[football] FIFA's Southafrica 2010 World Cup

[kaasupoltin]

I don't see how the game was boring..? I think it was actually very interesting with many scoring chances, but yeah, I'm a fan of tactical football so maybe that's why I found it interesting. And the game was clean! Very little faking too. Even though Germany didn't play that well, I definitely think that strategy wise there were the best two teams on the pitch yesterday (looking at the whole tournament). But you also need someone to make the needed goals and Germany didn't have it this time even though they had many good chances to score throughout the game. I wouldn't say that Germany was/is ordinary at all though.. they build up good attacks and didn't get all messed up after the 1-0 goal. But I think that after Argentinas last game everything looks pretty good

[Alan]

the Germans had little bits of luck in their previous 2 games.

Lampard's goal not being allowed. if that was allowed i think England win that game or it ends in a shootout loss for England

Argentina's goalkeeper being badly positioned for the first German goal, if he was in the right place no goal, no counter attacking.

England and Argentina made Germany look great with stupid play after being forced to commit men forward due to being behind.

Spain made Germany look like what they are, an ordinary team.

[domi]

Good to see those arrogant pricks just in the 3rd place match. And since Iniesta is my favourite player I hope Spain will win it.

[kaasupoltin]

England and Argentina made Germany look great with stupid play after being forced to commit men forward due to being behind.

Argentina made Germany look good 'cause at the moment Argentina can't compete with Germany in any way. I think the last four teams are the best four teams at the moment and there are no ordinary teams there.

[Alan]

England and Argentina made Germany look great with stupid play after being forced to commit men forward due to being behind.

Argentina made Germany look good 'cause at the moment Argentina can't compete with Germany in any way. I think the last four teams are the best four teams at the moment and there are no ordinary teams there.

please tell me you're not serious.

Uruguay one of the best 4 team in the world, they CHEATED to get into the semi final.

[Alan]

Good to see those arrogant pricks just in the 3rd place match. And since Iniesta is my favourite player I hope Spain will win it.

I assume you're talking about the Germans, well and the Poles, Ghanaians, Turks, Serbians, Spaniards, Nigerians, Brazilians & Germans that make up the German national team.

[Marion68]

Game over for Germany but for me they were the big surprice.They played with many young players that makes hope for the next WM in four years.

Congratulations to Spain.Yesterday they were the better team...


Don`t forget that it?s only  a game and hopefully in the final we can see a lot of goals

[kaasupoltin]

England and Argentina made Germany look great with stupid play after being forced to commit men forward due to being behind.

Argentina made Germany look good 'cause at the moment Argentina can't compete with Germany in any way. I think the last four teams are the best four teams at the moment and there are no ordinary teams there.

please tell me you're not serious.

Uruguay one of the best 4 team in the world, they CHEATED to get into the semi final.

Yes, but as a team I think they're still better than many others, even though they might have gotten a little "easier way" to the bronze game (Ghana was probably way easier than Germany or Spain). And in your opinion, who's better than these four then? Uruguay is the only surprise for me.. I said before the tournament that Spain, Holland and Germany will be the top three. England sucked, Italy sucked even more, Argentina sucked, Portugal sucked, Brazil didn't really suck but didn't play good either.

And just to be clear, I'm only talking about this tournament and what has happened during the last month.

[estebanf]

Argentina made Germany look good 'cause at the moment Argentina can't compete with Germany in any way.

Uruguay one of the best 4 team in the world, they CHEATED to get into the semi final.

Good to see those arrogant pricks just in the 3rd place match. And since Iniesta is my favourite player I hope Spain will win it.

Cant believe the things im reading, really.

1- Its quite easy to say what kaasupoltin says now after, the match. But how could it be Argentina ''cant compete with Germany in any way'' and we defeated them in Germany one month ago with these same teams? How could it be Argentina was better in bets? Cant Argentina compete with Germany in terms of attack? Cant Argentina compete with Germany in terms of creative-midfielders? Cant Argentina compete in terms of quality of players? Germany is not ''too much'' better than Argentina. In fact, i dont think Germany is better than Argentina. This was just a match. I dont think Serbia is better than Germany either and I still think Italy is one of the best football teams in the world. You guys just cant offer anything rather than talking AFTER the matches and making simple/basic/lineal conclusions. Same I said to Jarmo: you seem you cant see anything beyond a result.

