OFFICIAL FIFA World Cup 2006 Thread

[Jagger]

I agree that England played poorly but I strongly blame Eriksson for most of the problems. His tactics are poor, Owen was barely half fit, Gerrard wasn't fit and wasn't played in his best role, Ashley Cole lacks match fitness, Neville walks back into the team after injury even though Carragher's the better player, Crouch was completely isolated. The list is endless.

You can probably tell that I'm not a huge Erikkson fan. Trouble is, it's one of his people taking over too.

With that said, I wouldn't write England off quite yet. They are tough to play against, boring as it is, and will frustrate most opponents. Obviously that's Sven's tactics as he hardly has any strikers to choose from.

[Sylvanfan]

That Mexican referee was one funny looking dude.

[browna]

TnT!
After going down to 10 men, 1001-1 long shot Trinadad and Tobago holds Sweden to a 0-0 score.
1.1 Million people in the whole country...smallest country ever to be in the World Cup.

Biggest upset in the WC in a while.

CONCACF represent!

[RatherDashing]

That was an awesome game, Shaka Hislop was fantastic in goal. What an upset!

[Jagger]

I'm made up for T&T. Hislop was simply outstanding. I loved seeing their fans celebrating like they'd won the World Cup and rightly so. That was what the WC is all about. Now if only the substitutes shot had gone in instead of hitting the crossbar.

It's kinda funny my family and some friends are having a WC Prediction game and my 8 year old son predicted a 0-0 draw in this game. I told him that he was nuts that there's no way Sweden was not winning this one. Guess who nuts now!!!!

[Footscray]

It was good to see a CONCACAF team get a result but I they are by far the least talented team at the world cup. If you look at the draw they got in qualifying it was the biggest stroke of luck I've ever seen, Trinidad got Mexico and two joke teams from St. Kitts and St. Vincents in their group to make the final, once there you've got about a 60% chance of making the WC as 3 of 6 make it with the 4th playing a crap team from the middle east to make it.

[nfotiu]

I know nothing about soccer, rankings, or whatever.

Can someone explain why there is such a huge discrepancy between FIFA rankings and the bookmaking odds? Brazil is the only country that gets the same respect from both.

England is ranked 10th, but are 2nd in betting odds at 6 to 1. Czechs are ranked 2nd and are 33 to 1. The order is not even close to coinciding all the way through. Are the FIFA rankings just out to lunch? Or are the betting odds being influenced by too many people making silly bets?

[Footscray]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

I know nothing about soccer, rankings, or whatever.

Can someone explain why there is such a huge discrepancy between FIFA rankings and the bookmaking odds? Brazil is the only country that gets the same respect from both.

England is ranked 10th, but are 2nd in betting odds at 6 to 1. Czechs are ranked 2nd and are 33 to 1. The order is not even close to coinciding all the way through. Are the FIFA rankings just out to lunch? Or are the betting odds being influenced by too many people making silly bets?

The fifa ranking is very very roughly equivalent to a points system and since there is no standard length to the international season, the nations that play more benefit. Teams like the USA that play in poor conferences like CONCACAF and win every game as a result also benefit when compared to teams from europe of the same or greater quality who face tougher oposition and lose from time to time as a result like a Sweden or a Spain. It is also an average over a length of time and thus Brazil will still have the same rank according to FIFA if they have Ronaldinho in their team or not on a given day.

The bookmakers odds for World Cup, to contrast, are based on a very specific analysis of the current team, injuries they are facing at that point in time - and of course the oposition they are going to face at the world cup. The current form or groove that their players are in, any surrouding controversy, it is all taken into account - it is much more a micoranalysis.

Amongst the football (soccer) community, there is widespread disdain for the accuracy of the FIFA rankings.

[Jagger]

^^^ What Footscray said.

The FIFA ranking are a complete joke imho. I disregard them entirely. FIFA is apparantly changing the formula soon to try and make it more accurate. We'll see but I don't have high hopes.

