Official Football Thread

[Ardius]

What is interesting is that it's been different parts of the team that have been rubbish. Against USA they were all decent until the equalizer. After that, the defense was still OK for the rest of the group stage, but the attacking play was without creativity, without pace and without width.

Against Germany yesterday, it was the defense that gave them away. Terry and Upson were caught out of position on both of Germany's goals in the first half.

Which is why I think the team overall were just not playing well. Whether its due to Capello's tactics or to a lack of team confidence or motivation is the debate but there is clearly something wrong with the team chemistry. They basically don't play as a team.

 

[Jeffmetal]

Since when does Tevez not play in Europe? And would you say he was better than Messi also during the 2009-2009 season, where he scored a total of 15 goals for Man United, of which 6 were in the Carling Cup? Then I'll have to disagree with you. Strongly.

If you had seen what Tevez did when he was in Corinthians, you'd understand what I mean. But yes, Messi did a better 2008/2009 season, but in overall, Tevez is much better.

One odd thing I discovered while watching trivias about South Africa World Cup - On Lampard's invalided goal yesterday, the ball passed the line by the exact measure of...GUESS WHAT?!?!

4,4 centimeters. Really odd!!! Break even point couldn't be more precise.

 

[____no5]

Netherlands 2, Slovakia 1

What a boring match... Yet I kind of enjoyed Netherlands, they played exactly as much as they had to... Veeery cool play!

Thanks very much for the kind words. Glad you think so, given that it's an integral part of my job!

Now I'm curious 

 

[Cornfed Hick]

Now I read that FIFA is banning video replays of controversial plays on the stadium big screens, to further protect referees who make bad calls.  So, now the paying fans are cheated.  Way to go, FIFA, that's the solution. 

[Will/no.5: I'm an attorney.]

 

[____no5]

Lol, I was writing yesterday here to at least stop the big screens if they don't introduce video, but I found it too ridiculous so I deleted it before posting
And now it comes that's this the FIFA 'solution'

[Will/no.5: I'm an attorney.]

Essential, in deed 

Did you try any of my recommendations in Paris ?? La robe et le palais is a classic stand for attorneys during the day service...

 

[Onhell]

FIFA loves to live in the 1800s. I understand the not allowing video review... barely, but I get that, but "protect the ref?" fuck that, they screw up, they screw up and they're going to hear it... It's part of NOT allowing video review.

 

[Dr. Eddies Wingman]

The Netherlands vs Slovakia game today reminded me of the matches between Norway and Netherlands in the qualifiers. Netherlands were just a little better, but it seemed like they always had more to give. They just didn't, because they didn't need to. They might not provide us with the fireworks kind of games as often anymore, but this looks more like a team that can reach the final.

Now let's see whether Chile's naive approach to defending will cost them against Brazil. Or, more precisely, how much it will cost them. My prediction is 3-1 to Brazil.

---

Didn't expect to see Brazil need a corner to break the deadlock ... a couple of embarrassing dives from the Brazilians so far in the first half. A team that good shouldn't need that kind of nonsense ... but anyway, it is 1-0!

---

... and then they needed only a few minutes to make it two. What a lovely piece of attacking football. One cannot time a pass better than this.

 

[Onhell]

LOL, I was just having lunch and saw the both goals and I was thinking the same thing about the diving. Honest to goodness the one thing I HATE about football, all the players are such sissies...

 

[Forostar]

Brave Chile. Seriously. They're not pulling back en masse, only trying to prevent Brazil to score their 4th goal. Instead they're attacking non-stop(!) til the end.

Some great players they have. To bad that mostly -at the end of these attacks- they shift back to gear 1 again, just lacking the edge to score.

Looks like we're going to get another Netherlands vs Brazil again. Looking forward to it.

 

[Jeffmetal]

Today we played well, today I can say I feel the confidence showing up in our squad. The divings are ALWAYS annoying. The ref missed one penalty for us, but he conducted the game very well.

Another Netherlands x Brasil. Very likely to be one of the best games in the tournament, as it was in 94 and 98.

 

[Forostar]

And '74. 

 

[Jeffmetal]

I forgot about '74. Not because we loss, but just because I wasn't even born (though I watched it, later).

 

[Genghis Khan]

After fast farwarding through the Netherlands v Slovakia game, I thought that the Dutch played with reserve.  I imagine they can bring it up a notch against Brazil.  The last second penalty shot was unfair, but it is not the ref's fault.  Vittek deliberately dragged his right foot just so he could "trip" over Stekelenburg's hands.  I must have watched the video replay ten times because it looked suspicious.  After the game, a bird's eye view convinced me further that it was a fake trip.  Did anyone else see it this way?

 

[Jeffmetal]

I realized that it was staged by Vittek later in the night, watching post games debates. He put his right leg very close to Stekelenburg's hand and made a movement to look as if he was dragged down. By the way, the game was very passive. I was expecting more from Slovakia 'cos they played against Italy like thay should've played yesterday, specially due to the fact that Netherlands is way better than Italy now and it wasn't group's phase, anymore.

 

[Dr. Eddies Wingman]

After fast farwarding through the Netherlands v Slovakia game, I thought that the Dutch played with reserve.  I imagine they can bring it up a notch against Brazil. 

