Rmpr

"Spain is the greatest side in history" - LOOOOL! Brazil in 1970 or 1982 (I will let you choose) would rip this team apart. Brazil would win 11 of every 10 games played!

He is actually right, Spain didnt play against Brazil since 1999 and this is the very last 'task' you have as a National Team! If Spain lose today, they will seem a bit weak to the world, especially after the bad game you had vs Italy. A loss today will definitely take away some of your reputation... Also, Brazil is the only team to have all international cups at once. And it would be a good way for Spain to permanently stamp their name in the history of football as one of the very best teams of all time... So, yes, Spain does need to win this last game to prove themselves!

I know it, but giving statistics more importance than they actually have is a good recipe for disaster.

I am not stressing, just because I completely disagree, now it means I am losing control! Stats are na aid, said it perfectly, not the number one aspect or factor to be taken into consideration. Teams will continue to use observation, knowledge and experience as their number one asset to choose which player they will buy/sell... Also, I am only arguing about the transfer utility of statistics (before anyone start quoting me for the wrong reasons). I am of the firmly belief that numbers are the wrong way to analyse a possible transfer. A scout should use his guts, knowledge and observation (like it always has). However, I am 100% for using datas, numbers and progressions to improve players!!!!

That is absolutely insulting... ...a complete wank should not be compared to Pelé!

You know Socrates is already dead, right?

First, it has nothing to do with passion and tradition... Second, using statistics is very different than putting it as the primarily factor... Third, this is not baseball...

Have you read Moneyball? It advises you to build a whole baseball team using statistics as the primary criteria, ignoring all other analysis! Does it work? Yeees, in baseball, a sport that has statistics written all over it... However, football doesnt work like that. Football is more an art than a science. Just like you cant analyse a painter with numbers, you cant do the same with players. Nevetheless, just by using your vision, studies and experience, you can say whether a painter is good or not (or a player for that matter). For instance, Argentine and Brazilian scouts dont use any other tool than their observation, different than England and France (who relly heavily on statistics and studies). Who has been more successful? Scouts should relly on their guts, experience and knowledge first and statistics second...

'It' is the use of statistcs as the primary attribute to choose a player in the construction of a football squad... It works as a minor category not as a big part of scouting (no way), because football it not baseball. What you are trying to propose is something like Moneyball, where you simply 100% relly on statistics and progressions, something that would totally fail! There is absolutely no need to put statistics as a primary focus. 1) Football isnt a turn-by-turn based sport, which makes numbers much less important than the actual gameplay. 2) Statistcs are often misleading in football, many dont represent what you want them to (and that is because you attack and defend at the same time). 3) Unlike baseball and american football, where you actually do look for a player that will give you x-hits or x-tackles (and thus you use statistic), you cant do that to football. A player must do a lot of different things all at once; making the overall analysis and observation of training sessions much more important than numbers. 4) Football is the least mathematic of all sports, you dont need to use one single number to get to the conclusion if one will or will not fit into your squad nor you need it to decide if a player is good or not. I would trust my eye hundreds of times more than a bunch of numbers (and this is comming from an engineer). 5) Scouts rarely choose one player over the other due to the statistics you posted...

Disagree, trying to apply a non-football mentality to football, it doesnt work.

Yeah, every host city for the World Cup is in the south hemisphere, so everywhere teams go to is winter! However, it is not even the heat that bothers, it is the stupid high humitidy in the Northeast (Fortaleza, Recife and Salvador) that will fuck with the players. It prevents you from sweating, which prevents you from coolin down, meaning you will get tired a lot faster and you will need to constantly drink water! I get what you were saying and you are right, but it is still winter and it is more the humidity than the heat itself!

COME ON BRAZIL, LETS SHUP THE HATERS UP! aka Argentine and Uruguayans

No homo, but he does look handsome!

Mata is so sexy!

Hahahahahahaha, best post ever!

Italy had its chance, now Spain will kill it in the second half...

Spain looks like Barcelona without Messi....Oh wait!

Spain, can you please do your job and win?

I know this is fake, but it is the answer I would aspect from our club! Chelsea must not bow down to Napoli's demands...

:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

I agree with what you are saying, but I never said he wasnt cheating, I said cheating is acceptable! People here have the idea that you need to everything possible to win as long as you win. Is that bad? Depends on your morals and culture. In Europe it isnt, in Brazil it is (mostly, because there are a few people who disagree)...

So, all you are saying is that my line of thought doesnt apply to 100% of the players? Well, even I know that! Nevertheless, most players DO dive here because it is cultural and when they play in Europe they act differently. And this doesnt not apply only to football, most Brazilian tourists act ridiculously different when in USA or Europe than they do at home! For instance, imagine us in Brazil allowed people to walk naked. An European would get here an be terrified, but he would not be able to force people to walk with their clothes on, it would be just the culture and he would have to accept. However, a Brazilian would be wrong to walk naked in Europe just because he can in Brazil. Now, translate the metaphor...

As like all players are the same! :lol2:Romario dived for Brazil, Rivaldo dived for Brazil, Ronaldo had his dive moments (but rare) for Brazil, Denilson dived for Brazil, etc... Besides, it is not like I am saying he doesnt cheat. I am saying that cheating is acceptable here!

No, those are the coleteral consequences, which are different than what makes them (causes). The problem is that people cant accept somethings are just different. It doesnt mean it is better or worse, it only means they are different! This applies to culture, men behaviour, women behaviour, etc, etc, etc. Dont be naive to think people in South America are the same ad Europeans or that people in the Middle East are the same as people in USA...

I did not imply we are more mainly, I explicit said that. However, this is not a good thing, which is why many women are beaten and many gays are descriminated. And yes, diving is ok in South America and you wont change a century of culture because it isnt acceptable in Europe. Many players dive here and dont dive in Europe, because each style and culture is different. You will just have to live with that...