Liverpool FC Forum

Gerrard has struggled massively in both games.
I dont think the system has helped him one bit though.
Take one of the forwards out (Welbeck) and put in another actual midfielder and it would have not only helped Gerrard but also the defenders.
The shape of the team was all wrong, 2 holding midfielders and then 4 forwards ?
Liverpool have done it at times but one of our four was Coutinho who can drop in when needed and still be class.

On who will win it I cant see why a european side cant win it, too much is being made of the stat that a european side has never won in South america.
The last 4 world cups in south america a european side has reached the final, so why cant they go one better in a one off match ?
The germans looked great last match and will always go far, France also could do well as could Belgium and Holland.
And we all know how Italy manage to do well in tournaments

If I had to put money on anyone right now i'd go with the germans but dont rule out Italy.
So far I have really enjoyed this world cup, there's been some very attacking exciting games.
First round of knockouts could be great with the likes of Chile Colombia Argentina and Brazil up against the top european sides.
Even the likes of Croatia and Switzerland could surprise anyone.

Just a pity we are sh!te 

Despite some good performances still cant see a European taking the cup off Latin American soil

Now the Aussies and English are out (least the Liverpool contingent will have a good rest before next season, Stevie definitely needs a recharge)

Not sure who to go for and without Paul's guidance not sure who will win it



Though im hoping Mexico stays in for a while 

Why dont you think a european side can win it Laza ?
Like I said before in the last 4 tournaments in south america a european side has got to the final.
I dont think Brazil or Argentina so far look any better than Germany, Italy, Holland or even France.

Oh and England arent out....yet 

But I do agree with your point. I will be glad when they are home and injury free.

Ben Patrick » Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:04 pm wrote:Why dont you think a european side can win it Laza ?
Like I said before in the last 4 tournaments in south america a european side has got to the final.
I dont think Brazil or Argentina so far look any better than Germany, Italy, Holland or even France.

Oh and England arent out....yet 

But I do agree with your point. I will be glad when they are home and injury free.

History Ben but you may be right and 2014 is the year it happens as long as its not the bloody Italians 

Compare Englands "passion" to that shown by other teams at the World Cup and we may begin to find the answer as to why with a squad of fairly gifted players we're now odds on to be heading home next week   

Defensively inept, paper thin midfield and a misfiring strike force.

I accept that we weren't expected to win it, my forecast was that we wouldn't get out of the group but I still can't believe how easy the media have been on Hodgsons' tactics or some of the individual player performances.

Italy v Costa Rica game just starting

Costa Rica 1-0

When you look at how hard the Costa Rican's are working here to close down the Italian midfielders (and the shift the Chilean's players put in against Spain the other day) it just highlights how pedestrian England really were.
Every time Pirlo gets the ball here the Costa Rican's swarm all over him where as England just stood off.

This is why I love this game. Hats off to Costa Rica 

You're right Yakka, but don't blame England as a whole, blame the idiot in charge. I always tried to convince my friend, a massive Juventus and Pirlo fan, that Pirlo won't be able to do what he does if he played in a more fast paced league. I was hoping that I'd be able to prove it to him in the last Euro cup and this World cup but on the contrary, Pirlo managed to get man of the match in both games because owl face couldn't implement the right and obvious tactic. Man, I wish we face Juventus in the CL and show them what real pressure looks like.

damjan193 » Fri Jun 20, 2014 6:30 pm wrote:This is why I love this game. Hats off to Costa Rica 

You're right Yakka, but don't blame England as a whole, blame the idiot in charge. I always tried to convince my friend, a massive Juventus and Pirlo fan, that Pirlo won't be able to do what he does if he played in a more fast paced league. I was hoping that I'd be able to prove it to him in the last Euro cup and this World cup but on the contrary, Pirlo managed to get man of the match in both games because owl face couldn't implement the right and obvious tactic. Man, I wish we face Juventus in the CL and show them what real pressure looks like.

I'm not sure it's all down to Hodgson mate, England put a fraction of the graft in against Italy that Costa Rica did and yet the England players were dropping like nine pins with cramp. Maybe the attritional nature of the premier league takes too much out of them or maybe they just aren't as fit as they think they are.

Delighted England were eliminated early ,now our collative can have their holidays and put their quite frankly feeble performance in this tournament 
out of their minds ,and get back to Anfield sufficiently recuperated and invigorated for the season ahead... Just praying Suarez's Uruguay returns
equally as quick and Glen Johnson is caught smuggling cocaine on the plane, and subsequently detained long enough to get our campaign off to a good
start ,devoid of the indifference he affords .

YNWA

That has to be one of the best lines ever red!

Although I did stick a fiver on Uruguay to win it earlier in the year due to the form of the genius.

Made me laugh when Luis said he was only fifty percent fit too...

Hodgson made me laugh by saying he wasn't world class.... What a stupid thing to say before a game against one of the best players in the world....  Hodgson: Yeah mate you need to prove it.... Suarez: *bang single handedly rips us a new one* "kiss my *****"

Well, pretty quiet day in Brazil eh?  Ingerland go out with a fantastic 0-0 draw and Luis' Uruguay eliminate the Italians with just a wee bit(e) of controversy.

have to say the english campaign has been terrible, thought they would have at least got out of the group but failing to win a single game was disastrous.
who would have thought it eh

With the deep defensive set up and playing Gerrard and Henderson in a two as well as having "hodgson types" in there like Milner, welbeck, smalling and Johnson, playing Rooney and sterling out of position and encouraging the team to lump it upto a forward like sturridge who cant hold up a ball
At the best of times I cant say im surprised at all.

Sturridge isn't international class, Gerrard and Henderson aren't either, Rooney was employed out of position, Johnson, Baines and jags were also well out of their depth too.