View Full Version : Jo'berg here we come! - World Cup 2010
DanJennings
16-06-2010, 20:35
is anyone actually watching the world cup?
it's starting to liven up now after a crap start.
South Africa vs Uruguay, and Switzerland vs Spain, both great matches
apanton1952
16-06-2010, 20:45
Switzerland and Uruguay won - great matches I'm not so sure about :-)
Stratmangler
16-06-2010, 20:48
I've seen quite a few games, and the only team to impress me is Germany.
Compared to all of the other teams England don't look as bad as has been made out.
Things certainly do seem to be livening up - Switzerland really stunned Spain.
Uruguay took South Africa to task too.
apanton1952
16-06-2010, 21:50
I've seen quite a few games, and the only team to impress me is Germany.
Compared to all of the other teams England don't look as bad as has been made out.
Things certainly do seem to be livening up - Switzerland really stunned Spain.
Uruguay took South Africa to task too.
Agreed.
Stratmangler
16-06-2010, 22:05
I'm hoping that South Africa somehow manage to make it through to the knockout stages, but it's looking to be a big ask at the moment.
If Mexico v France ends up as a draw then there's a slim chance that South Africa can do it by defeating France. It also requires Uruguay to beat Mexico.
Fingers crossed for next week.
I've not watched every match all the way through, but today has definitely been the best, though I agree with the sentiment that it would be good to see the hosts at least make the next round...
Been a few rubbish goalkeeping incidents though, haven't there... (even discounting Mr Green's debacle... unfortunately, as a product of Delia's finest, I do feel a bit responsible for him :doh:)
Rare Bird
17-06-2010, 01:08
So what happened on Coronation street with the fire? :lolsign:
quadsugdenman
17-06-2010, 08:25
Not really a 'showcase' for international footie so far. Me, I always blame a poor performance on my balls!!!!!:eyebrows:
Not sure if we have any Germans on the forum? Bet you're biting your nails after that penalty save... could be a great last 30 mins of this game... Could be wide open in this group if the score stays like this...
Rare Bird
18-06-2010, 13:43
Come on Germany :)
France's performance is pitiful. The Mexico team played real football !! Well done Mexico ! :)
France are the worst team in the tournament, I'm afraid. Well done Greece though - at least you're back in with a chance... just got to beat Argentina now on Tuesday and you'll be fine! :)
Just hope England can pull of a convincing win tonight...
twelvebears
18-06-2010, 20:40
What a load off ....
I presume you mean load of....
Seriously though, North Korea manage to look world class against Brazil with amazing defense and passing.
We can't even look vaguely convincing against Algera. :doh:
Personally, and I can't believe I'm actually saying this, I don't think we deserve to make it through to the last 16.
And as for Roony having a pop at the fans for booing. Well you know what mate, they don't get paid millions to kick a bloody ball around and are perhaps a bit pissed off that having paid a shit-load of money to travel all the way to SA for you, they have to watch you play like a bunch of Sunday league amateurs. :steam:
France are the worst team in the tournament, I'm afraid.
I spoke too soon, didn't I!
That could be the worst England performance I've ever seen, words fail me at how players just can't be arsed when their country's pride is at stake. Absolutely f'in useless the lot of them.
Stratmangler
18-06-2010, 20:47
That was dire.
chris@panteg
18-06-2010, 21:43
Tell you what ' i am not in the least bit surprised ,only seen the highlights as i was working.
But there is something seriously wrong with the way England are playing and the formation just baffles me , Heskey has to go ' Carragher is out for a match (good job) Rooney looks spent and quite frankly i would drop him ' seriously and Cappello should never have left Wallcott to swan around on some beach ' his pace could have made some difference.
I think England will lose or draw with Slovenia playing like this, no question still its only a game lol.
Well crunch time..............come on
chris@panteg
23-06-2010, 08:21
Terry to give away a penalty in the dying minutes to put England out , just a horrible gut feeling .
quadsugdenman
23-06-2010, 08:50
It is make or break time! £100K plus per week for the sort of performances you see in the park every Sunday!! Those players should be ashamed of themselves. They should be apologising to the fans and the people who invest their hard earned cash in keeping them in the inflated lifestyles they lead. What does Rooney do? Criticise the fans for showing their frustration.:steam: The guy is a numpty!!
