PaulC

Bad toss to loose though. i think with the cloud cover it did a bit more than on the first two days....Anyway I think we'll get a draw out of it...

I wish him all the best.... Not too excited but its a decent signing being what we have to play with...

Close for me. Have been discussing World Cup 11's on another forum and the consensus for "outstanding" CB's seems to be; Rafael Marquez Thiago Silva Mats Hummels Ron Vlaar Mario Yepes No Vincent Kompany in there?

It will be very interesting to see Messi and Suarez play together....Champions league winners I think!

Would he get in the best world cup 11?

I have to disagree because I don't think Messi has been that impressive (yes, 4 goals I know, but by his standard he has been quiet). Maradona meanwhile dragged Argentina on his own in 1986 and was head and shoulders the best player in the tournament ...and PaulC: In my opinion Maradona was way more ahead of the rest than Messi is, and will still be the best all-time. I love his skills. But Messi gets over a major hurdle. It is easy to argue that you need to have won the WC to be the best. Messi is a great player, will rightly be considered among the greatest to play the game, but he was no Maradona. Messi doesn't cope with been marked by 4 players, and getting lumps kicked out of him anywhere near as well as Maradona did and in Maradona's day players weren't anywhere near as well protected. theres probably some quote by socrates (the original one) that could be spun in to football terms, no doubt di stefano would have argued maradona had it lucky... if / when messi wins the world cup and finally silences those who say "he cant be the best ever until he wins the world cup" will there be another wave of people saying "he cant be the best ever because he doesnt get kicked" (which id actually argue isnt true, I've seen him get battered in many games, especially vs Jose's madrid) if thats going to happen then whats the point in having a "best ever" discussion in the 1st place? it seems as futile as the good old "world class" discussion Without meaning to be pedantic, I don't think the argument is that he wont be considered the best if he doesn't win the world cup, I think it is more he won't be considered the best if he doesn't have an amazing world cup on his CV. Before this tournament he had had 1 world cup where he was poor by his standards, and another where he was just a young 19 year old bit part player. I don't think he has owned this world cup like Maradona 86, or Pele 70 or even Cruyff 1974, but he has played very well in 4 games I think. Pele had a great world cup also in 58 when he was only 17. He was injured for the most part in 62 and wasn't fit in 66 when he was at his peak age wise . Arguably we never saw the best of Pele. He would be my no.1 followed by Maradona and now its up to Messi to prove he's up there...

Yes for me one of the best players in the world cup. I can see Arsenal making a real challenge for the title next season...

totally underwhelmed.

One could argue Pele is ahead of Maradona. I guess when you take into account Messi's record at club level a world cup win would put him up there but do the Argentinian public rate him as highly as Maradona?

Must admit I'm very underwhelmed by the pending signing of Kieran Richardson. I thought he was a decent enough player about 8 or 9 years ago but not sure he's the answer to our left back problem.... I suppose its where we're at.....

Netherlands 1-2 Brazil Germany 3-0 Argentina

Mascherana I have to disagree because I don't think Messi has been that impressive (yes, 4 goals I know, but by his standard he has been quiet). Maradona meanwhile dragged Argentina on his own in 1986 and was head and shoulders the best player in the tournament Yes Maradona had brilliant games against England in the quarters, Belgium semi and the final.... Messi has been quite anonymous in the knock out stages. He'll need an outstanding final to come even close to Maradonna..

After the way he has performed in the world cup there's bound to be interest. Its best for us to cash in now rather than wait for his contract to expire...

To be honest I know he's got a great record at Barcelona but i don't know what all the fuss is about him... Over the years greats Maradona, Pele, Cruyff, Platini, Zidanne all perform at World cups, he has shown glimpses but not enough for me....

What about Platt

Great game. Shame about the penalty miss. Shows he has bottle by taking the first pen.

Teams rarely win two penalty shootouts.

Cagey, Vlaar was good that half

The refs are being very lenient this wc so maybe not...

One could argue that Argentina are very average too...Just give the ball to Messi is their only tactic

I hope The Netherlands win. I couldn't care less about Messi and think a final between the two giants of european football would be good.

He should be ok I think

Yes big signing for Arsenal... The top clubs are just going to pull away even further

Because for some reason I had it in my head that Holland won 6-1...

No certainly not a classic. I preferred the Spain v Holland game. Brazil were ordinary with Neymar and Silva but without them they were hopeless. edit