FIFA World Cup Thread

[Captain Seafort]

I really want the arrogant smile wiped off Maradonna's face.

Heartily seconded. I never thought I'd say this, but come on Germany!

As for the match, we'd have won 6-2 with another referee.

[Modax]

GOOOOOOOOOAAAAL! DAVID VILLA 1 , PORTUGAL 0

[Thanas]

And Portugal is gone. Next up: Netherlands vs Brazil.

[Crown]

I'm sorry for our Portugal members, but I'm glad Spain are through; you can accept 5-4-1 from shit teams like Greece and the Swiss (no offense), but Portugal are actually meant to be a footballing force but that was ... What was worse was; where was Plan B?

[Modax]

I don't understand. Can you explain what it is you think Portugal did wrong? All I know is that I was glued to the set for 90 minutes, Spain dominated possession, scored a beautiful goal, and overall seemed like the better team.

[Ryan Thunder]

And Portugal is gone.

[Big Phil]

I don't understand. Can you explain what it is you think Portugal did wrong? All I know is that I was glued to the set for 90 minutes, Spain dominated possession, scored a beautiful goal, and overall seemed like the better team.

Portugal has played a largely defensive formation with Cristiano Ronaldo the lone striker, and relying largely on counter-attacks to create goal scoring opportunities. While that may be effective football, it's ugly football, and results in boring, low scoring, defensive affairs.

[Balrog]

Meanwhile, back at the Legion of Doom...

Blatter acknowledged major officiating errors in round-of-16 losses by England and Mexico, said he apologized to team officials in both nations and promised to reopen the debate over introducing vreplay technology, including video review, once this World Cup was over.

“It is obvious that after the experience so far in this World Cup it would be nonsense to not reopen the file of technology at the business meeting of the International FA Board in July,” Blatter told a press briefing here Tuesday.

[Video: Watch Blatter’s apology]

“Personally, I deplore it when you see evident referee mistakes, but it’s not the end of a competition or the end of football. This can happen.

“The only thing I can do is … [speak] to the two federations [England and Mexico] directly concerned by referee’s mistakes. I have expressed to them apologies and I understand they are not happy and that people are criticizing.”

Were you listening Bud Selig?

Blatter should’ve handled this situation years ago. However, he went a long way toward looking like an executive concerned about the spirit and fairness of his sport by admitting the errors, offering contrition and showing a willingness to consider a future solution.

Even with a reopening of the issue, there is no guarantee any changes will be adopted. Among the FIFA brain trust, there remains a hard-line group that may continue to reject technological progress. That group explored the issue of replay as recently as this spring and concluded that it would continue to operate without it.

FIFA referees, however, have been under fire throughout the World Cup. Sunday’s errors were particularly egregious.

England was not credited with a goal in its loss to Germany when referee Jorge Larrionda failed to recognize a shot by Frank Lampard came down behind the goal line before bouncing back into the field of play. The goal would have tied the game at 2-2. Germany went on to win 4-1.

[Video: Are these World Cup refs the worst ever?]

It was a critical play that could have been quickly and easily overturned with the use of video replay, let alone more advanced available technology such as global positioning chips inside soccer balls. The outcry over the error, especially in England, was profound. Replays of the blown call were replayed around the world. Blatter was booed and heckled by fans outside his hotel here.

Later Sunday, Argentina’s first goal in a 3-1 victory over Mexico was clearly offside. Compounding the problem, video scoreboard operators at Soccer City replayed the highlight, allowing fans and Mexican players and coaches to see the error. FIFA policy is to not replay controversial plays inside the stadium.

While nothing can be changed for this World Cup, Blatter’s very public shift of position is telling. He was quoted in 2009 declaring the issue dead.

“Please do not insist on the technology,” Blatter said in December. “Referees shall remain human, and we will not have monitors to stop the game to see if we are right or wrong. There will be no more discussion [between fans] and then no more hope and then no more life.”

He was arrogant to think fans weren’t going to continue to discuss major officiating gaffes. And now it appears he’s heard the complaints.

Blatter should serve as an example to Major League Baseball commissioner Selig, who is one of the lone holdouts in sports when it comes to aiding his umpires. MLB saw its 2009 postseason marred by a number of easily reversible calls and has dealt with a number of high-profile errors this season.

It isn’t just players and fans who are hurt by blown calls. The referees, who made human errors while doing a difficult job, shouldn’t have to deal with the incredible backlash when technology can save them. The referee crew from the Germany-England game was forced to leave the stadium under tight security, Yahoo! Sports reported Sunday.

The extent of FIFA’s willingness to change is unknown. Blatter merely promised just another “discussion” and said it would be limited to “goal-line technology.”

If nothing else, it should allow for the review of questionable decisions involving goals – asking simply whether the ball crossed the line. It would offer little intrusion into the flow of the game and would not even be needed in most contests.

Such advancement may not do much for the English team, but by softening his position, Blatter has made himself and his organization appear less out of touch. No more lectures to fans over what they can and can’t discuss.

If nothing else, it’s a start.