I hope for all those fans both in South Africa and watching at home that someone will try to show the effort on the pitch to match their REAL committment:punch:
Worry not, chaps.... I predicted that England will get to the semis - and they will! ;)
Capello is not a manager who entertains going out of competitions in the first round... Expect a sweaty one with goals on both sides, and England to triumph 2-1 with a late winner by Gerrard.
I can see it in the skies: Zeus has spoken.
Marco.
No patriotic comments yet :scratch:
England currently lead :)
Regards,
The Vinyl Adventure
23-06-2010, 15:06
this time it looks a little bit more like they have atually played football before
this time it looks a little bit more like they have atually played football before
Yes indeed Hamish.Although it is not English football which I remember.
Regards,
The Vinyl Adventure
23-06-2010, 15:55
... ... blimey, i tell you what, im not even in to football... but my heart was going like a fucked clock for the last 2 hours!
... ... blimey, i tell you what, im not even in to football... but my heart was going like a fucked clock for the last 2 hours!
Understandably.Me neither (not in to footbal).My congratulations on this victory.My neighbors are sad now .:(
Kerosene is in my blood. F1 rule :)
The Vinyl Adventure
23-06-2010, 16:06
i prefer watching the golf...or snooker (not that my missis allows it) much more relaxing watch with only the odd heart stopper...
Well I was near enough - I knew they'd get through! :eyebrows:
But England should've won much more convincingly. However, watch them fly now, as the mentality required in the knock-out stages will suit the team much better......
Jeez, I sound like an England fan! :lol:
I'm not, of course (I'm an Italian one), but I wanted them to go through as I think it'll be good for the tournament.
I also know how clever Capello is as a manager and just couldn't see him being part of a team that failed to get through the first round. What he gives the England team, above all, is the ability to be hard to beat, which is obvious so far regardless of the first two poor results.
All they need then is for their most talented offensive players to make an impact, which is starting to happen now. It's an excellent base from which to fashion a team that can do well in major tournaments, which in previous campaigns has been sadly lacking.
Onwards to the semis (at least) for England.
Marco.
Not the greatest England performance ever but did the job and shows promise for later
There is nothing better than the Sunday after lunch ...fall asleep with the monotonous sound of boring F1 race. :lolsign:
@Marco-You are really in the unenviable position.Gotta be careful...:)
Regards,
Stratmangler
23-06-2010, 16:27
The Slovenian keeper had a superb game - had it not been for him the scoreline would have been very different.
Still, a solid performance from England - at last.:clap:
Hi Robert,
@Marco-You are really in the unenviable position.Gotta be careful...
Lol - I'm just a football fan, so I simply tell is as I see it.... I'm also (usually) fairly lucky with my predictions :)
Marco.
Some hard matches to come but at least England will be playing against teams that also want to win
Hi Robert,
Lol - I'm just a football fan, so I simply tell is as I see it.... I'm also (usually) fairly lucky with my predictions :)
Marco.
A-ha.Philosophical response.The truth will set you free.
Because of this truth, you get a beating in pub :lolsign: (to avoid any confusion, I am talking about passionate fans)
If you're so lucky in predictions, try to play the lottery :lolsign:
Regards,
Some hard matches to come but at least England will be playing against teams that also want to win
And that, John, will be the key difference! ;)
Robert,
Lol - yes maybe I should :eyebrows:
Marco.
Thank the fook for Ashley Cole, John Terry and Stevie G - the 3 standout performances for me, though of course Milner/Defoe for the goal. I do at least feel we deserve to have made it through now, so let's all get behind E N G L A N D! (If you're English, of course! :))
So now it's England vs. Germany - yet again! Shhh...no-one mention penalties. I did earlier, but I think I got away with it :eyebrows:
Marco.
So now it's England vs. Germany - yet again! Shhh...no-one mention penalties. I did earlier, but I think I got away with it :eyebrows:
:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
We'll beat them, no probs, without the need to go to penalties...
DanJennings
24-06-2010, 06:00
I had to miss the England game (work) did we dominate the game, or just get a goal in...?
