Official World Cup Spoiler Thread

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:29 am

wco81 wrote:The expected powers are playing up to form.

For once.

Wait a minute: Spain dominated its opener. That's not true Spanish form!

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:38 am

What a pretty pass on the floor by Messi on Argentina's fourth goal. Crespo was credited with the goal, but it sure looked like an own goal on the replay.

Argentina is flying. Group C is mega-entertaining.

Take care,
PK

fanatic · Post by **fanatic** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:43 am

I think it was Crespo's goal.....

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:43 am

CARLITOS!

5-0, Argentina. What a bloodbath.

Take care,
PK

fanatic · Post by **fanatic** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:45 am

Wow...a dream game for Argentina...Tevez with a marvelous individual effort.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:46 am

Jesus, Mary and Joseph: It's raining goals in Gelsenkirchen. Messi!

Think Argentina will have the advantage in goal differential if the Netherlands beats the Ivory Coast today and Argentina ties the Netherlands in the final game of Group C?

Take care,
PK

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:55 am

And guess who has a Spain v Argentina final on his betting slip...

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:58 am

If you are Mexico you want to win Group D and do everything not to face Argentina. Damn there were a lot of goals put in today by the Argentines.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:59 am

davet010 wrote:And guess who has a Spain v Argentina final on his betting slip...

Cha-ching!

Take care,
PK

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:04 am

How can the countries of Argentina, Brazil play such exciting football and Europeans countries that on paper have the same talent level look so boring.

Spain has been entertaining this year but isn't always so. Germany look to start fast but then returned to German 1-0 form. England well...

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:19 am

Argentina is not always this exciting...They go in cycles and their style changes with their talent...Obviously they are on the upside...

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:47 am

Talent and skills are very hard to be taught. In South America when you are a kid, you learn to play a style in a field that's not always clean, uneven and full of rocks. So players learn to play in those conditions and all of the sudden when they are presented with a beautiful soccer pitch, it's like dancing on ice.

Today we saw a display of "Total Football" by the Argentines. I am still speechless on E. Cambiasso's goal, I counted a total of 24 passes between different players before he scored. So far the goal of the tournament.

And yes, this team is deep enough to have the substitutes play and still be competitive with anyone on the field. And they will adjust their gameplay style once they face the Dutch next wednesday .

How about Lionel Messi?
He entered the last 15 minutes of play, had a goal and an assist and flashes of what he can do with the ball. Only 18.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:53 am

JRod wrote:How can the countries of Argentina, Brazil play such exciting football and Europeans countries that on paper have the same talent level look so boring.

As Eric Cantona said in one of the Nike "Joga Bonita" ads: "Beautiful. BEAUTIFUL!"

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:44 pm

A dumb penalty by D. Drogba, their team is back in the game with that awesome strike and he doens't avoid the keeper. Now he'll miss the next game. The orange is showing some cracks on D.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:47 pm

That ref likes the yellow. He did that in the first game he was in.

Bad foul on Droga but the Orangemen are letting the Ivory Coast in this game.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:58 pm

The Ivory Coast is a very good side...They made Argentina pee there pants before that game was over and they are going to do the same to the Dutch.

Zlax45 · Post by **Zlax45** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 1:00 pm

That was one of the better halfs of football in this tourney.

Zlax45 · Post by **Zlax45** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 1:54 pm

Sad to see a very good Ivory Coast team going home...Good job by them.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 2:13 pm

Zlax45 wrote:Sad to see a very good Ivory Coast team going home...Good job by them.

Wrong group...that draw can be a b*tch.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 2:19 pm

JRod wrote:How can the countries of Argentina, Brazil play such exciting football and Europeans countries that on paper have the same talent level look so boring.

Spain has been entertaining this year but isn't always so. Germany look to start fast but then returned to German 1-0 form. England well...

Don't read too much into the early games - Argentina will soon be back to their cheating best, a la

1978 - Peru throw final group game by the required 6-0 score, allowing Argentina to progress to the final....bought and paid for by one Pablo Escobar. Unfortunately his payment was intercepted.

1986 - Hand of God ? Hand of a fat cheating c*nt more like.

1990 - possibly the most cynical bunch of scum ever to make it to a World Cup final, who having fouled and twisted their way past Brazil and Italy, succeeded in achieving the impossible...ensuring that everyone in the world bar their immediate relatives wanted Germany to win the final (which they did, having outshot Argentina 21-1).

1994 - 5 lots of ephedrine in the blood ? That'll be your WC over, fatso.

1998 - a tap on the back of the leg, and notorious hardman Diego Simeone goes down like he's been shot by a sniper. Still, it was David Beckham.

The only reason I bet on them this time is to get some small measure of recompense if they get to the final.

Not that I don't like them, mind

sfz_T-car · Post by **sfz_T-car** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 2:35 pm

Zlax45 wrote:Sad to see a very good Ivory Coast team going home...Good job by them.

Pele's prediction of an African WC champion looks as far away as ever. The continent has produced some great individual talents, but no team has ever gotten close to the cup. Nigeria's gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics is still the high water mark for African football at the international level.

It's looking unlikely that any African teams will advance to the knockouts this year. So they'll have to look ahead to 2010. South Africa had a terrible showing in qualifiers and the Cup of Nations this year but could have as big a home field advantage as any host. Hopefully Ivory Coast will be able to build on their experience but political unrest is a huge factor. Nigeria would have probably been a stronger representative than Angola, but they lost out on head-to-head results in spite of a much better overall goal differential.

I suppose the four new qualifiers is a good sign in that it shows the depth of talent. But it could also be argued that it's just another indication of the chaos that is Africa. No other region has anywhere near this degree of change vs. the qualifiers for WC2002.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 3:24 pm

Is anyone else not getting the ESPN HD feed for the Mexico game? SD works fine, but I've got no signal on the HD channel. Like watching Claymation in black and white

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 3:43 pm

I have the ESPN HD feed, so it must be something with your provider.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 4:48 pm

Dave wrote:I have the ESPN HD feed, so it must be something with your provider.

The only people having a worse game than Mexico are Comcast

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 4:53 pm

I can't believe their slogan is "It's Comcrapstic!"