Pre-FIFA World Cup Thread!!!

[sadora]

Originally Posted by STeeLy

...Drop Kick - Face off (I don't actually remember if they do this... but I remember that in some places they do)

I think it might only be indoor soccer where this happens.

[Delthefunky]

Sweden will make it further then last WC... Damn Senegal....

[Thunderball]

I'm all about the Azzurri... and I think the Italians have a chance if they can play at the level they are capable of.

I have a bit of a soft spot for the US though... I harbor a faint hope that if the US win the World Cup, Pro Soccer will really take off in North America... Canada will be dragged in with the US and Calgary might get a Major League Soccer team worthy of a good facility, TV and fans. Dreams, I know.

[Thunderball]

Great list... I've added a few new ones.

Originally Posted by troutman

Help me create this glossary of soocer terms translated for North Americans watching soccer for the first time. Can you add to the list?

in touch = out of bounds

pace = fast

red card = game misconduct

insurmountable = 1-0 lead

good ball = nice pass

lacklustre = any game not involving England according to England commentators

blockbuster = any game involving England according to England commentators

strip/kit = uniform

nil = zero, nothing

naive = poor defending

optimistic = shot form outside the penalty area

penalty area = crease

own goal = scoring on your own goal by mistake

tackle = trip/kick in the shins

play-acting = diving

football = soccer

friendly = exhibition game

fixture = scheduled game

derby = local rivalry

away goal rule = arbitrary

aggregate = total combined goals in two game series

leg = one game in a two game series

cross = centering pass

side = team

relegation = demotion to lesser league

striker = sniper

table = standings

pitch = field

penalty/spot-kick = penalty shot

well struck = hard/accurate shot

header = hitting the ball with your head

Premiership = England's highest calibre league

Bundesliga = Germany's highest calibre league

Champions League = Tournament of European league champions and qualifiers

adrift = behind, as in "4 points adrift in the table"

dodgy = tense or questionable (depending on the circumstances)

clean sheet = shut out

cracker = hard shot

Corners or Corner Kick - Any ball kicked out of the baseline of the defending team by the defending team will result in the attacking team kicking the ball from the corner

Free Kick - Any fouls commited outside the Penalty Area will result in a free kick.

Hand Ball - Touch the ball with ur hand up until the shoulder area (Allowed to use shoulders to touch the ball)

Cleats - Shoes

Set Pieces - The play after a dead ball (Corners, free kicks, Spot kicks)

Drop Kick - Face off (I don't actually remember if they do this... but I remember that in some places they do)

Throw In - Throwing the ball into play from the sidelines.

Sliding Tackle - A tackle (see several post above) while u are sliding along the grass

Boots- Another word for shoes

Shoulder Charge- Soccer's body check... striking a player shoulder first to knock them off the ball

Serie A- Italy's top level of soccer

La Liga- Spain's top level of soccer

Volley- Kicking a ball in mid-air

Yellow Card - Caution

"Beckhamed"- Hitting a penalty shot high and wide

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by sadora

I think it might only be indoor soccer where this happens.

Drop kicks still happen, they are very rare though and when they do, you never see two guys go nuts and kick at the same time, usually one guy will concede the ball to other team. They usually happen when someone goes down with an injury and while the ball is still in play an the ref decides the play is dead enough to stop.

[STeeLy]

Might as well give some extras

Overhead kick - Kicking the ball (usually resulting in a goal) while doing a backflip at the moment that he is upside down.

Full Back(s) - Central Defender(s)

Half Backs/Wing backs - Wing Defenders

Offside - Imagine that the last player of the opposing team (with exception to goalie) is equivalent to the blue line in hockey. If the attacking team has one or more players behind that last opposition (other than the goalie) when the ball leaves the teammates foot for a pass that was inteded for him, the linesmen will call offside by raising the flag and whistle will be blown. If a shot goes in with the flag raised, the goal shall count (provided it does not touch any other attacking players on the way in), however if a rebound is given by the keeper, and any attacking player touches the ball, offside will be called. Only exception: When two players are in behind that last opposition (with exception to goalie) in control of the ball, a pass backwards to the player on the same side behind that last opposition (with exception to goalie), offside will not be called.

[JohnnyFlame]

Well of one the upsides about living overseas is plenty of soccer coverage and I have watched plenty of games over the last few years. No doubt that Barcelona are one of the best teams and that Ronaldinho is just in his stinkin prime. That's a big plus for the Brazilians but no doubt that Ronaldo in the side is puzzling as his game has gone down as his waist size has gone up.

England without Rooney and Owen--DEAD!!!

I keep seeing new Korean players on various teams in different leagues--they are obviously on the way up but though they are a good bet for an upset win I highly doubt they win it all. For sure might be a team to make some cash on though.

One of Portugal or Spain could quietly make it through a long way before crumbling.

Those random thoughts are followed by what I would think is the odds on favorite prediction which is that Brazil is the team to beat!!

[troutman]

Originally Posted by STeeLy

Might as well give some extras

Overhead kick - Kicking the ball (usually resulting in a goal) while doing a backflip at the moment that he is upside down.

Is that the Bicycle Kick?

[Burn13]

I'm cheering on the Azzurri, like every world cup, and like always high expectations.

The oranje should have a good showing as well.

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by troutman

Is that the Bicycle Kick?

Not too sure... lets hope someone knows

[troutman]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_kick

Bicycle kick or overhead kick, also known as the Chilena or Chalaca in most of Latin America, is an expert move in football, that is made by throwing the body up into the air with the legs moving as if pedaling a bicycle. The player then kicks the ball backward over his head.