The fact that they're still not even considering video replays is just amazing. How many more officiating errors is it going to take for them to realize that the 'spirit of the game' is hurt far more by blatantly bad calls than by technology? [tinfoilhat]Or are they just trying to draw it out as much as they can so they can continue benefiting from crooked deals to throw certain games?[/tinfoilhat]

[Master of Ossus]

I don't understand. Can you explain what it is you think Portugal did wrong? All I know is that I was glued to the set for 90 minutes, Spain dominated possession, scored a beautiful goal, and overall seemed like the better team.

He's saying that they played too defensively, in a 5-4-1 (5 defenders, 4 midfielders, 1 forward). The standard formation is a 4-4-2, with various teams playing with different formations (e.g., 4-2-3-1, with 2 defensive midfielders and three offensive midfielders; 3-5-2, etc.). Thus, in essence, Portugal removed a striker in favor of a fifth fullback.

[Siege]

Sepp Blatter, frankly, is a corrupt pig who in a world ruled by justice woulda never become president of FIFA, and that he's now suddenly supposed to be 'reconsidering' using technology people have been calling for doesn't fill me with an awful lot of confidence. That's just a show he's putting on because referees and trainers alike are in nearly open revolt against his bullshit policies; I'm betting that as soon as the World Cup is over and people go back to just caring about their national leagues he'll revert right back to the position his ass was bought to extoll.

In other news, after spontaneously shitting myself for a bit there because the next opponent the Netherlands will encounter is Brazil, I've mellowed out a little and decided that we might actually have a chance here. It's not like Brazil have been playing all that well in the tournament so far; they tied against Portugal, and bloody North Korea of all people managed to score a goal against them. Maybe we'll actually pull this off! Well, here's to hoping...

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Blatter and FIFA are in serious need of cleaning house anyway. Corruption is endemic, and FIFA has turned into a profit making operation rather than one that facillitates football.

[Havok]

Blatter and FIFA are in serious need of cleaning house anyway. Corruption is endemic, and FIFA has turned into a profit making operation rather than one that facillitates football.

That is the dumbest thing I have heard in this thread. Of course it is a profit making operation. Do you really think grown men buy football teams to just win football games? Do you think if these guys got paid what say... a janitor makes they would dedicate their lives to playing football? Of course not.
It will facilitate football as long as football makes it money and no longer.

[Patrick Degan]

Wow. 4-1? That is just... well, pathetic really. I thought England was supposed to be good? I mean, yeah, we lost, but at least we took it to overtime and played our hearts out. We are also a young team with almost no talent as compared to the rest of the world... didn't you guys invent the game?
What, did England stop for tea time or something or did Germany just beat them into submission like they always do? Too bad it wasn't a war, maybe we could have come and saved your asses... again. Oh well, I guess you can just keep clinging to glories past, your country is good at that.

Deluded morons (read most of the English media and 90% of the country) think England is good, but anyone who looks at them objectively realises that the team is absolutely fucking terrible, and has been for a very long time. It's full of world class players, that play like fucking sunday leaguers the moment they put on an England shirt. The Germany game just highlights what has been wrong through the whole qualification and group process - England as a team are a gigantic steaming pile of overpaid overpriced shit. Take Rooney for example - hailed in the media for weeks as the saviour of English football, who'd win us the world cup - and what does he do when he gets on the pitch? absolutely fuck all, wanders around like the thick fucking ogre he looks, getting pissy because the fans booed him and Capello doesn't let him go out and get pissed (yes that's true btw - the entire England team were complaining like little bitches that Capello made them stay at the hotel to train and rest rather than go out like it's a fucking Holiday).

That last line of yours is particularly funny, because one of the things the media here clings to is past glories - 'two world wars, one world cup' and a 5-1 win against Germany years ago. They fail to mention the times (most of them) were England performs like a Sunday league team.

The impression I got was that the English side did not really play as a team at all. At no point did they seem to come together as a cohesive unit, unlike the Germans. Nor did they even try to adjust their game for the second half. They stuck with the same plodding "plan" and kept trying to bull their way through with sheer numbers up front, and their goal defence was awful.

[wautd]

Say what you want about Portugal, but their keeper did some awesome work during this WC

[Twigler]

In other news, after spontaneously shitting myself for a bit there because the next opponent the Netherlands will encounter is Brazil, I've mellowed out a little and decided that we might actually have a chance here. It's not like Brazil have been playing all that well in the tournament so far; they tied against Portugal, and bloody North Korea of all people managed to score a goal against them. Maybe we'll actually pull this off! Well, here's to hoping...

That sums pretty much exactly how I feel about that game . It's hovering between, "OMFG, it's Brazil! We're doomed! Doomed I tell you! Doomed, from the Middle-English meaning 'condemned to ruination or death'. DOOOM-ED!"
and, "Well, they've been pretty unconvincing so far and we've certainly played better, so this should be a win for us."

Friday is too far away, dammit, I miss my football fix of the day.

[Patrick Degan]

In other news, after spontaneously shitting myself for a bit there because the next opponent the Netherlands will encounter is Brazil, I've mellowed out a little and decided that we might actually have a chance here. It's not like Brazil have been playing all that well in the tournament so far; they tied against Portugal, and bloody North Korea of all people managed to score a goal against them. Maybe we'll actually pull this off! Well, here's to hoping...

