FIFA World Cup Thread

[ray245]

They played a dreadful match, and deserved to get their asses kicked for such a terrible showing.

Well, the world cup strikes in South Africa would probably worsen as a result of their devastating loss.

[Big Phil]

The south Africans are utterly devastated by their loss this match.

They're not a very good team, and they played poorly in two games now. I would expect France and Uruguay to emerge from Group A now, but given how uninspired the French have been, and the negative karma they have going against them right now, I wouldn't be shocked if Mexico went through.

[Lief]

RSA played ok really, Uruguay just had better quality all over the pitch, 3-0 is a little harsh, 2-0 would of been a fair result. Forlan played great.

[Metatwaddle]

Uruguay looked pretty good, especially Diego Forlan. I like them and I hope they do well.

I don't even know what happened to Spain. They had way more shots (including shots on goal) and possession time than Switzerland, and they just looked more dominant for almost all of the game, but they couldn't convert any of their chances. I guess that's a longer, more polite way of saying they were choke artists. Still, I wouldn't mind seeing them get their shit together, win their next two games, and make it into the next round. They'll be interesting to watch if they can play at their full potential.

Tomorrow (today?), I'd really like to see Mexico win, but I don't really expect it. Don't really care too much about group B, but I'd like to see some of the African teams do well, so I guess I'll be rooting for Nigeria.

[Hillary]

And for the brits here, what do you think of ITV's service of the world cup? I think their sport commentators are a joke, other then that you have the likes of adrian chiles a west brom fan and not even a football experinced player like liniker. You now have ITV having to sack on of their own 'sportsman' for touting his tickets that somehow found their way to a beer company who used ambush marketing.

how ITV even maintain the rights to show the world cup is beyond me.

Well bbc have motty of course, and a generally better analysis panel. But Mick Mcarthy (bbc) does my head in, overall I don't mind too much either sides commentators, I only really need them to identify players on the ball on teams I don't know very well.

One thing I do dislike on itv is the constant super slow motion shots, action ones are ok, but I dont need to see a super slow motion grimace or someone spitting in slow motion They have slow motion on bbc also, but not to the same extreme that I have noticed.

I think the coverage is pretty dismal across the board. ITV is worse as they have Clive Tyldesley, who is comfortably the worst sports commentator currently earning a living. However, none of the guys on the sofas add anything to the coverage. Considering the mass of international experience on display, you'd think that they could give you some sort of insight into the sport.

Contrast this to the coverage of test cricket where, despite there being up to 30 hours of play in a match, they still manage to leave you feeling like you've learned a little bit more about cricket every time.

The football experts don't appear to say anything different to the average punter down the pub and I really don't understand why that is.

As for the TV slow motions, neither channel has control over the pictures being broadcast - every country gets the same.

[Phantasee]

I don't even know what happened to Spain. They had way more shots (including shots on goal) and possession time than Switzerland, and they just looked more dominant for almost all of the game, but they couldn't convert any of their chances. I guess that's a longer, more polite way of saying they were choke artists.

I only count 22 shots, but stats say they took 24.

[Phantasee]

France is fucked. Good job Mexico, you eliminated an absolute bore of a team.

2-0!

[Lief]

As for the TV slow motions, neither channel has control over the pictures being broadcast - every country gets the same.

Not so sure it's exactly the same, maybe the HD feed is different, usually I'll watch the games live in HD or sky+ it in normal, but it still seems like ITV have more of these slow motion shots than the BBC, it detracts from watching the match. In one game they had literally 10 seconds of some guy going 'eeeeunnnngh' while the ball was in play...wtf is that about.

[muse]

I don't even know what happened to Spain. They had way more shots (including shots on goal) and possession time than Switzerland, and they just looked more dominant for almost all of the game, but they couldn't convert any of their chances. I guess that's a longer, more polite way of saying they were choke artists. Still, I wouldn't mind seeing them get their shit together, win their next two games, and make it into the next round. They'll be interesting to watch if they can play at their full potential.

The chick reporter with magical mind control powers did it!

http://g.ca.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/wor ... sow,249228

English media sparks 'controversy' over Casillas' reporter WAG

By Brooks Peck

Certain English tabloids jumped at the chance to blame the goof-up by their country's goalkeeper, Robert Green, on his love life, so to keep that salacious paper-selling trend going, they're jumping at the chance to spread blame for Spain's shocking loss to Switzerland on goalkeeper Iker Casillas' WAG and match reporter, Sara Carbonero (right).

According to English media outlets from the Guardian to the BBC, mysteriously unnamed Spaniards are blaming Carbonero - who was named the "sexiest reporter in the world" by FHM - for distracting Casillas during the match. And what evidence do they have? Well, she reported from right behind his position in goal before the match and interviewed him straight after the loss. This somehow proves the thought of her overwhelmed him to the point of allowing the losing goal, possibly while seeing tiny hearts bubble up right before his eyes.

