FIFA World Cup Thread

[Big Phil]

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.

HAI! Yes...

That ref should be out of a job, but at the same time, I can't blame him for the draw. The US let in two goals it shouldn't have, and that's where it ends for me. Without those two fuckups in the first half, it could have been 2-0 US. Instead, we (once again) had to come from behind. It would be nice not to have to come from behind, and simply play well for 90 minutes

[Gil Hamilton]

HAI! Yes...

That ref should be out of a job, but at the same time, I can't blame him for the draw. The US let in two goals it shouldn't have, and that's where it ends for me. Without those two fuckups in the first half, it could have been 2-0 US. Instead, we (once again) had to come from behind. It would be nice not to have to come from behind, and simply play well for 90 minutes

I can agree there. Did you see Howard toward the end there? He was looking PISSED at the US defense. We've only been treading water because we've got a talented keeper and our offense has been able to respond.

[Enigma]

I haven't seen the England vs. Algeria but come on! 0-0? At this rate they are just as bad as the U.S. team. Lazy bums.

[Bluewolf]

How the fuck did that happen...

[Siege]

By England playing absymally. Good lord, I've seen second-league teams play better than the English today.

[Vendetta]

We were FUCKING USELESS. If Algeria had had a half decent forward supporting Boudebouz (who worked like a motherfucker all the time he was on the pitch) we'd have been stomped, they had all the possession, and almost every time an England player got behind the ball he made a schoolboy error and passed it straight to an Algerian. England should go the fuck home, right now, and look for jobs in the fucking sunday league.

[Crazedwraith]

Oh England, how ever low my expectations you somehow manage to underwhelm.

[Whiplash]

Wow, the fact that we tied with you guys shames me.

[DaveJB]

Is it a bad sign that I find myself wishing that Eriksson was still in charge of England?

I'm astounded that England actually managed to get worse after that first match. It's almost as if they heard that all the other traditionally big countries (bar Argentina and Uruguay) are doing shit so far, so they decided to go that extra mile and be really shit. At least James was fairly solid in our goal, but that's damning with faint praise.

[Korgeta]

We were FUCKING USELESS. If Algeria had had a half decent forward supporting Boudebouz (who worked like a motherfucker all the time he was on the pitch) we'd have been stomped, they had all the possession, and almost every time an England player got behind the ball he made a schoolboy error and passed it straight to an Algerian. England should go the fuck home, right now, and look for jobs in the fucking sunday league.

Amen to that, that was an embrassment of a performance, and for rooney to have the nerve to criticse the fans for booing. Football isn't easy anyone knows that but they are meant to represent the pride of english football, they are paid obsene wages to get the job done and here they are struggling to beat a team who we should be able to beast easily and yet claim we can be world cup contenders. Screw rooney if he thinks were selfish as there are many fans who travel to watch the games depite the miles and cost!

Whatever, I expect a strong performance on wednesday. They are paid to make winning a certinity not a probability.

[Minischoles]

We were FUCKING USELESS. If Algeria had had a half decent forward supporting Boudebouz (who worked like a motherfucker all the time he was on the pitch) we'd have been stomped, they had all the possession, and almost every time an England player got behind the ball he made a schoolboy error and passed it straight to an Algerian. England should go the fuck home, right now, and look for jobs in the fucking sunday league.

Amen to that, that was an embrassment of a performance, and for rooney to have the nerve to criticse the fans for booing. Football isn't easy anyone knows that but they are meant to represent the pride of english football, they are paid obsene wages to get the job done and here they are struggling to beat a team who we should be able to beast easily and yet claim we can be world cup contenders. Screw rooney if he thinks were selfish as there are many fans who travel to watch the games depite the miles and cost!

Whatever, I expect a strong performance on wednesday. They are paid to make winning a certinity not a probability.

What the fuck did Rooney expect? rapturous applause for that kind of performance?

It was utterly utterly shit, England played like a team of fucking amateurs. With that kind of performance, they deserve to lose the group and go home early, they do not in any way whatsoever look like a team made up of world class players. On paper, we've got some of the best players in the world, yet on the pitch they're simply terrible.

[Vendetta]

I'm astounded that England actually managed to get worse after that first match. It's almost as if they heard that all the other traditionally big countries (bar Argentina and Uruguay) are doing shit so far, so they decided to go that extra mile and be really shit. At least James was fairly solid in our goal, but that's damning with faint praise.

James did OK, but Algeria didn't give him much work to do. They dominated midfield and their own half, but couldn't press the advantage. Hell, it was bad enough that Heskey's best work of the match came on the England 18 yard line.

[Big Phil]

Here's the truth guys... English football and the English national team just isn't that good. You hang your hat on that world cup victory (which you won playing at home), when you're nothing but a second rate European power.

[Korgeta]

Here's the truth guys... English football and the English national team just isn't that good. You hang your hat on that world cup victory (which you won playing at home), when you're nothing but a second rate European power.

