World Cup 2006 is HERE! This is the thread for the tournament itself

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I can't hold out anymore. New and hopefully final World Cup thread this is.

Astounded to hear that Cisse broke his leg in the friendly vs China. You've got to feel sorry for him...

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 08:17 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know if this is more like premature ejaculation or losing a game of chicken.

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 8 June 2006 08:20 (nineteen years ago)

When are you going, Konal?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 8 June 2006 08:22 (nineteen years ago)

I knew Stevem would crack first. I was all set to start this at 9am tomorrow.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 8 June 2006 08:24 (nineteen years ago)

When are you going, Konal?

the 22nd. they've not sent my ticket yet tho. i might have to collect it at the ground.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 08:26 (nineteen years ago)

blimey i'm so excited about this tournament (no matter how England perform) even though I'll be watching most of the games at home on my own, apart from the final where i'll be watching it in nyc!

pleased to be finishing work early tomorrow to watch the opening games.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 8 June 2006 08:50 (nineteen years ago)

I feel all sorts of sorry for Cisse; leg breaking extraordinaire.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Thursday, 8 June 2006 08:53 (nineteen years ago)

I feel sorry for Rafa - we had almost got rid of Cissé to Marseilles!

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Thursday, 8 June 2006 08:56 (nineteen years ago)

It's his other leg too!* His hair patterns would have lit up the tournament. I've gone off Cisse since the whole wifebeating thing though.

*i.e. the one he didn't break last time, not that he's broken both of them.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 8 June 2006 08:56 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I've been cursing Cissé for a while now for (mainly cuz I was hoping Anelka would make the list), but this is just awful. The timing, the fact that he just came back from a horrific injury and that it's the second international championship in a row he misses out on at the last minute (he got a 5 game booking a week before Euro 2004)...

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Thursday, 8 June 2006 08:57 (nineteen years ago)

Is this a silver lining for Ludovic Giuly?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 8 June 2006 08:58 (nineteen years ago)

I've drawn Holland in my works' draw, which I'm quite pleased about. I'm optimistic.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:00 (nineteen years ago)

Well both Giuly and Anelka vented their anger pretty explicitly, said they were going on holidays and wouldn't even watch the WC, so...

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:00 (nineteen years ago)

Wait, wifebeating thing? He does seem to have terrible luck though, for all the talks about TEH METATARSAL DOOM, a broken leg is pretty FINAL.

I saw the clip and it nasty, too.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:01 (nineteen years ago)

Although of course, they can pretty much do without Cisse.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:04 (nineteen years ago)

Suedey: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4655478.stm

I do agree he's a very unlucky footballer tho.

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:05 (nineteen years ago)

And a happier link: Cristiano Ronaldo's sister's world cup song

― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:05 (nineteen years ago)

I got Ukraine and Saudi Arabia in my work sweepstakes. Brazil and Argentina were the last two teams out of the hat!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:10 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, that is pretty lame. Well, lame's not the right word but yeah, I hadn't heard about that!

but I don't feel bad at all when I say I would laugh VERY HARD if Cristiano Ronaldo broke his leg...

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:11 (nineteen years ago)

(mainly cuz I was hoping Anelka would make the list)

Please tell me there's a typo somewhere in here. You'd rather Anelka than Giuly?

― Crimea River (Mark C), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:17 (nineteen years ago)

I got Brazil in the office sweepstake. Ha!

Booked tomorrow off work to mentally prepare in time for the opening ceremony. I shall do this by laxing around in a London park.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:22 (nineteen years ago)

Well, I've always considered Giuly to be a midfielder so in my mind the debate was Cissé vs Anelka, while it was Ribéry vs Giuly.
Also, like a lot of French players Giuly has been sub-par when playing for the national team, while Anelka was pretty impressive when he was called back recently.

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:23 (nineteen years ago)

Can we use this thread to discuss betting tips for the tournament as well? I'm thinking £20 on Holland to win and £10 on Toni as top goalscorer, you people probaby have much better ideas.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:25 (nineteen years ago)

Fredi Kanoute could have got into the France World Cup squad at this rate.

xpost - £20 on Argentina and £10 on Torres to finish top scorer, if only because Spain's group looks very spankable.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:26 (nineteen years ago)

Similarly Pauleta is probably not too bad an option, right?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:27 (nineteen years ago)

"lazing"

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:28 (nineteen years ago)

Ooh - is everyone taking advantage of the myriad free bets on offer from bookies keen for your custom? Check the Guardian's betting page for further info. I will, of course, be betting a crisp tenner on Italy, because if I bet on anyone else my support would be somehow diluted and we can't have that.

― Crimea River (Mark C), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:30 (nineteen years ago)

I know it's wrong of me, and it's not big, and it's not clever, but can I just say how much I'm looking forward to winding up the Kaiser and Dom Passantino over the coming weeks? Possibly culminating at, oooh, the end of the group stage?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:34 (nineteen years ago)

The best bet I've seen is Sweden and Ukraine to top their groups, and Iran to get out of the group stages, at a very tempting 40/1 (Bet365, I think).

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:34 (nineteen years ago)

Probably a very stupid question: are Dom and Markelby Italian?

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:37 (nineteen years ago)

I'm putting £20 on Czech Republic.

― Dr.C (Dr.C), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:38 (nineteen years ago)

Alan Shearer has put his money on the IVORY COAST.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:39 (nineteen years ago)

Although my Barry days are well behind me, can I just say how much I'm looking forward to kneeing Matt DC in the balls should he even so much as try it?

(p.s. yes, Jamie)

― Crimea River (Mark C), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:40 (nineteen years ago)

Fuckin' 'ell:

ihttp://ronaldafotos.byethost10.com/details.php?image_id=65

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:41 (nineteen years ago)

NEW PRIME MINISTER, NEW PRESIDENT, NEW LEADING POLITICAL PARTY, NEW HEAD OF THE MAFIA, SAME CHOKING TACTICS.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:41 (nineteen years ago)

Ha ha, silly me.

(x-post to me)

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:41 (nineteen years ago)

Player to miss Italy's decisive penalty this year: Fabio Grosso.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:42 (nineteen years ago)

I'm putting money on Italy to win.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:42 (nineteen years ago)

C. Ronaldo is shagging a Latino Kirstie Allsopp?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:42 (nineteen years ago)

I'm putting £20 on Czech Republic

I did the BBC Predictor thing a couple of weeks ago and had the Czechs losing to Brazil in the final, so I reckon that's a good bet. I also had England beating Germany and then Argentina before losing to Brazil in the semis.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:42 (nineteen years ago)

I did the BBC Predictor thing ~~a couple of weeks ago~~every sodding day for the last five months, along with Dave B's spreadsheet.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:43 (nineteen years ago)

It's his sister, Dom. I don't think he's shagging her.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:47 (nineteen years ago)

Last night I dreamt that Peter Crouch was 38. He wasn't allowed into a wedding held in a barn.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:48 (nineteen years ago)

She's female, Dom. I don't think he's shagging her.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:48 (nineteen years ago)

I got a Brazil vs Ivory Coast final, and a 3rd place Czech Rep-Argentina 3rd place showdown.

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:49 (nineteen years ago)

I just want to add "The Big Man is back in town" and then laugh.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:51 (nineteen years ago)

I've got a tenner on David Villa (Spain) for top scorer at 40/1, bearing in mind he's just scored 25 goals for Valencia in the season just past.

― JohnFoxxsJuno (JohnFoxxsJuno), Thursday, 8 June 2006 09:56 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not going to bet any money at all, unless we have an office sweepstake. It seems wrong to encourage the bookies.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 8 June 2006 10:00 (nineteen years ago)

serbia & montenegro to top the GROUP OF DEATH at 9-1.

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 8 June 2006 10:16 (nineteen years ago)

and an england italy final, i reckon.

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 8 June 2006 10:17 (nineteen years ago)

http://pigpen.info/images/may05/jeresmith.jpg

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 8 June 2006 10:19 (nineteen years ago)

But but there is no country called Serbia and Montenegro anymore!

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 8 June 2006 10:24 (nineteen years ago)

Anybody got any hot tips for World Cup big screen fun? I really can't make up my mind where to watch the games.

― Daniel Giraffe (Daniel Giraffe), Thursday, 8 June 2006 10:43 (nineteen years ago)

My friend has just spent £500 on a projector to watch the World Cup on a big screen in his front room. Yay.

Although Saturday will be spent watching all three games with 30 other people in someone's office. 6ft picture, big white walls, lots of beer, absolute belter of a game between Argentina and the Ivory Coast, lovely.

Dave B is out in Germany for about a fortnight, I think. How long before he gets on TV, I wonder?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 8 June 2006 10:48 (nineteen years ago)

(Answer - 10mins before Sweden v Trinidad & Tobago)

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 8 June 2006 10:48 (nineteen years ago)

I wonder if Greavsie's Gaff will get dusted down again. I do hope so.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 8 June 2006 10:52 (nineteen years ago)

Not too sure about Des Lynam's fantasy league team either. Theo Walcott - hahahaha.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 8 June 2006 10:54 (nineteen years ago)

I was going to pop into Walkabout to ask them if they had their HDTV sorted in time for the World Cup but I was too embarrassed.

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 8 June 2006 10:54 (nineteen years ago)

"Anybody got any hot tips for World Cup big screen fun? I really can't make up my mind where to watch the games."

"My friend has just spent £500 on a projector to watch the World Cup on a big screen in his front room."

I think we all need contact details for Matt's friend.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Thursday, 8 June 2006 10:59 (nineteen years ago)

Openers to be watched in my house so I can keep an eye on BB evictions as well.

Saturday = pub + lots of beer + sunshine + going out for a meal with the mister, and Onimo, and Mrs Onimo. Hurrah!

(though, yes, Matt DC's friend sounds like a good person to know)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:03 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, who is doing HD broadcasts? I know the BBC were doing some Freeview testing of HD but I presume Sky-HD is the only way to see it at the moment (both Sky Sports and BBC feeds, I suppose).

Sat down with Pam last night and planned our the next phase of our house refurb marathon against a Wimbledon/World Cup/days-off-work calendar; came to the conclusion that I can watch the England games (one in a "private room" in a pub with workmates - for a tenner! Jeez), Italy-USA, two of the last sixteen games, the evening quarter-finals, the semis and the final and the occasional splash of tennis. Never mind, eh?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:07 (nineteen years ago)

Telewest also also broadcasting in HD.

There was some talk a week or two ago about Sky having problems supplying HD boxes in time to those who'd ordered them. Hopefully pubs were at the front of the queue.

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:18 (nineteen years ago)

(Freeview won't have a big enough slice of the spectrum to offer HD until analogue is turned off, I don't think)

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

I can think of a few pub landlords who deserve to be kept waiting ages to be served.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:20 (nineteen years ago)

What a cup!

Are people watching games in pubs and stuff next week? I might be in London.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:22 (nineteen years ago)

i don't really give a toss if the picture is HD or not.

seems pointless if the televisual image is being projected anyway.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:22 (nineteen years ago)

(re pubs)

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:23 (nineteen years ago)

It's *more* important if the image is projected! You'll really see every little shoelace!

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

Where can I get Dave B's spreadsheet. It sounds fun.

― caek (caek), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

It's *more* important if the image is projected! You'll really see every little shoelace!

yes but pub lighting and other factors conspire to compromise the picture quality often

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:25 (nineteen years ago)

Freeview won't have a big enough slice of the spectrum to offer HD until analogue is turned off, I don't think

Well, that's what I thought but apparently the BBC have been doing HD test broadcasts from Crystal Palace on a couple of Freeview channels; however, some boxes can't see those channels (like mine) and practically all boxes can't process the codec (most others). Some folks have been tapping the feed straight into a H.264 decoder on their PC and enjoying a bit of free HD.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:31 (nineteen years ago)

I don't want HD telly, I want black and white telly with spindly silver legs.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:46 (nineteen years ago)

you're weird sir

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:46 (nineteen years ago)

oh god, i should have preempted this on the pessimistic forecast thread: Govou has been called as Cissé's replacement... Every little ounce of hope I had has just vanished.

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Thursday, 8 June 2006 11:54 (nineteen years ago)

i dunno...Saha and Wiltord are probably better than Cisse anyway aren't they?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:00 (nineteen years ago)

Greg, I dare say there will be football watching fappage, there's already a thread for sorting it all out as well. Although I'll be avoiding England games in pubs.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:03 (nineteen years ago)

CHICKEN

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

I'll be avoiding England games in pubs

This is sooooooo back to front. I'll be watching all the other teams at home, but England down the pub whenever possible.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:21 (nineteen years ago)

in the Stow area or in town?

might watch England v T&T in a Clapton pub near me likely to be dominated by those of T&T descent. could be fun!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:22 (nineteen years ago)

Thanks people, esp Matt DC for the fappage thread link.

― Daniel Giraffe (Daniel Giraffe), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:23 (nineteen years ago)

in the Stow area or in town?

Probably Camden on Saturday (to the same pub me & my friends went to for 96, 98, 00, and 04 - it's not very good, but superstition/tradition drive us back there) and town on Thursday (AKA Bar - see other thread).

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

After "destroying" Lichenstein, my confidence in the Socceroos has go down again after the high of drawing with the Netherlands.

That said, I purchased a green and gold wig. If it doesn't work out, I can wear it during Brazil games.

― ESTEBAN BUTTEZ is a GE Money Genie (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

I hate watching England in pubs, they are always rammed with cockfarmers. A room full of friends is always my preference. Never watch England alone.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:32 (nineteen years ago)

you're lucky to have so many friends ;)

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

I will be watching in a room full of cuddly toys.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:41 (nineteen years ago)

ok i started this thread too early.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:43 (nineteen years ago)

yes.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:45 (nineteen years ago)

What is mexico's group like? I am looking forward to beers at 7.00am with my summercamp roommate.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:49 (nineteen years ago)

I've somehow been persuaded to come down from Oxford to London for tomorrow night. Will be watching the games in 93 Feet East. Is this going to as awful as I imagine?

The England game will be watched on a sofa with half a dozen like-minded idiots.

― caek (caek), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:51 (nineteen years ago)

The problem with watching at home is the digital signal is about two seconds behind the analogue one. So you either watch the decent digital picture then wonder why the bloke downstairs is shouting "gooaaaaallll" just as Beckham is about to take a corner. Or you watch analogue where it looks as if each player is being man marked by his shadowself.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:52 (nineteen years ago)

Mexico look as good as they always do. Will they make it through the group comfortably only to collapse in the second round yet again?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 12:55 (nineteen years ago)

I couldn't find my passport last night... Slept badly, then found it this morning, phew... Flying out tomorrow :) Yes I'm gloating, so fucking what :)

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 8 June 2006 13:13 (nineteen years ago)

I watched two of England's five matches at WC2002 alone, I think, and three of England's four at WC1998. I'm glad I was in a room full of friends for France 2-1 Italy at Euro2000, though. Glorious.

I won't be watching any of this WC alone - see PJM's post above.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 8 June 2006 13:21 (nineteen years ago)

WORLD CUP STARTS TOMORROW

I think I might end up watching saturday's game in my old jcr :/

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 June 2006 13:30 (nineteen years ago)

I watched England - Argentinia alone in 1998 due to getting stuck in traffic on the way back from a university open day. It was (more) awful.

― caek (caek), Thursday, 8 June 2006 13:30 (nineteen years ago)

It's all sinking in. It's starting tomorrow. And I'll be at work most of the time the matches are running. ARRRRRGH.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 8 June 2006 14:58 (nineteen years ago)

ok i started this thread too early.

NO YOU DID NOT -- see this ACTUAL SCREENSHOT from the official website as of 40 minutes ago!!!:

ihttp://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b356/olem/vm.jpg

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 8 June 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

ha ha

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

I hope the opening ceremony is tops!

I'm looking forward to some dodgy barnets, horrible fouls and great goals.

I'm gonna miss most of the first England game :(

― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 8 June 2006 15:12 (nineteen years ago)

I will be watching games on my own. I tend to blame other people in the room for jinxing England if things go pear-shaped.

― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 8 June 2006 15:14 (nineteen years ago)

I'm hoping Sven will change his mind and tell Theo he's out, and keep Defoe in.

― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 8 June 2006 15:15 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think I've ever watched an opening ceremony for a World Cup or Olympics ever - I watched a bit of the closing ceremeony from the Commonwealth Games 2002 because Jimmy Cliff was singing at it

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Thursday, 8 June 2006 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

oh can anyone confirm that it was Jimmy Cliff singing the Jamaican national anthem at Old Trafford last Saturday? it really sounded like him at the end. we didn't actually get a proper look at him even tho we were only about six rows back from the touchline.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 15:18 (nineteen years ago)

Opening ceremonies are great, make time to watch 'em.

― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 8 June 2006 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

Anyone game for a 'World Cup For The Western Hemisphere' thread?

― jergins (jergins), Thursday, 8 June 2006 15:36 (nineteen years ago)

It was Jimmy Cliff. He did two verses.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Thursday, 8 June 2006 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

Commentators commented.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Thursday, 8 June 2006 15:42 (nineteen years ago)

it seemed to go on forever.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 8 June 2006 15:42 (nineteen years ago)

I'm still undecided where I should watch the matches. None of the pubs locally are ideal; they are all a bit higgledy-piggledy with little viewing space.
I'll probally see the Germany/Costa Rica game in the local. I can get home from work for five, but I'll miss the opening ceremony!
Hopefully they'll be no Diana Ross missing the goal type hilarity for me to miss.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 8 June 2006 17:49 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, Jamaica got Jimmy Cliff, you got Frankie Baldwin off Coronation Street.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 8 June 2006 17:55 (nineteen years ago)

is america gonna win anything?

― phil-two (phil-two), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:10 (nineteen years ago)

Blatter is at it again..

is Sepp Blatter a senile power mad fascist?

BLATTER CALLS FOR 18-TEAM LEAGUES
http://tinyurl.com/ose4o

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:10 (nineteen years ago)

I'm glad I was in a room full of friends for France 2-1 Italy at Euro2000

You wouldn't have been if I'd been one of those friends.

― Crimea River (Mark C), Thursday, 8 June 2006 18:42 (nineteen years ago)

SURELY AN 18 TEAM LEAGUE IS NOT A PROBLEM FOR PORTSMOUTH, TEH NEXT CHAMPIONS OF EUR-etc

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Thursday, 8 June 2006 21:58 (nineteen years ago)

Wow, I wonder what odds you can get on germany winning 1-0 and poland winning 2-1 now that it's clearly rigged.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 June 2006 22:28 (nineteen years ago)

It's today kids! Are you all excited?

I'm resigned to missing most of the opening goal, mind.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 07:26 (nineteen years ago)

Germany - Costa Rica will be a 2-2 draw!

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 9 June 2006 07:28 (nineteen years ago)

I got in at 8.30 so I could leave an hour early for the erm gripping encounter between Germany and CR.

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 9 June 2006 07:28 (nineteen years ago)

fuck i'm too excited to work this morning!

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 9 June 2006 07:40 (nineteen years ago)

Tim Bopkins will no doubt be pleased to know that Kim Kallstrom is already reaping the karmic payback for his Panini indiscretion. The Swedish Stevie Gerrard hit a shot so hard in training it put his own first-choice goalkeeper out of the opener with concussion.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 07:43 (nineteen years ago)

Despite all my talk of boycotts, I am quite excited.

I should be home in time for the second half, despite finishing at 3.45. Tom's commute looks better than mine.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 9 June 2006 07:46 (nineteen years ago)

Getting home for the second half is my plan too - at least that way I get to watch some of it whilst Ava-wrangling before I have to move 40-odd boxes out to the shed, rearrange furniture, steam wallpaper, reconcile the Russians and the Chinese, etc.

Can't get WinTV to work on the PC in the corner of the office - some kind of driver issue. There's the big 32" thing in reception but no one sure is if the digital receiver works and everyone is too scared to stride out there and just turn the bloody thing on, so obvious will it be why we're doing it.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 9 June 2006 08:16 (nineteen years ago)

I'm resigned to missing most of the opening goal, mind.

So which bit do you think you'll see? The net bulging as the ball hits it? The look of despair on a defenders face as the ball crosses the line?

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Friday, 9 June 2006 08:37 (nineteen years ago)

Everything except the sweet sight of Jens Lehmann punching the ground in fury.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 08:39 (nineteen years ago)

Does Huth really play for Germany??

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 9 June 2006 08:45 (nineteen years ago)

I can't believe it's finally starting! And I'm pleased I haven't got a job for the summer right now!

I'm not exactly very knowledgeable about the state of North American football, but I was looking at how Costa Rica got through to the WC finals, and I feel that the Germans shouldn't have much problems winning comfortably. They qualified for the final group by only 3 points in a group consisting of Guatemala, Honduras and Canada...hardly world superpowers. Then they finished 3rd behind USA and Mexico, winning 5 games and finishing 3 pts above T n T. Out of those 5 games, only 1 was a win against USA, in a game which the US didn't really need to bother since they already qualified, and the 4 others were against _Guatemala and Panama and TnT. Not exactly very promising I think.

Ok, the Germans are no longer the powers they were in the past, but home support has always boosted the Germans when they are playing, and just the difference in class is enough. Ballack(will he play?), Schweinsteiger, Klose and Podolski are all great players.

I'd love to see a Germany-Italy final because that would piss off the world, but I like those teams too. This is unless Sweden go all the way of course :)

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:06 (nineteen years ago)

Sweden have 'surprise package' written all over them, I think. Kamakaze goalkeeper-nobbling notwithstanding.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:13 (nineteen years ago)

I'm putting an each way bet on Sweden. I don't think they'll win it, but they'll do well.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:16 (nineteen years ago)

Is Serbia and Montenegro the first team to represent a country that doesn't exist in the World Cup?

― Crimea River (Mark C), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:16 (nineteen years ago)

Costa Rica recently gave France a bit of a shock in a friendly so maybe not a complete pushover - depends on whether Germany get it together (struggled against Japan last week, many poor results in the build up) esp. without Ballack.

If England can't beat Sweden now (even tho they may not need to) they should forget about winning the trophy. I'd rather it was the second game for both of them - just to give it that extra significance.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:17 (nineteen years ago)

Well, I felt more confident about their chances during Euro 2004 than I do now. Our defence is a bit shakey, our goalkeeper(one of the best in the world!) is injured, Zlatan can't score, and neither Källström nor Anders Svensson have been convincing in their roles. But I hope Källström gets to play.

Wilhelmsson will surprise a lot of people!

Rami Shaaban was really promising when he played for Arsenal, I think. Had he not got injured he might still have been playing for them.

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:19 (nineteen years ago)

Konal: There's nothing that motivates Sweden more than playing against England. I'm thinking a draw.

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:21 (nineteen years ago)

Is Serbia and Montenegro the first team to represent a country that doesn't exist in the World Cup?

The Lost City of Atlantis beat the Germans 3-1 in a 1977 qualifier. If I remember correctly, there was an outcry over the state of the pitch. It was described as "a bit waterlogged".

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:21 (nineteen years ago)

There's also only one Montenegran in the entire squad as well. I'm sure he feels loved right now.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:22 (nineteen years ago)

How many Tobagians in the T&T squad?

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:23 (nineteen years ago)

Stupid question: Do Serbs and Montenegrians speak the same language?

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:24 (nineteen years ago)

Yes................................................. I think

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:26 (nineteen years ago)

The 1992 Euro Championships had a disintegrating Soviet Union entered as the "Commonwealth Of Independent States". Scotland beat them 3-0- :)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:34 (nineteen years ago)

Didn't Narnia win it in 1938?

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:35 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, I was going to mention that but was on the verge of saying that Scotland played CSI (xpost)

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:35 (nineteen years ago)

I know it's wrong but I find this to be so hilarious: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=370304&cc=5739

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:37 (nineteen years ago)

dada, i think there are 3 or 4, dwight yorke and russell lapaty certainly, there was a thing in 4 4 2 about it

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:39 (nineteen years ago)

In another clip a fan held a massive sheet that read, "Yankees Go Home." And in another clip, a fan held a sheet that depicted a U.S. player as the devil.

OMG HOW DID THEY COPE?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 09:39 (nineteen years ago)

One of our clients is spending the next 3 weeks as a guest of his good friend, Ronaldinho. I hate him so much.

― Crimea River (Mark C), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:09 (nineteen years ago)

I have a bad feeling about Kallstrom. his head is above the proverbial parapet and I fear it. His head, that is. Also because I know I have to Kallstroms lurking in my sticker album, but only one is visible, he has taken on a threatening kind of presence. I'm worried he will score the winner against England.

I hope that keeper lamps him.

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:19 (nineteen years ago)

Didn't Narnia win it in 1938?

Without such a successful precedent, Justin Fashanu would never have had the courage to come out of the closet.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:21 (nineteen years ago)

Didn't the Dutch East Indies or sumthin' play in 1934 and 1938? I'm away to check.

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:24 (nineteen years ago)

Hungary 6 - 0 Dutch East Indies

Stade Vélodrome Municipal, Paris, June 5, 1938

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:29 (nineteen years ago)

I also note that I was right after all at that pub quiz when I said that Egypt were the first African team to play in a World Cup, grrrrrrrr

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:31 (nineteen years ago)

Depending on your political viewpoint, then Palestine's appearance in the qualifiers might count too.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:35 (nineteen years ago)

(Or for that matter Israel)

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:35 (nineteen years ago)

Why don't Monaco enter a state team. Or Holy See?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:37 (nineteen years ago)

So the Dutch East Indies are bigger than Trinidad & Tobago?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:38 (nineteen years ago)

The Pope's Eleven? A whole squad of left-footers is surely not possible (xpost)

Dutch East Indies is now Indonesia, so, yes, just a tad bigger than Trinidad & Tobago

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:39 (nineteen years ago)

right wingers more like (arf)

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:41 (nineteen years ago)

The Pope's Eleven?

With a population of 932 Old Farts I think they'd struggle to beat East Stirlingshire. Maybe the Pope should offer free citizenship to the best 15 uncapped Catholic footballers in the world.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:44 (nineteen years ago)

"Cardinal error from the lad in red, Clive"

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:44 (nineteen years ago)

fun fact i hadn't noticed until now: Group A is the only group featuring four nations that were also present at the 2002 World Cup.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:45 (nineteen years ago)

With a population of 932 Old Farts

Martin O'Neill is a cert for the manager's chair, errrrrr, throne

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:46 (nineteen years ago)

I have Switzerland in the sweep. I hope they yodel their way to victory with a series of alpine horn-like 40 yard free kicks.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:48 (nineteen years ago)

The Swiss call their team the Nati -- which is pronounced Nazi.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:50 (nineteen years ago)

Are they playing in Yello by any chance?

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:50 (nineteen years ago)

Funny isn't it? You forget in the intervening 4 years just how much this all means. And it's not just about England - I'd be feeling just as excited if we hadn't qualified.

It's the first day of the World Cup: it's like the excitement of Christmas, your Birthday and the moment when you realised you were going to lose your virginity all rolled into one.

Listening to Moyles on the way to work this morning. He started with his normal stick then said "I want you to singalong to the first record, you all know the words", and then played Three Lions. And I was looking out the window of the car trying desperately to stop myself blubbing.

It struck me yesterday that I have cried more over football, for one reason or another, than any other thing in my life - be it romantic disengagements, family bereavements, or whatever. Sad but true!

There are times when Bill Shankley's famous comment on the importance of football seeems to be an understatement, and today is one of them. It may only be a game but, God, I love it! Bring it on! (and come on Costa Rica, of course.)

― Guilty Boksen (Bro_Danielson), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:54 (nineteen years ago)

My god, you're British! I think the "Bro" in your username fooled me.

― Crimea River (Mark C), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:56 (nineteen years ago)

come on England. fuck a Moyles and 'Three Lions' tho.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:58 (nineteen years ago)

It starts today - at 4 o'clock, the programme. I am hoping to catch the start.

I would like to watch some World Cup with some other people, some time.

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Friday, 9 June 2006 10:59 (nineteen years ago)

It's the first day of the World Cup: it's like the excitement of Christmas, your Birthday and the moment when you realised you were going to lose your virginity all rolled into one.

I think Brother Danielson just made a mess :-P

Good luck mate (even though I don't really mean it)!

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 9 June 2006 11:01 (nineteen years ago)

Lovelace - OTM about Wilhelmsson, cracking player. I'm suprised he's still at Anderlecht. Excellent haircuts as well.

― JohnFoxxsJuno (JohnFoxxsJuno), Friday, 9 June 2006 11:03 (nineteen years ago)

And it's not just about England - I'd be feeling just as excited if we hadn't qualified.

I'm all excited! And we didn't even qualify! (How many of you England fans didn't enjoy 1994 as much, or was it more fun because there was no vested interest?)

Also, Sweden, a resurgent Henrik larsson out for one last hurrah before going home?

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 June 2006 11:07 (nineteen years ago)

And Artur+Magic for Poland! And Nakamura for Japan!

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 11:10 (nineteen years ago)

'94 is my favourite World Cup of my lifetime. Maybe England not being involved helped that, I'm not sure.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 9 June 2006 11:12 (nineteen years ago)

Artur Boruc gives me teh fear! Japan can't even beat Scotland! I don't think they are really going to be troubling the latter stages. Sweden, however...

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 June 2006 11:13 (nineteen years ago)

That reminds me, the other night I was saying, "There's 4 Rangers players at the World Cup and only 3 Celtic players" and my friend said, "No, there's 4 Celtic players: Boruc, Zurawski, Nakamura, Larss... oh, forgot!"

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 11:14 (nineteen years ago)

I don't care if Japan do well, only that Nakamura plays well. I'd definitely like to see Poland do well however.

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 11:15 (nineteen years ago)

i am looking forward to watching wanchope later. i am a little disappointed there will be no ballack, though.

the world cup doesn't really start til 2 o clock tomorrow though. i plan to watch all 3 games, and wallow in my own filth.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 9 June 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

There's 4 Rangers players at the World Cup

Yeah, but two of those Rangers players are Rangers players in the way that Michael Ballack is a Chelsea player...

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 June 2006 11:23 (nineteen years ago)

(xpost) Ailsa, I enjoyed 94 enormously(and 74 and 78 - yes, I am that old), but my allegiance will tend to be with whatever home countries have qualified. And if we have no home country qualifiers my allegiance switches to Brazil. But you may be right about the lack of tension because of England's non involvement making it easier to enjoy.

If it wasn't for England I would also be hoping for Laarson to have a blinder of a tournament. Maybe he can have an off day against us and play well for the rest of the tourno?

Onimo, thank you for your totally unfelt regards and give my genuinely felt regards to Anne and the impending lump. You'll be pleased to know that Brother Danielson is back in control now.

― Guilty Boksen (Bro_Danielson), Friday, 9 June 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

"'94 is my favourite World Cup of my lifetime."

Mine too. It's the earliest one that I can remember and Sweden came third! And because of Hagi and Stoichkov in particular. And Argentina - Nigeria.

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Friday, 9 June 2006 11:27 (nineteen years ago)

Right, I'm off to get some beer and watch Costa Rica equal Scotland's record of 4 world cup match wins. My month of football starts right here!

Enjoy it folks.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 9 June 2006 11:53 (nineteen years ago)

Come on Germany!

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 12:01 (nineteen years ago)

OK, I've got a tenner on Germany to win 1-0. That seems like a safe starting bet for this tourney.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,198282,00.html

I'm lost for words...

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Friday, 9 June 2006 12:32 (nineteen years ago)

Holy fucking shit almighty.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 12:34 (nineteen years ago)

It's no wonder that in so many other nations around the world that don't enjoy all of the "luxuries" our free market society affords us — whether because nobody's run cable or fiber all over the country, or people simply can't afford them or even know how to use them, that the simplicity of playing a game with a readily available round ball can bring so much joy.

