FOOTY FAIR

5 Odd Summer Transfers (2016)

2016-09-01T11:15:00.000-04:00

With the transfer window closed as of yesterday, I take a look at some transfers that I found to be a bit odd (for various reasons).

David Luiz (PSG to Chelsea)

With nine winner medals from his two seasons with French club Paris Saint-Germain, Brazilian defender David Luiz is back with Chelsea. Sure, we have seen similar situations on many occasions in the past, after-all, there is nothing wrong with a footballer going back to a club he had played for previously. But was this a smart decision on Chelsea’s part? As the news of Luiz coming back to Stamford Bridge made the rounds many fans were happy with Sideshow Bob’s doppelganger's return, while many felt it was a bit of bad business and a desperation last minute signing from Antonio Conte.

Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle to Tottenham)

After a Harry Houdini like disappearing act in the past couple years while wearing the Newcastle United uniform, Moussa Sissoko got his wish to leave the relegated club for "greener pastures". The entire saga leading up to the French midfielder’s departure was more of a circus show than magic however. After Everton seemed to have reached an agreement with Sissoko, the unhappy footballer decided to leave the club hanging at the last minute when Spurs matched the offer, despite claiming to be an Arsenal fan earlier in the year when rumors about interest from the Gunners were circulating. But the real reason this transfer made our list is the whopping £30 million both the Toffees and Spurs were willing to pay for Sissoko who was one of the star players Newcastle needed to perform in order to stay in the Premier League; a player who disappointed in the majority of match-days with the Magpies in the last couple of years.

Joe Hart (Manchester City to Torino - Loan)

Once (and quite recently) hailed as one of the world’s best goalkeepers, Joe Hart fell out of favor with new Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola pretty quickly. With his first spot in the England squad hanging in the balance Hart decided to go where playing minutes would be plenty. Why Torino though? The club has not enjoyed any kind of real success in the Italy’s Serie A for quite some time and although Hart is very likely to get the playing minutes desired, a lack of defensive skill at the club may very well expose the weaknesses that prove to new England manager Sam Allardyce that Hart may afteral not be the greatest first choice for the Three Lions.

Joleon Lescott (Aston Villa to AEK Athens)

Once a big part of England’s back-line, Joleon Lescott is pretty far from his best days at Everton and Manchester City. After a disastrous campaign with Aston Villa in which Lescott’s say it like it is approach got him in hot waters with the club’s fans, the former England international has earned a transfer at last. AEK Athens however, is quite an odd destination for the defender. The club had recently been playing in Greece’s lower leagues after a voluntary relegation due to financial instability and although a 3rd place finish in last season’s table handed the Greek club a Europa League spot, the club was eliminated in the third round of play which makes the signing of the Englishman seem weird.

Mario Balotelli (Liverpool to Nice)

I genuinely once thought that young Mario Balotelli will once become one of the greatest footballers of my generation. Some years later and the ever controversial striker is no longer a part of the Italian national squad and is now changing the shirts of the likes of Milan, Liverpool and Inter Milan for the kit of small club OGC Nice in the south of France. Perhaps less attention could be good for the now 26 year old striker, although it seems that the spotlight has not been on Balotelli for quite a while now, as even his biggest fans have given up on the player to reach his full potential.

Throwback Thursdays: Germany 7 - Brazil 1

2015-07-09T12:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of what is undoubtedly the most seismic result in the 85 year history of the FIFA World Cup.

The result I'm referring to of course is Germany's earth-shattering 7-1 thrashing of Brazil in the 2014 World Cup semi-final, a result that will continue to jump out decades from now when football fans like myself pore over the scores from tournaments of the past.

It was a watershed moment for both German and Brazilian football, which felt dreamlike on the day. Brazil's heaviest defeat in a competitive fixture since their 6-0 loss to Uruguay in 1920 and undoubtedly the most humiliating elimination of a host side in the history of the World Cup.

For Germany it was the culmination of a little over a decade's worth of improving the standard of their youth development and the integration of these players into their full side.

The likes of Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Sami Khedira, Mats Hummels and Mesut Ozil had been on Germany's 2009 UEFA European U21 Championship winning squad and last summer's tournament in Brazil was when this great side reached their peak following impressive performances at senior level in the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship.

For Brazil the result would prompt a lot of soul searching about the current state of football in a country that, to the outside world, seems to take it's greatness for granted. Almost spoiled by the staggering success of five World Cup wins, the Brazilian Football Confederation seems to have taken their eye off the fact that besides Neymar they have few players that can match the quality of their stars of old.

Even heading into the Semi-Final last summer with Germany there were warning signs that Brazil might be in trouble, as they weren't altogether impressive in advancing with seven points from a group containing Croatia, Mexico and a very sub par Cameroon side. They were in fact very fortunate to beat Croatia in the opener, due in no small part to a very dodgy penalty kick being awarded in their favour.

In the round of 16, their luck held out again as they were outplayed for long stretches by a vibrant Chile side, who almost won the match at the death before falling to the hosts on penalty kicks.

Colombia, the darlings of the tournament with their bright new star James Rodriguez, were seen off by a score of 2-1 in the Quarter-Finals in a bruising encounter which left Brazil without Neymar, who suffered a fractured vertebra, and Thiago Silva, who was suspended.

Germany on the other hand had gotten out of a difficult looking group containing Portugal, Ghana and the United States with seven points themselves before winning tight contests over Algeria and France in the knockout stages.

If neutrals were giving Germany a slight advantage heading into the Semi-Final, they still couldn't have expected what was to come.

