Official World Cup Discussion Thread (No Spoilers)

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:02 am

I'm just grateful they have all the games on.

In HD.

Goal celebrations are overblown. So the announcer going over the top with it doesn't do much for me.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:01 pm

Cote D'Ivoire is not to be taken lightly. They sure took their frustration by going shopping in their last game vs Argentina. A reported shopping spree of $35.000 in games and electronic gadgets. We'll see what the Dutch can do here.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 1:45 pm

Where do you get all these random facts from?

The current commentators are good, although I understand if some people find Tommy Smith a bit annoying. JP Dellacamera and whoever his color commentator is, are also a good pair.

Zlax45 · Post by **Zlax45** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 2:00 pm

Feanor wrote:Where do you get all these random facts from?

The current commentators are good, although I understand if some people find Tommy Smith a bit annoying. JP Dellacamera and whoever his color commentator is, are also a good pair.

I can understand people who get mad at Tommy but I think he brings good character to his broadcasts and is very funny and insightful. JP and Harkes is the best broadcast team because they don't let their opinion into the broadcast like that dude DOB and Marcelo Balboa. I heard Dave O'Brien called David Beckham, Micheal the other day.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 5:33 pm

Addidas claims ball used in WC is more accurate than conventional balls.

Players and "experts" disagree.

The World's Clark Boyd explores the technical attributes of the ball being kicked around at the soccer World Cup. It features a new pattern of seams that sometimes makes the ball behave like a baseball.

Audio stream at:

http://audio.theworld.org/wma.php?id=06165

EDiddy · Post by **EDiddy** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 12:15 am

New Soccer fan hear, started to really started to get into futbol after playing WE a few years ago if you can believe it.

Question for gurus, on Mcbride off sides for interfernce on the US Goal vs. Italy. Is this a very silly fundamental mistake, or just a wrong place at wrong time type of error?

sfz_T-car · Post by **sfz_T-car** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:08 am

The offsides was just one of those things.

Here's the replay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHqbhCGeOlA&

You can see McBride timing his run in anticipation of Bocanegra's cross, which is what he's supposed to do. But Boca saw Beasley with some space so he passed it short instead. At this point, McBride was offside and screening Buffon. It was a good call IMHO.

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:35 am

Yeah it was a good call, and just unfortunate timing. Things are chaotic enough in the box, but especially so late in a game that you're playing 9v10. I'm not sure that Buffon would've gotten into better position unscreened, but he might've.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:28 pm

The most anticipated match of the 1st round will take place tomorrow between Argentina-Netherlands. However since both teams are among the 16 teams to advance. I doubt Argentina will dress the same players that have been the talk of town so far in this WC, so players like Saviola and Crespo will sit out. Ditto for other players, so I don't think the A squad will dress up. A. Robben may also sit for the Dutch.

Argentina will be 1st with only a tie, so let's hope that they provide some good entertainment for the fans.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:33 pm

Actually if McBride would have stayed relatively still he would have been okay. They gave him that offside for screening the GK.

For those of you not keeping up on the schedules we have some good games coming up.

Tuesday 2:55 EST
England v Sweden. - Sweden needs to win to get in. England may not be fielding a strong squad.
Paraguay v Trinidad and Tobago - TT needs to win by two with a Sweden loss n order to advance.

Wednesday 9:55 Est
Portugal v Mexico - Mexico should be safe, but a big loss with an Angola win could be spell disaster.
Netherlands v Argentina - battle for #1 out of the group. Winner will probably play mexico. Loser gets portugal.

Thursday 9:55 EST
USA v Ghana - No need to say anything more.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:21 pm

10spro wrote:The most anticipated match of the 1st round will take place tomorrow between Argentina-Netherlands. However since both teams are among the 16 teams to advance. I doubt Argentina will dress the same players that have been the talk of town so far in this WC, so players like Saviola and Crespo will sit out. Ditto for other players, so I don't think the A squad will dress up. A. Robben may also sit for the Dutch.

Argentina will be 1st with only a tie, so let's hope that they provide some good entertainment for the fans.

This game could end up being a damp squib because there are a number of players on both teams carrying yellow cards, especially the Dutch. Too bad, as it looks great on paper with both teams using their top squads, which isn't going to happen.

Still, it should be attractive, forward football.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:23 pm

JRod wrote:Thursday 9:55 EST
USA v Ghana - No need to say anything more.