OMG OTM

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 9 June 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

Next time you roll your eyes and dismiss World Cup Soccer as uninteresting or unimportant, thank your lucky stars, and then try to imagine what it must be like not to have everything we have.

Thermonuclear LOLz

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

i was under the impression that soccer is the number one participation sport in the US?

― duff (duff), Friday, 9 June 2006 12:50 (nineteen years ago)

I thank God that I was born in America, where a kid can dream and with a little elbow grease can pursue that dream, have a family and inspire my daughter to pursue her dreams, and have a job where people respect me and where I can make a difference.

Fuck right off.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Friday, 9 June 2006 12:51 (nineteen years ago)

i was under the impression that soccer is the number one participation sport in the US?

Only amongst faggot liberal spics whose existence is a constant burden on this board's comic book reading fraternity.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 12:51 (nineteen years ago)

OMG! I have just received an email from an impeccable source working within the Treasury informing me that none other than G0rd0n Br0wn has delayed his flight to the Finance Ministers' G8 summit in Moscow SO THAT HE CAN WATCH THE FOOTBALL.

With such an example being set by the future leader of our country, do you think anyone would care if I ducked out of work an hour early?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

i would care

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:11 (nineteen years ago)

Gordon Brown really is a football fan

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

only messing, i wouldn't really.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

does anyone tell gordon that scotland aren't in the world cup?

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

did anyone

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

what are all those other crazy sports mentioned in the fox news article? ten...nis? basket...ball? i've never heard mention of these...luxury sports, prior to reading this american news source...

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

i'm getting desperate to leave the office now and head for Offside - thirst (and hunger) also a prime factor here.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:41 (nineteen years ago)

I also hear rumours that RIGHT SAID FRED are performing at the opening ceremony.

Get one gayest World Cup ever.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f7/FreddieLjungberg.jpeg/180px-FreddieLjungberg.jpeg

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:45 (nineteen years ago)

Worst World Cup Blog Ever?

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

OK, Matt DC google-proofing Gordon Brown's name must be some new kind of benchmark.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:48 (nineteen years ago)

Anyone else got the BBC stream up? This opening ceremony looks a bit bobbins. Amadou & Mariam, though! Skillz!

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

Jonathan Pearce, you sense, has not covered many opening ceremonies before.

Amadou & Mariam being shamefully sidelined by German 'crooner' (read: man in suit), here. Tsss.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:58 (nineteen years ago)

it's started!

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 9 June 2006 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

bbc1 coverage that is...

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

New BBC opening credits - they've really not tried very hard, and appear to have gone for the wussiest piece of classical music in German history.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.labour.org.uk/fileadmin/labour/template3/resources/blog/khans_150.jpg

Does his wage really not stretch to an England shirt that he has to use rilly bad photoshop techniques?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

Fuck, I'm gonna try and catch the second half (of the opening game not the opening ceremony)

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

lol just drew angola at the sweepstakes

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

And the BBC make their first "lol scotland r rubbish" gag 3 minutes in.

Here's a world cup all time highlights package set to a Super Furry Animals pop smash.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:04 (nineteen years ago)

MARTIN O'NEILL!

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:05 (nineteen years ago)

"He's interrupting already..."

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

xxxxpost
Gordon Brown really is a football fan

Yes, he was supporting Cowdenbeath at the match which won the third division championship, despite being in a (community) consortium to buy out Raith Rovers. Which is like a Spurs supporter supporting Arsenal in the champions league final.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

And the BBC make their first "lol scotland r rubbish" gag 3 minutes in.

That's why we all love England and want them to do well

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:10 (nineteen years ago)

120 DRUMMERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

yeah those crazy germans but LOL at the 'bell-bumming'!

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

I trust Jaki Liebezeit is among them! (xpost)

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

Is Stephane Guirvac'h part of this legends parade?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

Here come... Uruguay 1930! Oh, maybe not.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

Giuseppe Bergomi, or Patrick McGuinness of the hysterically funny "Max and Paddy's Road To Nowhere"?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago)

Dutch East Indies 1938!

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't see Breitner amongst that last lot (though, in lo-res internettovision...) I'm only interested in Breitner.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

and here's alan ball, i think he's saying something cos my dogs barking.

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:22 (nineteen years ago)

I'm amazed this live feed isn't breaking.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:24 (nineteen years ago)

Aki on Alan Ball.

And now, the Garth Crooks guide to etiquette.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

Lineker's anchoring really has got quite poor, hasn't it? He's not funny, he just sounds bitter and snipey.

"Martin, why do you think you didn't get the job?"

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:31 (nineteen years ago)

Chiles describing 98's grudge match "Axis of Evil 2, The Great Satan 2"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

*"Satan 1"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

Is O'Neill on the panel? Halle-fuckin-lujah! At least somebody with a bit of sense and who's not a cheerleader for the England team

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

You mean, unlike Alan Hansen?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 9 June 2006 14:45 (nineteen years ago)

And Lahm scores the first goal of the tournament.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:06 (nineteen years ago)

Fuck me that was a good goal.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, I mean unlike Alan Hansen (xxpost)

― Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

Boo. My £5 is already looking lost.

― Crimea River (Mark C), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:08 (nineteen years ago)

Striker! He must have a foot like a traction engine, etc.

Right, I've seen the first goal of the tournament, I'm going home.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

PAOLO WANCHOPE¬!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!11111!!!!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:13 (nineteen years ago)

Sweet.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

What a game!

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:18 (nineteen years ago)

Klose makes it 2-1.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

ARGH WANT TO LEAVE THE OFFICE NOW!!!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

this espn live gamecast is not doing it justice. want to be watching!

― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:23 (nineteen years ago)

Cough

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:27 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, but does that work for people OUT OF THE UK YA PUNK? ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:30 (nineteen years ago)

Not much liking the highlighter-pen flourescent yellow shirt worn by the ref.

― David Orton (scarlet), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:33 (nineteen years ago)

torsten frings could do with a haircut.

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

it's the WORLD CUP!

It's a month of alan shearer :(

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:50 (nineteen years ago)

For you lot. Hurrah for us here.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:52 (nineteen years ago)

And there's yr first Crouch pun.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:55 (nineteen years ago)

read the guardian minute-by-minute to see a shit joke by me

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Friday, 9 June 2006 15:59 (nineteen years ago)

I want M O'N to turn to S***rer and say, "Shut up, you dullard, you have nothing of interest to say. You should have been locked up for your challenge on Neil Lennon. And BTW after I've finished this, I'm off to Sunderland to work for the Blessed Niall."

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Friday, 9 June 2006 16:04 (nineteen years ago)

Claudia Schiffer, Guest Columnist

― jergins (jergins), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

That's about as much insight as Boris Becker offered, to be fair.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

god, i love the world cup.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:06 (nineteen years ago)

hey what is the penalty for (intentionally) kicking the ball back to yr keeper and him picking it up anyway? pk? free kick from the spot the field player kicked it?

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:17 (nineteen years ago)

Wait, what? I thought that was a legal pass.

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:20 (nineteen years ago)

That's about as much insight as ~~Boris Becker~~Alan Shearer offered, to be fair.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:21 (nineteen years ago)

Crump - not if the keeper picks it up, that's a backpass - if it's played to feet, that's fine, or if it's an unintentional deflection, or a header. Penalty's an indirect free-kick, regardless of location on the pitch, so even if it takes place in the penalty area then there's an indirect free-kick (i.e. a free-kick where the first touch cannot be a shot on goal).

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:24 (nineteen years ago)

thanks wbs

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

A FREI-UP

OH ROFFLEPAWS

― yuengling participle (rotten03), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:30 (nineteen years ago)

(The backpass rule was introduced in - what - '91 or '92? Plenty of backpasses before then. For certain teams, it was their trademark move.)

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:32 (nineteen years ago)

How many seconds can the keeper hold the ball without throwing/kicking it?

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:34 (nineteen years ago)

For certain teams, it was their trademark move

No idea who Jonesy's referring to here, oh no.

I'm *still* at work :(

the Germany game sounded pretty decent

― Porkpie (porkpie), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:35 (nineteen years ago)

Isn't it 6 seconds?

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:39 (nineteen years ago)

I think backpass rule was introduced around the 94 World Cup - I remember they used to have lots of discussion of it and the 'interfering with play' part of the offside rule on telly. That and Gheorghe Hagi.

I vaguely recall the holding the ball thing was initally defined as 'six or seven seconds'.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:43 (nineteen years ago)

Settled in with lunch and now for the next game...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:45 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway - Poland-Ecuador! 2/3 of Southampton's contingent at the tournament is in the Polish squad, I have just found out. POLSKA!

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:45 (nineteen years ago)

Backpass rule introduced in 1992.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:46 (nineteen years ago)

If it's any consolation, Porky, I missed all the goals after the first one as I was on the hottest, slowest bus on Earth. I'm going to watch the BBCi replay rather than bother with ITV coverage of Pol-Ecu (even though I know someone there...)

Didn't the holding rule apply to the number of steps taken by the 'keeper at one time?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:46 (nineteen years ago)

An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, commits any of the following five offences:
Takes more than four steps while controlling the ball with his hands, before releasing it from his possession4.
Touches the ball again with his hands after it has been released from his possession and has not touched any player.
Touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate.
Touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate.

Wastes time.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A419195

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:52 (nineteen years ago)

Yay, I learned something today! High fives!

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:56 (nineteen years ago)

It is impossible to juggel dandling, cuddly toy crowd control and football. I have reverted to my planned boycott of the World Cup. Looks like the new ball is an aide-aerial bendeur though.

PS: SonicStage is shit as well.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 9 June 2006 17:57 (nineteen years ago)

Takes more than four steps while controlling the ball with his hands, before releasing it from his possession.

This is surely the most ignored rule in football? I see keepers doing this all the time, maybe I am counting wrong somehow.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 June 2006 18:02 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe futbol steps are the same thing as NBA "steps."

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Friday, 9 June 2006 18:03 (nineteen years ago)

ha ha still at work!

Will have to be watching motd later methinks

― Porkpie (porkpie), Friday, 9 June 2006 18:03 (nineteen years ago)

rarely enforced (analogous to traveling in basketball), also to bounce the ball or to throw it up briefly in the air is to "release" it from possession

jaja ex-post

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Friday, 9 June 2006 18:04 (nineteen years ago)

If a player gets a red or two yellows, how long are they out for?

Is there any limit on pts. awarded for goal differential? If a team wins a match in pool play by 7-1 (I know, I know), they'd get 7 pts.?

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Friday, 9 June 2006 18:18 (nineteen years ago)

Poland/Ecuador seems like a total snooze.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 18:23 (nineteen years ago)

(Of course I say that right before a goal.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 18:24 (nineteen years ago)

Also, do both teams get a point for a draw?

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Friday, 9 June 2006 18:26 (nineteen years ago)

Yup.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 June 2006 18:26 (nineteen years ago)

germany were rubbish for a team that won 4-2, defence is hopeless. this world cup, i can feel it in my water, is shaping up to be a classic. ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK!

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 9 June 2006 18:36 (nineteen years ago)

eric wynalda (ex-usa player/studio talking head) is such a cock. at least he's less likely to bicker with julie foudy than with that italian dude of cups past.

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Friday, 9 June 2006 18:52 (nineteen years ago)

Ecuador just denied a stonewall penalty there. Poland are playing like their legs are made of lead out there, dreadful performance.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 19:20 (nineteen years ago)

Agustin Delgado hits a second! Where's Swygart when you need him?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 19:38 (nineteen years ago)

rfi -- which team is poland?

― Seriously, Try Punching This Guy in the Face and See What Happens (Enrique), Friday, 9 June 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

methinks yer man suarez has been watching rafa.

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 9 June 2006 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

The one that just lost. The one with the most Celtic players. I'm taking consolation from (1) Zurawski (Celtic striker) being the best player Poland has and it's not his fault he's surrounded by numpties, (2) I said already that Boruc - Poland's and Celtic's goalie, for those not paying attention - is shite and (3) I am pissed.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 June 2006 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

Allardyce looks strangely stilted on punditry.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 19:59 (nineteen years ago)

i can't believe allardyce hasn't burnt his bridges with bolton after his constant whoring of himself for the england job.

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 9 June 2006 20:05 (nineteen years ago)

Post Allardyce Bolton = post Walker Norwich.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 June 2006 20:07 (nineteen years ago)

Austrian tv coverage of the Ecuador/Poland match = "I can't believe we lost to those guys."

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 9 June 2006 20:10 (nineteen years ago)

(xxxxpost - its up there somewhere) The four step rule disappeared years ago to be replaced by the 6 second rule. From the FA "Laws of the game":

Indirect free kick

An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, commits any of the following five offences:

takes more than six seconds while controlling the ball with his hands before releasing it from his possession;

touches the ball again with his hands after it has been released from his possession and has not touched any other player;

touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately been kicked to him by a team-mate;

touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate;

How can the BBC get things so wrong?

― Guilty Boksen (Bro_Danielson), Friday, 9 June 2006 20:14 (nineteen years ago)

Watched both games tonight and three obvious truths have surfaced:

1. Germany are, yet again, there for the taking. This obviously means they will scrape a win when they need to; grind out a draw in the other matches; will then progress to the quarter finals without playing well and suddenly find a streak of good form to progress to the final' where they will win the tournament unless they are playing Brazil, in which case they will be totally outclassed.

2. Poland are as awful as I thought they would be.

3. I have succumbeed to paying £2 just to get into a pub next Thursday afternoon

― Guilty Boksen (Bro_Danielson), Friday, 9 June 2006 20:19 (nineteen years ago)

4. Anybody who gets out of the group stages can win this.

Yes, I'm saying this already.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Friday, 9 June 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)

Ecuador fucking rule. Essentially, the game plan is Greece 04 - be faster than them, be stronger than them, be prepared to run yourself into the fucking ground, never, ever let the bastards have anything. Every time Ecuador got the ball the Poles looked like they were having kittens. Poland also didn't seem to realise that hitting balls over the top when their defenders are bigger, stronger and quicker than your strikers does not constitute any kind of a game plan. Costa Rica had more attacking gumption than Poland - admittedly, this was solely because they had Wanchope, but still. Ecuador, basically, beat Poland shitless.

This, however, has the effect of leaving the group wide open. Ecuador did Poland easy, but the Ticos are very different - they play the ball on the ground much more, and in Wanchope they have a striker who looks pretty confident on the ball and seems to have an aptitude for making his own openings. Plus, Ecuador also concede a hell of a lot of free kicks, and with Paolo's skills, that means Costa Rica will probably have a fair few opportunities. Two other parallels with Greece 04: 1) the defence works hard enough and cuts off shooting chances to such an extent that it hides the fact that the keeper is, how you say, shonky; 2) Greece only lost one game in Euro 2004 - in the group stages, against a Russian side that had been ripped to shreds in both their previous games. Ecuador today looked like a team who were really, really hungry to cause an upset. How are they gonna handle being the over-dogs?

Also, Poland will have come off the pitch knowing that if they play like that against Germany... well, reactions will not be favourable. Best believe they will be raising their game against them - thing is, on that performance, it might not be enough - the Germans will give them chances, but they'll also be causing them a ton of problems at the back. It's not over yet, though.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 20:38 (nineteen years ago)

germany's offside "trap" can be sprung with ease - england would have nothing to fear from them, little mickey would run riot. i'm not sure if germany's attacking players would look quite so dynamic against a better side, too (although mickey ballack is still to return).

wanchope took his goals superbly, the way he manouvered his long legs for the second was sublime. seems Good Wanchope turns up quite regularly for Costa Rica - at club level he is interspersed with unhealthy doses of Bad Wanchope. two chances, two goals - not bad at all.

cracking game, though, the first and last goals were special.

i was a little puzzled to hear rte commentators describing ecuador's win as a surprise - was anyone genuinely shocked to hear that a middling european team was beaten by side that qualified from a tough south american group? south american football doesn't begin and end with the big two, and i think england will find this out to their cost tomorrow - paraguay to get a draw. chile, uruguay, colombia and paraguay have performed respectably at world cups i can recall, its bizarre that these teams get treated like minnows sometimes.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 9 June 2006 20:47 (nineteen years ago)

I think more or less every preview I've read has ruled out Ecuador's form due to the fact that all their home games are played at altitude, and their only away win in qualifying was in Bolivia - also at altitude. Ecuador have also only been to the World Cup once before, in 2002, and they didn't really do anything of note while they were there, so that's what they were going on instead. Plus Poland have two Saints players in their squad, so, y'know.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 20:51 (nineteen years ago)

aye, true, i remember bolivia did well in '94 qualifying at altitude, and were poor in the tournament itself.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 9 June 2006 20:54 (nineteen years ago)

this altitude thing is crap and the pundits all know it, people who train in thin air should be in much better condition when they play at sea level.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Friday, 9 June 2006 20:57 (nineteen years ago)

Also, do they all play only at Quito?

Poland looked hesitant and only started to look even remotely menacing when their backs were to the wall, though two shots off the woodwork must have been a little dispiriting.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 9 June 2006 21:00 (nineteen years ago)

I think the point (if any) about altitude was that they were predominantly successful at home where the opposition would be unaccustomed to the conditions. But it's not a convincing point.

ITV's coverage is fucking unbearable.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Friday, 9 June 2006 21:03 (nineteen years ago)

Aye, it's not the effect that the altitude has on Ecuador as the effect it has on their opponents is what affects people's thinking - I'm pretty sure they beat Brazil in qualifying at home, for instance. You're right in that Ecuador looked to be in fantastic physical shape, though, much stronger than Poland (even though Tenorio looked shattered when he came off after about an hour), and they used their physical advantage to basically knock the stuffing out of them, which is how they got their goals - the first one was a header from a flick-on from a throw-in, Poland's concentration lapsed and Tenorio outpaced his marker and snuck in for the header; the second one... through ball to Kaviedes, Poland don't even bother trying to track back, Kaviedes knocks it across the face of goal and Delgado taps it in - 80th minute, by which point Poland had pretty much crumpled.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 21:05 (nineteen years ago)

this altitude thing is crap and the pundits all know it, people who train in thin air should be in much better condition when they play at sea level.

the point is not that ecuador/bolivia come undone in neutral conditions, it's that the opposition *don't* come undone like they would at altitude.

of course, there is also the possibility that playing at altitude was just a minor factor in ecuador's qualification, and the main reason for it was their all-round footballing excellence. this seems to be the case.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 9 June 2006 21:05 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think Poland were wholly useless. Playing the lone striker was a mistake, and they seemed to want to take too many touches round the penalty area, but they could easily have scored before Ecuador went in front and it would've been a very different game. Both of them look capable of competing with Germany, who were much less convincing than their score implies.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Friday, 9 June 2006 21:10 (nineteen years ago)

The Guardian's profile of the new kings of football

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 June 2006 21:13 (nineteen years ago)

Having watched both games (and only vaguely paying attention to the second), I have to say I'm happy with the prospect of England meeting any of these four teams in the group stages.

I'm putting a tenner on Swygart to win the Golden Boot on this thread.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 9 June 2006 21:38 (nineteen years ago)

ecuador gameplan was genius. go all out from the kick-off, grab a goal, relying pon yer superior stamina to get you through the second-half war of attrition, hit em on the break for the ko. suarez otm.

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 9 June 2006 21:43 (nineteen years ago)

The only thing ITV have over the BBC so far is that their clock/scoreboard caption is larger, clearer and therefore easier to read through pub windows when you're dashing for the bus home. I understand the desire to stick to yr corporate font in all things, but at that size and with that weighting, the BBC thing is unreadable at distance.

Feel bad for my Polish friends who won tickets on eBay for tonight's match and drove over for it.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 9 June 2006 22:48 (nineteen years ago)

Is there any limit on pts. awarded for goal differential? If a team wins a match in pool play by 7-1 (I know, I know), they'd get 7 pts.?

-- The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (crump...), June 9th, 2006.

Goal difference is only used, as a tiebreaker, if 'points' (3 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss) don't seperate the teams at the end of the league stage. It's goals scored minus goals conceded, so a 7-1 victory would give a goal difference of +6, but that wouldn't do you any good if you got fewer actual points than the team above you. Sometimes in qualifying tournaments goal difference acquired in games against the weakest team in the group doesn't count, to prevent turning the whole tiebreaker into a daft "who can score the most against San Marino" contest, but in the World Cup it's assumed everyone's good enough that that's unnessecary. There's no maximum limit (to answer your question at the end of a big pile of stuff you didn't ask about).

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 June 2006 23:51 (nineteen years ago)

If a player gets a red or two yellows, how long are they out for?

The rest of the game, and the next match. If the red is for something especially awful, the ban might be extended by the governing comittee.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 June 2006 23:55 (nineteen years ago)

Thanks Gravel, I thought Germany's 3 pts. were 1 for the win + 2 for the goal differential, and that sounded like a screwy system. (Obviously, because I made it up out of whole cloth.)

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Saturday, 10 June 2006 00:01 (nineteen years ago)

Germany looked good up front, but down back? Yikes! Poland were terrible.

Regarding the remaining fixtures in this group, Costa Rica v Ecuador could be highly entertaining, whereas one would expect Germany to deal with Poland in a similar fashion to the way they did in 1939. The reverse fixtures will be a Poland loss and another win for the Fatherland.

― Michael Collie (Sans Sushi), Saturday, 10 June 2006 01:25 (nineteen years ago)

-- Gravel Puzzleworth (mostlyco...), June 10th, 2006 1:51 AM.

Scotland to thread.

(Went out in 74 by failing to score the most against Zaire and 82 by failing to score the most against New Zealand.)

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Saturday, 10 June 2006 06:53 (nineteen years ago)

"German crooner" at the opening ceremonies was Herbert Grönemeyer, who's responsable for the Neu! reissues.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Saturday, 10 June 2006 07:31 (nineteen years ago)

SPORTZ IS LHAME

― ramon fernandez (ramon fernandez), Saturday, 10 June 2006 07:50 (nineteen years ago)

Aldo: right in '74, but getting stuffed 4-1 by Brazil in '82 might've had something to do with your exit too ;) You actually scored more against New Zealand than Brazil and USSR...

I'm not sure whether the more recently-preferred tie-breaking method of head-to-head results counting above goal difference is in force at this World Cup. For example, imagine a scenario in group A where Poland ultimately finish level on 4pts with Ecuador (let's say Pol 1-1 Ger, Pol 4-1 Crc, Ecu 2-2 Crc, Ger 2-0 Ecu); Poland have superior goal difference to Ecuador (+1 to Ecu's 0) but lost the head-to-head and so finish behind them.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 10 June 2006 08:11 (nineteen years ago)

Goal difference sucks. Especially if you are Scottish.

See Euro 96 where Scotland need England to beat Holland by four goals to go through on goal difference. England go four up, possibly the only time I've cheered England ever. Then, with just over ten minutes left to go, that big useless lump of a keeper Seaman sees Kluivert running at him and opens his legs so wide that a fleet of double decker buses could have accompanied Kluivert's shot through them as well. Bastards. (though if Gary McAllister had scored that penalty, if Uri Geller hadn't been fucking about making the ball bobble or whatever he was doing up in that stupid helicopter...)

Then there's Italia 90. Knockout stages to feature the best-placed teams in third place. Scotland were there! Cut to South Korea v Uruguay. Some Uruguayan scores about twenty minutes into injury time. uruguay go through, Scotland are, yet again, out.

(this has nothing to do with goal difference, and the first has nothing to do with the World Cup. I just like having a moan)

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 10 June 2006 08:33 (nineteen years ago)

What a start. The best opening to a World Cup I've seen. Surprised by just how crap Poland were though - but they hit the post twice late in the second half.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Saturday, 10 June 2006 08:56 (nineteen years ago)

One thing I noticed: everybody's goal celebrations seemed relatively subdued. No somersaults from Klose, no expression of exhiliration or jumping for joy from Wanchope, Delgado etc.

As Frings was running up (and an aeon passed) - you kinda knew it was about to go in, eh?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Saturday, 10 June 2006 09:00 (nineteen years ago)

Anyone been listening to the Baddiel & Skinner podcasts? Have just downloaded and will be listening shortly.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 10 June 2006 09:17 (nineteen years ago)

How is the ball different this time around?

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 10 June 2006 09:34 (nineteen years ago)

rounder, lighter

― theantmustdance (theantmustdance), Saturday, 10 June 2006 09:35 (nineteen years ago)

there's a little robot inside piloting it

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Saturday, 10 June 2006 09:35 (nineteen years ago)

Baddiel and Skinner just talking doesn't quite work as well as they do on the telly with clips and stuff.

The ball is like those crappy ones you buy for kicking about on the beach and you don't care if it floats off to sea. I foresee lots of bendy free kicks and goals like that one Frings scored yesterday.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 10 June 2006 09:38 (nineteen years ago)

they should go back to the old rock-hard brown type that makes you bleed when it's whacked at your padless shins.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Saturday, 10 June 2006 09:41 (nineteen years ago)

Yes! And jumpers for goalposts!

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 10 June 2006 09:45 (nineteen years ago)

How much lighter is it than the one used 4 years ago?

Poor goalies, they'll have a hard time in this tournament.

(its worth repeating how bad itv's rating of Ecuador was after yesterday's game, no disagreement with Lord Gullit whatsoever and Pearce wasn't even opening his mouth at points -- it'll be really funny if, were eng to meet 'em, an Owen dive sent them through to the QF, say, or eng were knocked out by them.) xp

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 10 June 2006 09:52 (nineteen years ago)

Any suggestions for a player to loathe now that Kahn looks like sitting this one out? Preferably German. Thanks.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 10 June 2006 10:03 (nineteen years ago)

Why not just loathe his replacement? Jens Lehmann - he has silly hair and he plays for Arsenal. What's not to hate?

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 10 June 2006 10:08 (nineteen years ago)

Kahn didn't look gutted after costa rica scored their 2nd - keep hating him plz! :-)

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 10 June 2006 10:23 (nineteen years ago)

Just can't get worked up about Lehmann even if he did cost me points in the fantasy world cup, tho you're right about the hair/Arsenal combo. Was much easier in the tache/perm/short shorts days, I could hate the whole team then....Klinsman's still punchable tho. And otm xyzzzz.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 10 June 2006 10:29 (nineteen years ago)

Motty: "Let's not forget, when we won the World Cup in 1966 we started off with a draw against a South American team, 0-0 against Uruguay, so maybe if that happens today we could consider it an omen."

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Saturday, 10 June 2006 11:07 (nineteen years ago)

Sven: "This side are fitter than the squads I had in either Japan or Portugal. We did tests before the tournaments that prove it."

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Saturday, 10 June 2006 11:11 (nineteen years ago)

Martin O'Neill, one suspects, may not be on the panel for England games. Ian Wright will probably not appear for anything else.

Today's episode of Stubbsy In Your Ear: Geoff Hurst. He's no Alan Ball. In the background, the bloody awful Lumidee vs. Fatman Scoop single.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Saturday, 10 June 2006 11:40 (nineteen years ago)

IN OTHER NEWS: Togo's manager has quit over their row about paying the players' bonuses!

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Saturday, 10 June 2006 11:47 (nineteen years ago)

Motty: "More than half the stadium is a sweeping mass of red, white, and blue." Erm, that's Paraguay's colours, isn't it?

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Saturday, 10 June 2006 11:51 (nineteen years ago)

Just spent an hour in Sydenham Sainsbury's - England shirts & flags, PA playing all 37 WC06 England songs, shelves cleared of Stella and Carlsberg, "Come on England" on every available surface.

I wish I was watching this World Cup in Scotland.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 10 June 2006 11:53 (nineteen years ago)

I'm going to go for a 30 minute walk. By the time I get back, Paraguay better have taken a 3 goal lead.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 10 June 2006 11:56 (nineteen years ago)

Now, that was a proper national anthem.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 10 June 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

Beckham blasts - Believe

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:03 (nineteen years ago)

GOAL!!!!!

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:04 (nineteen years ago)

I'm going to go for a 30 minute walk. By the time I get back, Paraguay better have taken a 3 goal lead.
-- Dom Passantino (juror...), June 10th, 2006.

PSYCHIC DOM

― Seriously, Try Punching This Guy in the Face and See What Happens (Enrique), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:04 (nineteen years ago)

x-post -- ...in the power of own goals, you mean.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:04 (nineteen years ago)

Lawro claiming goal would have gone in if the centre-half hadn't headed it. Do you need O-level physics to work for the Beeb?

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:08 (nineteen years ago)

Sobbing keepers are just about the saddest thing ever :(

― Crimea River (Mark C), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:08 (nineteen years ago)

And now Paraguay's goalie is out with an injury. Yipes.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

i like the big spidery pattern thing.

― Seriously, Try Punching This Guy in the Face and See What Happens (Enrique), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:12 (nineteen years ago)

Lawro: "the free kick was arguably struck too well by Frank Lampard" = straight into charging defender.

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:13 (nineteen years ago)

Chiquidracula?

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:21 (nineteen years ago)

don't mind if i do.

― Seriously, Try Punching This Guy in the Face and See What Happens (Enrique), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:26 (nineteen years ago)

i like the big spidery pattern thing.
Has anyone warned them that there's an alien spaceship hovering overhead?

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

Oooh! Paraguay close!

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:49 (nineteen years ago)

Possession: England 51%, Paraguay 49%

Motty sez: "England have looked comfortable there. And in fact should be further ahead, given they've had so much of the ball."

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:51 (nineteen years ago)

I am hoping the big spider thing gets down and dances for the crowd during the break.

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

England have been quite poor - only Beckham seems to have much of a feel for this new-fangled ball. Why can't Lampard and Gerrard shoot like that for their respective clubs? There would be so much less evil in the world.

I think I'll watch Henin-Kuznetsova instead.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

Chris Birchall's World Cup Diary!!!!!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 10 June 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

ENGALAND ENGALND ENGALAND

― ken c (ken c), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:00 (nineteen years ago)

THAT WAS BORING!

― Seriously, Try Punching This Guy in the Face and See What Happens (Enrique), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

Yes but the video links to crowds cheering the first goal around the UK was lovely. Brought a little tear to my eye.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

I just gave all the Paraguay players 10/10 on the BBC website to boost their ratings a bit.

Feels like a 1-1. First set Henin-Hardenne, btw.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:16 (nineteen years ago)

Ooh, there's a kids' commentary option on BBCi!

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:18 (nineteen years ago)

Lawro: "He was like a big banana running at him"

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:20 (nineteen years ago)

(That wasn't the kids' commentary, BTW)

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:20 (nineteen years ago)

I missed Owen going off - do we know why?

― Crimea River (Mark C), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

According to the BBC "he was off the pace all day".

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

Cause he was sucking hard.

What did Crouch ever do to piss off the ref so much?

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:27 (nineteen years ago)

Lawro (on ref): "I think he should be given both barrels"

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:45 (nineteen years ago)

"The whole nine yards."

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:45 (nineteen years ago)

Thanks heavens it's getting a bit more exciting all of a sudden...

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

If England win the world cup I'll streak around etc etc etc.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

Christ, winning by one goal that deflected off a defender - let's pray they're going to warm up soon.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

Dire.

Henin wins!

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

I suppose the 3 points are in the bag so confidence won't be lost. Sven's substitutions were odd, weren't thy?

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

That was a slog.

I'm off to run a few errands but I hope to be back in time for the end of the Sweden/Trinidad and Tobago match, at least.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:55 (nineteen years ago)

That might be interesting (not least because Swedish men tend to be *hot*).

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

Naturally all the action was in the first five minutes, which I missed. Bleh.