The Germany game last night was great, but I definitely would have preferred the result to go the other way. I don't fancy our chances in the next round.
chris@panteg
24-06-2010, 09:36
Glad i was wrong about Terry ' he actually put in a pretty good performance full of guts.
The team spirit seems to be there ' that's a good sign , apparently Fabio let them get together for a few beers .
I think the game vs Deutschland could be a classic who knows, but penalties jeez i hope not .
Italia in 5 mins... fingers crossed for Marco!
Cheers, matey - anything's possible with Italy! Also, the World Cup Champions never win the tournament twice in a row....
Marco.
Records are there to be broken! :)
Very similar position to England's group C yesterday, could go any number of ways - so they just need to win!
Lol - it's going great so far (not)! :rolleyes:
In my experience, the cup winners quite often have a rotten next tournament, and Italy are showing all the signs of that....
Slovakia are by far the better side so far, and knowing the Italian mentality, it'll all depend on whether they can be 'arsed' to try harder - yes seriously!
My prediction? A 1-1 draw, and Italy sadly out.
Marco.
WHAT a game, hard luck Italy but all credit to Slovakia - thoroughly deserved the win.
Well, that's parmigiano for the Italians as another one bites the dust.
Whatever happens on Sunday just remember:
"They may have beat us at our national game, but we beat them twice at their national game in the 20th century." M.Thatcher 1990.
Great game Sorry about the result
I pulled out Germany in the work sweep stake but still prefer to see England win
My prediction? A 1-1 draw, and Italy sadly out.
Well I got the last bit right! Hey ho, that's life. I also said this:
In my experience, the cup winners quite often have a rotten next tournament, and Italy are showing all the signs of that....
IME, that happens quite often with the defending champions of tournaments. Slovakia undoubtedly deserved to win, as Italy (as per usual) left it far too late. They didn't wake up until they were 2-0 down! :rolleyes:
There were certainly signs in the qualifying group stages for the finals that Italy and France were somewhat past their best and needed to rebuild. On the evidence of their performances in South Africa, I think Scotland (who just missed out on qualifying for the finals) would've graced the tournament far better!!
Marco.
chris@panteg
25-06-2010, 09:20
The more this tournament progresses , the more convinced i am a South American side will win it , Argentina or Brazil ' remember no Euro team has ever won outside Europe .
Bad luck Italia but at least not as bad or disgraceful as France , though i guess the team may still get pelted with rotten tomatoes ! eh Marco .
Hi Chris,
The more this tournament progresses , the more convinced i am a South American side will win it , Argentina or Brazil ' remember no Euro team has ever won outside Europe .
I completely agree, and indeed have already predicted this.
Bad luck Italia but at least not as bad or disgraceful as France , though i guess the team may still get pelted with rotten tomatoes ! eh Marco .
Lol - indeed! However, I don't think it had much to do with bad luck; more like a bad attitude from a team (and manager) long past their sell-by date. You make your own luck in football, and Italy didn't deserve any more than they got.
On another note, I'm certain England will beat Germany and progress to the Quarter Finals :)
Marco.
On another note, I'm certain England will beat Germany and progress to the Quarter Finals :)
Marco.
We live in hope. The last thing I want to hear is: "For you, Tommy, ze Welt Cup is over!"
Stratmangler
25-06-2010, 11:54
We live in hope. The last thing I want to hear is: "For you, Tommy, ze Welt Cup is over!"
Agreed !
However England do seem to be the side with most local support - the stadium noise on Wednesday night was phenomenal, and that racket cannot be solely attributed to the English supporters from England who are there.
Might be a factor ......
Stratmangler
25-06-2010, 19:51
Did anyone pick up the story about Paul the psychic octopus ?
He's in an aquarium in Germany, and apparently has a 100% track record in predicting the results of the German matches.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10420131.stm
Personally I thinks it's all bollocks, and cooked up to play mind games with the England team.:lolsign:
psychic octopus ? ... cooked up :
Molluscs to that! Trust that bunch of Europhile pinkos at the BBC to spread fear and despondency. Cooked up? That's what it should be. Anyone for kalamaris?
Anyway, I've got a pack of pork sausages and every time I stick a fork in it they squeal "Nein, nine Kameraden, you win 3-2". But I couldn't get a single news outlet interested in my story. Just in case, has anyone sacrificed a goat yet?