The night of July 8, 2015 in Belo Horizonte had an odd feel to it from the start. With Julio Cesar and David Luiz holding the shirt of the injured Neymar during the national anthems as if the player had died, and with other Brazilian players seemingly on the verge of tears, the emotional state of the side should have been more of a concern to manager Luis Felipe Scolari.

After an even opening ten minutes, Thomas Muller shook off the hapless Luiz on a corner to open the scoring for Germany on 11 minutes and after a frantic attempt by Brazil to get back into the match the wheels dramatically fell off.

In the 23rd minute Miroslav Klose doubled Germany's lead, his 16th career World Cup goal which broke Ronaldo's mark, and then a further six minutes of madness saw Toni Kroos pot two goals and Sami Khedira help himself to one.

By the 29th minute Brazil were down 5-0 and had already, for all intents and purposes, been humiliated.

To compound their suffering, second half substitute Andre Schurrle added goals in the 69th and 79th minute, before Oscar scored the most meaningless consolation goal in the history of international football in the 90th minute.

To the Germans credit they had stopped celebrating their goals by the time of going four up, and could have probably scored more in the second half.

Brazil's play was so mistake ridden it became a mystery how they had managed to get to this stage at all.

Germany would go on to defeat Argentina 1-0 in extra-time in the final to cap their fourth World Cup win, while Brazil would lose 3-0 to the Netherlands in the third place play-off. Both of those results now seem immaterial in a sense after the Semi-Final that preceded it.

The match wasn't a freak, but a perfect double helix-like coming together of a German side on the rise and a Brazilian side in decline.

That David Luiz is a Work of Art (Gallery)

2015-06-13T16:00:00.000-04:00

Whether it's his football skills or his iconic hair one thing is for sure, David Luiz is one of the favorite footballers for artists to use as the subject for their illustrations, caricature drawings and paintings. Here is a collection we put together of the Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain defender.

Memes - The Best of David Luiz

2015-02-18T12:00:00.001-05:00

When you're a world renown footballer and look like sideshow Bob from The Simpsons, the internet is bound to give you the meme treatment in all its glory. But when you also act bizarre on many instances on and off the pitch (like moving the foam spray for your buddy Zlatan), the lovely inter web people will just rip you apart.

From comparisons to a cartoon charachter, to the cries after a 7-1 loss to Germany during this past summer's World Cup, we give you the best of David Luiz from around the internet.

The Monday Meltdown - FIFA's World XI Stinks

2015-01-12T16:00:00.000-05:00

It’s Monday, January 12 in the year of our lord (Sepp Blatter) 2015 and everyone’s favourite football governing body has handed out a few awards.

Unable though to take a simple leak in a urinal without spraying piss all over the floor, FIFA have announced a World XI that is as laughable as their claims of integrity.

Although there are a few obvious names on the list like the bronzed Cristiano Ronaldo, noted tax dodger Lionel Messi and the 57 year old wing wizard Arjen Robben on the team, there are some inclusions that have prompted howls of derision on social media.

First of all FIFA, also known as the Swiss Mafia, hung on to the rule that there has to be a Barcelona midfielder on the World XI, despite the fact that Barcelona weren’t very good in the last calendar year and the player in question, Andres Iniesta, looked tired, sweaty and balding at the World Cup for Spain.

The defense is where things get really hilarious though. To start with we have Thiago Silva, who is a good defender that plays for the only decent team in France and had a decidedly average to poor World Cup, the excellent Phillip Lahm, who actually played most of last year for Bayern as a defensive midfielder and it’s really a defender in the true sense anymore, Sergio Ramos who is always a calamity waiting to happen for club and country, and then the funniest of all… David Luiz. They actually included the clown of World Cup 2014, who cried and capitulated as the German’s ran riot in the Semi Final. He was also decidedly average for Chelsea last season, before his ridiculously overpriced move to PSG.

David Luiz’s inclusion is almost as hilarious as the World Cup going to Qatar in 2022.

On a somewhat controversial note, some are arguing that Angel Di Maria shouldn’t be in the XI, after his injury plagued and somewhat spluttering start to life at Old Trafford, after his move to Manchester United from Real Madrid last summer. Di Maria was impressive for Madrid in 2014 and did play a prominent role in Argentina’s run to the World Cup Final, so I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt though.

In terms of exclusions, there was no place for 2014’s breakout star James Rodriguez, and despite him sinking his teeth into a bit of Italian in Brazil, it was a poor decision to exclude Luis Suarez, who nearly single headedly dragged Liverpool to their first title in 24 years. Likewise, Gareth Bale, Diego Godin, and Diego Costa will feel a bit hard done by.

It also seemed that despite Atletico Madrid’s heroic La Liga title and run to the Champions League Final, they still aren’t fashionable enough to warrant anyone in the World XI.

Apparently the team is made up of votes by players, but if that’s the case you have to wonder if the players put any thought into these selections at all?

2014 World Cup - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

2014-07-14T20:00:00.000-04:00

FootyFair's three reflect on the good, bad and ugly things in this year's World Cup.

THE GOOD

Kon: Goalkeeping has been a very welcomed bright spot in this tournament. With acrobatic performances and incredible penalty saves often on display ,there have possibly been more goalkeepers worth mentioning than in any previous tournament and although some have seen the end of their campaign before the round of 16, they all deserve credit for their performances, so here they are: Brazil's Julio Cesar, Costa Rica's Keylor Navas, Dutch keeperTim Krul and Argentina's Sergio Romero for the penalty-kick heroics. Mexico's Guillermo Ochoa, Nigeria's Vincent Enyeama and Algerian keeper Raïs M'Bolhi for their incredible performances in the group stages. American goalkeeper Tim Howard for his display in groups and against the Belgians in the round of 16. And of course the golden glove winner, German net-minder Manuel Neuer for an overall outstanding World Cup campaign.