― pleased to mitya (mitya), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:57 (nineteen years ago)

Sven's face is redder than Clough in his prime.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 10 June 2006 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

Lineker: So, Big Al, is Eriksson's decision not to bring on Walcott for Owen an indication that maybe he thinks he's not ready?
Big Al: Well, no, what it suggests is, err, err, err... fuck me, help me out on the earpiece!... someone!... Eriksson thinks he's not ready.

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Saturday, 10 June 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

Rubbish game. I suspect Jermaine Defoe and Andy Johnson will have been incredibly fucked off watching that - Crouch as lone striker Does Not Go. Why didn't he bring Walcott on? We had fuck all in the final third, if you think Theo's good enough to be your fourth striker, why not bring him on? Sitting on a 1-0 was... oh, soddit. It's three points, and you probably can't argue with facts. Assuming England beat T&T (and poor as England were, they should still be good enough to do that), they ought to be through - while Sweden aren't necessarily any worse than us, if they have one of their games where Zlatan doesn't turn up, Paraguay could well get at least a point off them. Valdez looks very handy, Paredes looks like a Robbie Savage type irritant in midfield - going forward, they didn't look too bad. It's difficult to tell how they are at the back, given that they had bugger-all to deal with after the first half.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Saturday, 10 June 2006 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

Also - really, REALLY irritating thing was Lawro's continual insistence that Crouch needs someone to head it on to, as if that's all Crouch can do. Crouch was good in the first half because he was part of an attacking line, and what he was good at was holding the ball up, keeping possession, keeping it away from defenders, winning set pieces, making little passes and touches - aerially, he didn't actually seem to have that much. Give him someone to pass it too - he doesn't necessarily have to have it played to him in the air.

But yeah, Sweden-T&T. Kim "Evil Twin" Kallstrom vs. Chris "Me Mum" Birchall. Pubward Ho!

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Saturday, 10 June 2006 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

I watched T&T agaisnt Wales, and if I was English I'd be worried. They created an awful lot of chances against them, they're a much better side than Jamaica.

England were dreadful today though. Except in the eyes of Sven, who thought they "got better as the match went on." WTF?

Owen substitution "tactical". Aye, right.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Saturday, 10 June 2006 14:07 (nineteen years ago)

Should also be pointed out that England did look very good in that opening half hour or so - problem arises if they don't score early against T&T - if that doesn't happen, then the nerves may start setting in, and if the nerves set in... that Dennis Lawrence, he's got a good forehead for a big man.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Saturday, 10 June 2006 14:11 (nineteen years ago)

Brazil or Argentina will eat us alive based on that second half performance.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 10 June 2006 14:12 (nineteen years ago)

What irritated me from both the pundits _and_ Sven was the idea that Englands final thirty minutes of play constituted "Italian" style sitting on a 1-0 lead. When have you ever seen any Italian team defend a lead with that much pressure on them? Cattenaccio revolves around playing it from a flat back four with a thinned midfield and the occasional route one move. It doesn't involve doing your impression of Butch and Sundance with eight men in the penalty area.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 10 June 2006 14:12 (nineteen years ago)

i'm hoping the ivory coast-argentina game will prove entertaining. go elephants!

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 14:12 (nineteen years ago)

England look like the least convincing footballing team in this group, on the basis of the first half there.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Saturday, 10 June 2006 15:51 (nineteen years ago)

yeah right

― David Orton (scarlet), Saturday, 10 June 2006 15:56 (nineteen years ago)

Worst haircut so far goes to Christian Wilhelmsson. I think he just got kicked because of it.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:06 (nineteen years ago)

that was a shit call.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:08 (nineteen years ago)

Ljunberg's receding hairline is funnier than Wihelmsson's rat's tail.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

No way, it's a RAT TAIL.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:18 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah but it is very much in context due to Germany hosting the competition!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:22 (nineteen years ago)

Hmmmm.....no, still no excuse.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:25 (nineteen years ago)

This is a bloody brilliant match, though, come on T&T!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

no kidding! SHAKA HISLOP!!!

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:50 (nineteen years ago)

Coming back for the end of this as promised -- wow, go Trinidad and Tobago! Great result here, if it holds.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

YUS!

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

I know Hislop is a KING!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

AMAZING MATCH!

― pleased to mitya (mitya), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

Did you know that all the T&T players were awarded with houses when they qualified?`

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

Absolutely fantastic team performance with Hislop playing some incredible footy. Looked like they could have defended all night with Lungberg made to look very ordinary.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:57 (nineteen years ago)

Blimey charlie! Sweden cowed by 10-men Trinidad & Tobago!

Looks good for England, they looked much better - for the most part - than Sweden, and T&T = Paraguay.

― David Orton (scarlet), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:58 (nineteen years ago)

carlos edwards, too, was pretty impressive.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:58 (nineteen years ago)

Very much so. Although Sweden showed an amazing committment to keep on fighting. I worry for England facing either team based on today's performances.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 16:59 (nineteen years ago)

I thought they both looked better than England for much of the match. Not that it matters, yet.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Saturday, 10 June 2006 17:00 (nineteen years ago)

Now come on Cote d'Ivoire!

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Saturday, 10 June 2006 17:01 (nineteen years ago)

Now that would be cool! (I got them in the office WC pool)

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 10 June 2006 17:01 (nineteen years ago)

after the US, cote d'ivoire are my boys.

i just wish there was a bar i could watch the games at... montana doesn't like soccer very much.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

stern john! shaka hislop! SOCA WARRIORS

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Saturday, 10 June 2006 17:05 (nineteen years ago)

I hate the World Cup :(

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Saturday, 10 June 2006 17:25 (nineteen years ago)

Forget the World Cup for now

5Live are reporting: Pompey are lining up some big deals

Nicholas Anelka ! is on the back to the prem ! at pompey - negotiations are ongoing
Defoe - a 10 Million bid ! This will smash Pompey's Transfer record, but will other clubs such Liverpool ? came in gazump?
Sol Campbell - lining up a bid ! BUT How much are his wages !

Tony Adams is being lined up to Number 2 / Assistant Manager

.....

Also
Andres D'alessandro could still be signed from Wolfsburg

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Saturday, 10 June 2006 17:31 (nineteen years ago)

Pompey in £12m bid to land Defoe
POMPEY have made an astonishing £12m bid for Jermain Defoe.
http://tinyurl.com/obkqd

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Saturday, 10 June 2006 17:35 (nineteen years ago)

Southgate's racist comments are so hilarious because he doesnt even realize that they are infact racist.

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Saturday, 10 June 2006 17:49 (nineteen years ago)

Argentina have a perfectly good goal..ignored?

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 10 June 2006 18:16 (nineteen years ago)

i just wish there was a bar i could watch the games at... montana doesn't like soccer very much.

Ditto Mississippi. I wish I still lived in Oxford -- I bet they have the matches on at Proud Larry's.

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Saturday, 10 June 2006 18:17 (nineteen years ago)

crespo makes it 1-0 to the argies. ivory coast look good so far, though.

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Saturday, 10 June 2006 18:25 (nineteen years ago)

According to David Pleat the Ivory Coast have Le Tissier in goal or something.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Saturday, 10 June 2006 18:25 (nineteen years ago)

saviola. "beautiful" says drudry.

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 10 June 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

thoughts on the 1st half:
does riquelme have piles or an ingrowing toenail? he always looks so pained.
ivory coast's shirts dont half hold the sweat. they'd be better off playing in all denim.

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 10 June 2006 18:41 (nineteen years ago)

ivory coast is looking good, but yikes. saviola's goal was nice, but wasn't anyone paying attention to him??

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 18:45 (nineteen years ago)

2 shitty commentators:
tyldesley: stated that beenhakker's half time team talk could be "be cool man" or something similar.
drury: called zokora "a packet of fun".

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 10 June 2006 18:47 (nineteen years ago)

tyldesley said "chill out" in a dodgy accent. The cunt.

These are the 2 best teams of the tournament so far?

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Saturday, 10 June 2006 18:52 (nineteen years ago)

Definitely more of a match than the first game of the day.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:00 (nineteen years ago)

the american commentary is sort of hilarious -- they can't stop mentioning NCAA basketball. they even called the world cup "the big dance."

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

drogba and some argie throwing elbows on a corner were "battling in the paint."

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:13 (nineteen years ago)

argentina look very good, they keep the ball so well.

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:20 (nineteen years ago)

everyone has been anticipating messi so much that they all sort of forgot about saviola, I think.

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:25 (nineteen years ago)

how many 'new maradonas' does this squad contain?? messi + tevez + saviola + riquelme + aimar... anyone I've missed? you'd have to say that's a lot of maradonas, in any case.

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:29 (nineteen years ago)

They breed them in vats from generous amounts of Maradona's discarded skin.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:30 (nineteen years ago)

dude has had serious work done, huh?

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

MARADONA'S LIPOSUCTED FAT MORE LIKE. and ever since i mentioned the argentine ability to keep the ball they've been treating it like a live hand-grenade. only to be expected, i suppose, in the GROUP OF DEATH

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

FINALLY!

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:40 (nineteen years ago)

Why does Pleat keep called them the Ivorians? He's not saying Argentinians. Pleat's a cock.

― dmun drive-in (dmun), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:40 (nineteen years ago)

"the game has turned 360 degrees!"

...

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

"A SMILE ON THE FACE OF WEST AFRICA!"..."THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE PATRONISED". please itv, get rid of him.

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

rodriguez offside! best game so far by a mile.

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

Come on Elephants...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:47 (nineteen years ago)

HOW MUCH STOPPAGE????

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

naughty, drogba.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:49 (nineteen years ago)

oh, fuck this time-wasting substitution bullshit.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:50 (nineteen years ago)

great game and as i stated earlier this world cup is looking ace. (still, ivory coast are handicapped by those sticky shirts i tell yer)

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:54 (nineteen years ago)

Best game so far, easy. The best and worst of Argentina, but they look very very dangerous. They certainly know how to hit teams on the break. Riquelme is gonna be a treat to watch. Holland and Serbia won't be looking forward to playing either of those two.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

"the game has turned 360 degrees!"

LOL. I noticed that, too. I was rooting for Drogba and the Elephants, but oh well.

― pleased to mitya (mitya), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:57 (nineteen years ago)

i'm still pulling for the elephants, but argentina would have been a stellar acid test

and yeah, those jerseys wtf.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 19:59 (nineteen years ago)

here comes rio kutcher! rooney's dog's dead. LOLS!!

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 10 June 2006 20:06 (nineteen years ago)

yawn

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 10 June 2006 20:16 (nineteen years ago)

forget chelsea, s-w-phillips is a lovely guy.

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 10 June 2006 20:36 (nineteen years ago)

that rio show was even worse than PUNCKTT. every time it got nearly interesting rio ran in with the high 5s. could have been loads funnier ie. beckham jumping out of the car (not safe) or rooney with the dead dog (well safe).

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 10 June 2006 21:24 (nineteen years ago)

That was such a typical England-under-Sven performance. Pretty good for the first 45, utterly insipid and toothless for the second, complete with baffling negative substitutions. It's a big worry if Sven really has decided Theo Walcott isn't ready, in which case he's pissed away one if not two perfectly good striker positions in the squad.

I think it's more likely he was resting Michael Owen and also being naturally tactically cautious. Didn't work, obviously. Still, three points in the bag, especially given the Sweden/Trinidad & Tobago result. Sweden appeared to have a real cow's arse/banjo thing going on.

Argentina v Ivory Coast was a humdinger. Argentina look like World Cup winners on that performance and I fancy the Ivory Coast to get out of the group as well.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Saturday, 10 June 2006 21:59 (nineteen years ago)

what does the britisheshhes think of michael davies, espn page 2's columnist/blogger/Chelsea fan?

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 22:08 (nineteen years ago)

3 points = nice 1
hargreaves already= wake me up when it's over

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 10 June 2006 22:11 (nineteen years ago)

i still think we'll win it. laugh or not in a month.

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 10 June 2006 22:25 (nineteen years ago)

gbx, where would we have come across him? The name doesn't ring a bell.

― Crimea River (Mark C), Saturday, 10 June 2006 22:36 (nineteen years ago)

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=davies/index

http://sports.espn.go.com/keyword/search?searchString=michael_davies&rT=sports

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 10 June 2006 22:43 (nineteen years ago)

The quality of the Argentina v Cote d'Ivoire match only further emphasises how utterly dull the England v Paraguay match was.

Cheers.

― John Doze (Dough Boy), Sunday, 11 June 2006 00:47 (nineteen years ago)

I enjoyed Sweden / Trinidad much more, to tell you the truth.

― pleased to mitya (mitya), Sunday, 11 June 2006 01:13 (nineteen years ago)

daer joe cole: plz stop falling down and rolling around screaming on every play kthxbye

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Sunday, 11 June 2006 03:15 (nineteen years ago)

By the time I wake tomorrow, Serbia should have 3 points in the bank!

― nicky lo-fi (nicky lo-fi), Sunday, 11 June 2006 07:13 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, after what happened against France and Portugal two years ago you'd think we'd have moved on from the idiotic tactic of trying to defend a 1-0 lead for 85 minutes. For the first ten minutes or so we were all over them, then it turned into the most boring game of the World Cup so far. I was convinced Paraguay would equalise with about 5 minutes to go. What is the point of Owen Hargreaves?

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Sunday, 11 June 2006 07:30 (nineteen years ago)

Professional scapegoat.

He gets put on when England are looking worse and more likely to concede, so he can soak up all the blame.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Sunday, 11 June 2006 08:28 (nineteen years ago)

you'd think we'd have moved on from the idiotic tactic of trying to defend a 1-0 lead for 85 minutes.

not only that but still giving the ball away so easily all throughout the second half.

still Paraguay can't be that good if they couldn't take advantage of England's sloppiness. England are playing badly and still winning, as they have done for a while now - and I still think this bodes well in a warped way. Brazil's first match against Turkey four years ago wasn't that convincing either. We were trying to remember if a World Cup winner ever actually lost a game en route to the final.

I was also trying to work out who was the last Tom to play for England. Anyone know?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Sunday, 11 June 2006 08:35 (nineteen years ago)

Tom Finney can't be the right answer, surely?

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Sunday, 11 June 2006 08:43 (nineteen years ago)

There was a Liverpool player called Tommy Smith before my time (60s? 70s?), but I don't know if he played for England.

I can't think of any World Cup winners who lost a game, but I don't remember any World Cups before 1982. I know Italy started really badly then, but I don't know if they actually lost.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Sunday, 11 June 2006 08:55 (nineteen years ago)

Tommy Wright, around the early 70s.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 June 2006 08:59 (nineteen years ago)

Tom Huddlestone, some point next year ;)

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 11 June 2006 09:27 (nineteen years ago)

We were trying to remember if a World Cup winner ever actually lost a game en route to the final.

Argentina lost their last first-phase game to Italy 1-0 in 1978. West Germany did precisely the same thing vs East Germany in 1974. They were also thrashed something like 8-3 by Hungary in a group game in 1954 before beating them in the final (World Cup Stories painted this as a masterstroke by the German coach - fielding a team of reserves in the group match). That might be the lot.

Tommy Wright was one of a clutch of Everton players in that England 1970 squad. Gordon West was supposed to be Banks' understudy but didn't (I think) want to leave his family for the summer. How different the quarter-final might've been with him in goal instead of Bonetti...

Tommy Smith only got one England cap - in a match against Wales in '71. His next cap was Geoff Nulty's knee-cap in the Goodison derby in 1980. Hard but unfair, that was Tommy.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 11 June 2006 10:28 (nineteen years ago)

Ha ha, I confused Tommy Smith with Jimmy Case. Or Geoff Nulty with Roy Vernon. They all merge into one long scream after a while, these perceived Everton injustices.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 11 June 2006 10:32 (nineteen years ago)

Dutch prepare for S&M

headline from those witty japesters at espn.com

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Sunday, 11 June 2006 10:53 (nineteen years ago)

once England-Paraguay was out the way, yesterday was great fun, aside from being in a pub on me tod.

The weird thing about the Trinidad game - they weren't that organised (or didn't seem to be), they were physically pretty much outclassed, and they weren't playing particularly defensively either. They kept trying to get forward but either fell over or the Swedes broke their moves down comfortably after a couple of passes. I can see why Sweden played like they did - they were getting plenty of chances, and they had no reason to rush - the whole game, they were on top, they pretty much looked like they'd score eventually. Wilhelmsson, aside from his shit hair, was carving open opportunities all the time, T&T's marking was fairly haphazard... and yet somehow they managed to hold themselves together. Hislop had a really good game, and if the midfield had a bit more brawn they could really give people some bother - Edwards looked quick and alert, well capable of giving people some hassle, and Birchall looked a very tidy player in the middle. Brent Sancho also seemed to be performing heroics more or less every time the ball came near him, him and Gray flying back to get in Sweden's way. They didn't seem to have much in the way of a plan, just an incredible desire to keep the Swedes out... and somehow, it worked. Best bit was the last twenty minutes, the game just slowed to a crawl, and there was something wonderfully amateurish about how the Trinidadian players started feigning injuries - Dennis Lawrence suddenly acquiring groin strain for about thirty seconds was a marvellous sight. I'm not sure if they can really go much further than this, cos they don't seem to have much attacking presence, and it's difficult to imagine them getting much change from the England back four - their one hope might be Paraguay holding Sweden, then they somehow nick a goal against Paraguay while Sweden can only draw with England... it could happen. It probably won't, but it could. Zlatan will probably decide to have a good game against Paraguay, though.

Argentina-Ivory Coast - not much more to say, other than that Argentina looked scary good at the back. The only time they conceded was when the only time they let Ivory Coast have a second chance at goal - other than that, they kept them out so efficiently... the Ivorian running was incredible - Boka and Zokora were really electrifying - but they couldn't find openings, and when they did, they couldn't seem to put in the killer pass. They seemed to focus all of their attacks on getting the ball to Drogba - did they have two strikers? I honestly wasn't sure - ITV don't display the formations on their graphics, which is daft, and apart from that I couldn't tell if Kalou was doing anything. It was fascinating to watch, though, cos Ivory Coast never stopped trying, and Argentina never looked at all worried - they'd soak up the pressure. I think the key for them was Abbondanzieri - he looked like the most reliable keeper I've seen thus far. Everything he was called on to do, he did so confidently - he caught every cross he came for, held every loose ball, and just looked like the kind of keeper that can really give his defence the confidence to go about their jobs calmly. Tezie... not so much.

I like the Ivorian shirts. Very nice shade of orange, innit?

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Sunday, 11 June 2006 12:11 (nineteen years ago)

is robben wearing orange boots?

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Sunday, 11 June 2006 12:17 (nineteen years ago)

Robben decides to score rather than diving shockah.

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Sunday, 11 June 2006 12:18 (nineteen years ago)

You know, variety.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 June 2006 12:23 (nineteen years ago)

I liked, yesterday, how Beckham's armband and boots were carefully co-ordinated to the Paraguay shirts. Does he have different ones lined up for future opponents, or was this a happy coincidence.

(I am ashamed that this is the best observation I can make after being in the pub for about nine hours yesterday, though we did miss a fair chunk of Argentina v Ivory Coast by being in a restaurant). ITV's coverage really is appalling - at the end of the match they didn't even show the goals we'd missed!

That Rio Ferdinand show was the worst thing I have ever seen on television. Roffle! at David James discussing art with a fairer display of intelligence than the utterly uncharismatic Rio could muster! Lol! at Wayne Rooney agreeing to donate £50,000 to an animal charity! Chortle! at Gary Neville accepting a speeding fine with not even so much as a protest rather than indulge in police corruption! What a bunch of silly old fools!

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 June 2006 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

had to roffle at van basten sponging himself down on the bench there. his team are looking quite good though, way more posession than the serbs.

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Sunday, 11 June 2006 12:38 (nineteen years ago)

Dutch prepare for S&M
headline from those witty japesters at espn.com

And appropriated by Gary Lineker for a bit of amusement at Ian Wright's expense. Laugh? I thought I'd never start, etc.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 June 2006 12:46 (nineteen years ago)

well it made me laugh, but then i'm easily amused.

delighted at having managed to dl both MOTD highlights shows so far tho - if this keeps up i might not even have to buy the official souvenir/review DVD which will probably come out in August but be rub.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Sunday, 11 June 2006 12:50 (nineteen years ago)

Gary Neville accepting a speeding fine with not even so much as a protest

They should have claimed somebody else in a red car was offside when he was speeding, he would have protested then.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Sunday, 11 June 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

Watch out S&M have 6ft 8 Zigic ON...a Portsmouth transfer target

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Sunday, 11 June 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

daer joe cole: plz stop falling down and rolling around screaming on every play kthxbye

This is my only real beef with soccer, all the flopping and bad acting.

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Sunday, 11 June 2006 13:07 (nineteen years ago)

Think of that aspect as like watching unintentionally bad/great movies, Mr. Crump. Same appeal.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 June 2006 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

Ugh. Yes, it has exactly the same appeal to me. (

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Sunday, 11 June 2006 13:18 (nineteen years ago)

And before anyone else points it out, YES I HATE FUN. I HAVE ALWAYS HATED FUN.

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Sunday, 11 June 2006 13:20 (nineteen years ago)

It's most soccer fans' main beef with the game! I think people are holding out for New Video-Evidence Overlords to sweep the problem away.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Sunday, 11 June 2006 13:22 (nineteen years ago)

BUT TEH MAGIC

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 June 2006 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

"The word official comes from officious, and that's appropriate for this referee". Piss off.

I loved the early-80s New Wave style Mexican ref yesterday. Excellent hair,

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 June 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

Would anyone seriously object if Rio Ferdinand were dropped from the squad just for being such an awful, terrible human?

Are there are higher quality streams than the bbc one? It's fuzzy as anything.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Sunday, 11 June 2006 13:31 (nineteen years ago)

yay orangemen. so they played reasonably well, no?

― pleased to mitya (mitya), Sunday, 11 June 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

I love Martin O'Neill. Just saying, like. Celtic = home of top quality pundits.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 June 2006 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

(he was refusing to get embarrassed by them dragging out a clip of Nottingham Forest singing a bad football song, claiming that he was the pin-up boy of the Forest team, and that his appearance on the single led Robert Plant to phone him up and ask him to rewrite Stairway to Heaven for him. He's really good value as a pundit, and even more so when they sit him next to Ian Wright)

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 June 2006 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

¡Viva México!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 June 2006 14:46 (nineteen years ago)

Fuck -- local affiliate pre-empting for infomercials and church services.

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Sunday, 11 June 2006 15:01 (nineteen years ago)

BUH?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 June 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

I mean, seriously, that's goddamn ridiculous.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 June 2006 15:05 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway, Mexico one up!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 June 2006 15:33 (nineteen years ago)

And now equalized. Good match here!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 June 2006 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

Iran have certainly enriched this tournament, heh heh.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 11 June 2006 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

I wonder if they'd have shown the soccer if it were teams other than the Job Stealers vs. the Nuclear Terrists. I wouldn't put it past them.

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Sunday, 11 June 2006 15:51 (nineteen years ago)

Well, 2 and a half days in and it seems that the English match is the only semi-boring (I enjoyed the first half!)we've had so far.

Great to see the supposed also rans putting up a good display. I think we may have some real shocks to come later in this competition. I mean, is anyone going to bet against Ecuador getting through the group stages? Iran could get through their group and the Ivory Coast are not out of it yet, either.

I'm loving every minute of it (even the boring parts). And there's weeks of this to come!

― Guilty Boksen (Bro_Danielson), Sunday, 11 June 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

Iran have certainly enriched this tournament

But will they bikini nuff? Do they want to win atoll costs?

― Crimea River (Mark C), Sunday, 11 June 2006 16:08 (nineteen years ago)

What's the deal with the 5th official? I've never seen this before this tournament, and google doesn't know ANYTHING about them. Are they just a sub, in the same way that the 4th official used to be before becoming important?

― Johnny B Was Quizzical (Johnney B), Sunday, 11 June 2006 16:19 (nineteen years ago)

Jonathan Pearce is deriving slightly too much pleasure from his pronounciation of Mehdi Mahdavikia, isn't he?

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Sunday, 11 June 2006 16:29 (nineteen years ago)

Mexico up another -- sweet. Just hold it out through the end of the game...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 June 2006 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

And one more! Beautiful.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 June 2006 16:39 (nineteen years ago)

I think the 5th official is a substitute linesman, as opposed to a substitute referee, so if a linesman gets injured you don't have a referee doing his job.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Sunday, 11 June 2006 16:42 (nineteen years ago)

that third was a joy to watch.

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Sunday, 11 June 2006 16:42 (nineteen years ago)

That Zinha's got style. What does "Zinha" mean? My guess is "Shorty".

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

And now, for Haikunym, the Republica Deportiva Senadoras.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:05 (nineteen years ago)

Zinha's goal was lovely. Well as they played I can't see Mexico going too far: they won't respond well against opposition that denies them space.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:08 (nineteen years ago)

intriguing prospect of Mexico v Portugal now greater. tho really i just like describing every fixture as 'intriguing' beforehand.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:11 (nineteen years ago)

Intriguing like the kicking match I'm expecting between Angola and Portugal?

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:15 (nineteen years ago)

Why, did you peek at what happened last time they played?

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:17 (nineteen years ago)

I heard about that the other day, but I'd already guessed there wouldn't be much love lost.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:20 (nineteen years ago)

Iran are a very good side going forward, though suspect at the back.

Guilty Boksen OTM, England's match the poorest so far. And you all laughed at me yesterday when I said they looked like the worst footablling side.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:22 (nineteen years ago)

England = prime exponents of the "hoof it up to the big lad" technique (see Norway, Wimbledon, various other teams of little note and success). Yawn.

Best bit of England game = Robinson hoofing the ball up so high it hit that stupid spidery thing.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:28 (nineteen years ago)

We exchanged texts on this very topic yesterday.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:38 (nineteen years ago)

When actually you should have laughed because, as I see now, I failed to spell "footballing" correctly. xpost to myself.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:39 (nineteen years ago)

hopefully we'll see Carrick or Carragher start against Sweden and there'll be less hoofing of the 'up to the big lad' nature.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:41 (nineteen years ago)

We did, yes. (I do remember, I was still relatively sober then.) I thought I should share my wondrous insightfulness with the rest of ILX. I'm sure they appreciate it.

(xxpost)

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:42 (nineteen years ago)

see Norway, Wimbledon, various other teams of little note and success

Up your arse :)

― Crimea River (Mark C), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:45 (nineteen years ago)

I'm just hoping that Sven's realised there's NOT MUCH POINT LEAVING CROUCH UP FRONT ON HIS OWN. Jesus. *slaps forehead*

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:46 (nineteen years ago)

hopefully we'll see Carrick or Carragher start against Sweden and there'll be less hoofing of the 'up to the big lad' nature.

Unless they replace Beckham and Gerrard, the worst of the '60 yard ping' offenders, it's hard to see how that'll be the case.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:48 (nineteen years ago)

(sorry Mark, but come on, Wimbledon's route one malarkey is not exactly sexy football, is it? also, no-one really sits down and thinks, cor, that Dave Bassett knew a bit about good football, do they?)

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:49 (nineteen years ago)

Difference between Becks and Gerrard being that Becks' 60 yard pings tend to reach a man who isn't sat in row CC.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:49 (nineteen years ago)

would go with alternating Gerrard and Lampard per game - might be a less painful decision with Gerrard on a card already plus ongoing fitness question mark.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:52 (nineteen years ago)

I'd be happy to drop Gerrard for Carrick.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Sunday, 11 June 2006 17:54 (nineteen years ago)

Pauleta scores within 4 minutes (and could've had one after just 12 seconds).

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Sunday, 11 June 2006 18:04 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, this game is starting out as a washout.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 June 2006 18:05 (nineteen years ago)

nice goal, though! and how that defender let Figo blow by him is...unbelievable

― gbx (skowly), Sunday, 11 June 2006 18:08 (nineteen years ago)

While I was cribbing before the match, I read that now Pauleta has the second-highest number of goals scored in Portuguese history, second only to Eusebio.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Sunday, 11 June 2006 18:11 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, and it's about time we saw a high goal-scoring complete wash-out this tournament!

― Lara (Lara), Sunday, 11 June 2006 18:14 (nineteen years ago)

Okay, that Angolan keeper can writhe on the ground all he wants and I won't call bullshit.

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Sunday, 11 June 2006 18:15 (nineteen years ago)

I saw Mexico and Iran each score a point in the game this morning. The second actually happened too fast, so I didn't see what happened until it was replayed. I like the way the player on Mexico's team ran on after making the goal: it was all sort of understated.

― youn (youn), Sunday, 11 June 2006 18:17 (nineteen years ago)

oh, merkinpaws.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Sunday, 11 June 2006 18:19 (nineteen years ago)

The one guy on Univision says "Chilavert" about every 30 seconds and sometimes "Chila" and just made a big speech about "who better to tell us about how to be leader in a sporting event in a critical moment than... CHILAVERT?"

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Sunday, 11 June 2006 18:29 (nineteen years ago)

Wait, I read it wrong: Pauleta broke Eusebio's record and is number one.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Sunday, 11 June 2006 18:36 (nineteen years ago)

Ricardo vs. Ricardo

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Sunday, 11 June 2006 18:45 (nineteen years ago)

Pleat witters on about Ronaldo substitution as Portugal nearly score second.

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Sunday, 11 June 2006 19:20 (nineteen years ago)

teams of little note and success

That was the bit I was complaining about, Ailsa :)

― Crimea River (Mark C), Sunday, 11 June 2006 19:52 (nineteen years ago)

so far : its been pretty good! i've been enjoying it all more after i decided to avoid all studio punditry. the itv commentary has been particularly awful though (reaching laughable proportions during southgates "they're just naturally lazy" type comments). with all these extra digital channels maybe one day they'll broadcast commentary free matches.
best team by a mile so far : argentina.

― zappi (joni), Sunday, 11 June 2006 20:06 (nineteen years ago)

Radio 5's commentary was pretty much entirely occupied with identifying which Angloa players were of a build similar to premiership players like Yakubu and Papa Diop. And mantaining incredulity that teams from smaller countries are playing well and reusing to hand a half dozen goals to large European countries / former colonial masters.

re Gerrard giving way for Carrick. I was mystified that Gerrard wasn't substituted and Joe Cole was. Beckham's 60 yard pings are generally terrific if there's anything to aim for. One benefit of the Crouch lone striker was the wealth of slow motion shot of the gandly old sod taking a ball to the side of the head under the challenge of a player a full foot shorted than him, forcing the main part of his bulk backwards more quickly than his head and feet and collapsing in an inelegant heap.

re SOuthgate are Boro getting im as a manager just to see hw far they can push the FA? The man is totally inarticulate and has to crowbar words out of his mouth to form a sentence. Luckily the BBC is still inspiringly inane re. Lawerenson "Robinson looks like a big banana!"

― matthew james (matthew james), Sunday, 11 June 2006 20:18 (nineteen years ago)

I watched Univision, as well. The ABC/ESPN folks were driving me batshit. During the ABC broadcast of Mexico-Iran, baseball bore Dave O'Brian barely got through ten minutes before providing some long-winded, half-witted "political context." I tried to listen to Adrian Healey and Tommy Smyth, an awful English and Irish tag team, but when Healey said that "Lisbian" was the capital of Portugal, oops, I had to switch back to the Spanish.

Pablo Ramirez kept pimping Chilavert, but Chila was on the commentary team after all. But right before, he kept babbling about Akwa's two chilenas (bicycle kicks)-- did that contribute to the racket? I was dozing. That game put me to sleep.

― Dickerson Pike (Dickerson Pike), Sunday, 11 June 2006 21:09 (nineteen years ago)

Wow! BBC's guide to Leipzig is currently explaining how David Hasselhoff reunited Germany!