Sunday:
A lie in followed by a leisurely breakfast, potter around until Dinner Time, kip in the armchair, maybe ireon some shirts for the week ahead, early night.
But not this Sunday
This Sunday it's-
ENGLAND VS GERMANY IN THE WORLD CUP!!!!!!!!!!
Be prepared for lots of :(:):steam::stalks::doh::eek::scratch:
Pre match nerves are killing me...
Pre-match prediction:
England 2 Germany 1
Marco.
chris@panteg
27-06-2010, 09:40
It think it will be a titanic tussle not much in it i cant say for sure but it may go to Penalties , and i hate to be negative but if it does , well there can only be one winner .
I am sure England will put in a good performance though and no disgrace losing to Germany ' but why do i get his feeling we have unfinished business with Argentina .
I would like England and Mexico win. Just a few hours left. ;)
chris@panteg
27-06-2010, 10:08
Well there have been a few shocks so far ' but Mexico beating the Argie bargies ? well that would be huge, and there is no doubt in my mind Messi is way out there as the best player , i love watching him, reminds me a little of Cruyff in his prime .
Well will get a few beers in and watch the footie
Fingers crossed
chris@panteg
27-06-2010, 12:01
Oh and i think Beckenbauer has been harshly treated by our stupid media , why oh why do they have to bring WW2 into it .
if you watch his interview on the Beeb site ' he is as charming as ever with a good sense of humour
Well that was some half! Jeez, how SHOCKING were England up until the Upson goal? :stalks:
Then 'Mr Specsavers' in the middle of the park (and the blind-boy linesman) misses a clear-cut stonewall goal, which is about a yard behind the line!!! :doh: :mental: :wanker:
*BUT* the Upson goal gives England a lifeline, when they should've been about 4-0 down......
The next goal is the BIG one, so roll on the second half! I just hope that the perfectly good one England had disallowed doesn't cause another tale of woe in their World Cup history.
Penalties I think could now be a distinct possibility, with England to win! :eek:
Marco.
Spectral Morn
27-06-2010, 15:50
4-1
Germany wins....
D S D L
Let's look on the bright side. It wasn't 5-1, and the Argies well have them.
But to be honest, it was bloody awful again ..... a useless bunch of 4-4-2 easily beaten and made to look stupid. May be if the media stop buidling up second raters as world beaters and the FA put the emphasis on the national side it might, just might change. But I ain't holding my breath.
Better team won
A least I have a few beers
Better team won
A least I have a few beers
Well, I certainly need a drink after watching that. But can someone explain to me how all those precious premiership stars who do wonders week in week in the league, how, when they put on an England shirt, play like a pub team instead of a pride of Lions. Were they just all in a hurry to go on their holidays?
Hi Chris,
I think there are probably a number of reasons for that:
1) I don't think the players were comfortable with Capello's system, and I also think that his rather poor English does no favours in helping him get his message across to the players in terms of explaining team formations and tactics, which causes a lot of obvious uncertainty in their play. Look at their defence today, for example - it was an utter shambles!
2) Many of the players seemed tired and jaded after a long season, particularly those who were involved in the latter stages of the Champions League.
Have the (mainly younger) German players played as many games throughout their season as the England players had, particularly in such a physically demanding league like the Premiership? I'm not so sure. Things like that make a difference at this level.
3) The current England team is full of great individuals for their club teams, but play as strangers when together in an England squad because they're not used to each other's style of play - certainly in any way as much as is required when playing at this level in the World Cup finals.
This is compounded by the fact that there are so many foreign players playing in the Premiership, and so when it comes to International games, tried and tested partnerships at club level in defence, midfield and attack are broken up because the players involved are made up of so many different nationalities.
Yes, the Premiership is probably the best and most skilful league in the world, and that's where the top players from all around the world want to play, but that unfortunately has a negative impact on player selection for the national team.
Does the Bundesliga suffer from this problem to the same degree? I don't think so. Therefore the Germans can field a side more used to playing with each other at club level, hence why they also play much more as a team at International level than England, even though individually they're (mostly) not as good as the English players.