Pedro:The incredible quality of the football played on the field. I don’t remember one single tournament where the quality of the games was this high. There were very few that were not good, the vast majority was not only entertaining it was extremely well played. If I had to pick my top 5 matches of the tournament to illustrate what I am saying I would have to look no further than, Spain vs. Netherlands, Australia vs. Netherlands, Brazil vs. Germany, Argentina vs. Nigeria & Colombia vs. Uruguay. These are just five examples; I would be able to come up with more. It would be a harder exercise to come up with 5 horrible games.

Iain: The best group stage I've ever seen. Although I thought the quality of the knockout rounds dropped off a little bit in terms of excitement, the opening stage of this World Cup was absolutely incredible. Starting with the Netherlands 5-1 destruction of Spain, Colombia's entertaining 3-0 win over Greece, carrying through to Germany's thrilling 2-2 draw with Ghana, and America's 2-2 draw with Portugal this was a group stage to savour. There was some brilliant, positive attacking football and it was a treat to watch.

THE BAD

Kon: Russia alongside Belgium, were pretty heavy favorites to come out of their group H at least into the round of 16. Managed by none other than Italian master coach Fabio Capello, the hosts of the next World Cup in 2018 were unable to produce even the slightest bit of football that would be considered World Cup worthy. While losing 2-1 to Belgium may have seemed excusable, draws against the South Koreans and Algerians will surely go in the books as extremely disappointing. With a squad that came out of their qualifying campaign as group winners ahead of Portugal, the Russians seemed unsure as to what they were doing in Brazil, with an awful brand of football comparable only to that of Honduras and Cameroon in this particular World Cup.

Pedro: The refereeing was horrible in this tournament. From the first game between Brazil vs. Croatia to the last games, the referees made some incredible dumb and horrible calls. Looking back I don’t think we have had so many bad calls in a tournament since the 2002 Japan/Korea World Cup. One of the worst calls was the penalty for Netherlands against Brazil in the 3^rdplace match. The referee managed the nearly impossible, by making two bad calls in the same play. Robben was taken down outside the penalty area, so it should be a free-kick and not a penalty and Thiago Silva should have been red carded and not yellow. He was the last man back and the rules are clear, for a foul like that when you are the last man, you get a red.

Iain: The performance of Asian sides in the tournament. Although I agree with my colleagues in their assessment of how horrible Russia were to watch and the low standard of the refereeing, I was most disappointed with the poor performance of the Asian sides in this World Cup. Australia, who aren't technically an Asian side but qualify out of the AFC, were in a ridiculously hard group and predictably finished with 0 points. They did put in a decent effort, but were well short of the required quality to progress. South Korea, meanwhile, were a shadow of the energetic and technically gifted sides they've sent in the past and went out with a whimper. The biggest disappointment was Japan, who were drawn in a fairly even looking group and on paper had one of the stronger sides they've ever sent to a World Cup. Their campaign was an utter disaster though as they ended up with only a single point. For the second tournament since 2002, no Asian side progressed to the Round of 16.

THE UGLY

Kon: Cameroon's and Ghana's money "starved" squads for me was the very ugliest thing about this tournament. Instead of concentrating on their football, the two nations' players' minds were on whether or not they will be paid their bonuses. But bonuses for what, is my question. Both teams, and especially Cameroon who were not even willing to board their plain to Brazil due to concerns over their bonus pay, played horribly. With Ghana's one point and Cameroon's awful three losses in as many matches, the two greedy nations crashed out of the tournament, but not before receiving millions of dollars in payouts from their country's football associations. What ever happened to the pride of representing your country in the big tournament? And do these players really need the paycheck so bad, with the footballers of the two squads worth around 200 million pounds on the transfer market?

Pedro: Suarez biting Chiellini has to be the ugly. This World Cup will always be remembered not by the incredible goals or plays, but by a moment of insanity from Suarez. His bite on Chiellini during their last group stage game was a black mark on the player, his country and the tournament. Something like this should not be happening at this level and stage. FIFA handled it well, and the punishment is severe and warranted, but the action will forever live in our minds and in World Cup history.

Iain: Brazil's humiliation, although perversely thrilling to witness at the time, was absolutely horrific for that proud footballing nation. As great as Germany were in that 7-1 Semi Final massacre, Brazil's defense looked like it was comprised of a bunch of drunk guys picked at random from the Silly Dog and Duck Pub. They were useless in all senses of the word, but seeing as how the players involved in the infamous Maracanazo, when Brazil lost 2-1 to Uruguay in the de facto 1950 World Cup Final, were still reminded of that defeat fifty years later I have some sympathy for the Brazilian squad. Make no mistake about it, these players will have this humiliation hanging over their heads for the rest of their lives. The defending was ugly, but the fallout will be just as harsh as many of this Brazil squad won't be asked to represent their country again and they will always have to live with the shame of the heaviest defeat in Brazil's history.

