Argentina vs Switzerland 5pm / Tue 1st

bmcc10

ricero wrote: »

This tournament peaked at the group stage

How you figure that?

Billy86

Switzerland push up, but they've been getting deeper and deeper for the last while otherwise. It's getting that weird inevitable look to it, like in the Germany match last night (even if it took until the start of extra time for them) .

Utopia Parkway

Swiss seem to be tiring. Time for a sub or two.

Nuri Sahin

ricero wrote: »

This tournament peaked at the group stage

Eerily similar to the NBA Playoffs. Best opening round of all time before everything settled down.

ricero

bmcc10 wrote: »

How you figure that?

Besides the chile and brazil penalties and the germany game last night im finding the second round fixtures very boring

Pro. F

Pro. F wrote: »

Just put Di Maria on the left wing so he can cross the ball. I hate this inside out winger crap.

That's better now.

Mantis Toboggan

Only a matter of time before the argies score.

tigger123

I wonder if Messi will make any changes for the last few minutes.

Washington Irving

The Argentinian wheel is turning alright. Goal looking inevitable.

Muff Richardson

Genuine question...Why do they show that distance covered yoke by players? Can you not being running around covering over 10k and being totally useless? Sub comes on and covers 50m and scores a goal? What's the stat supposed prove? Big believer in stats like the passes completed and possession and all those, I just don't see the point in the ground covered, doesn't really tell you anything about their performance.

Billy86

ricero wrote: »

Besides the chile and brazil penalties and the germany game last night im finding the second round fixtures very boring

Not a great game but what about the Costa Rica dramatics? Much better penalties, and maybe the 2nd/erd biggest outsiders (after Iran and perhaps Honduras) holding on with 10 men against a Greek team that were the definitive "baddies" in this tournament with their wretched style of play and time wasting from the first minute of every game.

Or one of the best WC goals I can remember from Ham Is Rodriguez?

I thought the Dutch/Mexican second half was very good as well, personally.

Hank Scorpio

Muff Richardson wrote: »

Genuine question...Why do they show that distance covered yoke by players? Can you not being running around covering over 10k and being totally useless? Sub comes on and covers 50m and scores a goal? What's the stat supposed prove? Big believer in stats like the passes completed and possession and all those, I just don't see the point in the ground covered, doesn't really tell you anything about their performance.

For me It shows how fit you must be to be a professional football at that level and I find it interesting

Billy86

nuxxx wrote: »

For me It shows how fit you must be to be a professional football at that level and I find it interesting

I remember Dwight Yorke saying an average Premiership match was much, much more tiring than when he did the London marathon a few years ago on Sky.

SantryRed

I know it's two different standards of teams, but it basically feels like Messi vs. Shaqiri out there, in terms of where a goal is gonna come from. Shaqiri's the more unfortunate one.

Pro. F

Muff Richardson wrote: »

Genuine question...Why do they show that distance covered yoke by players? Can you not being running around covering over 10k and being totally useless? Sub comes on and covers 50m and scores a goal? What's the stat supposed prove? Big believer in stats like the passes completed and possession and all those, I just don't see the point in the ground covered, doesn't really tell you anything about their performance.

It's supposed to show how much physical work they're doing, and it's held up as evidence for that all the time, but it doesn't show that at all. Distance covered bears almost no relationship to how hard the players are working.

Washington Irving

Brave from goalkeeper. Great save.

That_Guy

Holy shít. What a save.

Andersonisgod

This is a slow burn and Messi is starting to spark.

Billy86

So the Argentines are allowed kick/run into the keepers now. Interesting.

Great shot, great save.

Nuri Sahin

Outstanding save from Benaglio.

mewso

Funny quip there earlier from Lawro:-

Lawro: Would like to see that Higuain chance again.
Pearce: The director of the tv coverage today is Jean Jacques whose specialty is the slow motion close up, the drop of sweat...
Lawro: as opposed to the Higuain chance

Agent Coulson

No translator need for that

super_furry

Di Maria has been muck. Like Victor Moses level of performance.

The Backwards Man

Switzerland's pass completion rate must be shockingly low.

Muff Richardson

nuxxx wrote: »

For me It shows how fit you must be to be a professional football at that level and I find it interesting

But the distance they cover is not usually over 10k for 90 minutes, that's not exactly substantial, granted they are high intensity bursts but the nature of the sport is stop/start so it's not exactly reflective of how fit a player is or more to what I was trying to get at, how well they perform. I think it's fairly pointless as a stat.

Agent Coulson

Messi in the 90+2 minute with a winner again.

That_Guy

Switzerland are far too deep. Can only see this going one way if it does indeed end up going to extra time.

Pudsy33

super_furry wrote: »

Di Maria has been muck. Like Victor Moses level of performance.

Very harsh, he's performed better then most.

That_Guy

Behrami... Ugh.

super_furry

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Very harsh, he's performed better then most.

Don't see that at all. For me he's done nothing but give the ball away and make poor decisions that have led to attacks breaking down.

That_Guy

Crossing is absolutely muck from both teams.

Gringo180

That Inler fella is shocking.

Messi is gonna have to do this on his own

Utopia Parkway

super_furry wrote: »

Don't see that at all. For me he's done nothing but give the ball away and make poor decisions that have led to attacks breaking down.

Gave the ball away 28 times in the first 70 minutes apparently.

newballsplease

Rodriguez and Inler have been top class for Switz today.
Its gonna take a Messi bit of magic for Argentina to win this.

super_furry

If Argentina do get through they'll really miss Rojo in their next game. I think he's been their best performer throughout the tournament.

Billy86

Rojo misses the quarters if they make it through.

Blessing in disguise would be an understatement.

newballsplease

Gringo180 wrote: »

That Inler fella is shocking.

Shocking better mean a good thing from wherever you're from??? He has been immense today.

Sarajevo Assasin

Can someone explain why they thought Argentina were the favourites to win the world cup?

Washington Irving

super_furry wrote: »

If Argentina do get through they'll really miss Rojo in their next game. I think he's been their best performer throughout the tournament.

Strange he didn't let someone else make that tackle. Wasn't a dangerous enough attack to sacrifice himself for imo.

Rayne Wooney

Djourou > Messi

Zico

Colombia are going to win the World Cup.:eek:

That_Guy

Wonder how much Switzerland have left. They've put in a right shift. Same goes to Argentina too in fairness.

GreNoLi

Fair play to the Swiss and Hitzfeld.

Nuri Sahin

Sabella is the Coach Brooks of football.

Rayne Wooney

Argentina are brutal, and they have one of the best teams at the tournament

Gringo180

newballsplease wrote: »

Shocking better mean a good thing from wherever you're from??? He has been immense today.

Immense at chasing Messi's shadow but anytime he got on the ball he was shocking near falling over himself at times.

LordAwesome

I'm glad I don't listen to Brady when placing bets. Argentina to win by 3. LOL :-)

The Mig

Di Maria lost possession 37 times in that game!

Iused2likebusts

World cup wide open no standout team so far bar Colombia however they haven't had a real test to date. 4 draws out of 7 in the last 16.