[Matsu]

So far it's been great. Del Bosque is perhaps a tad over-rated. Credit for the Spanish National Team of the last 6 years goes to Barcelona. The world had adapted, but he did not. However, it's hard to make changes or re-invent as winning a team as he had, even when the capacities of his players had morphed/diminished. I don't really fault him for that. Somewhere (in Bayern) Pep Guardiola is smiling a little bit.

Italy-England. Can we finally put away all the underserved cynicism for Italy? For years they have not been the negative defensive machiavellians they're tagged as. I'm even going to put away my cynicism for England, who looked good, and whose endearing players have always deserved better managers than they've gotten. That was an excellent game.

[Dorian Gray]

Incredibly, I missed the England v Italy game, though I watched several others. Spain yesterday felt like watching the end of something beautiful. It’s amazing what that team (give or take a couple of players) achieved, and yet last night they looked like history.

That said, Chile were outstanding. The way those players, to a man, ran and pressed and fought for every scrap of a ball for 96 minutes was incredible. They’ve apparently been doing high-altitude fitness training, and it seems to have paid off handsomely.

What’s more, they weren’t just running around aimlessly. Every time the ball landed somewhere there was a Chilean in the way. And when they went on the counter-attack there was a genuine sense they might find the net. Goalkeeper was also great (though not as catlike as the Mexican keeper Guillermo Ochoa in his four acrobatic saves against Brazil).

Looking forward to tonight’s Uruguay v England game. No pressure!

[Matsu]

Englands's group maybe the hardest group to call. If Chile keeps playing as they are, they might be the best in the group of Italy, England, Chile and Uruguay. This group could get really interesting. Uruguay and England both need a win to stay alive, and Chile is the sort of team to give Italy problems. Everything from 1st to fourth could still be decided on the last round of play...

I want to make predictions, even though it's way too early, so I'll make one negative one:

Brazil will not win this world cup, unless they make to the finals. Sounds dumb, but if they run into the Netherlands or Germany early, they might be gone. If they avoid those teams, and make it to the final, then all bets are off. Brazil in the finals is a different animal, I just don't think they'll get that far. On his team Neymar is a star among stars, but I don't think he has the capacity to gut it out if they find a team that frustrates them. He's not mature, and they all play best when they're happy. They could end up behind, with a lot of wasted one-on-one runs ending in a loss in the knock-out rounds.

Others?

Some teams grow as the tournament goes on. So even though my next three choices all have weakness, I think any one of these can be a legit contender. Based on my binge world cup viewing, I'd have to say that Germany, Italy and Argentina look like the contenders this time out, though none are clear favourites. Germany beats up weak teams until they meet a good team - they're often good in t he early rounds, but neither dominant or creative enough to solve more difficult defenders. They did beat Portugal soundly though. So, I think more substance than in the past... Italy is playing their best soccer, not defence, but ball possession, and their manager is vastly under-rated. They can become temperamental and lazy at times, so it depends on which team shows up. Outside their star player, Argentina is better than people think. Messi is star who plays like a man, (Neymar is a kid, a wunderkid, but a kid). Lionel's helpers don't have the same natural talents, but if he stands up big, I think the others might be inspired to raise their game. We'll see, too early, and we haven't fully considered the Dutch or the young Belgians...

[Dorian Gray]

Do you mean Costa Rica? Chile are in Group B with Spain, the Netherlands, and Australia. I thought Australia played well too, but hard luck. They’re out.

Originally Posted by Matsu Germany beats up weak teams until they meet a good team - they're often good in t he early rounds, but neither dominant or creative enough to solve more difficult defenders. They did beat Portugal soundly though.

They did, but it may have been different if Pepe hadn’t idiotically got himself sent off for a headbutt half an hour into the game. Ten men is a death sentence so early in the game, especially when you’re already a goal or two down. Every necessary counter-attack in such a situation exposes the defence – which Germany duly took advantage of.

And the USA finally got past Ghana in a World Cup. Didn’t Ghana put the USA out on two previous occasions? The USA is now sitting pretty in Group G, thanks to Portugal’s loss.