2014 World Cup: Top 5 Goals (Gallery)

2014-07-14T17:00:00.000-04:00

5- David Villa (Australia vs Spain)

4- David Luiz (Brazil vs Colombia)

3- Tim Cahill (Australia vs Netherlands)

2- James Rodriguez (Colombia vs Uruguay)

1- Robin Van Persie (Spain vs Netherlands)

2014 World Cup Match Day 24 (3rd Place): Goals & Highlights

2014-07-12T20:00:00.000-04:00

Game 60: Brazil 0-3 Netherlands

2014 World Cup Match Day 24: Recap (3rd Place Match)

2014-07-12T18:30:00.000-04:00

Brazil 0-3 Netherlands

With the humiliation of a six goal deficit loss in the semi-finals to the Germans still fresh on their minds, the Brazilian national team took on the pitch for their 3rd place affair against the Dutch, knowing that this will be their only chance at some sort of redemption in front of their home crowd. The spectators seemed to feel the pain of their beloved squad, singing the anthem loudly with all the pride they had left after the disappointment of the prior match.

In just the second minute, with Arjen Robben receiving a great through pass from Robin van Persie, Thiago Silva pulled the Dutchman from behind giving the Dutch an early penalty-kick. Van Persie was the man to take the spot-kick, and just like that memories of the shock loss to the Germany resurfaced. Silva’s pull on Robben may have been just outside the box, but a red-card was deserved on that play as Thiago Silva was the very last defender when he took Robben down. The referee however, decided to award the yellow.

Five minutes later and Robben received a yellow-card of his own; suggesting that the referee on the day was going to reach for his pocket on any questionable challenge.
On the 16th minute it seemed like a Brazilian Déjà vu

, as more horrible Brazilian defending led to the Netherlands’ second goal, as Daley Blind picked up a loose ball in the Brazilian box and put it in the roof of Julio Cesar’s net for his first international World Cup goal.

The next half-hour or so were quite uneventful, although the Dutch were looking the more dangerous side with some dominating midfield play. The Brazilians however, did not look as lost as they were after conceding two goals against the Germans, and did produce some “half chances” of their own, but without any success.

Oscar seemed the bright spot in Brazil’s squad with a few good runs and moves just outside of the Dutch box, but even his shot, which was Brazil’s only one on goal in that time frame, was easily gathered by the Dutch keeper.

In the second half the match took a turn to mediocrity, with both the Dutch and the Brazilians seemed content to slow the pace down. After a few half chances in the first 15 minutes, the score was still at 2-0, although possession was now swaying a bit more towards the home side.

In the 67th minute, Oscar was taken down by Dutch defender Blind inside the Dutch penalty area, but instead of what seemed a sure penalty-kick, the referee decided to award the Brazilian young player with a yellow card.

With a last gasp attempt, the Dutch would score their third and cap a miserable campaign for the home nation after a goal from Georginio Wijnaldum in added time, claiming the World Cup bronze medal. The Brazilians on the other hand, were losers for the second consecutive match on home soil for the first time in over 70 years and with their heads in their hands, the home squad would finish the competitions off with more questions than answers.

Staff Predictions:

Kon: Brazil 2-1 Netherlands
Iain: Brazil 2-1 Netherlands
Pedro: Brazil 3-1 Netherlands

Obviously all us were giving the hosts too much credit.

2014 World Cup Match Day 24 (3rd Place Match): Preview

2014-07-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

Brazil vs. Netherlands

Match Info

The third place match will be played at 5pm local time in Brazil.
This fixture is between two sides that have met six times before. The two nations share not only an identical record of 3 wins, 5 draws and 3 losses, but have also scored an exact 15 goals each in previous meetings. The match will take place at the 69,349 seat Estádio Nacional de Brasília Mané Garrincha, in the capital Brasilia. Brazil has played once before in this stadium, defeating Cameroon in the group stages 4-1. The Netherlands will be playing in the capital of Brazil for the first time in this tournament.

Netherlands' star winger Arjen Robben has gone on record saying that he does not care for the 3rd place match whatsoever. Brazil on the other hand, have some unfinished business after their humiliating 7-1 loss to Germany, after which they must have a good showing in front of their home supporters in order to regain any kind of respect from their nation's faithful.

Don't get your hopes up, Neymar will not be playing in this match. But the key ingredient that was missing against the Germans, captain and center-back Thiago Silva, will. Surely the Dutch don't want to finish off a decent World Cup run with two straight losses, but the Brazilians have much more riding on this fixture and are more likely to come out on their "front foot".

Players to watch

For the Dutch it will most likely be Tim Krul who had played all of 46 seconds before becoming a Dutch hero, leading his nation to a penalty kick victory over the Ticos from Costa Rica. Van Gaal must show the keeper respect and give him the nod in this "match that doesn't matter". For the Brazilians it will be David Luiz. The newly aquired PSG center-back must show his new teammates that he can be relied on, because if he shows up to camp after the World Cup with nothing other than the loss to Germany to show for, he may as well spend all of next season on the bench while proving to his colleagues in training that he can get the job done.

Staff Predictions:

Kon: Brazil 2-1 Netherlands

Iain: Brazil 2-1 Netherlands

Pedro: Brazil 3-1 Netherlands

2014 World Cup Match Day 22 (Semi-Final): Goals & Highlights

2014-07-08T20:05:00.000-04:00

Game 58: Brazil 1-7 Germany

2014 World Cup Match Day 22: Recap

2014-07-08T19:00:00.002-04:00

So we will see a rampant Germany in the Final of the World Cup.

Brazil 1-7 Germany

Before today, Germany and Brazil, two of the most successful sides in the history of international competition had only met once before in a World Cup. That was of course in 2002, when Ronaldo led Brazil to a 2-0 win in the World Cup Final.

To say that Germany took their revenge in the match today in Belo Horizonte would be the understatement of the decade.

