Preliminary matches in the World Cup may have been the most entertaining yet, but things will be different in the business end of the tournament
Much before a ball was even kicked at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a host of attacking players were ruled out of the tournament due to injury. After a gruelling European season, the likes of Franck Ribery, Radamel Falcao and Marco Reus all missed their bus to the mega showdown in Brazil. A pivotal part of their respective national teams, a lot of their nation’s hopes were pinned on these superstars. The most worried of the lot were Portugal, who were sweating over the fitness of the their captain and talisman Cristiano Ronaldo. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, arguably one of the best strikers in the world was going to attend the event only as a spectator, as Sweden failed to qualify.
With such a vast number of world class attackers ruled out, one wondered where the goals would be coming from. What fans must have been dreading was a repeat of the tournament in South Africa four years ago, where dull and lacklustre displays became the theme of the tournament. Such was the insipidness of the performances upfront that champions Spain managed to score more than once in only one game of their entire title winning campaign. The Spaniards retained exorbitant amounts of possession in all their games, but failed to break down resolute defences more than once.
Fortunately for fans, this World Cup has come as a breath of fresh air. "Attack is the best form of defence" seems to be the mantra for most managers in Brazil. The Riberys and Falcaos have been replaced by the Karim Benzemas and James Rodriguezs of this world, who have lit up the tournament with dazzling, resplendent displays. According to former Liverpool and Aston Villa boss Gerad Houllier, this has been the best world cup in terms of quality and entertainment. The numbers seem to back him up. The group stages saw 2.83 goals per game. One will have to go back to the 1958 edition to overshadow that statistic. For all those who thought that taking the bull by the horns in major tournaments was a thing of the past, you may want to relive some of the games from the group stages. Swift, eye catching, refreshing, breathless football.
But for all those who think that the avalanche of goals will continue, might be in for a bit of a dampener. Come the quarter finals of the tournament, and expansive football will be replaced by a more cautious, cagey style. With all the heavyweights doing battle, every move will be carefully plotted, more like a game of chess rather than football. The reason is simple. In the group stages, there is a lesser fear of being eliminated, and a side must notch up a couple of wins to progress. Going by that philosophy, finding the net becomes a necessity. Sitting back and absorbing pressure cannot always win you football matches. Taking the game to the opposition can. When that happens, the audience is treated to a feast of wholesale action.
The thrills and spills of a high tempo game make for sumptuous viewing. But, in high pressure knockout games, the dynamics undergo a drastic change. Teams prefer to sit back more and wait for their moment. Here, the old football saying , "offence wins you matches, defence wins you tournaments", comes into play. For all those who watch the game once every four years and seek pure entertainment, the tournament may well be over. But for all those overzealous followers of the game, the tournament is just getting started.
Glimpses of what to expect from the last eight were there for all to see in the round of 16. Of the eight games played, three were settled after two tumultuous periods of extra time, while two matches went the distance with the lottery of penalties deciding the winner. The lesser teams’ strategy of wearing the big guns down and then hitting them on the counter almost worked its magic in most games. The prosaic display by Argentina against Switzerland was a prime example. Swiss coach Ottmar Hitzfeld put out a well drilled, battle hardened side, which for long periods of the game seemed impenetrable.
Lionel Messi was the only person on the pitch who could have unlocked a stubborn Swiss defence, but the Swiss did remarkably well to shut him out of the game. The duo of Gokhan Inler and Valon Behrami kept a tight leash on the Argentine wizard, restricting him from dictating play. The message was clear. The longer it stayed 0-0, more were the chances of Switzerland progressing. Had it not been for one swish of Angel Di Maria’s left foot at the fag end of extra time, Hitzfeld might have succeeded in his master plan. The game between Germany and Algeria, a complete mismatch on paper, produced much of the same. The Africans denied the European giants for a major part of the game, before the 3- time champions stamped their class late into extra time.
Teams spend four years to prepare for an event like the world cup, some players a lifetime. For players like Mario Yepes and Julio Cesar, this is maybe their last shot at lifting the Cup. With the opposition getting tougher at every stage, adventure goes out of the window. A more measured and circumspect approach takes its place. There are no comebacks in a knockout game. One little blip and a player can keep pondering over what might have been for the rest of his life. The stakes are unbelievably high, so brace yourselves for drab, low scoring yet tense encounters ahead.
