[football] FIFA's Southafrica 2010 World Cup

[One.In.A.Million]

FIFA was right to apologise and they had to really as it would have looked awfull.

I feel sorry for our boys, we was robbed if the truth be told. People have been saying how Germany would have won anyway, but that's not true at all.

After Lampard scored our 2nd, we was on fire and to be honest Germany looked scared as hell. We would have gone into the 2nd half not chasing the game, but equal, meaning we could have sat comfortably on the score, and defended.

But because we was chasing the game unfairly as it should have been 2-2, we had to attack, thus leaving our defence vulnerable.

(FIFA, make the right decision and introduce video technology for Christ sake.)

[estebanf]

my guesses for quarterfinals:

Uruguay - Ghana
Argentina - Germany
Brazil - Netherlands
Spain - Paraguay

That would mean Argentina and Brazil in the final IMO. But i must admit the most difficult match to guess a winner is Argentina - Germany. Both teams have decent midfields, pretty weak defenses and incredibly powerful forwards. Argentina's little advantage could be an hipothetical Messi explosion (he was pretty much absent all the world cup except for the first match against Nigeria)

Argentina has the best player in the world, probably one of the 3 best players in football history, but he's not showing up yet for one reason or another. Argentina can predict Germany's movements, and Germany can predict Argentina's. But Argentina has one unpredictable factor, which is precisely Barcelona's #10. All our hope is now in him.

Ozil, Schweinsteiger, klose, Podolski are great players as Higuain, Tevez, Di Mar?a and Mascherano are. Germany is a very strong team. You can lose against them, but you wont be surprised for their playing. Argentina has Messi. And there's nothing you can plan or practice to stop him if he's in a good day like he's always in Barcelona.

In other words: i think they're both strong and solid teams. Germany seems to me a little stronger. But Argentina has the ace of spades. I really hope we can use it.

[D]

Yeah that England disallowed goal was just criminal. those refs had some gambling debts to pay off.

I am not a fan of penalty kicks either.

Something this prestigious should be settled on the field.

[nekomex]

my guesses for quarterfinals:

Uruguay - Ghana
Argentina - Germany
Brazil - Netherlands
Spain - Paraguay

That would mean Argentina and Brazil in the final IMO. But i must admit the most difficult match to guess a winner is Argentina - Germany. Both teams have decent midfields, pretty weak defenses and incredibly powerful forwards. Argentina's little advantage could be an hipothetical Messi explosion (he was pretty much absent all the world cup except for the first match against Nigeria)

Argentina has the best player in the world, probably one of the 3 best players in football history, but he's not showing up yet for one reason or another. Argentina can predict Germany's movements, and Germany can predict Argentina's. But Argentina has one unpredictable factor, which is precisely Barcelona's #10. All our hope is now in him.

Ozil, Schweinsteiger, klose, Podolski are great players as Higuain, Tevez, Di Mar?a and Mascherano are. Germany is a very strong team. You can lose against them, but you wont be surprised for their playing. Argentina has Messi. And there's nothing you can plan or practice to stop him if he's in a good day like he's always in Barcelona.

In other words: i think they're both strong and solid teams. Germany seems to me a little stronger. But Argentina has the ace of spades. I really hope we can use it.

i would love to watch a final between Argentina and Brazil.

i think Argentina is much more than Messi, he is a great player, but in Barcelona he has more space to move and to run, he hasnt show anything really great with Argentina, and i think a good defense knows how to stop him, he is really quick but he only uses his left leg and almost always break to the left to have that advantage.  but they have Tevez, Higuain and other great forwards who can use the advantage of the players that go afainst Messi to be less marked on the field.

[kaasupoltin]

I saw a still image of the moment the pass was given and it wasn't an offside.

...

That's not the moment the pass was given! This situation was replayed and stopped so many times on TV that I could, and everybody in the studio could, say it wasn't an offside.

i think Argentina is much more than Messi

I totally agree. Messi has had a long season yes, but I think he's not the most important player for his team at the moment. Of course he's the captain and his absence must be important but as you said; they have Tevez and Higuain for example.