Brazil were simply destroyed by the Germans. It's hard not to feel now that Brazil were frauds in even getting this far in the competition.

Without a trace of hyperbole, this is the result of our generation. No team has ever taken a beating like this in a World Cup Semi Final. The Germans thoroughly humiliated Brazil and this 7-1 score line will jump out in the record books forever.

Brazil lost something more than a football match tonight, they lost their air of invincibility. Never has a team in those bright yellow kits and blue shorts been shown up like this. Forget the trauma of 1950's 'Maracanazo', this is the greatest trauma this wonderful footballing country has ever known.

Brazil had not lost a competitive match at home since 1975, but within 19 devastating first half minutes they found themselves down by five goals. Once Thomas Muller scored from a corner on 11 minutes the result never seemed in doubt. In fact as Miroslav Klose broke the all time World Cup scoring record in the 23rd minute, and Toni Kroos added two quick strikes immediately after, the worry was that Brazil might lose by double digits.

The excellent Sami Khedira added another on 29 minutes and with substitute Andre Schurrle adding another two in the second half, Brazil's humiliation was complete.

The fact that Germany seemed annoyed to give up a late consolation to Oscar tells you all you need to know about this brilliant side. Make no mistake for as bad as Brazil were, Germany were absolutely wonderful. This was perhaps the finest performance I've ever seen by a side at a World Cup.

Manager Joachim Löw will hope that Germany has a bit left in the tank now to defeat either the Netherlands or Argentina to capture the country's fourth World Championship. It would take a fool to bet against them if tonight is anything to go by.

Staff Picks:

Both Kon and Iain had predicted a German victory in this one, but with Kon predicting a 2-0 win for the European side he wins on the day. Pedro, meanwhile, wrongly went with a Brazilian win in this one.

2014 World Cup Match Day 22 (Semi-Finals): Preview

2014-07-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

Today we will have our first semi-final match, let’s preview the game.

Brazil vs. Germany

Match Info

The first semi-final final match will be played today at 5pm local time in Brazil.
This fixture is between two sides that have met twenty one times before. The match will take place at the 58,170 seat Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte.

In those twenty one matches, Brazil has won twelve times while Germany has only won four, and they have tied five times. During those twenty one matches Brazil has scored thirty nine times while allowing twenty four goals.

This will be one of the hardest tests that Germany has faced until now. Brazil on the other hand is coming to this match on the back of a difficult victory against Colombia and a penalty kick victory over Chile. Neither team has played up to their value and standard, but both teams have been able to get the results they needed to advance to the next round. This match will demand more from both sides, and with a final looming everyone should have all the motivation needed to be able to put on a good performance. Keeping in mind that a European team has never won a World Cup hosted outside of Europe and that Brazil hasn’t lost a competitive game in home soil for two years, Germany will have to elevate their game to defeat the hosts.

Players to Watch

Neymar is out of the tournament and Thiago Silva is suspended for the match, so Hulk will have to elevate his game if Brazil is to advance against the strong and well prepared Germans. From a defensive side, David Luiz will have to be more aware of his position and not leave his defensive duties with dangerous dribbles. Not having Silva at the back could prove dangerous, more so if Luiz neglects his first duties to the team. From the German side, I see Hummels and Muller as the two key players. Hummels will have to be alert to the speed of Ramires, who will most likely replace Neymar in midfield and also to the power of Hulk. His discipline, vision and experience will be the factors that his other team mates in defense will rely on to help them during this game. Muller will have to be more mobile up front and bring the defenders with him, to create space for Gotze and Kroos to attack that same space left open by the defenders. He had a good group stage but since then he has been quiet, this is the perfect time for him to start to get noticed again.

Match Day 22 - Staff Picks

Kon: Brazil 0-2 Germany
Pedro: Brazil 2-1 Germany
Iain: Brazil 1-2 Germany

2014 World Cup QF: Best XI

2014-07-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

2014 World Cup quarter finals are over, let’s see who I consider the best XI of this round.

Goalkeeper – M. Neuer (Germany)

He was a stone wall for the Germans against France in their quarter finals match. He is the main reason why Germany is in another semi-final and with a clean sheet. He was calm, collected and when he was called into action he came through in a big way. His 90th minute save on Benzema short range shot was just another sign of what he had done for the duration of this match.

Defender – Zabaleta (Argentina)

He almost goes unnoticed during the game, because he is not a flashy player or someone who will dazzle you with incredible runs down the wing, but he is so consistent defending and has an extremely good final pass or cross into the box which makes him very important on both ends. He had a very solid game against Belgium, able to shut down De Bruyne, who had been so fundamental against USA in the previous round. He has been one of the best defenders in Argentina team that has managed to win games by 1 goal difference.

Defender – Thiago Silva (Brazil)

He is by far, aside from Neymar, Brazil’s best player. He scores the go ahead goal for Brazil in a corner kick and leads his team to victory against a very good Colombian side. Thiago Silva has been their best defender and their most consistent player of the tournament, but in this quarter final round he raised his level even higher. The only downside is that he saw a yellow card that will make him miss the semifinal game against Germany.

Defender – M. Hummels (Germany)

Hummels came back into his team in a big way. He scored the only goal of the match, which would guarantee them a spot in the semi-final. He was the anchor at the back but also versatile enough that he is able to start the play from the back. He was very solid defending, didn’t make mistakes and scored a winning goal, what else can you ask of your central defender.

