World Cup South Africa, 2010 Thread

[Chump]

Originally Posted by Pastiche

Why do they advance? Switzerland could beat Honduras and be tied in points.

Spain would be tied in points with Chile and have a better goal differential.

[GirlySports]

yup if spain beats chile they will for sure have a better GD than Chile

[Ozy_Flame]

I am now officially disappointed that North Korea isn't going to win the World Cup. This is a travesty of epic proportions.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Obviously very happy about this morning's result. Was up at 330am before my alarm went off to go watch the game with my dad. North Korea seemed to give up after the 3-0 goal and it got silly from there.

Sure, Portugal scored 7, but I'm not blinded by the fact that it was North Korea and they over achieved holding Brazi to 2-1. North Korea is not a good team, and it showed today.

Glad to see there wasn't much about Portugal diving in here. Probably because outside of the Ronaldo one late first half, they didn't dive. They didn't dive because they weren't fouled. Check out the first half stats, North Korea committed ZERO fouls. They are a very clean and discliplined team.

And even I was feeling bad for the Koreans when POrtugal was running up the score, but to be honest, you have to do it. Portugal all but booked their Round of 16 ticket with those 7 goals.

FORCA PORTUGAL.....can we avoid Spain?? I hope so.

[Regulator75]

Just for fun.

[ipuckedyourmom]

Originally Posted by nik-

Villa and Messi on the same team is going to be just stupid.

and Xavi, Bojan, Ibra, Pedro, Iniesta, Busquets, Puyol, Alves, Pique, Marquez, etc......

Barca is amazing

[GirlySports]

The English are pucked.

They get a GERMAN ref on Wednesday.
Wolfgang Stark, one of the worst refs you'll ever see.

[Jagger]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

The English are pucked.

They get a GERMAN ref on Wednesday.
Wolfgang Stark, one of the worst refs you'll ever see.

Oh crap. Given that they could indeed meet the Germans if they got through that doesn't seem like a great decision by FIFA but like there's any surprise there.

[d_phaneuf]

I think there is a real possibility an Upson/Dawson partnership at CB happens tomoro unless Ledley is match fit (he has been jogging the last few days)

after the "Cape town coup" by JT seems to have failed, and he "named names"

followed by 1 of those names (Lampard) basically denying everything JT had to say, and Capello saying that Terry made "a big mistake", could be interesting

Game isn't going to come down to the CB's tomoro anyway (they need goals) so it shouldn't really matter but it wouldn't be England if this kinda stuff wasn't happening

Some of the media are saying Defoe is likely to start with Rooney as well, so most likely no Joe Cole again

I think Capello is staying away from the 4-4-1-1 with Gerrard behind Rooney and Cole on the left just because of his ego (because everyone has been calling for it the last few months)

[Resolute 14]

http://www.onemorelevel.com/game/soccer_balls

[Jagger]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

I think there is a real possibility an Upson/Dawson partnership at CB happens tomoro unless Ledley is match fit (he has been jogging the last few days)

after the "Cape town coup" by JT seems to have failed, and he "named names"

followed by 1 of those names (Lampard) basically denying everything JT had to say, and Capello saying that Terry made "a big mistake", could be interesting

Game isn't going to come down to the CB's tomoro anyway (they need goals) so it shouldn't really matter but it wouldn't be England if this kinda stuff wasn't happening

Some of the media are saying Defoe is likely to start with Rooney as well, so most likely no Joe Cole again

I think Capello is staying away from the 4-4-1-1 with Gerrard behind Rooney and Cole on the left just because of his ego (because everyone has been calling for it the last few months)

I'd be very surprised if Terry doesn't start. It could happen because Capello is super P.O.ed at him but bottom line, Capello is a winner. Terry is the best choice available to him due to injuries/suspensions.

After saying that, and slightly contradicting myself, the Joe Cole fiasco probably means that he doesn't get selected to start again. I, and many others, feel he would be the best choice for England but Capello obviously does not. Like others I would prefer to see Lampard on the bench with Gerrard moving inside but it likely will not happen.

I'm hoping that Defoe plays as I have a feeling that he will score if he does so. He's a quality player that deserves more respect imo. Hopefully we see a much better Wayne Rooney too.

My best guess is that England play relatively poorly again but eke out a 1-0 or 2-1 win to move on. It's the England way, let's face it.

[PIMking]

I'm sorry but the worst ref that I have seen has came out of mexico..

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

http://www.onemorelevel.com/game/soccer_balls

Great time waster...cant get past level 29 though...timer gets me every time.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Jagger

I'd be very surprised if Terry doesn't start. It could happen because Capello is super P.O.ed at him but bottom line, Capello is a winner. Terry is the best choice available to him due to injuries/suspensions.

After saying that, and slightly contradicting myself, the Joe Cole fiasco probably means that he doesn't get selected to start again. I, and many others, feel he would be the best choice for England but Capello obviously does not. Like others I would prefer to see Lampard on the bench with Gerrard moving inside but it likely will not happen.

I'm hoping that Defoe plays as I have a feeling that he will score if he does so. He's a quality player that deserves more respect imo. Hopefully we see a much better Wayne Rooney too.

My best guess is that England play relatively poorly again but eke out a 1-0 or 2-1 win to move on. It's the England way, let's face it.

Ya I think he probly starts, and he is a class above the other guys they have fit, but you never know with Capello.

I like Defoe starting as well just in that it is change and he is basically the opposite of Heskey which should mean goals, and with the way Rooney is playing they can't build the team to suit him anymore. Heskey was arguably their best player over the 2 games (I think its between him and Ashley Cole) but he doesn't score and Rooney isn't scoring enough, or at all, to make up for it.

Wouldn't surprise me if they played terrible and won 1-0, I am really hoping they lay the hammer down on Slovenia so they can avoid the Germans as I expect the US to win. But who knows, at this point I just want a win from them at all this tournament

[Phaneufenstein]

[Ark2]

repost

[rubecube]

Good article on why some of the favoured European clubs are struggling, and why the UEFA teams could face problems down the line.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-c...cc=5901&ver=us

JOHANNESBURG -- No European team has yet matched the standards set by Brazil and Argentina at this year's World Cup, and Italian soccer federation president Giancarlo Abete says he knows why.

Europe's traditional big six of Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, France and England have mustered only four wins between them in the tournament's first 11 days -- and the Dutch provided two of them without hitting anything like top gear.

Abete blamed Europe's big clubs, awash with money from lucrative broadcast contracts, for failing to develop young players good enough for international soccer.

I have to say this one of the reasons I've really liked Harry Redknapp's approach at Spurs. When healthy, Tottenham usually have 6 English-born starters, with more English players on the bench.

[GirlySports]

Interesting. Although I think the German League is still mostly Germans. Spain and Italy isn't bad.

France and England are the worst. I think there are more Africans in the french league than french!

[Flame Of Liberty]

Apparently Cantona said Domenech si the worst national team coach since Louis XVI

[GirlySports]

WOO!!

South Africa get the first goal! Just maybe that will be incentive for France to totally surrender.

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!