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  1. #881
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Washington, DC
    Quote Originally Posted by flyingdutchdevil View Post
    Random thoughts about the final and the World Cup in general

    1) The WC Final lived up to it's billing. It was a great game and a really exciting game. As a neutral observer (okay, I wanted Germany to win), I really enjoyed the two even sides with Germany's constant runs and Argentina's disciplined back 4 and counter attacks. Argentina had the better chances, Germany had the better game. Messi was given more space than he normally gets but couldn't get it past Neuer. Higuain crossed a thin line from becoming hero to villain. Muller had a few great chances. Schurrle and Gotze provided the beautiful finish. Lovely game. Just lovely.

    2) Neuer proves he is on a class by himself. With respect to WC Heroes Howard, Ochoa, and Navas, and Amazing Keepers Buffon, Casillas, Ter Stegen, and de Gea, Neuer is a goalkeeping class all to himself. He doesn't make spectacular saves as much as Ochoa or Navas, but this is because his presence completely scares opponents. Higuain, Palacio, and even Messi all missed because of Neuer's presence, not his saving abilities. Neuer is 6'4" with a wingspan that would make shooting guards jealous. Neuer is also smart, calculated, and quick. He deserved the Golden Glove.

    3) UEFA continues to rule the football world. The last three world cups have had the following last 3 finishers: 2006 - Italy, France, Germany; 2010 - Spain, the Netherlands, Germany; 2014 - Germany, Argentina, the Netherlands. That's 8 of the 9 last three top 3 finishers coming from Europe. On top of that, two of the top three finishers at the World Cup held on South American soil her European, including the World Cup Champion. South America has indeed had a mini revival with Chile and Colombia, and Argentina is looking amazing. However, no one has or can displace Europe right now. All the Youth Systems set up in Spain, Germany, and France is the last two decades are really paying off (thanks to the Netherlands). In 2018, with the World Cup on European soil in colder climates and violent fans, I don't see how Europe doesn't win again.

    4) The World Cup, despite being the top spectator sport and facing one-game eliminations, is still very predictable. Here are the consensus four favorites heading into the tournament (in no order): Spain, Germany, Brazil, Argentina. Here are the four semi-finalists: Germany, Brazil, Argentina, the Netherlands. Spain's meltdown was a shocker. So was the Netherlands being in the semis. But the finals brought Germany and Argentina, two of the favorites, together. The World Cup is a predictable tournament. In the last ~6+ World Cups, no one is surprised by the Finalists. The semis often produce a shocker country (the Netherlands, Uruguay, Bulgaria, Sweden, South Korea, etc), but the finalists and the World Cup Champion are often predictable. Despite being a Beautiful Game that everyone can play, the team's with the most talent often win out.

    5) Fantastic World Cup. Despite a few issues here and there (suspect reffing, Neymar's injury, a few diving issues, hot weather), this World Cup was amazing: goals, great players playing well, new players coming into the spotlight, overachievers, underachievers, passion, emotion, good managers, little infighting (African teams aside). In fact, this World Cup was sooooooo good that few people outside of Brazil talked about how the $11 billion cost will cripple Brazil for a very, very long time.

    6) Teams over achieved and under achieved. And that's beautiful. My single favorite part of the World Cup is...watching my team win. My second favorite is watching which teams surprise and which teams falter.
    Overachievers (in no particular order): USA, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, France, Mexico, Colombia
    Underachievers (in no particular order): Spain, Uruguay, Italy, England, Brazil, Asian teams, African teams not named Nigeria or Algeria, Portugal, Brazil again (for good measure)

    7) 2018 favorites already established. It's four years away, and some players will develop better than expected and others will develop worse. However, we can already see who the top 6-7 teams will be. In order:
    -Germany: yes, many of their stars will be old and may not even be on the 23-man roster (Schwinny, Lahm, Klose), but most will be in their prime (Reus, Kroos, Khedira, Gotze, Neuer, Ozil, Schurrle, Hummels, OMG...). Good news for everyone else: teams rarely, if ever, win back-to-back WCs.
    -Belgium: It really hurts to write that Belgium will be a favorite, but they will. Just like everyone thought, Belgium has this amazing collection of assets that didn't know how to play with each other. In four year's time, when most players will be in their prime, they will probably have figured it out. Gross...
    -Colombia: Falcao will be 32, but Ha-mes will be in his prime. They have the pieces around them to look amazing.
    -Spain: Old guard out, new guard in. Spain just keeps on producing talent after talent. However, I expect that Euro 2016 will feature a mixed collection of old and new players. When Spain loses, there will be cries to only play new players. And the new players will be good, but they will be unproven and not have gelled.
    -Netherlands: Bad news - Robben, van Persie, and Sneijder will be 34. Good news - our midfield will be one of the tops with Strootman, van Ginkel, Clasie, and others, and our defense is super young and looked like a top 3 defense in the WC.
    -Argentina: the best facet of Argentina this year, their defense, will be too old to play in the next WC. Messi will be 31 and just past his prime (his technique will get better, his pace slower). Higuain will be 30, Mascherano will be non-existent, but Aguero and Di Maria will be in their prime.
    -Chile: Really good, young talent. Sanchez will be in his prime, and Vidal will be just past it. Don't think they have enough solid pieces to go all the way.

