FIFA World Cup 2014

[AngryAndIrritable]

Yep, but it makes them cannon fodder every time they concede an early goal, which is why Colombia took them to pieces. Greece don't have another way to play.

[Casperian]

Yep, but it makes them cannon fodder every time they concede an early goal, which is why Colombia took them to pieces.

Which is true for 99% of football teams in the world and modern football in general.
Most of the time, the team which scores the first goal has a huge advantage.

[AngryAndIrritable]

It's the question of conceding that goal in the first place though. If you sit back and make very few attempts to go forward, inviting pressure on yourself, there's a good chance you will concede. A more adventurous style of play could end up with you scoring first, putting yourself in the advantageous position you mention. I'm not suggesting in the slightest that Greece should play 4-2-4 and storm forward at every opportunity, but they need to give themselves more of a chance to score. Their track record at World Cups, a small sample size admittedly, just shows that their tactics aren't working.

[ederson]

I disagree
The system clearly works. It`s boring and outdated you sa y and you are absolutely right. I said myself a few days ago that Greece will win the WC by boring the opponents to death.

But it works. One way or another since 2004 Greece qualified to every major tournament but the WC2006. And that`s pretty close to the ceilling considering the talent pool.
Other than the defenders would be pick one player for the bench of a top8 CL team ? I doubt .... There isn`t anyone good enough

Bulgaria throught the history has more talented players than Greece. It took them 6 WCs to win their first game.

@Who
My point exactly.They don`t have the talent
But this is Brazil not Austria or Bolivia or any other average team.They are working for this the last two years. And that`s the best they could show? Without the help of the ref they wouldn`t have won i`m absolutely sure.

[AngryAndIrritable]

Greece have had easier qualifying groups for major tournaments relative to a team of their ability level thanks to their greater status following Euro 2004. They've never had to contend with any of the 'big' European teams - France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, England, Spain etc. - in their group.

I could understand if they were so unadventurous if they were playing Brazil or Argentina, but they are in a relatively weak group consisting of Colombia, Ivory Coast and Japan, teams they are more than capable of beating.

Why go to a World Cup just to make up the numbers?

[Casperian]

It's the question of conceding that goal in the first place though. If you sit back and make very few attempts to go forward, inviting pressure on yourself, there's a good chance you will concede.

It's actually the other way around. If you play organized defence, there's a good chance the opposing team won't score. That's what Arrigo Sacchi taught the world of football when he coached AC Milan in the 80ies.

I don't want to get into a long discussion about the merits of Otto Rehhagel, but as a Kaiserslautern fan myself, I witnessed first-hand how succesful his tactics can be. He took essentially the same team which got relegated two years prior to the Bundesliga title the year they got promoted, against a stacked Bayern team.

What you call "inviting pressure on yourself" is a deliberate tactical ploy to get the opposing team's backline to open up and create space, which ideally, your fast attackers can exploit in counter-attacks. At it's heart, his tactical set-up was never about "parking the bus", but, to use the term he introduced to the german football dictionary, "controlled offense".

[AngryAndIrritable]

I really don't think Greece have the right players for this system though - they don't have any 'fast attackers' except possibly Samaras, who is more of a midfielder these days. Plus the problem with counter-attacking is that a lot of the time the defending team can win the ball and do exactly the same to you.

[Casperian]

I really don't think Greece have the right players for this system though - they don't have any 'fast attackers' except possibly Samaras, who is more of a midfielder these days.

If Greece tried to play open attacking football against the likes of Netherlands or Germany, they'd get slaughtered. As ederson correctly pointed out, they simply don't have the players for it. Just making it to the WC is a huge accomplishment for them, and not an embarrassment at all.

Plus the problem with counter-attacking is that a lot of the time the defending team can win the ball and do exactly the same to you.

Not if they learned anything from Rehhagel 

[fairweatherfan]

Pretty clutch goal from Switzerland there.  Still no ties yet.

[AngryAndIrritable]

Yes, but Greece aren't playing the Netherlands or Germany, they are playing three teams of lesser quality who they don't need to play defensively against. They could have gotten out of this group. (They still might, but I can't see them getting a result against Ivory Coast. Maybe Japan.)

I don't think making it to the World Cup with their qualifying group - which was Bosnia & Herz, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania and Liechenstein - was a huge achievement. They didn't exactly have a tough draw in previous WC qualifying groups either.

[AngryAndIrritable]

I think Honduras might nick a draw against France...

[drogbagarnett]

That was an incredible turnaround for the Ivory Coast.

Putting in Drogba changed everything for them. No more patient build up play through the middle. Just two target men in the box. Be direct and hit balls into them into the box. Take advantage of physical size over smaller Japan. Bony and Drogba were a handful for the defense. I think lots of defenses nowadays aren't used to playing against two out and out strikers. Happens so infrequently at top level.

Ivory Coast looked much better with Yaya Toure dropping back to holding midfielder instead of creative playmaker.

Good analysis!
direct play with great crosses from Serge Aurier the right back made a difference...
Drogba in a LEGEND!!!
Even without scoring he made a difference!!

[drogbagarnett]

I didn`t watch the game so i`m curious why Drogda didn`t start.

He admitted he is not fit to play 90 min at a high level and suggested to be benched and come in fresh to have an impact!!

[Who]

If Mangala is worth ?35-40 million, why doesn't he start for France?

Sahko is a good player but he is still pretty undisciplined defensively. I don't understand how Sakho plays ahead of a CB worth that much money. Surely Mangala is the better player, no?

[Casperian]

If Mangala is worth ?35-40 million, why doesn't he start for France?

Sahko is a good player but he is still pretty undisciplined defensively. I don't understand how Sakho plays ahead of a CB worth that much money. Surely Mangala is the better player, no?

That's just his buy-out clause, he's not actually worth that much. Portuguese teams always put outrageous buy-out fees into their contracts to have some control over the player's fate.