auctioneer69 Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 What the hell, Spain. Heh. It would be pretty sweet if Chile and Switzerland advanced from that group. Though it would seriously screw up my tournament picks. Switzerland epitomize the same brand of anti-football that Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan used to progress and win the Champion's League this year. I hope that Chile can beat them and they don't progress to the second-round. The World Cup even at this stage is shaping up to be the most defense-minded, negative and boring ever. Spain's recent success has been a welcome antidote to the teams organised by coaches to defend with a goal-keeper and two banks of four players pretty much constantly behind the ball. It's a system designed to snuff out any creative moves by your opponents where you are happy to concede possession in the hope you can sneak a goal like Switzerland or score something on the counter-attack in a manner that Inter Milan do so well. Rationally it makes a lot of sense but it's mind-numbling tedious to know see it in game after game. The last thing the World Cup needs is a another crown for a team like Italy in 2006 whose real talent was in being supremely good in defence. Fingers crossed that Germany, Brazil, Argentina or even Spain now can prevail this time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sunken mountain Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Switzerland epitomize the same brand of anti-football that Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan used to progress and win the Champion's League this year. I hope that Chile can beat them and they don't progress to the second-round. The World Cup even at this stage is shaping up to be the most defense-minded, negative and boring ever. Spain's recent success has been a welcome antidote to the teams organised by coaches to defend with a goal-keeper and two banks of four players pretty much constantly behind the ball. It's a system designed to snuff out any creative moves by your opponents where you are happy to concede possession in the hope you can sneak a goal like Switzerland or score something on the counter-attack in a manner that Inter Milan do so well. Rationally it makes a lot of sense but it's mind-numbling tedious to know see it in game after game. The last thing the World Cup needs is a another crown for a team like Italy in 2006 whose real talent was in being supremely good in defence. Fingers crossed that Germany, Brazil, Argentina or even Spain now can prevail this time. Thank for the explanation,I couldn´t tell it better (literally,haha).I have lots of hope in Spain´s way of play,not only as a fan,but as a football lover too.Mourinho´s anti-football can win one battle ( my BarÇa),but not the war Quote Link to post Share on other sites
W(TF) Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 What auctioneer said. Also, please ban those fucking vuvuzelos. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
auctioneer69 Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Fantastic win for Argentina and a great game to watch. Gotta love Maradona - start potentially the toughest game in the group with four strikers. Higuain looked so much better playing up the middle and was in exactly the right place for each goal of his hat-trick. It looks like Argentina have finally worked out how to accommodate Messi's unique talents. They look suspect at the back conceding a horrible goal. It would seem South Korea came into the match thinking that a win against Nigeria in the next match would be enough for them to proceed. Sloppier and less focused than I expected. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jakobnicholas Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 I'm not a super knowledgable soccer fan, but it's CLEAR that Lionel Messi is insanely talented. His foot and lower-body control is unreal. I've become an Aregentina fan just hoping I can watch Messi play as many games as possible. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Winston Legthigh Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 For France, it's alternate years of all or nothing: 1998: Won the cup2002: Scored ZERO goals in group stage2006: Finalist - lost on penalty kicks2010: ZERO goals scored so far in group stage... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IATTBYB Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 For France, it's alternate years of all or nothing: 1998: Won the cup2002: Scored ZERO goals in group stage2006: Finalist - lost on penalty kicks2010: ZERO goals scored so far in group stage...I bet the Irish would have put up a better showing! I hope the South African's kick the French's butts and keep them scoreless. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sunken mountain Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 I've become an Aregentina fan just hoping I can watch Messi play as many games as possible. Good idea,maybe that will be my only chance to be happy after next Monday (Spain-Honduras). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
auctioneer69 Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 For France, it's alternate years of all or nothing: 1998: Won the cup2002: Scored ZERO goals in group stage2006: Finalist - lost on penalty kicks2010: ZERO goals scored so far in group stage... Truly shocking in their two games especialy today. Uncommitted, disorganised and obviously lacking unity. Spain underperformed yesterday but u couldn't fault their desire unlike France today. Well done Mexico. The possibility of Argentina vs Mexico in the next round sounds great. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Winston Legthigh Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Both of Klose's yellows were bullshit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Griddles Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Well the first two results certainly blow things open. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bobbob1313 Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Some shit referring going on so far today. Though if the USA hadn't stood around looking lost and helpless for 50 minutes, the referring wouldn't have mattered/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Some shit referring going on so far today. Though if the USA hadn't stood around looking lost and helpless for 50 minutes, the referring wouldn't have mattered/No kidding. What the hell is with this team that they need like 20 minutes to realize they are actually playing a match? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bobbob1313 Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 It seems they come out slow on purpose. They are a very conservative team. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 They cannot do that against Algeria. They have to win this game. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Winston Legthigh Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 They cannot do that against Algeria. They have to win this game.By two goals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 I am not really optimistic. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bobbob1313 Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 On another board I'm on, someone posted this. Sounds about right: So Wednesday basically breaks down like this for the U.S. Slovenia defeats England: With a draw or a win vs Algeria, the U.S. advances as the group runner up. England defeats Slovenia: U.S. advances with a win vs Algeria. Whether they advance as the group winner or runner up comes down to goal differential (i.e., they would need to defeat Algeria by a wider margin than the margin by which England defeats Slovenia). U.S. is eliminated if they draw vs Algeria. Slovenia and England draw: U.S. advances with a win vs Algeria. U.S. wins the group if they defeat Algeria by two goals. U.S. may advance with a draw. They'd have three points, as would England. What's the next tiebreaker, if points and goal differential are equal? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 It's total goals scored, I believe, and the U.S. currently has the edge on England there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Synthesizer Patel Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 if we (england) and the usa are equal after goal difference then england go through, as we have a higher fifa ranking. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Not according to this (admittedly unsourced) article and the analysts (Alexi Lalas and Steve McManaman, I think) discussing the situation on ESPN during England-Algeria. Total goals follows goals differential, and then they draw lots if they remain tied. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Synthesizer Patel Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Not according to this (admittedly unsourced) article and the analysts (Alexi Lalas and Steve McManaman, I think) discussing the situation on ESPN during England-Algeria. Total goals follows goals differential, and then they draw lots if they remain tied. wow, you're right. i always thought it was ranking. i looked this up, and these are the fifa rules: The ranking of each team in each group will be determined as follows:a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches; goal difference in all group matches;c) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria,their rankings will be determined as follows:d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches betweenthe teams concerned;e) goal difference resulting from the group matches between theteams concerned;f) greater number of goals scored in all group matches between theteams concerned;g) drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee. once it gets past D i really don't understand what the hell they are talking about. surely if you get to D and it's equal then E & F will automatically be the same, won't they? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Winston Legthigh Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 once it gets past D i really don't understand what the hell they are talking about. surely if you get to D and it's equal then E & F will automatically be the same, won't they?Do these rules only apply to World Cup finals? Or to World Cup qualifying as well (where teams play each other more than once)? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 Do these rules only apply to World Cup finals? Or to World Cup qualifying as well (where teams play each other more than once)?That's what I was thinking... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bobbob1313 Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 God, that was unnecessarily dramatic, but holy shit was it exciting when Donovan scored Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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