WORLD CUP

"BIGGER, FASTER AND STRONGER. THIS IS WHAT SOCCER IS TODAY." ATHLETICISM WITH TECHNIQUE WON OUT THIS YEAR

Thank You!

Germany see the value in players of all sizes.  The team captain and game winner are both under 5'9.  

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/germany/10965250/Mario-Gotze-was-told-by-Joachim-Low-to-show-the-world-he-is-better-than-Lionel-Messi.html

Technique with athleticism is what won. Not the other way around. Being big is a plus but not a requirement.

I was surprised to see how much technique they had. Those fast passes between three attackers to get past the Brazilian keeper were incredible. They have SKILL

Real Barcelona wrote:Technique with athleticism is what won. Not the other way around. Being big is a plus but not a requirement.

I think that "size at a particular position" is more of a reality than just size above all. I like big central defenders and goalkeepers and that is about it.

If you are big and fast with skill then you have an edge against big and slow with less skill.

Schurrle is 6' and Goetze is 5'9 which is average height. On the other hand Christiano is 6'2, but I wouldn't say his larger size is the determining factor for him either.

Like RB said "Technique with Athleticism" is what wins (Technical Brilliance cannot be overstated).

Lets now look at FIFA's ideal 11 (lots of differing opinions here but just to look at their height)
Manuel Neuer 6'4"
Defenders: Thiago Silva 6 ft, David Luiz 6'2", Stephen De Vrij 6'2", Matt Hummels 6'4"
Midfield: James Rodriguez 5'11", Toni Kroos 5'11", Oscar 5'11", Wesley Snider 5'7"
Forwards: Karim Benzema 6'2", Arjen Robben 5'11".
Golden Ball: Lionel Messi (forward) 5'7"
So my conclusion is that goalie and back line benefit from height. The rest not so much....

Luiz in the ideal 11 is a joke.

Messi winning the Golden Ball was an even bigger joke.

odie1993 wrote:Luiz in the ideal 11 is a joke.  

Messi winning the Golden Ball was an even bigger joke.

I am a big messi fan, but i agree. He knew he didn't deserve it and frankly was a non factor in the game. Very disappointing ...

Watching the commentators on BEIN Sports last night was pretty interesting.

The Italian guy said Messi should throw the golden ball trophy out of the plane on the way back to Argentina. They were pretty harsh claiming Messi was lazy, he never broke a sweat all game.

Most interesting point came from the guy defending Messi stating soccer has evolved and one player cannot make that big an impact in the modern game or carry a team the way Pele and Maradonna used to. The space is not there, the defenses are more organized and you simply can't impose your will on a game the way players used to.

I have a question.
When German Goalie runs over Higuain Argentinas forward in the box , Did the Ref make the right call?

No

It was a penalty per analyst.

jncruzgzz wrote:I have a question.
When German Goalie runs over Higuain Argentinas forward in the box , Did the Ref make the right call?

Hard call to make in real time and I probably would have made a no call and it would have been Argentina throw in.

In slow motion on my 55 inch TV, I saw Neur get the ball first, punch it out, and a split second later he and Higuan barreled into each other. Could argue he made the right call as the keeper got to the ball first and then there was contact.

Good thing I only make smart-a$$ comments from the sidelines during games and don't actually have to ref...

It should have been a non call. 50/50 challenge with Neuer winning the ball. the proper call should have been a throw in for Argentina.

If you want to call that a foul than you have to call the shoulder Kramer took in the side of the head a foul as well. Again, that was not a foul. incidental contact that resulted in an injury.

jncruzgzz wrote:I have a question.
When German Goalie runs over Higuain Argentinas forward in the box , Did the Ref make the right call?

No.  Neuer knew exactly what he was going to do.  Higuain was defenseless there and Neuer knew he was going to maul Higuain after knocking the ball out.  Neuer deserved a yellow and Argentina should have gotten a direct freekick from just outside the box.

