World Cup 2006 (merged)

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Ref was bad, but every red card was warranted. Mastroeni's foul was maybe not intentional, but it was a slide tackle with both feet and he caught the guy on the ankle (nver touched the ball). Anyway you look at it that's a red card. Kezman had a similar tackle for Serbia yesterday (and he actually got all ball), but he still got the red card.

I don't get it how all these ESPN "experts" and ex-pros can let their homerism prevail. If somebody on Italian team commited a same foul they would be screaming bloody murder.
he was amking an attempt at the ball which makes it a yellow card
kezman was even making an attempt plus his foul was at a unecssary point in a 6-0 match
 
I'm not even going to get into the ref. discussion:( but anyway I was fairly happy with the way they played. They came out aggressive and the fact that they got a tie with only 9 players for half the game was encouraging. Thanks for the help Ghana now if we can win again and Italy do also, we can get to the next round.
 
I'm not even going to get into the ref. discussion:( but anyway I was fairly happy with the way they played. They came out aggressive and the fact that they got a tie with only 9 players for half the game was encouraging. Thanks for the help Ghana now if we can win again and Italy do also, we can get to the next round.
I hope we can take care of business-Ghana looks tough.
 
Not according to just about anyone outside of the US. I agree that it sucked but that was an agressive, late tackle with the cleats in a dangerous position.

You know what sucks though, this was a great day for US soccer and everyone is crying about the refs. Sure we beat Portugal and Colombia for monster wins in 2002 an 1994 but this was Italy a true world power with actual Cup wins. We dominated them when it was even strength. We very nearly won it despite being a man down. We're still alive in this tournament and appear to have shaken off whatever ailed us against the Czechs.
I'm really not sure what happened to the game but the amount of yellow cards given out by ref's are ridiculous. Growing up watching games with my Dad you would MAYBE get one yellow card a game and now they give them out for nothing. I guess, like the NBA officials, the ref's in soccer felt slighted and wanted to be more involved in the game instead of letting the players play.
 
Ryle - its not the refs, its FIFA. They have ordered a stricter interpretation of the rules, they've been pushing the FIFA Fair Play stuff since at least '94, but even in 2002 the yellows were out of hand.

I'm somewhat embarassed and proud at the same time to say that during my entire youth soccer career which spanned a good 10 years I was the only person on any one of my teams to get a red card (and maybe even the only to get yellowed which was pretty rare at pre-high school levels). It actually came from another parent on my team who subbed as a ref, all season he praised me for my physical play and then he comes in and refs a game and books me twice. Unbelievable.
 
Ryle - its not the refs, its FIFA. They have ordered a stricter interpretation of the rules, they've been pushing the FIFA Fair Play stuff since at least '94, but even in 2002 the yellows were out of hand.

I'm somewhat embarassed and proud at the same time to say that during my entire youth soccer career which spanned a good 10 years I was the only person on any one of my teams to get a red card (and maybe even the only to get yellowed which was pretty rare at pre-high school levels). It actually came from another parent on my team who subbed as a ref, all season he praised me for my physical play and then he comes in and refs a game and books me twice. Unbelievable.
That makes more sense. I was a goalie for about 10 years and I only received one yellow card and that was for letting slip a vulgarity towards the ref when he was right on front of me :mad:

Anyway, when the Arsenal keeper was thrown out of the game against Barcelona I really couldn't believe it because I used to use that move all of the time and used to only get called for a penalty kick only if I didn't touch the ball.......couldn't believe he was given a red for that. Anyway, I have the Fox Soccer Channel and it's really great to watch alot of the old Premier League teams I used to see growing up.

I think I'm now a fan of Austalia after seeing some of the women in the stands ;).
 
If you aren't watching the Brazil game - Marcelo Balboa is now calling for a yellow on a non sliding tackle where the cleats got Ronaldo's shin. That should tell you all you need to know about his homer commentary yesterday.
 
he was amking an attempt at the ball which makes it a yellow card
kezman was even making an attempt plus his foul was at a unecssary point in a 6-0 match
It doesn't matter if he was making an attempt on the ball or not. The fact is he didn't get the ball at all and he clipped the other guys ankle while sliding with both feet. No matter how you look at it that's a red card. It wasn't intentional, but the end result was worthy of a red card.