4) Like you say:
May be if the media stop buidling up second raters as world beaters and the FA put the emphasis on the national side it might, just might change
Lack of investment by the FA in the national game is a factor, as is the fact that the Premiership is so full of foreign players, and this stilfles good home-grown talent from coming through the ranks.
And this is the biggest problem of all............... The England team is a victim of the, quite frankly, God-awful English press..... I mean why ON EARTH did they think that bringing up WW2 was a good idea? IDIOTS!! :doh:
All the German manager then has to do is show all that guff to the players, and BINGO, they're fired up to beat England and rub their noses in it. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot? :mental:
And, like you say, it's also about time the press stopped building up the England team as world beaters and genuine contenders at the beginning of every World Cup tournament, as quite frankly they're not.
The fact is, England are not 'tournament hardened', like Germany, Brazil, Italy or Argentina are - those are teams which regularly (and indeed almost always) reach the semi-finals and finals of the tournament, and so deserve to be touted as genuine contenders to win the World Cup when the tournament starts.
England are not, simply because their recent record doesn't warrant them to be considered as genuine possible winners. They haven't done anything significant since 1990, and therefore it's time for everyone concerned to forget all about 19-bloody-66 and have more realistic expectations from the beginning!
Maybe then, with some of the concerns addressed in 1-3 above, and with less pressure on the team to win tournaments they realistically currently cannot, they might have a chance of building some success gradually to reach the potential they're capable of, but it won't happen when England are constantly touted by the media (and some fans) as world beaters :rolleyes:
The expectations therefore by everyone involved before tournaments need to be much more realistic, and managers in charge being given time to build successful teams, before any genuine progress can be made!
Marco.
Great post Marco I would add that we need to look at our future the way the Germans did 10 years ago
FIFA has to change a few things, in my honest opinion. Some mistakes can be fatal to a match, and such fatalities are not part of the sport spirit.
Yep, goal-line technology is urgently needed at major tournaments. Sepp Blatter and Fifa's refusal to provide this is illogically archaic.
Had the legitimate England goal scored in the first half been allowed, and the teams had gone in 2-2 at half time, instead of 2-1, that would've undoubtedly put a different complexion on the match.
It would've certainly allowed England to approach the game differently in the second half, as they wouldn't have had to chase the game and get ruthlessly exposed on the break like they did, and then of course anything could've happened......
However, that disgraceful mistake by the officials does not in any way excuse England's woeful ineptitude and the fact that they were completely outclassed by a not overly fantastic German team.
They were lucky they only lost 4-1, as it could've so easily been something like 7 or 8-3!
Marco.
Spot on Marco. Im a Scot but i so badly wanted the new manager to be the one for the England squad. The FA should be hanging their heads in shame not the players.
Pete The Cat
27-06-2010, 19:19
Hi-fi is like football, because everyone can have an opinion. Hi-fi is better than football, because there's no score at the end, so everyone can still be right.
Pete
Hi Colin,
Im a Scot but i so badly wanted the new manager to be the one for the England squad.
Same here (and of course because of the fact he's Italian). I think Capello is the right man for the job if he learns to speak English fluently and is given a chance to build a successful team, which I think he's capable of doing.
The results in the qualifying round were no fluke, but that was when the players were still in the middle of their season, when they were still sharp, and with their minds focussed on winning domestic and European trophies, so the last thing they'd have wanted is to let their form drop in international games.
I honestly think that is a key factor, as so many of the England players appeared as if they'd switched off, or were just too jaded to raise their game to the required level. Mentally, they'd already packed their bags for their holidays!
But, like I've said, much of the problems are down to the unrealistic expectations of some fans and the media. I mean, I'll ask this question:
If England had beaten Germany and gone out after the Quarter Finals to Argentina, would the majority of the fans and the media have regarded that as a failure?
I suspect the answer would be yes, and if so then quite frankly I think that's ridiculous, as Quarter Finalists is pretty much the level they're at these days.
Let's be realistic - getting to the semis would be quite unusual for England, and the final, un-chartered territory since 1966. So, given England's recent track record, what do the majority of the England fans and the media really expect??
However, I have to say that I honestly thought they'd get to the semis this year, had the draw for the second round been kinder to them, and most importantly, had their key players (Rooney, Gerrard, Terry, etc) played to their potential.