That sums pretty much exactly how I feel about that game . It's hovering between, "OMFG, it's Brazil! We're doomed! Doomed I tell you! Doomed, from the Middle-English meaning 'condemned to ruination or death'. DOOOM-ED!"
and, "Well, they've been pretty unconvincing so far and we've certainly played better, so this should be a win for us."

Friday is too far away, dammit, I miss my football fix of the day.

MLS match tomorrow on ESPN: Houston Dynamo v. Toronto FC. That should give you enough of a boost until you can make your WC connection.

[Thanas]

How is a person from the netherlands going to watch ESPN?

[Patrick Degan]

How is a person from the netherlands going to watch ESPN?

Online, perhaps?

[Thanas]

How is a person from the netherlands going to watch ESPN?

Online, perhaps?

I very much doubt that is available, seeing as how the MSL has struck distribution deals with European sports networks.

[Patrick Degan]

How is a person from the netherlands going to watch ESPN?

Online, perhaps?

I very much doubt that is available, seeing as how the MSL has struck distribution deals with European sports networks.

Pity. Online is how I've been able to follow the World Cup and the European leagues. Wish I could find an online viewing source for Liga Mexicana as well.

[Siege]

ESPN has the single most confusing website of any TV channel I've ever visited online. I certainly can't find any way of watching it on the web there; as far as I can determine that site is just the world's worst and most complicated TV-guide.

[Twigler]

MLS match tomorrow on ESPN: Houston Dynamo v. Toronto FC. That should give you enough of a boost until you can make your WC connection.

I actually normally never watch sports or care much for it, but for some inexplicable reason I've been gripped with World Cup fever this time around. It worries my wife greatly

[Patrick Degan]

ESPN has the single most confusing website of any TV channel I've ever visited online. I certainly can't find any way of watching it on the web there; as far as I can determine that site is just the world's worst and most complicated TV-guide.

The online video is available at ESPN3. You need a DSL link at minimum to access the service, but the site carries both live and repeat broadcasts for a variety of sports including soccer, rugby, baseball, football (American, Canadian, and Australian), college softball and NASCAR. My fault for not clarifying.

[Master of Ossus]

Well, Coulibaly gave a radio interview to ESPN regarding the infamous call on what should have been an American goal over Slovenia.

ESPN: Are you prepared to offer an explanation as to why the goal was not allowed by Maurice Edu?
Coulibaly: I am not ready to tell the explanation. What I did is that I gave to the refereeing commission the evaluation of the game, and if you have any questions, you ask them.

Well... that explains it. Fortunately, he was finally sent home, along with Jorge Larrionda and Roberto Rosetti. I guess that FIFA only takes a few hours to review quarterfinals games, but it takes weeks to review round robbin matches.

Also, I think it's a little harsh to send Larrionda and Rosetti home. True, they are ultimately responsible for the Lampard no-goal call and the Tevez offside goal, but really that's what their AR's are there to call for them. The AR's were the ones that blew the game; not the center referees. IMO, both Larrionda and Rosetti called generally good matches (Rosetti in particular had a hard time of it because the Mexican players were able to see the replay on the stadium, making it an impossible call to sell), and despite the poor performance of their AR's I never thought that the matches were out of control.

In further officiating news, Spain-Portugal saw yet another embarrassing dive. This one by Capedevilla, which "earned" a send-off for Ricardo Costa in the late minutes. Clearly it wouldn't have changed the match results, but why would he do this?

Arguably, the only things worse than the officiating have been the goalkeeping (in the first round it awful) and the vuvuzelas.

[dragon]

And nigeria team has been suspended by their own president.

ABUJA, Nigeria — The president of Nigeria has suspended the national soccer team from international competition for two years after its poor showing at the World Cup.

The announcement by President Goodluck Jonathan's spokesman Wednesday also follows corruption allegations which surrounded the team in the run-up to the tournament. Spokesman Ima Niboro said all funds directed toward the Nigeria Football Federation would be examined and "all those found wanting will be sanctioned."

Niboro gave no other specifics about the investigation, other than saying Jonathan's decision came after reading a report submitted by the presidential soccer task force.

Federation spokesman Ademola Olajire told The Associated Press that he had no information about the suspension.

"We have not been directed," Olajire said. "We have no letter" from the president.

The Nigerian Football Federation's executive committee had earlier offered an apology to the government and "all football loving Nigerians" for the early exit.

Nigeria got eliminated from the World Cup after the group stage, having earned just one point – in a 2-2 draw with South Korea in its last game. Nigeria lost to Argentina 1-0 in its Group B opener and fell to Greece 2-1 in a game turned by the first-half expulsion of midfielder Sani Kaita.

The team, nicknamed the Super Eagles by loyal supporters and the Super Chickens by critics, faced almost countrywide derision after finishing third in the African Cup of Nations earlier in the year.

Nigeria fired coach Shaibu Amodu in February and later hired Swedish coach Lars Lagerback to take charge, but with only about four months before the World Cup.

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