Kezman can play like an idiot (like in 2000 when he got a red card within 10 seconds of coming in as a sub). He deserved a red card as much as Mastroeni did. By the way, the score was 3-0 when Kezman was sent off.
 
Refs sucked big time.

First mistake was giving Pope yellow in the first half. He was the last defender and should have been gone right there.

Red card for DaRossi was clear. I hope they suspend him for at least 3 games.

Red card on Mastroeni - also clear. You just don't tackle with both legs. Very dumb play.

2nd yellow on Pope - also clear.

After that ref did not call one single foul on USA. He allowed pulling, pushing etc. Looked like he liked the 1:1 score. The linesman denied Italy at least 3 scoring chances bt calling offside which only he saw. US had 0 shots on target, wouldn't have scored if the game lasted 3 months. and still won a point. While the effort was there - the result was extremely lucky. Italy played very arrogant and didn't deserve to win either. As for the players - only player on the field that actually knows how the play this great game was Andrea Pirlo

I was wandering wheathe Zaccardo knew what the odds were:D
The only thing that was not as good, was the offside refereeing. I thought there were some chances taken away from Italy as well. Having said that, Iaquinta was offside for miles, time after time. That guy really blows.

I thought Gattuso played pretty decent. Totti should be benched, he is clearly out of form.


Brazil scraped past Australia. Australia had some huge chances, like Kewell for open goal, but they couldn't convert. Too bad, Brazil makes the best of its rare scoring opportunities, and Australia doesn't.

Time to see a boring France right now...
 
with pope and mastreoni gone the US lineup should be this

CF-Mcbide
AM-donovan
LM-convey
CM-o'brien
RM-dempsey
CM-reyna
RB-Cherundolo
CB-Gooch
CB-Conrad
LB-Bocanegra
Gk-Keller
 
After that ref did not call one single foul on USA. He allowed pulling, pushing etc. Looked like he liked the 1:1 score. The linesman denied Italy at least 3 scoring chances bt calling offside which only he saw. US had 0 shots on target, wouldn't have scored if the game lasted 3 months. and still won a point. While the effort was there - the result was extremely lucky. Italy played very arrogant and didn't deserve to win either. As for the players - only player on the field that actually knows how the play this great game was Andrea Pirlo
Yep, there were at least 2 offsides called against Italy, which they weren't - and they would have been very dangerous opportunities.
 
I thought Gattuso played pretty decent. Totti should be benched, he is clearly out of form.
Gattuso did play really well, but him and Totti play different positions - and are opposite type of players (Totti creative, with GREAT technical skill and Gattuso very physical). Out of form or not, Italy is not going ANYWHERE without Totti's play. In my opinion, the real problem for Italy are their strikers - not explosive enough.
 
I hope the US will go with a 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2, Ghana will be without their two goal scoring strikers and we need to put some goals in to improve our differential in case the Czechs pull one out.

Tunisia-Spain was the match of the day. Spain finally got their offense going once the Tunisians began to tire but for about an hour it looked like the Tunisian defense would hold.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
I hope the US will go with a 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2, Ghana will be without their two goal scoring strikers and we need to put some goals in to improve our differential in case the Czechs pull one out.
Okay, I'm confused. Aren't we only going to have 9 players for the Ghana game?

:confused:
 

piksi

Hall of Famer
Okay, I'm confused. Aren't we only going to have 9 players for the Ghana game?

:confused:
no You will have 11. When players get ejected - You can't replace them that game but it has no consequences for the next game except that ejected players won't be able to play.
 
We have two players suspended but we still get to field a full team. Ghana has two players out as will plenty of other teams in the third games.

I'm watching Mike and Mike on espn2 right now and Waldo is on admitting that Mastroeni made a stupid foul and deserved the red. Funny that he was on the tv Sunday fuming and accusing the refs of corruption.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
no You will have 11. When players get ejected - You can't replace them that game but it has no consequences for the next game except that ejected players won't be able to play.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

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...