Defender – David Luiz (Brazil)

PSG’s new defender has had an up and down tournament, but during the quarter final match against Colombia he had his best game to date. He scored the winner from an incredible free kick and was very strong in the box, clearing danger and also moving the ball forward into attack, which he loves to do but not always does well. He will have to play the same way in the semis. Brazil will be depending on him to surpass Germany in the absence of Thiago Silva.

Midfield – Arjen Robben (Netherlands)

He was Netherlands best player on the field against Costa Rica. Against a very strong defensive team that never really looked at scoring just defending, Robben looked like someone that wanted to finish the game within 90 minutes. His runs were incredible and his ability to still sprint at players even in the later stages of the game is a testament to his incredible physical condition.

Midfield – James Rodriguez (Colombia)

The tournament lost two of their stars in one game, James Rodriguez because Colombia was eliminated and Neymar due to injury. James scored his 6th goal of the tournament which gives him the lead and a real chance of winning the goal scoring title, but it wasn’t enough for his country to stay in the competition. He was once again Colombia’s bright star and his play in the second half gave them a real chance of winning this game. James has proved to be a world class player at such young age.

Midfield – Paul Pogba (France)

Pogba proved in this World Cup that France has a bright future in the middle of the park when it comes to box to box midfield players. He had another great game; I don’t think he can play bad even if he tried. He was able to control most of the offensive maneuvers from Germany and kept Muller quiet for 90 minutes which is not an easy task.

Midfield – T. Kroos (Germany)

He is such an important player in the German side, but is also one of the most under rated players on the team. He was fundamental in the game against France and one of their best players on the field. He is strong, smart and capable of moving the ball forward with quality as well as defending when he doesn’t have it. His quarter final game was his best game of the tournament so far.

Forward – Messi (Argentina)

Messi continues to shine for Argentina and be the world class player we all known he is and that he can be. He helped his country take one step closer to the dream of winning the World Cup, and his performance was once again, magical.

Forward – Higuain (Argentina)

He has been quiet for the duration of this tournament, but finally he scored a goal that is worth a spot in the semi-final. It was a pure forwards goal. Higuain has shown in the past that he is capable of scoring goals and being a decisive player in the box, when given a chance. He hasn’t had many chances in the tournament, but today the one he had he made it count. This should help his confidence going forward in the tournament.

2014 World Cup Match Day 20: Goals & Highlights

2014-07-04T20:00:00.000-04:00

Game 54: France 0-1 Germany

Game 55: Brazil 2-1 Colombia

2014 World Cup Match Day 16: Recap

2014-06-28T18:30:00.000-04:00

Round of 16 had its first two games today, let us recap all the action for you.

Game 46: Brazil 1-1 Chile (Brazil wins on PK 3-2)

The game started in such high tempo and it was obvious that Brazil was looking for an early lead that would get the fans involved in the match and be a true 12th man. They need their home field advantage if they were to defeat this strong Chilean side.

It was a cagy affair for the first 5-10 minutes of the game with a lot of fouls from both sides, and it looked worrisome for Brazil when Neymar was brought down in the middle of the field and needed medical treatment. He looked like he had injured his knee and it didn’t look like he was 100% from it. If had to leave the game that early with an injury would have been a huge blow for the Brazilian hopes of advancing to the next round. He was able to continue and that was a good sign for Brazil.

Brazil continued to push forward at a very high pace, able to have extremely quick transitions from defense to offense and Neymar’s speed was the main reason for it, since Hulk was absent from the game. Chile was more concentrated on holding Brazil off, and looking at exploring organized counter attacks when Brazil was dispossessed in their own half.

We didn’t have to wait long for a goal, and in the 18th minute from a Neymar corner, Thiago Silva deflects the ball with his head to the second post where David Luiz shows up to finish it with his thigh. It was a very un-orthodox goal, but a goal that counts and gives Brazil the lead. It was a deserved lead from Brazil that had looked like the most dangerous side.

Chile needed to get an equalizer before halftime if they were to continue in this game and have a chance at advancing. Almost 15 minutes after Chile went down a goal, Marcelo has a throw in near his corner flag that Hulk miss plays and allows Chile to regain possession, cross it into the box where Alexis Sanchez shows up with no marker and puts it in the back of the net. Not sure Julio Cesar could have done any better, his defenders and specifically Hulk had let him down.

There were 10 minutes left in the game and we had a 1-1 score, but Brazil was looking to regain the lead before the break. Neymar was involved in two of Brazil’s best chances of scoring the go ahead goal. First he quickly sprints into attack after Chile lost possession in the midfield. He loses control of the ball in the penalty area, while surrounded by two defenders and Fred that is arriving late, hits it with his left foot over the bar. Neymar had also a header that went only inches from the post, but they weren’t able to getting anything from those chances and both teams would go into the half tied at 1.

The second half started almost in a similar fashion as the first one, with a few fouls from both sides. Brazil looked better in the first 10 minutes, with very good ball control in the midfield, and well organized attack. Brazil’s superiority during this period almost resulted in a goal. Hulk chests a ball in the penalty area and taps it in out of the reach of Bravo, but Howard Webb called it back for a handball by Hulk and the goal was called off. Hulk saw a yellow card on the play for his handball, but the replays were not clear if indeed it was a handball.

After that play Chile took over the game, they took it to Brazil and looked extremely dangerous, specifically by Alexis Sanchez who has been their best player. Brazil was pushed into their own half and was forced to play long balls forward since they were unable to play the ball on the ground and pass it around like they normally do. Chile’s high lines pressing close to Brazil’s penalty area was causing Brazil a lot of problems.