In that post-match interview, she asked her boyfriend "how did you muck that up?" in reference to the sloppy-yet-decisive goal. Casillas responded by saying:

"I don't know what to say. I don't know if this defeat will have consequences. The dressing room is fed up."

The whole thing looked like a normal, forgettable post-match interview outside of the odd coincidence of the couple being romantically involved (they met at the Confederations Cup last summer). But somehow her presence has been turned into bizarre whispers of blame.

When asked about her possible mind-controlling powers over one of the world's best goalkeepers, Carbonero brushed it off:

"Can I destabilize the team? I think it is nonsense."

But that kind of rational dismissal hasn't stopped the English press from running with stories of Spanish hatred for her even though, you know, there really isn't any. Major Spanish sports site AS.com pins the controversy entirely on "English sensationalism" and Publico.es echos that sentiment by saying it's the English who are blaming Carbonero.

At this rate, anyone who is or ever has been romantically involved with a World Cup goalkeeper should brace for their turn at being absurdly associated with blame for whatever happens on the pitch.

Just don't expect equal praise for exceptional performances.

[Hillary]

As for the TV slow motions, neither channel has control over the pictures being broadcast - every country gets the same.

Not so sure it's exactly the same, maybe the HD feed is different, usually I'll watch the games live in HD or sky+ it in normal, but it still seems like ITV have more of these slow motion shots than the BBC, it detracts from watching the match. In one game they had literally 10 seconds of some guy going 'eeeeunnnngh' while the ball was in play...wtf is that about.

I'm pretty sure it is - it'll be filmed in HD, so broadcasters can choose. If every TV station from around the world had its own cameras there wouldn't be any room for fans in the stadium.

[Bluewolf]

Wow, this game is getting more and more unpredictable by the day. Germany lost to Serbia, 1-0. The Ref was really card happy though.

[Thanas]

Wow, this game is getting more and more unpredictable by the day. Germany lost to Serbia, 1-0. The Ref was really card happy though.

Not so bad a performance actually - even with 10 guys vs 11, we still scored nearly double the number of attempts and manged to get a 56-44 possession. So we did quite well, but still lost - that's just bad luck.

(And no, no whining about card-happy referees).

[Bluewolf]

I will say at the end that both sides were getting tired but that's a given. Both sides could have place better but that is also a given too. In the end, this is not a critical game for Germany and they can pick up the pieces.

[D.Turtle]

Yeah, it was an unfortunate loss, but there were lots of chances to get that 1-1.

And the US is already 0-1 behind ...

[Rogue 9]

In other news...

South African Vuvuzela Philharmonic Angered By Soccer Games Breaking Out During Concerts

JOHANNESBURG—Members of the South Africa Vuvuzela Philharmonic Orchestra, widely considered to be among the best large-scale monotonic wind instrument ensembles in the world, told reporters Friday they were furious over the recent outbreaks of international soccer matches during their traditional outdoor concerts.

"I cannot imagine what is getting into these football teams that they would suddenly begin full-scale international competition just when we are beginning our 2010 concert series," said Dr. Stefan Coetzee, the Philharmonic's program and concert director. "It is disrespectful to the performers, it is disrespectful to the music itself, and by extension, it is disrespectful to the great nation of South Africa."

Spontaneous high-caliber soccer games have thus far plagued every orchestral vuvuzela performance of the season, which opened June 11 at Cape Town Stadium. As musicians took their places in the stands and began warming up for the evening's performance of lighter pieces by post-minimalist composers, they noticed the audience was not sitting in its traditional place in the stadium's central area.

As the Philharmonic learned later, its only spectators were the national football sides of France and Uruguay, who played to a 0-0 tie as the frustrated vuvuzela virtuosi played a full program of concerti written for the distinctive straight plastic horn.

"A virtually empty house is highly unusual in a vuvuzela-mad nation such as South Africa," said first-chair vuvuzela player Moses Mtegume, who is known as the "Father of the Vuvuzela" and considered a national treasure. "And because concerts are held in the round—the better to appreciate the sonorous tonality of the massed instruments—a performer gets a sense of the crowd early."

"It doesn't even seem like these football players are paying attention to us," Mtegume added. "In fact, I would go so far as to say they are trying to ignore us."

The following days, during which a string of large-scale vuvuzela performances were held, saw the unusual events repeat in Johnnesburg, Durban, Pretoria, and Port Elizabeth as audience after audience was driven away by FIFA national football teams. As a result, the South Africa Vuvzela Philharmonic, which is supported solely by money from ticket sales, has suffered staggering losses financially. And the musicians, many of whom trained for years and underwent a harrowing audition process to earn one of the orchestra's 50,000 seats, said the biggest blow was to their professional pride.