I just hope now that the FA don't panic, and allow Capello to continue his work and build a successful team that has every chance of doing very well in the next European Championships.
Marco.
P.S Just watching Argentina totally outclassing Mexico, with Tevez on fire... I still predict that they'll be the eventual winners. They're who I'll be rooting for now, as I love Maradonna's infectious passion! :)
Spot on Marco. Im a Scot but i so badly wanted the new manager to be the one for the England squad. The FA should be hanging their heads in shame not the players.
But is the manager to blame for a defense who played like school boys today in conceding four goals? Goal one, a sucker punch long ball down the middle. Look at goal three again at 2-1 down, what the hell were we doing? Did Capello tell the team them to leave one man back whenever we had a free kick near the box? Did he tell his players to give up at 75 mins and just lie down and go out with a wimper? At least show a bit of fight, bust a gut, give it your all. But no, it was a disgrace!!
Yeah, if our second goal counted and Lampard's stirke was in the net and not on the bar, it might have been closer. But just three goals in four matches says it all. They were never a team, never raised their game except for a brief period against Slovenia. Never ever looked like winners.
PS Glad to see a Scot rooting for England. Excellent win for Scotland over Argentina in the rugby the other week.
PPS Argentina v. Mexico - Football worth watching, spoilt by another naff decision. Mexico stick with it to get a goal back.
chris@panteg
27-06-2010, 21:32
I always thought quarter finals at best and losing to a very good German side is no disgrace
but the manner of it ! well its pretty humiliating , i hope Capello stays and improves his english but also looks to build a new and much younger team.
Time for a clear out , that was hard on Mexico but it sets up a great contest and i think there will be some nasty niggly feelings between the two of them , remember in 2006 at the end when the Argies lost it .
OXO are introducing a new white oxo cube with a red cross on it to support the englandteam >>>>> It will be called the laughing STOCK.
David Blaine is gutted because his record for doing f*** all in a box for 42days has been broken...... by Wayne Rooney
England have just announced flood warning alerts as 5 million Scots pishthemselves laughing
quadsugdenman
01-07-2010, 18:36
England were going to be sponsored by a well known petfood manufacturer but the FA thought it would be taking the pishh with WINALOT on their shirts.
The FA are trying to rebuild the teams confidence by arranging a friendly with Iceland, if that goes well they will ask Asda, Tesco and J Sainsburys as well!! :whistle:
The FA have launched an inquiry to find out how a fan found his way into the dressing room...
..and another enquiry into how most of the team found their way into the dressing room
I can't believe we only managed a draw against a s**t team we should easily have beaten......I'm ashamed to call myself Algerian.
The England team went to visit an orphanage in South Africa this morning, "its so good to put a smile on the faces of people with no hope, constantly struggling, and facing the impossible" said Jamal Omboto, aged 6.
Fabio Capello was wheeling his shopping trolley across the supermarket car park when he noticed an old lady struggling with her bags of shopping. He stopped and asked, "Can you manage dear?" To which the old lady replied,
"No way. You got yourself into this f*****g mess, don't ask me to sort it out..."
chris@panteg
03-07-2010, 21:15
Well my prediction is out of the window, and glad i am too ' seeing Maradonna squirm was strangely satisfying , Germany absolutely outstanding ! instead of slagging England off so much , give some credit to Lowe's superb team.
Germany v Netherlands Final ?
Well my prediction is out of the window, and glad i am too ' seeing Maradonna squirm was strangely satisfying , Germany absolutely outstanding ! instead of slagging England off so much , give some credit to Lowe's superb team.
Germany v Netherlands Final ?
They both deserve to get there but Germany look unstoppable. To think that England could even play half as well against Argentina. We didn't play that well against them last time we beat them. Germany took them apart as easily as they did us.
Superb picture...
http://www.wc2010.premiumtv.co.uk/javaImages/96/6d/0,,12950~8875414,00.jpg
Where's "the hand of God" now, eh? Yer coke addled monkey! :ner:
chris@panteg
03-07-2010, 21:39
Greatness could have been his ' but he didn't do his homework . i would love to go up to him and say being fat' drunk' and stupid is no way to go thru life son lol .
But he was a great player , granted .
But he was a great player , granted .