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 June 2006 21:18 (nineteen years ago)

i'd drop lampard rather than gerrard, even though lampard's international form (and performance yesterday) is/was better. lampard may look a little better when they play together, but gerrard with a holding midfielder is miles more influential than lampard with a holding midfielder, imo. he's got a much better range of skills, a better range of passing, a more unorthodox, sometimes puzzling way of controlling balls that look like they're slipping out of his reach - he bosses games more than lampard at club level, and he frightens people more. gerrard may give the ball away a little more, but he's worth it, at his best. i'd drop lampard for carrick, would also consider dropping becks if lamps makes a good enough claim as a substitute (as gerrard is also outstanding when he plays narrow on the right hand side for pool). becks retains his place for now, despite a middling performance yesterday, because his set-pieces look like england's most likely route to goal.

for me, it's either:

cole - gerrard - carrick - becks

cole - lampard - carrick - gerrard

trinidad's no's 5 and 11 were awesome yesterday, as was shaka in goal. i am unconvinced by the wasteful ibrahimovic, and was not impressed by some of the positive write-up's he got from yesterday's performance. it's difficult to see him putting away his chances regularly, he likes to over-elaborate.

i thought robben and figo were tremendous today. i was impressed with the latter's running legs - a great workrate for 90 minutes, and an incredible burst of pace for the goal - not bad for a man his age.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Sunday, 11 June 2006 21:31 (nineteen years ago)

1) why was ibrahimovic dropping deep every time sweden attacked?
2) the group of death really is very strong this time. s & m and ivory coast both played well in defeat. but why "death"? i've never liked that.
3)figo looks superb in that playmakers' role but what will happen when deco is fit?
4) i like the mexico manager with his fags.
5) kilian otm. gerrard looks shit for england because he isn't given the same license to get forward. anyone who thinks he should be dropped before lampard is either mad or scottish.

― michael wells (michael w.), Sunday, 11 June 2006 21:37 (nineteen years ago)

1) I was going to comment about La Volpe's chain-smoking. Dude rules.
2) I don't think the difference is that much between Lampard and Gerrard, especially given Gerrard's lack of great international performances. Whatever happens tho, the two of them in the middle is not working. I think Joe Cole's less than convincing too, but he's probably the best option we've got on the left. I just wish he'd link up with Ashley C more, he ignored his runs too often on Saturday.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Sunday, 11 June 2006 21:50 (nineteen years ago)

Sure those wetbacks can play some!!!

― Joe Humvee Suburbia (Sans Sushi), Sunday, 11 June 2006 21:50 (nineteen years ago)

Surely Ian Wright must be kicked out of punditry, now, finally? "I don't care about any of these other teams that aren't England so I don't want to talk about them". FINE BUT WHY ARE WE PAYING YOU TO DO ANALYSIS ABOUT THEM THEN MORAN?

Ian Dowie, on the other hand, I've always liked. And he now has a nifty new catchprhrase! "Here's a classic...".

― Ally C (Ally C), Sunday, 11 June 2006 22:21 (nineteen years ago)

Adrian Chiles' continued bafflement at anything tactical that Dowie tried to explain to him was marvellous. In fact, I think Adrian Chiles is marvellous. I think the whole BBC coverage should just be him, Martin O'Neill and Gordon Strachan. With one appalling pun from Lineker at the beginning and end of the programme.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 June 2006 22:27 (nineteen years ago)

ITV just shouldn't be allowed to cover games ever.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 June 2006 22:38 (nineteen years ago)

So I missed the last two games today. Should I regret this?

I am greatly looking forward to the Czech team SMASHING the US tomorrow.

― pleased to mitya (mitya), Sunday, 11 June 2006 23:03 (nineteen years ago)

1) I was going to comment about La Volpe's chain-smoking. Dude rules
What was the yellow thing on his necktie?

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Sunday, 11 June 2006 23:12 (nineteen years ago)

port-angola was pretty meh. i do like adrian healy/tommy smyth, though, particularly when smyth gives healy shit about england.

ts: ricardo la volpe vs robert de niro

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 12 June 2006 00:02 (nineteen years ago)

Six games in two days, random thoughts:

'It's better to be lucky than good' so the saying goes, and that's not saying anything against Beckham's free kick but out of charity I feel like saying nothing further about a lackluster England team apart from 'How do you get off subbing off Joe Cole right at the moment when he's most likely to do damage?' My best to the Paraguay keeper who had to leave early. Despite the tears (and they are allowed in football unlike baseball) you retain the possibility of recovery and hence vengeance, if you're lucky. Good luck with the hamstring, or whatever it is.

Germany: You can't give up that many goals - especially not to Costa Rica, or, perhaps I should say chapeau to the Costaricans, but y'all deutschies ain't gonna get far past the group stages, if'n y'all don't close up that gaping hole behind y'all's midfield, ya heah?

Ecuadaor: Thank you for playing positive football, mostly, despite the talk about your qualifying only through the elevation of your capital. The Bolivians need an excuse too, so don't bogart that one too much.

Iran: Fcuk you, you m*****fu**ers, snd your dickhead President too, or should I say, more him than you. Ok, maybe the gesture of the bouquet to Sanchez gives youa break, but still. I saw all of your citoyennes or expatriate females wearing their veils AND SOME NOT at the game (at least they can come to the games in Germany) and you do piss me off, not the least for winning your sole-to-date World Cup game, ever, against us, but, hey, even I will say that you played valiantly, and how do I say this, but, uh, Mexico, "Congrats and all, you schwein, well played and all but don't forget, Oswaldo's tragic loss aside, we'd love nothing better than to see you trip up and, be honest, you'd love to see the same of us. I hope Borgetti's hamstring is OK.

Holland & Argentina: I think you won't win it, or I hope so, but then I'm just an asshole, but thanks for bringing some beautiful football to us, confident but tactically not stupid. Robben is payed obscene amounts for a reason. I don't know what Riquelme makes at Villareal, but he either just showed that he's earned or just showed that he's worth more.

T & T: Hislop, God love you. Personally I see no interest in being a pin cushion, God willing, but you did an awesome job and anything that makes the Swedes tend toward the more Bergmanesque side of their nature makes me happy. Please forgive me, or not, as the fancy finds you.

Angola: I stood in a pub of your former colonialist masters' supporters (I never had anything against y'all before I first heard Figo) but as bravely as you played, will lose them all playing them that way.

USA: Please don't choke against the Czech Republic like I think you might.

― M. White (Miguelito), Monday, 12 June 2006 01:03 (nineteen years ago)

That is, I never before had anything against Portugal.

― M. White (Miguelito), Monday, 12 June 2006 01:07 (nineteen years ago)

The Czechs'll play some of the most beautiful but fragile football of the tournament, if their 2004 form still holds good. No choking required.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Monday, 12 June 2006 06:39 (nineteen years ago)

Rooney has nobbled Walcott from behind. Crouch is only fully fit striker in England squad.

!!!!

Who *is* the holding midfielder?

I did not watch any football yesterday, but I did watch some high octane motor sport, including the first ever woman to take part in a Formula 1 pit stop. This surprised me. She jumped up and down in delight afterwards, which is probably why it's discouraged.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:19 (nineteen years ago)

I got so sick of ITV shilling the Grand Prix during their football coverage that I wouldn't have watched it even if I'd intended to.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:22 (nineteen years ago)

Hargreaves, with stunning predictability, appears to have edged ahead of Carrick if we do use a holding midfielder. However, I very much doubt we will.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:30 (nineteen years ago)

I think it might be time to make a Hargreaves voodoo doll.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:36 (nineteen years ago)

Has it only been three days? Thoughts so far:

Germany vs Costa Rica: Excellent opener, lots of good football, lots of chances and lots of good goals. Better teams will destroy both of these but who cares. Wanchope not getting enough credit for two excellent finishes.

Poland vs UCUADOR!: Ecuador officially installed as my favourite underdogs after this. An excellent performance against a poor Polish team with baffling tactics.

England vs Paraguay: Boring long ball crap from England. Crap crappy crap from Paraguay. Joe Cole played some nice football when he wasn't rolling a round in fake agony. Rest of them were meh. Sven still playing for laughs with his tactics and subs.

T&T vs Sweden: To be fair to Sweden they did create two hundred and sixty-four chances, but if they have any pretentions of making an impact on this tournamet they need to be much more ruthless. Excellent result for Dwight & Co - shame about Jim Rozenthal (I think it was?) saying "but above all else a great result for England!"

Argentina vs Ivory Coast: Missed most of this to squeeze some food into my all day birthday booze binge but caught the highlights. Both teams looked more than capable of beating anyone else in the tournament so far. Crespo for teh golden shoe.

Serbia & Montenegro vs Holland: That Robben lad looks useful eh? Poor second half after a brilliant first half.

Mexico vs Iran: Thought for a while that the Mexicans were going to bust my sevenfold, but their quality shined through in the end. It's good to see BRAVO appear on screen when someone scores.

Angola vs Portugal: Okay I was pissed by the time this started. I just watched the goal on the BBC web site and I have no recollection of it from last night. It's been a while since we've seen Figo breeze past someone like that.

Three good games in prospect today. I don't think I'll see the Aussies vs Japan :(

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:39 (nineteen years ago)

I draw the line at booing Hargreaves, unlike some idiot Englanders.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:40 (nineteen years ago)

ECUADOR*

(doh!)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:40 (nineteen years ago)

I like long ball football and anyone who says I don't is a liar (and a football rockist but that's another argument).

England weren't playing long ball football on Saturday, at least not properly. They were belting lots of long balls at PC but mostly in desperation. The team wasn't set up to exploit the long ball and Crouch is not the kind of target man you need to do it properly.

England's goal shows the benefits of fizzing it in the mixer, by the way.

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:46 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not booing Hargreaves, I'm just praying he breaks a foot in training.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:48 (nineteen years ago)

The team wasn't set up to exploit the long ball and Crouch is not the kind of target man you need to do it properly.

That's why I said "long ball crap" - they weren't even doing it properly. To have a midfield of Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham and Cole and bypass it so often is criminal.

xpost

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:50 (nineteen years ago)

Argentina - Ivory Coast is the only thing I have enjoyed so far.

Oh, and the fact that Ecuador beat Poland.

One thing I like about Hargreaves - I have never heard him speak, not even in writing.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:52 (nineteen years ago)

In which case you should have said cr@p long ball: your sentence implied that long ball was necessarily cr@p. Or at least, that's how I read it. Though I was mostly replying to Ailsa's rockism upthread: World Cup 2006 is HERE! This is the thread for the tournament itself - let the MAYHEM commence!

I've also decided to like Owen Hargreaves, though it's not clear to me that Sven knows how to use him.

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:54 (nineteen years ago)

Did anyone watch Rio's Jolly Japes? I couldn't face it.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:55 (nineteen years ago)

Wonder what the feeling about the Dutch team is over there re not coping well enough with the heat and not creating more chances. Van Nistelrooy didn't seem to make much impact in his first ever World Cup match.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:56 (nineteen years ago)

"2) the group of death really is very strong this time. s & m and ivory coast both played well in defeat. but why "death"? i've never liked that."

This has been talked about in respect to these teams, two of which have been involved in recent wars...since its group C it has also been called the group of class.xxxp

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:56 (nineteen years ago)

Re: Rio Does Beadle. I saw half of it cos I was too knackered to get up and leave the room. You don't need to be told how bad it was.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:58 (nineteen years ago)

Rio's Jolly Japes = Punkd with footballers, I saw 5 minutes of it. Not at all funny.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 12 June 2006 07:59 (nineteen years ago)

Is it old-fashioned of me to think, nay, believe, that you don't play for Bayern Munich unless you are absolutely fantastic? Obviously I believe football ended in 1982, but even so.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 12 June 2006 08:00 (nineteen years ago)

I think the holding midfielder should be forced to actually hold something throughout the match.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 12 June 2006 08:00 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not booing Hargreaves, as he'll probably end up replacing Carrick at the Spurs :(

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 12 June 2006 08:01 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, it is old-fashioned. But even then, good enough to play for Bayern doesn't equal World Class, nor does it mean that he fits into any alleged system England may be trying to use.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Monday, 12 June 2006 08:03 (nineteen years ago)

I don't see Munich play regularly, so I can only base my judgement on never having seen Hargreaves have a good game for England, ever.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Monday, 12 June 2006 08:04 (nineteen years ago)

I think he should take the penalties. He took a good one against Portugal two years ago.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 08:10 (nineteen years ago)

Iran: Fcuk you, you m*****fu**ers, snd your dickhead President too

but you support USA?

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 08:40 (nineteen years ago)

never having seen Hargreaves have a good game for England, ever.

He had ONE good game, which was a warm up to the last World Cup. He was Man of the Match and Sven has used him ever since. Every Englishman's heart lifts when they see Hargreaves come on during every second half to WIN WIN WIN for England!

The England game wasn't boring! Okay, in the second half they played like Greece during every game in Euro04; forming a wall for the other team to bounce balls off, wearing the clock down. That's frustrating to watch, but not boring exactly.
England game = Holland game, though I had to watch that on my mum's miniscule TV and it looked like a computer game.

― David Orton (scarlet), Monday, 12 June 2006 08:47 (nineteen years ago)

there hasn't been one match that really struck me yet as "world class" or "entertaining throughout" but it has only been the first group matches. and brazil haven't plaid yet.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 08:48 (nineteen years ago)

The argentina - IC kept me entertained with world class football.

― Johnny B Was Quizzical (Johnney B), Monday, 12 June 2006 08:58 (nineteen years ago)

xpost: Germany v Costa Rica was 'entertaining throughout', if not 'world class'. And Argentina v The Elephants was pretty high quality.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Monday, 12 June 2006 09:00 (nineteen years ago)

Tim, "football rockism" or a chance to wind Mark up?

Incidentally, I didn't refer to England's tactics as the long ball game either, I said they kept "hoofing it up to the big lad" which they did, or tried to, for a long time.

Which, as Onimo said, was silly when you have some of the best midfielders in the world behind the big lad. And when you realise that (cliche approaching), Crouch has got A Good Touch For A Big Lad, and can play perfectly well when the ball's at his feet, rather than just expecting him to be there for nodding it down to...erm, well, they took Owen off with half an hour to go, didn't they?

(I am quite pissed off that I missed most of the Argentina game due to the gaps between games not really being long enough to allow people with birthdays to go out for proper meals and still be back in the pub in time for the match. Should I make it clear that the thing I am pissed off about is missing the Argentina game, not the fact that I was out for a nice meal in good company?)

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 09:02 (nineteen years ago)

Both!

the problem is not the hoofing, or the big lad, or high balls over the midfield. the problem is the midfield not getting forward to support the big lad.

It's a rare and special kind of player who can do the Big Lad thing on his own, and PC, for all his talents, isn't that player.

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 12 June 2006 09:12 (nineteen years ago)

against the lesser opposition of Jamaica tho, he really did look like he might be.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 09:19 (nineteen years ago)

It didn't occur to me that he might, because he wasn't on his own at all throughout that match.

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 12 June 2006 09:24 (nineteen years ago)

no but he was getting the service and getting in the right place at right time constantly, and was also making things happen himself - dropping back a bit and passing/turning a lot better than i expected.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 09:27 (nineteen years ago)

problem with crouch is probably more that he doesn't seem to be Very Good With His Head For A Big Lad. Maybe Michael Owen should be nodding the ball down for crouch.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 09:27 (nineteen years ago)

actually i just remembered that i quite enjoyed the nail biting end of the sweden v trinidad match.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 09:30 (nineteen years ago)

did he score against Uruguay with his head? i can't remember.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 09:31 (nineteen years ago)

he may well have done?

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 09:34 (nineteen years ago)

i just checked and he did! the fact that we can't quite remember tells a tale maybe?

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 09:41 (nineteen years ago)

he's scored so many goals lately, we can't be expected to remember the details of all of them.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 09:45 (nineteen years ago)

"White people don't like to play under the sun. So I would be happy to play at midday". Stephen Appiah, American stand-up comedian.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 10:03 (nineteen years ago)

Actually I think Crouch's performance was one of the few high points of the England match. He was asked to perform a ridiculous role for far too long but never gave up, his tackling back was excellent and the only thing I would criticise him for would be his habit of dropping too deep in the second half, although I can understand why he was doing it.

T&T is going to be interesting. Obviously, England need to win it, but part of me wants T&T to get a draw. Or at least get the right result from the Sweden v Paraguay match to have a chance of getting through to the second round without relying on the England v Sweden result.

― Guilty Boksen (Bro_Danielson), Monday, 12 June 2006 10:21 (nineteen years ago)

actually i just remembered that i quite enjoyed the nail biting end of the sweden v trinidad match

Yes, Ken. In terms of sheer drama and excitement that was the best game so far.

― Daniel Giraffe (Daniel Giraffe), Monday, 12 June 2006 10:22 (nineteen years ago)

Cook: good use of MORAN.

I don't like Dowie, though. He is unlistenable!

Not to mention unwatchable!

Chiles is OK in this context, somehow.

Other pundits not shining, for me - save GARTH IN THE CASINO (Friday, c.4:30 pm).

PJM, I like your comments on Hargreaves, and 1982.

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Monday, 12 June 2006 10:24 (nineteen years ago)

Garth in the Casino was quality padding television. Ray Stubbs vs Boris Becker threw em completely.

I hope they interview Shane Warne today a la Freddie Flintoff on Saturday.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 12 June 2006 10:34 (nineteen years ago)

Doc Baran, I am glad you saw Garth. Did you watch it with a flock of trusting international students, for whom you gave a running commentary on who he was and why he was acting this way?

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Monday, 12 June 2006 10:40 (nineteen years ago)

Crooksy's 'YES!' when the roulette ball landed on red #9 was an unexpected yet solid execution.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 10:42 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, I had to explain away his peanut head and so overly simplified presentation manner that it actually is an art in itself.

Japan Australia should be a big SOAS game, there were loads of Japanese students here on Friday and we have a surprisingly large number of Aussies. Equally the Bud Bowl should be a bit zingy.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 12 June 2006 10:42 (nineteen years ago)

I liked Crooksy with Ricky Villa, the other week.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 12 June 2006 10:50 (nineteen years ago)

Thousands of rail signallers will stage two one-day strikes in a dispute over pay, their trade union has announced.
The RMT union said the Network Rail signal workers voted by more than two-to-one in favour of a walkout.

They rejected a pay deal which, the union said, would have amounted to a two-year pay freeze and further delayed introducing a 35-hour week.

Some 3,000 workers across Britain will walk out at 1pm on 20 June and again at 9pm on 25 June.

The first strike will coincide with England's final World Cup group game against Sweden, when tens of thousands of football fans will be trying to get home to watch the game.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 12 June 2006 11:00 (nineteen years ago)

It's the world cup!

I think I overrate Hargreaves, since I often forget he's on the pitch.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Monday, 12 June 2006 11:35 (nineteen years ago)

England finally decided to take Sven to her heart only when he abandoned all this 'carefully-reasoned' nonsense and decided to name squads entirely on whim and caprice, didn't we? I think that says good things, about England.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Monday, 12 June 2006 11:37 (nineteen years ago)

xxpost sounds more like The first strike will coincide with England's final World Cup group game against Sweden, when hundreds of rail workers will be trying to get a day off to watch the game.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 11:52 (nineteen years ago)

Perhaps Ian Wright should be replaced with Kevin Moran.

Pinefox: I like Dowie's voice, if not his face. Although there is a lot going on, there, of interest.

I wish I was watching the game just now instead of at work. I think it will be a good one!

― Ally C (Ally C), Monday, 12 June 2006 11:55 (nineteen years ago)

The squeal of joy from the SOAS common room when the Japan goal just went in was wonderful. To be follow by grumblings of offside by the few Aussies who are
a) here
b) understand offside.

I only popped back into the office for a second.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

Hilarious goal for Japan. Basically a cross that nobody headed and the keeper failed to get anywhere near.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

Celtic's Shunsuke Nakamura scores what can only be described as a "controversial" goal...

― ailsa's secretary (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

Southgate is most upset that the goal was given.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:29 (nineteen years ago)

Basically a cross that nobody headed and the keeper failed to get anywhere near.

Schwarzer somewhat impeded by a Japanese player being shoved into him, knocking him off balance as Naka flights a speculative ball into the box which sails into the net with goalie out of the picture.

Cheers, Ken!

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

I am... displeased at the goal.

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:47 (nineteen years ago)

Pah, rough and tumble, its a mans game etc etc.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:50 (nineteen years ago)

fuck that shit. No Goal. bomb tokyo.

― Akender (Seuss 2005), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:52 (nineteen years ago)

i am sick of this talk of Rooney coming back for the next game. even if he was fit enough if seems un-necessary and even a sign of panic.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:52 (nineteen years ago)

"Schwarzer is 6'5", he's twice the size of a Japanese player".

Andy "Sophia Coppola" Townsend brings the high-end racism to the table.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:55 (nineteen years ago)

you can un-derstand why some people would like to see it, though? (xpost)

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:55 (nineteen years ago)

the media clamour for it is deeply irritating.

the Pepsi ad on just now is quite funny, altho the bit with all the German people in 'national dress' drinking Pepsi out of those giant beer glasses is, perhaps, unrealistic.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:57 (nineteen years ago)

It's real 'fly on the wall' footage of an actual pro-celebrity lederhosen-fussball contest.

I can't remember seeing Jim Rosenthal on the telly since about 1989. Why has he suddenly reappeared now? Is Elton Welsby going to turn up next?

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:59 (nineteen years ago)

You don't think there's a chance his sharpness might be helped later in the tournament by giving him a run-out against T&T?

It might all go horribly wrong (he might injure himself) but it's not like such a move would be completely senseless.

Also: never mind this World Cup nonsense, Will Fulham Swoop For Matty Taylor and Lua Lua? Will Harry Let His Prize Assets Go On The Promise Of Ehough Cash To Buy An Anelka or Two?

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 12 June 2006 12:59 (nineteen years ago)

The Pepsi advert is made by the soundtrack. That needs releasing as a single. I also have a soft spot for the Mastercard advert with the muted celebrations.

Terry V is surprisingly adept as a pundit.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:01 (nineteen years ago)

Jim Rosenthal does the Grand Prix coverage on ITV, doesn't he?

He has re-appeared because Gabby is a GIRL therefore gets saved for the evening matches when teh blokeys are watching.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:01 (nineteen years ago)

He has re-appeared because Gabby ~~is a GIRL therefore gets saved for the evening matches when teh blokeys are watching.~~'s kohl reserves have run low and she can't go out on camera unless she looks like a Nick Cave groupie circa 1988.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

Andy "Sophia Coppola" Townsend brings the high-end racism to the table.

i remember one of the commentators comments during sweden v trinidad &togabo went somewhere along the lines of "before they accuse trinidad players of time wasting they have to realise that that's the pace they normally work in normal life"

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Rooney come on in the second half versus T&T. Why not? If he's going to play at all, some limited exposure to match play before he starts a game is probably a good idea.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

Terry V is surprisingly adept as a pundit.

But he always sounds a bit scary, like he's about to eyeball one of the other pundits and say "Do that again and I'll cut ya, sunshine".

Jim Rosenthal does the Grand Prix coverage on ITV

That explains it. Maybe Elton Welsby has been similarly unseen by me for the past fifteen years or so because he's been presenting Show Jumping on BBC2.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, that too (xpost to Dom). She does look odd. Her eyes are miles apart as well, and her dubious eye make-up does little to help.

Commentator now on about the "less well-known Archie Thompson" of Australia. This man evidently doesn't collect Panini stickers or he'd be very well-acquainted with Archie.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

i am sick of this talk of Rooney coming back for the next game. even if he was fit enough if seems un-necessary and even a sign of panic.

why not play david james in goal as well just for a laugh?

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:07 (nineteen years ago)

Seemed like a good non-call to me. Goalie lunges into the middle of a scrum and then says "ooh inappropriate touching daddy!" Please.

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:07 (nineteen years ago)

you always have to take it too far (xpost)

i am also surprised by re-appearance of Rosenthal. why don't they use Steve Ryder. And where is Bob Wilson? I wonder if Lynam is missing it - he seems deeply bored on Countdown much of the time.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:09 (nineteen years ago)

Kewell is injured, apparently. I'm shocked.

(But where is Bob Wilson in all of this?)

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:11 (nineteen years ago)

Is Guus Hiddink the doughiest manager at the tournament?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

Steve Ryder would be unnecessary and a sign of panic!

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:16 (nineteen years ago)

better than Rosenthal who doesn't even like football that much.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

Good post, Kenneth!

I think that strenous efforts are being made to avoid racism and 'being patronizing'.

I think Gabby has been looking quite good - I liked her blue top last night.

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:25 (nineteen years ago)

Kawaguchi's "Gimme some skin" routine after the free kick save was rather endearing.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:26 (nineteen years ago)

sounds like I made a big mistake not recording this game

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:30 (nineteen years ago)

Japan doing well - it's not looking good for the Aussies although I'm sure they'll increase the pressure in the last 15. I fear there being too many Greece2004-esque 1-0s here. No penalties in this World Cup yet - is that unusual? Maybe not.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:32 (nineteen years ago)

Rehiring Rosenthal seems to me like a blatant SNUB to Matt Smith.

I think Chiles is tolerable in internation football because he seems to know what he is talking about when referring to, eg, post-colonial relations between Portugal and Angola. Maybe he should throw in a bit of post-industrial economics into MotDII.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:34 (nineteen years ago)

it's very funny listening to five live where the commentators are "oh yeah there's this australian guy you might have heard of, if you are a bristol city fan" and i'm like "BUT DUDE, i haf spent the last month STARING at their faces"

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:35 (nineteen years ago)

Good analysis, JtN.

And goodness me, where IS Smith? How foolish if they have relegated him to late-week-nights only.

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:35 (nineteen years ago)

Did I imagien it, or was Gabbie wearing polka dots during the Angola match yesterday?

Also, why have the ITV crew all wearing those little mics that look like straws stuck to their face? Surely if you're in a studio they're unnecessary and just make you look dumb.

― Johnny B Was Quizzical (Johnney B), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

Ou es le Mark Pougatch?

Cahill just got a yellow. My reign as king of the office fantasy league is over.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

Cahill, 1-1.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:41 (nineteen years ago)

I thought it was some kind of deformity. I wasn't going to mention it.

I would like to see Chiles talking post-colonial relations.

I should get a hard disk recording device for that very purpose.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:41 (nineteen years ago)

YESSSSS!!!!

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:42 (nineteen years ago)

and mike regains his crown!

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:42 (nineteen years ago)

Bugger, my phone rang and I turned to answer it and missed Cahill's goal :-(

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:42 (nineteen years ago)

bbc are useless. they still haven't typed an update

― Ste (Fuzzy), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

You beauty. You can't keep a good Toffee down. Well, I can't - allergic.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

on the website i mean. xp to me

― Ste (Fuzzy), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

dion dublin is shouting "GET IT UP TO THE BIG LAD!!!!"

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:45 (nineteen years ago)

the guy doing it must've gone to the loo

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:45 (nineteen years ago)

That's because Dion Dublin *IS* the big lad (which is some going when you play up front with John Hartson)

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:45 (nineteen years ago)

Belting goal from Cahill there! Mike KNOWS STUFF!!

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:46 (nineteen years ago)

OMG

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:46 (nineteen years ago)

Matt Smith must be on ITV's coverage somewhere - he's on their graphic, nestled uncomfortably between the devil and the deep blue TV.

http://www.teamtalk.com/ITV/Football/Images/itv_presenters.gif

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:46 (nineteen years ago)

poor Japan!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:46 (nineteen years ago)

WOW ! what a strike

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

I love him so much.

Man U will buy him off us now for £15m.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

woooo roos!

― pleased to mitya (mitya), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:48 (nineteen years ago)

bloody hell

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:49 (nineteen years ago)

Aloisi makes it three! Poor POOR Japan.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:49 (nineteen years ago)

turn around tastic

― secondhandnews (secondhandnews), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:50 (nineteen years ago)

Holy shit

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:50 (nineteen years ago)

Bring back Aloisi to Pompey !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:50 (nineteen years ago)

Great grief.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

dearie me, did anyone hear tyldesley just before the equaliser:

- "fukunishi through on goal..."

*fukunishi misses*

- "well, the name on the back of his shirt says it all."

― rtccc (mwah), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

89 mins: GOAL Australia 1-2 Japan
Substitute Tim Cahillmakes it 2-1 with his second goal, a shot from the edge of the box which hits Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi's right-hand post and flies into the far corner
is cahill japanese?

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

Fkn YES!!! 3-1!

cue 'Wizards of Aus' headlines

― David Orton (scarlet), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

OMG! Go roos!

― M. White (Miguelito), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

hmmm, i get the feeling that the interweb radio feed must be slightly behind the telly feed, as i clicked back onto the thread as i heard aloisi score and there were already three posts about it...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

I believe that's known as a "collapse"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

'If you live next to any Australians, go to your mum's tonight'!

― theantmustdance (theantmustdance), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

HOLY FUCKING SHIT

― akerton (Seuss 2005), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

Well deserved win. Brilliant stuff.

― David Orton (scarlet), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

Why does Tyldesley look so dreadful, having once looked like N.?

It sounds bad for Japan. From the evidence of this thread, I mean.

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

not well deserved at all.

― rtccc (mwah), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

Geoff the student snuck off at lunchtime and hasn't returned to the office. I suspect he won't be in tomorrow morning either.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

Fuck me that was exciting

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:55 (nineteen years ago)

He has re-appeared because Gabby is a GIRL therefore gets saved for the evening matches when teh blokeys are watching.

She's not allowed to do England games, though, because she's a GIRL. Ryder has been afforded that privelege, because he has more experience of big international events, sez ITV.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

Get one dictionary, Mädchen.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:57 (nineteen years ago)

Well there were some tears a moment ago. Watching Japan play with about fifty Japanese students (about 70%-30% female male) is quite an experience. No shouting at the screen, just a constant bubble of excitement. At least until it got popped.

Bud Bowl and hour away. That was a terrific game though, and Japan did not deserve the scoreline (and Cahill was lucky not to have given away that penalty). On the whole though this world cup has seemed a touch short of clinical finishes from the strikers.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:58 (nineteen years ago)

baros not playing for czechs tonight.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:58 (nineteen years ago)

Well deserved win.

-- David Orton (pashernate...), June 12th, 2006. (scarlet) (later)

I think it's time for ILX's first "Were you watching the same game as everyone else?" post.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

i thought the mexico finishes were pretty good!

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

I CANNOT FUCKING BELIEVE THAT SHIT

― akerton (Seuss 2005), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

Oooh, that was ace. That was also a penalty, but what ya gonna do?

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

I got the worst out of that game. For 75 mins I was supporting the plucky Aussie battlers before remembering just how great it is when they lose at sport, whereby I turned my support to the plucky Japanese battlers. Gah.

― Crimea River (Mark C), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:05 (nineteen years ago)

I think it's an understatement to say that we'll have to tighten up a bit at the back against brazil. still, three points!

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:05 (nineteen years ago)

Mark, btw, did you see the giant AFC Wimbledon flag above Alan Hansen's left ear on Saturday?

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:07 (nineteen years ago)

The American commentary is ridiculous. They kept talking about Peter Crouch's "hilarious robot dance".

― mummy wrapped in bacon (nickalicious), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

Madchen - was that for the Sweden vs Trinidad game? If so, BOYLER SPOTTED!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:11 (nineteen years ago)

There were two AFC Wimbledon flags - another was behind the goal. My AFC mate kept going on about it.

