World Cup Day 10

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Argentina are fucking shit - just a bunch of big names up front who play as individuals and can´t conjure half a decent chance from open play. Gago has been especially shit - WTF! surely Argentina are not in such a bad state that they need to play this guy? - and Di Maria, for all his pace and industry, gets a lot of things wrong in the final third. Aguero, Higuain, Messi have all been impotent.

What a bloody letdown of a team. However, as past World Cups have taught us, the most exciting teams don't always go far, while teams with big name players could do it with a moment of magic from one of their stars, however undeservedly.

 

[red_maradona]

I likes the argie left back Rojo. Young, big, pacey and a lot of potential.

 

[red_maradona]

missed this, good to see O'Neill giving it back.

 

[Hansern]

I likes the argie left back Rojo. Young, big, pacey and a lot of potential.

Yeah, I was keeping an eye on him aswell. We've been linked quite a lot with him aswell.

12 mill for him sounds pretty decent. He knows how to defend which is still one of the key attributes for a defender.
Pacey and good going forward aswwll.

 

[Fabio]

I'd take rojo in a heart beat.

 

[Spaghetti Legs]

I likes the argie left back Rojo. Young, big, pacey and a lot of potential.

They said he usually plays center back for his club, only for Argentina he plays left back, not ideal if that's the case although versatility is a good thing we really want a specialist left back don't we? he does look handy though, liked his performance in the first game.

 

[Pesam]

Argentina are fucking shit - just a bunch of big names up front who play as individuals and can´t conjure half a decent chance from open play. Gago has been especially shit - WTF! surely Argentina are not in such a bad state that they need to play this guy? - and Di Maria, for all his pace and industry, gets a lot of things wrong in the final third. Aguero, Higuain, Messi have all been impotent.

What a bloody letdown of a team. However, as past World Cups have taught us, the most exciting teams don't always go far, while teams with big name players could do it with a moment of magic from one of their stars, however undeservedly.

They're my tip to win the world cup BUT I'm hugely unimpressed with the Mascherano/Gago CM partnership; if they don't have anyone else to come in and play CM then I think I might bale out of this bet.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Are you guys talking about Rojo in the context of his club career or this game? Because to me, he hasn't had to defend much, if at all, given the opposition's standard, while he hasn't really had much to do at the opposite end too other than give the ball to Di Maria and watch it go squandered, or just watch Gago give the ball away or Messi hog the ball and do nothing with it.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

And just after I typed that, Rojo totally fucks up defending the wide player by running infield instead of tracking the runner, thus allowing metres of space for the Iranian player to put in a good cross that should've led to a goal.

 

[Leo]

The likes of Iran ruin the world cup.
9 men behind the ball at all times hoping they score from a set piece.
Sooner the groups are finished the better.

 

[Leo]

Gago is absolutely useless.

 

[red_maradona]

They're my tip to win the world cup BUT I'm hugely unimpressed with the Mascherano/Gago CM partnership; if they don't have anyone else to come in and play CM then I think I might bale out of this bet.

they need a riquelme/redondo type player who can dictate the game. gago/mascher are a bit too defensive

 

[Pesam]

they need a riquelme/redondo type player who can dictate the game. gago/mascher are a bit too defensive

Aye, I've just layed a large part of my bet off now because I'm horrified by how poor the Argies look.

 

[Pesam]

Shojaei and Pooladi look very good for Iran.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

The likes of Iran ruin the world cup.
9 men behind the ball at all times hoping they score from a set piece.
Sooner the groups are finished the better.

Harsh that. There's a huge gulf in class between the two teams in terms of the personnel. It isn't like Chelsea camping against us at Anfield. In a cup tournament where you have just 3 games to determine your fate, it's the smart way for them to play given their obvious limitations. This World Cup won't be ruined by just a couple of poor teams, as most games have been very open.

Also, as it is, it's Iran which could've scored on 2 quick counter attacks, not setpieces.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I think Iran have actually come closest to scoring. I hope they score and shock the Argies.

