*World Cup Game Discussion Thread* (SPOILERS)

[Zone]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

Still doesn't make it right. Let the players win it, not the refs. The main advantage Australia had going into the Extra Time was the avaliablity of two subs, and just used the first one around the 75 to 80 minute mark.

I agree let the players play. But what did Austrillia do to deserve the game. With the man advantage they couldn't score or even out shoot Italy. Brazil, England or Argentina would have put the Italians away or come a lot closer than the Aussies.
Again tough break for them but when you have the man advantage you go for the jugular. Hiddink left two subs on the bench, for what?

[moriarty]

Originally Posted by Critch

He's always said that he enjoyed living in the US because he could get on with his life without people recognizing him. Would he take the US national team job since that would spoil part of his low profile over here?

Somehow I don't think Arena gets mobbed by fans everytime he goes out to dinner.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry

Didn't see it. So the Aussie slid in and then the Italian ran into him after the slide tackle attempt was complete?

Sounds like a foul on the Italian for kicking the Aussie. Then a yellow for diving.

Personally I wouldn't call the tackle complete when the contact was made. It looked to me as if the contact caused the Australian tackler's forward momentum to stop. It is tough to really tell, but I did watch the replay a few times and tried to answer this very question. To me, watching his head and its relation to the background objects, it looked as if he was still moving until the contact was made. Who knows. I don't think it was really conclusive from what I saw. Not terribly important, in my view, I guess, since the penalty WAS called and that's the most important thing. I can definitely understand it being debatable. Either way, it was a nice move by the Italian player with the ball when the tackle was coming to change direction quickly. That tackle would've stopped the play.

[AlexB]

*whispers quietly*

Deja vu here: the 'home' fan on the board is up in arms about a contentious decision, the vast majority of the neutral posters think the ref got it right.

USA/Italy anyone?

*ducks*

It was a tough call though: I would feel very hard done by if England had a call given against them for that, and would think we had been given a very soft pen if it was an England player going over like that

edit: although those saying that Neill should not have gone to ground in the first place are spot on

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

Fyi,
for US fans: Klinsmann says he has no interest in the job. Too bad.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

Well at the moment he's the toast of Germany for playing exciting attacking soccer and winning pretty convincingly so far. Until he makes a big blunder that costs Germany a game (maybe against the Argentines) he'll be fine.

[Cringer]

Damn, I was just about to post how nice it was ESPN didn't have all the on-screen graphics up in the Ukraine-Swiss game........and then they put them up,

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Jari Rantanen's Shorts

*whispers quietly*

Deja vu here: the 'home' fan on the board is up in arms about a contentious decision, the vast majority of the neutral posters think the ref got it right.

USA/Italy anyone?

*ducks*

It was a tough call though: I would feel very hard done by if England had a call given against them for that, and would think we had been given a very soft pen if it was an England player going over like that

edit: although those saying that Neill should not have gone to ground in the first place are spot on

Typical Eurosnob..... :

[cartman]

Unlucky for the Swiss on the free kick. That was a perfectly hit ball.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by Zone

I agree let the players play. But what did Austrillia do to deserve the game. With the man advantage they couldn't score or even out shoot Italy. Brazil, England or Argentina would have put the Italians away or come a lot closer than the Aussies.
Again tough break for them but when you have the man advantage you go for the jugular. Hiddink left two subs on the bench, for what?

Never said Australia would have won....The discussion is on the penalty.

[cartman]

I thought some people on here would enjoy this. It is a hidden camera video of the Italian team's training for the World Cup. Enjoy!

hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccDyp2aRRCg

[Celeval]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

That's something I didn't get either. But it would have look like a genius move in ET if Australia used them, and then won. Maybe they were trying to use the 11-10 advantage until they needed the subs at the last minute?

Or if worried about penalties - subbing two defenders out for penalty specialists?

[kingfc22]

Good game so far between the Swiss and the Ukraine

[cartman]

Ukraine has looked horrible on their set pieces so far. It's like they are channeling the spirit of the American team.

[thealmighty]

Forza!

As I am apparently one of the few fans of the Italian side- and have a REAL reason to be for them (I was born there), not some fair-weather thing, let's say that, firstly, the red card was a crap call. Secondly, you cannot call a penalty there, imho. Thirdly, the Aussies should not have been in that spot to begin with. It didn't look to me that they changed tactics enough. When you are up a man and the other side has more shots and just as many good chances as you, something is wrong.

Also, I didn't see that much diving in this game, compared to some other games. The "dive" in the box was BRILLIANT. What would you suggest he do? It was a perfect play that any one of a hundred other players would also have tried in that situation.

[Fighter of Foo]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

Good game so far between the Swiss and the Ukraine

50 minutes, zero cards

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by thealmighty

Forza!

