky. However, Argentina would be the best of the 8 teams on that half if the USA finished 2nd behind Germany. Netherlands-Mexico, Greece-Costa Rica, Argentina-Switzerland, Belgium-USA if we can just draw Germany.

Call me crazy but I think we win tomorrow.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Messi continues to be fantastic. This guy is so dangerous, but in a great soccer kind of way. Such a pleasure to watch. That free kick was amazing. Not sure Argentina has the defense to win the whole tournament. One bad game from Messi could sink them. Still, the guy is simply awesome. He's the Dwight Freeney of this team.

My take on the top three talents discussed in the past few days:

Messi - a seemingly likable guy, has fun playing, joy to watch
Ronaldo - uber talented, but über ego and childish pouting turns people off to him
Suarez - would have been Uruguay's most infamous serial killer had futbol not forked the path. There's always retirement.

My daughter thinks Suarez should be on the cover of FIFA 2015 - Zombie Apocalypse Edition.

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

Shaqiri making Bayern some more money when he's sold with two nice goals so far. First one was an absolute beauty.

 

[Toga]

I guess FIFA remains hard at work investigating the biter. Thinking the extra time it's taking may be necessary to grease the appropriate palms.

 

[Bortukal]

It had to happen eventually: Play Pac-Man starring Luis Suarez: http://bitemangame.com

 

[cmr27]

Call me crazy but I think we win tomorrow.

We're gonna need help from the officials and/or Portugal/Ghana. I hope I'm wrong but I'm feeling 2-1 or 3-1 to Germany.

First problem is we're not made to play for the draw. We're built to attack. We're mistake prone and Germany is great on offense. They play a high line in the back four built to create mistakes and opportunities. The stuff about Klinsman's cozy relationship with the German national team is over-rated. He wasn't Mr. Popular when he ran things there. Winning papered the cracks. They have motivation. I could see us chasing the game if we continue our tradition of going down early to powerhouse teams. That's when the short turnaround time and their extra day off/no injuries works against us. Also, I can't see Germany going into the knockout round draw/draw or draw/loss.

On the positive side, Germany isn't built for draws either and their defense is a little plodding on the outside. It's probably their undoing later. . Johnson is so key tomorrow. I hope he'll get a few shots on the counter attack.

Beyond that, these guys are tailor-made to take advantage of a panicky defense. I'm hoping for the best (maybe another 2-2 draw?) and prepared for the worst.

 

[Bortukal]

We're gonna need help from the officials and/or Portugal/Ghana. I hope I'm wrong but I'm feeling 2-1 or 3-1 to Germany.

First problem is we're not made to play for the draw. We're built to attack. We're mistake prone and Germany is great on offense. They play a high line in the back four built to create mistakes and opportunities. The stuff about Klinsman's cozy relationship with the German national team is over-rated. He wasn't Mr. Popular when he ran things there. Winning papered the cracks. They have motivation. I could see us chasing the game if we continue our tradition of going down early to powerhouse teams. That's when the short turnaround time and their extra day off/no injuries works against us. Also, I can't see Germany going into the knockout round draw/draw or draw/loss.

On the positive side, Germany isn't built for draws either and their defense is a little plodding on the outside. It's probably their undoing later. . Johnson is so key tomorrow. I hope he'll get a few shots on the counter attack.

Beyond that, these guys are tailor-made to take advantage of a panicky defense. I'm hoping for the best (maybe another 2-2 draw?) and prepared for the worst.

Excellent breakdown.