Go off the bookies. They do the best analysis by far and why wouldn't they when you consider how much $$$ is at stake!

[the_only_turek_fan]

Day 2 was way better than day 1. Stuttgart >>>>>> Munich. I finally got a chance to check out Fan Fest 2006 and it was an amazing experience. They played all 3 games in the Schlotsplatz in Stuttgart which looks like this:



However they have 3 HUGE screens set up for people to stand and watch or sit and watch. I will post the pictures I took when I get back to Calgary. They have beer and pizza stands set up and the eye candy is unbelievable. You have everything you need at the Schlotsplatz right now!! After the Argentina game they had a die Prinzen concert on the stage right below the main screen. Lots of fun. They have verry heavy security every where right now and they are checking bags and pockets for guns, knives etc....

As for the games, England was the better team but that was a really crappy way for Costa Rica to lose. It was a very proud moment to see Owen Hargreaves come into the game in the 82nd minute. LOTS of England fans packed the Schlotsplatz for the game which was an afternoon game over here. I enjoyed a nice pizza and a few beers for that one. Argentina was outplayed in there game with Ivory Coast. Argentina just capitalized on there chances and came out with the win. Ivory Coast was controlling a lot of the play and they have tremendous speed and ball control. They did everything right but score. Tough loss for them. I dont know there ranking but could they be a possible dark horse? Unfortunately, I missed the T&T game but heard it was a good one.Well its off the Schlotsplatz for me. I think the game starts in just over 45 minutes.

Finally, if the Oilers win the Stanley Cup, I may have to find a perminent residence here in Stuttgart.

[Footscray]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

Day 2 was way better than day 1. Stuttgart >>>>>> Munich. I finally got a chance to check out Fan Fest 2006 and it was an amazing experience. They played all 3 games in the Schlotsplatz in Stuttgart which looks like this:



However they have 3 HUGE screens set up for people to stand and watch or sit and watch. I will post the pictures I took when I get back to Calgary. They have beer and pizza stands set up and the eye candy is unbelievable. You have everything you need at the Schlotsplatz right now!! After the Argentina game they had a die Prinzen concert on the stage right below the main screen. Lots of fun. They have verry heavy security every where right now and they are checking bags and pockets for guns, knives etc....

As for the games, England was the better team but that was a really crappy way for Costa Rica to lose. It was a very proud moment to see Owen Hargreaves come into the game in the 82nd minute. LOTS of England fans packed the Schlotsplatz for the game which was an afternoon game over here. I enjoyed a nice pizza and a few beers for that one. Argentina was outplayed in there game with Ivory Coast. Argentina just capitalized on there chances and came out with the win. Ivory Coast was controlling a lot of the play and they have tremendous speed and ball control. They did everything right but score. Tough loss for them. I dont know there ranking but could they be a possible dark horse? Unfortunately, I missed the T&T game but heard it was a good one.Well its off the Schlotsplatz for me. I think the game starts in just over 45 minutes.

Finally, if the Oilers win the Stanley Cup, I may have to find a perminent residence here in Stuttgart.

Good to hear you are enjoying yourself - you have tickets for any games or just checking out the host cities and festivities? Definately jealous, would love to see the photos too. Ivory Coast are a great team but that group is so tough, even Serbia are alright and they will be hard pressed to move on though I do like their team alot, I think they needed a draw v Argentina because now they are facing alot of pressure to get results in both remaining games.

Didn't see the Holland game today but Mexico was impressive in their win, hopefully this Portugal Angola game is good coming up but good to see a CONCACAF team with talent looking good, maybe they can sneak into the 8 this year.

[fredr123]

I'm not really much of a football fan but really enjoyed the last World Cup. The wife and I just got a big HDTV right before the playoffs began mostly for the hockey. But having all these matches in HD is incredible. Kudos to FIFA for making the technological leap headlong this year.