2- here we come againg with the ''uruguay cheated'' argument... nothing to say about this one: only a newbie, a very very casual fan more used to talk about moral/ethics than football, or my mother can say Uruguay ''cheated''.

3- Germany ''arrogant pricks''? Germany players were historically an example of sportmanship. And dont ever forget those arrogan pricks are three-times world champions.

EDIT: About Kaasu's post, maybe I misunderstood: if you meant argentina COULDNT compete with Germany in any way THAT match, then i'll have to agree with you.

[Ignacio]

Uruguay one of the best 4 team in the world, they CHEATED to get into the semi final.

Suarez used his hand to stop a goal. The Rules (the ones that every team in FIFA agree to use) said that Uruguay had to be punished with a red card for Suarez and a penalty kick for Ghana.

Again. As Esteban said, we can discuss ethics for ages. But the rules were applied and Uruguay earned his place.

[domi]

And dont ever forget those arrogan pricks are three-times world champions.

And therefore they can't be arrogant? Are your serious?
I wonder what you would think about them when you would know what they talked about Argentina, their players and your god before the quarterfinals?

Germany players were historically an example of sportmanship.

Ever heard of Gijon '82? Ask an Algerian about his opinion of sportmanship of Germans.

But unless you are able to speak german, pursue their press and know the fans it doesn't make sense to argue with you.

[Genesis]

Lampard's goal not being allowed. if that was allowed i think England win that game or it ends in a shootout loss for England

You Englishmen are amusing. You can dream all you want. Oh:

Q: What do you call an Englishman in the quarter finals of the World Cup?
A: A referee.

[Alan]

2- here we come againg with the ''uruguay cheated'' argument... nothing to say about this one: only a newbie, a very very casual fan more used to talk about moral/ethics than football, or my mother can say Uruguay ''cheated''.

Only an Argentinian would condone deliberate handball as a method to win a game, it's against the rules, if you break the rules you are cheating, therefor the uruguayan player cheated.

Yes that also means your "god" was a cheat, but it's ok maybe one day he will actually learn about being a man and apologise for it.

lets do this nice and simple.

1. handball is not allowed according to the rules.
2. to break the rules in order to gain an advantage is cheating.
3. therefore a deliberate handball is cheating.

still to hard to understand? Should I find a translator.

--------------------------------

but since you want to talk about football (exluding the rules that are part of it).

Reasons for Germany winning and losing the last few games.

Your goalkeepers positioning for the first German goal was shocking, he was way out of position for what should have been a simple stop.
Your lack of ideas going forward meant the Germans took the ball off you and could counter easily
Your relience on 1 key player made you easy to stop.
Your lack of will to get back and defend when you lost the ball meant the German's counter attacks could be executed easily.
Your defensive cover was non-existant.
You made too many blind/high risk passes.

In short tactically you were inferior. As soon as the Germans went 1 up it was game over, you had no idea how to play from that point and Maradona did not have any idea's on changing the game plan.

We will now compare that to the England who played shit in the majority of games at this world cup.

We went down to an early goal, long ball bad defensive positioning from our 4th choice center back, but he was playing on his wrong side so it's forgivable.
Then we go 2-0 down, with the way we had been playing looked bad and no way back.
Tactics change and we pull a goal back, the defender at fault earlier scores.
We then dominate for a 15 minute period score again but it is wrongly ruled out. this is a key moment, half time comes and it is 2-1 but should be 2-2.
Second half we come out strong and start well, but as the half goes on we get anxious commit too many men forward, and 2 quick german counter attacks make the score 4-1.

In this game tactically England were able to adjust, however it didn't work late on because we ended up having to chase the game leaving huge gaps at the back.
 
These 2 games led to alot of people on my facebook saying how Germany would now win, now since we are still talking tactics.

Before the game i said on various people's status that Spain would beat Germany and gave my reasons they were

Spain do not give away possesion easily like England and Argentina did.
Spain do not commit as many men forwards.
Spain defend well and will not conceed an early goal.
This will leave the Germans unable to counter attack, and so they will look ordinary.

well you know what happened in that game and it seems this "newbie" was right.

[Alan]

Uruguay one of the best 4 team in the world, they CHEATED to get into the semi final.

Suarez used his hand to stop a goal. The Rules (the ones that every team in FIFA agree to use) said that Uruguay had to be punished with a red card for Suarez and a penalty kick for Ghana.