Not true, the premier league is very good, a lot of world class players (like tim howard, drogba, ballack etc) know that as well, however the painful and obvious truth is that the league has too many foreigners. Not only as I mentioned a while back we don't have goalkeeper in the top 4 big clubs that is english but the number of national players has fallen steadily over the years that by 2014 I'll be concerned in just who we'll have left that is english and is in a top club.

BTW: the majority of argentina and brazil players play in english and european clubs, and the result of that shows n their play.

[Master of Ossus]

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.

That's true, but the thing is, as poorly as the US played in the first half, they more than made up for it in the second. In fact, even in the first half they outplayed Slovenia for long stretches but made the two terrible defensive mistakes. But the second was the best half of soccer that I've seen out of any team in the tournament, so far--and that includes Germany playing an outclassed Australia. The Americans should have won, and they didn't, because of a truly baffling call. It also wasn't the only bad call he made in the match (yellow card on Findley, various muggings of Jozy Altidore, fouls on Gomez, etc.).

[Bluewolf]

Here's the truth guys... English football and the English national team just isn't that good. You hang your hat on that world cup victory (which you won playing at home), when you're nothing but a second rate European power.

If you think British football overall is subpar then you know little. Club football, despite there being a lot of foreign investment, is something we are fantastic and our clubs consistently do well at European events. In terms of national football, we have never been that great but recently it has gotten from bad to worse. Though I am not sure what that reason is really.

[Lief]

Here's the truth guys... English football and the English national team just isn't that good. You hang your hat on that world cup victory (which you won playing at home), when you're nothing but a second rate European power.

No that is not the truth.

The truth is we are ranked 8th in the world, as per fifa rankings, are in a weak group (the next highest ranking is USA at 14, and the lowest Algeria at 30), and are woefully underperforming.

The problem is we know we are better than this, I doubt many english fan's expected to win the world cup, but to get through our group with ease is one thing most did expect, and it wasn't exactly a high expectation.

[Thanas]

Australia is playing an excellent game so far, although they too take some dives.

Edit: Craig Moore, Chipperfield and Kennedy are all very impressive, especially Moore.

[Thanas]

The Ghanese Keeper (Kingson) is damned good. What a player.

[ray245]

Is there still chance for Australia to stay in the world cup?

[Master of Ossus]

Is there still chance for Australia to stay in the world cup?

Not realistically. They have to win to get 4 points. Germany and Serbia each have 3, and Ghana has 4. So assume that Germany wins against Ghana. Australia would have to beat Serbia (duh), but they have a terrible goal differential because they lost to Germany 0-4. So in order to catch Ghana, which has a positive goal differential, they have to beat Serbia by about 4 goals to have any chance at all.

Edit: Actually, I take that back. Australia's best chance to advance is if Ghana defeats Germany. Then Ghana would have 6 points and Germany would have 3. In that instance, a win against Serbia would give Australia 4 points and allow them to take second in the group.

[Siege]

Yay, another victory for the Netherlands. 1-0 against Japan, could've been better, but we're winning and that's what counts in the end. If the team continues to improve their play this might actually get interesting.

[Phantasee]

Cameroon had a pretty nice goal, but Denmark equalized. 1-1 as of half-time. 10-8 shots on goal.

[Big Phil]

Here's the truth guys... English football and the English national team just isn't that good. You hang your hat on that world cup victory (which you won playing at home), when you're nothing but a second rate European power.

If you think British football overall is subpar then you know little. Club football, despite there being a lot of foreign investment, is something we are fantastic and our clubs consistently do well at European events. In terms of national football, we have never been that great but recently it has gotten from bad to worse. Though I am not sure what that reason is really.

You guys are getting confused between the Premier League, and the English team and English players (which is what I'm referring to). The Premier League plays some of the best football in the world; some English players, individually, are also quite excellent. But the English national side is fantastically overrated.

The truth is we are ranked 8th in the world, as per fifa rankings, are in a weak group (the next highest ranking is USA at 14, and the lowest Algeria at 30), and are woefully underperforming.

The problem is we know we are better than this, I doubt many english fan's expected to win the world cup, but to get through our group with ease is one thing most did expect, and it wasn't exactly a high expectation.

Ah, a limey come to defend his nation's honor, and using those bullshit FIFA rankings to boot. Are you aware that the USA is ranked #14 in those same rankings? This is the same US team that regularly gets beat by teams like #33 Czech Republic, #36 Denmark, and #58 Poland?

[Master of Ossus]

Ah, a limey come to defend his nation's honor, and using those bullshit FIFA rankings to boot. Are you aware that the USA is ranked #14 in those same rankings? This is the same US team that regularly gets beat by teams like #33 Czech Republic, #36 Denmark, and #58 Poland?

And that convincingly beat a Spanish team that was unbeaten in 30+ matches against other top-European teams, finishing second in the Confederations Cup with a 3-2 loss to Brazil. The Americans have an awful defense, so they can lose to anyone, but they also have a very strong and creative offense and so they can beat almost anybody.