Let's be real a second because there's nothing suprising about how Germany performed yesterday : they have been consistent since 2006. After their horrendous 2004 Euro, they just decided to do a tabula rasa and built new foundations. What's funny is that they supposedly used the '98 French model to destroy and rebuild their team (dunno how true is that). All the 25 and under players are a direct consequence of the 2004 trauma where they didn't get out of the group stage (but they were with the Dutch and the Czech so). Germany been sexy since then and used their 2006 WC to kick start their project that is finally coming to fruition this year. These brehs know each other for years and are both solid and creative in all 4 lines (including Nooyah).
The top South American teams rely too much on superstars or providential messiahs : Messi for ARG, Neymar for BRA, Suarez for URU, Falcao for COL. What's nice is how Colombia played well as a team without their superstar (I'm convinced they wouldn't have played like that with Falcao on the pitch because Ramès wouldn't have been able to express himself as the true 10 that he is). And that's also why I like Chile which placed teamwork and tactics above the individual. Football nowadays and since 2008 and Spain victory is a team game where individuals can't decide for shyt.
The football played yesterday by Germany was beautiful : passing, movement, space awareness, all top notch. The collective expression was absolutely incredible and that's the result of years and years of under-achievement and detail tweaking but also as of producing world class midfielders. The game has changed and the core of the collective expression is the midfielder as Pep the GAWD hinted since his Barcelona 6 years ago. And in that sense, I could really feel the '09 Guardiolism in Germany yesterday. High defensive line + pressing from the attacking line, midfield coming to the rescue and shutting down second solutions, passing AND verticality when needed, movement everywhere to propose and to disrupt the opp's formation, patience and balance when building, clinical finishing. And I say '09 Barça and not '13 Bayern because Germany played a 4/3/3 which is is far from the typical German 4/2/3/1.
But to me, Brazil had way too much pressure. Too much emotion flowing in that team. I don't know why but the cries, the theatrics, the prayers, the hymns was like some kind of story-telling to mask the simple fact that this squad was simply over-achieving. A little better than average and they relied on physicality and on Neymar's genius to win (and dives
). That's why I'm not even sad for them because they fouled Ramès way too much to cry over what happened to Neymar afterwards. I must say, I've never been impressed by Brazil for years now (excepted a few matches in the Confed Cup last year or 2002 final maybe). Can't remember the last time I was
watching them. Maybe it's because I value the teamwork above the messiahs but still can't remember a Brazil that blew my mind team-wise.
hopefully they bounce back