As I am apparently one of the few fans of the Italian side- and have a REAL reason to be for them (I was born there), not some fair-weather thing, let's say that, firstly, the red card was a crap call. Secondly, you cannot call a penalty there, imho. Thirdly, the Aussies should not have been in that spot to begin with. It didn't look to me that they changed tactics enough. When you are up a man and the other side has more shots and just as many good chances as you, something is wrong.

Also, I didn't see that much diving in this game, compared to some other games. The "dive" in the box was BRILLIANT. What would you suggest he do? It was a perfect play that any one of a hundred other players would also have tried in that situation.

I don't think anyone is suggesting he do anything different. The expectation is on the ref to make a fair call, not for the player to behave like a man. If he wants to fall over, he can.

[thealmighty]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

I don't think anyone is suggesting he do anything different. The expectation is on the ref to make a fair call, not for the player to behave like a man. If he wants to fall over, he can.

It sure sounds like people are suggesting he not dive to me, from all the comments I saw. Maybe I am just a bit too defensive of my team, though, like a lot of others are as well. (of course, I rooted for the US as long as I could, but since I'm older than all of you combined- slight exaggeration- US soccer was pretty much non-existent in my youth, and Italy was my team by birthplace. I have always followed and cheered for them).

[Huckleberry]

Originally Posted by thealmighty

It sure sounds like people are suggesting he not dive to me, from all the comments I saw. Maybe I am just a bit too defensive of my team, though, like a lot of others are as well. (of course, I rooted for the US as long as I could, but since I'm older than all of you combined- slight exaggeration- US soccer was pretty much non-existent in my youth, and Italy was my team by birthplace. I have always followed and cheered for them).

I think you're both right. Idealistically we would all prefer that athletes in that situation not act like punks. But realistically we know it can't be expected.

[MIJB#19]

In case I didn't write it before, this game (Switzerland-Ukraine) has 0-0 after 120 minutes written all over...

[kingfc22]

30 minutes extra

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by cartman

I thought some people on here would enjoy this. It is a hidden camera video of the Italian team's training for the World Cup. Enjoy!

hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccDyp2aRRCg

This is funny, but reminds me far too much of the soccer practice I witnessed about 2 weeks ago.

My friends and I were playing street hockey on some tennis courts at our old high school, and a local youth soccer team was practicing on the field next to the courts. The coach was a real hard-ass, one of those guys that you could tell within about 5-10 minutes took the whole thing way too seriously.

Anyways, he's putting these 12 year old kids through the paces, and at one point we notice people falling down all over the field. We stop and listen, and he's teaching them the "FIFA Fall". No word of a lie, he called it that, and he's showing them all that whenever a defender leans up on them or brushes them they should fall down and then roll a little.

It was sickening, we all stood there watching for 5 minutes shaking our heads. In retrospect I wish I'd gone and had words with the clown, he's just the type of coach I hope my future kids never have.

[VPI97]

Nice block by the Ukranian defender there.

[Eaglesfan27]

This should be exciting.

[cartman]

First game to be decided by a shootout!

[ISiddiqui]

Ugh.. I hate deciding games by PKs, but I guess you can't have them play forever.

[DaddyTorgo]

blargh. PK's are not enjoyable. dunno why people (my brother/father) get excited by them

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

blargh. PK's are not enjoyable. dunno why people (my brother/father) get excited by them

Agreed... now if it was an NHL like run up to the goal thing, that would be fun. Though maybe throw in one defender. 1 v. 1 then keeper .

[Eaglesfan27]

Wow. Great save by the Swiss keeper.

[Vince]

Damn.

[ISiddiqui]

HAHA.. Sheva misses!

[ISiddiqui]

What the Hell was that shot?!

[DaddyTorgo]

SHEVCHENKO WITH THE MISS! WHOA!!

AND ANOTHER SAVE!!

weak shots so far

[Vince]

Wow. Who would have thought it's be 0-0 after the first round of penalties?

[ISiddiqui]

Man, that was a cocky shot!

[Katon]

That Swiss effort was as bad a penalty as I can remember seeing (on target, anyway).

[ISiddiqui]

WOW! Off the crossbar for Switzerland!

[DaddyTorgo]

CROSSBAR!!! WHOA!

[Vince]

Swiss falling apart...

[Katon]

First effort with some power behind it and it misses.

Given the way this game's gone, I suppose three misses out of four is only fitting.

[ISiddiqui]

Nice PK by Rebrov.

[Vince]

What a save!

[ISiddiqui]

WOW!! Switzerland SUCKS at these!

[kingfc22]

Wow. The Swiss need to practice their PK's

[DaddyTorgo]

nice save by the ukranian keeper

[Katon]

Shovkovskiy's never going to have to pay for a drink again,

[ISiddiqui]

UKRAINE WIN!

[Vince]

Way to go Ukraine!

[cartman]

Wow, I don't think I've ever seen a game go scoreless, and then have one of the teams not put one in on PKs. The Swiss were completely shut out.

[Chubby]

Wow, they couldn't even score on one PK

[kingfc22]

Sucks to not have allowed a goal yet and yet you are still going home