Watching the FIFA World Cup 2014 for the last 3 days, there are some patterns which are obvious. By now, the issues that I am about to write are probably discerned by the 32 coaches, for if not, their teams would lose, and be humiliated. And we have seen some horrible humiliations already.
The number one issue is that the FIFA World Cup 2014 song sucks. Don’t get me wrong, the music is fine, jangling, and even I have started to hum it. But it does not, in any way, match that of Shakira’s ‘Waka, Waka, This time for Africa’.
That said, the first pattern is that the Ball ‘Bracuza’ is shooting true. May be it is because the ball was, for the first time, made in Pakistan, which is as close to Brazil in latitude as it can be. Perhaps the curing process of leather in Pakistan takes the temperate forest region of Brazil better. For whatever reason, the Bracuza shoots exactly where it is aimed at. No bending-it-like-Beckam has been seen (at least by me), like the Jabulani of 2010 or earlier.
The 2nd and of more concern is the way the team approach and tactics. What I am talking about is the practice of passing the ball to the goalkeeper and dribbling it in within the defence side, close to the penalty area.
The idea behind the tactic is, of course, to draw the opposing strikers in, along with the mid field and their defenders. But from what I discern in FIFA World Cup 2014 is the tactic is proving defeatist. Blame it on the playing conditions - Brazil’s climate, altitude and what not - the fact is this technique in FIFA World Cup 2014 is affecting the teams employing it.
IMHO, that tactic is one destined for the dustbin. I, for one, cannot understand giving time for the opponents to organise, regroup, and quickly ‘re-mark’ our team. Keep in mind that our own strikers have to move ‘back’ along with the opponent’s defenders, to keep safe of the off-side rule.
The third, last, and equally important pattern is that many (if not most) goals in FIFA World Cup 2014 have been scored when the scoring team has more than 2 strikers/forwards inside the opponents penalty area. It simply stunned me to see 4, 5 or even 6 opposing players - with the defenders and goalie, almost a whole football team - inside the penalty area, when a successful goal has been scored.
Take a look at this disallowed goal by Giovani dos Santos - count the number of defenders and strikers. For the record, Mexico did win 1-0 against Cameroon.
And just as I post, Switzerland has pulled off a spectacular goal, 30 seconds before the final whistle, moving the ball without hesitation by Haris Seferović from their own penalty area to win 2-1 against Ecuador! Just proves my point.
The number one issue is that the FIFA World Cup 2014 song sucks. Don’t get me wrong, the music is fine, jangling, and even I have started to hum it. But it does not, in any way, match that of Shakira’s ‘Waka, Waka, This time for Africa’.
That said, the first pattern is that the Ball ‘Bracuza’ is shooting true. May be it is because the ball was, for the first time, made in Pakistan, which is as close to Brazil in latitude as it can be. Perhaps the curing process of leather in Pakistan takes the temperate forest region of Brazil better. For whatever reason, the Bracuza shoots exactly where it is aimed at. No bending-it-like-Beckam has been seen (at least by me), like the Jabulani of 2010 or earlier.
The 2nd and of more concern is the way the team approach and tactics. What I am talking about is the practice of passing the ball to the goalkeeper and dribbling it in within the defence side, close to the penalty area.
The idea behind the tactic is, of course, to draw the opposing strikers in, along with the mid field and their defenders. But from what I discern in FIFA World Cup 2014 is the tactic is proving defeatist. Blame it on the playing conditions - Brazil’s climate, altitude and what not - the fact is this technique in FIFA World Cup 2014 is affecting the teams employing it.
IMHO, that tactic is one destined for the dustbin. I, for one, cannot understand giving time for the opponents to organise, regroup, and quickly ‘re-mark’ our team. Keep in mind that our own strikers have to move ‘back’ along with the opponent’s defenders, to keep safe of the off-side rule.
The third, last, and equally important pattern is that many (if not most) goals in FIFA World Cup 2014 have been scored when the scoring team has more than 2 strikers/forwards inside the opponents penalty area. It simply stunned me to see 4, 5 or even 6 opposing players - with the defenders and goalie, almost a whole football team - inside the penalty area, when a successful goal has been scored.
Take a look at this disallowed goal by Giovani dos Santos - count the number of defenders and strikers. For the record, Mexico did win 1-0 against Cameroon.
And just as I post, Switzerland has pulled off a spectacular goal, 30 seconds before the final whistle, moving the ball without hesitation by Haris Seferović from their own penalty area to win 2-1 against Ecuador! Just proves my point.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post about World Cup. Just a tip about those who don't live in countries that stream world cup online. You can use UnoTelly to remove the geoblock and stream World Cup 2014 in your country free worldcup.unotelly.com
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Hi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post about World Cup. Just a tip about those who don't live in countries that stream world cup online. You can use UnoTelly to remove the geoblock and stream World Cup 2014 in your country free worldcup.unotelly.com