During this period of Chile dominance, Brazil still managed to have two great goal opportunities. First it was Neymar with an open header in the 79m that Bravo was able to stop with ease, and Hulk in the 84m with a shot from short range that Bravo responded with an incredible save.

The last 5 minutes of the game it was all Chile, and you felt that if someone was going to score it would be Chile. It wasn’t meant to be and the game ended in a 1-1 draw. They would have to go into extra time to find a winner.

The 30 minutes of extra time brought a strong Brazil that decided that they wanted to resolve this game before PK’s. It was the Hulk and Bravo show during those incredible 30 minutes. Brazil just packed all their troops in Chile’s half and was resilient in their attack of the Chilean penalty area. Incredibly, the best chance of the 30 minutes of added time came from Chile. Pinilla with a long range shot that hits the crossbar with only minutes left in the game. It would have been the winner for sure, but it wasn’t meant to be, so off to penalty kicks they went. Still 1-1 after 120 minutes, penalties would be decisive in finding a winner.

1st PK – David Luiz – Goal (Brazil 1-0)

2nd PK – Pinilla – Saved (Brazil 1-0)

3rd PK – Willian – Missed (Brazil 1-0)

4th PK – Sanchez – Saved (Brazil 1-0)

5th PK – Marcelo – Goal (Brazil 2-0)

6th PK – Aranguiz – Goal (Brazil 2-1)

7th PK – Hulk – Saved (Brazil 2-1)

8th PK – Diaz – Goal (Brazil 2-2)

9th PK – Neymar – Goal (Brazil 3-2)

10th PK – Gonzalo Jara – Missed (Brazil 3-2)

Brazil wins on penalty kicks and advances to the QF.

Game 47: Colombia 1-0 Uruguay

The game started with both teams playing a cautious game and waiting to see what each other would do. These are two countries that know each other well from South America qualifiers and Copa America matches so there is mutual respect and that is visible in the way these two teams approached the game.

Colombia controlled most of the game and possession, but they weren’t able to do much with it. The game was being played in the midfield and both teams were playing it safe, not trying to break through and get caught in the counter attack which is the main weapon of both these teams. Uruguay was resorting to long balls to Cavani, but they were being dealt with by Yepes & Zapata with ease.

The way the game was going it was obvious that would take a stroke of genius to break the deadlock and at the 28th minute mark that genius sprung out of the bottle and his name was James Rodriguez. James Rodriguez chested a ball that was played into him, and one timed it with his left foot, pass Muslera and into the back of the net. This will be the goal of the tournament, and James Rodriguez is quickly making this World Cup the James Rodriguez show. Incredible player and he had now given Colombia the lead with a goal that came from the heavens.

You could tell that Uruguay without Suarez, and down a goal against this Colombia with a very hot James Rodriguez, would be a team lost at sea, with no bite in them.

Following the goal Colombia continued to press forward with quality passing and Uruguay continued to go with long balls to Cavani. Nothing would change for the next 15 minutes and they would go to halftime with Colombia leading 1-0.

The second half had barely got underway and James Rodriguez was already scoring his second of the match to put Colombia up 2-0 in the game. Cross from Armero, Cuadrado with his head lobbies it for James, that in front of net just has to tap it with his right foot.

Now, the feeling that this was the last nail in Uruguay’s coffin was sinking in. Sure there was a lot of game left to be played, but the way this team was playing you just felt like there was no chance they could come back from a 2-0 deficit.

Uruguay took out Alvaro Pereira and Forlan, brought in Stuani and Ramirez, different names but much of the same. The game didn't change for Uruguay; they were unable of constructing am offensive play and string more than 5 passes together.

Colombia continued to control the ball, the game, the score and by the looks of it this tournament. Cuadrado was the general on the field and James Rodriguez his best sharp shooter.

Uruguay would come close of scoring by Cavani with a low shot that the Colombian keeper finger tipped to corner. He seemed like the most unsatisfied player in Uruguay squad, looking for a goal that would bring life into his team. For what he did he deserved a goal, for what Uruguay did they deserved to go home, and indeed they are. The game came to an end and Colombia was the winner by a score of 2-0, both goals from James Rodriguez that now leads the tournament with 5 goals in 4 games.

Colombia advances to the QF, they will play Brazil.

Match Day 16 - Staff Picks

Kon: Brazil 1-2 Chile & Colombia 1-1 Uruguay (Col win on PK)
Pedro: Brazil 1-2 Chile & Colombia 2-0 Uruguay
Iain: Brazil 2-1 Chile & Colombia 2-0 Uruguay

Both Iain and Pedro had the exact result for the Colombia game, but Iain was the only one with Brazil advancing. The edge on today's predictions goes to Iain.

2014 World Cup Match Day Preview: Day 1

2014-06-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

The 2014 World Cup has finally arrived, and it could not start with a better match up between hosts Brazil and 1998 3rd place finishers, Croatia.

On opening day there will be only one match, so today we will be only previewing the game between Brazil and Croatia for Group A of the 2014 World Cup.

Match Info

This game will be played in Sao Paulo at 5pm local time in Brazil. The stadium hosting the opening match of the World Cup is the Arena Corinthians.

Arena Corinthians was constructed in 2014 and it has a capacity of 61,606 people.

For TV times and channels please check your local listings.

These two teams have faced each other twice in past competitions with one tie and one win for Brazil. There has been a total of 3 goals scored in those two matches with Brazil having two goals and Croatia having one.

Game 1 - Brazil vs Croatia

Brazil and Croatia share Group A with Mexico and Cameroon, making this first game of the group a key matchup for both these teams if they want to advance first in the group.

