The 2014 Fifa World Cup Thread

I once saw two Blackburn Rovers players punching each other's lights out during a European game (David Batty and Graeme Le Saux, and the latter broke his hand in the process) However, I have never seen one team mate head butt another in the manner of Assou-Ekotto towards fellow Cameroonian Moukandjo. I mean WTF, ban the thuggish little pr*ck from ever being chosen for his country again. This is symptomatic of the modern confusion of passion with behaving like a complete dick in public.

ExittheLemming wrote: akamaisondufromage wrote: 45 mins for the World champions to save themselves The King is dead, long live the king etc (their cycle of ascendancy lasted longer than most, but the only constant is change)

akamaisondufromage wrote: I just don't get home in time to see the first half. And it all seems to happen in the first half in the early games. Australia, Australia we love you!  (Python) Correct that! Dodgy penalty!!!!

Agreed, NEVER a penalty as it was ball to hand not vice versa. All said, Australia, despite their technical limitations, played really well but to suggest they deserved to win is fanciful at best (the Dutch had several clear cut chances to put the game to bed long before the end). Funny thing is, the Aussies reminded me of the Scotland team that qualified for the 1974 finals in West Germany (where they earned loads of praise and were unbeaten but didn't make it to the knock out phase) Australian goalie could have done better with the 3rd Dutch goal methinks?

Seems like the lungs will win this World Cup 

Brazil showed at the Confederations Cup tournament that Spain has a glaring weakness, a slowing down of their tiki-taka possession game and high pressure from a patient opponent will garner a slew of missed kicks/passes and boom, counter-attack, done!  Holland and Chile pressed high and hard, forcing the midfielders to mess up, eventually leading to counter goals. A lot of them (7) .

The King of Spain abdicates, the team is also heading into the garage. INCREDIBLE  

we got sick of their Barcelona-type passing game, so long guys, Chile dominates the field tonight!

Spain looks like they're done. Bye, bye!

^ miss of the tournament so far!

Should be an exciting second half! Isn't football great

Atkingani wrote: Mellotron Storm wrote:   It was frustrating especially in the first half when the Belgiums seemed in control and yet they could not penetrate the Algerian defence, they just kept passing it around well outside the box. They improved a lot in the second half though, an interesting game to watch. And I loved the afros a couple of the guys were sporting for Belgium. Was the first Belgium goal made with the head or the hair?  I think the afro hair style is returning to the highlights - not only Belgium but also Brazil, Colombia, England, USA and a couple of others. The mohawk hair style is still alive and well too.