Zweden is toch Europa? Ook in 1958?quote:Op dinsdag 8 juli 2014 16:18 schreef tong80 het volgende:
En dat omgekeerd Brazilië en Argentinië nog nooit op Europese bodem hebben gewonnen.
quote:Germany, Netherlands are likely World Cup finalists
The 2014 World Cup in Brazil went from having a high rate of scoring to a quarterfinal round that produced five goals in four games.
However, as the last week of the competition unfolds, traditional powers Brazil, Germany, Argentina and the Netherlands are the last four standing in this incredible tournament.
The first semifinal game, on Tuesday, matches the pre-tournament favorite, Brazil, against an outstanding German team.
As everyone knows, Brazil will be without Neymar, its most influential player and its primary threat (four goals). In his absence, Hulk, Oscar, Fred and Willian must step up their games, which have been less than potent (a total of two goals among them).
Brazil has given up only four goals in five games. Goalkeeper Julio Cesar is steady and reliable. But the loss of team captain Thiago Silva because of yellow cards is damaging. His replacement, Dante (Bayern Munich), is a very good defender and knows the German team well, but he has not played in this World Cup. Additionally, outside backs Maicon, Dani Alves and Marcelo will be severely tested by the Germans. Brazil's holding midfielders, Paulinho, Fernandinho and Ramires, have done a good job in offering cover for the center-backs and attacking players in Brazil's 4-2-3-1 formation.
The Germans have a quality team with technical, tactical and physical skills, plus great experience. Germany is the first country to qualify for four consecutive World Cup semifinals.
Manuel Neuer is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world. The Germany backline was solidified once Coach Joachim Loew returned Philipp Lahm to his natural position of right-back. Lahm, with Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and Benedikt Howedes, make up one of the best backlines in the tournament. The Germans know how to close out games, as evidenced by their three shutouts in five games.
The German attack is led by striker Thomas Mueller (four goals), supported by capable attacking players in Mesut Ozil, Mario Goetze, Lukas Podolski, Andre Schurrle, and Miroslav Klose. Midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira and Toni Kroos are quality players on offense and defense.
Overall, Germany is the best "team" remaining in this tournament. It is well coached, talented and typically starts six or seven players from the same club team (Bayern Munich). The Brazilian team has been inconsistent and has looked disjointed on defense and not very lethal on offense. It has the advantage of tremendous support in the stands, but is feeling overwhelming pressure as the host country and must deal with the loss of Neymar. The Germans are mentally strong and physically and tactically prepared for this game and I believe they will beat Brazil and advance to the final.
The other semifinal game, on Wednesday, has Argentina playing the Netherlands. Argentina is led by arguably the best player in the world, Lionel Messi, who is having an outstanding tournament (four goals) for the only team to have won all five of its games. Argentina is criticized for being too dependent on Messi, and the loss of the injured Angel Di Maria weakens the team on offense.
Argentina plays a version of a 4-4-2, with Messi floating underneath striker Gonzalo Higuain. Messi will need his teammates to be scoring threats or he will face the likelihood of seeing three opponents whenever he touches the ball. Fortunately for Argentina, it appears that the injured attacker Sergio Aguero will play and Higuain, who scored the winning goal versus Belgium, should be a more confident player versus the Netherlands.
So far the strength of Argentina has been its defense, giving up only three goals in the tournament. Goalkeeper Sergio Romero has led a solid backline. However, I believe the defensive play of central midfielders Javier Mascherano and Lucas Biglia are the keys to Argentina's defense. For Argentina to win, it will need another outstanding defensive effort, coupled with the magic of Messi.
The Netherlands has had a very interesting tournament. It manhandled defending champion Spain, 5-1, in the opening game of group play, and completed the group with three victories. In the knockout games against Mexico (2-1, two late goals) and Costa Rica (0-0, 4-3 penalty shootout), it barely managed to win despite being the dominant team in both games.
The Netherlands has three excellent attacking players in Arjen Robben (three goals), Robin Van Persie (three goals) and Wesley Sneijder (one goal). Robben has been as good as any attacking player in this tournament and is the key to this Dutch team. Playing out of a 3-4-3 formation, the team has been very good on defense and dangerous going forward. I think this balance will create problems for Argentina.