I don't think a tie or a loss by either team will really put them in a difficult situation for the rest of the group games, since i don't think that either of the other two teams in this group will create them any problems.

Brazil has more pressure on their side going into this game. They are the hosts and after winning the Confederations Cup in a convincing fashion last year, everyone expects them not only to finish first in this group but to win the tournament. They will have to come out and dictate the play and expect Scolari's man to do that in this first game.

Brazil are normally slow starters in these competitions but being at home they will need to change that or risk having the crowed against them instead of being on their side.

Croatia doesn't have any pressure coming into this match. To them, any result will do. Obviously they would love to win or even tie it, but even if they lose against the hosts, their advancement out of the group is not at risk.

I expect it to be a low scoring game with Brazil finding a way to break down Croatia and win the game. Croatia will most likely play in a counter attack, trying to pack the midfield and play on the error of the opponent. Brazil will be given the control of the game and ball and expected to have the vast majority of possession. Croatia will have to defend with high lines and keeping those lines close. The wingers will also have to help the fullbacks in defensive duties since Brazil has very strong players in wide positions.

Players to Watch

From Brazil the obvious choice is Neymar. He is expected to be the big star of the tournament, so he is without a doubt a player that we should all keep our eyes on. Another player will be David Luiz. He likes to dribble out of the defensive zone with the ball at his feet, and against a strong pressing Croatian team this could lead to quick counters.

From Croatia my two choices are Mandzukic and Rakitic. Mandzukic will be critical for Croatia, not only at this game but at any game. Against Brazil he will be asked to play in the space and show up in a finishing area to score, he won't get many chances so he will have to make them count. Rakitic will be the motor of the midfield. Against this Brazilian team, his passing, recovering the ball, and dictating the dynamics of his midfield will be important on trying to stop the high flying Brazilians.

Match-day 1 - Staff Picks

Pedro: Brazil 2-1 Croatia
Kon: Brazil 2-0 Croatia
Iain: Brazil 3-0 Croatia

2014 World Cup Caricatures (Gallery - Part 2)

2014-06-09T18:00:00.000-04:00

We continue to look at the work of Ricardo Galvao as he depicts the players and coaches of the upcoming World Cup in the form of a caricature.

Part 2 of our 2014 World Cup Caricatures Gallery

Neymar e Strootman

FOOTY FAIR

5 Odd Summer Transfers (2016)

David Luiz (PSG to Chelsea)

Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle to Tottenham)

Joe Hart (Manchester City to Torino - Loan)

Joleon Lescott (Aston Villa to AEK Athens)

Mario Balotelli (Liverpool to Nice)

Throwback Thursdays: Germany 7 - Brazil 1

That David Luiz is a Work of Art (Gallery)

Memes - The Best of David Luiz

The Monday Meltdown - FIFA's World XI Stinks

2014 World Cup - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

THE GOOD

THE BAD

THE UGLY

2014 World Cup: Top 5 Goals (Gallery)

5- David Villa (Australia vs Spain)

4- David Luiz (Brazil vs Colombia)

3- Tim Cahill (Australia vs Netherlands)

2- James Rodriguez (Colombia vs Uruguay)

1- Robin Van Persie (Spain vs Netherlands)

2014 World Cup Match Day 24 (3rd Place): Goals & Highlights

Game 60: Brazil 0-3 Netherlands

2014 World Cup Match Day 24: Recap (3rd Place Match)

Brazil 0-3 Netherlands

Staff Predictions:

2014 World Cup Match Day 24 (3rd Place Match): Preview

Brazil vs. Netherlands

Match Info

Players to watch

Staff Predictions:

2014 World Cup Match Day 22 (Semi-Final): Goals & Highlights

Game 58: Brazil 1-7 Germany

2014 World Cup Match Day 22: Recap

Brazil 1-7 Germany

Staff Picks:

2014 World Cup Match Day 22 (Semi-Finals): Preview

Brazil vs. Germany

Match Info

Players to Watch

Match Day 22 - Staff Picks

2014 World Cup QF: Best XI

Goalkeeper – M. Neuer (Germany)

Defender – Zabaleta (Argentina)

Defender – Thiago Silva (Brazil)

Defender – M. Hummels (Germany)

Defender – David Luiz (Brazil)

Midfield – Arjen Robben (Netherlands)

Midfield – James Rodriguez (Colombia)

Midfield – Paul Pogba (France)

Midfield – T. Kroos (Germany)

Forward – Messi (Argentina)

Forward – Higuain (Argentina)

2014 World Cup Match Day 20: Goals & Highlights

Game 54: France 0-1 Germany

Game 55: Brazil 2-1 Colombia

2014 World Cup Match Day 16: Recap

Game 46: Brazil 1-1 Chile (Brazil wins on PK 3-2)

Game 47: Colombia 1-0 Uruguay

Match Day 16 - Staff Picks

2014 World Cup Match Day Preview: Day 1

Match Info

Game 1 - Brazil vs Croatia

Players to Watch

Match-day 1 - Staff Picks

2014 World Cup Caricatures (Gallery - Part 2)

Messi e Vorm

Valbuena e Mascherano

Goetze e Mandzukic

Marcelo e Marchisio

Sakho e Neuer

Luiz Gustavo e Modric

Baines e Bonucci

Aguero e De Bruyne

James Milner e James Rodríguez

Joe Hart e Jeremain Lens

Igor Denisov e Iniesta

Abate e Akinfeev

Higuaín e Lloris

Garay e Gary Cahill