― Pete W (peterw), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:11 (nineteen years ago)

there was also one that said "CLAIRE DON'T GIVE BIRTH YET" on a st george's flag. aw bless.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

No, it was for the England game. I watched it with a Glasgow-dwelling AFC fan who Mark knows. She was quite happy about it.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

ITV commentary was very biased toward Australia, I thought. If only Japan would have crossed the ball properly.

Is Koller (sp?) playing for the Czechs? He should give us a masterclass of big lad play.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

Hang on, was Hansen punditing on that game? All football personalities have blurred into one recently, with the exception of Lovely Leonardo, even if he didn't say much. Anyway, the flag was above somebody's left ear, I remember that much.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

Yep, it was there, just slightly out of focus behind Hansen. I wouldn't have known it was AFC if I hadn't been told about three million times.

But there was def another behind the goal, cos I saw that one myself.

― Pete W (peterw), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

There was a Derby County Super Rams one too.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not sure Dave is the kind of chap to display a flag? Might be wrong though. Yes, thanks for the info - I was texted during the match and was very pleased to see it :)

― Crimea River (Mark C), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

ITV commentary was very biased toward Australia, I thought. If only Japan would have crossed the ball properly.

altho after Australia equalised Tyldesley let slip a "Come on!" when Japan had a good opportunity a few minutes later.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:54 (nineteen years ago)

I saw the massive AFC flag during the England match I think - as I only caught the last 15 mins or so of Trinidad game (we'd been listening to it on the radio in the garden til that point).

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 14:55 (nineteen years ago)

'the Cote D’Ivoire goalkeeper, Tizié, lost a testicle after an on-pitch collision a year ago.'

Is this common knowledge?

― Pete W (peterw), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:00 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway, it's time for the Jan Koller Variety Hour And A Half.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:01 (nineteen years ago)

I have my hopes.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:04 (nineteen years ago)

Still have them now?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:05 (nineteen years ago)

blaow

― rtccc (mwah), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:05 (nineteen years ago)

Was there an ECW chant going in the crowd there?

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:06 (nineteen years ago)

Slaphead Scores

x-post: why does Nedved look like a Def Leppard fan circa 1987?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

Has Bruce Arena had plastic surgery? Karel Bruckner, on the other hand, looks like one of those guys from "The People's Century" who'd be all "I remember when Lenin shook my hand... it was a very firm handgrip, and he was a very firm man. I remember my mother used to tell me every day..."

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:08 (nineteen years ago)

Still have them now?

*grousegripe*

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:08 (nineteen years ago)

that'll be the hairdo (xpost). Nedved is an alien tho - you can tell by the face.

we're seeing a lot of early goals in this World Cup. i said exactly the same thing at this point during France '98 tho.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:08 (nineteen years ago)

It works, on the internet.

See that video quality? That's what we have all day. That's why I'm going blind.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

i downloaded MOTD highlights via bittorrent last night in divx format but the quality was poor compared to the two previous MOTDs that were in avi format (they were bigger in size tho).

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

it's okay tho - i have a license!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

that Rosicky has a crap haircut ala Peter Beardsley

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:17 (nineteen years ago)

Ominously, the Paraguayan referee is named Yellow Cardl. Sort of.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:22 (nineteen years ago)

On that 'things that will be said during the World Cup' thread, did anyone pick "That's exactly the sort of thing the referees have been briefed to crack down on by FIFA"? Cos goodness knows the commentators have been coming out with it enough...

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:24 (nineteen years ago)

Goal of the tournament!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:35 (nineteen years ago)

SIGH.

Objectively speaking, however, you are probably right.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

America seem really naive in defence: they're getting split open too often, and their tackles are desperate and late. If they're going to get back into this match it's gonna be through McBridge, but the US thrive far too much on organization to really have much joy against a flair team like the Czechs.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

During the first match they said "body language" about ten million times. "His body language is all wrong" seems to mean, "he looks rather disgruntled out there on the wing".

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

Gavin Peacock is very good at seeing things that haven't happened.

And Koller's just sprung his hamstring. Italy's chances might just have improved a bit.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:43 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, by the looks of that Koller won't be returning for the rest of the tournament.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

CLEARLY THE FOOTBALL GODS WERE SPEAKING. Score a goal against the US, get injured. (I am wearily grasping for straws.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:49 (nineteen years ago)

I'm behind USA but it's a blow that Koller's gone bye-bye - he was terrifying. The sheer size of the guy - imagine playing against that fucker.

― David Orton (scarlet), Monday, 12 June 2006 15:58 (nineteen years ago)

What exactly is John Travolta doing in the Aussie team's dressing room?

― David Orton (scarlet), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

As Gordon "Pub quiz" Strachan noted, he does promotional work for QANTAS.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:02 (nineteen years ago)

saturday night bonza

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:05 (nineteen years ago)

holy yellow-card bonanza

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:18 (nineteen years ago)

Nedved is clearly from Middle Earth.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:18 (nineteen years ago)

How telling.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:19 (nineteen years ago)

Gavin Peacock is the new Trevor Boring Brooking

Bring back Stan Collymore !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:21 (nineteen years ago)

(ken, i am watching p2p 0nline tv and when the english channel gets choppy, i switch to cantonese channel! maybe i will learn some. also, they are pretty calm in their commentating, it seems. well, as compared to americans...)
xpost

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:22 (nineteen years ago)

Will anyone who loses a match or underperforms during this tournament NOT blame the heat for "lack of focus" "lost our concentration" "got tired" etc etc?

Maybe they should start thinking about not holding this in the SUMMER.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:26 (nineteen years ago)

And now it's three.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:33 (nineteen years ago)

looks like arsenal have themselves a player

― michael wells (michael w.), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:33 (nineteen years ago)

Rosicky is the new Peter Beardsley

He has a crap haircut and scores goals from distance

Gooners Got a Goody for 7 Million

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

oh my heart

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:36 (nineteen years ago)

*grumble*

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:37 (nineteen years ago)

usa! usa!

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

the 2nd best team in the world sure are pwning the 5th best. what's wrong with the marekins??

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:45 (nineteen years ago)

i really hope this Czech team play Brazil in 2nd round and knock them out.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:50 (nineteen years ago)

poor Koller tho. TS: hamstring vs metatarsal.

the Czechs lreally do look hott tho. Rosicky's goals were both sublime.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

wow rrrobyn do you have the links to cantonese channel?? that sounds awesome.

if it helps
"wong pai" = yellow card
"hong pai" = red card

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:00 (nineteen years ago)

xpost OTM. I think Peacock was clutching at straws to say that their lack of Koller will under them when they face "really good opposition".

― caek (caek), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

Forza Gli Azzurri!

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:18 (nineteen years ago)

My patriotism isn't being unleashed until it's time.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:25 (nineteen years ago)

How rude.

I will watch the first half of the match somewhere near here for lunch. Rah.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

Polak came on for the Czechs - everyone round me was expecting puns based on "isn't he playing for the wromg side?" Just wait till he gets scythed down in the tackle, I said.

2 minutes later, "well, Polak was certainly poleaxed there." Eye thang ewe.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:36 (nineteen years ago)

Lippi with THREE buttons undone on his shirt. A risky tactic.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:39 (nineteen years ago)

i think peacock's was a fair point. czechs were composed and incisive when necessary yeah, rosicky & nedved class also, but usa were zero test for anyone on that showing. useless really.

people do tend to bang on a bit too much about teams being scared of the big man (no problems dealing with crouch and zigic so far) but when its done well, like with koller, it's way handier than probing and picking at defences with a milan baros-shaped toothpick. baros is always way better in tournaments mind, but if koller's out of action the czechs will still have to play to different, more familiar strengths than they did today to such good effect.

no camoranesi tonite?

― rtccc (mwah), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:43 (nineteen years ago)

Lippi continues to remind me of Frasier Crane's Dad.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:43 (nineteen years ago)

oh yeah and i read 2 seperate articles this week each contending that de rossi and perrotta was "italy's frank lampard."

― rtccc (mwah), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:46 (nineteen years ago)

he's English, didja know? (xpost)

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:47 (nineteen years ago)

when i am supposed to stop finding 'john pantsil' funny again?

― rtccc (mwah), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:49 (nineteen years ago)

not the greatest advertisement for la joga bonita, there, vs. czech repub.

the us was totally outclassed, obv, but are people just made bigger and faster and stronger in eastern europe, and have their progeny shrunk since arriving on american shores? it looked like two different SPECIES playing each other.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:56 (nineteen years ago)

Zaccardo in the first team! First Palermo player in a world cup match... ever?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 17:58 (nineteen years ago)

In this WC there is no Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal - But can Ghana join their African Brothers and pull off a World Cup shock !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

Is Motty wearing his Sheepskin today?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:01 (nineteen years ago)

fucking toni cheating already!

― rtccc (mwah), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:02 (nineteen years ago)

Graham Lee Sulk Saux - left the BBC because he wasn't chief BBC pundit/ co-commentator. Instead we have LAWRO

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:03 (nineteen years ago)

still trying to adjust to the shock of Totti without long hair.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:16 (nineteen years ago)

Italy's blue looks darker than it has been for a while, it seems to me.

I bet you're glad I'm here to make these observations.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:20 (nineteen years ago)

Italy's strip looks crapper than it has for ages, and Italy have always had such cool looking shirts! I think it's these Puma shirts so many teams seem to have.

RUBBISH.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:23 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not too keen on this lower-case lettering for the names on the shirts.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:27 (nineteen years ago)

Oooh, that would have been a cracking goal.

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

Wow, match of the tournament so far.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

i like the Italy kit, it's a gorgeous blue. the Puma design is quite simplistic tho.

end to end stuff in this game - it's pretty good stuff so far.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

No, I prefer the lighter blue! And they seem to have those funny dark lines to just accentuate the sweat on that blue. Plain blue is just the way to go.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:32 (nineteen years ago)

Game's not bad either!

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:32 (nineteen years ago)

I don't like the daekwe blue on the underarm and side - it looks like sweat stains (and that is bad). I am officially disappointed in Italy, who are usually so well kitted out.

― Lara (Lara), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:33 (nineteen years ago)

And they seem to have those funny dark lines to just accentuate the sweat on that blue.

i guess the intention was to HIDE the sweat. but yeh from a distance it backfires perhaps.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:34 (nineteen years ago)

Billy Dods OTM. Such constant pressure from both sides!

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:34 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, this is like a bargain bin Italy kit or something. The sweat seems to blend in to the darker bits, and then blend in to the main blue... it's weird. They look all shaded in tones, some of them.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:37 (nineteen years ago)

Now that was lovely.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:39 (nineteen years ago)

Pearler! Perlo! etc!

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:39 (nineteen years ago)

"It's a pearler from Pirlo". Clever Motty.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:40 (nineteen years ago)

I was coming to post that too.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:41 (nineteen years ago)

So far, today's been the best day, I've really enjoyed all three of them (though second half of USA v Czech Republic wasn't that exciting once Rosicky scored his second).

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

What a great game so far. Both teams look decent, and with the Czechs in that group as well I reckon the USA will lose all three games. I can't believe England have got such an easy group, by comparison.

Oh, and the Italy top is (as always) a gorgeous shade of blue.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:49 (nineteen years ago)

Jesus Christ... firstly, is it just me or is Mensah a dead ringer for that guy who you sometimes confused with Felix Dexter who turned up as the "black guy" in The Fast Show every now and then and then ten years later was the police dude in Batman Begins?

Toni's been a dream. I've been saying for the past two years he's one of the top five strikers in the world, and I think people are finally foing to start believing me now. He's given Mensah torridness, and the Ghanaian goalkeeper flaps like Pingu.

Ghana have been so impressive though. Especially in the final third, and with their composition. So relaxed on the ball. Their final touch has been pretty gash though.

Italy... will win. I think. Ghana aren't dead and buried at all. We could win 3-0, they could easily score two. But, yeah. That's as good as I could hope for.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:51 (nineteen years ago)

I wish someone would tell Motson how to pronounce 'Pirlo'. I'm hoping for a 3-3 draw in which 'football is teh winner'.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Monday, 12 June 2006 18:53 (nineteen years ago)

Great game! Glad I was able to catch all the first half live, now let's see about the second...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

"it's the keeper with the shot". No, Motty, that's a *save* not a *shot*.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:07 (nineteen years ago)

"goalkeeper out of his ground" - has Motty gone senile? Forgotten all terms he should be using?

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

i think we should give the commentators and pundits a break...

[stern silence from everyone else]

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

Has Stevem gone senile, etc?

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

has Pirlo retreated back into his shell?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:15 (nineteen years ago)

ghana - italy is really good. essian is tremendous!

whoever commentator on ESPN2 is can't stop talking about people "keeping their shape" - i wished i knew what he was talking about, until he complained about ghanain goalkeeper getting pulled off his line again and he said "he needs to keep his shape!" and then i realized he just had a very limited vocabulary.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:21 (nineteen years ago)

Tracey when the talk about keeping their shape in soccer, they're referring to keeping their formation and their respective positions. If you're a left back and you get caught in the middle or the right on a counter, your team isn't keeping its shape.

― M. White (Miguelito), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:25 (nineteen years ago)

Polak came on for the Czechs - everyone round me was expecting puns based on "isn't he playing for the wromg side?"

Yeah, he came on just after the bloke behind me in the pub had gone "hang on, is the Czech goalie called Cech? Yeah? That's rather appropriate" and I was expecting similar.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:25 (nineteen years ago)

*awaits the inevitable Pimpong jokes*

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

I have no ESPN, so perhaps its best I'm watching it on Univision. They seem very amused by Pimpong's name.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:33 (nineteen years ago)

Well, there you go.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:33 (nineteen years ago)

Magic sponge does the trick every time.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:40 (nineteen years ago)

"He couldn't pull him down that time, could he?"

Someone needs to make a gif of the Italian bench doing diving motions to "I Can't Dance" by Genesis.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:41 (nineteen years ago)

Aw, poor Ghana. That was totally undeserved.

(Mark Lawrenson: "you knew that was coming". Fuck off. Ghana have had more possession and more chances this half than Italy and you know it)

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

Also Lawro "he was caught there"
Motty "haha, yes..." [pause]"...er, you what?"

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:43 (nineteen years ago)

If only Ghana had Yakubu and Samuel Eto'o as strikers

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:45 (nineteen years ago)

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41757000/jpg/_41757416_beasley_getty300.jpg

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

If only Ghana had Yakubu and Samuel Eto'o as strikers

or Adriano and Henry etc.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:50 (nineteen years ago)

Obviously "Ghana have learnt a lesson or two" "they haven't disgraced themselves" and, least-surprisingly of all, the Chelsea player in the Ghanaian team was the only one singled out for praise. Patronising gits.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:51 (nineteen years ago)

i think you're making too much of it Ailsa.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:52 (nineteen years ago)

Come on, did no-one else think they were a teensy bit patronising to the plucky Ghanaians?

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:53 (nineteen years ago)

I thought Ghana were a bit shite second half.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:54 (nineteen years ago)

are people just made bigger and faster and stronger in eastern europe, and have their progeny shrunk since arriving on american shores?

http://www.post-gazette.com/images3/20050920pdsteelers0918n_450.jpg http://www.cmfs.cz/img/nat/AM/050608/CR-Makedonie07.jpg

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:54 (nineteen years ago)

(also Motty invoked the "Russian linesman" meme earlier, I was riled from that point)

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

I think our big athletes play American football and basketball preponderantly.

― M. White (Miguelito), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

How is ol' motorcycle accident victim right now, anyway? And where is Allyzay to lead the vigil?

Aw, poor Ghana. That was totally undeserved.

Very.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 June 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

Lineker-Hansen-Desailly-O'Neill was such a joy.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Monday, 12 June 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

those wags in the BBC production suite are using Mis-Teeq's 'SCANDALous' over the end credit montage of Italy's win. Classy!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 20:09 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, I "lolled" as well. And that probably was the best four man punditry team I've seen in a long time. Strachan instead of Hansen would have made it pretty much perfect.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 20:10 (nineteen years ago)

lol!!! @ mistee... nm xp bah

― rtccc (mwah), Monday, 12 June 2006 20:12 (nineteen years ago)

ugh! ghana looked so calm and in control in the midfield and just couldn't make the final punch through defense.

the u.s. will amaze me if they compete with either italy or ghana at this point.

― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Monday, 12 June 2006 20:15 (nineteen years ago)

If Ghana had gotten ONE of the two crap 11 meter calls in their favor . . .

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Monday, 12 June 2006 20:17 (nineteen years ago)

Now The B Team

"Live BBC Interactive World Cup forum"

Dowie & Mick McCarthy

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 12 June 2006 20:19 (nineteen years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_C._Strachan

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 12 June 2006 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

US could still 'do a Croatia' and beat Italy in the next match, but yes that looks less likely than it did four years ago with the gap between the two looking wider than that of Italy and Croatia in '02.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 12 June 2006 20:22 (nineteen years ago)

i am hoping the u.s. pulls it together for long enough to embarrass italy. but i'm doubtful.

― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Monday, 12 June 2006 20:26 (nineteen years ago)

Aw, poor Ghana. That was totally undeserved.
(Mark Lawrenson: "you knew that was coming". Fuck off. Ghana have had more possession and more chances this half than Italy and you know it)

-- ailsa (ailsa.watso...), June 12th, 2006 9:42 PM. (ailsa) (later)

I disagree, unless you count Essien missing the target from 30 yards 14 times as "chances". I think Italy pretty much destroyed Ghana. I was getting annoyed with all the bigging up Ghana were getting despite Italy getting in behind them at will from the first minute to the last. Lawro was right that they were well matched in midfield but the difference in quality in both "final thirds" was huge.

I liked Mad Martin's argument with Desaille "Listen, I don't care how many World Cups you've won or if you've got Champions League medals coming out your ears!"

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Monday, 12 June 2006 20:28 (nineteen years ago)

I think the problem with having the longest serving manager at the tournament (eight years! Italy have had four coaches in that time period) is that America have effectively been tactically "found out". Strong organization with no attacking flair or impetus isn't going to work this time round. McBride looked like he was playing on his own at times.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 20:30 (nineteen years ago)

Grosso play in Palermo, Dom.

Why does Motson pronounce Pirlo as "Perleau"? It's fucking annoying!

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Monday, 12 June 2006 21:12 (nineteen years ago)

Not so Lovelace, he signed for Inter about two weeks ago.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 12 June 2006 21:15 (nineteen years ago)

How did I miss that? That's a great signing, but Inter will fuck him up as they do to most of the players they buy( although not Cambiasso, who got even better after he signed for them, which is a surprise!).

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Monday, 12 June 2006 21:17 (nineteen years ago)

Haha, that was what I like to see from O'Neill - pointlessly arguing with everyone in sight. Very entertaining, but always a bit awkward when they get pundits in who, half the time, have no idea what they're being asked and don't quite have enough of a grasp of English to analyse much.

I don't see where the USA can go from here, anyway, unless they have some kind of huge attitude change. They're so incredibly INNOFFENSIVE it's not true - there didn't appear to be any point in the game where they looked as if they cared whether they won or lost. 74% pass completion the middle third, guys! YEAH!!

Italy v Ghana was easily the best match of the tournament so far but the Africans sadly deserve to be patronised a little for playing up to stereotypes and being incredibly naive defensively. The question is - WHY is this still happening, 32 years after Zaire booted the ball away against Brazil and stood watching Joe Jordan score?

― Ally C (Ally C), Monday, 12 June 2006 21:30 (nineteen years ago)

Btw, did anyone see the clip where John Travolta was celebrating with the Australian team in the their dressing room? That was one of the weirdest things I've ever seen. I couldn't stop laughing.

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Monday, 12 June 2006 21:48 (nineteen years ago)

I sense confluence:

Guys, John Travolta is playing Divine's role in the upcoming remake of Hairspray, directed by the dude who brought us The Wedding Planner and Bringing Down The House.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 June 2006 21:49 (nineteen years ago)

Wonderful watching Italy-Ghana and the last 20min of Czech-USA tonight in a Covent Garden pub, either side of a curry, on a sultry summer night. Place was full of Italians being joyously loud. The World Cup began today.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 12 June 2006 21:53 (nineteen years ago)

I'm going to stop listening to John Motson and Mark Lawrenson. They rile me so much I start believing the opposite of what they are telling me.

Adrian Chiles is on Match of the Day just now wearing a Croatia shirt and a Croatia beanie hat. He looks as bad as you may be imagining. Possibly worse.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 12 June 2006 22:13 (nineteen years ago)

Michael White thank you! my problem then is that i don't know who plays what position, and my attempts to find out are frustrated by how small they appear on my television screen. i wonder if ESPN2's camerawork is different from british TV's? i find there's not really enough close-in stuff, or overheady parts where you can really see how the plays develop; it's all at this remove where the players are barely distinguishable yet not wide enough to see the full distribution down the field.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 12 June 2006 22:35 (nineteen years ago)

For me today was all about the weeping Japanese gurls. We didn't have many Czech's but we had enough to make the USA boys (speccy, not sure if the get the rules) want to fite, and I had to break it up (Bouncer training to the MAX).

Kinda glad we close for the 8pm games.

Still think Jap vs Oz woz bet game as it is the only one where a team came fom behind. Oooh. Matron.

Tracey, take up Ken Chu's poxy (I mean proxy) BBC feed. Tho I imagine you get the same feed from the German's as we get.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 12 June 2006 22:47 (nineteen years ago)

BBC PUNDITRY:

a)They should just put the camera on Leonardo's face when Gordon Strachan is talking.

b)Leo's very softly spoken isn't he, it's hard to believe he once elbowed a man's face off.

c)If you'd told me five years ago I was gonna like Jonathan Pierce's commentary...

Pretty psyched for Brazil-Croatia.

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Monday, 12 June 2006 23:20 (nineteen years ago)

Good point re Pierce: calmed down, got good. Almost as anal as Motty.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 12 June 2006 23:27 (nineteen years ago)

Sort of younger, non-senile Motty, maybe. Where Motson's basically at the stage where he has an orgasm whenever he thinks about Wayne Rooney and relates everything back to him, Pierce seems like he can be genuinely enthusiastic about an "obscure" game without resorting to patronising bullshit/just going on about England.

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Monday, 12 June 2006 23:32 (nineteen years ago)

Weirdly, my attention's fallen right off in the past couple of days due to not watching stuff on proper screens, and instead using the stream, so when there's shadows on the pitch at least one team becomes completely invisible, which makes things incredibly confusing. I just can't be arsed going down the pub by myself to sit on my own drinking very, very slowly, not least because people might come up and talk to me, and this makes me a bit scared.

In punditry terms: I really wouldn't be too upset if the Beeb made it worth Martin O'Neill's while to not go back into management. His influence in that punditry box was fantastic for the Holland-Serbia game, because he was so calming - he took his time to say his thoughts in a reasonable manner, and it brought the rest of the pundits with him. The consensus view left, and there was actually a discussion, a debate, that didn't go into shouting, and involved people actually listening, and it was all strangely... wonderful. This said, when he was with Hansen and Shearer, he did have this tendency to get dominated by them, because he does ramble - Shearer's obviously been trained to keep things to time, and Hansen's got the experience to know how to stick to time but actually say something of some substance in that time period, which Shearer definitely doesn't. O'Neill's thoughts and ideas are always interesting, but he does ramble and stutter a fair bit, which means that he gets cut off by Hansen and Lineker. He just makes football sound so much more interesting than the Beeb's new breed of pundits, who've had media training and let it go to their heads - Shearer, for instance, is Ronan Keating. He is.

Also interesting - the Lineker-Hansen dynamic, particularly evident in the Ghana-Italy game - Hansen often felt the need to lead the discussion, several times specifically asking Marcel Desailly for his opinions. In the two daytime bits I've seen of Lineker, he tends to get a lot more involved and forceful with discussion leading and keeping things On Task and let's talk about Frank Lampard etc. This was especially prevalent in the Germany-Rica build-up, with Martin O'Neill frequently getting bullied out of discussions by him and Les Alanos - I'm thinking that maybe O'Neill's been getting some strong viewer reactions, and Gary's been told to let him in more, and so Hansen's following the lead and trying to foster more organic discussion. It's a good way of going about things, and for the Holland game, it made Ian Wright seem a bit reasonable, because he was talking to O'Neill rather than Lineker and seemed to be playing an almost Chilesian role of having things calmly explained to him.

I'm not sure I've made sense here. Hansen-Desailly-O'Neill = a good thing, though. Have yet to see WGS this tournament, but the Beeb has all three games tomorrow, so fingers crossed etc., even if one of them is South Korea-Togo and the other two look ever so slightly lopsided.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 00:50 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, and during the commentary for USA-CESKA REPUBLIKA I suddenly realised that the only reason I had nice things to say about Gavin Peacock's punditry was because he isn't Lee Dixon, and also he has some nice shoes. Him and Simon Brotherton properly sucked the life out of that game, particularly with "So Gavin, how big a part do you think the heat will play in this match?" and "So Gavin, how big a part do you think the new, lighter ball will play in this match?" Brotherton then redeemed himself with his exclamation of "Oh! That's A Goal!" when Rosicky scored his first. He then attempted a calmer analysis of it, but it didn't wash.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 00:58 (nineteen years ago)

...wait. Is the American television coverage more accessible than the British coverage?? (ie - do more ppl in the states have ESPN2 than whatever channel it is in Engerland that has the games that isn't the beeb (Sky? is that what yer calling it these days))

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 02:10 (nineteen years ago)

gbx - no, the other channel is ITV, which is free-to-air terrestrial and pretty much reaches exactly as many households as the BBC. Their coverage isn't as widely watched as the BBC though, because it tends to be a bit... awful.

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 02:30 (nineteen years ago)

oh ok.

i just caught that pirlo goal, btw: nice one!

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 03:15 (nineteen years ago)

>are people just made bigger and faster and stronger in eastern europe, and have their progeny shrunk since arriving on american shores?<

I suddenly don't feel quite so ignorant, thank you.

Go Serbia!!!

― nicky lo-fi (nicky lo-fi), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 06:18 (nineteen years ago)

I wonder if Big Ron enjoyed Desailly's punditry?

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 06:47 (nineteen years ago)

Big Ron's been commentating on UKTVG2 who bizarrely are showing live games (the same ones the BBC get)...quite why anyone would choose the UKTVG2 coverage over BBC's is baffling. Anyway, he was good! Better than any other co-commentator at this World Cup so far and I wish he was still at ITV if he's going to continue the job at all.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 06:55 (nineteen years ago)

This stuff about Ghana not deserving to lose is madness. We all know the word 'deserve' has no place in football, but Ghana did deserve to lose. Especially when they gifted Italy two goals like that. Everyone mentioned Kuffour's mistake but what was Kingston doing running out so far off his line, and so far wide?

Although it would still have been funnier if Italy had led 1-0 until the 89th minute and conceded an equaliser. I will say this about every Italian victory from now on, no matter how unjustified.

Rosicky looks a bit good doesn't he? Arse.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 07:18 (nineteen years ago)

I really wouldn't be too upset if the Beeb made it worth Martin O'Neill's while to not go back into management. His influence in that punditry box was fantastic for the Holland-Serbia game, because he was so calming - he took his time to say his thoughts in a reasonable manner

You mean he had difficulty forming coherant sentances, loses his train of thought easily and stutters to a stop? What are you on, he's bloody awful.

― David Orton (scarlet), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 07:30 (nineteen years ago)

coherant sentances

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 07:33 (nineteen years ago)

yeah italy won fair n square, but still u can't not feel a bit sentimental about the way ghana bossed them (albeit bluntly) before pirlo got the suckerpunch in. considering most of us tuned in to see a pasting they were a delight, i think that's all ppl are trying to articulate with this 'deserved' lark.

― rtccc (mwah), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 07:47 (nineteen years ago)

This stuff about Ghana not deserving to lose is madness. We all know the word 'deserve' has no place in football, but Ghana did deserve to lose.

Game of two halves, innit. Fairly even first half, but I thought Italy were much better than Ghana in the second half. Even ignoring the ridiculous nature of the second goal, Ghana *never* looked like equalising - for all the incisive passing in the middle, virtually all their crosses missed everyone or resulted in tame 20-yard headers, and the only shots were from Essien, usually 30 yards out and going 10 yards wide.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 07:49 (nineteen years ago)

actually i really didnt see the point of martin o neill either yesterday - swygart's right to bring up the shearer/hansen boys club, and the media trained sheen as well, but i'd rather that than sit thru a maverick/autistic picks fights about bugger all, fuck up the flow of the discussions, be really rude to desailly!, and drop some totally whatever-i-play-champ-man-too 'insights' like "kuffour's been crap for the last 2 years." he really does not say anything that shearer doesnt say, and "lol, carcrash telly" as an excuse gets lame quick.

he's ok commentating tho, just not in the studio. also in his defence, it is now completely inscrutable whether he's joking (iron deadpan!)or being huffy serious half the time.

― rtccc (mwah), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 08:03 (nineteen years ago)

it was funny how damning O'Neill's verdict of the Ghanaian defence was re Pirlo's goal. 'absolutely no excuse!' etc.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 08:10 (nineteen years ago)

I liked MO'N's "I'm looking at you Bobo Balde!" reference with "I worked for years with a defender who keeps blaming the midfield for his mistakes."

He wasn't insulting Desailly, it was said and taken in good spirit.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 08:20 (nineteen years ago)

are people just made bigger and faster and stronger in eastern europe, and have their progeny shrunk since arriving on american shores?

It's true that Americans are now shorter on average than most European countries - used to be the other way round.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 08:41 (nineteen years ago)

Great World Cup so far. Good to see all my Chelsea boys looking the bollocks. The general level of punditry is terrible though. When did the BBC get so bloody nationalistic and schoolboy sniggery? I expect that from ITV.

Italy were very impressive. As good as Argentina and the Czechs.

― Pete W (peterw), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 08:44 (nineteen years ago)

Of the teams played so far those would be my pick too for the best teams, England would be there too if it weren't for the way they totally faded in the second half against Paraguay. Thought Czechs looked more than capable of beating the Italians.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 08:49 (nineteen years ago)

Hard to tell until you know exactly how bad Ghana and the Yanks are. Argentina are the only ones to have beaten genuinely strong opponents.

Nice to see all the oldies - Nedved, Figo, Beckham, Totti - looking good. What price a Ronaldo hat-trick tonight...

― Pete W (peterw), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 08:52 (nineteen years ago)

I had only just caught the train by the time Mike was Reporting Back, which took the shine off it a bit, to be honest.

But it was nice while it lasted. That curry house is so 70s.

We wondered (or I wondered) why Italian patriotic fervour and nationalism is so much more appealing than English patriotic fervour and nationalism.

That is good news about Americans becoming short arses.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 08:53 (nineteen years ago)

Italy were very impressive. As good as Argentina and the Czechs.

Yes. Portugal also looked better than England, and maybe even Germany.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 08:59 (nineteen years ago)

I enjoyed the match last night very much. I thought Ailsa might have appreciated Motty's two digs at the England team (about hanging on to a one-goal lead and the number of strikers some teams bringing five strikers to the World Cup) but perhaps she needs to press the red button and listen to the alternative commentary the BBC have kindly provided.

I thought O'Neill's grasp of English wasn't too bad last night. He's been practising, obviously.

Motty needs to practise his Italian. Pearlo wasn't the only pronunciation booboo. Did you hear him talking about Madina? I think he meant MODENA. Jeez.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:01 (nineteen years ago)

I wish there was some kind of proofreading function on ilx.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:02 (nineteen years ago)

Portugal also looked better than England, and maybe even Germany

(I mean maybe even Germany are looking better than England so far)

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:03 (nineteen years ago)

A fool writes: How are you meant to pronounce Pirlo?

