Soccer thread 09/10 (contains spoilers)

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 4:32 pm

greggsand wrote:if only there was some way to settle ties... oh yeah, keep playing.

Why does a tie need to be "settled" at this point?

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 4:38 pm

RobVarak wrote:
greggsand wrote:if only there was some way to settle ties... oh yeah, keep playing.
Why does a tie need to be "settled" at this point?

That sounds like a trick question. I'm not falling for it.

I guess I'm saying I like my competitive matches to end with a winner and a loser (that's just how I roll). The system seems to reward teams for playing not to lose rather than trying to win. Just seems odd to this yankee.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 4:40 pm

US was playing for the tie in the second half other than a few flurries. Only Altidore and Findley were making runs.

One thing interesting was that US players don't tackle as aggressively as the English players were doing. You didn't see any slide or other physical tackles until it was past the 60 minute mark.

Now to follow through against the "minnows" in the Group.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 5:07 pm

How did Michael Leighton end up as England's goalkeeper today?

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 5:16 pm

XXXIV wrote:US came so close on that post to going up 2-1.

I also thought it was pretty cool how England kept pushing to get the win and like Ruud said save Green.

I enjoyed this game much MUCH more than the first one I saw today...Fun stuff!

What a shame....(the post hit). A win against England would have really gotten the World Cup interest in the US off to a flying start. Still, it was a good tie and a moral vicory.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 5:35 pm

Solid effort from the back 4 today, especially Cherundolo. Dempsey's shot just goes to show you that it's never a bad idea to put a shot on net no matter what sport you are playing.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 8:01 pm

XXXIV wrote:NOT looking forward to the match with Argentina...Okay I am

You'll get killed.

Seriously if Messi converted many of his chances alone, along the awesome trio upfront it's hard to believe that this team struggled to make it during the qualies. The game could have ended 6-0, they better sharpen their aim better for the next games. But like the playoffs in the NHL, it's a different animal now, and Argentina will do just fine if they can survive the madness of Maradona.

The team needs to stay and play together and avoid all the attention given to the coach. After all how many National Teams out there can afford to have a Diego Milito sitting on the bench?

In the later rounds this a team may win 3-2, 4-3 games. With four centre fullbacks to protect Romero, the D maybe the weakest link yet.

Vamos Argentina.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 8:34 pm

10spro wrote:
XXXIV wrote:NOT looking forward to the match with Argentina...Okay I am
You'll get killed. Seriously if Messi converted many of his chances alone, along the awesome trio upfront it's hard to believe that this team struggled to make it during the qualies.

I know. I saw the game. Messi could have had at least 4. The Greeks are so dead but I still wanna see it cause Im crazy

That girl in the pic?...Is she for sale? ......I want one!!!!!!!!!!!!

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:14 pm

Watched the game with my football team who were pretty much all supporting England and as the lone US supporter I was having a riot winding them up after Green spilled the ball. Absolutely brilliant!

Greece are in trouble.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 10:39 pm

Macca00 wrote:Greece are in trouble.

Ouch Macca there's no need to talk both about the team and their economy.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 10:46 pm

JRod wrote:
Macca00 wrote:Greece are in trouble.
Ouch Macca there's no need to talk both about the team and their economy.

Greece is your christmas future Ebenezer osama.

For all you Hellas haters...

Nigeria is in big trouble!

Edit 3: Finally previewed a flag that worked!

...You can tell Im Greek

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 9:36 am

Algeria's Chaouchi does his best Robert Green immitation giving Slovenia the 1-0 victory with about ten minutes to play.

Serbia - Ghana about to start.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 10:02 am

Jimmydeicide wrote:
greggsand wrote:I'm already annoyed with those stupid horns. great choice of location. checking my receiver for "a swarm of bees" sound filter... no luck.
Who goes to a game to blow a f***in horn all day ?
It kills any atmosphere.
I bet i could fit one up the arse of the first guy to bring one to a game.

Insert DB comment here.

I think they are annoying too. We are not alone.