The Italy-Czech game is the second part of that equation, also at 9:55 a.m. If the Czechs win, it doesn't matter what the U.S. does -- the Yanks are out. If the Czechs tie, the U.S. will have to blow out Ghana to get in through goal differential.

Forza Italia!

Take care,
PK

devilsjaw · Post by **devilsjaw** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:28 pm

pk500 wrote:
JRod wrote:Thursday 9:55 EST
USA v Ghana - No need to say anything more.
The Italy-Czech game is the second part of that equation, also at 9:55 a.m. If the Czechs win, it doesn't matter what the U.S. does -- the Yanks are out. If the Czechs tie, the U.S. will have to blow out Ghana to get in through goal differential.

Forza Italia!

Take care,
PK

If the Czechs win, The US can still get by Italy on goal diff., but it's a longshot. Either way.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:40 pm

devilsjaw wrote:If the Czechs win, The US can still get by Italy on goal diff., but it's a longshot. Either way.

You're right. I keep forgetting Italy will have four points if that happens.

Take care,
PK

Phototropic · Post by **Phototropic** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 2:40 pm

I can't wait. I'm staying home to watch the US game.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:02 pm

So best way to get in is for US to beat Ghana and for Italy to beat Czechs?
I think I am more nervous about the Czechs beating Italy than anything.
Italy wasn't that overwhelming against the US and the Czechs have a good chance of beating them. On the flipside, I think we have a good chance of beating Ghana, if we play like we did against Italy.

It's gonna be a great Thurs AM of soccer! Wish I had picture in picture

Glad I'll be home to watch the games though.

pk500 wrote:
JRod wrote:Thursday 9:55 EST
USA v Ghana - No need to say anything more.
The Italy-Czech game is the second part of that equation, also at 9:55 a.m. If the Czechs win, it doesn't matter what the U.S. does -- the Yanks are out. If the Czechs tie, the U.S. will have to blow out Ghana to get in through goal differential.

Forza Italia!

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:22 pm

M. Owen is gone for six months. Bad news for England and Newcastle.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:39 pm

I just keep dreaming about a potential U.S. / Brazil matchup. Obviously a lot has to happen. Would we even stand a chance against Brazil?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:43 pm

sportdan30 wrote:I just keep dreaming about a potential U.S. / Brazil matchup. Obviously a lot has to happen. Would we even stand a chance against Brazil?

Anything is possible if Brazil plays as poorly as it has in its first two group-stage games, against Croatia and Australia.

Take care,
PK

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:51 pm

10spro wrote:M. Owen is gone for six months. Bad news for England and Newcastle.

Not the way he played in the first two games, it isn't.

Look out for a 4-5-1 formation from Sven, with Hargreaves in front of the back four, Lampard in the middle and Steven Gerrard behind Shrek up front.

As for Newcastle....f**k 'em. At least Owen will only score once against City next season

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 5:06 pm

You know, playing the guy with the best shot in the team in a position where he gets to take lots of shots and doesn't have to worry about protecting the back 4 might just work out.

Talking about Gerrard, of course.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 5:49 pm

Wouldn't be the first time England have radically altered formation during a WC and improved by accident - 86 and 90 spring to mind.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 6:00 pm

pk500 wrote:
sportdan30 wrote:I just keep dreaming about a potential U.S. / Brazil matchup. Obviously a lot has to happen. Would we even stand a chance against Brazil?
Anything is possible if Brazil plays as poorly as it has in its first two group-stage games, against Croatia and Australia.

Take care,
PK

Maybe Brazil will sit the slow bored guy who has been clogging their own attack...

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:49 pm

This isn't the kind of thing that inspires much hope in me that Italy will topple the Czechs:

Meanwhile Italy's captian Fabio Cannavaro believes the Azzurri needed to return to traditional Italian football if they wanted to succeed in the World Cup.

"We have to start to be the cynical Italians," said the Juventus defender. "The secret to going a long way in the tournament is to . . . rediscover some of the typical defensive approach found in Italian football culture."

Italy go into tomorrow's game in Hamburg needing a point to secure their passage to the second round. They lead the group with four points, one more than the Czechs and Ghana, with the United States bottom on one point.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 8:07 pm

1-0 Italia combined with a U.S. victory is all we need, Rob!

Take care,
PK