― Pete W (peterw), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:04 (nineteen years ago)

It should sound more like 'earlobe'

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:04 (nineteen years ago)

England are one of the least impressive teams to have won a game so far

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:04 (nineteen years ago)

No penalties so far! And not that much diving and play-acting!!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:05 (nineteen years ago)

i thought ghana were quite good actually, to my surprise. and most of essien's misses from 30 yards were way closer than good ol' lampard and gerrard's efforts!

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:08 (nineteen years ago)

xpost with dadaismus

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:08 (nineteen years ago)

Peerlo.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:10 (nineteen years ago)

FIFA stipulates a maximum pixel height for clocks, and the BBC is contractually obliged to adhere to it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldcup/2006/06/answer_to_some_of_your_questio.html

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:11 (nineteen years ago)

Lampard's effort were on target, weren't they? It was Gerrard who was doing sub-Essien blasts into the sky.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:12 (nineteen years ago)

No penalties so far! And not that much diving and play-acting!!

Tho of course England have only played one game

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:13 (nineteen years ago)

i'd rather that than sit thru a maverick/autistic picks fights about bugger all, fuck up the flow of the discussions, be really rude to desailly!

I think Martin's sense of humour is sailing a few miles over your head.

― Venga (Venga), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:14 (nineteen years ago)

Ghana *never* looked like equalising

Apart from the two should-have-been-penalties, you mean?

I only saw the highlights of the Italy game and I found myself going "oooh noooo" every time Ghana got the ball.

From now on, the best thing about Italy winning matches will be the knowledge that it has made Matt DC weep bitter tears.

― Crimea River (Mark C), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:16 (nineteen years ago)

agree that England are 'worst winners' so far. i'm hoping they'll build up whereas Czechs, Argentina and everyone else will peak too soon.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:22 (nineteen years ago)

lampard had one or maybe two on target i think. the rest were like hi dere row 30

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:23 (nineteen years ago)

also, question: does the ball really swerve that much more than usual?

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:33 (nineteen years ago)

Q: Could you please tell me if you will be re-broadcasting the opening titles of World Cup Match of the Day which was shown on Saturday 10 June at 12.40. I am an English teacher and I would like to be able to use this piece of footage to inspire my reluctant boys to engage with poetry. It was a fabulous piece of TV - made me stop in my tracks!

We're glad to hear that you enjoyed our Shakespearean opening. I'm afraid we won't be repeating the item, but we are considering using John of Gaunt's "This sceptred isle, this England" speech from Richard II as the opening for a later England game.

Looking forward to that then(!)

― theantmustdance (theantmustdance), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:34 (nineteen years ago)

FIFA stipulates a maximum pixel height for clocks, and the BBC is contractually obliged to adhere to it:

Ha! Well, that's fine but their choice of font is very poor. And owners of widescreen tellies in pubs: please set correct aspect ratio! (Though I reckon the problem in the Freemasons' Arms was that their "big screen" was 4:3, so they set the box to that and then stretched the image to fill the screen on the wall-mounted TVs. As Mark S pointed out, the ball resembled the heavily-oblated sphere Google were choosing to represent soccer-ball-at-speed in their graphic of t'other day).

Where can we watch it in HD?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:35 (nineteen years ago)

yes, the D wasn't very H in the freemasons last night was it? pretty good place for the football watching though, i'd say. half decent beer, EXCELLENT air con, and some very excitable and friendly italians last night.

the fact that it is less than 100 yards from the front door of my work has nothing to do with it obv ;)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:43 (nineteen years ago)

It has been noted that the worst graffick is ITV's extra time board, which is totally mish.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:49 (nineteen years ago)

What's with that dreadful pub rock/ dad rock version of "Heroes"? How could anyone think that was a good idea? I'm imagining a lot of heads will be rolling at ITV after all this is over.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:56 (nineteen years ago)

Well, that's fine but their choice of font is very poor.

i bet you you want Comic Sans don't you. actually the BBC actually used Comic Sans the other day for a montage/report. i was mortified.

ITV are using the global standard design mentioned way upthread - British designed!

BBC's tall condensed font for team names and players when displaying is presumably to take into account the length of Serbia & Montenegro and certain player names. good thinkin', although it does look a bit weird.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:56 (nineteen years ago)

You lot moaning about aspect ratios and the Hness of the D don't know you're born:

Gaddafi hits out at Fifa
By Amr Shaheen
BBC Sport, North Africa

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has hit out strongly at world football's governing body Fifa.

Speaking on his website, he angrily accused the body of paying little attention to the needs of poorer countries.

Gaddafi's comments come in the wake of Fifa's sale of exclusive World Cup broadcast rights to pan-Arabic channel ART.

The pay-tv channel, which has the right to broadcast the 2006, 2010 and 2014 editions of the tournament throughout North Africa, has encrypted the signals.

Only those who purchase a decoder, which costs $161, can watch the entire tournament.

But authorities in Morocco reached a last-minute deal that will allow fans watch the final, semi-finals and a few other games on national television.

"According to Fifa rules, no poor country will ever be able to host the World Cup and poor people are not even able to enjoy the pleasure of watching its games," said an angry Gaddafi.

"Even broadcasting it through radio and television has been monopolized. The poor will not attend it nor see it, nor hear it nor read it!

"Fifa was founded to create love among the population of the earth, but all it has done is spread and deepen feelings of hostility and hatred all over the world, even among friends."

Gaddafi went on to accuse Fifa of encouraging slavery and financial corruption.

"Fifa reactivated the system of slavery and enslavement and trading in human beings from Africa to Europe and America...

"This degradation is taking place against real young people just because they are poor.

"[Fifa president] Blatter is a wise man with a decent personality and I respect him, yet we are not certain of his ability or inability to change what is wrong with Fifa," said the Libyan leader.

Ironically, Al-Saadi Gaddafi, the son of the Libyan leader, is known to be a supporter of the Fifa president and courted him when the country was bidding to host the 2010 World Cup.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:57 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe I've managed to miss him so far, but where is Ally McCoist?!?!?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 09:58 (nineteen years ago)

Gadaffi's always been a man of the people.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:01 (nineteen years ago)

Ironically, Al-Saadi Gaddafi, the son of the Libyan leader, is known to be a supporter of the Fifa president and courted him when the country was bidding to host the 2010 World Cup.

so many jokes...well okay just the one.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:02 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know if you get the same graphics as we do on Norwegian telly, but if you do: the board popping up at the bottom of the screen with the number of injury time minutes is very lifelike, in that the number is completely unreadable.

(Or is it just my wonky coloursight?)

oh! xpost with Mädchen it seems?

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:04 (nineteen years ago)

You think it's bad in Libya..

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:08 (nineteen years ago)

looks like ribery's starting for france against the swiss, trezeguet on the bench. looking forward to this game more than brazil croatia, i think.

― michael wells (michael w.), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:08 (nineteen years ago)

I hate Trezeguet, he is shite

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:10 (nineteen years ago)

Come on Switzerland, I've got a pound riding on you fucking cuckoo clock clodhoppers!

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:12 (nineteen years ago)

i predict the swiss griding out a terribly dull 0-0.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:14 (nineteen years ago)

that's what they did in the qualifying group iirc. 2-1 France, Henry with late winner.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:16 (nineteen years ago)

Less than two hours until South Korea v Togo! The tension mounts...

Meanwhile, PA reports that 37% of England fans (or 370 of the 1,000 they asked, anyway) think Trinidad & Tobago is in Africa. Only 34% plumped for what Americans call the Caribbean, with the others split between the South Pacific, "India" and, remarkably, "Southern Europe".

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:24 (nineteen years ago)

Everyone's writing France off now but looking at their line-up they could surprise a lot of people. I've heard very good things about Ribery, there's a good defensive core in midfield allowing Zidane to fannydangle to his heart's content and apparently they are deadly going up the left wing and linking up with Henry.

I know nothing about Switzerland but any defence with Senderos at its heart is going to be pretty brittle.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:25 (nineteen years ago)

you can get 12-1 that scarface scores the first goal for france which looks a decent price to me although i can see the swiss getting a result.
xpost - trezeguet reminds me of inzaghi, another overrated serie a striker.

― michael wells (michael w.), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:26 (nineteen years ago)

Also, unfortunately for Barry my bitter tears will have to be put on hold. Mostly because I want the Czechs to finish 2nd and play Brazil in what could be the game of the tournament.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:29 (nineteen years ago)

trezeguet reminds me of inzaghi, another overrated serie a striker

I hate him too but he's miles better than Trezeguet

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:31 (nineteen years ago)

has there been any comments on that really crazy giant screen that was in that stadium that england played their first match?

it casts a crazy shadow in the middle of the pitch! and also blocks goal kicks!!!!!!

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:41 (nineteen years ago)

I thought it was stupid, Ken.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:41 (nineteen years ago)

U&K: is Gygax playing?

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:43 (nineteen years ago)

probably yeah

― michael wells (michael w.), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:47 (nineteen years ago)

I hate Inzaghi so much. I almost hate him as much as Trapattoni. God I hate him

< / Barry >

― Crimea River (Mark C), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:50 (nineteen years ago)

"trezeguet reminds me of inzaghi, another overrated serie a striker"

that's ridiculous. neither of them are overrated. on what basis would you say such a thing? just look at their record for christ sake.

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:51 (nineteen years ago)

i don't think the idea of that screen itself is that stupid really, for when the spectators get too tired of looking down they can look up instead. and also see the names on the players shirts maybe if the picture isn't too tiny. and also the potentials to create some crazy goals off a deflection from the screen isn't all bad

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:55 (nineteen years ago)

they actually hide the stadium's retractable roof in it. can be deployed in 12 minutes!

― guns to deal with vodka (haitch), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 10:56 (nineteen years ago)

Inzaghi's a disgrace to football! Look at it this way - would you want him as a son-in-law?

― Crimea River (Mark C), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:08 (nineteen years ago)

I've never saw David Trezeguet play well - maybe once, about 8 years ago

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:11 (nineteen years ago)

I don't like the way the screen encourages me to press my red button, only to find nothing of interest when I do.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:12 (nineteen years ago)

The French seem to have a few players who are utter crap but still seem to get picked - Sylvestre's another one

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:14 (nineteen years ago)

xxpost. yeah i'm only basing it on what i've seen. admittedly i don't have a season ticket at milan or juve but, like dada, i've never seen trezeguet play well and, like crimea, i wouldn't want inzaghi as a son in law.

― michael wells (michael w.), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:14 (nineteen years ago)

I've never saw David Trezeguet play well - maybe once, about 8 years ago

well, i'm no big foot fan so i don't know since then but in euro 2000 he's been pretty good for france... and he's still one of the 2 best scorers for us (with henry) !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:17 (nineteen years ago)

The French seem to have a few players who are utter crap but still seem to get picked - Sylvestre's another one

god i hate that guy. we're also pretty good at not picking great players (giuly, anelka, micoud...).

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:17 (nineteen years ago)

about trezeguet, i've juste checked, so :
best scorer in italian league in 2002 with 24 goals in 34 games. currently 23 goals in 32 games.
not bad actually !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:20 (nineteen years ago)

I have a soft spot for Superpippo, because he was capocanoniere the year I lived in Italy and helped poor old Atalanta avoid relegation (for that year, at least). He also had an endearing habit of bending down to touch his toes with his arse pointing in my direction during the warm up.

Or were you talking about Simone?

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:21 (nineteen years ago)

Well Trezeguet never seems to play well since he goes by unnoticed until a rebound comes his way, which he promptly puts in the net. The fact that he's regularly top socrer in seria A and that he's France's highest scorer in activity (2nd only to Platini), despite having never really been in the typical starting line-up, makes me think that he must be doing something right. But I agree he's a very boring player to watch.
I ma counting a lot on Ribéry. His three appearances as a sub during the warm-up games have been stellar. Can he play like that for a whole game?

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

and to finish with trezegoal, he's 3rd best scorer in the french team's history with 32 in 63 games behind henry (33/78) and platini (41/72).
so my final conclusion is : he's far from being a bad player...

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

xpsot with AleXTC!

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

That doesn't change the fact that I have never seen David Trezeguet play well

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:26 (nineteen years ago)

i see the french ILXORS stand up to defend the honor of their striker !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:26 (nineteen years ago)

"and also the potentials to create some crazy goals off a deflection from the screen isn't all bad "

'cept it would count as outside interference, play would be stopped and drop-ball performed at the point on the pitch closest to the infraction.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:26 (nineteen years ago)

When did "Would you want him as a son-in-law" become a key character question?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:29 (nineteen years ago)

I'll be using it as my main criteria come the next General Election

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:31 (nineteen years ago)

but then, what is "playing well" (philosophical question) ? for a striker, scoring loads of goals is certainly one part of the definition...

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:37 (nineteen years ago)

Being the second best goalscorer in European cup competition of all time would be a decent indication of a good striker. But maybe that's just me!

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:43 (nineteen years ago)

Similar argument: Silvestre's helped to keep a lot of clean sheets

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:46 (nineteen years ago)

You know it's not.

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:48 (nineteen years ago)

It helps that Trezeguet has always had a lot of good players around him (ditto Pippo), he obviously scores a lot of goals but I've never seen him look anything other than lethargic, lacklustre and generally uninterested

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:52 (nineteen years ago)

I said similar, not the same! (xpost)

Anyway I see we're back in Frankfurt with the stupid screen above pitch!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:54 (nineteen years ago)

Robinson's goal-kick on Saturday was CLEARLY heading for the Paraguayan goal (in the same way the Colombian keeper scored against Poland in the recent friendly) until the screen intervened.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:55 (nineteen years ago)

It was clearly heading for Mars, how did he get it so high? Was it deliberate?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:56 (nineteen years ago)

It helps that Trezeguet has always had a lot of good players around him

well, i guess you can say that for any striker then. at this level (italian league A or national team), most big teams' strikers have good players around them...

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

robinson later denied that had anything to with a bet, i read somewhere.

I think Martin's sense of humour is sailing a few miles over your head.

i did say it was hard to tell anymore! it's a very closed off sense of humour. the main point is that no one else in the studio really feels like indulging whatever there's supposed to be there to indulge either and it's embarassing to watch. plus he was being needlessly churlish at times. whatever, i'll probably enjoy his antics again later on today.

― rtccc (mwah), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

giaour otm

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

Inzaghi scored 24 goals in one season when he played for Atalanta.

Anyway...

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:59 (nineteen years ago)

O'Neill's just being an Ulsterman

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 11:59 (nineteen years ago)

Did he really hit the screen? Or are you making it up? I must have been asleep.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:00 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah I don't know why everyone is so down on France. An English statistical analysis gave them 11% to win the whole thing as compared to Brazil's 13%! Whether or not statistics will really reflect the results is a different story....but it sounds like they're no worse than the other big euro teams.

― richardk (Richard K), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:02 (nineteen years ago)

yeah i should say i didnt see him hit the screen either but after konal konfirmed i assumed it to be true.

i hope ribery finds his way to england this summer - what a tremendously ugly human! he has quite the medieval peasant slop vibe

― rtccc (mwah), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:03 (nineteen years ago)

poll's refereeing. bet he's gutted he didn't get the france game, i suppose he'll just have to buddy up with adebayor.

― michael wells (michael w.), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:03 (nineteen years ago)

Has Ribery got some sort of scar? What's the story behind that?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:04 (nineteen years ago)

hey richard how are you ?
nice to have some ILX back up for "les bleus" !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:06 (nineteen years ago)

Having seen them struggle to qualify in a pretty easy group, I have to say that France looks pretty weak.

xp: Ribéry had an car accident as a child, has a crazy scar and looks pretty scary

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:06 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.cahiersdufootball.net/images/ribery_sp.jpg

lol @ google img search

― rtccc (mwah), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:06 (nineteen years ago)

Chicks dig scars

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:10 (nineteen years ago)

the thing i luv about him tho is that he's done exactly the right thing and totally played up to it for maximum ahhh frankenstein effect

http://www.galatasaray.org/images/haber3/01022005_ribery_09.jpg

like, car accidents dont mean having half a haircut!

― rtccc (mwah), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:14 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, hasn't been very impressive... over the last years !
but i have a good feeling.
l'heure de verité is close...

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:14 (nineteen years ago)

1358 BST: Oops! The stadium drops a clanger by playing the South Korean anthem twice. The Togo players bear the accidental slight with dignity.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:15 (nineteen years ago)

there is a riberymania currently in france.
he's our next zidane (instead of black/blanc/beurs, he will be the hero of the scarred/crippled/blind generation) !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:16 (nineteen years ago)

Another smashing SOAS game so far. The Korean fans significantly outnumber the Togo fans, but we have people in both camps. I wish I could have told the Guardian now.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:24 (nineteen years ago)

BBC feed is crap today. I may work.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

i could murder mark bright.

― rtccc (mwah), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

hmmm, sounds like it's dull as ditchwater anyway...

fivelive feed is good ;) although it is dion dublin punditing again...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

ok, apart from the togo goal...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

GO TOGO! nice goal.

― michael wells (michael w.), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

ah that wz a hot goal. shetland pony riding celebration?

― rtccc (mwah), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

26 mins: "The crowd is providing more colour than the game at the moment."
BBC match commentator Simon Brotherton

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:41 (nineteen years ago)

Korean fans are very noisy! When the ball goes into the Togo half they all start screaming. Its great even if the game has been a bit dull.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:42 (nineteen years ago)

what is it with these Puma shirts and perspirative absorption anyway?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:46 (nineteen years ago)

Most named in the BBC commentary so far: Graham Poll.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:50 (nineteen years ago)

The crowd noises remind me of schoolboy internationals at Wembley. I was meant to go to England 7-0 Holland in March '82 but I had tonsilitis... :(

Stubbsy just said this game was a bit of a fucking rotter. I'm paraphrasing.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:57 (nineteen years ago)

hi alextc!! (xpost way upthread) I would say this demands a fa(p)gow but work is opening up the "cinema room" for the France game so I'm set

OTM re: korean fan noise level- fun stuff

― richardk (Richard K), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

I'm imagining Onimo sitting there with a clipboard making a tally chart.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:01 (nineteen years ago)

poll with the first red card surprise. it was well deserved but we won't mention that in the interests of unfairness. oh and korea just scored from the resulting free kick.

― michael wells (michael w.), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

"The Koreans are hugely disappointing. What's happened to them over the last four years is a tragedy."
BBC pundit Gordon Strachan

Get some perspective, Wee Man!

(Unless there has been a tragedy I haven't heard about.)

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

you mean you HAVEN'T got a clipboard madchen?

"the blonde li" has just scored apparently, 1-1.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

Wow, a good free kick, but the noise here was deafening - and still is two minute later. 1-1. They are are still singing!

That's right, singing. Pretty poor game up to now, but the crowd make it.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

whoooo!
totally deserved card and goal.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:16 (nineteen years ago)

Good goal. Togo defender had to-go.

Mentions of Poll so far ~~IIII~~ ~~IIII~~ ~~IIII~~ ~~IIII~~ ~~IIII~~ ~~IIII~~ ~~IIII~~ ~~IIII~~

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

I suspect most of the Korean American students here at UCI are up and watching this game somewhere (based on my experience of what they were like four years back!).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:19 (nineteen years ago)

Come on Poll! You can go all the way if you believe!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:20 (nineteen years ago)

Korean student easily the best crowd we've had so far. Togo currently playing with nine and Korea have perked up big time. They smell blood and could well get it.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:21 (nineteen years ago)

Togo playing a bit like a drowsy wasp at the moment.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

Great chance from Togo just then. things seem to be livening up.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

and they've just blasted it over the bar agane.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

Salifou should have made it 2-1 there, dangerous little player he is.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

so it's 1-1 at the moment ? good for france that...
richard : you still work at the same place ? they open a cinema room to show the game ? nice...

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

i was kind of hoping Togo would score within 21 seconds of kickoff

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:28 (nineteen years ago)

the korean sub that's just come on is apparently nicknamed "the vacuumcleaner" "cna you guess why that is?" commentator asks dion dublin. unfortunately dion did not reply "is it cos he sucks?????"

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

you mean you HAVEN'T got a clipboard madchen?

http://individual.utoronto.ca/roninkengo/pictures/aloneinthedark.jpg

Madchen, yesterday.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:30 (nineteen years ago)

i wish i have TV here so i can see Park live

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:30 (nineteen years ago)

i think i can hear the SOAS koreans from here...

2-1, sounds like another 35 yard screamer to add to the pile

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

2-1 Korea - a bit of a beaut too.

i am watching it at work but we're not allowed to out the sound on.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

Great goal!

― M. White (Miguelito), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

2-1, ahn jung hwan. surely the percentage of goals in this tournament scored from outside the area is some sort of record.

― michael wells (michael w.), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:34 (nineteen years ago)

That was a terrific goal from Korea. They should have this in the bag. I can barely hear the noise is so loud in SOAS.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:34 (nineteen years ago)

Marvellous. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:35 (nineteen years ago)

did the commentators talk about the swerving ball?

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

didn't realise it was Ahn SCOURGE OF AZZURRI that scored - first Korean to score in consecutive World Cups?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

Togo do occasionally break v well. too bad they can't finish what they start.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

I can't believe Moustapha Salifou only plays for a second tier Belgian team. He's shown Serie A/La Liga potential on the pitch today, he's been the best player out there.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:41 (nineteen years ago)

I like how this game is not quite done and dusted, still.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:48 (nineteen years ago)

my sky at works gone down

mgiht have to work now

i.e not good

― secondhandnews (secondhandnews), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:50 (nineteen years ago)

Did someone on the "things that will be said in the world cup" thread say "Gone are the days of 5 and 6 nil victories, there just aren't any whipping boys. no easy games" blah blah blah.

Cos I've heard that at least 3 times!

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

ok, who's gonna be first to use the word "plucky"?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

"LIKE A FOX"

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:55 (nineteen years ago)

best bit was in the last minute when all the korea fans booed like mad because they took a short free kick instead of going for goal.

― michael wells (michael w.), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

that togo goalie has a great 80s bobby brownesque haircut!

― zappi (joni), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

Pete, where do you watch the games?

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

Did someone on the "things that will be said in the world cup" thread say "Gone are the days of 5 and 6 nil victories, there just aren't any whipping boys. no easy games" blah blah blah.

erm what about USA?

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

I'm already bored with all these long-range top swervy goals. My goal of the tournament is going to have to be a dribbly defender-beating effort. Bring back sticthed leather balls.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:04 (nineteen years ago)

Are South Korea now too big a side to be considered 'plucky' then?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:04 (nineteen years ago)

FULL TIME: South Korea 2-1 Togo:
South Korea come from behind to beat plucky Togo, who are reduced to ten men with Jean-Paul Abalo's dismissal.

Sez the BBC.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

I agree with Alba, preferably soggy balls.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:10 (nineteen years ago)

xpost Alex- yeah same place. Where are you watching the game(s) tonight?

― richardk (Richard K), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:10 (nineteen years ago)

I'm already bored with all these long-range top swervy goals. My goal of the tournament is going to have to be a dribbly defender-beating effort. Bring back sticthed leather balls.
-- Alba (albab...), June 13th, 2006 4:04 AM.

xxpost. totally agree, i'm craving a great team goal or a beat-3-men-and-slot-it-past-the-goalie effort. these wellie 'em in from thirty yards goals are a piece of piss!

― michael wells (michael w.), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

No! I shall not be satisfied until there's so much swerve teams are consistently scoring from inside their own halves!

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

xpost Alex- yeah same place. Where are you watching the game(s) tonight?

with some friends in a bar near republique. I may not stay much longer at the office considering the time to get there...
allez les bleus !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

I'm already bored with all these long-range top swervy goals

You won't be saying that when Stevie G pings one in from the D at half-five on Thursday.

South Korea were terribly negative once they got the lead; that free-kick on the edge of the box in injury time that they managed to work back practically to their own keeper. They're the opposite of naive.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

When I watch football I always forget how far 30 yards is, until I go outside and kick a ball and realise that's probably the limit to how far I can even kick it.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

No! I shall not be satisfied until there's so much swerve teams are consistently scoring from inside their own halves!

yeah, like that famous pelé goal.

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

You won't be saying that when Stevie G pings one in from the D at half-five on Thursday.

You're right, I won't. My position on long-range swervy goals is similar to Ian Wright's on diving.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

Rosicky's second goal was a pretty good team goal.

x-post surely this new ball can give us some narinho style screamers.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

When I watch football I always forget how far 30 yards is, until I go outside and kick a ball and realise that's probably the limit to how far I can even kick it.

OTM ! even the penalty point is not THAT close...

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

I had sympathy when Diana Ross missed in 1994.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

Alba your compassion is perhaps the best of all your good points.

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:22 (nineteen years ago)

surely the way forward is to bring back decent keepers.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

bring back Campo, or at least his kit.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

except pink

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:31 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, like that famous pelé goal.

Famous Pele miss, you mean. Unless there's a slightly less famous occasion when he pulled it off.

Overhead kicks, that's what we want.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:31 (nineteen years ago)

I watch them at SOAS, the School Of Oriental and African Studies in Central London, a hub of global students who are loving the cup so far. Looking forward to next Ecuadorian game too with my new mates the Ecuadorian estates staff!

Tunisia vs Sauid tomorrow will be good (we show all the games except the 8pm ones cos we are shut.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:32 (nineteen years ago)

Famous Pele miss, you mean. Unless there's a slightly less famous occasion when he pulled it off.

oh he missed it ? hum, my memory is not what it was before all these pints... but why is it famous then ?? i suppose he's not the only one who's tried it...

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:37 (nineteen years ago)

Irish TV just opened with "Tonight, everyone's favourite second team begins their campaign......France"

Wtf! Yes everyone in Ireland's favourite second team, the ones that knocked us out of the qualifiers.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:37 (nineteen years ago)

They mean everyone in France, Ronan. (Their first favorite team is Andorra.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:38 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know anyone for who counts France as their second team. What an odd thing to say.

but why is it famous then ?? i suppose he's not the only one who's tried it...

I think maybe he was the first, at least on such a big stage.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:39 (nineteen years ago)

was it ironic?

or was there significance in the construction "favourite second team" (as opposed to "second favorite team")?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:42 (nineteen years ago)

haha i hope it was deadpan sarcasm

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:43 (nineteen years ago)

No it seemed pretty serious.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:53 (nineteen years ago)

he's just very, very good.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:56 (nineteen years ago)

On 5 Live Simon Mayo to a Swiss fan;

Mayo: Who are the Swiss players to watch out for?
Fan: Phillips and Deros
Mayo:Who?
Fan Philips and Deros
Mayo: Ah, Philip Senderos of Arsenal.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 14:57 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know anyone for who counts France as their second team. What an odd thing to say.

Me and the Pinefox, since about 1982! (More like our first team, to be honest).

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

Perhaps RTE's Bill O'Herlihy was aware of this.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 15:18 (nineteen years ago)

http://dynimg.rte.ie/0000709a0ba.jpg

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

hold on!

alan green and graham taylor just suggested live on air the thierry henry is GAY FOR FABIEN BARTEZ!!!

at least i think that's they were implying.

i'm sorry my prediction for the match was correct...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 15:31 (nineteen years ago)

they might be mine them or the czech but thats partially motivated by my money on betfair with the czechs

― secondhandnews (secondhandnews), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 15:33 (nineteen years ago)

I wore my "BE THE REDS!" shirt today, the one I bought off a table on 32nd St. in 2002. BE THE REDS!

American commentators are saying "Ruh - BEAR - ee" hmm.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 15:51 (nineteen years ago)

Ian Dowie accidentally walks on camera. lol.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

What a thrilling and moving first half that French/Swiss match was. My pounding heart.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 16:02 (nineteen years ago)

The American commentators are now saying France is running out of ideas. Their notion of an idea: Ribery coming off in favor of Trezeguet?

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 16:14 (nineteen years ago)

I was thinking that Mark Bright wasn't as annoying as he used to be, but the way his constant whiny-voiced mock confusion at how bad Togo were gradually snowballed into bordering on actual moral outrage: nrgghrghh.

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

Mick McCarthy: You're Hard

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 16:16 (nineteen years ago)

There was such a strong legion of Korean fans in my hometown during the '02 cup that they actually opened up a cafe called "Be The Reds" that was packed for about two weeks. After the world cup was over, it was pretty much empty up until now. I don't know how they stayed in business...

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

France remind me of England.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

Nice to see a couple of yellow cards at the end there - one for a defender 'jostling' (he actually seemed to briefly hug the attacker) in the area before a free kick, and for the striker who tried and failed to punch the ball into the net. Let's clean up football! ;-)

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 16:58 (nineteen years ago)

wonder what the odds are for France to go out not scoring a goal AGAIN????
can't remember the last time i saw such lazy passing & allround complacency (apart from Real Madrid for the last 2 years of course)

― zappi (joni), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 16:59 (nineteen years ago)

Theorry Henry vs. gygax! = Dud

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:19 (nineteen years ago)

I really really really want Croatia to win tonight. Even more than I wanted Paraguay to win on Saturday,

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:31 (nineteen years ago)

Pele's got all this money, and he still can't get a decent fucking haircut. Maybe he could maintain erection for more than 120 seconds if he just popped down Toni and Guy.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:32 (nineteen years ago)

You get a hard-on at the hairdressers?

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:34 (nineteen years ago)

i would LOVE Croatia to win.

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:36 (nineteen years ago)

You get a hard-on at the hairdressers

http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/S/thesalon/images/staff/156x184/156x184_terry.jpg

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:41 (nineteen years ago)

is that three goal-less draws in a row for France v Switzerland now? yeesh

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:44 (nineteen years ago)

OK the Everyone Worships Brazil furore is ever so slightly dampening my anticipation of this. That said, Ian Wright is not being much of a cunt, yet.

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:52 (nineteen years ago)

here we go...

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:52 (nineteen years ago)

PLUCKY CROATIA has OWN LAWS, GOVERNMENT, FOOTBALL TEAM

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:53 (nineteen years ago)

i'm not used to seeing players have to climb stairs to get onto the pitch. whatta thrill.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:54 (nineteen years ago)

haha xp

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:54 (nineteen years ago)

It is true, though. Everyone loves Brazil. When they went 24 years without winning it they were always the glamour team that everyone wanted to do well. I don't think anyone English hates Brazil, or considers them rivals like Germany or Argentina.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 17:59 (nineteen years ago)

lol Bosko Balaban amirite

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

"You might remember number 21, Bosko Balaban". Motty doing ILx targetted commentary!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

"Do Brazil bother with things like corners, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha"

Yeah, he's senile.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:03 (nineteen years ago)

man, half this island just disappeared from work. cut yer own damn lawn today, gringo. i'm the only non-brazilian on the night housekeeping crew at the hospital and i'm the only one with the day off. it's not really fair.

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:03 (nineteen years ago)

"undistinguished spell at Aston Villa" - understatement of the day?

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:04 (nineteen years ago)

does anyone have Bosko's Villa stats to hand?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:09 (nineteen years ago)

oh god, i wish the espn announcers would get off the brazilian DICK. jesus.

EVERY MOVE IS POETRY!
IT'S LIKE THEY HAVE A CHOREOGRAPHER!
FOR BRAZIL, FOOTBALL IS ELEVATED TO ARTFORM!!

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:10 (nineteen years ago)

and, don't get me wrong, i like brazil. wouldn't mind croatia getting some goals, though.

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:12 (nineteen years ago)

I can't decide which is worse, the hyperbolic commentary of OMG BRAZIL GODLIKE GENIUS FLICK AND THAT or what the commentary will be like if they get scored against or... GASP, lose a match!

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:13 (nineteen years ago)

I would like very much for Croatia to take the lead with the goal of the tournament, and for the match to finish like 6-all or some shit.

