Official World Cup 2010 discussion thread

[EagleDave]

I don't think this Brazil team was as strong as the media said they were. I think they get the ND/Yankee/Cowboys treatment because of their rep.

They weren't...and they badly missed Ronaldhino who was mysteriously left off the roster for "attitude" problems despite his general awesomeness in the midfield. But...Brazil is still Brazil and they were still one of the 4 best teams in this tournament. The catch of course is that the Dutch are also one of the 4 best, making this game a sneaky toss up.

[b0mberMan]

I don't think this Brazil team was as strong as the media said they were. I think they get the ND/Yankee/Cowboys treatment because of their rep.

They weren't...and they badly missed Ronaldhino who was mysteriously left off the roster for "attitude" problems despite his general awesomeness in the midfield. But...Brazil is still Brazil and they were still one of the 4 best teams in this tournament. The catch of course is that the Dutch are also one of the 4 best, making this game a sneaky toss up.

... which is, of course, being billed as an upset because as you say Brazil is Brazil.

[twballgame9]

If the Netherlands wins the Cup, I am buying one of those sweet jerseys. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar or Giovanni Van Bronckhorst are my top choices.

Woo hoo! Holland!

[BCdee]

Sucks to be Ghana. Wow.

[branchinator]

Sucks to be Ghana. Wow.

Has to be one of the most heartbreaking losses in the history of sports. Cheap ass hand ball leads to penalty kick, which is blown, and then the team chokes in 2 more penalty kicks. Gyan is the new Scot Norwood. Also, that idiot from Ghana who missed the first penalty kick screwed his team. Didn't even take a running start.

[EagleDave]

Without question the most unbelievable ending to a soccer game I've ever seen...missing a PK at the buzzer in extra time after a brilliant handball by Uruguay to at least give themselves a chance...and then missing THREE PK's in the shootout! Unbelievable...

[apbc12]

Gyan's going to have a hard time sleeping for a while. He had the keeper crossed up. The only near-equivalent I could think of would be missing a free throw in a tie game with no time on the clock. Sucks to lose on a handball like that, but credit to the Uruguayan for keeping the ball out. It may have been blatantly illegal, but not exactly cheating, either. And it kept his team alive.

The first Ghanaian guy to miss the PK must have been stoned.

[branchinator]

Gyan's going to have a hard time sleeping for a while. He had the keeper crossed up. The only near-equivalent I could think of would be missing a free throw in a tie game with no time on the clock. Sucks to lose on a handball like that, but credit to the Uruguayan for keeping the ball out. It may have been blatantly illegal, but not exactly cheating, either. And it kept his team alive.

The first Ghanaian guy to miss the PK must have been stoned.

I'd like to know what the conversion rate is on penalty kicks. Gyan is going to see that ball going high for the rest of his life. Of course, his retarded teammate, Mensah (perfect name), hit the most limp-dicked penalty kick I've ever seen.

Suarez from Uruguay made an incredible heads-up play to keep that ball out of the goal. If Uruguay goes on to win it all, it'll be remembered similarly to Maradona's play.

[twballgame9]

ESPN said the conversion rate in the World Cup is like 68%, which is down from the World-wide rate of just under 80%, probably because of the quality of the keepers.

On another note, as previously discussed, I am watching my first game since the World Cup ended in the US Ghana game, and as expected, there is no D in A-R-G-E-N-T-I-N-A

[branchinator]

ESPN said the conversion rate in the World Cup is like 68%, which is down from the World-wide rate of just under 80%, probably because of the quality of the keepers.

On another note, as previously discussed, I am watching my first game since the World Cup ended in the US Ghana game, and as expected, there is no D in A-R-G-E-N-T-I-N-A

It was quite refreshing watching another highly-touted South American team become unraveled when playing a calm and collected European squad. Brazil and Argentina might have more talent than Holland and Germany but they were too combustible.

[EagleDave]

ESPN said the conversion rate in the World Cup is like 68%, which is down from the World-wide rate of just under 80%, probably because of the quality of the keepers.

On another note, as previously discussed, I am watching my first game since the World Cup ended in the US Ghana game, and as expected, there is no D in A-R-G-E-N-T-I-N-A

It was quite refreshing watching another highly-touted South American team become unraveled when playing a calm and collected European squad. Brazil and Argentina might have more talent than Holland and Germany but they were too combustible.

Ironically, it was the Germans who were perceived as the team most likely to lose it's composure and leave chances for Argentina. They're the youngest team in the tournament by a mile. Man do they look impressive though. Spain is going to have its hands full Wednesday. I still think the Spaniards are the best team, but I wouldn't be stunned to see Germany take that one...

