|
|
The FIFA World Cup 2006 (Page 3)
|
|
|
|
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Louisiana
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by mdc
I see it like the Oylimpics, also every 4 years.
It must be a challenge and a half to organize something like this on a global scale. I know South Africa has it for 2010 and they probably had to start organizing the day after they won the bid.
Especially since countries have built new stadiums for World Cups before.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Louisiana
Status:
Offline
|
|
Poland is drawing Germany at half time...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Salamanca, España
Status:
Offline
|
|
I don't like football much. Entertaining to watch every now and then, but I don't go out of my way. Spain is my team, but I don't expect more from them than to win Grupo H. They will.. but probably not much more.
V
|
I could take Sean Connery in a fight... I could definitely take him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior User
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Status:
Offline
|
|
Australia vs Japan was fantastic.
Yelling at the TV for 84 or so minutes...
Then coming back and scoreing 3.
Its never over
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: UK
Status:
Offline
|
|
'til it's over.
Well done Australia, of to a flying start, and I thought Japan looked really solid in defense...
Spain! They're looking strong.
Loving the World Cup, watched almost every game so far
|
tin pot, garden shed
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Canada
Status:
Offline
|
|
uh, England's making me nervous...I'm not sure what Sven's thinking with Crouch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Nashville
Status:
Offline
|
|
England played brilliantly the last 10 minutes or so. Even so, they are a fun team to watch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: London
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by brapper
uh, England's making me nervous...I'm not sure what Sven's thinking with Crouch.
posted before he scored?
seriously, the introducion of lennon and rooney showed the england most of us want to see more of. hopefully sven will stick with it. i doubt it though!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Nashville
Status:
Offline
|
|
Trinidad and Tobago have a really talented group, and I think their coach is making a mistake having them play so defensively. Seems like they are just playing to tie, when they have the talent to win.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Under the shade of Swords
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by brapper
uh, England's making me nervous...I'm not sure what Sven's thinking with Crouch.
Not watched him play on a regular basis have you? A pairing of Crouch/Rooney or Crouch/Owen is a lot more useful than Rooney/Owen. Crouch can hold up the ball and head it. He creates for the other forward. Rooney and Owen are too similar to do any damage to the best teams.
|
To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged;- and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Feb 2001
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by von Wrangell
Crouch can hold up the ball and head it.
Yeah but he looks like a lab rat!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Under the shade of Swords
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by Troll
Yeah but he looks like a lab rat!
And that's being kind to him.
Just imagine if Crouch and Rooney play together upfront. That means we'll be watching the lab rat and Shrek playing football!
|
To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged;- and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Canada
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by von Wrangell
Not watched him play on a regular basis have you? A pairing of Crouch/Rooney or Crouch/Owen is a lot more useful than Rooney/Owen. Crouch can hold up the ball and head it. He creates for the other forward. Rooney and Owen are too similar to do any damage to the best teams.
I've watched them plenty in the qualifying rounds. Don't get me wrong, I actually like Crouch. I just think that he's not quite the quality of player that should be playing the full 90 minutes. He misses too many chances.
I think he's better employed as a substitute should Rooney/Owen fail. I agree that Rooney/Owen are similar players, but they're both fast and can stretch the defense in a way that Crouch never will. Should they not be sucessful, then Sven could always change things up by putting Crouch on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North Hollywood, CA
Status:
Offline
|
|
Good game by Argentina, dominated the game 6-0.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Under the shade of Swords
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by brapper
I've watched them plenty in the qualifying rounds. Don't get me wrong, I actually like Crouch. I just think that he's not quite the quality of player that should be playing the full 90 minutes. He misses too many chances.
I think he's better employed as a substitute should Rooney/Owen fail. I agree that Rooney/Owen are similar players, but they're both fast and can stretch the defense in a way that Crouch never will. Should they not be sucessful, then Sven could always change things up by putting Crouch on.
I've watched every game except two he's played for Liverpool and I can tell you that he is a pretty good finisher. He had a rough start to the season but after he started scoring for Liverpool he has 1 in 2. That's better than Rooney and similar to when Owen played for Liverpool. The only reason he isn't "liked" by the media and many supporters is that he doesn't look like Beckham or some other primadonna.