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:14 (nineteen years ago)

I've had the sound off since it started due to my mum being on the phone, and have just turned it back on. So far, it's reminding me of the ridiculous commentary of Arsenal v Real Madrid in the Champions League last year. "oh they're so wonderful, isn't it amazing that these mere mortals have the audacity to play against them rather than just bow down and make with the we're-not-worthies?"

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:15 (nineteen years ago)

Haha otm

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:15 (nineteen years ago)

Who will have the AUDACITY to score against Brazil!?!?

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:17 (nineteen years ago)

oh god, this commentator is awful.

"RONALDINHO...HE'LL POP UP ANYWHERE"
"THE FIRST THING HE'S THINKING: PASS!"

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:18 (nineteen years ago)

haha croatia are playing vs 4 rooneys!

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:24 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.tvheaven.ca/tworons4.JPG
http://www.tvheaven.ca/tworons4.JPG

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:24 (nineteen years ago)

In a hardware shop. Ronnie Corbett is behind the counter, wearing a warehouse jacket. He has just finished serving a customer.
CORBETT (muttering): There you are. Mind how you go.
(Ronnie Barker enters the shop, wearing a scruffy tank-top and beanie)
BARKER: Four Candles!
CORBETT: Four Candles?
BARKER: Four Candles.
(Ronnie Corbett makes for a box, and gets out four candles. He places them on the counter)
BARKER: No, four candles!
CORBETT (confused): Well there you are, four candles!
BARKER: No, fork 'andles! 'Andles for forks!
(Ronnie Corbett puts the candles away, and goes to get a fork handle. He places it onto the counter)CORBETT (muttering): Fork handles. Thought you said 'four candles!' (more clearly) Next?
BARKER: Got any plugs?
CORBETT: Plugs. What kind of plugs?
BARKER: A rubber one, bathroom.
(Ronnie Corbett gets out a box of bath plugs, and places it on the counter)
CORBETT (pulling out two different sized plugs): What size?
BARKER: Thirteen amp!
CORBETT (muttering): It's electric bathroom plugs, we call them, in the trade. Electric bathroom plugs!
(He puts the box away, gets out another box, and places on the counter an electric plug, then puts the box away)
BARKER: Saw tips!
CORBETT: Saw tips? (he doesn't know what he means) What d'you want? Ointment, or something like that?
BARKER: No, saw tips for covering saws.
CORBETT: Oh, haven't got any, haven't got any. (he mutters) Comin' in, but we haven' got any. Next?
BARKER: 'O's!
CORBETT: 'O's?
BARKER: 'O's.
(He goes to get a hoe, and places it on the counter)
BARKER: No, 'O's!
CORBETT: 'O's! I thought you said 'O! (he takes the hose back, and gets a hose, whilst muttering) When you said 'O's, I thought you said 'O! 'O's!
(He places the hose onto the counter)
BARKER: No, 'O's!
CORBETT (confused for a moment): O's? Oh, you mean panty 'o's, panty 'o's! (he picks up a pair of tights from beside him)
BARKER: No, no, 'O's! 'O's for the gate. Mon repose! 'O's! Letter O's!
CORBETT (finally realising): Letter O's! (muttering) You had me going there!
(He climbs up a stepladder, gets a box down, puts the ladder away, and takes the box to the counter, and searches through it for letter O's)
CORBETT: How many d'you want?
BARKER: Two.
(Ronnie Corbett leaves two letter O's on the counter, then takes the box back, gets the ladder out again, puts the box away, climbs down the ladder, and puts the ladder away, then returns to the counter)
CORBETT: Yes, next?
BARKER: Got any P's?
CORBETT (fed up): For Gawd' sake, why didn' you bleedin' tell me that while I was up there then? I'm up and down the shop already, it's up and down the bleedin' shop all the time. (He gets the ladder out, climbs up and gets the box of letters down, then puts the ladder away) Honestly, I've got all this shop, I ain't got any help, it's worth it we plan things. (He puts the box on the counter, and gets out some letter P's) How many d'you want?
BARKER: No! Tins of peas. Three tins of peas!
CORBETT: You're 'avin' me on, ain't ya, yer 'avin' me on?
BARKER: I'm not!
(Ronnie Corbett dumps the box under the counter, and gets three tins of peas)
CORBETT (placing the tins on the counter): Next?
BARKER: Got any pumps?
CORBETT (getting really fed up): 'And pumps, foot pumps? Come on!
BARKER (surprised he has to ask): Foot pumps!
CORBETT (muttering, as he goes down the shop): Foot pumps. See a foot pump? (He sees one, and picks it up) Tidy up in 'ere.
(He puts the pump down on the counter)
BARKER: No, pumps fer ya feet! Brown pump, size nine!
CORBETT (almost at breaking point): You are 'avin' me on, you are definitely 'avin' me on!
BARKER (not taking much notice of Corbett's mood): I'm not!
CORBETT: You are 'avin' me on! (He takes back the pump, and gets a pair of brown foot pumps out of a drawer, and places them on the counter) Next?
BARKER: Washers!
CORBETT (really close to breaking point): What, dishwashers, floor washers, car washers, windscreen washers, back scrubbers, lavatory cleaners? Floor washers?
BARKER: 'Alf inch washers!
CORBETT: Oh, tap washers, tap washers? (He finally breaks, and makes to confiscate his list) Look, I've had just about enough of this, give us that list. (He mutters) I'll get it all myself! (Reading through the list) What's this? What's that? Oh that does it! That just about does it! I have just about had it! (calling through to the back) Mr. Jones! You come out and serve this customer please, I have just about had enough of 'im. (Mr. Jones comes out, and Ronnie Corbett shows him the list) Look what 'e's got on there! Look what 'e's got on there!
JONES (who goes to a drawer with a towel hanging out of it, and opens it): Right! How many would ya like? One or two?
(He removes the towel to reveal the label on the drawer - 'Bill hooks'!)

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:30 (nineteen years ago)

meh

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:33 (nineteen years ago)

oh god, i wish the espn announcers would get off the brazilian DICK. jesus.
EVERY MOVE IS POETRY!
IT'S LIKE THEY HAVE A CHOREOGRAPHER!
FOR BRAZIL, FOOTBALL IS ELEVATED TO ARTFORM!!

-- gbx (polarbea...), June 13th, 2006. (later)

So otm. As I said on the "things that will be said in the World Cup thread", so fucking annoying, OH RONALDINHO, THE CLOWN PRINCE OF FOOTBALL. Must every Brazil game become mired with this shite in commentary?

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:35 (nineteen years ago)

Motson's going to jizz his pants now, isn't he?

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:44 (nineteen years ago)

His name's still Kaka.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

BEER RUN!!!!

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:50 (nineteen years ago)

CROATIA WILL KAKA THEIR PANTS NOW

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:50 (nineteen years ago)

It took Lawro 24 minutes to venture the controversial opinion that Brazil weren't maybe playing as well as they might be. Still, Kaka's goal was absolute class but Croatia did well to keep them out up to then.

Biggest moment of fawning sycophancy so far = jizzing over Ronaldinho looking the wrong way while passing while neglecting to mention he put the ball in to completely the wrong place.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:57 (nineteen years ago)

I am enjoying this World Cup very much by refusing to listen to any commentary at all, following them via minute-by-minute commentary and by (mostly) fast-forwarding through the matches when I get home.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:57 (nineteen years ago)

goddamn ronaldinho is an ugly man

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:58 (nineteen years ago)

yeah but he admits it!

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:58 (nineteen years ago)

Thank god I couldn't hear ANY of the commentary. I like busy lunch places with good beer. Great goal by Kaka in any event.

Ronaldinho is a genius because he realized it would be talent over looks for him AND PROVED IT.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 18:59 (nineteen years ago)

yeah and because he COPIED YR HAIR

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:00 (nineteen years ago)

Sven, just now:

"I do not know of any criticism of our second half performance."

"Of course I did not discuss it with Michael, because I do not discuss with players why I take them off. But Joe Cole holds the ball up much better than him."

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:00 (nineteen years ago)

See, this fawning sycophancy was there in 1982 (I remember Steve McMahon scoring a spectacular goal for Everton in a League Cup tie in '81 and Clive Tyldesley gushing, "A slice of Brazilian brilliance!" on Radio City - they hadn't even been that good in the previous two World Cups) and, coupled with my mate's Dad's chumminess with the Brazilian FA, made me long for their exit. (Even though they were fantastic in '82 and probably deserved a lot of the breathless hyperbole).

I think the Italians or Czechs will do them in round two.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

who is uglier - Ronaldinho or Rooney?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:07 (nineteen years ago)

france v switzerland: mick mccarthy seemed really pissed off, i kept expecting him to say it was a "bag of shite" or something. eventually he settled for calling the ref "a wally". france were a bit rub, ribery seemed a little overawed, like when he tried to square it to henry instead of banging it in the net. swiss wd have won if gygax hadn't eyed his chance straight at barthez.
brazil v croatia: like how croatia's entire squad seems to have been drawn from three families.
dislike how ronaldinho did the shitbag 'book him' hand gesture (with a smile on his face, obv.). also ronaldo should be subbed for robinho before he embarrases himself any further. kaka is ace btw.

― michael wells (michael w.), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:08 (nineteen years ago)

Sven is such an iffy character.

He said "I do not know of any criticism", and then "we gave the initiative to them too easily in the first 10 minutes of the second half".

Am I the only one who felt it was a bit weird that this was almost exactly Martin O'Neill's criticism, word for word, after the game?

Or is it just a run of the mill sentence?

x-post yeah McCarthy was really fucked off. "nothing wrong there, but this ref in his red shirt is getting the card out". that's it Mick! bring back the black shirted refs and get rid of these queens of the whistle!

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:13 (nineteen years ago)

My wife thinks Ronaldinho is kind of cute. (We'd already established her lack of aesthetic taste in men with the phrase "my wife" innit.)

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

yeah and because he COPIED YR HAIR

Hooray!

WorldCup365.com live comment just now: "He really hasn't been at the race, Ronaldo. And he does look very fat."

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:17 (nineteen years ago)

fuckin' Srna

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

SO LONG FATTY

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

the commentators did a grand job of creating 87 different versions of ronaldo is a lazy fucker jokes in 69 minutes

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:29 (nineteen years ago)

erm xpost

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:29 (nineteen years ago)

Plucky Croats not showing respect to godlike Brazilians.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:30 (nineteen years ago)

i feel like we've reached some sort of strange new plateau where the commentators get more attention than the teams and players.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

robinho is quick!

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:33 (nineteen years ago)

Plucky ILXors dare to stand up to the Godlike Motson.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:33 (nineteen years ago)

robinho is tiny!

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:37 (nineteen years ago)

now we discover finally that roberto carlos doesn't score that many free kicks

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:40 (nineteen years ago)

Lawro's just noticed that Carlos isn't the free kick expert he once was. "I'd like to know his ratio". A large glass of red wine and too much heat makes me think this is funnier than it is. (xpost)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:40 (nineteen years ago)

i feel like we've reached some sort of strange new plateau where the commentators get more attention than the teams and players.
-- Konal Doddz (stevem7...)
We've been well trained over on ILM.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

haha!

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

BRING BACK BIG RON (on itv)

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:43 (nineteen years ago)

big ron's invaded the pitch

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

LOL @ CRAZY FAN

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

usual stuffiness from motty.

"he's penetrated the security staff"

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:45 (nineteen years ago)

LOL @ INDIGNANT ANNOUNCERS

"THAT IS UH...NOT GOOD...FOR PLAYERS' SECURITY"

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:45 (nineteen years ago)

"THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN AMERICA!!!"

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:46 (nineteen years ago)

"he's wearing a Croatian shirt, but he's doing his countrymen no favours" - replace "Croatian" with "Brazilian" and he could be talking about Ronaldo, lol, amirite?

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:47 (nineteen years ago)

"I can assure you if ITV were controlling the pictures, you would be seeing this pitch invasion"

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

"but ronaldo wouldn't have been running that fast lolol!!"

― joke 89! (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

xpost

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:49 (nineteen years ago)

meh.

― gbx (skowly), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:52 (nineteen years ago)

go australia!!!!!!!!!

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:52 (nineteen years ago)

Australia could hold Brazil on their respective performances so far.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:53 (nineteen years ago)

PLUCKY BRAZIL SNATCHES VICTORY WITH 10 MEN

― joke 90! (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:54 (nineteen years ago)

i'm sure australia will be holding brazil all over the pitch, if not bludgeoning them

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

GUMTOW

― zappi (joni), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:00 (nineteen years ago)

I wonder if the Brazilian fans broke off from snoring at that performance to chant 'It's just like watching England'.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:01 (nineteen years ago)

damn i missed the pitch invader

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:02 (nineteen years ago)

astounding really that Henry has yet to make any sort of impact in a World Cup match.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

That Croat fan had too many clothes on for my liking. When do we get a World Cup streaker?

Brazil, for a period in the 2nd half, looked very shaky indeed in defence. A better attacking team could take them down on that performance, maybe the Czechs. On the other hand, Brazil look like there's more in the tank, from Ronaldinho and Kaka especially.

Robinho to start the next game?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:04 (nineteen years ago)

taking sides owen vs ronaldo

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:05 (nineteen years ago)

I still enjoyed watching Brazil a lot, I like this free improv thing they've got going, even in 1st gear.

I wish the snooty bastards directing the broadcast would let us see pitch invasions properly.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:08 (nineteen years ago)

nice to be reminded though they aren't as invunerable as most of the sycophants wanted to paint them,

though can't really see oz beating them though

― secondhandnews (secondhandnews), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:10 (nineteen years ago)

hey any americans watching the world cup: IS THIS ON TV AT ALL?? i cant seem to find it in the listings, either that or they are not replaying the matches at all. IM GRUMPY ABOUT THIS.

― i've dreamt of rubies! (Mandee), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:12 (nineteen years ago)

espn and espn2

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:14 (nineteen years ago)

I wish the snooty bastards directing the broadcast would let us see pitch invasions properly.

i guess their thinking is that it will deter invaders if they find they can't actually get on camera.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:16 (nineteen years ago)

xpost:
Univision. And I think Galavision reruns them at night.

Some matches are even on ABC.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:17 (nineteen years ago)

ESPN classics, too

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:19 (nineteen years ago)

xxpost

I'm sure that's their thinking. That's why they're snooty bastards. Society of the Spectator, innit?

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

usa tv schedule

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:24 (nineteen years ago)

I enjoyed Mick McCarthys assertion he had "a sackful" for Sepp Blatter.

Can you imagine?

http://www.icons.com/images/merch/PSP3.jpg

http://pub.tv2.no/multimedia/TV2/archive/00135/Wayne_Rooney__Evert_135369a.jpg http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41067000/jpg/_41067490_ronaldinho_203.jpg

― matthew james (matthew james), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:26 (nineteen years ago)

Speaking of ugly, still can't decide if Croatia's strip is worse than Barcelona's fluro green away shocker.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:32 (nineteen years ago)

but see, im just annoyed that they wont be replaying any of the matches tonight - and whats on tonight on ESPN2? POKER SHOWDOWN. TOMORROW MORNING? DOMINOS. WTF.

― i've dreamt of rubies! (Mandee), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:35 (nineteen years ago)

I was thinking Parreira probably selected Ronaldo just so that everyone could see how badly out of form/shape he is so that he could drop him for Robinho later on w/out getting flak from the Brazilian press/public. He seemed to time the substitution quite well (not right at half-time, its Ronaldo after all! etc etc). He probably doesn't care, tho'. He won in '94 with a fairly 'conservative' team and probably just wants to win in the proper way "beautiful game" way now, which works for the other teams.Adriano looks out of sorts, too.

A repeat of '82? Too early to say, of course. A victory for the Czechs (lets make the assumption its them and not Italy - which might be a great game) would depend on whether both Nedved and Rosicky were firing on the day (and available - the latter is on a yellow) and whether they would have anyone on the bench to give 'em that bit extra -- or that Barros not only makes but that he finds himself in that euro 2004-form.

If Brazil and England get knocked out in the 2nd round maybe Ian Wright can go home early.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)

'I don't think anyone English hates Brazil'

I do. I've had enough. I've snapped. I can't take any more of this endless gushing. I hope their fragile beauty gets crushed by Lucas Neill.

― Pete W (peterw), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)

The best thing about the match was whenever the camera zoomed in on Kranjcar

He's so dreamy.

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:38 (nineteen years ago)

Brazil's defense looked dodgy as anything tonight, what with forwards that don't track back and iffy defending from set pieces. A team with pace going forward, Argentina, or even (maybe) England, would tear them to shreads. And the Croats showed that if you defend in numbers and on to them like a shot, their attacking flair could be nullified.

I really couldn't stand the beeb jizzing over Brazil. Motson and Lawro = http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/stage/images/statlerwaldorf270.jpg

"and also the potentials to create some crazy goals off a deflection from the screen isn't all bad "

'cept it would count as outside interference, play would be stopped and drop-ball performed at the point on the pitch closest to the infraction.

Because the screen is tecchnically not off the pitch (the edge of the pitch, in theory, goes right up into space) then any goal coming off the screens would be allowed? Like if the ball hit a pigeon and went in, it would be okay?

― Johnny B Was Quizzical (Johnney B), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:40 (nineteen years ago)

if kewell, viduka and bresciano get into brazil the way they set about japan for the first half hour (ie before they got knackered) yesterday then i foresee goals.

― michael wells (michael w.), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 20:52 (nineteen years ago)

Brazil will play better as the tournament progresses, just like England (hopefully) will. Still Argentina for me though, they were like a beautifully-crafted battering ram. Everyone talks about how England play a fast and furious game and have to impose their tempo on the opposition. Well Argentina do all that but, y'know... wicked.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:02 (nineteen years ago)

Plus, with Argentina there's always the suspicion they might suddenly turn all sneaky-psycho. I like that. A perfect blend of Brazil and Uruguay.

― Pete W (peterw), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:10 (nineteen years ago)

Also, you know how I called Gayest World Cup Ever upthread? Well what's the deal with Go West and I Will Survive after every match?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:13 (nineteen years ago)

Urh, what a shit day. France played like shit, which wasn't much of a surprise, and those Brazilians I can't stand any more won.

To the French people, let us also talk about how crap the commentators were, permanently praising France and being all awed whenever Zidane got the ball etc.

― Jibé (Jibé), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:16 (nineteen years ago)

I mean, it could be a reference to Germany's post-war, post-reunification renaissance, or it could be about that lie I told about Jurgen Klinsmann and Steffen Freund.

(xpost)

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:17 (nineteen years ago)

in a brazilian league match a couple of years ago, a shot did indeed deflect in off a small, low flying bird. the goal stood.

― rtccc (mwah), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:22 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not sure if I have calculated this well but it would seem that, not counting free kicks, there have been 7 goals thus far scored from open play outside the box out of a total of 31. Perhaps I'm wrong but that seems quite high.

― M. White (Miguelito), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:27 (nineteen years ago)

rtccc, I'm assuming the bird could not.

― M. White (Miguelito), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:28 (nineteen years ago)

To the French people, let us also talk about how crap the commentators were, permanently praising France and being all awed whenever Zidane got the ball etc.

This gives me a thread idea...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:32 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway, behold:

Descrribe, praise and/or vilify your favorite non-UK/US World Cup commentators

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:37 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.ascii-wm.net

― lord pooperton (ex machina), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:40 (nineteen years ago)

:-D

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:40 (nineteen years ago)

i can't believe i cheered for brazil today. ah, well, i did. but argentina all the way if it gets to them v brazil, totally.
Ronaldinho just needs some major dental work, i think. but he would've done it by now, eh? obv it doesn't matter enough. Ronaldo did look fat and slow, yet i dislike him less for it.
a million xposts...

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:43 (nineteen years ago)

the espn commentators hurt my ears - the ones with american accents anyway. for the korea game this morning there were britisher accents and they were a bit easier to listen to, yet still american-like in their commentating. i still like the cctv5 cantonese best for relaxing soccer times - game+commentating but no understanding of words, just intonations. it's reassuring somehow.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:48 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, but but but you should post that on the other thread, see. (I am selfish.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:52 (nineteen years ago)

i just realized that, ned... you selfish bastard.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Tuesday, 13 June 2006 21:53 (nineteen years ago)

Be Carlos Gamarra!

Or alternatively the ball itself. This is v cool, simulated virtual replay of all goals, seen from a multitude of moving positions, including the ref's! (This may be available at other sites as well, I dunno.)

Short glossary:
Velg mål fra andre kamper = choose goals from other matches
Kameravinkel = camera angle
Venstre = left
Høyre = right
Fugleperspektiv = bird's eye perspective
Bak mål = behind the goal
Midtstreken = the centre line
Følg ballen = follow the ball
Roterende kamera = rotating camera
Spillersynsvinkel = player's point of view
Første-/tredjeperson = first/third person view
Avspillingshastighet = playing speed
Hjelpelinjer = auxiliary lines (offside line etc)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 06:13 (nineteen years ago)

This is also on the BBC website. Your right, it's very cool.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/virtual_replay/default.stm

― Johnny B Was Quizzical (Johnney B), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 06:42 (nineteen years ago)

Jeez, Henry is useless...

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:00 (nineteen years ago)

Jeez, Henry is useless...

I may even shoot as good (or bad) as him. that said, there really was a hand on his shoot and that should have been a goal.

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:07 (nineteen years ago)

People in my office are surprised that Ronaldo is fat and useless, yet I thought this was common knowledge. Perhaps they need to spend more time picking faults with Real Madrid. Anyway, I am glad he's fat and useless. I detest Brazil, it transpires.

My boys, Switzerland, did me proud though.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:16 (nineteen years ago)

the word you are looking for boys is BOTTLER or possibly CHOKER. clearly he is ACES when playing for arsenal, but cannot take big match pressure...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:17 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not sure it's a pressure thing. Henry plays like this during France friendlies as well.
Commentators used to say that the French system wasn't suited for Henry, and that we should copy the Arsenal model, but I'm starting to think that Henry actually isn't suited for any non-English opposition.

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:20 (nineteen years ago)

I have missed so much!

I am glad to see that Lara shares my concern with Italy's appearance.

I wonder whether there should be a separate Picture Thread for World Cup - for technical rather than aesthetic reasons?

I shall return to this thread.

Meanwhile: I don't think 'age' as such was France's problem - aside from perhaps the defenders, Zidane was their best player - his touches tremendous, his passes occasionally Platinian (!?). Henry, Wiltord, Viera and Ribery were the villains of the piece.

I do fear, though, that France will not escape their group.

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:25 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I think France is gonna go out just like they did in 2002, with no goal scored. Pathetic

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:27 (nineteen years ago)

I really can't see France not winning let alone not scoring against both Togo or Korea.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:29 (nineteen years ago)

i'm a believer : they will beat korea and togo... and then get whipped by whoever they play against in the 8th !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:38 (nineteen years ago)

Commentators used to say that the French system wasn't suited for Henry, and that we should copy the Arsenal model, but I'm starting to think that Henry actually isn't suited for any non-English opposition.

surely not. his record in european games for arsenal certainly stands up: 41 in 77 games (i just checked).

― michael wells (michael w.), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:47 (nineteen years ago)

Korea have deafing power of their fans still on their side it seems.

Henry bottling it for the big games. Like the Champeens Leeeg Final?

Todays big SOAS game, Tunisia vs Saudi.

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:53 (nineteen years ago)

'I don't think anyone English hates Brazil'

I do. I've had enough. I've snapped. I can't take any more of this endless gushing. I hope their fragile beauty gets crushed by Lucas Neill.

Pete W OTMFM. Fuck Brazil.

― Crimea River (Mark C), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:58 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, i would say that's a bit of a nonsense - france are clearly not helping him out one bit. in the absence of effective, centrally breaking midfield support (zidane played as well as could be expected; vieira is the problem) he needs trezeguet back ghosting around the box asap. malouda for wiltord is an obvious improvement as well.

really frenchmen, what was the story with leaving giuly out? it's almost madder than having boumsong instead of mexes.

― rtccc (mwah), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 09:59 (nineteen years ago)

having said that tho, you can see henry is not feeling very special.

is it too late to call up kevin muscat btw :(

― rtccc (mwah), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:01 (nineteen years ago)

Leave Henry alone! He's pretty.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:02 (nineteen years ago)

but he needs reminding all the time!

― rtccc (mwah), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:03 (nineteen years ago)

Pete, I shall ask you again. Where do you watch your games? Somewhere on campus?

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:04 (nineteen years ago)

Jeez, yes, it could have been worse - Boumsong!!

― the bluefox (the pinefox), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:04 (nineteen years ago)

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/5962/thierryandrobert4jc.jpg

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:06 (nineteen years ago)

i dream of our team with micoud, giuli and anelka... fuck domenech ! (for pires, for instance, he left him out because he's his girlfirned's ex. not that pires is at the top of his game but still, it shows what a cunt domenech is).

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:07 (nineteen years ago)

the french problem is down to leadership as well i think - laurent blanc would have steadied yesterday's ship immeasureably. thuram is quite anonymous, viera even more so; zidane commands respect, but you get the impression his jesus-like aura of detachment from mere men (not really arrogance at all, mind) frustrates more than inspires somehow. if i was gallas yesterday i probably would have snapped at him too. "oh right is that how raul bravo does it! whatever guy!"

― rtccc (mwah), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:21 (nineteen years ago)

haha i dunno man, i wouldnt pick my gf's ex either

― rtccc (mwah), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:23 (nineteen years ago)

Would you sleep with someone who'd slept with Bobby Pires? I wouldn't.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:26 (nineteen years ago)

well, if it's for "la grandeur de France" !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:28 (nineteen years ago)

pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-loses ball-gets ball back-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-ball goes loose-henry gets ball-shoots-goal

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:31 (nineteen years ago)

(sorry the quote was suppposed to stop at the 'copy arsenal model' bit)

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:32 (nineteen years ago)

I'm supporting the czech republic

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:32 (nineteen years ago)

I, too, would be pleased if Czechoslovakia won.

Pete's viewing habits are discussed in detail upthread. But basically, SOAS student union bar. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)

Oleg Blokhin is Ukraine's coach.

I hope Spain fulfil their potential, whatever it is.

I am celebrating Germany 2006 by eating Mullerice.

Sainsbury's sandwich of the month is the Football Buttie. They also sell something that looks like a Tuna Crouch, but turns out to be a Tuna Crunch.

Martin Jol is quite good on the radio, I think. Explains stuff and that. I pressed my red button, and there he was.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:42 (nineteen years ago)

Re Henry for France and Arsenal. I've been mulling this over with regard to Chelsea. I think it's a freedom/responsibility thing. Robben, Essien and to a certain extent Drogba have all played much better for their countries than they did for Chelsea last year, and I think that's cos they're the top men for their country so have added responsibility which gives them added freedom - to go anywhere, do anything. When they play for Chelsea, though, this job goes to Lampard (and in some ways to Terry), and they have to play a much more limited game.

With Henry, it's the opposite. At Arsenal, he's the focus point; for France, it's all about Zidane. I think this is also the reason why Terry doesn't play quite as well for England as he does for Chelsea. He suddenly becomes the junior partner.

― Pete W (peterw), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:44 (nineteen years ago)

Henry has scored 33 goals for France in 79 matches, which isn't too bad. I never seem to see them though. The other day someone on the radio was saying he does score in the games where it matters, but perhaps the opposite is true. I dunno.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:53 (nineteen years ago)

Tuna is not meant to be crunchy. Sainsbury's be bad.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:55 (nineteen years ago)

Perhaps it is encased in something crunchy. I suppose I should have looked more closely.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:56 (nineteen years ago)

noticed high levels of patriotism/xenophobia in marks & spencer sandwiches, the other week

they have "theme" sandwiches for a lot of the countries playing (didn't seem v representative of my idea of the countries' cuisine, though (but I don't know anything about cuisine)), all of which say " to go!", where the "english" ones say "go england!"

horrible

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:59 (nineteen years ago)

about Henry, it's true that i can't seem to remember any of his goals with France. his latest important one was against ireland... and i missed it !
and as for the organization of France, it's true that it's all about zidane. and since zidane and henry don't get on well (none of the henry's goals came from a pass from zidane, which is quite a challenge !).

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 10:59 (nineteen years ago)

Is the media notion of 'universal love for Brazl' misplaced and should it instead be directed at Spain? It seems that often many people want them to do well.

Their coach is still a big ol' racist though.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:00 (nineteen years ago)

I don't feel like I like spain, for some reason

as a FOOTBALLING TEAM, I mean

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:03 (nineteen years ago)

i thought you didn't like the World Cup/football at all tho?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:03 (nineteen years ago)

even I have a heart (sort of), stevem

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:05 (nineteen years ago)

Just upstairs from the bar in the student common room. Is it BBC (digital occasionally cuts out) or ITV (slight ghosting when the wind blows) today?

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:09 (nineteen years ago)

I am predicting that Spain will win the trophy.

The first time I met RJG, in person, we were playing in an England vs Scotland football game, in Glasgow.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:10 (nineteen years ago)

Spain are such dark horses this time that they're ... nightmares.

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:11 (nineteen years ago)

Work has jumped on the bandwagon and had a "World Cup Sausage Bar" today, where you could choose from 6 nationalities of banger to put in a bap.

Only 6 mind. Despite that, there were no German ones but South African and Jamaican ones (I wasn't aware Jamaica has a deep sausage-making history, but there you go).

Honestly, how hard is it to ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE TEAMS IN THE THING?

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:15 (nineteen years ago)

Sod the coach, he will snuff it in all the excitement.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:15 (nineteen years ago)

Odd to see, just now, that Spain are starting with Luis Garcia and have left lickle Fabregas on the bench. Even as a Rafalutionary, I find this... Quixotic.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:15 (nineteen years ago)

oops

my M&S post, upthread, should read:

all of which say "[various countries] to go!", where the "english" ones say "go england!"

I remember playing in scotland Vs. england. it was like '67 all over again

I didn't know that spain were dark horses this time but I don't like the sound of it

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

Spain/Ukraine is battle of the racist coaches though, because the Ukranian boss has somewhat less-than-enlightened views on African footballers.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:18 (nineteen years ago)

He's just pissed off he can't pick any.

How can anyone fancy Spain to win the World Cup with their history? The World Cup is all about the grand narrative.

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:23 (nineteen years ago)

I figured Spain would field Garcia but bench Fabregas. Altho what I based this on I'm not sure. Manager rockism I suppose.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:29 (nineteen years ago)

Tunisia could be the first African side to win a game in this World Cup today.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:32 (nineteen years ago)

I think they are leaving some big guns on the bench, such as previously untouchable Raul. Then they will whip them out if necessary.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:41 (nineteen years ago)

Brazil are the Son Of A Preacher Man of international football teams. That said, I heard people who actively hated them in the pub last night. For me, this was a first.

― caek (caek), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:55 (nineteen years ago)

Zidane is still an outstanding player, only he can't run anymore, it seems. Meanwhile the French shirt seems to act like Kryptonite towards Henry. How did all his swagger get replaced with such an incredible lack of confidence? Vieira is bad. Ruberry was bad. France need to switch their focus to survive.

The Brazil reverence reached a peak at half time when the BBC's first half highlights included an awful shot from Kaka, ten yards wide of the goal. "It could have swerved in", said Wright. WHAT? Dado was great, generally. Go Dado!

For the record, Scotland won 6-5.

― Ally C (Ally C), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

fivelive: 13.59: "perennial underachievers" mentioned already...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 12:01 (nineteen years ago)

i too am joining the brazil h8 this tournament, i have no idea where it came from. something just clicked last night, i wasn't even watching the game.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 12:02 (nineteen years ago)

France need to switch their focus to survive.

