Day 4: Costa Rica vs Serbia, Germany vs Mexico , Brazil vs Switzerland

Quality of forward passing from the Swiss has been dreadful. Both choice and execution, Lichsteiner is in so much space running off Neymar and none of them have the craft to find him.
 
bosnian_red said:
They're 6th because they exploited the system and rarely play friendlies. Serbia high on confidence after a win, Switzerland all the pressure as itll be a must win for them basically. Could easily see them being knocked out.
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They can't exploit it to that extent surely. They did well in qualifiers. Serbia vs Switzerland will decide who joins Brazil but the Serbians didnt impress me in their first game.
 
BusbyMalone said:
Been quite average Brazil so far imo
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Yep. Dont remember when the World Cup has seemed this open and unpredictable in terms of team quality. There are some quality teams but no outright favourite imo. Spain, Brazil, France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Argentina, England, a few others... No stand out side, plenty with bits of quality but their own weaknesses too.
 
marktan said:
Switzerland are playing reasonably well, just no real goal threat. Decent everywhere else but the striker and that Suber lad who I think is the second attacker.
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yeah... the gulf in class, both individual and on aggregate as a team, is just too much to handle for them atm
 
VorZakone said:
And yet these guys would destroy an amateur XI. It's weird isn't it.
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That's what professional fitness and diet training at multi million pound complexes gets you. Deny them that for a couple of years and the same amateur XI wouldn't pick them as subs let alone first teamers.
 
Quite enjoy watching Neymar getting kicked around the pitch. A few more and he might go crying off to the arms of his sister.
 
Brazil are playing at walking pace. They're not threatened a little bit and this makes the game boring.
 
Very boring game, Brazil just controlling the game without busting a sweat. Switzerland not good enough up top.. should go slightly more crazy in the second half, Mexico-style
 
MadDogg said:
From memory Jesus started his City career brilliantly. What's happened since then?
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I thought of him more as a poacher for City. When he's expected to do more work, like for this Brazil team, his technical ability doesn't really stack up
 
Four pundits for the ITV panel is too much. Neville kind of rushes his point to give others time and it starts to become a little superficial
 
Micky Targaryen said:
Well done Mexico, Well done. Very good game for the neutrals. Lozano was very impressive and a great first touch, and Herrera has quite an engine in him.

For the avid watchers of Mexico international games, have Mexico's playing style always been like this? (ie. Playing the ball from the back, rapid counter attack, etc)
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This more of a fairly recent development since about 2010. In previous years we never had pacy wingers or strikers. It worked well in 2014 and now tbf
 
Teams like Switzerland can learn a thing or two from Latin-American grit and passion.
 
vodrake said:
I thought of him more as a poacher for City. When he's expected to do more work, like for this Brazil team, he doesn't really stack up
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Just proof that the system makes a big difference.

City's attackers hardly have to do any defensive running so stay fresh all the time.

In other teams they look more average again, it's no surprise.
 
Swiss are dominating the match, but eventually the gulf in class will shine through as usual, like Pool against Madrid
 
Acole9 said:
Jesus is crap.
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Shhhhh, don't let the cat out of the bag. We need him to continue preventing Firmino from the limelight. :nervous: The fecker Coutinho got noticed for Brazil and Barcelona were all over him. The cnuts. :mad:
 
Loublaze said:
They can't exploit it to that extent surely. They did well in qualifiers. Serbia vs Switzerland will decide who joins Brazil but the Serbians didnt impress me in their first game.
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Since the last world cup they had 1 impressive result with a home win over Portugal, and recently drew with Spain in one of the pre world cup friendlies (de gea mistake tbf). Didnt think they did anything impressive at the last euros, all their other qualifiers are just beating the teams you should. Like it's pretty standard results for what you would expect as they arent awful, they're solid but them being 6th shows how much of a farce the rankings are. They're decent at best, but no better then teams like Serbia or Iceland IMO. Solid, unspectacular.
Anyway, I agree, dont think theres much between the other 3 sides in the group but Brazil will qualify with ease.
 
Swiss are dominating the match, but eventually the gulf in class will shine through as usual, like Pool against Madrid
 
Fantastic match. Brazil is brilliant. Switzerland has been great, it's just the final balls let them down so much.

Neymar has been absolutely dogshit. Don't know if he's unfit or what. Jesus is useless.
Coutinho is absolutely incredible as a CM, much better than him as LW (which is so good already). Don't know why Barca never tried him there.
 
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I think Brazil know they'll top this group with relative ease. Can't wait to see them square off hopefully against one of Spain or France.

Tbh I think the Swiss are doing well by trying to play on the front-foot, if you sit deep against all these attackers you'll just die. Better to try play in the other half and Shaqiri and the full backs high can retain possession well.
 
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