Official World Cup 2010 discussion thread

[BCEagle74]

We lost to fucking Ghana.

Ghana.

Even when you google Ghana one of the choices is GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE.

[BCdee]

Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa in the world and is also home to Lake Volta, the largest artificial lake in the world.

Mmmmmmmm chocolate!

[BCdee]

This England Germany match is great! It should be tied 2-2 right now, but England was just screwed out of a goal. 2-1 Germany right now.

[BCdee]

Germany's counter attack is deadly!! 4 to 1 Germany.

[EagleDave]

Germany's counter attack is deadly!! 4 to 1 Germany.

Exhibits A through Z as to why the US had to win their group are on display right now. Germany along with Argentina have been the 2 most impressive teams to this point.

[twballgame9]

Germany's counter attack is deadly!! 4 to 1 Germany.

Exhibits A through Z as to why the US had to win their group are on display right now. Germany along with Argentina have been the 2 most impressive teams to this point.

Also Exhibits A through Z as to how overrated England turned out to be, and how a tie in that game was actually a bad result.

Brazil and Portugal look like the two most impressive teams to me.

[EagleDave]

Germany's counter attack is deadly!! 4 to 1 Germany.

Exhibits A through Z as to why the US had to win their group are on display right now. Germany along with Argentina have been the 2 most impressive teams to this point.

Also Exhibits A through Z as to how overrated England turned out to be, and how a tie in that game was actually a bad result.

Brazil and Portugal look like the two most impressive teams to me.

On what planet has Portugal been impressive? They showed up to actually compete in 1 game. In the other 2 they spent 90 minutes trying not to lose. They might be really good, but they certainly haven't played like it. The performance against Ivory Coast was disgraceful. Brazil has been pretty good, but hasn't really dominated the way you'd like to see from them. Argentina on the other hand is massacring teams.

[apbc12]

Germany's counter attack is deadly!! 4 to 1 Germany.

Exhibits A through Z as to why the US had to win their group are on display right now. Germany along with Argentina have been the 2 most impressive teams to this point.

Also Exhibits A through Z as to how overrated England turned out to be, and how a tie in that game was actually a bad result.

Brazil and Portugal look like the two most impressive teams to me.

England is always overrated. Most of their players are, to borrow a term, wankers. The Notre Dame of international soccer.

I agree about Brazil; although they haven't been on a path of destruction, they look like they're playing against high school teams most of the time--coasting, waiting for a challenge. Portugal is obviously skilled, but soft. They seem like they'll turtle up at some point. Along with Brazil, Argentina has looked the strongest to me. Germany was unreal today but dogshit against Serbia and average against Ghana.

[BCEagle74]

Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa in the world and is also home to Lake Volta, the largest artificial lake in the world.

Mmmmmmmm chocolate!

I am speechless..It is a good thing the second English goal to make it a different game at 2-2, was clearly no in the goal by 3 feet.

Soccer is like hockey, when you are behind by one you play entirely different?

FIFA....is bunch of Italian, English and AMerican hating third world jungle pimps.

Although Ghana did kick our patethic ass.

[BCEagle74]

The best part is the german announcers...

Its like.......nevermind..BLITZKRIEG!!!!

[twballgame9]

Germany's counter attack is deadly!! 4 to 1 Germany.

Exhibits A through Z as to why the US had to win their group are on display right now. Germany along with Argentina have been the 2 most impressive teams to this point.

Also Exhibits A through Z as to how overrated England turned out to be, and how a tie in that game was actually a bad result.

Brazil and Portugal look like the two most impressive teams to me.

On what planet has Portugal been impressive? They showed up to actually compete in 1 game. In the other 2 they spent 90 minutes trying not to lose. They might be really good, but they certainly haven't played like it. The performance against Ivory Coast was disgraceful. Brazil has been pretty good, but hasn't really dominated the way you'd like to see from them. Argentina on the other hand is massacring teams.

Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that the were in the same Group with the best team in the world, and still finished 1-0-2. By any measure, 7-0 is impressive. The Brazil game was meaningless if they tied, Kaka didn't even play for Brazil, and both teams pretty much looked like they were ready to take the draw and advance (little brother and all). They were lackluster against Ivory Coast, no doubt. They start with Spain - we will know who is right right away.

Argentine, on the other hand, was in a shit bracket. I watched the 1-0 win over Nigeria, it wasn't too impressive. The win over Korea was an impressive win, and I guess that the win over a very shitty Greek team was impressive, but who knows. The are known for not playing defense - let's see what happens when they play a team that actually should be in the tournament. That said, Argentina, with Germany, the Netherlands, has been one of the top 4-5 teams here. G

[BCEagle74]

Soccer is like hockey, when you are behind by one you play entirely different?

Guy just said that on TV.

Soccer is not for America.

Good for exercise.

[ryrob]

ANOTHER BLOWN CALL. Argentinian player (Tevez) offsides by about 2 yards and scores. Not a good day for FIFA.

[apbc12]

ANOTHER BLOWN CALL. Argentinian player (Tevez) offsides by about 2 yards and scores. Not a good dayexistence for FIFA.

Fixed. Also, it should be noted that the ref who missed the obvious England goal earlier is Jorge Larrionda, the same guy that fucked up USA-Italy four years ago.

[EagleDave]

Another goal for Argentina...that one was electric. Offsides on the first goal or not, this Argentina team is a juggernaut. That quarterfinal game against Germany on Thursday is going to be EPIC.

