2010 FIFA World Cup! Thread!

[coolian2]

tissue?

lol, i knew what was going to happen a mile out. i'm mainly directing this at australian cheerleaders who, you know, aren't actually on this forum.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Not really something you should get frustrated about, only a friendly.

But I guess it does supply one with temporary bragging rights.

 

[Mr. V]

lol, i knew what was going to happen a mile out. i'm mainly directing this at australian cheerleaders who, you know, aren't actually on this forum.

yeah. my point is, well, we were rubbish, but we'll get better (i hope), and you'll still be new zealand.

 

[coolian2]

and despite all of that hype, all of the furious love for the "socceroos", all of that chest beating, you mean just as much to football as new zealand does

 

[intedomine]

I'm not disheartened by it, but whatever happens after half-time in a friendly is irrelevant due to the fact that players play with more caution and there are too many substitutions. I have to say Vidosic looked good for us, would be good to see him start in South Africa.

New Zealand were fantastic in that second half, brilliantly organised, they will be competitive in South Africa.


Shame England won overnight, hope they didn't look convincing in their defeat of Mexico.

 

[intedomine]

I suppose what I'm trying to say is only the first half of a friendly match matters, so well done to the sheep.

Second halves are a useless gauge of where a team is at.

 

[coolian2]

aw, come on inte. join the fight.

 

[coolian2]

not often i agree with pimmers, but...

Aussie coach livid by treatment of All White - Story - 3 Sport - 3 News

Victorious Australian soccer coach Pim Verbeek savaged two of his stars for rash tackles that risked wrecking the World Cup dreams of New Zealand midfielder Leo Bertos at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last night.
Far from revelling in the afterglow of the Socceroos last-gasp 2-1 triumph, the Dutchman condemned the temperament of midfielders Vince Grella and Tim Cahill after reckless studs-up challenges had Bertos clutching his right leg before stretchered off a half hour into a willing encounter settled by Brett Holman's winner four minutes into added time.
Verbeek broke with coaching convention to publicly castigate the duo feeling they should have been sent off, a scenario which would have left New Zealand, up 1-0 at the time, with a two-man advantage for 60 minutes.
Instead lenient American referee Ricardo Salazar simply cautioned Grella and Cahill, and later perplexed the New Zealanders when explaining he would have marched the Australians had the match not been classified as a "friendly".
Verbeek acted more forcefully by including Grella and Cahill among a raft of halftime substitutions.
He admitted being tempted to punish a key component of his attack once they received yellow cards.
"You cannot afford to go into any game and make tackles like that," he said, before reprimanding the pair in private.
"It is unacceptable. The players know also that this is not the way they should play the game like this."
Verbeek warned his squad similar tackles would not be tolerated at the World Cup and commended New Zealand's players for refusing to seek retribution.
"If I was on the other side I would be a little bit angry, so you could expect something back and that's what they (Grella and Cahill) deserved.
"You can only compliment New Zealand, they behaved themselves. They were very professional, my players were not."

it's especially funny because grella was on the rag during the week complaining about rory fallon suggesting it wouldn't be particularly friendly.

 

[cobl04]

tissue?

 

[coolian2]

holy shit we beat serbia

 

[MadForIt]

England were shockingly bad v Japan

Japan took the lead after 6 mins

then 2 own goals led to an England win

Awful

Well done to NZ v Serbia - Smeltz looks good

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I know we're not in the WC Finals ... but we beat South Korea. I'm happy because this should give us some ranking points to stop us languishing so low.

 

[Vincent Vega]

Ten of 23 players are younger than me. I'm getting old.

 

[vjacqb]

^pssh, I think there are only two players in the whole World Cup teams that's older than me, and that's Fabio Cannavaro and Juan Verón. If Beckham had been included, then that would have made three.

 

[cobl04]

i love how we're going in with almost the exact same squad as four years ago, sans Viduka.

i think imma go for Holland

 

[JanuaryStar]

i love how we're going in with almost the exact same squad as four years ago, sans Viduka.

i think imma go for Holland

 

[MadForIt]

NO THEO WALCOTT FOR ENGLAND

To be fair he has been pretty shit this season

I'm going for Argentina to win it
Messi Golden Boot
Australia as the surprise package
England get to Quarters

 

[U2@NYC]

This is the year...

We put Maradona as a coach as a distraction, so no one talks about Argentina on this one...

Seriously speaking, I think Argentina has the best set of forwards in the whole World Cup, including Messi, Higuain, Tevez, Milito and Aguero. All great players who are successful in Europe.

However, I think in the end Maradona will screw us up and we will fall short. So I am picking the Netherlands to win it.

 

[No spoken words]

I want to say this:

As a typical American, I don't know a ton about soccer (football, futbol).....

But, I do love the bigger tournaments, because they appeal to me as a SPORTS fan. So, I'm excited for the World Cup and will be watching as many matches as I can.

That is all.....

 

[nielsgov]

Argentina probably has the best team but I really believe in England this time around.

 

[U2@NYC]

Argentina probably has the best team but I really believe in England this time around.

Not sure, most of what I have heard of England relies of having Fabio Capello as a coach. I am afraid the players are simply not that good. They were better in the previous World Cup.

In any event, in my pool I have England falling to Argentina on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals... Classic

 

[Popmartijn]

Seriously speaking, I think Argentina has the best set of forwards in the whole World Cup, including Messi, Higuain, Tevez, Milito and Aguero. All great players who are successful in Europe.

Of course I'm very biased, but I think that Robben, Van Persie, Kuyt and Huntelaar (as substitute) are no slouch either. With Sneijder, Van der Vaart and Affelay right behind them.

However, I think in the end Maradona will screw us up and we will fall short. So I am picking the Netherlands to win it.

BTW, the goal by Bergkamp against Argentina has been chosen as the most beautiful World Cup goal by Dutch voters.
Second place was for Maradona's rush against England at WC 1986 and third was for Maxi Rodriguez against Mexico in 2006.
So Argentina is featured in the top three spots.

 

[coolian2]

I want to say this:

As a typical American, I don't know a ton about soccer (football, futbol).....

But, I do love the bigger tournaments, because they appeal to me as a SPORTS fan. So, I'm excited for the World Cup and will be watching as many matches as I can.

That is all.....

that's fascinating, because i'd have expected you to be mildly scared by sporting events that involve other countries.

 

[cobl04]

I really believe in England this time around.

oh, that's classic.

 

[No spoken words]

that's fascinating, because i'd have expected you to be mildly scared by sporting events that involve other countries.

Like the Olympics?

 

[coolian2]

Like the Olympics?

shit

 

[BoMac]

Looking forward to the Azzurri's first game against Paraguay. Unfortunately, I think they'll go as far as the quarters and then bow out. But the beauty of a tournament like this is that you truly never know what will happen.

 

[coolian2]

Looking forward to the Azzurri's first game against Paraguay. Unfortunately, I think they'll go as far as the quarters and then bow out. But the beauty of a tournament like this is that you truly never know what will happen.

hey i just remembered we play your mob. congratulations in advance!

 

[toscano]

Drogba out ????

Damn.

 

[Vincent Vega]

Yes, that's quite a tragedy for both him and Ivory Coast. He broke his elbow.