[Matsu]

I'm a moron. I watched the game. I typed it right, and corrected it wrong. I need to catc
h up on my sleep...

[Eugene]

I'm not sure how the US is sitting pretty. They're going to lose to Germany, so they'd need at least a tie with Portugal to advance. Despite beating Ghana, the US team is not good.

[Dorian Gray]

They won their game and their goal difference will likely end up better than anyone’s except Germany’s, since Portugal got walloped so badly by Germany. I think they’ll get through the group stage.

Also, they’re good enough to consistently qualify for the World Cup. Hardly terrible.

[Dorian Gray]

Well there you are. England are out unless Italy beat both Costa Rica and Uruguay, and additionally England beat Costa Rica by some probably daunting number of goals. Highly unlikely though not impossible.

The English defence was untrustworthy, and though the team created plenty of chances (some a little lucky), they lacked a clinical finisher like Suárez. It’s amazing what that man can do after a knee operation and not having played since May. Crazy talent.

Disappointing to not get out of the group stage with a team that has some considerable promise. But that’s a variant of what is said every time England go nowhere in international competition. For some reason that sports psychologists can’t fix, England teams consistently underperform.

[Matsu]

English managers don't understand the game, and their soccer czars are too proud to import help from people who do. The premiership isn't the same thing as international soccer. The talent to win a World Cup is as plentiful in England as any European nation, it just gets wasted.

[Matsu]

Italians out-worked and outplayed, and outclassed. Got lazy and decided to mail it in, looking to play just enough for a draw against Uruguay in the last game.

Costa Rica may be the best conditioned team, and biggest surprise, at the World Cup. Good pace, great commitment to defence, accurate passing, excellent attack in transition.

[Dave]

So... Is the World Cup like a coffee cup or something? I'm confused... <ducks, runs>

[Dorian Gray]

Originally Posted by Matsu Costa Rica may be the best conditioned team, and biggest surprise, at the World Cup. Good pace, great commitment to defence, accurate passing, excellent attack in transition.

They’re good alright.

That Costa Rica win means England are out at the group stage for first time since 1958.

Originally Posted by Dave So... Is the World Cup like a coffee cup or something? I'm confused... <ducks, runs>

The World Cup is discreet and little-known, but get this: according to Facebook there have been more World Cup conversations on the site in this first week than conversations about the Super Bowl, Oscars, and Sochi Olympics combined.

[curiousuburb]

Originally Posted by Dorian Gray They won their game and their goal difference will likely end up better than anyone’s except Germany’s, since Portugal got walloped so badly by Germany. I think they’ll get through the group stage. Also, {USA} are good enough to consistently qualify for the World Cup. Hardly terrible.

Yes, but to be fair, the qualifying group they're in is mostly Caribbean / Central American minnows... other than Mexico and Canada.

Soccer Football isn't traditionally thought of as a dominant sport in the USA - other than the stereotype of Soccer Moms... who generally drive girls to that pitch and boys to the other football, or baseball, basketball, or hockey by region. That said, Canada can also claim more dominant national sports... but the USA has a population more than 10 times bigger than Canada, and more than 100 times bigger than Cuba, etc... so inevitably the talent pool bears fruit at some level.

Germany - Ghana was great to watch. We've had a record number of goals this World Cup, and some of the goal celebrations have been hilarious. Kind of like Touchdown dances... individual moves are fine, but well choreographed team participation adds an extra flair.



Rooting for the Dutch, and Brazil, but also digging Costa Ricans, Germans, Ghanaians, etc. Despite going out, I thought the Australians did very well... in contrast to the English, who stank up the joint and deserved to get their overconfident egos punctured and sent packing.

[Eugene]

Soccer moms is accurate for boys as well...

Youth football/soccer is mostly a yuppie sport and soccer moms don't put the same type of pressure on their children to rise through the ranks at a young age. Contrast this with 'blue collar' football and baseball dads especially...many of those guys are trying to live their own professional sports dreams vicariously through their children.