This game is a toss-up and could go to penalties, which would favor the Netherlands and its shootout specialist goalkeeper, Tim Krul. Therefore, I'm picking the Netherlands to advance to a second consecutive World Cup final.
So in a highly unpredictable tournament, I see an all-European World Cup with Germany against the Netherlands on July 13.
Arena is coach and general manager of the Galaxy and was coach of the U.S. team in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
Inderdaad!quote:Op dinsdag 8 juli 2014 15:48 schreef Nystiq het volgende:
[..]
Die Argentijnse comments
Die zijn super bang voor Robben.
quote:World Cup: Will Messi or Robben win battle of wizards?
(CNN) -- All eyes will be on Lionel Messi and Arjen Robben when Argentina face the Netherlands in the World Cup semifinal in Sao Paulo to discover who will meet Germany in the final.
The Dutch will be looking to their mercurial winger to steer them to a second successive World Cup final while Argentina will likely need some Messi magic if they are to reach a first final in 24 years.
Both men have been central to the success of their sides so far in the competition earning glowing tributes from team managers past and present.
Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella said his midfield maestro was like "water in the desert" following his side's 1-0 victory over Belgium in the quarterfinals.
"Each time he gets the ball, it represents hope for all of us and a threatening situation for our opponents," Sabella told reporters after the game.
"Regardless of whether he scores goals or not, his influence is decisive. A game has many aspects, apart from goals.
"When you have a player such as Messi, who never, or almost never, loses the ball, it's water in the desert and not just when he scores."
Dutch praise for Robben has been equally fulsome.
Former Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk, who steered the Oranje to the final in 2010, believes Robben may be a better player than the Barcelona midfielder.
"Argentina have got Messi, we've got Robben. And quite frankly, I think the better player is Arjen," van Marwijk told Dutch broadcaster NOS TV.
"Four years ago, Arjen was injured just before the start of the tournament in a friendly against Hungary. He was carrying the injury for the whole tournament and was never really 100%. But this year he's been unstoppable."
Current teammate Dirk Kuyt has also lauded the Bayern Munich star's contribution in Brazil.
"I wouldn't swap Robben for any player in the world," Kuyt told FIFA.com earlier in the tournament.
"He is having an amazing World Cup. He's scored goals and created goals, he's so fast and he is a very important player for us."
Three goals and one assist at the finals attest to Robben's value, though he's also attracted plenty of criticism for his theatrical habit of going down in the penalty area during the tournament.
Coach Louis van Gaal will need the 30-year-old to put in a flawless performance if the Dutch are to progress.
As Sabella has hinted, two-time champions Argentina are perhaps even more reliant on Messi.
The 27-year-old has scored half of Argentina's eight goals in the competition so far.
With Angel di Maria ruled out with a thigh injury, strikers Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero (if passed fit) will be relying on Messi more than ever to set them free in front of goal.
World Cup app brings fans together Crazy cabbie is Germany's biggest fan
With three Ballon d'Or awards, three Champions League winners medals and six La Liga titles to his name, Messi would seal his place in football's pantheon if he became the first Argentine since Diego Maradona to lift the trophy.
But he's not getting carried away just yet.
"To play a World Cup final with the great atmosphere of the Maracana is something what every player dreams of, but first we have to make sure we get there," Messi said, FIFA.com reported.
Previous matches between the two sides have produced moments of individual brilliance -- Dennis Bergkamp's exquisite 90th-minute winner in the quarterfinal in 1998 was one of the greatest goals ever seen at a World Cup finals.
Twenty-four years earlier it was Johan Cruyff who was strutting his stuff, scoring two goals for the Dutch in a 4-0 win at the 1974 finals hosted and won by Germany.
Argentina's only victory against the Netherlands at a World Cup came in the 1978 final -- legendary striker Mario Kempes scoring twice in a 3-1 extra time win at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
For all the attacking flair on the pitch, the result, in the end, may hinge on the tactical nous of the men in suits standing on the touchline.
Since taking over in 2011, Sabella has overseen just four losses in 39 matches.
Van Gaal, meanwhile, has seen his side lose just twice in 26 matches during his second stint as the national coach.
The 62-year-old, who will take over as manager at English Premier League side Manchester United after the World Cup finishes, has won plaudits for some cunning substitutions during the finals.
The introduction of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar late in the game against Mexico helped turn the tide in the European side's favor.