Uruguay has no shot against the Dutch though. Don't be fooled by the high level in the Uruguay/Ghana game...those were 2 mediocre teams. Holland is legit.

[flyingelvii]

Looks like we have a new goal of the tournament. Sweet sassy molassy Gio.

[EagleDave]

Respek to Uruguay who battled, but the Dutch were the better team. On to the main event tomorrow. Germany or Spain...who ya got?

[Endless Mike]

I'm surprised the Dutch can play so well while clomping around in those silly wooden shoes.

[cvilleagle]

Respek to Uruguay who battled, but the Dutch were the better team. On to the main event tomorrow. Germany or Spain...who ya got?

I really like Spain today. I think Germany's been in great form but Spain's the better squad and should come up bigger in the huge games, like today.

[shockdoct]

I'm surprised the Dutch can play so well while clomping around in those silly wooden shoes.

clomping or clogging?

[Endless Mike]

I'm surprised the Dutch can play so well while clomping around in those silly wooden shoes.

clomping or clogging?

Clogs make clompy noises like big clownshoes.

[EagleDave]

Spain wins again as another team refuses to play offense. It's laughable. Where does this innate fear of the Spanish team come from that causes normally potent offensive teams to back into a shell and await the inevitable? At some point you just have to play your game and let the chips fall where they may. You stand a better chance against this juggernaut by at least making attempts to score goals. Hopefully the Dutch will be play looser on Sunday and take the game at the Spanish.

All told, it was another typical game for the Spanish. The other team tried to bore them into a mistake, they wouldn't bite, and won ugly. Good for them. The potential impending blowjobs though, require me to root for the Dutch Sunday just out of principle as a guy.

[0J1969]

[cvilleagle]

Spain wins again as another team refuses to play offense. It's laughable. Where does this innate fear of the Spanish team come from that causes normally potent offensive teams to back into a shell and await the inevitable? At some point you just have to play your game and let the chips fall where they may. You stand a better chance against this juggernaut by at least making attempts to score goals. Hopefully the Dutch will be play looser on Sunday and take the game at the Spanish.

All told, it was another typical game for the Spanish. The other team tried to bore them into a mistake, they wouldn't bite, and won ugly. Good for them. The potential impending blowjobs though, require me to root for the Dutch Sunday just out of principle as a guy.

Absolutely correct. Germany sat back, and sat back, and then got scored on. I can understand why a team like the U.S. refuses to play offense against Spain - our best bet is defend and counterattack. But at this level, you have to play some offense. No one wants games this important in PKs.

[twballgame9]

Spain wins again as another team refuses to play offense. It's laughable. Where does this innate fear of the Spanish team come from that causes normally potent offensive teams to back into a shell and await the inevitable? At some point you just have to play your game and let the chips fall where they may. You stand a better chance against this juggernaut by at least making attempts to score goals. Hopefully the Dutch will be play looser on Sunday and take the game at the Spanish.

All told, it was another typical game for the Spanish. The other team tried to bore them into a mistake, they wouldn't bite, and won ugly. Good for them. The potential impending blowjobs though, require me to root for the Dutch Sunday just out of principle as a guy.

Absolutely correct. Germany sat back, and sat back, and then got scored on. I can understand why a team like the U.S. refuses to play offense against Spain - our best bet is defend and counterattack. But at this level, you have to play some offense. No one wants games this important in PKs.

Germany's whole gameplan in this world cup was to sit back and then counter. It worked to perfection in their last two games. The England game in particular - 3 of their goals were the functional equivalent of cherry picking. The problem as I see it is that it is only an effective strategy if you get on the board first.

[flyingelvii]

Spain wins again as another team refuses to play offense. It's laughable. Where does this innate fear of the Spanish team come from that causes normally potent offensive teams to back into a shell and await the inevitable? At some point you just have to play your game and let the chips fall where they may. You stand a better chance against this juggernaut by at least making attempts to score goals. Hopefully the Dutch will be play looser on Sunday and take the game at the Spanish.

All told, it was another typical game for the Spanish. The other team tried to bore them into a mistake, they wouldn't bite, and won ugly. Good for them. The potential impending blowjobs though, require me to root for the Dutch Sunday just out of principle as a guy.

Absolutely correct. Germany sat back, and sat back, and then got scored on. I can understand why a team like the U.S. refuses to play offense against Spain - our best bet is defend and counterattack. But at this level, you have to play some offense. No one wants games this important in PKs.