 

[Fabio]

Yeah, that's harsh Leo. If they get anything from the game it's more damning on Argentina

 

[Spaghetti Legs]

Unlucky Iran.

 

[Leo]

Harsh that. There's a huge gulf in class between the two teams in terms of the personnel. It isn't like Chelsea camping against us at Anfield. In a cup tournament where you have just 3 games to determine your fate, it's the smart way for them to play given their obvious limitations. This World Cup won't be ruined by just a couple of poor teams, as most games have been very open.

Also, as it is, it's Iran which could've scored on 2 quick counter attacks, not setpieces.

Yeah in fairness they have been the better team in the second half.
Can't stand watching football when it's like what Iran were doing against Nigeria and the first half here.
It's the World cup so I just want to be entertained.

 

[Leo]

They're my tip to win the world cup BUT I'm hugely unimpressed with the Mascherano/Gago CM partnership; if they don't have anyone else to come in and play CM then I think I might bale out of this bet.

I'm bailing out too.
Midfield is awful and I really think that Aguero needs to be dropped too.
In the qualifiers they played all their best football when he wasn't on the pitch.
I'm backing Germany now I think they should be favourites.

 

[Fabio]

Yeah in fairness they have been the better team in the second half.
Can't stand watching football when it's like what Iran were doing against Nigeria and the first half here.
It's the World cup so I just want to be entertained.

I agree on that front, entertainment is paramount. I only caught bits of the first half, but this half Iran have made Argentina look ridiculously ordinary, and they've attacked & defended as a unit

 

[Leo]

I agree on that front, entertainment is paramount. I only caught bits of the first half, but this half Iran have made Argentina look ridiculously ordinary, and they've attacked & defended as a unit

Yeah Argentina look so ordinary.
I look forward to their games because of the players they have but none of them have shown up again.

 

[Fabio]

I don't understand how some players just can't deliver on an international stage, whilst others thrive

Hasn't landon Donovan scored more world cup goals than Messi, Ronaldo, and Rooney combined?

 

[Pesam]

I'm bailing out too.
Midfield is awful and I really think that Aguero needs to be dropped too.
In the qualifiers they played all their best football when he wasn't on the pitch.
I'm backing Germany now I think they should be favourites.

I'm now +/- £0 on the Argies with my 2 big winners being France & Chile. I can sell out of all my position for +£175 at present but will leave it for the time being. I am +£14k on both Croatia and Ivory Coast and expect at least one of them to qualify for the knockout phase and then I might lock in some profit.

 

[Leo]

I don't understand how some players just can't deliver on an international stage, whilst others thrive

Hasn't landon Donovan scored more world cup goals than Messi, Ronaldo, and Rooney combined?

Yeah Robbie Keane has more than all combined too.

 

[Leo]

I'm now +/- £0 on the Argies with my 2 big winners being France & Chile. I can sell out of all my position for +£175 at present but will leave it for the time being. I am +£14k on both Croatia and Ivory Coast and expect at least one of them to qualify for the knockout phase and then I might lock in some profit.

I'm on Chile and Portugal too at huge odds only small bets though.
Getting on Germany before they play Ghana.
If it's a rout they will shorten further again.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I agree on that front, entertainment is paramount. I only caught bits of the first half, but this half Iran have made Argentina look ridiculously ordinary, and they've attacked & defended as a unit

I generally agree with the entertainment part, but I think we also need to look at it from the participating nation's perspective. Iran has never qualified past the group stage, and they're playing a hot pre-tournament favourite here. The realistic target, I'd think, would be to play solid football and try to finish at least 3rd, or at the very least, not get embarrassed in front of a worldwide audience. Entertaining the fans won't be that much of a priority as trying to do that could turn into a humiliation. Of course, to go out swashbuckling is gallant to us, but a 5-0 thrashing isn't that flattering.

By the looks of the second half though, their strategy is working well. As Argentina continues to struggle and start to panic, Iran could even nick a winner with a counter.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Damn, nearly "BOOM!"

 

[Leo]

Fucking wow!

 

[cloggypop]

Quite good that