2014 World Cup Quarter Finals

When did Kompany describe Argentina as a hinderence? He says the team expected to beat them and get to the final. You're putting words in his mouth as far as I can see. He believed he and his team would make the final.. To believe that you need to believe you can beat everyone. That doesn't mean you consider a team to be nothing more a hinderence.

110% wrote:So would it have been ok if England players had said they expected to reach the final? It's just self-belief, winning mentality etc etc. Nope, they'd get slaughtered. So why is it ok for Kompany to say it?

There is one very clear problem with what Kompany said. He said "we win the game and then we go to the final".

Er no Vincent, you go to the semi-final .

Belgium have a better squad than England, if coached correctly I do think they could do it. England i'm not so sure, but if we do end up with a good squad then they will need to expect alot of themselves if they are to achieve alot.

Kimbo wrote:

110% wrote:So would it have been ok if England players had said they expected to reach the final? It's just self-belief, winning mentality etc etc. Nope, they'd get slaughtered. So why is it ok for Kompany to say it?

There is one very clear problem with what Kompany said. He said "we win the game and then we go to the final".

Er no Vincent, you go to the semi-final .

Belgium have a better squad than England, if coached correctly I do think they could do it. England i'm not so sure, but if we do end up with a good squad then they will need to expect alot of themselves if they are to achieve alot.

It's good to expect a lot of yourselves. I expect England players expected they could reach the semi-finals, but they didn't go on tv after crashing out at the group stages and say things like getting out of the group is not our benchmark, we though beat Italy, uruguay and costa rica and we go to the semi-final. That is a bit arrogant as well as not understanding that you get to the round of 16.

I agree Belgium could be managed better but they also miss great players in key positions. Remind me a bit of Portugal's golden generation never having a great striker. Ultimately scoring goals wins games, and if your striker is lukaku or origi, then you can't expect to be in the final. I thought that they could beat Argentina, but Argentina ended up being very comfortable defensively. I never thought Belgium would beat Holland in the semi-final, Kompany didn't even give them a second thought   .

He could be saying things like "Argentina defended very well, and we couldn't break them down, we need more experience" etc. But instead he went with "we win the game and we go to the final". Blut is entitled to think it's a bit arrogant.

Last thing is that apart from their striker position I find their midfield is rather ordinary apart from hazard. I don't get Fey's de bruyne hype (a tidy player that does the basics), fellaini (big afro and elbows), witsel (a more classy fellaini). Hazard didn't create much against argentina, but there were 2 other overhyped players in de bruyne and witsel that also did nothing.

110% wrote:

Kimbo wrote:

110% wrote:So would it have been ok if England players had said they expected to reach the final? It's just self-belief, winning mentality etc etc. Nope, they'd get slaughtered. So why is it ok for Kompany to say it?

There is one very clear problem with what Kompany said. He said "we win the game and then we go to the final".

Er no Vincent, you go to the semi-final .

Belgium have a better squad than England, if coached correctly I do think they could do it. England i'm not so sure, but if we do end up with a good squad then they will need to expect alot of themselves if they are to achieve alot.

It's good to expect a lot of yourselves. I expect England players expected they could reach the semi-finals, but they didn't go on tv after crashing out at the group stages and say things like getting out of the group is not our benchmark, we though beat Italy, uruguay and costa rica and we go to the semi-final. That is a bit arrogant as well as not understanding that you get to the round of 16.

I agree Belgium could be managed better but they also miss great players in key positions. Remind me a bit of Portugal's golden generation never having a great striker. Ultimately scoring goals wins games, and if your striker is lukaku or origi, then you can't expect to be in the final. I thought that they could beat Argentina, but Argentina ended up being very comfortable defensively. I never thought Belgium would beat Holland in the semi-final, Kompany didn't even give them a second thought   .

He could be saying things like "Argentina defended very well, and we couldn't break them down, we need more experience" etc. But instead he went with "we win the game and we go to the final". Blut is entitled to think it's a bit arrogant.

tbf, if you read this interview he is saying things like this.

