Official Football Thread

Albie said:
Too late. :D

I don't think Mexico and Uruguay will do a deal and play out a draw - I think Mexico will probably beat Uruguay.
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WOOHOO! Cinco de Mayo all over again MOFOS! And I am confident we will beat Uruguay, they give a good fight but we have their number going back to La Copa America. I think both Latin American teams will pass, with S.A and France bowing out. The U.S is scrambling by with ties, they NEED to win a match.
 
I don't want to sound offensive, since I've just started watching, but is England 'playing down' to Algeria?  It seems that they have had some good chances and either don't take them, or act as if they are so worried about making the 'best play' that they don't take the play in front of them.
 
England is playing like shit. And I CANNOT believe the ref nulled the US' third goal effectively robbing them of the victory, that was bullshit. The US won that game and shitty refereeing cost them the game. That pissed me off.
 
I can't believe I, as a foreigner, has actually CHOSEN to support this team. I am embarrassed, and so should every single member of the team.

I feel really sorry for all of those who, because of their nationality, are obliged to support them.

Albie said:
You know, I just feel like screaming now.

How bloody frustrating is that?
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It's THIS frustrating:

scream.jpg
I'll elaborate a bit:

The defensive bit was OK from England - not rock solid, but OK. Algeria didn't create anything really dangerous. But let's go through this from back to front:

The defenders, whenever they won the ball, were hardly able to do anything but kick the ball as far away as they could. Never calming down with the ball, never bursting forwards. Johnson and Cole hardly contributed in attack at all.

The midfield simply does not work. Gerrard had a decent workrate, bud piss poor passes. Lampard was the same, minus the workrate. Barry just showed that he hadn't played football for some time. He tried, but could not.

Heskey was playing more as a defensive midfielder, and whenever the ball was played to him it bounced away like he was a piece of concrete. And Rooney? Probably never been as disappointed with him as today. When he didn't slip, he just seemed unmotivated. There was no fire!

David James was half decent, though.
 
The one I was thinking of was about half way through the second half, and Gerrard was running with the ball (dribbling?) and had what looked like a good shot on goal, it may have been a 3 on 2 or something like, and instead of taking the shot, he tried a pass, and missed. 
 
Well, yeah, that is what I was thinking.  It reminded me of a hockey player that feels like he is in a slump, and is passing a lot, instead of shooting, you know?
So, I guess FIFA is taking a look at the 'missed call' in the US game from today.  Seems that if they don't find any reason to have called that foul, the Ref will be sidelined for the rest of the World Cup.
 
I guess they are going to look at the entire match, due to the 'physicality' of it.  I was surprised, because everything I heard said that FIFA liked the controversy that surrounded their officials.
 
Posting late... Random notes over the last couple of days.

1. Mexico will definitely go through.  I suspect France will not and that's good.  They haven't scored a single goal in two games.  Even though I picked them to make it, I think that Henry's hand ball is coming back to haunt them.  Good thing he also did not play.

2. The Swiss played great.  Spain tried in vain.  Torres does not seem to be in top form.

3. As commented by many, the ref for Germany-Serbia game was way too punitive.  I think the Germans got screwed.

4. Speaking of screwed, so was USA.  A great goal by Birsa though.  The commentators on my end were saying the only pulling done during the disallowed goal was by Slovenian players.  Horrible referee.

5. It would have served the English that Slovenia lost, since they play them next.  I haven't watched their last game, but a scoreless draw against Algeria is sad.  I have even less hope for them now if they do make it into the knock outs.

6.  Argentina is playing the best football so far.  Their game vs Korea Rep. and the USA-Slovenia game are the two most entertaining so far.

7.  I pick the Netherlands, Ghana and Denmark as winners tomorrow.
 
In case you guys are interested and didn't know yet:

Germany lost its first World Cup group match since 1986, when they lost from Denmark.
 
Forostar said:
In case you guys are interested and didn't know yet:

Germany lost its first World Cup group match since 1986, when they lost from Denmark.
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I knew it, but it's good that you are enlightening the more ignorant amongst us :D

Today I'm cheering for the Netherlands, the Aussies and can't make up my mind for the Cameroon-Denmark thing. Maybe I'll support Denmark if they play in white shirts, and Cameroon otherwise (following my holy principle of always supporting the team in white shirts, red shorts - unless they are playing against Fredrikstad, Man Utd, Norway or England (England are my number two supported national team, I always support them if Norway are not qualified))
 
In a couple of hours, I am going to Amsterdam where a friend "celebrates" his bachelor party. We're going to dress him in a big white shirt with a red dot on it.

:lol:

And then we'll roam all kinds of bars in the city center, including some uhh, never mind.

I won't be back before tomorrow, so if Holland plays shit and I'm not reacting you know why.  :D
 
Forostar said:
In case you guys are interested and didn't know yet:

Germany lost its first World Cup group match since 1986, when they lost from Denmark.
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They also missed their first spot kick since 1974.


Still, after sleeping on yesterday's events I have come to the following conclusions and hopes:

England have been in worse situations than this and still managed to qualify (1990, 1986).
They are a much better team than last nights performance and can only get better - surely. If anyone will say they are not better than that is as disillusioned as an England fan expecting them to win the whole tournament.
England fans will still outnumber everyone else and give it the "home" feel to the next game.
Germany lost. :D
 
Strangely enough, I wasn't extremely glad after England's 0-0  :D maybe because I know that at the end they'll qualify  :(
I think US will probably qualify as well.

On the other hand, Germany's defeat really made my day -Serbia deserved a second goal  :P
 
Albie said:
Still, after sleeping on yesterday's events I have come to the following conclusions and hopes:

England have been in worse situations than this and still managed to qualify (1990, 1986).
They are a much better team than last nights performance and can only get better - surely. If anyone will say they are not better than that is as disillusioned as an England fan expecting them to win the whole tournament.
England fans will still outnumber everyone else and give it the "home" feel to the next game.
Germany lost. :D
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It was just terrible, wasn't it? But like you say, positives: we haven't peaked too early! But we're in such an easy group (the group of life) that England are still odds on favourites to go through and top the group. And I know players seem better when they're not playing, but surely Joe Cole should be on the pitch.
 
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