"Do you know how difficult it is to get everyone situated, tuned, and focused for a vuvuzela concert?" said Julliard-trained vuvuzelist Donald Frederick Gordon, a noted soloist and renowned performer whose boyhood dream of playing vuvuzela in every stadium in South Africa is now at risk. "These brash, inconsiderate outbursts of impromptu athletics have made us a laughingstock of the international music community. We have already had cancellations from the Vienna Boy's Choir and guest director Seiji Ozawa, who no doubt fear for their reputation should the Philharmonic continue to be mocked by these incongruous sportsmen."

In order to save its concert season, the orchestra has scheduled a special benefit concert for July 11 at Johannesburg's Soccer City Stadium. The orchestra will be accompanied by 8,000 special guest vuvuzela players from Ghana and the Ivory Coast, and the concert program will include the debut of new single-tone compositions by Philip Glass, Arvo Pärt, and vuvuzela fan Mark Mothersbaugh.

The musicians said they are thrilled to be performing in the nation's most prominent stadium, which is capable of holding up to 12,500 standing concertgoers in its grassy central section.

"This will be a vuvuzela tour de force the likes of which the world has never seen," Dr. Coetzee said. "We are very close to an agreement with Placido Domingo, who we're confident will show us how the greatest living tenor sings the B-flat-below-middle-C that makes the vuvuzela so magical. It will truly be a night for the ages, with, we hope, no sign of football rivals battling it out for global supremacy where the audience should be."

"We've already sold a couple dozen tickets to people in Brazil and Argentina," Dr. Coetzee added. "Mark my words, on July 11, the eyes and ears of the world will be on South Africa."

[Whiplash]

GET SOME!!!

10 minutes left, USA is getting built up, they just scored, I think they can win this.

[D.Turtle]

Damn, what the hell was that? Why didn't he give that goal (for 3-2 for the US)?

[Whiplash]

Can someone punch this ref? All freaking game this guy is making BS calls. What the hell is his problem?

[Vendetta]

Sounds like you was robbed.

[Gil Hamilton]

Oh, man, we got reffed to death there. That was a BAD offsides call there that cost us a goal on top of all the bad calls in favor of Slovenia. Even though our defense sucked balls, we SHOULD have come back there and won 3-2.

[Whiplash]

Sounds like you was robbed.

WE FUCKING WON THAT SHIT!!! THERE IS NO FUCKING DEBATE. 3 MOTHERFUCKING - 2 BITCH!!!

[Wedge]

I couldn't see the match Germany-Serbia, but what the fuck, how come Klose got 2 yellow cards? I'll have to catch up that match.
Just arrived for the second part of USA-Slovenia. It seems to me like in every Worldcup USA gets fucked over by the refs. Why the hell didn't they count the third goal? Best player in the second half, was Altidore. After seeing Germany and Spain losing while still having played better (at least that's what I read about Germany) I don't know what to expect anymore. What comes next, New Zealand beating Italy, Honduras owning Spain?

About why Spain lost, I think the coach is to blame. Why did he change the system and played only with one front player? If he didn't want to "force" Torres because he isn't at his 100% fine, let Pedro or Matta play. Why did he have to "fix" something that ain't broken. Spain won the Eurocup playing with two front players, why play now so defensive against SWITZERLAND, for christ sake it isn't Brazil, what are you afraid of? That's why they didn't scored a goal in the first half. Please just play with two in the front.

[Drone]

The real problem I have, besides the fact the call was made, is that the ref REFUSED to give any explanation at all.

[Big Phil]

I couldn't see the match Germany-Serbia, but what the fuck, how come Klose got 2 yellow cards? I'll have to catch up that match.
Just arrived for the second part of USA-Slovenia. It seems to me like in every Worldcup USA gets fucked over by the refs. Why the hell didn't they count the third goal?

The ref made bad calls, but he didn't keep the US from winning; the US played hesitantly, seemed scared and confused (and lazy), and made critical mistakes early in the game. If they hadn't let in two goals, it wouldn't have mattered that the ref disallowed the third.

[Gil Hamilton]

The ref made bad calls, but he didn't keep the US from winning; the US played hesitantly, seemed scared and confused (and lazy), and made critical mistakes early in the game. If they hadn't let in two goals, it wouldn't have mattered that the ref disallowed the third.

Too true, our defense was balls. However, when a team scores legitimately and the ref disallows it with no rhyme or reason given (I thought he said offsides, but as it turns out, he didn't give a stated reason), that's robbery.