You can't intentionally demolish an opponent on a slide tackle whether you get the ball first or not.  Whether you get the ball or not, you can't intentionally drop an opponent on their back while challenging for a header.  Why should a goalie in that situation be treated differently?  Neuer was wayyyyyy off his line.  Neuer created that potentially dangerous collision.  That was a bad decision by the ref.

The German's agree:

"For Germany, post-Euro 2000 was about changing philosophies as well as employing more full-time coaches and upgrading facilities. The DFB wanted to move away from playing in straight lines and relying on "the German mentality" to win matches. Instead coaches focused on developing fluid formations that required the sort of nimble, dexterous players who would previously have been overlooked because of their lack of physical strength.

In the past there were a lot of big players. But look at our players now," Dutt says. "You realise that an important thing for a football player is technique and then the height of the player, ordinarily, will be small. [Diego] Maradona, [Andrés] Iniesta, Xavi – all little players. In the defence we think we need big players. Mats Hummels is big but he is very good with the ball. In 1982 Mats Hummels wouldn't have played in defence, he would have played at No10. In the 1970s, [Franz] Beckenbauer was playing football and [Hans-Georg] Schwarzenbeck was running after the English players – if he got the ball he gave it to Beckenbauer and the job was done. But now Schwarzenbeck is Hummels, and Hummels plays like Beckenbauer and Schwarzenbeck."

How Germany went from bust to boom on the talent production line
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/may/23/germany-bust-boom-talent

PremierLeagueFan wrote:

Real Barcelona wrote:Technique with athleticism is what won. Not the other way around. Being big is a plus but not a requirement.

I think that "size at a particular position" is more of a reality than just size above all. I like big central defenders and goalkeepers and that is about it.

If you are big and fast with skill then you have an edge against big and slow with less skill.

Schurrle is 6' and Goetze is 5'9 which is average height. On the other hand Christiano is 6'2, but I wouldn't say his larger size is the determining factor for him either.

Like RB said "Technique with Athleticism" is what wins (Technical Brilliance cannot be overstated).

WOW so the german federation went back to skill over size. IMAGINE THAT! AND the players are actually getting shorter to benefit skill over size. If we cannot learn from da machine then we are doomed to fail. But what do all elite players have in common? Athleticism (it includes speed, cuts, agility etc). And THAT is your starting point.

 I always thought that you had to know how to “PLAY”... That’s the bottom line for any coach:”Can he/she play?” There’s always going to be somebody quicker, faster, stronger, but without a FUTBALL IQ – they just that - quick, fast and strong. Ibrahimovic (not a fan) is not just “a” player; his coaches don’t care about his size in his position…   

You can have all the futbol IQ you want but without a body to follow the commands you are doomed to fail. I take it back you become a coach!  

 

Real Barcelona wrote:You can have all the futbol IQ you want but without a body to follow the commands you are doomed to fail. I take it back you become a coach!  

Funny Coach bit..
At the top-flight (we’re still talking World Cup) there’s no question of athleticism; I don’t care what sport you're playing... I love to watch Nigeria play, as an athletes they’re top notch, and when they figure out the IQ bit – rest of the World better watch out… Even best Chess and Golf players in the world have a work out routines these days…

If you look at the last 5 World Cups - here are the teams who have made it to the final four multiple times - ie. more than one time in the last 20 years (last 5 World Cups):

1)  Germany x 4 (2014 1st, 2010 3rd, 2006 3rd, 2002 2nd)
2)  Brazil x 3 (2014 4th, 2002 1st, 1998 2nd)
3)  Netherlands x 3 (2014 3rd, 2010 2nd, 1998 4th)
4)  France x 2 (2006 2nd, 1998 1st)

No other countries have made it to the final four more than one time.  These are the other two teams to win in the last 5 World Cups:
1) Spain - win 2010 (no other appearances in final 4 in last 5 World Cups)
2) Italy - win 2006 (no other appearances in final 4 in last 5 World Cups)

As with any sport or contest. A lucky bounce here or there and any team can win. Hard to win every game yet some team has to do it each year.

the USA coach should start reading this forum maybe he could learn something   

Boss
USA did extremely well and reached its potential at the world cup so I am not sure what you mean.