It's going to be very interesting game between Argentina and Germany. I believe and hope that Germany will come out as the winner and it won't be any 1-0 or 2-1 game either

[CheapJon]

I saw a still image of the moment the pass was given and it wasn't an offside.

...

That's not the moment the pass was given! This situation was replayed and stopped so many times on TV that I could, and everybody in the studio could, say it wasn't an offside.

it's the moment where the ball lefts xavi's foot. it's offside, i couldn't care less what they say in the finnish studio

Argentina has the best player in the world, probably one of the 3 best players in football history, but he's not showing up yet for one reason or another. Argentina can predict Germany's movements, and Germany can predict Argentina's. But Argentina has one unpredictable factor, which is precisely Barcelona's #10. All our hope is now in him.

Ozil, Schweinsteiger, klose, Podolski are great players as Higuain, Tevez, Di Mar?a and Mascherano are. Germany is a very strong team. You can lose against them, but you wont be surprised for their playing. Argentina has Messi. And there's nothing you can plan or practice to stop him if he's in a good day like he's always in Barcelona.

In other words: i think they're both strong and solid teams. Germany seems to me a little stronger. But Argentina has the ace of spades. I really hope we can use it.

messi surely isn't one of the 3 best players in football history, that's hilarious.. if he can keep up and win several world cups then i will agree with you, right now he's a long behind pele, maradona, zidane and ronaldo (not cristiano) just to name a few

other than that i agree with you.. though i hope germany wins, i've fallen in love with their playing and some new young players which to me is where the fun is in world cups, on the top of my head personally discovering for example ronaldo, rivaldo and zidane in 98 ronaldinho, klose in 2002, lahm, schweinsteiger, podolski in 2006 and now ?zil and m?ller in this years is what makes me love football

if argentina proves to be the better team then i won't lose any sleep and i will be happy for you argentinians

[One.In.A.Million]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/worldcup2010/3035239/Cristiano-Ronaldo-in-spit-shame-after-World-Cup-knockout.html

Does this remind anyone of what Wayne Rooney said after the England - Algeria game. 

But I have to stick up for Ronaldo with this.

He never spat onto the camera man, just down at the floor, as to say leave me alone. Which is understandable as his team has just been knocked out of the world cup, and the camera man is in my view testing his patience by sticking a camera in his face for 30 secs.

[kaasupoltin]

I saw a still image of the moment the pass was given and it wasn't an offside.

...

That's not the moment the pass was given! This situation was replayed and stopped so many times on TV that I could, and everybody in the studio could, say it wasn't an offside.

it's the moment where the ball lefts xavi's foot. it's offside, i couldn't care less what they say in the finnish studio

No, it's not There's like a huge gap between his foot and the ball already. And by the way, it wasn't the Finnish studio The moment the pass was given, the defender was at the same line with Villa.

[Voodoochild]

Damn, I just can't keep it up with this thread. The discussion about the use of "technology" (you know, video tape isn't really a new thing ) will be on FIFA now, anyways.

About the Brazil x Argentina.. I guess that would be like a perfect ending for a business standpoint. Everybody wants that, it never happened in a World Cup before. I don't have enough trust in Brazil yet, so I don't really see it happening until we can win over Netherlands.

BTW, the 1998 match between Brazil and Netherlands was one of my favorite World Cup moments. I had so much fun that year, even if we lost for France. Hell, I was only 18 back then, that explains a lot.

[kaasupoltin]

BTW, the 1998 match between Brazil and Netherlands was one of my favorite World Cup moments. I had so much fun that year, even if we lost for France. Hell, I was only 18 back then, that explains a lot.

That's the first World Cup I watched and Brazil-Holland is one of the games I remember from that time. I've always been a fan of Holland and Germany so there's no question about who I'd like to win this time :ok: It won't be easy though, Holland hasn't played as good as they should/could and especially they have problems with the defence. I'm glad they have a great goalie But I'm afraid that even if Holland score like two or three goals it might not be enough for a win. Usually these European team vs. South American team -matches are pretty entertaining at this point of the tournament.