His stats with England is up there with the best as well. He's played 9 games, 4 of those coming on as a substitude and in those 9 games he's scored 6. That's 2 in 3. Owen has 1 in 2 for England and Rooney has 1 in 3.
The problem England has is two-fold. Both Rooney and Owen are crocked and not yet matchfit. They have to play them into form during the WC. And that will hurt England.
The other problem is SGE. He'll stick to his favoured 4-4-2 while England would do a lot better with either a 3-5-2 or 4-3-3 (Crouch, Owen and Rooney the three up front).
As for not stretching the defences. Crouch runs second most on the pitch for Liverpool. Only Momo Sissoko (great young player) runs more and he covers more than any player I've ever seen and Rafa Benitez once said that he covers 15km in one match. You simply won't find any players who cover more than that.
|
To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged;- and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Under the shade of Swords
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by Adam Betts
Good game by Argentina, dominated the game 6-0.
One of the best performances I've seen. Great football. Simple 1-2's, one touch and off the ball movement. Great team goals and a really solid performance against the team that only conceeded one goal in the qualifiers in Europe. And Serbia was in the same group as Spain. Which is one of the teams that could possibly win this thing.
Argentine could definately win this thing.
|
To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged;- and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Newton, MA, USA
Status:
Offline
|
|
i just got back from germany myself; i caught two games (us-czech republic, england-paraguay), and it was a totally amazing experience. pretty much everyone got along, and it was really cool to see so many people from all over the world having such a good time. pretty much everywhere you went, there were people dressed up and singing.
i've got pictures up here http://flickr.com/photos/rcolonna/ if anyone's interested...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North Hollywood, CA
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by calamar1
Thanks for the pictures. You're so lucky with front row seat
Are you going to watch more games there or you're done?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Newton, MA, USA
Status:
Offline
|
|
yeah, the front row seat was a real stroke of luck indeed; i'd actually gotten that via the conditional ticket program (seats that are freed up at the last minute) and was totally shocked to find out where it was... alas, i'm back in the states now, since the day job calls, but as huge an undertaking it was to go, i'll seriously think about it next time, too. i can't recommend it highly enough...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North Hollywood, CA
Status:
Offline
|
|
Wow really good offensive by Ghanda. First goal was a shocker.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Nashville
Status:
Offline
|
|
Damnnn... Ghana wins 2-0 !!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NY²
Status:
Offline
|
|
Is my ABC HD broken or was that game not widescreen?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Poster
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: somewhere
Status:
Offline
|
|
Congrats to Ghana! I always like seeing the smaller countries win, especially ones that don't have the wealth that other nations have.
Kofi Annan must be thrilled.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Northern VA
Status:
Offline
|
|
20 Minutes until Italy vs. US. The US is probably gonna get owned my italy.
|
iMac 24" | Core 2 Extreme 2.8GHz | 4GB RAM | 500GB HD
PowerBook G4 15" HR | 1.67GHz | 2GB RAM | 100GB HD
R.I.P 1995 Toyota Supra NA-T
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: The Rock
Status:
Offline
|
|
Holy crap!!! Ghana! They looked pretty good in their first match, but this was just domination! Here's to the Czechs having yet another disappointing World Cup....
greg
|
Mankind's only chance is to harness the power of stupid.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Vente: Achat
Status:
Offline
|
|
Wow, now the US actually has something to play for. Giddyup!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: FFM
Status:
Offline
|
|
I expect a 6:0 for Italy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Canada
Status:
Offline
|
|
oh wow. that's 30 seconds of self-destruction for the Italians...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: FFM
Status:
Offline
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North Hollywood, CA
Status:
Offline
|
|
Red card for US was a bad call, it should have been yellow card easily =/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Vente: Achat
Status:
Offline
|
|
This game is turning out to be a farce.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: FFM
Status:
Offline
|
|
I expected more from the Italians. USA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Nashville
Status:
Offline
|
|
Both red cards on the USA were terrible calls. Turns out that ref was suspended back in FiFA 2002 for "irregularities." Well, his career as a FIFA ref should end today. He ruined the game for both sides. You don't red card a player for a split second late, spikes down tackle. Pathetic. It's the World effin cup man.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Denton, TX
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by greenamp
Both red cards on the USA were terrible calls. Turns out that ref was suspended back in FiFA 2002 for "irregularities." Well, his career as a FIFA ref should end today. He ruined the game for both sides. You don't red card a player for a split second late, spikes down tackle. Pathetic. It's the World effin cup man.