Just as I said. They just do what they need to win, not more.

The last second penalty shot was unfair, but it is not the ref's fault.  Vittek deliberately dragged his right foot just so he could "trip" over Stekelenburg's hands.  I must have watched the video replay ten times because it looked suspicious.  After the game, a bird's eye view convinced me further that it was a fake trip.  Did anyone else see it this way?

Yes, Vittek constructed the penalty all right. Should have had a yellow card instead. That kind of behaviour should be punished. If the ref does not see it, at least punish the player afterwards. A one-match ban and a fine. Upon repetition, three matches and a bigger fine.

 

[Forostar]

Just as I said. They just do what they need to win, not more.

To be honest, I doubt if they could have done much better, in that match.

I think Holland can bring a certain level out of themselves while playing a match. So if my theory is right then Brazil should make loose a hell of a lot of spirit (and abilities) in the next match. (sorry for this bad Dutch-English sentence, hope you know what I mean)

So the whole thing almost looks like an almost unconsious adaption rather than a strategy of "let's take it easy, this is a piece of cake, we don't need to do better".

Brazil has a more open style of playing so I have some (reserved hehe!) hope that Holland will be able to score.
I think it's difficult (if not impossible) to stop Robben, so I have no worries about our attacking possibilities.

More scary question is: will our defense be able to stop the Brazilians?

What comforts me somewhat is that the Netherlands seem to be very focussed, purely busy with the goal:
Let's get a round further. That goal, the progress in the tournement is more important (than ever) than: the football has to look great.

If I could use one word to describe the Dutch football in this tournement it would be: cunning. They know how to deal with their opponents.

Now I only hope that this stuff will work next Friday.

 

[Jeffmetal]

Netherlands - fast forward players, great lauching/crossing and passing, 'unstable' defense

Brasil - solid defense, messy and excessively defensive midfield, Kaká/Robinho/Luis Fabiano/Nilmar can resolve the game colectivelly or individually.

It'll be an amazing match and I think each has their own advantages. Hope Brasil use it wisely.

 

[Albie]

Complain about them, not about Blatter who can't change this alone.

But Blatter is not even interested in changing it either:

"The game must be played in the same way no matter where you are in the world," he wrote. "The simplicity and universality of the game is one of the reasons for its success.

"No matter which technology is applied, at the end of the day a decision will have to be taken by a human being. This being the case, why remove the responsibility from the referee to give it to someone else?"

Source

Although he has now said he will re-open the debate.

Spoiler

They're constantly talking about the big players of England, that they didn't show what they can. You know why?

Every big English player in his club has three bigger foreign players in his club to make him that big. Every English player in the PL has fantastic foreigners to get him in a great position. Every great English defender has three foreign defenders with him.

So this ought to be the best group since The Beatles? I think they might even be the worst English squad since the Beatles.

Off course you are entitled to your opinion - as am I. And I totally disagree as I have actually seen each of these "big players" play much better than that - in an England shirt, not just for their respective club.

Face it, bad form is bad form, no matter who plays alongside you. Rooney, for example, has been out of form since he damaged his ankle against Bayern in the Champions League - for both Man U and England. The so called bigger foreigners are not there to make these players look better than they are - take Rooney out of Man U and they are weaker, take Gerrard out of Liverpool and they are so much weaker, take Terry out of Chelsea and they weaken, etc. And players like Gerrard, Lampard, Cole are the play-makers rather than the player on the end of a sublime pass.

Now I read that FIFA is banning video replays of controversial plays on the stadium big screens, to further protect referees who make bad calls.  So, now the paying fans are cheated.  Way to go, FIFA, that's the solution.

We have had the big screens at Premiership matches for many years now (as, no doubt, do other leagues) but the idea was to only show the match as it was played out and highlights of a goal or missed goal - never for a referee decision. Had FIFA adopted that simple rule, the Teves incident would have a lot of the sting taken out of it. That said, I understand your grumble.

 

[Forostar]

But Blatter is not even interested in changing it either

Still not...? Grrr. Well, my point was that even if he would be at some point, he can't do it alone.

About your comment about the foreign players, I am not sure about that. These are foreign players which means they have had success in other countries as well. They came, they were invited.

I don't remember ever having seen an Englishman making a foreign club/players stronger.

 

[Cornfed Hick]

I don't remember ever having seen an Englishman making a foreign club/players stronger.

Have any of the top English players played for foreign clubs?  I'm aware that Beckham went to Real Madrid, but that was in the twilight of his career, and when he came back to Real on loan from his MLS team, my understanding is that he definitely helped them. It is wrong to discredit English players, there have been many great ones.  I'm not sure Rooney is one, I've never been that impressed by him, but Gerrard in his prime was as good as any player in the world, and he's still the best player on the field from time to time. Rooney gets much more media attention here in the States, and I'm not sure why.  Gerrard reminds me of Derek Jeter, by far the most respected active American baseball player, a revered captain who makes the plays necessary to win.  And I don't recall ever seeing a more inspirational athletic performance than Gerrard's in the Champions League final when Liverpool came from three goals down to beat AC Milan. Not even Michael Jordan had a game like that, just insane.