There are two major situations (apart from showing off) where the bicycle kick would be useful in a game situation:

• When the player is desperate to remove the ball from the area near his defending goal, but he has his back from the way he wants to go, and the ball is bouncing around and thus difficult to control.
• If the player has his back to goal and is in the opponent's penalty area or nearby, a ball bouncing at head height may be bicycle-kiced as a shot.

[STeeLy]

Then I guess it is... I've seen one brazil guy do it last world cup (Edmilson or something along those lines)... either Against England or China... late stages of the match. It was pretty cool, it was an attempted cross that went a bit low, but still over the head... so he bicycle kicked it in (I think he got lucky though...)

I guess we're both right... wonder if anybody can do that in Hockey... flip backwards and tap in with the stick... lol

[SebC]

Originally Posted by STeeLy

Then I guess it is... I've seen one brazil guy do it last world cup (Edmilson or something along those lines)... either Against England or China... late stages of the match. It was pretty cool, it was an attempted cross that went a bit low, but still over the head... so he bicycle kicked it in (I think he got lucky though...)

I have that goal on my computer... what actually happened was the cross was deflected by the defender, so it came to him as more of a lob than it normally would have. For normal crosses, a lot of the ball's energy is delivered by the kicker, and the guy heading it needs to bounce it in. This ball, because it was partially blocked didn't have that kind of pace, and because of his positioning, Edmilson opted for the bicycle kick.

Marco Van Basten's bicycle kick is widely regarded as the best ever.
My favorite goals in soccer are the diving headers or curving shots.

I am an England supporter (born there). Bought my jersey in Melbourne for $12. If I had been thinking, I'd have bought several at that price.

[STeeLy]

hey SebC... anyway u could send me those vids? Its been a while seen I've seen such intense soccer action without staying up past 11:00

[Abstract]

Ahh the World Cup. One of lifes greatest plesures. Unfortunately Scotland missed out again so tis ABE for me. (Anyone But England). The media in the uk are unbearable so i wont get started on them. Anyways Englands goose is cooked if Rooney doesnt make it. Owen i think they can live without but Rooney is key. Plus they've picked a guy called Theo Walcott who is 17 and never even played in the top flight so he's a huge risk. Could be genius or a disastrous. Defensively though England are fantastic and will not concede many and coupled with the pathetic group they got and that they are almost assured an easy game in the 2nd round they'll do ok but dont think they'll win it. Sweden are my europeand dark horses. Very well organised team and with Ljunberg, Ibrahimovic and Larsson are always likely to score goals. Netherlands are always strong but this is not a vintage group for them, lacking in midfield as Robben and co are enigmatic at times. Spain will always under-achieve, thats just one of lifes constants. Germany will make the semi's if they avoid England in the second round i think. Home advantage is huge in these tournaments. Indeed so is continental advantage as Brazil are still the only country to have won the tournament outside their own continent (In Sweden and Korea/Japan). Italy i dont fancy at all this time round. Im tellin you now people put your money on.................Argentina! They've came back fomr a pretty poor lates 90s early 00s very very strong. Finally got over not having Maradona or Batistuta to bail them out but with Crespo, Riqueleme, Aimar and the new wonderkid Lionel Messi they are my top tips. Should get decent odds on them too as they have a tough group and are always overlooked cos of Brazil.

FIFA as an organization are a farce though which is borne out by their madcap rankings system. Nobody pays any attention to them whatsoever. And as for Kore and Japan at last world cup dont rule out just how keen FIFA are to grow the game in that part of the world. I think its a stretch to say there was pressure put on the referees but some of the decisions made in favour of the co-hosts lats time beggared belief.

[the_only_turek_fan]

How is the USA ranked fourth in the world in soccer? I don't get it. How are they better than France? Who in the USA is that good? Or do they bring over players from other countries and make them American citizens?

Anyways, I got my Germany jersey ready to go. I leave on Saturday. We were unable to get tickets to the France/Switzerland game.

[sadora]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

How is the USA ranked fourth in the world in soccer? I don't get it. How are they better than France? Who in the USA is that good? Or do they bring over players from other countries and make them American citizens?

Anyways, I got my Germany jersey ready to go. I leave on Saturday. We were unable to get tickets to the France/Switzerland game.

Not that I truly buy that ranking but my only guess as to why the USA is getting better at soccer is because for years now, like in every other sport - take the olympics, they have been putting a lot of money into soccer training programs. They began to get better when they got Bora to coach for them back in 94 I believe. Also having a professional league, if you can call it that, gives the players an opportunity to get a lot of playing experience. That farce of a league has given american players a lot of necessary training. If Canada had a few teams on that league our National team would gradually improve as well.

The true test for the USA is being able to make through the group stage. Apart from Ghana, I don't think the USA could beat Italy, I would be mortally shocked if that happens, and the Czech Republic has a very strong team as well and will be a strong challenge for the USA. So go Italy and Czech Rep.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

How is the USA ranked fourth in the world in soccer? I don't get it. How are they better than France? Who in the USA is that good? Or do they bring over players from other countries and make them American citizens?

.

That's easy, the FIFA rankings are a joke, they are the equivalent to the TSN Hockey power rankings. They mean nothing and they have no validity.

[Thunderball]

FIFA rankings are not a very fair or balanced system at all, since it all depends on the team's opponents. Italy, Germany, England etc. all have to play fairly tough opponents in Europe, while Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and the US get the likes of Paraguay, Canada, Suriname, Bolivia, Jamaica etc. to pound on constantly to accrue points... and those lousy teams have even lousier teams within their continental zone to pummel to keep them at a median ranking (50-150), allowing the decent North and South American teams to gain points from slapping them around.

[J pold]

wow I didn't now Mexico was that high