[BCEagle74]

Why FIFA has resisted technology is obvious...they hate certain countries.

Could any USA kid kick like Tevas..no we play basketball and football....with our great superior black athletes.

Chalupas are going back to Mexico and then over the border....

[BCEagle74]

Argentina is mainly Brits Germans and Italian descendants...

There ya go..

[ryrob]

Why FIFA has resisted technology is obvious...they hate certain countries.

Could any USA kid kick like Tevas..no we play basketball and football....with our great superior black athletes.

Chalupas are going back to Mexico and then over the border....

I think it's more that FIFA has a fascination with "the beautiful game" and "tradition", stuff they don't want to spoil with things like "fairness" and "accountability". They probably think the NFL and the MLB are ruining their sports.

[twballgame9]

Why FIFA has resisted technology is obvious...they hate certain countries.

Could any USA kid kick like Tevas..no we play basketball and football....with our great superior black athletes.

Chalupas are going back to Mexico and then over the border....

I think it's more that FIFA has a fascination with "the beautiful game" and "tradition", stuff they don't want to spoil with things like "fairness" and "accountability". They probably think the NFL and the MLB are ruining their sports.

To some extent they are right. That said, there aren't enough goals in soccer to make replay a real problem. It's probably the sport best suited to replay, similar to the way it is used in hockey.

[ryrob]

Why FIFA has resisted technology is obvious...they hate certain countries.

Could any USA kid kick like Tevas..no we play basketball and football....with our great superior black athletes.

Chalupas are going back to Mexico and then over the border....

I think it's more that FIFA has a fascination with "the beautiful game" and "tradition", stuff they don't want to spoil with things like "fairness" and "accountability". They probably think the NFL and the MLB are ruining their sports.

To some extent they are right. That said, there aren't enough goals in soccer to make replay a real problem. It's probably the sport best suited to replay, similar to the way it is used in hockey.

Like hockey and baseball, I think replay should be for goals (or homeruns) only. I really do think basketball and football have gone overboard. No need to review every 3 pointer or sidelines catch.

[apbc12]

Congratulations to Ricardo Clark, who no longer has the round of 16's worst give-away leading to a goal. Argentina's second goal was set up by a great pass from Mexico's defender.

[branchinator]

Can somebody explain to me why they can't have replay every 4 years in the World Cup? Nobody gives a shit about replay in the English Premier League, MLS, or whatever but how can you not use replay in the biggest tournament in the world that happens only every 4 years? FIFA is the sports equivalent of the UN.

[EagleDave]

Can somebody explain to me why they can't have replay every 4 years in the World Cup? Nobody gives a shit about replay in the English Premier League, MLS, or whatever but how can you not use replay in the biggest tournament in the world that happens only every 4 years? FIFA is the sports equivalent of the UN.

Wow, are you serious? People would literally stab their mother over a bad call in the EPL or worse, the UEFA Champions League. It doesn't matter here, sure, but in Europe? Get real. Instant replay doesn't need to be used for offsides and fouls and all that other crap. Just use it to call goal or no goal.

[branchinator]

Can somebody explain to me why they can't have replay every 4 years in the World Cup? Nobody gives a shit about replay in the English Premier League, MLS, or whatever but how can you not use replay in the biggest tournament in the world that happens only every 4 years? FIFA is the sports equivalent of the UN.

Wow, are you serious? People would literally stab their mother over a bad call in the EPL or worse, the UEFA Champions League. It doesn't matter here, sure, but in Europe? Get real. Instant replay doesn't need to be used for offsides and fouls and all that other crap. Just use it to call goal or no goal.

Yes, I'm serious. Like most of America, I could care less if Liverpool beats Manchester United because of a bad call. But I do care about the World Cup. At the very least, replay should be used for the World Cup. If they want to expand it to other leagues/competitions, go ahead. All I can say is that the disallowed goal in the England/Germany game was the worst no-call in a big event that I've ever seen. The ball was over the line by like 2 or 3 feet.

[ryrob]

FIFA: Ban controversial replays from being shown in stadiums.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/ ... 901&ver=us

I for one applaud FIFA for identifying the real problem here.

[branchinator]

FIFA: Ban controversial replays from being shown in stadiums.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/ ... 901&ver=us

I for one applaud FIFA for identifying the real problem here.

This is awesome. FIFA is making Nazi Germany seem like a bastion of freedom.

[ryrob]

FIFA: Ban controversial replays from being shown in stadiums.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/ ... 901&ver=us

I for one applaud FIFA for identifying the real problem here.

This is awesome. FIFA is making Nazi Germany seem like a bastion of freedom.

I love their statement. It was "a clear mistake" that the replay was shown, not the call was complete nonsense.

[branchinator]

FIFA knows they have the world by the balls because soccer is all they care about. In the US, we whine about NBA refs for a couple weeks and then get ready for football season or continue to watch baseball.

[EagleDave]

Wow...

The Slovaks really left that game on the table. They had all kinds of chances to equalize against the Dutch but the keeper was a monster. Fun game though...congrats to the Dutch for making 2 dream quarter-final games a reality.

Germany-Argentina on Thursday
Brazil-Netherlands on Friday (no way Chile beats Brazil today)

[branchinator]

I think they said on tv last night that Germany had made at least the quarterfinals in the World Cup the last 40 or so years. Is that true? Pretty amazing, if true. They're the Michigan State of World Cup soccer teams.