...

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never mind.

;)
 

piksi

Hall of Famer
We have two players suspended but we still get to field a full team. Ghana has two players out as will plenty of other teams in the third games.

I'm watching Mike and Mike on espn2 right now and Waldo is on admitting that Mastroeni made a stupid foul and deserved the red. Funny that he was on the tv Sunday fuming and accusing the refs of corruption.
which was obvious to anyone who ever played the game and stll has a little bit of objectivity
 
tomorrow holland will play argentina
in 1998(world cup in france), dennis bergkamp scored a beautiful goal against argentina(link)

and this is what jack van gelder had to say(link)


other work of jack van gelder can be heard here

both teams will probably play their reserves, but that won't make a difference for jack
 
I'm noticing that the kits in the England-Sweden match on right now have the sides and the date printed on the chests. I can't recall seeing this on any other team in the tournament, is this because of SGE or is there another significance to this match that I am missing?

Side note: Very annoying that everyone else at ESPN appears to have gotten the memo about the correct pronunciation of Göran except the guy calling the match.
 
I'm noticing that the kits in the England-Sweden match on right now have the sides and the date printed on the chests. I can't recall seeing this on any other team in the tournament, is this because of SGE or is there another significance to this match that I am missing?

Side note: Very annoying that everyone else at ESPN appears to have gotten the memo about the correct pronunciation of Göran except the guy calling the match.
Excuse my Lack of knowledge, but what is a Kit? Is it a Jersey/Uniform? I never heard it called that.
 
Gattuso did play really well, but him and Totti play different positions - and are opposite type of players (Totti creative, with GREAT technical skill and Gattuso very physical). Out of form or not, Italy is not going ANYWHERE without Totti's play. In my opinion, the real problem for Italy are their strikers - not explosive enough.
Obviously they're completely different players, I wasn't suggesting they weren't. I agree Totti's play is pivotal for Italy, but when he's clearly this badly out of form, there's really no point in putting him on the pitch. All it does is get him frustrated (and also get him booked).

As for their strikers...Gilardino isn't a great striker, but he adds some nifty little passes and such. Toni however, is amazing. It's too bad he isn't scoring for Italy like he does in the Serie A.
 
It was a sports lover's dream weekend, full of big events. Viewers went for hoops and kicks but passed on putts and pucks.

The ratings highs and lows:

NBA Finals: Game 5 of the Mavericks-Heat series did a 9.0 national rating on ABC, up 7 percent from Spurs-Pistons in 2004. Dallas did a 36.0 (up from 31.0 for Game 4), Miami-Fort Lauderdale a 28.5 (down from 29.1), and West Palm Beach a 13.2 (up from 12.7).

World Cup: U.S.-Italy did a 4.3 national rating on ABC, the network's highest World Cup rating since a 5.7 for the 1998 Final between Brazil and France. Miami-Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach tied for No. 9 nationally, each earning a 6.2. Ch. 23-WLTV did a 6.9. Univision's coverage of U.S.-Italy averaged 3,027,000 national viewers, up 247.9 percent from 870,000 viewers in 2002, when U.S.-Korea aired at 2:15 a.m. and up 89.3 percent from 1,599,000 viewers in 1998, when U.S.-Iran aired at 2:30 p.m. ESPN2 is averaging a 1.3 through 18 games, up 117 percent.

U.S. Open: Despite Phil Mickelson's bid for a third consecutive major, ratings fell. Sunday's telecast on NBC earned a 5.1/12 overnight, down 12.1 percent from last year's final-round showdown between Michael Campbell and Tiger Woods. Saturday's third-round coverage earned a 3.2/8 overnight, down 27.3 percent.

Stanley Cup: Game 6 of Hurricanes-Oilers on NBC earned a 2.2 overnight, down 37.1 percent from a 3.5 for the double-overtime Lightning-Flames Game 6 on ABC in 2004.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-tvratings20jun20,0,7366574.story?coll=sfla-sports-headlines
 
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