WORLD CUP 2006 / GERMANY

[Alexander Hawkins]

FWIW I thought England were, by and large, appalling. Gerrard was diabolical apart from his (admittedly fine) goal. Lampard was only marginally less bad. Beckham delivered one or two good balls, but when not playing the long ball, is out of his depth.

I agree in part with the comments made about the substitutions. I applaud Sven being - for once - a little bit attacking. Lennon clearly had to come on, and Rooney undoubtedly lifted the affair. But a couple of points. 1) Why on earth take off Carragher? If you're going to 3 at the back, Beckham CANNOT be one of them; neither can A. Cole. Beckham was the logical swap for Lennon - but Sven bottled it here. Lennon, IMHO, was far more potent down the right that Beckham. He actually took on, and beat, players, for a start. 2) Why on earth did Sven bring Walcott, if not to bring him on for Owen? Is Sven waiting for a 'dead rubber' to blood the guy? If so, what was his inkling as to his talent in the first place? Does he not trust him? If I were Defoe, even Fowler or Johnson, I'd be sick at not being taken.

[Alexander Hawkins]

BTW - some tasty games coming up today!!!

[scottb]

OK, Brazil wins! Give 'em the cup and lets go home.

[sidewinder]

Lampard was only marginally less bad.

Played like a turkey..

Anyone see that comedy docu-drama on TV about Sven's scandals last week? Absolutely bloody hilarious. Sven getting hit on head by plates by his Italian Mrs, getting drunk on yachts with so-called 'Saudi' business-men, combing David Beckham's hair, loading the dishwasher whilst fumbling with Ulrika Wish I'd recorded it.

Edited June 16, 2006 by sidewinder

[couw]

So now we have FIFA looking into the first English goal with Crouch pulling Sancho's dreadlocks.

for those who missed it -- and everyone did the first time around:

[Brad]

I missed the hair pulling but it seemed to me that Crouch went over his back when scoring that I'm surprised this goal stood.

[Dmitry]

So now we have FIFA looking into the first English goal with Crouch pulling Sancho's dreadlocks.

for those who missed it -- and everyone did the first time around:

HAND OF GOD IS AT IT AGAIN!!!

Absolutely disgusting and unsportsman-like! I never thought I'd see the day when the "gentlemen of football" would stoop that low...

Edited June 16, 2006 by Dmitry

[brownie]

HAND OF GOD IS AT IT AGAIN!!!

Absolutely disgusting and unsportsman-like! I never thought I'd see the day when the "gentlemen of football" would stoop that low...

What can you expect from a Crouch?

The goal should have been disallowed! Too late now and in any case don't think FIFA will take any firm decision on it!

[Dmitry]

HAND OF GOD IS AT IT AGAIN!!!

Absolutely disgusting and unsportsman-like! I never thought I'd see the day when the "gentlemen of football" would stoop that low...

What can you expect from a Crouch?

The goal should have been disallowed! Too late now and in any case don't think FIFA will take any firm decision on it!

Well, with the lame 2 games the English had dumped on the fans in the last week I don't see any reason for them to continue subjecting us to further misery of watching them play beyond the next round.

The English team needs "crouches" to move about the pitch a bit faster.

[brownie]

Loved Argentina's first WC match against Ivory Coast. Today's game against Serbia/Montenegro was even better

An uncontested 6-0 win by a glorious and technically brilliant team that enjoys playing.

Lionel Messi made his WC debut in the last fifteen minutes and managed to mastermind the fourth goal and then score by himself the sixth one!

A match for soccer lovers!

Edited June 16, 2006 by brownie

[Alexander Hawkins]

And the second goal...Surely one of the greatest team goals ever scored?

[porcy62]

So now we have FIFA looking into the first English goal with Crouch pulling Sancho's dreadlocks.

for those who missed it -- and everyone did the first time around:

HAND OF GOD IS AT IT AGAIN!!!

Absolutely disgusting and unsportsman-like! I never thought I'd see the day when the "gentlemen of football" would stoop that low...

What I am asking myself is: why doesn't Fifa allow the referee to see the video replay of the uncertain episodes, that is what normally happen in rugby? I watched to Six Nation Championship, and every uncertain episodes was video cheked out by the referee and his assistants. It seems pretty idiotic to have dozens of cameras focused on a football match and don't use them for it. The even most stupid thing is to use them, after the match, for punishing unsportman actions. The result is that a team who is damaged in a match is damaged anyway, but is in a sort of 'credit' limbo, until another 'referee's error' pay it. A ' pilatesque' behavoir of FIFA. Pretty stupid way to fire up polemics about 'favor' toward some team instead of others, You can squalify Crouch for the next match, but England is qualified.

On one hand FIFA has a lot to gain in term of broadcasting royalties when the richest and most famous teams like Italy, Germany, etc, reach the next tournment: I mean wich would be the cost of 30" commercials during a final, or a semifinal, France vs Brasil compared to Honduras vs Tzchech Republic? Does sponsors would pay such sums for a WC where the biggest, and often richest audiences of Germany and England risk to turn off the TV after three matches?

On the other hand football is a big business: a big part of it consists of sport's newspapers and broadcasting and a big part of it survive because of personal scandals, quarrels about a referee 'error's' and all this bullshits. A sort of neverending 'tabloiding' about football.

So even the suspects are transformed in money.

