It might be argued that some of the freewheeling spirit on display during the group stages disappeared in the "round of sixteen" matches, but the matches have been dramatic and compelling.
The match last night between Belgium and the USA was a marvellous spectacle. I thought that the Belgians subtly moved up a gear, their play was more cohesive, direct and threatening than it had been in previous matches, and the players in midfield and attack looked as though they had begun to believe in themselves, although they were frustrated for long periods by a combination of their own finishing and Tim Howard's goalkeeping heroics. Belgium have the talent and the options to go very close to winning the whole thing, but they need to improve a little more to realise their full potential.
The Argentina-Switzerland was less immediately satisfying from an entertainment viewpoint, but the tension was palpable, as the Swiss frustrated Argentina's creative players, and the South Americans struggled for ideas to break through. I have heard criticisms of Switzerland's approach, in supposedly not entering into the prevailing spirit of the World Cup by going all out for the win, but surely they adopted the tactics which they thought would equip them with the best chance of progressing? As I watched the match, I reflected that this Argentinian team is, in terms of overall strength, not in the same league as its counterparts of the recent past, most notably the exceptionally formidable generation of Zanetti/Veron/Ayala/Batistuta/Crespo etc. The squad is just not as uniformly talented. It was perhaps inevitable that Messi would provide the inspiration for the winning goal, and the onus would seem to be on the Barcelona man to keep doing that.
The Belgium-Argentina encounter in the quarter-finals promises much, as Belgium are likely to allow Argentina and Messi more space to play.
Germany are still doing enough to win each game, and still appear to have something in hand, with more gears in the box if needed. The frailties in their defensive system were much remarked upon following the victory over Algeria, and will doubtless have been fully noted in the French camp. Although France have impressed, some might contend that they have yet to be fully stretched and tested, and they can be sure that the Germans will oblige in these respects. Do the French go with two fully-fledged strikers, in order to exploit the perceived lack of pace in the German back-line? It will be a very evenly-matched contest, but my hunch is that the greater experience and resilience in the German team will see them narrowly prevail.
The Netherlands had to dig deep to overcome the Mexicans, but I think that they should easily have enough to see off Costa Rica. It is unlikely that Louis van Gaal will need to undertake the tactical manoeuvrings and innovative substitutions which proved necessary in the second round. Costa Rica will probably run out of steam, and the Dutch momentum and all-round prowess should be just too much for them.
The Brazil-Colombia is hugely intriguing and mouth-watering. Much will depend on how the Colombians react to their surroundings. If they are inspired rather than inhibited by the occasion then they could well capitalise on the anxiety and pressure which is bound to afflict the Brazil team. Concerns about the fitness of Neymar will only add to the unease. On the other hand, the hosts may feel liberated a little by their "escape" against Chile in the previous game, and could play with slightly more freedom and panache. It should be an amazing occasion.
If I was pressed, I would predict that Brazil, Germany, Argentina and the Netherlands will emerge as the four semi-finalists.
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