# Brasil 2014 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 6, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840 "2014-05-06T21:19:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 119
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2361 "2014-07-01T13:11:34Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > Their opening match demolition of Portugal was pretty terrifying. You are correct. ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2362 "2014-07-01T13:38:34Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > ETA: Regarding the sweeper-keeper. I can’t help but think of the horrendous collision/assault/assassination attempt by Schumacher on France’s Battiston in Spain '82. It was the first World Cup that I watched and I still recall the outrage at the whole thing. And the referee’s decision to award a goal kick… to Germany was almost as shocking as the foul itself. Meanwhile, an unconscious Battiston (minus three teeth) was carried off the field on a stretcher. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGq7VcaHoqo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGq7VcaHoqo) > [@](#): > > A French newspaper poll asked which was the least popular man in France, and Schumacher beat Adolf Hitler into second. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2363 "2014-07-01T16:00:04Z")
Thank God, Agüero is sitting on the bench. He’s been a liability since the first game. Let’s see if Higuaín can start pulling his weight today. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2364 "2014-07-01T16:29:02Z")
Bit of pressure by the Swiss there. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2365 "2014-07-01T16:31:20Z")
So far all 6 round-of-16 matches have been won by the team that won their group. If that continues, Argentina and Belgium will win today (so as a USA fan I certainly hope it doesn’t). Has a world cup ever had all 8 round-of-16 matches won by the group winner? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2366 "2014-07-01T16:35:14Z")
I could only watch a half hour of it, but goddamn can Argentina pass the ball! They were kicking through legs, and in holes that would make Brett Favre jealous ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2367 "2014-07-01T16:36:55Z")
Even though Argentina has dominated possession, the Swiss have gotten the better looks at goal, mainly through poor defending by the Argentines. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2368 "2014-07-01T16:39:17Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > Yeah, the first 30 minutes belonged to Algeria, after that it was mostly Germany. Still, the Algerians posed a threat the entire game. As much as I was impressed by Neuer’s sweeping abilities such tactics may be a disaster waiting to happen. You cant keep playing like that without sooner or later coming up against a pacy striker who will make a keeper pay for straying outside the box. Neuer has always done this, though. It’s bitten him once that I can recall, but in Bayern it’s not unusual to see him suddenly appear way outside his area, even in midfield. Once when the team was trailing late he got the ball in midfield and dribbled through several defenders almost to the 18-yard box. He also took one of the penalties in the CL shootout against Chelsea. Point is, a bit of adventurousness and crazypants is part of the Neuer package. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2369 "2014-07-01T16:46:55Z")
Wow, no time added on at all at the end of the half. I think that’s a first for the tournament. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2370 "2014-07-01T16:53:36Z")
The Swiss are not shy to get physical are they? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2371 "2014-07-01T17:35:25Z")
Argentine game plan 1. Pass the ball to Messi 2. Let him deal with it ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2372 "2014-07-01T17:36:55Z")
So will it go to overtime again? ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2373 "2014-07-01T17:38:51Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > So will it go to overtime again? Sure feels like it. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2374 "2014-07-01T17:39:52Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Argentine game plan > > 1. Pass the ball to Messi > 2. Let him deal with it Well, it’s worked so far in this competition. He basically carried them through the group stage all by himself. They have some talented players, but at this World Cup they’ve been Messi plus ten other guys. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2375 "2014-07-01T17:43:18Z")
Really not sure how Messi managed to not get booked there. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2376 "2014-07-01T17:50:30Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Really not sure how Messi managed to not get booked there. Replay showed he barely touched the guy. The Swiss guy decided to flop. Good no-call and talking to by the ref (for both players). ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2377 "2014-07-01T17:51:44Z")
Seems like every game in the knockout round aside from Colombia vs. Uruguay (which Colombia won easily) and Costa Rica vs. Greece (which didn’t really have a heavy favorite) has been the same… plucky underdog keeps it much closer than anyone anticipated, but then loses. Can Switzerland break the pattern? ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2378 "2014-07-01T17:58:45Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Replay showed he barely touched the guy. The Swiss guy decided to flop. Good no-call and talking to by the ref (for both players). Replay showed he charged into a guy trying to get up off the floor. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2379 "2014-07-01T18:01:21Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Replay showed he charged into a guy trying to get up off the floor. We clearly saw different replays. Did yours include the flop at the end? ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2380 "2014-07-01T18:03:49Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > We clearly saw different replays. Did yours include the flop at the end? Much like with Robben, diving and and offence occurring are not mutually exclusive events. Messi clearly and deliberately charged someone for the offence of trying to get up off the floor. You don’t need to hit hard, the attempt is enough. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840.md?page=118) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840.md?page=120)