The Schalke striker, who came on for Robin van Persie in the 76th minute, laid off the ball for Wesley Sneijder's sumptuous 88th-minute strike before scoring a penalty in injury time as the Oranje snatched a 2-1 victory.
Against Costa Rica in the quarterfinals, Van Gaal sent on goalkeeper Tim Krul in the dying seconds of extra time.
The bold move worked as the Newcastle United keeper pulled off two saves in the shootout to send the Dutch into the semis and a step closer to a first World Cup title.
"Maybe Louis does have a golden willy," Robben cheekily said following the last-gasp win over Mexico in the last 16.
On Wednesday we may be one step closer to finding out.
En terecht dat die Duitsers echt bang zijn voor Robbenquote:Op woensdag 9 juli 2014 13:52 schreef Spies het volgende:
Bild schreeuwt dat Duitsland beter Argentinië kan treffen in de finale dan Oranje.
http://www.bild.de/sport/(...)l-36736810.bild.html
Als je de comments leest onder dit artikel:quote:Op woensdag 9 juli 2014 13:52 schreef Spies het volgende:
Bild schreeuwt dat Duitsland beter Argentinië kan treffen in de finale dan Oranje.
http://www.bild.de/sport/(...)l-36736810.bild.html
quote:Op woensdag 9 juli 2014 14:22 schreef oheng het volgende:
[..]
Als je de comments leest onder dit artikel:
http://www.bild.de/ka/p/ugc/36736808/comment/popular
Er zit een Anton Mussert te posten....
quote:Op woensdag 9 juli 2014 13:52 schreef Spies het volgende:
Bild schreeuwt dat Duitsland beter Argentinië kan treffen in de finale dan Oranje.
http://www.bild.de/sport/(...)l-36736810.bild.html
quote:Ganz klar: Die Mannschaft von Trainer-Fuchs Louis van Gaal ist brandgefährlich. Und eine Final-Niederlage gegen unser Nachbarland wäre die reinste Katastrophe.
Uit hetzelfde artikel:quote:
quote:‘Robben zal onzichtbaar zijn en gaat de bal niet eens aanraken’
Woensdag, 9 juli 2014 om 20:00
De halve finale tussen het Nederlands elftal en Argentinië is ook een beetje een tweestrijd tussen Arjen Robben en Lionel Messi. De Oranje-international is in topvorm en ook Messi is tijdens het WK 2014 al van onschatbare waarde geweest voor zijn Argentinië. Diego Maradona gaat ervan uit dat Messi als winnaar uit de strijd komt.
/
De voormalig stervoetballer en bondscoach van los Albicelestes denkt dat Robben geen gevaar zal vormen voor de verdediging van de Argentijnen: “Het team gaat net als in 1978 van Nederland winnen en gaat naar de finale”, zegt Maradona in Diez de Zurda. “Ik heb de jongens op televisie gezien en ze maken een scherpe indruk. Ik heb er veel vertrouwen in.”
“Nederland is een goede en gerespecteerde tegenstander. Holland zal druk proberen te zetten, maar Robben zal onzichtbaar zijn”, vervolgt Pluisje. “Hij zal de bal niet eens aanraken. Hij moet gaan voetballen en niet in een zwembad duiken, dat vergeet hij nog weleens. We moeten winnen en dan gaan we naar de finale.”
Tot nu toe klopt het aardigquote:Op woensdag 9 juli 2014 20:18 schreef Monolith het volgende:
Zo zie je maar weer dat overmatig cocaïne gebruik behoorlijke schade aanricht.
Geel Huntelaar. Terecht. Schopt maar tegen die voorstopper.quote:
Neu niet echt. Het probleem lag meer in de aanvoer en Messi kon ook geen potten breken. Daarnaast voetbalt Robben al het hele toernooi uitstekend en duikelt hij nauwelijks.quote:
Wat betreft Robben had hij wel gelijk. Die is nauwelijks gevaarlijk geweest.quote:Op woensdag 9 juli 2014 20:18 schreef Monolith het volgende:
Zo zie je maar weer dat overmatig cocaïne gebruik behoorlijke schade aanricht.
Nee.quote:Op donderdag 10 juli 2014 06:30 schreef Copthorne het volgende:
Was de scheidsrechter echt zo partijdig?
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