loopymitch
All-Star
Me too. This is really the only time I root for England. Anyone know what time the game is? I'm too lazy to look it up right now.natedizzle said:
World Cup 2006 (merged)
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loopymitch
All-Star
^ never mind it's on now. Same time as tennis
so I'm switching back and forth. England's up at halftime.
so I'm switching back and forth. England's up at halftime.
Savo
G-League
piksi said:
When I think of Holland it brings up bad memories. I can't forget 1998, Pedja missed that penalty, oh man. We had them back then and I really believe we could have done something in France. Do you remember the playoffs in 1997 against Hungary? It was amazing football.
Then there was EURO 2000, the 6:1 nightmare, for a moment there I though I was watching tennis.
Who knows what will happen tomorrow. I hope the nepotism fiasco didn't hurt the team spirit. This time I think we have great defence, but I am worried about our offence. I would be happy with a draw actually, although the Dutch didn't impress in their friendly matches, so a win isn't impossible. I just hope the players keep their mouths shut, otherwise we could end the game with 10 men or less. Nothing new really, they often play better when given the red card.
Can't wait...
EDIT: I just remembered that Vidic is suspended for the game. We are doomed...
And yes England did suck today, so if they want to win it, they better change something.
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loopymitch
All-Star
Sadly I agree, that was not prettypiksi said:
Who are people rooting for?
bozzwell
Starter
VF21 said:
This is as good a year as any to start following World Cup. Notice I said "World Cup" not soccer. Many people follow only World Cup soccer and not league soccer.
Everybody's making out as if Team USA is a complete outsider. OK, maybe they are a slight underdog as they drew one of the two groups of death, but US has a very solid, experienced team with a coach and key players who 've all been there before. I know I'll be rooting hard for US and Czech republic over Italy.
I also hope that there is a first time champion. Enough already of Brasil, Italy, Germany or Argentina.
Kajun
G-League
Savo said:
This Dutch team is not nearly as good as the '98 or '00 team, so you guys definitely have a chance. The past decade or so we've had some *big* stars, but that seems to be missing in this team. We may have never qualified as easily as for this World Cup, but it may be all luck. Most of the matches have been unconvincing, and that seems to be consensus here. Van Basten manages to dodge criticism with his charm and wittiness in press conferences, and because, well, he *is* Van Basten.
bozzwell said:
They *are* an outsider. Their FIFA ranking is highly suspect. There's no real reason to consider them a legitimate contender.
There's Brazil which is favourite by far (with that sick lineup..), followed by Argentina and Germany (if this wasn't being held in Germany, then no way Germany...Home advantage accounts for alot. See South Korea 2002 for instance). Then you have some "wannabe contenders" like Netherlands, Portugal, Italy and England.
bozzwell
Starter
Kajun said:
There is a whole range on the scale between an outsider and a contender.
Have you seen them play? Maybe their ranking (5th in the World) is too high considering they are above the likes of Argentina, Italy and England, but this is a team with the core and the coach who made quarterfinals in the last World Cup.
US Soccer team is more like US Olympians. Nobody pays them any attention for 4 years and then they show up for the "big show" exceptionally prepared and highly motivated. Have "overachievers" written all over them (kind of how they got that 5th spot anyway). That's in a complete contrast to, for example, basketball Team USA that lately has been fielding overpaid, overrated athletes who can't be bothered to even learn different rules.
bozzwell
Starter
VF21 said:
That's another thing that got much better in WC's over the last 12 or so years. There is no more easy games and very few lopsided wins. Especially against African nations (whose teams featured in many lopsided games until Cameroon broke through in 1986, Nigeria and Ghana later), who have their best players play in Euro leagues and who usually employ experienced coaches from Europe or South America.
I was rooting for IC to draw the game, but it looked to me like Argentines never really hit the high gears either.
Now we have to win or draw against Holland tomorrow, which we haven't done in like forever...
bozzwell
Starter
Kajun said:
Well, he wasn't THE Van Basten until 1988.
World Cup is where good players become greats within 2-3 weeks. I am pretty sure that 2 or 3 Dutch players will elevate their game to another level, I just hope it comes after tomorrow's game. 
Sure, if we lose tomorrow, i will be upset, especially if it prevents us from going through to the last 16 later, but Holland is one of the few countries that I would like to see win it all based on their history and tradition.
piksi
Hall of Famer
VF21 said:
Doesn't work that way and Ivory Coast is anything but "poor little." Wins come hard at the WC. You have to work very hard for every single one.