Again. As Esteban said, we can discuss ethics for ages. But the rules were applied and Uruguay earned his place.

Regardless of whether correct punishment is applied the player still cheated. he still broke the rules to gain an advantage. this is what you seem to not understand.

you take away a 100% goal. and leave a 60% chance of a goal. how is that not gaining an advantage?

Oh and since you want to bring FIFA into it they also go on about FAIR PLAY, something not shown by that player.

[One.In.A.Million]

Uruguay one of the best 4 team in the world, they CHEATED to get into the semi final.

Suarez used his hand to stop a goal. The Rules (the ones that every team in FIFA agree to use) said that Uruguay had to be punished with a red card for Suarez and a penalty kick for Ghana.

Again. As Esteban said, we can discuss ethics for ages. But the rules were applied and Uruguay earned his place.

Yes the rules were followed and he got the punishment the rules enforce. BUT how come people find it so hard to realise, that a player volleyballing a 100% winning goal off of the line in the last sec of the match. Might be seen by some people as cheating?, is it that hard to understand?.

Even FIFA must have thought it was totally out of order, as they were entertaining the idea of banning Suarez for the final as well, if Uraguay had made it.

[Jim]

Goal-line technology is back on the agenda after Fifa revealed this World Cup is set to be the last tournament under the existing refereeing system.

[Ignacio]

@Alan & One.in.a.million

I understand the cheat you talk about. But my point is that the rules doesnt contemplate the fact that it was a 100% goal if it wasnt for Suarez's hand. As I said, we can discuss for ages, but these are the rules the football is using right now... Fair? Unfair? I would say it was un-ethical. But following the rules It was fair for Suarez to be shown red card and it was fair for Ghana to had a penalty kick.

Imagine this... (Im taking this from an exam I took some time ago) The forward player take the ball alone against the goalkeeper and managed to drible him. He stands alone in front of a clear goal. He shoots but a dog enters the field and the ball impact on it ruining a clear goal... By the rules: Its not a goal. Not even a penalty kick for the forward. These are the rules.

Again. I understand your indignation. But technicaly Uruguay didnt cheat. Maybe ethicaly yes.

And also, as I said in a post before: You are leaving the passion factor aside. Many players in Suarez's shoes would have done the same. And many Argentinians against England in 86' would have done the same. As Victor Hugo Morales said that afternoon:" Against England, even with the hand..."

Anyway, this things and discussions are what make football the king of sports worlwide. A game of passion.

But please stop the agressive or smart ass comments like "still to hard to understand? Should I find a translator."

I'm (and all of us) just givin an opinion as well as you. Thanks.

 

[Voodoochild]

Thank you all who congrutalated. That's fair game - especially Voodoo, he's by far my favorite southamerican on this board.

Haha, thanks man! You're my favorite spanish here (although I don't know any others ).

[One.In.A.Million]

Again I am not dusputing the fact that he was punished to the harshest extent that he could. But I am on about his character and alot of people have lost alot of respect for him after what he did.

And I want to be clear, I know he was punished and Ghana got a penalty. But some feel the goal should have been given as a penalty goal, but I again understand that it's not in the rulebook.

Sometimes even if a player does the crime and gets the appropriate punishment, sometimes people still think that certain player is a cheat and loses alot of respect for him. And this is simply because this was a situation where he used his hand to punch out the goal that would have sent Ghana to the semis, simple as.

People have a right to make a judgement call on players, for example their moral, dignity, fairness. And I'm afraid because of Saurezs' actions alot of people feel he has none of these qualities.

[Mandy.]

Oh my, I can't believe we're going through the fair/unfair Uruguay discussion all over again.......



Also, did I really read somebody calling the German team arrogant?! How, just tell me how are they arrogant? Bullshit!



And just because a team is in the top 4, doesn't mean it's actually one of the best teams in the World Cup. I mean, I love the Uruguayan team, I think Forl?n is one of the best midfielders in this World Cup, and Lugano one of the best defensors, but let's get realistic, shall we? They didn't play against any big teams (except for a very desorganized France, when they managed to draw a 0-0), the first time they did, which was against Holland, they fell. And they struggled against Ghana! I don't want to take away their merits, au contraire. But saying that they're better than Argentina, Brazil, Portugal or, hell, maybe even England just because those teams didn't get as far is nonsense. Uruguay had it pretty easy on their way to the semi-finals.