[709]

Holy fucking shit. USA/Portugal was an incredible game. Incredible.

[SpecMode]

The last 30 seconds could have been better, but yeah, hell of a game.

[Chinney]

I saw most of Portugal - USA, the first I have managed to watch any substantial portion of in this World Cup. Nice match, although a heartbreaking last minute for USA fans.

I do think that the USA has been getting better over the years and on a good day can play on the same field with the best of them without looking outclassed. But every day is not a good day, and the overall level and depth of US soccer talent are not there yet. I will be interested to see how they do against Germany, but I would be surprised if the USA would prevail. (Interestingly, both Germany and the US would guarantee themselves a spot in the next round by 'arranging' a tie in their match - something that officially does not happen, of course, but about which there have been suspicions in similar situations in earlier World Cups)

With its population base, resources, and excellent college-level sports development capacity, USA could be much, much better if it actually ever took soccer seriously. If it put a quarter of the overall resources into soccer that it does into American football, I expect that the US would be a dominant team.

[FFL]

Originally Posted by Eugene Soccer moms is accurate for boys as well... Youth football/soccer is mostly a yuppie sport and soccer moms don't put the same type of pressure on their children to rise through the ranks at a young age. Contrast this with 'blue collar' football and baseball dads especially...many of those guys are trying to live their own professional sports dreams vicariously through their children.

What's especially interesting about that is that the name "football" was originally applied in Europe to anything played on FOOT (to contrast it with the sports of the nobles played on horseback) and basically meant "the sport of the common folk".

USA/Portugal put a big dent in the myth of "boring soccer" for me.

[Dorian Gray]

Interesting statistic: Spain conceded seven goals in losing to the Netherlands and Chile, which is one more goal than it conceded in winning Euro 2008, World Cup 2010, and Euro 2012 combined.

[_Ω_]

The All Blacks being one of the most dominant teams in history will win again this year...

[Chinney]

Originally Posted by FFL What's especially interesting about that is that the name "football" was originally applied in Europe to anything played on FOOT (to contrast it with the sports of the nobles played on horseback) and basically meant "the sport of the common folk". [...]

There was an interesting story on the morning radio news about the origin of the word "soccer". The English tend to think of "soccer" as an American term, but that is apparently not the case. The word origin is, according to this story, actually from England, even though there "football' is now generally used. "Soccer" originated a slang word in England for "Association Football", and was distinguished there from the slang word used for the other form of football, "rugger" for "Rugby Union Football". "Soccer" continued to be used for many years in England, but gradually became less popular as a name of the sport as it simply became "football", but the word continued to be used elsewhere in the English speaking world.

[drewprops]

I'm working but have the television on with the game on in the background... satisfied?


...

[Kickaha]

Aaaaaaaand we advance.

[kieran]

Crazy to think that this is the first time ever that the US has advanced past the group state in consecutive World Cups.

Can't wait until Tuesday.

[Kickaha]

Suarez banned for four months for going all Hannibal on opponents.

What, no Emmy?

[psmith2.0]

Well he was tied for it, so...

[Dorian Gray]

The jammy Dutch squeak through! Mexico played very well in this World Cup, so I’m sorry to see them go. They’re another team showing the world that team spirt, work ethic, and positive football go a long way. For similar reasons, nice to see Costa Rica on the verge of victory against Greece. And to think that England, Italy, and Uruguay considered them the whipping boys of Group D!

[kieran]

I'm impressed with how well Mexico played as well, considering they were a mess coming in and needed the US to beat Panama in the qualifiers to even get in.

Needless to say, I'm cautiously optimistic about the US chances at advancing.

[RowdyScot]

Shame on the penalty at the end. Not the way that game should have ended. That's the one thing that keeps me from being a bigger fan of the game. Being a fish is a ridiculous requirement for success.

[torifile]

I've enjoyed the World Cup thus far. Lots of exciting games coming down to the end and a few big stars coming out. That James kid for Colombia has been great to watch. I'm looking forward to Tuesday's match - should be fun.