Agreed. He should be banned from the tournament. That game was an officiating disaster.
Props to the U.S. for defending with 9 players all the way to the end.
|
"This show is filmed before a live studio audience as soon as someone removes that dead guy!" - Stephen Colbert
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: London
Status:
Offline
|
|
USA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: FFM
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by greenamp
Both red cards on the USA were terrible calls.
All 3 red cards were absolutely justified. Both Giovanni Trapattoni and Urs Meier agreed.
(
Last edited by TETENAL; Jun 17, 2006 at 05:21 PM.
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Automatic
Status:
Offline
|
|
What should be banned is that moron player from Italy, he did a similar thing prior to the WC during a friendly match versus Switzerland, typical stuff coming from an Italian team. They are pathetically unsporting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Nashville
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by TETENAL
You're blind if you think the 2 red cards against the USA were justified.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: London
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by angelmb
What should be banned is that moron player from Italy, he did a similar thing prior to the WC during a friendly match versus Switzerland, typical stuff coming from an Italian team. They are pathetically unsporting.
yeah, De Rossi was bang out of order and then had the nerve to protest his innocence to the ref - tosser. McBride was straight back in there once the cleaned up the blood and taped his face up, real spirit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: FFM
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by greenamp
You're blind
I have no clue about football, but Urs Meier who is commentating the referee decisions on German TV does. He was one of the world's best referees. He said that if the Italian player would not happened to be jumping the moment he was hit by the US player but standing with the studs in the ground, the foul would have resulted in very serious injuries that would have ment the end for his participation in the world cup. He is Swiss, unbiased, so I trust his judgement.
The other red card was a yellow card, the second for that player in this game.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Automatic
Status:
Offline
|
|
I can understand is kinda shocking that one guy get a red card when he was trying to play the ball and hits really hard an opponent ankle with no intention to damage that guy since it was a fortuitous action… and then you see that other player (?) De Rossi giving a 100% deliberate, hostile and malicious poke towards an opponent face…
I guess the same punishment -red card- doesn't seem that fair to the untrained eye… but FIFA has to get on it and ban that moronic italian from the WC'06. To the hell with him… come on, the guy was even claiming his innocence when such ref was just in front of the action !!
Please ban him NOW.
BTW I was really impressed with Donovan and Cherundolo. I knew Keller was good stuff, he was enrolled in a spanish team some years ago.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Nashville
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by angelmb
BTW I was really impressed with Donovan and Cherundolo. I knew Keller was good stuff, he was enrolled in a spanish team some years ago.
Agreed, they play a heck of a game. I was a bit surprised Arena didn't use his last sub in the 80th minute. Both teams legs were shot and a fresh pair of USA legs might have made a difference.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Apr 2002
Status:
Offline
|
|
I love passionately fought games, where the outcome is uncertain 'till the final whistle, as much as the next guy. In many ways this was an exciting game. But I personally also applaud the decisions by this referee because virtually every attempt at offense was met with a foul on both sides of the field.
Tackling is a skill but the number of fouls and cynicaly late tackles in this game showed a lack of defensive imagination in the execution of good defensive plans. By the beginning of the second half all the fouls were becoming very tiresome to watch for me.
I think the ones who are blinded are those who either didn't see or condone these kinds of actions by the players who were sent off in particular, or the teams at large.
A cynical hit in the face with an elbow by de Rossi , a series of nasty and disruptive fouls by Pope and a hopelessly late, flying attack -with both legs stretched out, studs forward with no hope of hitting anything but ankles by- Mastroeni all deserved the card colors they received. Fortunately Mastroeni's nasty foul only ended the game for himself while it could easily have injured the other player for the game and rest of the tournament.