He said: "For us, this World Cup has been a huge learning curve, we have gained a lot of experience.

"Other than Daniel van Buyten, no-one else had played at the World Cup so it is a tremendous achievement to have reached the quarter-finals.

"We think we are not any less than Argentina but that's football. You have to congratulate them so good luck to Zabaleta, Kun Aguero, Martin Demichelis."

And Kompany added: "I don't think we were lacking much. For me, I go back to experience every time. I cannot fault the group though.

"We have worked so hard , there are so many great professionals in the squad, good bunch of friends too and I couldn't have wished any more for this group in what they have achieved here.

"Was Messi the difference? It might have been in previous games I think in this game it's just a wonderful strike from Higuain.

"And you have to give it to him. It's a pure No. 9 goal and what you expect from a world class striker.

"For us as team, we made them work hard. We made them shake until the end.

"And as I said, maybe in a few more years we will be further ahead."

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/world-cup-2014/387565/Manchester-City-and-Belgium-captain-Vincent-Kompany-insists-the-Red-Devils-will-rise-again

debaser wrote:

tbf, if you read this interview he is saying things like this.

He said: "For us, this World Cup has been a huge learning curve, we have gained a lot of experience.

"Other than Daniel van Buyten, no-one else had played at the World Cup so it is a tremendous achievement to have reached the quarter-finals.

"We think we are not any less than Argentina but that's football. You have to congratulate them so good luck to Zabaleta, Kun Aguero, Martin Demichelis."

And Kompany added: "I don't think we were lacking much. For me, I go back to experience every time. I cannot fault the group though.

"We have worked so hard , there are so many great professionals in the squad, good bunch of friends too and I couldn't have wished any more for this group in what they have achieved here.

"Was Messi the difference? It might have been in previous games I think in this game it's just a wonderful strike from Higuain.

"And you have to give it to him. It's a pure No. 9 goal and what you expect from a world class striker.

"For us as team, we made them work hard. We made them shake until the end.

"And as I said, maybe in a few more years we will be further ahead."

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/world-cup-2014/387565/Manchester-City-and-Belgium-captain-Vincent-Kompany-insists-the-Red-Devils-will-rise-again

In the first interview he wasn't giving Messi credit and the second one, the bolded highlight.

Messi didn't score but he was dropping deeper, helping defensively and playmaking. Including these kind of passes



Di Maria might have scored, but Messi was still running the show.

For whatever reason, Kompany refuses to acknowledge Messi, his role, and his contributions. it just makes Kompany look silly and/or grudgeful.

@debaser Obviously I haven't read the transcript of his interview, I'm just having a go at him for the short video clip linked on the previous page, and in particular that he didn't consider a semi-final had to be won before going to the final.

At the same time I want to say that Belgium are overrated, both by Fey and themselves. They did not impress me at all in their match against Argentina. He says "We made them work hard. We made them shake to the end." No they really really didn't, that was the most comfortable game for Argentina in the tournament so far.

This is a fair reflection of the game:
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28069209

Belgium went out with something of a whimper, lacking cohesion, creativity and precision and only threatening late on when they played one long ball after another towards Marouane Fellaini.

Exactly, well put.

110% wrote:@debaser Obviously I haven't read the transcript of his interview, I'm just having a go at him for the short video clip linked on the previous page, and in particular that he didn't consider a semi-final had to be won before going to the final.

At the same time I want to say that Belgium are overrated, both by Fey and themselves. They did not impress me at all in their match against Argentina. He says "We made them work hard. We made them shake to the end." No they really really didn't, the was the most comfortable game for Argentina in the tournament so far.

This is a far reflection of the game:
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28069209

Belgium went out with something of a whimper, lacking cohesion, creativity and precision and only threatening late on when they played one long ball after another towards Marouane Fellaini.

That's because they are managed by someone that is probably only in the job because he knows the right people.