You know, I probably should consider betting. The minute I predict Opponent A will beat Opponent B invisible wheels start turning to make exactly the opposite happen. It's convenient, come to think of it. I will now state that Brazil will go through and start making secret preparations to put a huge amount of cash on Germany. It should work out. I'll be rich and famous.
As you can guess, Argentine and Holland made it through to the semi-finals. Quite unexpectedly, both games were dull.
Argentine scored an early goal thanks to a wonderful shot from Higuain and you would think they would have fallen back to defend their slender lead (especially after Di Maria limped off), but such was the quality of Belgium's play that Sabella's side continued dominating without really trying. Belgium (with Lukaku on the bench) had maybe one half-decent chance in the entire first half, while Argentine looked pretty decent on the counter, Messi masterminding their attacks.
Second half was a bit livelier, but not by much. Higuain should have doubled the lead after rounding off Kompany, but instead hit the bar, Messi sent his free-kick over and then missed a brilliant opportunity to end the encounter after he was clean through. Credit to Courtois, though, it was much more a case of a brilliant save rather than a poor finish.
Belgium, with Lukaku and Mertens on still created little. When Hazard, completely off the pace, was replaced by Chadli, that was all you needed to know about how bad Belgium looked. I remember they had some decent chance to equalise late in the game, but I cannot even remember what it boiled down to. They missed, most likely. A keeper of Romero's quality would have grabbed thin air instead of the ball, had Belgium tried a little harder to keep their efforts on target. And so another unconvincing side is through.
Sabella's side will play Holland and I cannot even tell, which national team looked worse in the quarter-final. Probably Holland, cause they needed two hours and a penalty shoot-out to finally end Costa-Rica's resistance. Argentine has, at least, kept it inside 90 minutes. Holland is pathetic.
Honestly, they operate pretty much the way Brazil does. Lump it towardsNeymar Robben and let him figure out the rest. And though Robben takes to the ground like a fish to the sea at every opportunity, such was the way Costa-Rica defended and Navas saved everything that came his way, that Holland needed a win on pens to go through.
And though everyone is occupied by hailing van Gaal for his clever trick with the keepers right now, I see the situation differently. If he's so talented, then why can't he break down Costa-Rica inside regular time? Why, with all his resources can't he make a sub that'll help to end the encounter before it goes to penalties? It's just a lucky bounce for Holland, like the one they had against Mexico. The same bounce that have kept Chile out, while Brazil progresses. Nothing more.
Now there are three utterly unconvincing sides in the semi-final. And, to my horror, that means at least two of these will have some kind of prize. I'd like to see Holland make fourth, with Brazil third and Argentine second. If Germany doesn't win the goddamn thing, I'll lose faith in humanity. I can't even bear the thought of someone as despicable as Holland making the grade. God save us then.
That's it for today. Little happening from an Arsenal point of view, so I'll leave it at that.
Until later
As you can guess, Argentine and Holland made it through to the semi-finals. Quite unexpectedly, both games were dull.
Argentine scored an early goal thanks to a wonderful shot from Higuain and you would think they would have fallen back to defend their slender lead (especially after Di Maria limped off), but such was the quality of Belgium's play that Sabella's side continued dominating without really trying. Belgium (with Lukaku on the bench) had maybe one half-decent chance in the entire first half, while Argentine looked pretty decent on the counter, Messi masterminding their attacks.
Second half was a bit livelier, but not by much. Higuain should have doubled the lead after rounding off Kompany, but instead hit the bar, Messi sent his free-kick over and then missed a brilliant opportunity to end the encounter after he was clean through. Credit to Courtois, though, it was much more a case of a brilliant save rather than a poor finish.
Belgium, with Lukaku and Mertens on still created little. When Hazard, completely off the pace, was replaced by Chadli, that was all you needed to know about how bad Belgium looked. I remember they had some decent chance to equalise late in the game, but I cannot even remember what it boiled down to. They missed, most likely. A keeper of Romero's quality would have grabbed thin air instead of the ball, had Belgium tried a little harder to keep their efforts on target. And so another unconvincing side is through.
Sabella's side will play Holland and I cannot even tell, which national team looked worse in the quarter-final. Probably Holland, cause they needed two hours and a penalty shoot-out to finally end Costa-Rica's resistance. Argentine has, at least, kept it inside 90 minutes. Holland is pathetic.
Honestly, they operate pretty much the way Brazil does. Lump it towards
And though everyone is occupied by hailing van Gaal for his clever trick with the keepers right now, I see the situation differently. If he's so talented, then why can't he break down Costa-Rica inside regular time? Why, with all his resources can't he make a sub that'll help to end the encounter before it goes to penalties? It's just a lucky bounce for Holland, like the one they had against Mexico. The same bounce that have kept Chile out, while Brazil progresses. Nothing more.
Now there are three utterly unconvincing sides in the semi-final. And, to my horror, that means at least two of these will have some kind of prize. I'd like to see Holland make fourth, with Brazil third and Argentine second. If Germany doesn't win the goddamn thing, I'll lose faith in humanity. I can't even bear the thought of someone as despicable as Holland making the grade. God save us then.
That's it for today. Little happening from an Arsenal point of view, so I'll leave it at that.
Until later