So, in my opinion all the fouls can be blamed on the players who committed them and thereby disrupted the game, not on the referee who had no choice but to sanction them. Personally I would hope that any unbiased football supporter could see it that way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Nashville
Status:
Offline
|
|
There was no where near as many actual fouls by USA in this game as Italy made it out to be. Those guys are the best actors in the entire world of football. Two stretchers called out and seconds after reaching the sideline the players jump right out and back on the field. That magic spray Italy had must be good stuff.
At any rate it's over and I gotta purge these negative vibes and root for Italy to beat out the Czechs this thursday.
(
Last edited by greenamp; Jun 18, 2006 at 01:24 AM.
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Okanagan, BC, Canada
Status:
Offline
|
|
THe Italy/USA game was horribly played yet full of drama. The Americans did try very hard this time—you've got to give them credit for that—yet their only goal was... well.. not even their goal :/ The Italians were terrible. I wish they would stop diving around and play beautiful football, like they should be capable of.
Ghana was very impressive. The Americans will have their hands full with them.
For what it's worth, I though the first red card for the Americans was justified (maybe a bit tough). The second one was tough though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: On the dancefloor, doing the boogaloo…
Status:
Offline
|
|
The US played a damn good game against probably the most disappointing Italian team I've seen in a long time. De Rossi needs to be banned for at least a year (not only because of his foul against McBride, but for his general asshattry, like deliberately jumping onto an opponents leg (Switzerland) etc.)
The first red card against the US was harsh, but (somewhat) justified, - the second one was an effing joke. Also, that second half goal for the US should have counted. It was a shot on goal and not a pass, and the attacker wasn't even off-side at that. The refs are supposed to make the calls for the attacking team when in doubt.
Ghana played awesome, but I'll be rooting for the US in the last game. Italy will trounce the Chezcs (wait and see), and it's off to face Brazil in the next round.
Best teams so far, – Germany, Spain and Argentina. I'm hoping for a Germany-Spain final!
|
If I change my way of living, and if I pave my streets with good times, will the mountain keep on giving…
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Automatic
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by greenamp
Those guys are the best actors in the entire world of football.
We europeans know so far that is everyday stuff with any italian team. They are that dirty. In a nutshell, with the Italians, you don't know whether to laugh or cry.
the entire italian team
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Apr 2002
Status:
Offline
|
|
It may have been a shot on goal and not a pass per se but I -from watching the game live and from the several replays shown during the direct broadcast- recall that there was a player in an offside position who perhaps did not touch the ball but who made an attempt to do so. This in my opinion invalidates your analysis. Had he remained passive I might have agreed but since he -in an offside position- ran at the goal and lifted his foot to shoot or deflect the ball and thereby may have distracted the keeper justified that decision of this referee as well for me.
Based on FIFA Laws of the Game - offside: ... snip... "Interfering with an opponent means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision or movements or making a gesture or movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts an opponent." Link
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Louisiana
Status:
Offline
|
|
I watched the U.S. game and was hoping beyond hope that they could pull out the win. Then Pope and Mastroeni were sent off on very questionable calls and I knew that the best the U.S. could hope for was a draw. I'm satisfied with the result, but if Ghana plays at the same level on Thursday, the U.S. will be out. I really don't think Ghana can sustain the same level of play though, so it ought to be a good match.
I'm hoping Australia can give Brazil a good match today, just for the sake of a good watch. Any chance to watch Brazil is welcome for someone from a country that never televises any soccer/football games that aren't MLS or U.S. national games (except for the World Cup).
[EDIT] - Kudos to Brian McBride for being one of the few players on the pitch yesterday to show a little toughness. Bloodied McBride is Our Hero - Keller He didn't baby around. He got patched up and made it back out as quickly as possible. I love McBride
(
Last edited by Jawbone54; Jun 18, 2006 at 12:31 PM.
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: England | San Francisco
Status:
Offline
|
|
Australia rocked against Brazil. I really hope the Aussies do well!
|
we don't have time to stop for gas
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Rules
|
|
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|