Good morning, all. After a two-week break, I’m back. The blog’s been getting random views over the past two weeks, so as it seems people are still checking here every now and again, I’m going to do my best to revive this hog and kick on.
So tonight Brazil and Holland clash in the match for third place, the game of the tournament that people are, frankly, least likely to care about. Brazil’s quest to restore some pride starts here, but third place is just a novelty that isn’t going to win them anything, at the end of the day. This added spice might make it a better game than it might otherwise have been, but given that Louis Van Gaal has bemoaned the match itself, we might see a weakened Dutch team as fringe players get the chance to make an appearance in the World Cup.
To be perfectly honest, this is a match that could provide any level of entertainment. 2010’s third place match between Germany and Uruguay played out to an enjoyable 3-2 result in the Germans’ favour, and was up there with the best games of the tournament (not that the bar was exactly set high).
But it’s easy to sympathise with Van Gaal here. What is the point of a third place match? You’ve been eliminated from the tournament after coming so close to the final, nobody’s really going to be up for it when they’d rather be going home and not playing one last time in the ridiculous heat and humidity of Brazil in a match that means absolutely nothing.
Fair enough if you’re a dark horse nation that has surprised everyone by making it to the semi-finals. Playing for third place probably has more meaning then. But Brazil and Holland are two big footballing nations consistently competing in every World Cup. They’re not going to care about whether they finish third or fourth, they’re only interested in winning the competition.
Yes, Brazil may want to restore some pride, and if they win this match they should consider it a very good tournament considering how mediocre this Brazil team is compared to those of the past. I wasn’t expecting such a humiliation against Germany but their luck was due to run out at some stage. But will their fans be happy? If they lost 2-1 in a close and hard-fought battle against Germany, and beat Holland to finish third, then maybe many would be. But after exiting the tournament in such a humiliating manner I highly doubt coming third will be forgiven. Despite the mediocrity of the team in general, this is a very successful national team and the World Cup was in their own country.
As for Holland, they’re not likely to care as much, so I think Brazil will win but without Neymar in the squad it’s probably going to be a really boring game. Personally, I think I’d just prefer to stick a film on.
That’s it for today. The transfer business so far this summer has given us plenty to discuss, particularly Suarez to Barcelona and Sanchez to Arsenal, but that can wait for another two days after the World Cup ends.
thefootballphoenix 