# 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:** 137
**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 5, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2721 "2014-07-05T17:35:42Z")
Here comes the pressure. Let’s see if the Argentine defense can withstand these last 15. The defense has been shaky to say the least in this tournament. ---
**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 5, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2722 "2014-07-05T17:37:55Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > One of the statlords at 538 has done an analysis of Messi vs his peers. He’s very exceptional on many counts [Lionel Messi Is Impossible | FiveThirtyEight](http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/lionel-messi-is-impossible/) Thanks. I just skimmed it, and it looks fascinating. I’ll check it out more closely later on. ---
**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 5, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2723 "2014-07-05T17:50:48Z")
Man, the Belgian front two or three are giants! This is an excruciating five minutes. ---
**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 5, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2724 "2014-07-05T17:53:02Z")
I would have put a million dollars on Messi to score that. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2725 "2014-07-05T17:55:23Z")
After all the upsets and excitements, we’re winding up with a bunch of the usual suspects. I’ll be rooting for Costa Rica in the next game. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2726 "2014-07-05T17:57:10Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Just to go back to this, since it’s half-time. What do your friends want? Like Suarez, Zuniga will not be able to play any more games in this World Cup. So, do they want him to miss some games for his club side, Napoli? I would be cool with that; he injured a player seriously pretty much intentionally. But there’s also the case that jumping up and getting kneed in the back is part of the game. Being intentionally bitten is not any part of the game and deserves to be punished as such. I know, and yea, probably miss games for his club side. Although it is probable they would’ve been happy with an automatic red card or something like that from the ref, but that ref didn’t have cards. And again, was it his first time in this Cup or had he participated in other games? ---
**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 5, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2727 "2014-07-05T17:58:05Z")
Well, this game makes me a bit more optimistic. They weren’t completely dependent on Messi, and played well enough even without Di María. The defense looked better, too. I think they should keep that thug Rojo on the bench, even when he’s served his suspension. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2728 "2014-07-05T18:00:08Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > After all the upsets and excitements, we’re winding up with a bunch of the usual suspects. I’ll be rooting for Costa Rica in the next game. 🙂 Yeah there hasn’t been a single upset in the knockout stage so far. And if Netherlands win you could argue that the remaining four teams are too evenly matched for any result to be considered an upset. Of course some big upsets in the group stage with the exits of Spain and Italy. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2729 "2014-07-05T18:04:53Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > And again, was it his first time in this Cup or had he participated in other games? He did Uruguay/England and Bosnia and Herzegovina/Iran. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2730 "2014-07-05T19:00:23Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > You know, I thought about practicing racial discrimination in soccer, but then my favorite player mumblingly read a script prepared by FIFA and now I’ve thought better of it. The BBC commentators were complaining endlessly about this yesterday during France-Germany. By the time they’d gotten to the anthems the players had been standing around in the sun listening to an anti-racist screed read first over the PA in English, then Portuguese, then Lloris had to read in French, then Lahm read in German. Then they had to sing the anthems and do handshakes, then the coin toss was delayed because the captains had to regather their teammates so they could be photographed with a banner featuring a racism hashtag. Mark Lawrenson seemed to think they were all going to collapse of heat stroke because of this delay. > [@KarlGrenze](#): > > I know, and yea, probably miss games for his club side. > > Although it is probable they would’ve been happy with an automatic red card or something like that from the ref, but that ref didn’t have cards. > > And again, was it his first time in this Cup or had he participated in other games? They don’t give you first matches in the knockout stages. Group stage performances are used to decide who gets the knockout assignments. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2731 "2014-07-05T19:41:38Z")
Beers in the fridge, TV on, I`m ready for a massacre. Hup Holland! ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2732 "2014-07-05T19:56:22Z")
Argentina was quite impressive defensively! The number of times they pulled the offsides trap in perfect sync was fantastically done. That is quite a well organized team Add Higuain now playing well, and they are a scary squad. And the team I’ll be rooting for (well, I’m rooting for South America, and with Neymar gone, Brazil is going to have a hard road). ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2733 "2014-07-05T19:57:27Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Does anyone think that there’s at least a possibility that Brazil could end up stronger without Neymar? They seem to rely on his ball possession, dribbling and pace too much. They end up watching and waiting for him to do something. Now they might be more of a team. This is similar to Argentina with Messi. That team is loaded with world class talent at every position but they just wait for Messi to perform his miracles. Meanwhile teams like France (without Ribery) and Colombia (without Falcao) gelled better and performed better than expected. The bigger problem for me is the upcoming absence of Thiago Silva. He was their rock and Dante scares me. His decisions from the back are very often too risky. I had thought of this. Maybe the Brazilians will step up when realizing they can’t rely on the otherworldly talents of Neymar and play more of a team. It’s possible. But who knows. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2734 "2014-07-05T20:04:43Z")
Go Ticos! At the very least, make the Oranges sweat. 😃 And at the most, win! ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2735 "2014-07-05T20:16:10Z")
Come on Costa Rica, one more time! ---
**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 5, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2736 "2014-07-05T20:40:15Z")
Very nice save there. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2737 "2014-07-05T21:05:16Z")
The Netherlands are playing better, but not by as much as one might expect. Costa Rica needs to get crisper and cleaner passing on offense. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2738 "2014-07-05T21:05:49Z")
Costa Rica aren’t getting many chances. The Dutch control the ball too well. A Dutch goal just feels inevitable. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2739 "2014-07-05T21:05:51Z")
Does anyone know the reason why so many Dutch and Belgian fans dress up as girls; fake breasts, hair, country girl dress and all? ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840/2740 "2014-07-05T21:12:32Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Does anyone know the reason why so many Dutch and Belgian fans dress up as girls; fake breasts, hair, country girl dress and all? Euhm, Do we need a reason? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840.md?page=136) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brasil-2014/687840.md?page=138)