Germany's whole gameplan in this world cup was to sit back and then counter. It worked to perfection in their last two games. The England game in particular - 3 of their goals were the functional equivalent of cherry picking. The problem as I see it is that it is only an effective strategy if you get on the board first.

And set pieces. Problem is that Barca's defenders are very good at defending them. The Dutch general play a pretty positive style but I could imagine them going into a shell somewhat so as not to give a ton of space to Xavi and Iniesta, who will kill you when you give them something.

[EagleDave]

Spain wins again as another team refuses to play offense. It's laughable. Where does this innate fear of the Spanish team come from that causes normally potent offensive teams to back into a shell and await the inevitable? At some point you just have to play your game and let the chips fall where they may. You stand a better chance against this juggernaut by at least making attempts to score goals. Hopefully the Dutch will be play looser on Sunday and take the game at the Spanish.

All told, it was another typical game for the Spanish. The other team tried to bore them into a mistake, they wouldn't bite, and won ugly. Good for them. The potential impending blowjobs though, require me to root for the Dutch Sunday just out of principle as a guy.

Absolutely correct. Germany sat back, and sat back, and then got scored on. I can understand why a team like the U.S. refuses to play offense against Spain - our best bet is defend and counterattack. But at this level, you have to play some offense. No one wants games this important in PKs.

Germany's whole gameplan in this world cup was to sit back and then counter. It worked to perfection in their last two games. The England game in particular - 3 of their goals were the functional equivalent of cherry picking. The problem as I see it is that it is only an effective strategy if you get on the board first.

And set pieces. Problem is that Barca's defenders are very good at defending them. The Dutch general play a pretty positive style but I could imagine them going into a shell somewhat so as not to give a ton of space to Xavi and Iniesta, who will kill you when you give them something.

They're gonna get beat anyway if they come out in a shell. The difference is it will just be 1-0 again rather than 3-1 or 4-1. But again, your best bet is to get them into an up and down game and at least challenge them on the offensive end and take your chances. That defense has hardly had to do a thing besides sit back and enjoy the show the past 3 rounds. If you can get on the board against them first they'll have to chase the game a little bit and it would make it more interesting.

In conclusion...Dutch shell=1-0 Spain...Dutch attack=3-1 Spain but much more entertaining.

[twballgame9]

Dutch win, 2-1

[BC '00]

I finally have something to root for in this foolish thing. Let us pray that Catholic Spain defeats the onetime Calvinist Netherlands and their culture of drugs and death. The Netherlands should belong to Spain anyway.

You don't believe in blow jobs?

[twballgame9]

The Netherlands should belong to Spain anyway.

Yeah, how'd that work out the first time?

[EagleDave]

At the end of all of this isn't it really like if they held some sort of tournament that every school in the world competed in and after years of play and countless qualifiers and elimination matches you ended up with BC High and Walpole HS playing for all the marbles? Its too wierd that the two best soccer teams in the whole wide world are a couple hundred miles apart.

Considering that Asia and North America are pretty weak in soccer, it limits the actual distance that the 2 best teams could be from. So no, its not that weird. Without the benefit of the world rankings in front of me, if you scan the top 15 I think at least 9 of them would be European (Spain, Holland, Germany, Portugal, Italy, France, England, Greece, Serbia).

[twballgame9]

At the end of all of this isn't it really like if they held some sort of tournament that every school in the world competed in and after years of play and countless qualifiers and elimination matches you ended up with BC High and Walpole HS playing for all the marbles? Its too wierd that the two best soccer teams in the whole wide world are a couple hundred miles apart.

Considering that Asia and North America are pretty weak in soccer, it limits the actual distance that the 2 best teams could be from. So no, its not that weird. Without the benefit of the world rankings in front of me, if you scan the top 15 I think at least 9 of them would be European (Spain, Holland, Germany, Portugal, Italy, France, England, Greece, Serbia).

Croatia and Russia as well. Brazil, Argentina and US round out the top 15.

[twballgame9]

In a sport where sportsmanship takes a back seat to diving, fake injuries and weak ass delays, the concept of giving up possession to the other team as sportsmanship is retarded.

I was praying for that ball to go in. Screw the lame ass attempt at sportsmanship and screw this absolutely unwatchable Spanish style of play.

[RegalBCeagle]

This WC Final blows to this point. Any time a player is touched the fucking pussy dives to the ground as if they've been shot in the leg. Spain especially. I hope those Euro-Pussies lose this match and then their bus gets apprehended and each and every one of them gets anally raped by angry locals.