As for the US - that group crosses with group F so basically You have to win the group or You will play Brazil. Out of that group - only Italy has a chance to eliminate Brazil. Everybody else is toast
Kajun
G-League
bozzwell said:
I don't doubt that the US soccer teams comes into the World Cup well prepared, and highly motivated. That isn't an issue, nor should it be. Any team is motivated -- perhaps not every team to *actually* lift the trophy, but to do well.
Individual qualities are what makes a team eventually win. Yes, you can win with very good teamwork (I can only think that's happened on Euro Cup level; Denmark 1992 and 2004 Greece), but great teams are defined by great stars. It is where countries such as Brazil and Argentina shine.
Being under the radar does help. But there's a difference between going deep and actually winning it; US is probably more to the side of "outsider" than "contender" on the scale you mentioned.
piksi said:
Yeah, domination in world cup matches is rare. Often moments in the game make the difference. Argentina basically played decent, but when you think about it, it's hard to recall any of the goal scoring chances they had outside of the goals themselves. They were extremely efficient.
We hated Italy here for the way they play (ultra-defensive, counterattacking, which is the anti-dutch way of playing), but things have changed a little bit. They've started thinking more forward, and with strikers like Toni and Gilardino, they have a great potent offense. It was impressive how they kicked our *** in a friendly a while ago (3-1). I hope they do well.
HOL-SCG in 6 hours. I guess I'll watch tennis at that time, so I'll just catch the rerun of HOL
EDIT: I hear Brazil's B team beat Brazil's starting eleven 3-0 in a practice match !
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Kajun
G-League
bozzwell said:
Well, I was talking about his status right now, of course. Van Basten gets away with alot of stuff because of the huge respect he has from everybody.
Van Basten already was an awesome player before the Euro Cup 1988 (he would have been so much better had he not destroyed his ankle in a match in 86 or 87. Perhaps not everybody knows this, but after that tackle incident Van Basten always played with a pain in his ankle, and he basically couldn't shoot with the right ankle. He was using pain killers all the time). There are not many players on this squad that can say the same. Several good players, but not near that class.
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TheSerbianQueen
Bench
Kajun said:
I wasn't sure I would be able to live through that game.... I have major nightmares over Holland, since we (sorry, Serbia) tend to choke when we play important game against them. I wasn't expecting a win vs. Holland, but i did hope for a draw.... That would've been cool... oh, well
what can you do... bring on the argentina on Friday !!!
bozzwell
Starter
Kajun said:
Congratulations on a deserved win.
It wasn't pretty, but it is a first game and most teams either struggle or a too tentative in the first game at WC. Having said that, Robbens sure looked like a "Dutch Master" out there.
Now please, beat Argentina and Ivory Coast so we have a chance to go through, too.
piksi
Hall of Famer
bozzwell said:Congratulations on a deserved win.
It wasn't pretty, but it is a first game and most teams either struggle or a too tentative in the first game at WC. Having said that, Robbens sure looked like a "Dutch Master" out there.
Now please, beat Argentina and Ivory Coast so we have a chance to go through, too.
won't matter because we won't score a goal
natedizzle
G-League
Only a few hours till USA match. Too bad I will be at work all day and will have to Tivo the match. I am hoping for a draw and will be ecstatic with 3 points.
Savo
G-League
vj9999 said:
Well, that's the way our coaches do things. I can't forget 1998 and the game against Holland. Back then coach Santrac put Branko Brnovic in the team. I thought I was gonna die. Why the fear, why oh why? Can't we just attack anymore? This time Petkovic used Nenad Djordjevic, well at least he remembered that Koroman was available.
They used to call Yugoslavia the European Brazil, now we are the European Paraguay.
I don't get it. Stankovic just doesn't show up. He plays so well for Inter, but he can't do much for the NT.
As for the Zigic/Kezman attack, I think it's the best option we have. Kezman is quick and Zigic is a tower of a man. But somehow I don't think we're gonna live to see it. Too bad you can't win a game without scoring a goal. We would be champions...
piksi said:
It's painful for me to say because I am a huge KEzman fan, but I won't disagree with you.
Alot of it has to do about how he is used though. If I see Kezman with a ball for longer than 5 seconds it is almost given he will lose the ball (or trip over it). He needs to collect on garbage plays and never leave the box.
I know Dutch league is not the strongest, but you can't be the best scorer 3 years in a row (scoring better for PSV than Ruud, Ronaldo and van Basten) without some talent.
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