    8) My World Cup XI:

    GK - Manuel Neuer, Germany: obviously
    D - Javier Mascherano, Argentina: the main reason Argentina made it to the finals
    D - Ron Vlaar, the Netherlands: find me a better defensive center-back during this WC. He was simply amazing
    D - Jerome Boateng, Germany: the most under-rated German player. He was good-to-great in the tournament and amazing in the final game.
    D - Philip Lahm, Germany: the captain, the holding midfielder, the true puppet master. He didn't wow, but he didn't screw up either. Vintage Lahm.
    M - Neymar, Brazil: with him, they still wouldn't have won. But at least they would have looked more competent.
    M - James Rodriguez, Colombia: Golden Boot winner, scored in every game he played
    M - Toni Kroos, Germany: poor final, but had good games for every game throughout
    F - Arjen Robben, the Netherlands: my player of the tournament, because he was always a threat. Argentina did shut him down for 90% of the game, but during that other 10% he was fabulous
    F - Lionel Messi, Argentina: the facilitator for the second place team. Always double, tripled, or quadrupled-teamed. Allowed other players to shine.
    F - Christiano Ronaldo, Portugal: kidding! Karim Benzema, France: made France potent, wonderful striker.
    Very nice recap (with proper rep points applied)! I pretty much agree with everything. I'm not sure that Messi should have been the Golden Ball winner (a case could have been made for Müller, James, or Robben in my mind), but you're absolutely right that Neuer played like the best keeper in the world, a title that I think he's held for a few years now, despite my love for St. Iker.
    Last edited by blazindw; 07-14-2014 at 10:03 AM.
    Check out the Duke Basketball Roundup!

    2003-2004 HLM
    Duke | Mirecourt | Detroit| The U | USA

  2. #882
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Washington, DC
    Quote Originally Posted by gus View Post
    I can't believe it's over already! Despite the occasional whinging about diving, I really enjoyed this World Cup. On to the Euro Cup! Qualifying starts in September.
    You actually bring up a good point for all the casual fans...there's tons of soccer coming up! Euro qualifying, African Cup of Nations, the Women's World Cup in 2015 in Canada (you'll see me there), Copa America, Gold Cup, Copa American Centenario in 2016, Euro 2016, Confederations Cup in 2017, World Cup Qualifying, Gold Cup 2017...it's going to be a fun four years of international soccer!
    Check out the Duke Basketball Roundup!

    2003-2004 HLM
    Duke | Mirecourt | Detroit| The U | USA

  3. #883
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Washington, D.C.
    Quote Originally Posted by blazindw View Post
    You actually bring up a good point for all the casual fans...there's tons of soccer coming up! Euro qualifying, African Cup of Nations, the Women's World Cup in 2015 in Canada (you'll see me there), Copa America, Gold Cup, Copa American Centenario in 2016, Euro 2016, Confederations Cup in 2017, World Cup Qualifying, Gold Cup 2017...it's going to be a fun four years of international soccer!
    Thanks to everyone. This thread made the World Cup sooo much more meaningful and enjoyable. Most fun I've had around a sporting event, event does not even begin to catch it, ever, which, in my case, equates to a meaningful number. I second brilliant summary.

  4. #884
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Undisclosed
    Quote Originally Posted by greybeard View Post
    Thanks to everyone. This thread made the World Cup sooo much more meaningful and enjoyable. Most fun I've had around a sporting event, event does not even begin to catch it, ever, which, in my case, equates to a meaningful number. I second brilliant summary.
    Absolutely agree. Congrats and thanks to all!


    Now -- Hope Solo: shining star or tragic comet?

  5. #885
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Halifax, Nova Scotia

    Not the brightest announcer

    I expect most of you had a different announcer than I heard, but whoever it was made what I thought was a very dumb comment. When Klose (I was extremely impressed with him this tournament and especially in the final) left the final, the announcer stated how his all-time WC goals record (16) wouldn't be challenged for a generation. I did a double take, thinking that who would give you odds that Muller wouldn't get it, since he already has 10! And what I also didn't realize is that he is only 24! He could end up with 20 if he played as long as Klose (3 more World Cups.). I will be interested to see if he can break that record. I remember thinking it would be difficult for anyone to score as often as Ronaldo in World Cup play, and it is...unless you're German.

  6. #886
    Quote Originally Posted by blazindw View Post
    You actually bring up a good point for all the casual fans...there's tons of soccer coming up! Euro qualifying, African Cup of Nations, the Women's World Cup in 2015 in Canada (you'll see me there), Copa America, Gold Cup, Copa American Centenario in 2016, Euro 2016, Confederations Cup in 2017, World Cup Qualifying, Gold Cup 2017...it's going to be a fun four years of international soccer!
    Next up is the women's U-20 world championship, next month in four cities in Canada. The USA is the holder, thanks in no small part to Duke's Mollie Pathman, and Duke soph Christina Gibbons appears to have a good shot at making the final roster.

  7. #887
    Going through WC withdrawal...

  8. #888
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Quote Originally Posted by YmoBeThere View Post
    Going through WC withdrawal...
    Only 3 years and 10 months until Russia hosts.

  9. #889
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Undisclosed
    Quote Originally Posted by YmoBeThere View Post
    Going through WC withdrawal...
    In England, that means something completely different.

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