FIFA World Cup 2014 Semi Final : Brazil 1-7 Germany - Five Talking Points

A first-halfblitzkrieg thatsaw Germany score four goals in six minutes was enough to seal a comfortable 7-1 victory over hosts Brazil and march into their eighth World Cup Final. Two goals each from Toni Kroos andAndr Schrrle and one each from Thomas Mller, Miroslav Klose and Sami Khedira was enough to see Germany through and condemn Brazil to their heaviest-ever defeat andfirst competitive home loss since 1975.Here are the five major talking points from the game:

#1 German finesse beats Brazilian muscle

Brazil’s clash against Germany was billed as the clash of two very different midfields. It was Germany’s technical trio of Khedira, Kroos and Schweinsteiger who were set to go up against the more physical duo of Fernandinho and Luiz Gustavo. It was supposed to be a battle between brain and brawn, German technique against Brazilian physique. In the end, it was the Germans who got the better of the Brazilian midfield, not just technically and tactically but also physically and psychologically.

With Schweinsteiger sitting in front of the back four, both Kroos and Khedira had the freedom to push forward. Buoyed by the freedom afforded to them by not just Schweinsteiger, but the frail Brazilian defence as well, the duo got forward with great effect. Not only did they score three of the seven goals, they also created opportunities for the others by pressing Brazil higher up the pitch. The fourth goal was a testament to that as Kroos dispossessed Fernandinho, played a one-two with Khedira before calmly slotting the ball into an empty net.

What was supposed to be a tight, tense affair turned into a rout, thanks in no small measure to Kroos and Khedira, the duo who exemplified the modern German midfielder: technically proficient whilst also capable of being physical when the situation demands.

#2 Brazil pay the penalty for their over-reliance on Neymar

Going into this World Cup, if there was one thing that was apparent from Luiz Felipe Scolari’s squad, it was that he had put all his eggs into one Neymar-sized basket. A squad without the likes of Coutinho, Lucas Moura and Kaka meant that the creative burden rested solely on Neymar’s shoulders. Although Neymar had carried the burden until the quarter-finals, his injury meant that Scolari had to completely change his tactics for the game against Germany.

One of the main reasons why their overtly physical approach worked was because of Neymar’s ability to create something out of nothing. Because the team knew that they had a genius in Neymar, everyone just gave him the ball at all times. So, it was always going to difficult for Scolari to get his side out of that frame of mind and focus on attacking as a team.

What made matters worse was that, in Fred they had a striker with no pace, power or the ability to hold the ball. He couldn’t stretch the opposing defence and that meant that the attack had to operate in a very congested space. That, coupled with Oscar’s disappointing offensive displays ensured that Brazil never really got going as an attacking force against Germany, barring a 10-minute spell at the start of the second half.

#3 Can anyone stop the German jamboree?

With their biggest ever win in a World Cup knockout round, Germany sailed through to yet another World Cup final; their first since their loss in 2002 to Brazil. Although revenge isn’t something that wouldn’t have been on player’s minds, the clinical precision with which the Germans got rid of Brazil was simply staggering. Their opening game against Portugal aside, this German side never looked like one that was going to entertain everyone with bucket loads of goals.

Thanks to a combination of abject Brazilian defending and sublime German attacking, Germany put on an attacking master class unlike any other. With a midfield trio that monopolizes possession, a goalkeeper who is having a wonderful tournament so far and an attack that is looking like the most clinical in Brazil, the Germans look set to notch up their fourth World Cup title. Can either the Dutch or the Argentineans stop that? Whether they do or not, one thing is for sure, if they give this German side a sniff, then they are certainly going to regret it.

#4 David Luiz goes from hero to villain

After their quarter-final victory Colombia, David Luiz was hailed as a national hero. Not only did he score the winning goal with a wonderful free kick, in a crucial clash, but he also showed why PSG were right in splashing the cash on him. He, along with Thiago Silva led the side to victory. In the absence of his partner in crime, Luiz had a horror show against Germany and was perhaps the biggest offender in a defence that committed some schoolboy errors.

Although Fernandinho was directly responsible for three of the seven goals, David Luiz must take the lion’s share of the blame for the defeat. As captain, Luiz was expected to steady the ship and comfort a team that was being run ragged by the Germans. Instead, Luiz went missing. He ran away from a fight and left his team for dead. He was caught out of position on numerous occasions and showed why he might never have what it takes to be a world class central defender.

#5 Klose has his record, but for how long?

Miroslav Klose’s long-wait is finally over. His expertly taken right footed finish against Brazil made him the all-time leading goal scorer in the history of the World Cup. On any other day, this might just be the biggest talking point. But unfortunately for Klose, Brazil’s capitulation is likely to grab all the headlines while his historic achievement is shunned to the back pages.

While the world might come around to complimenting his accomplishment in a day or two, Klose might be more worried about how long his record is likely to stay. For the emergence of another goal scorer supreme in Thomas Müller, means that Klose runs the risk of losing his World Cup goal scoring record as soon as 2018. The 24-year-old Müller already has 10 World Cup goals to his name and still has at least two more World Cups in him. If he continues his current form which has seen him score five goals in each of his two World Cups, it won’t be long before another Müller sits atop the German goal scoring charts.