Well, that first goal of his against England in Mexico 86 was outstanding..."Goal of the century" it's been called I believe.
And then look what he went and did... cheating bastard! :steam:
chris@panteg
03-07-2010, 22:17
Well yes ' but really the ref was perhaps the cheating basterd , he saw it but allowed the goal ? but what a surpise this German team are .
Stratmangler
07-07-2010, 12:40
Bad news for the Germans tonight - Paul the Octopus has predicted a Spanish win.
I hope Paul's prediction is wrong !
The Germans have played the best football of the tournament by far - they have displayed similar flair and vision to the great Dutch team of '74, and I for one would like to see them in the final.
On a funnier note, did anyone read the comments by Philipp Lahm.
After the England match he made comment about "now having to beat a big team".
After the Argentina match it was " England were better, at least they managed to put two goals past us". :lolsign:
I think it be a great game tonight not sure who I want to win tonights match
I predicted Spain before the tournament but got the Germans in the company's sweep stake
Classic quotes there, Chris! :lol:
I'm just glad the Dutch beat Uruguay, as I can't stand the boring, cheating bastards who robbed Ghana of a place in the semis! :steam:
Whoever wins it now is cool by me. I did predict the Germans would do well in this tournament from the beginning, and that's turned out to be the case (although I thought Argentina would win it), so I'll stick with them tonight.
For me it's a Germany vs. Holland final. Regardless of tonight's result, who thought it'd be two European teams there, eh!
Marco.
Nah!
Spain & Holland in the final... Hmmmm... Holland to win!
Lol - well Del's dad is German, as are a lot of her family, and I prefer the way the German team play football, so come on Germany!! :ner:
Marco.
Well, you might well be right, I reckon you know much more about footy than I do.
I'm just going by 'gut instincts'! ;)
Lol - who I want to win isn't necessarily who I think will win.
Spain could well win, so your gut instinct might be right. Germany are 'due' to lose in the knockout stages, as their performances have been so terrific so far. That tends to be what happens in football - and also Spain will have the massive motivation of getting to the World Cup final for the first time ever.....
Basically, the winner will be who wants it most on the night! :)
Marco.
I'm fucked if I know, matey, I'll take your word on it! :ner:
Fancy a wee wager? :eyebrows:
Dunno if I'm confident enough either way :eyebrows:
Marco.
Me niether... is was thinking in the order of 20p! :lolsign:
Indeed! It was a good move not to take Mikey up on the offer of his bet. I was *that* close to offering him a £20 bet! :)
Marco.
I like to see Spain win the final such a good passing team
Yup, I'm not too bothered now who wins, as it'll be nice having a new World Cup winner, regardless.
I suppose that I slightly favour the Dutch, as for me they're the more attacking side. That's one of the reasons I wanted Germany to win, as I think that a Germany vs. Holland final would've been a more exciting game to watch.
Last night's game was decent, but a bit dour for me (not enough goal-mouth action), and that was down to Spain's tactics, not Germany's.....
As long as Spain go for it and play with the attacking flair they're capable of, and don't try to stifle the life out of the Dutch, then it'll be a good final :)
Marco.
chris@panteg
08-07-2010, 09:51
From what i saw of the game Spain looked a far superior outfit to me ,
its interesting to note that both England and Argentina were really a bunch of individuals.
But neither played as a team with any real idea how to beat Germany ' Spain on the other hand were a different beast and clearly had a game plan to blunt the german style of play, and it worked , germany suddenly looked an ordinary team , the disbelieving faces in the German crowds back in Berlin said it all .
Hi Chris,
But niether played as a team with real idea how beat Germany ' Spain on the other hand were a different beast and clearly had a game plan to blunt the german style of play, and it worked...
Absolutely it did, but for me spoilt the game as a spectacle. I really hate that style of football, particularly when a team like Spain has considerable attacking flair and is capable of so much more than simply nullifying the threat of the opposition, with the hope of pinching a goal somehow during the course of the game.
I expect that of lesser teams attempting to compete with a much more talented side, but with the players Spain have at their disposal, they should be much better than that.