Edited June 16, 2006 by porcy62

[sidewinder]

So now we have FIFA looking into the first English goal with Crouch pulling Sancho's dreadlocks.

for those who missed it -- and everyone did the first time around:

Disgraceful ! Certainly wasn't obvious from the original TV broadcast. Sadly, many of the teams seem to have stooped to this level.

[marcoliv]

Argentina is a great football team. no doubts about it. hopefully they will maintain this high level of playing throughout the competition!

Nederlands 2x1 Ivory Coast at first half. an exciting 2nd half is on the menu

yesterday i was amazed on how many chances Sweden missed before scoring their unique goal.

i can't understand how a team fights for 18 months to go to the WC and then started to play absolutely nothing at this stage of the competition. Paraguay & Costa Rica just took some vacations during the WC

England was another disappointment yesterday. with so many talented players on the midfield why they can only cross the ball hoping that Crouch will do the rest. unbelievable.

is there anything better in life than the WC?

Marcus

[porcy62]

is there anything better in life than the WC?

Marcus

You're right , in certain moments of my life there is nothing better then WC

[connoisseur series500]

Exciting first half of Netherlands-Ivory Coast. What's with the stupid reffing? The Africans got hit with two undeserved yellow cards.

Dutch seem to be a bit weak on defence, but are obviously talented on the offensive.

Argentina looks exciting. They'll be a handful.

My favorite team, Italy is in action tomorrow on TV against USA.

I haven't been keeping up, and am just joining the action. Who are the playmakers for the Italian side this year?

[porcy62]

Exciting first half of Netherlands-Ivory Coast. What's with the stupid reffing? The Africans got hit with two undeserved yellow cards.

Dutch seem to be a bit weak on defence, but are obviously talented on the offensive.

Argentina looks exciting. They'll be a handful.

My favorite team, Italy is in action tomorrow on TV against USA.

I haven't been keeping up, and am just joining the action. Who are the playmakers for the Italian side this year?

We all are hoping Francesco Totti reach his top form after a bad accident, in the midfield Pirlo is the other one.

[couw]

Exciting first half of Netherlands-Ivory Coast. What's with the stupid reffing?

actually, the stoopid reffin' went both ways. There were some utter feghingly shite decision killing nice offensive football by that ref. The Dutch did their thing and kept it, which is not their game at all. It seemed to me they played to face this particular opponent instead of trying at their own game. Not a bad tactic to make it to through the groups, but eyyyy

[couw]

Angola stands strong! That red card was a bit over the top. FIFA rules explicitedly state that handling of the ball is NOT necessarily a yellow card offense. So fegh this ref as well. It's not as if the feghing mechicans did not handle the ball on, let me count 1, 2, 3... any more times? pffff----

[Dmitry]

ARGENTINA WORLD CUP CHAMPION 2006 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[connoisseur series500]

ARGENTINA WORLD CUP CHAMPION 2006 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wouldn't be so fast to pass judgement. Often we see a team kicking butt in the early rounds (remember Nigeria in the 80s?) only to fall in the final matches to a stolid and steady side.

Aren't European teams favored this year since it's being played in Europe? Brazil is the favorite going in. Looks like Argentina is in the best early form.

[kenny weir]

One of the wonderful unexplainables of football: That a player sent off so often has so little impact on the game, at least in terms of enhancing the prospects of the non-penalised side.

[Jim R]

So now we have FIFA looking into the first English goal with Crouch pulling Sancho's dreadlocks.

for those who missed it -- and everyone did the first time around:

You forgot to warn us that in this clip we would have to listen to the commentary of Marcelo Balboa. "... he's not even looking for the ball...". Kind of difficult to watch the flight of the ball when someone is jerking your head around 180º by pulling your hair, Marcelo.

I missed the Argentina match, but thanks to the wonderful folks at ABC/ESPN, I got to see two of the six goals during their pathetic little replay package.

The Dutch were up against a very talented and highly determined I.C. squad today, and I was very impressed with the fact that they fought them off and prevailed. Van Nistleroy was fortunate to have been played onside by that one out-of-position defender, and that was a relatively easy goal, but he still did what he had to do.

Mexico needs Borgetti back, asap. I watched that one on tape, and it put me to sleep.

I agree about the problems with a couple of the refs today, but overall it's hard to complain. I think they've been doing a fine job for the most part.

[scottb]

Argentina absolutely whipped S and M. (no pun intended but rather funny )

Kezman (sp?) was just trying to find the quickest way off that field. The adidas ad for Serbia and Montenegro would be Kezman minus 10. Poor guy seemed to be the only one with the self respect to put up an effort. The others were totally whipped into submission by absolute football brilliance!

Mexico missed Borgetti. They had their chances but just couldn't take them. Sounds like another CONCACAF team I know.

I think if the Italians score first, the US is going to roll over and disappear. If the US can hang on for while or even grab a goal themselves (can't really imagine how that might happen. OK, if I try real hard I can see a McBride header from a Donovan set piece.) I think a game could actually develop. We'll see.

[Brad]

Based on today's performance, Mexico is lucky to be where it is. If it hadn't been for the Iranian defense making a colossal blunder, this group would probably be very tight.

Although Argentina looked impressive (now that's an understatement), I'm not sure we can award them the WC or the bathroom quite yet. I'm curious to see what Brazil does in the next match. I'm also interested to see how Ecuador does against Germany to see if they're the real deal. After all, Costa Rica is just CONCAF and Poland knows how to disappoint.