[Flame On]

Originally Posted by Hakan

England is the Toronto Maple Leafs of international soccer.

The hell with that! Brazil are more popular they're stuff is everywhere. Have you ever met someone from there or someone that's even been there? I think that'd be pretty rare if you had. People from England are all over the place so at least it makes sense. Maybe it has to do with their perrenial number 1 rank, with Brazil, a lot of people climb on board.

[cSpooge]

Originally Posted by Flame On

The hell with that! Brazil are more popular they're stuff is everywhere. Have you ever met someone from there or someone that's even been there? I think that'd be pretty rare if you had. People from England are all over the place so at least it makes sense. Maybe it has to do with their perrenial number 1 rank, with Brazil, a lot of people climb on board.

yes but there is one big difference between brazil and england... Brazil WINS. Hence why England = Maple Laughs.

[Flame On]

Originally Posted by cSpooge

yes but there is one big difference between brazil and england... Brazil WINS. Hence why England = Maple Laughs.

Yes and the reason why people like Brazil is because they win, i.e. a lot of front runner, fair weather , or band wagoner fans, pick your term.

[Hakan]

Ridiculous.

England has always been the most hyped team with their ridiculous media and ridiculously overrated group of scrubs. Now granted this year I concede that they actually have a good team. But I mean the love in for David Beckham, his idiotic hair styles and the fact that they fall on their faces every single year since 1966 is the reason why they are the leafs.

I'm sick of hearing about England. I'm sick of England being crammed down my throat and hogging all the air waves taking time from other MUCH more deserving teams. I could friggin care less about Wayne Rooney's gambling debts and what he was eating after his 23rd x-ray in a month on his broken foot.

Finally and most importantly, I'm sick of the brainless England fans getting wasted and acting like a bunch of cavemen. This is the worst thing about the team, their small, but ever-so-large group of fans that is nothing less than bad night on Whyte Ave.

I would also like to point out that I am entirely British by ancestry, one half English one half Scottish.

[Jagger]

Originally Posted by Hakan

I would also like to point out that I am entirely British by ancestry, one half English one half Scottish.

Perhaps you have 51% Scottish ancestry then. You sure sound like a true Scot....or Irish.....or Welsh. Take your pick.

[theJuice]

Not a huge soccer fan, but its World Cup time, and I always try and watch as many games as possible. That, and hey, its another sport to gamble on!

[KevanGuy]

Well not a bad game between Angola and Portugal. I think if Angola had have worn the right boots they could have easily tied that game. Im not sure what was up with the pitch and or players but they were slipping everywhere.

Netherlands/Serbia...meh, nothin really great there today (that I can recall anyway, Ive watched a lot of football the last 2 days). Iran gave Mexico a good run for thier money for a while there but in the end couldnt get it done.

Really lookin forward to tomorrow. 3 great matches. Socceroos vs. Japan will a fun one to watch. I enjoy watching teams like the Aussies who have nothing to lose and no expectations. The States vs. the Czechs will of course be a heck of a match. We will finally get to see if the States can live up to thier FIFA rating. And finally Italy v. Ghana (my upset pick for the day). I think Italy is going to have to really come out strong if they hope to advance out of the group stage.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Originally Posted by Footscray

Good to hear you are enjoying yourself - you have tickets for any games or just checking out the host cities and festivities? Definately jealous, would love to see the photos too. Ivory Coast are a great team but that group is so tough, even Serbia are alright and they will be hard pressed to move on though I do like their team alot, I think they needed a draw v Argentina because now they are facing alot of pressure to get results in both remaining games.

Didn't see the Holland game today but Mexico was impressive in their win, hopefully this Portugal Angola game is good coming up but good to see a CONCACAF team with talent looking good, maybe they can sneak into the 8 this year.

I did manage to get tickets to the Portugal vs. Iran game this Saturday in Frankfurt!!!!

I might even hold up a CalgaryPuck.com sign up!!!