I know that winning, no matter how, is the name of the game, but I think that managers sometimes forget that football is supposed to be an entertainment sport for the fans paying bloody good money to watch! ;)
If I wanted to watch a quality game of chess, I'd play a video of Viswanathan Anand vs. Vladimir Kramnik instead!!
Give me the swashbuckling flair play of the Brazil and Dutch sides of old, who entertained the world playing football with panache and style, and as a result, ignited everyone's passion.
Let's hope the final showcases two teams keen to score goals against each other and show the world how good they are as an attacking force, and not a snore-fest with one team trying to nullify the threat of the other..........
Marco.
chris@panteg
08-07-2010, 10:31
Hi Marco
Yes i totally agree its a shame that a side where so much expectation and so much money is involved , resorts to winning at all costs ! instead of playing the game the way its meant to be played .
Alas i can see England going this route in the future , the next one 2014 for Brazil ' well the pressure on them will be immense not just to win it but in the style of the old Brazil (1970/1982).
Money and media hype has so screwed up this game ,still we live in hope that something will change , or for England a player or someone special will come along and do something but i won't hold my breath .
Yes look at how Spain played in mid field and defence they were able to limit the Germans to a few chances
Seems our under 17 youth squad has a chance in perhaps 8 years according to reports
Great game in the 3rd/4th play-off, with Germany deservedly winning 3-2 against Uruguay! That's my kind of game of football! :clap:
I wanted Germany to win, as I've loved their style of football throughout the tournament.
Let's hope we get the same open, attacking football tomorrow in the final, and not a defensive-orientated snore-fest, with neither team wanting to lose......
Come on Holland! But I think Spain will win. If so, let's hope they do it with some style.
Marco.
Stratmangler
10-07-2010, 20:42
That free kick at the very end was sooooo close - there was very nearly extra time.
It was a good open game, and probably more entertaining than tomorrow's final; I think we'll probably see two sides scared of losing, and the game will suffer as a result.
I think we'll probably see two sides scared of losing...
Me too!
That's why I wanted Germany to get to the final, as you can guarantee they'd not have been as defensive minded as I fear Spain will be tomorrow (I'm all for passing movements, as long as there's an end product!), and the Dutch always like to play attractive, attacking football.
Let's hope we're wrong :)
Marco.
Stratmangler
10-07-2010, 21:09
I hope we're very, very wrong.
I personally hope that Holland can win it, but that's as much down to this being their third shot at the Trophy as anything else. And it is this particular Trophy, which was first played for at the 1974 World Cup in West Germany.
The previous Trophy was won outright by Brazil in 1970.
The current Trophy cannot be won outright, according to a FIFA ruling, so will now forever be the Trophy played for.
Not the greatest game in the world but right team won
Well, I thought the Dutch would win but I'm glad they didn't. They didn't deserve it!
Stratmangler
11-07-2010, 21:55
Not a great game, and certainly not a great victory for Spain.
Brazil 2014, anyone ?
chris@panteg
11-07-2010, 23:51
For me the way the Dutch played was an absolute disgrace ' total football ? more like total nastiness ,should have had 2 sent off in the 1st half alone .
I don't agree that Spain are a spoiling team ' germany and Holland just cannot match there way of playing and tonight Holland just tried to kick and hack them off the pitch .
they got what they deserved ' nothing , Spain deservedly World Champions.
And as for that fiasco at the end ' just a shoulder block and then ranting at the wrong linesman ' well for me the Dutch looked a sad pathetic team ! a mere shadow of the great sides from 1974 and 1988 .
DanJennings
09-08-2010, 17:53
The thread title is more than a little out of date now, but never mind, maybe I should start a new one at some point, but I feel the need to vent some frustration.
If you haven't heard, Aston Villa have already thrown away their chances this season.
Martin O Neill has quit six days before the start of the season, and the chances of replacing him before the transfer window closes are slim.
Our already threadbare squad has been ransacked, Sidwell gone, Shorey gone, Milner, Luke Young, and if the rumours are true, Ashley Young going this week, and as far as I know, we have the smallest most under-equipped squad in the premier league.
Some of the few players we have left are either injured (Carew, Agbonlahor, Collins) kids (delfoneso, Albrighton) or woeful (Heskey I'm looking at you)
We'll probably finish near the bottom of the table this year.
Yes bad news for Villa fans
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