France blames the vuvuzela for their poor showing in their 0-0 draw with Uruguay...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/footbal ... 737455.stm

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 10:05 am

Cherundolo and DeMerit were men of the match for the USA. Rooney looked very ordinary for the entire match.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 10:06 am

Feanor wrote:How did Michael Leighton end up as England's goalkeeper today?

That's very funny.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 10:07 am

10spro wrote:
XXXIV wrote:NOT looking forward to the match with Argentina...Okay I am
You'll get killed. Seriously if Messi converted many of his chances alone, along the awesome trio upfront it's hard to believe that this team struggled to make it during the qualies. The game could have ended 6-0, they better sharpen their aim better for the next games. But like the playoffs in the NHL, it's a different animal now, and Argentina will do just fine if they can survive the madness of Maradona.

The team needs to stay and play together and avoid all the attention given to the coach. After all how many National Teams out there can afford to have a Diego Milito sitting on the bench?

In the later rounds this a team may win 3-2, 4-3 games. With four centre fullbacks to protect Romero, the D maybe the weakest link yet.

Vamos Argentina.

Is that Charo's granddaughter? COOCHIE-COOCHIE!

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 10:54 am

Ghana is one of the most skilled African teams yet. Good speed up front, if they believe in themselves more, they can surprise a few people. Tight match so far.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 11:51 am

Ghana hands Serbia a 1-0 loss.

That was a strange last 20 minutes with hand being the key word. The first Serb holds hands to get a red card and then the second Serb deflects a cross in the box with his hand giving Ghana the game winning pk.

Well deserved win.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 12:09 pm

for all the moaning about the new World Cup ball, it seems like every game is 1-0 or 1-1.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 12:45 pm

Great summary of UK tabloid headlines about Rob Green's blunder:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010 ... ngland-usa

I like "Tainted Glove." Any Soft Cell reference always is a winner for me.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 12:53 pm

JackB1 wrote:for all the moaning about the new World Cup ball, it seems like every game is 1-0 or 1-1.

There's a lot more balanced and parity if you will among some weaker nations that say three WC's ago people would laugh at you if you gave them a minimal chance of an upset. Look at the USA and the African teams that have grown miles in the past decade. You're not going to see blow outs here, you'll have the historic teams that will advance to the next round, saving their best for the quarters on, and the so called not strong teams will always try to avoid being embarrassed.

You're not going to see 6-0, 5-0 games in this WC. Not with the teams involved presently. I like the competitiveness so far of the so called 'weaker nations' and whether the games end 1-0 or 1-1, I've seen some pretty darn good matches already.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 1:02 pm

I agree, James. I'd rather see very competitive, tense 1-0, 1-1 matches than blowouts that could have used the Charlie Brown rule if available.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 1:03 pm

pk500 wrote:Great summary of UK tabloid headlines about Rob Green's blunder:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010 ... ngland-usa

I like "Tainted Glove." Any Soft Cell reference always is a winner for me.

It wasn't a WC event, but come on UK fans, you can't beat this one.

The British media will pound on this one for a week, but the national team will be fine. It comes with the territory, footie madness in England is like Hockey madness in Canada. You're judged at viewed with a telescope, every single move that you make.

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hG_N7IlcWk8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed>

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 2:31 pm

Mertesacker is a monster in the back four for the Germans, the Aussies need to control the early rush from the machine team, Cahill a key player from down under.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 2:46 pm

10spro wrote:
JackB1 wrote:for all the moaning about the new World Cup ball, it seems like every game is 1-0 or 1-1.
There's a lot more balanced and parity if you will among some weaker nations that say three WC's ago people would laugh at you if you gave them a minimal chance of an upset. Look at the USA and the African teams that have grown miles in the past decade. You're not going to see blow outs here, you'll have the historic teams that will advance to the next round, saving their best for the quarters on, and the so called not strong teams will always try to avoid being embarrassed.

You're not going to see 6-0, 5-0 games in this WC. Not with the teams involved presently. I like the competitiveness so far of the so called 'weaker nations' and whether the games end 1-0 or 1-1, I've seen some pretty darn good matches already.

Don't think it's just about parity. I think the ball is too lively for the players meaning that shots that would be on goal or give the GK a hard time are flying wide.