[CheapJon]

I saw a still image of the moment the pass was given and it wasn't an offside.

...

That's not the moment the pass was given! This situation was replayed and stopped so many times on TV that I could, and everybody in the studio could, say it wasn't an offside.

it's the moment where the ball lefts xavi's foot. it's offside, i couldn't care less what they say in the finnish studio

No, it's not There's like a huge gap between his foot and the ball already. And by the way, it wasn't the Finnish studio The moment the pass was given, the defender was at the same line with Villa.

no
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQQVuQD3120&feature=player_embedded

[kaasupoltin]

Ok so someone "copied" the situation to a 3D model which says that it was an offside by 22cm So you think this 22cm should (could) have been spotted?
Anyway, here's for Portugal going home

I just came from a local derby match and there were some idiots with vuvuzelas. The sound is even louder than I expected. Now I really understand why the players can't here the whistle every time..

[CheapJon]

Ok so someone "copied" the situation to a 3D model which says that it was an offside by 22cm So you think this 22cm should (could) have been spotted?

I know it couldn't have been spotted by the linesmen, it's not his fault by any means. It was still offside though and that has been my point the whole time

[kaasupoltin]

"Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan was so disgusted by his teams performance in the world cup that he has suspended the national team for two years!"

http://www.soccerjones.com/soccer-news/world-cup/bye-bye-nigeria-literally

[Ulises]

Do they think they're Argentina, Brazil or something? THEY'RE NIGERIA FOR GOD SAKE! Leaving the tournament in the first phase is not that weird for teams like Nigeria...

[freedom78]

Do they think they're Argentina, Brazil or something? THEY'RE NIGERIA FOR GOD SAKE! Leaving the tournament in the first phase is not that weird for teams like Nigeria...

Countries with corrupt governments tend to do these sorts of things to bolster their image.


Umm...and France.   

[Genesis]

Ok so someone "copied" the situation to a 3D model which says that it was an offside by 22cm So you think this 22cm should (could) have been spotted?

I know it couldn't have been spotted by the linesmen, it's not his fault by any means. It was still offside though and that has been my point the whole time

Dear God, let it go already. If the offside is marginal, the assistant referee is well within his rights to give the benefit of the doubt to the attacking side if they have an opportunity to score. Do people see the problem if video replays are introduced? We'll have arguments like this saying that it was offside by 2 cm, 3D models proving it and what not. Way to kill a game.

[freedom78]

Ok so someone "copied" the situation to a 3D model which says that it was an offside by 22cm So you think this 22cm should (could) have been spotted?

I know it couldn't have been spotted by the linesmen, it's not his fault by any means. It was still offside though and that has been my point the whole time

Dear God, let it go already. If the offside is marginal, the assistant referee is well within his rights to give the benefit of the doubt to the attacking side if they have an opportunity to score. Do people see the problem if video replays are introduced? We'll have arguments like this saying that it was offside by 2 cm, 3D models proving it and what not. Way to kill a game.

If benefit of the doubt to the offense leads to more scoring and, as a reaction, less attempting to trap offside and more playing the ball...well, I'm all for it.

[Alan]

i hope tomorrows games are better than the standard so far, this has to be one of the worst world cups ever, and certainly the worst i've ever seen.

[CheapJon]

Ok so someone "copied" the situation to a 3D model which says that it was an offside by 22cm So you think this 22cm should (could) have been spotted?

I know it couldn't have been spotted by the linesmen, it's not his fault by any means. It was still offside though and that has been my point the whole time

Dear God, let it go already. If the offside is marginal, the assistant referee is well within his rights to give the benefit of the doubt to the attacking side if they have an opportunity to score. Do people see the problem if video replays are introduced? We'll have arguments like this saying that it was offside by 2 cm, 3D models proving it and what not. Way to kill a game.

fucking LOL genesis