Uruguay are a horribly defensive team. Let's hope there isn't much left of them in this tournament.
Not looking too promising. I was hoping for at least two goals by half-time. Oh well, at least the goal itself was a beaut.
Illegitimi non carborundum
Best goal so far
Glorious stuff from Colombia.
He is the star of the world cup. Hope he and they go far. They are 12s most places now. Still not the worst bet...
They look like winners to me
They played a team determined to spoil and are very good at it. They couldn't play their real game yet still won easily. A star player has emerged in Rodriguez to compliment their other great players. They look more like Brazil than Brazil do.
If they cope with the atmosphere they will spank Brazil
Last edited by harry; 29th June 2014 at 12:46 AM.
Colombia 4/1 against Brazil in 90 minutes and 2/1 to qualify. If this isn't an all in job....
I'm bored of this. I'm going for a Twix.
Put this way if Chile had won the penalty shoot out last night would Colombia be 4/1 , not a chance . I am balls deep laying Brazil to win outright, they are a very average team and the most over bet team in the competition. I agree this is another big opportunity ,no way in my book would Brazil be favourites to beat Colombia.
I backed Chile last night but reckon Brazil were quite unlucky not to win in regulation time. Claudio Bravo made a few good saves and some of Brazil's shots were a bit straight down his throat. Brazil are getting better as the tournament progresses. I think they will take care of Columbia more readily than they did Chile to set up what might arguably be the 'final before the final' when they face Germany in the semis.
Illegitimi non carborundum
This is a great betting opportunity, Brazil are the most over rated team in the competition for two reasons 1) They are Brazil and everyone's favourite second team and 2) They are at home. Neither of both those reasons base any fact on are they actually a good team. They are a team with a defence that is always suspect to giving up a few chances with Luiz in it. Midfield don't want the ball at all. Neymar is there only player performing to his potential and they also have Fred....f%@cking Fred, he makes Jose Altidore look like a world class finisher!! Vamos Columbia!!!!!
They're ranked either first or third depending on which ranking system you follow. That has noting to do with just being Brazil or being at home. One of the commentators mentioned (last night?) that Brazil are undefeated in competitive home matches since something like 1974.
Even the great Brazilian teams could ship a goal or two. So long as they have the threat to score more than the other team, is it really that much of an issue? Luiz has looked pretty solid so far. I'm hearing people say he doesn't play as well as this for his club side.
Not sure about that either. Certainly last night it looked like the defence were bypassing the midfield but that was due to Chile's tight marking. Once Chile got the ball the midfield were there to help the defence and close Chile down.
I'm warming to Neymar. He was the typical diving, cheating batsard in a Barcelona shirt but he's definitely grown up in the last couple of weeks. He showed leadership in abundance last night. Fred is the antithesis of your typical Brazilian player but big Phil is no mug. He clearly recognises something the rest of us aren't seeing or Fred would be nowhere near the squad. I'm keeping an open mind about him. (And Hulk is a lot faster than I thought.)
Only if Brazil aren't favourites... it's getting to the stage when backing against hem is looking a riskier and riskier proposition.
Illegitimi non carborundum
Agree with most of that, DO.
My take on the Fred discussion is that, because he's never played over here, people don't realise that he's simply an old fashioned goalhanger. Rather like another of his style, feed the goat and he will score. In this tournament, Brazil's main creative players, Neymar and Oscar, have basically tried to do it on their own and only part with the ball as a last resort. Because they are intelligent (in football terms) they pass the ball to space where they think Fred should be. If they looked up and passed it to where he actually was he'd probably be more effective. In almost any circumstances he's a better bet than Jo because, for all his lack of mobility he's still far more likely to be there to stick away a loose ball from a yard out. I'd leave Oscar out and play both Fernandinho and Paulinho, bringing Oscar on for Fred if necessary.
The older I get the better I was.
Haha we will have to agree to disagree. I backed Brazil outright before the competition started and had Fred top goalscorer aswell. Layed Brazil after the first game and I am getting more and more disillusioned with them. As for Fred he really is playing terribly
They field more chelsea players than any other team so I should wish them well, but I would love to see them knocked out
Anyone who thinks that this team that were within a centimetre of being knocked out (not undereseveredly) by a team fielding a west brom reject, is suddenly a good thing is out of their minds imo
Having seem his cluelessness at Chelsea, Scolari strikes me as about the most overrated manager around
Last edited by clivex; 29th June 2014 at 2:20 PM.
Having said all that, I can't believe Bravo, who had such a good match, didn't save Neymar's penalty. The way he lined up for it (to my eyes anyway) and the shape of his run screamed it was going to Bravo's right.
Illegitimi non carborundum
FFS
Last edited by clivex; 29th June 2014 at 2:52 PM.
i did like how the keeper pointed to his right on Hulk's penalty to make him go opposite side...and it worked
Holland are basically useless but hoping Robben or Van Persie can do something very special. Otherwise, they're out.