I love the strong simplicity of this statement.

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 12:04 (nineteen years ago)

In fact, I wish I could watch a wee bit of World Cup with Cookie.

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 12:04 (nineteen years ago)

David Villa!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 12:17 (nineteen years ago)

Ukraine to win 3-2 now surely.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 12:17 (nineteen years ago)

wow, Spain have actually bothered to turn up for once.
France are the new Spain! Spain are the new France! Useless Comparisons Ahoy!

― zappi (joni), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

Martin Jol is so wise.

― caek (caek), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 12:38 (nineteen years ago)

ooh! first penalty of the cup. jol sa: he never should have give the penalty.

spain 3-0 up, ukraine down to 10 men...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

WTF REF

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

SERIOUSLY

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

Martin Jol: "The biggest disappointment ever for the Ukrainian people"

― caek (caek), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:07 (nineteen years ago)

I missed it, obv., but that sounds bad.

x-post -- Hitler and Stalin? Mere trifles!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:07 (nineteen years ago)

there was a small tug on the shorts as he ran through but this looked outside the box and then once inside the box, clear of the defender, he shot unimpeded which was well saved.

no luck for Ukraine in this match. first goal off alonso's shoulder the second a wicked deflection then this

― mason storm (mason storm), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:11 (nineteen years ago)

thats not to discredit Spain however who have looked the business.

― mason storm (mason storm), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

My coworker -- who's Mexican by background but was brought up in Spain for a good chunk of his life -- will be grinning like mad when he comes into work today.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:22 (nineteen years ago)

things getting desperate for Ukraine now - Rebrov's on!

― mason storm (mason storm), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:31 (nineteen years ago)

"Rebrov, showing the form that made him a cult figure at Spurs"

(don't worry, no-one actually said this)

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:34 (nineteen years ago)

4-0

― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:40 (nineteen years ago)

ukraine "going through the roof" jol does not know what the english phrase is, does anyone here?

4-0 by the way...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:41 (nineteen years ago)

I am really annoyed to not actually be watching this match.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:41 (nineteen years ago)

This is technically the hardest game in the group for Spain. They've got Tunisia and (k-blimey!) Saudi Arabia still to come. You know, the same Saudis that got tumped 8-0 by Germany last time.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

Typical disappointing performance from the Spaniards.

― M. White (Miguelito), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:45 (nineteen years ago)

oh man, i had early classes today... good match?

― gbx (skowly), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

yep - some super high-tempo stuff from the Spanish, who unlike England, the Dutch & so on were able to sustain it for the 90mins (of course the dodgy red card helped no end).

― mason storm (mason storm), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

For the record, Scotland won 6-5.

I think I took advantage of having a Scottish grandparent for that game, or am I rewriting history here?

― Crimea River (Mark C), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

I think it ended up being England v Rest of World.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:55 (nineteen years ago)

what a disaster...

And now they're saying Baros may miss the whole tournament for the Czechs.

― pleased to mitya (mitya), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

wow you englanders are really whipped up into a high tea of fury about brazil! it's adorable! and a little scary!

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

is no one gonna say anything about how EFFIN AWESOME goal #4 was? puyol rules!

― rtccc (mwah), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

there's no-one else left to beat (except Sweden) (xpost)

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

(and Portugal)

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

i'm reminded of the dumb-ass xenophobic sports writers over here who hate soccer simply because they think they're being told to love it by "the international community"...except that you guys are much nicer and smarter and would never let gushing commentators influence you to hatred because then you'd be acting like horrible americans

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

and that actually sounds like i'm a much bigger asshole than i was trying to be, so sorry for that. i just like brazil is all.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

is no one gonna say anything about how EFFIN AWESOME goal #4 was? puyol rules!

It was great

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:05 (nineteen years ago)

B.Glendenning, on the Guardian site, called him "Howard Marks impersonator Carles Puyol," roffles

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

I am taking paltry comfort in the U.S. no longer having received the greatest thrashing.

Also, oh Englishes, I'm entirely with you about Brazil. They're usually fun to watch but the Brazilian fans are smug about their sense of entitlement and the typical non-Brazilian fan reminds me of non-Mancunian Man U fans, fairweather friends who merely like to jump on a winning bandwagon, but then I'm a bitter Leeds fan, so pay me no mind, though the media's sycophantic way of building them up to be demigods of football is a little tedious.

― M. White (Miguelito), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

nooooooooooooo, M.White is a sellout

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

you guys are much nicer and smarter and would never let gushing commentators influence you to hatred because then you'd be acting like horrible americans

HEY! we don't need damn fool commentators to influence us to hatred, we do it well enough on our own ;)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:10 (nineteen years ago)

The fourth goal was ace. Best of the tournament.

I almost liked Brazil in 94 when they were turgid and had DUNGA.

― Pete W (peterw), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:11 (nineteen years ago)

the 4th - best team goal of the WC so far?

shev had a clear run that ws mistakenly judged to have been off-side two mins before the 1st spainish goal. might've been interesting to see Spain pass that test...xp

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:12 (nineteen years ago)

The fourth goal was ace. Best of the tournament.

Awful, awful defending tho. Awful!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

Monsieur White OTM.
I got so annoyed by the hip bars in my hood announcing they'd be organising "samba parties" after each victory of Brazil...

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

Discussion of merits of Brazil on ILX = Discussion of merits of Dylan on ILM

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

god you guys, who gives a flying fuck what commentators and hip bars say? b'jaysus.

actually, though, maybe this is one of the good things about u.s. indifference to the world cup. if we had a really good team, we'd EASILY outdo every other nation in loud obnoxiosity, irrational patriotic hatred, etc. we're really really good at that

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

I want to see Ronaldinho cry.

― Pete W (peterw), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

nooooooooooooo, M.White is a sellout

?? No, I'm just a typical American rooter-for-the-underdog. That's why I like to follow England too.

― M. White (Miguelito), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago)

i dislike Brazil because (like Man Utd in the past) they win too much, and Nike like to rub this in everyone else's faces at every opportunity.

they are usually good to watch (as were Man Utd) tho, which dulls the pain a little. and i'd still rather they won it than Germany of course.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

I made the 'everyone loves Brazil' post *before* Motson & Lawrenson's sickening lovefest commentary on the Brazil game last night - that was enough to make anyone want them to lose. But I don't think it's about 'jumping on a winning bandwagon'. You would have been hard pushed to find anyone in England jumping on an Argentinian bandwagon in 1986 or a German bandwagon in 1990, whereas when I was growing up Brazil were adored in 1982 and 1986 even though they never got close to winning anything. I think they were just held up as the footballing ideal, not so much for winning (because they didn't win it for 24 years) but for the style of play. And English defeats by (West) Germany and Argentina down the years have been taken very badly, whereas when we got knocked out by Brazil last time round there was no real hatred of the opponents, just dismany at Sven's inability to take advantage of the fact they were down to 10 men.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:21 (nineteen years ago)

And English defeats by (West) Germany and Argentina down the years have been taken very badly, whereas when we got knocked out by Brazil last time round there was no real hatred of the opponents, just dismany at Sven's inability to take advantage of the fact they were down to 10 men.

Wasn't it more because people felt England hadn't 'deserved' to lose against Argentina and Germany whereas against Brazil there was a feeling that they were automatically the better side and SHOULD win. even the players seemes to think so.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:22 (nineteen years ago)

that might be just another way of saying what you already said, sorry.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

xpost: re Steve's Man Utd/Brazil analogy

Actually, I was thinking that the other day. There was a broadly similar gap without winning (1967-1993 for United and 1970-1994 for Brazil) during which I think both teams were looked at affectionately by neutrals based largely on memories of glories of yesteryear and a supposed willingness to play entertaining football. Once Man Utd started winning the league regularly they rapidly became despised by just about everyone. Perhaps, now that they've won two out of the last three, got to three finals in a row, and are starting as overwhelming favourites, this is just starting to happen to Brazil. But I still don't feel much anti-Brazil sentiment out there in the non-ILX world, certainly nothing to compare to that which would exist if Germany were in their position.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

a typical American rooter-for-the-underdog.

I submit to you that Americans stopped rooting for the underdog when Ronald Reagan was elected president. Now most of us are just the same ol' bandwagon-jumping freaks. So you're hardly typical, M.

And I understand what you're all talking about on some level. I think of Brazil as an underdog nation, though, because of its internal economic struggles and its awesome people, so I just don't see the need to hate on 'em. I have many friends there, and I've rooted for them in every World Cup I can remember, but it's not an OH MY GOD sort of thing. But go right ahead, everyone; I don't mean to be all anti-hate around here.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

I don't actively dislike Brazil, and I admire the skill of some of their players, but I LOATHE the arse-licking culture whereby other people feel the need to tell me who I should like and who I shouldn't. I hate glory-hunting too and it's obviously v closely related.

Another example - I have always enjoyed watching Manchester United games because, like Brazil at their best, they'd often be of an excellent standard. But can you imagine commentators daring to say that they were "the neutral's choice" or "everyone's second favourite team"???

― Crimea River (Mark C), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

i like the fake american commentators on itv. they are teh funny.

i am also enjoying the hexagons.

― koogy wonderland (koogs), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

The refereeing in the Spain - Ukraine game was quite awful. That red card was totally undeserved and Shevshenko kept being called offside though he wasn't. Ukrainians be (rightfully) ragin' I guess. On the whole the refereeing has been rather awful I find. Though I can't seem to find any precise examples 'cept for this game and the France - Switzerland one.

― Jibé (Jibé), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

i just made a snap decision last night, whilst watching BB and getting a goal alert on my phone i just thought "that's it, i wish they would just for once lose a bloody game"

i ain't jumping on no wagon i didn't even know was there.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:30 (nineteen years ago)

quickly because I know I'm boring everyone; in America we were told for years that the Dallas Cowboys were "America's Team" and that made me hate them too. BUT I WAS NINE YEARS OLD THEN.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:32 (nineteen years ago)

I was in a pub on Turnpike Lane for the 1995 FA Cup final and the commentator did say something along the lines of "Manchester United - everyone's second favourite team" which was met with general disgust and prompted one skinhead West Ham fan to shout "they're not my fucking second favourite team you cunt". I stopped wearing replica tops for anything other than playing football around that time.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:32 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry about my unmarked crosspost there - I had already xposted, amended my original post and then re-posted. Ah well, seems I am agreeing with others anyway.

― Crimea River (Mark C), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:33 (nineteen years ago)

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/worldcup06/2006/06/14/im_sick_of_brazil.html

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

Haikunym, do you not think it would be boring if Brazil won EVERY World Cup? or even every other World Cup?

But then as an England fan I have eternal bee in my bonnet re the same nations getting to semis/finals again and again (specfically Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Italy) and England failing to match this.

So it's envy really, but that's allowed.

If it was England that had reached the last three finals and won twice, I'm sure I'd love that and wouldn't want it to change.

I've been thinking about the cultural impact of England winning a second World Cup. I wonder if people are under-estimating the potential cultural impact of it in this country (or indeed the wider world). I would start a thread about it but it would be a bit embarassing if England ended up going out in the quarters or earlier. It's exciting to think about what would change and how tho.

Also interesting is comparing/transposing that with/to the cultural effect of Brazil's current dominance.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:35 (nineteen years ago)

I've been thinking about the cultural impact of the U.S. winning the World Cup, but I too have not started a thread about it. I guess there's a better chance of England winning this year though.

Also: maybe FIFA should come up with a way to ban the reigning champion so it will be more fairer to the other teams! THERE, THAT'S THAT, SORTED.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 14:53 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe there could be a rule saying that the winner and the loser (well, for instance the worst team of the cup) have to exchange players or trainer for the next cup : the loser gets to chose the best player of the winner and give him its worse !
for exemple : with France (worst team) could take Ronaldinho and give Brasil (winner) sylvestre... or henry !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

Idle speculation. I don't see England or the U.S. winning this cup at all.

― M. White (Miguelito), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:05 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, only Brazil, Argentina or Italy can win...teams who have all won it more than once already. V frustrating!

Also: maybe FIFA should come up with a way to ban the reigning champion so it will be more fairer to the other teams! THERE, THAT'S THAT, SORTED.

They already decided that the winner should have to qualify for the next one. This is at odds with the UEFA privilege granted to European cup winning clubs. But then the World Cup doesn't happen every year so it's prob. for the best.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

taking sides:

usa win the world cup once vs germany win the world cup for the next 40 years

― rtccc (mwah), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:12 (nineteen years ago)

"Awful, awful defending tho. Awful!"

maybe Ukraine were knackered by that point and feeling everyone ws against them but Puyol really fought hard for the ball, the link-up was good and Torres' finishing was excellent.

a v good start from them, and Fabregas is Spain's youngest WC player :)

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:15 (nineteen years ago)

xxpost

will prob in aweird way help the winners though not playing anything competitive can't be too healthy for the team

― secondhandnews (secondhandnews), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

agree Julio but it really looked like Torres could've been stopped with just a bit more awareness and effort - they just seemed to let him run in. but probably would've resulted in another penalty tho! excellent move by Spaniards tho no doubt. it reminded me of the goal Defoe scored against Poland actually...(unless i'm confused and actually mean the goal Poland scored against England in that game, can't quite remember but we talked about it on ILE at the time).

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

cracking short-range volley from Jaziri

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:24 (nineteen years ago)

Idle speculation. I don't see England or the U.S. winning this cup at all.

I dunno about SteveM but that was kind of my point.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:29 (nineteen years ago)

think konal is being v harsh about the spain goal! (then again i always swear blind that george weah's 'classic' against verona was similarly totally lame and i always get shouted down too. puyol's scuffling turn on halfway actually quite reminiscent of that now i think of it! )

― rtccc (mwah), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:36 (nineteen years ago)

http://lrblog.typepad.com/world_cup_2006/2006/06/forte.html

'We fans love a fatty'.

Bollocks!

What a stupid bastard!

NOT IN MY NAME.

― the pinefox (the pinefox), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:42 (nineteen years ago)

I've hated Brazil for 12 years. I don't think I ever supported them but USA'94 sealed it for me whilst watching the final at the Phoenix festival surrounded by Brazil 'fans' and me hoping Italy would win.
Plus, in England, we get 1970 rammed down our throats very nearly as much as 1966. It never lets up.

Yay Spain! But Ukraine were weak.
No more refs from Switzerland plz (remembering Euro'02).

― David Orton (scarlet), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

does anyone know if goal difference or head to head results will be used first to split teams tied on points at the end of group stage?

― mason storm (mason storm), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

think konal is being v harsh about the spain goal!

don't get me wrong - it was terrific play. i just thought the Ukrainian defence ought to have done more to prevent it - maybe to no avail ultimately but still.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:49 (nineteen years ago)

Xpost: goal difference I think

― Jibé (Jibé), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:50 (nineteen years ago)

also Pinefox OTM

we loved Gazza '90 more than Gazza '96 in the end

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 15:50 (nineteen years ago)

BTW I was thinking that it is possible for France to qualify without scoring a goal, getting only 0-0 ties and hoping that S Korea beat Switzerland, and Swi-Togo being a draw. Has anything of the sort ever happened? A team qualifying without scoring a goal?

― Jibé (Jibé), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:02 (nineteen years ago)

speculation #2: i don't see angola or poland winning the world cup

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:04 (nineteen years ago)

discuss

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:06 (nineteen years ago)

Nor Saudi Arabia would be my guess

― Jibé (Jibé), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:07 (nineteen years ago)

re: whether it will be boring if brazil winning every world cup - it depends how they win it, i suppose. if they just go in and obliterate their opponents with amazingness every game and be all great then it's alright!

it'd be better though, if they're clearly awesome but every now and then have some kind of psychological issue that make them self destruct (e.g. if they all turn into ronaldo) and throw the game away. like ronnie o'sullivan or something

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:13 (nineteen years ago)

or you can get a well organised tactical team winning and that'd be like a peter ebdon yawn victory or something

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:16 (nineteen years ago)

goal for Saudi 1-1

― mason storm (mason storm), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:16 (nineteen years ago)

Jibé, yes the reffing has been a bit dodgy. They seem to have been told to clamp down on timewasting. There was the indirect freekick awarded to England when the Paraguayan keeper held on to the ball for longer than six seconds (I am a qualified referee, and I have _never_ seen that rule enforced), and someone (forget who) got a yellow card for taking too long over a free kick. In the referees defence, if you give an IDF for this, then you have to give a yellow card (delaying the restart of play). However, he really hadn't taken that long -- he'd just shaped to take the kick twice and changed his mind. The referee for the England game seemed particularly unpredicatable and officious.

They've been a bit trigger happy with freekicks for tackles. That said, today was the first straight red of the tournament (I think) and yesterday was the first second yellow (IYSWIM). That's pretty good going, if memory serves.

The offside rule is getting ridiculous though. I didn't see the Spain game, but it sounds like players like Shevkenko are being prevented from playing football by the rule, and when that happens we really need to think about whether it serves the purpose for which is was created. Someone remind me what this was again?

― caek (caek), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:31 (nineteen years ago)

So goal differential, then head to head? What would the third tiebreaker be if those two were the same?

― jergins (jergins), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:36 (nineteen years ago)

alJaber makes it 2-1 to Saudi

― mason storm (mason storm), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

Now THAT is a super sub.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:46 (nineteen years ago)

Goal difference, goals scored, then head-to-head, I think. If they're all ties, it's toss of a coin/drawing lots.

― caek (caek), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:49 (nineteen years ago)

2-2! Cleverly done - I thought he was going to bottle it when he was out on the touchline.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

Touchline? WTF?! The excitement has clearly got to me.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

OMG

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

On the subject of second-favorite teams, the most popular of these is probably Brazil. Who else is up there? England?

For me, it's Australia based on personal connections, but probably Croatia for aesthetic/gut reasons.

― caek (caek), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

Okay, so I wasn't expecting THIS game to literally come down to the wire like it has.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

i only caught the last two goals... good looking.

― gbx (skowly), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 17:05 (nineteen years ago)

oh come ON, poland! go go go

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 18:41 (nineteen years ago)

Dearie me, that was some miss. Worth it for the look of anguish on Klinsmann's face though.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

haha!

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 18:47 (nineteen years ago)

Lineker's stripey shirt looks stylish

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 18:49 (nineteen years ago)

they're all wearing the same style of dress really. i think they should mix it up more.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 18:55 (nineteen years ago)

Did I just see Chris Birchall autographing someone's Panini sticker book? His World Cup Diary is really very boring, isn't it?

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 18:57 (nineteen years ago)

Talking of sticker books...

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 18:58 (nineteen years ago)

Klinsmann was definitely the look of the agony and the ecstasy, but reversed.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 18:59 (nineteen years ago)

PANINI STICKER WOMAN PWNS YOU ALL.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:00 (nineteen years ago)

Do you think that mad old bat has a spare Jason Scotland for me?

(BBC are profiling some old German woman who collects sticker books, which might have been quite interesting had it not degenerated into a "we beat you in 1966" type chat)

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:00 (nineteen years ago)

(Neil just shouted "that's you in a few years time" at me, but I chose to ignore him)

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:01 (nineteen years ago)

On the subject of second-favorite teams, the most popular of these is probably Brazil. Who else is up there? England?

eh???? plz name one country where this is remotely possible????

― zappi (joni), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:02 (nineteen years ago)

the old eccentric white haired german lady with her sticker book collection - classic !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:02 (nineteen years ago)

eh???? plz name one country where this is remotely possible????

The U.S. maybe, as it's the only country where casual fans might be able to name one or two English players. Plus we still love us some Englanders.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:08 (nineteen years ago)

The U.S. maybe, as it's the only country where casual fans might be able to name one or two English players.

"...well there's that Beckham guy."

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:09 (nineteen years ago)

For those of us not watching but following along online, are Germany looking weak right now against Poland?

― jergins (jergins), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:09 (nineteen years ago)

kinda

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

no, just haven't taken their chances. Poles making a fair fist of it but don't really look to have a goal in them.

― mason storm (mason storm), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

I know loads of England fans here.

― M. White (Miguelito), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

Yes Michael but we've already established that you live in a place where people actually follow football. I do too, big club scene here and lots of international diversity. I was talking more about yeah, Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard, Owen, Rooooooney, Terry — these are names that might well be familiar to high school kids and their parents, curious onlookers, etc. And Americans, in general, always root for England in whatever.

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:17 (nineteen years ago)

PLUCKY POLES REFUSE TO CRUMBLE UNDER GERMAN JACKBOOT.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:18 (nineteen years ago)

Chris Waddle?

x-post

― M. White (Miguelito), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:25 (nineteen years ago)

o hotdogdamn, the poles down to 10 men...

― tiit (tiit), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

hmmm, of course america. that'll be all ten of you then that watch football :)
i would have thought more americans would support ireland than england as their second team - now i think of it the irish would be a good answer for a lot of european countries as well ( evidence : eurovision voting patterns)

― zappi (joni), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

I said "England?" as in, surely no one could anyone actually feel quite positive about us without loving us in an unconditional, home country way. Not as in I bet England are second favorites the world over.

― caek (caek), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

Artur Boruc = top goalkeeping! Celtic should just sell him RIGHT NOW while people might think he's that good all the time (he isn't).

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:38 (nineteen years ago)

what a miss by Ballack

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:46 (nineteen years ago)

i knew it was coming

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:47 (nineteen years ago)

okay, i actually screamed at those last couple of attempts - off the post!

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:47 (nineteen years ago)

bye bye Poland :/

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

damn :(

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

Germany score! Poor Poland (they haven't looked like scoring, but I did think they would hang on for the draw)

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:52 (nineteen years ago)

that Odonkor looks useful

― mason storm (mason storm), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:53 (nineteen years ago)

Poland did a pretty amazing job! i am still sad, however.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

I actually shouted 'yes!' when Germany scored. Am I a bad person?

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

no, it makes you progressive. German-hating should be left in the 20th Century where it belongs.

― mason storm (mason storm), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 19:59 (nineteen years ago)

The 21st century = the time of German LUSTING.

Ecuador beats Costa Rica tomorrow (if they do) = Ecuador gets to the second round. Crazy, if it happens.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:01 (nineteen years ago)

Nails were bitten.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:04 (nineteen years ago)

Was this the best day of football since the cup began? Spain turning on the style, back and forth between Saudi Arabia and Tunisia, and now this?

― caek (caek), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:11 (nineteen years ago)

Costa Rica win their remaining games and Ecuador beat Germany = Germany go out, yes?

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:14 (nineteen years ago)

Germany won. They're already through, Alba.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:17 (nineteen years ago)

Hold on....

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:20 (nineteen years ago)

not necessarily through (but very likely) all three could finish on 6 points with no-one having advantage on head-to-heads so would come down to goal difference

― mason storm (mason storm), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

21st century = Germany are teh suck but unfortunately so are Poland.

Come on Costa Rica!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:22 (nineteen years ago)

I've just made Germany go out on the predictor thingie.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:23 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry, yeah - I meant to include something about goal difference.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:30 (nineteen years ago)

i do seem to want England to play Ecuador now even tho they may pose more of a threat than Germany and more of an unknown quantity.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:32 (nineteen years ago)

i hope this happens because seeing smug people get their comeuppance = teh funny.

(xpost)

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:33 (nineteen years ago)

who are the smug people?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:36 (nineteen years ago)

The Germans who all went over and bowed to their fans without considering the possibility that they might not get through. Complacency = smugness.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:53 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know if that was smug, perhaps they were just thanking them for their support.

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 20:55 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, I thought it had a definitely self-congratulatory air about it.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 21:03 (nineteen years ago)

when has a team ever won two games but not gone through??

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 21:03 (nineteen years ago)

The last 30 minutes of Germany / Poland was fantastic.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 21:03 (nineteen years ago)

When has a team ever won two games but not gone through??

Argentina in 1994.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 21:18 (nineteen years ago)

And Belgium the same year.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 21:19 (nineteen years ago)

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/worldcup06/2006/06/14/im_sick_of_brazil.html

― caek (caek), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 21:20 (nineteen years ago)

eh???? plz name one country where [England being fav or 2nd fav]
is remotely possible????

Ahem zappi you have NO IDEA of Nordic footballing culture & preference obv? Most Norwegians who are interested in football, for example, are more passionate about their favourite English team than their Norwegian one (if any), is my guess. And it's not only the Big Ones; apart from lots of natives in Wolves and Blackburn shirts visiting my regular football pub when they play, I know of fans of Leyton Orient, Macclesfield Town and even Billericay Town, who take the trip across the North Sea regularly to Be There. When Champions League matches are on TV, commentators always seem to see any English team as "our" team (except against a Nog one, obv), and those who voice complaints against this imbalance are few.

I don't seem to be able to choose a "first team" this tournament. The list *really* goes 1) Sweden 2) England, but the problem is I think I don't really want any of them to actually *win* the thing. The Swedes would become unbearable, whilst the English would.

xpost 6 points is not enough for going through, 5 points is.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 21:26 (nineteen years ago)

necessarily going through.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 21:28 (nineteen years ago)

yeh i know nothing about norwegian football fans (although i DO have a friend who lives in Oslo & all the norwegian people he knows support scotland!?! that could be due to my friend being scottish though - they might say something different when hes not around!)
i'd just point out that theres a big difference between supporting a club side & the national team that they come from.

― zappi (joni), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 21:47 (nineteen years ago)

There is, you're right. We (meaning active Norway supporters, I don't follow the national team around Europe myself) have a very good relationship with the Scots, less so with the English. This is probably mainly due to always drawing Scotland in the qualifiers (slight exaggeration there). And having a similar drinking culture.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 21:52 (nineteen years ago)

When has a team ever won two games but not gone through??
Argentina in 1994.

Not true. They won their first two games, then lost the third, and finished third in their group (as did Belgium), BUT there were only six groups in those days (instead of the eight we have now) so both Argentina and Belgium got through the knock out round as the best third placed teams. I didn't know this, I just went and found out. But your point is a good one - Germany could still finish third. I would be amazed if that happened, though.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 22:00 (nineteen years ago)

i was almost not going to watch today, but then spain-ukraine sucked me in and i watched at least part (okay, pretty much all) of all the games. i think i have just sealed my fate for the next month... it was a really good world cup day!

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 22:29 (nineteen years ago)

I would like to suggest the tabloid headline Spain Cane Ukraine.

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 22:30 (nineteen years ago)

i would like to groan and roll my eyes.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 22:33 (nineteen years ago)

I...shut up.

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 22:33 (nineteen years ago)

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 22:36 (nineteen years ago)

Just to clarify:

The ranking of each team in each group will be determined as
follows:
a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;
b) goal difference in all group matches;
c) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria,
their rankings will be determined as follows:
d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between
the teams concerned;
e) goal difference resulting from the group matches between the
teams concerned;
f) greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the
teams concerned;
g) drawing of lots by the Organising Committee for the FIFA World
Cup™.

Watched Ger-Pol in a room full of (ultimately devastated) Poles. Well, mostly second- and third-generation. Grandmother Zal3sk1 seemed the least bothered of all, and she has reason to really hate the Germans.

Not going through after winning two games? Algeria, 1982 - beat West Germany and Chile but then cheated out of a second phase place by the West German-Austria pact.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 22:45 (nineteen years ago)

I still remember the v strangely shot 2-1 goal vs Germany by that Algerian. I tried to reenact it at least 15 times the day after, compelling my brother to be the German goalkeeper.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 22:50 (nineteen years ago)

I would like to suggest the tabloid headline Spain Cane Ukraine.
-- Fraggle O Rly (ferg.o...), June 14th, 2006 11:30 PM. (Ferg) (later) (link)
i would like to groan and roll my eyes.
-- rrrobyn (apoemabouteverythin...), June 14th, 2006 11:33 PM. (rrrobyn) (later) (link)
I...shut up.

-- Fraggle O Rly (ferg.o...), June 14th, 2006 11:33 PM. (Ferg) (later) (link)

mmm.. "the pain from spain falls mainly on ukraine"?

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 23:01 (nineteen years ago)

Shit Ken, I tried thinking of something like that. Kudos.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 23:10 (nineteen years ago)

i knew you wouldn't let a punful headline opportunity just pass by like that...
xpost

i wish my brother lived here so i could reenact soccer moments with him. all the kids around here suddenly are walking around with soccer balls and playing in the parks - it's awesome! (but there's still plenty of street hockey, not to worry.)
more xpost

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 23:13 (nineteen years ago)

OK OK my puny attempts at punny tabloid headlines

1) Crimean Punishment!

erm

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 23:15 (nineteen years ago)

xpost again haha robyn my flatmate and i are totally thinking of reenacting soccer moments, but WWE style and with commentaries "OH MY GOD DID YOU SEE THAT SOLID BALL COLLIDING WITH THAT MAN'S SKULL BEFORE CRASHING INTO THE STEEL POST!!!!!"

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 23:26 (nineteen years ago)

"OH MY GOD. OTTO PFISTER! WHAT IS HE DOING HERE? THAT MAN DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THIS COUNTRY"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 23:33 (nineteen years ago)

that's the best! that's the ONLY way i play soccer! well, with my bros at least - it's all full-on drama and sprinting and lots of falling to the ground with pain-face. i'm pretty sure if i put the call out here, i can get some people to play WWE drama soccer with me.
xpost

(crimean punishment... oh. man...)

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 14 June 2006 23:36 (nineteen years ago)

C'mon, the guy's got the word "lipogram" in his screenname, which is like a neon sign on the Vegas Strip that can be seen from the moon saying, "WARNING: BAD PUNS AHEAD"

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Thursday, 15 June 2006 00:17 (nineteen years ago)

it is no secret that despite groan/rolling-eyes i really do love bad puns.

― a neon sign on the Vegas Strip that can be seen from the moon (rrrobyn), Thursday, 15 June 2006 00:28 (nineteen years ago)

The groan is the ultimate compliment to a punner you know. You're only egging me them on.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 15 June 2006 00:42 (nineteen years ago)

You'll get no argument from me, Ole.

― Fra Filippo Lipogram (Ken L), Thursday, 15 June 2006 01:07 (nineteen years ago)

oh, i know!
xpost

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Thursday, 15 June 2006 01:11 (nineteen years ago)

Keep 'em coming, Ole!

― The Reddhare League (Ken L), Thursday, 15 June 2006 01:23 (nineteen years ago)

Even if they keep hitting the post.

― The Reddhare League (Ken L), Thursday, 15 June 2006 02:23 (nineteen years ago)

yellow card

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Thursday, 15 June 2006 02:37 (nineteen years ago)

You people.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 15 June 2006 02:41 (nineteen years ago)

no, YOU people. i will kick you right out of this game, raggett, RIGHT OUT ON YR ASS.

― a neon sign on the Vegas Strip that can be seen from the moon (rrrobyn), Thursday, 15 June 2006 02:46 (nineteen years ago)

Sticker lady = the future

"..from the costas to the Canaries; from Cantabria to Galicia..."

Are Poland out? Good.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 15 June 2006 06:10 (nineteen years ago)

i want to go on record right now and voice my support for t&t because of the mr. lee g and ghislain p song 'they wanna know' which takes the beat from the whisper song, and whose refrain states, 'born on the island of t&t, represent brooklyn naturally.'

― jergins (jergins), Thursday, 15 June 2006 06:27 (nineteen years ago)

Poland are not quite out, PJM. It's not mathematical.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 15 June 2006 06:40 (nineteen years ago)

Maths are brilliant.

Just to be clear, I don't think Germany are smug or particularly want them to fail to get out of their group. I just think it would be a bit funny.

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 15 June 2006 06:57 (nineteen years ago)

So I'm hoping for a consolation victory for Costa Rica in their final game, then.

Play up, Ecuador!

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 15 June 2006 07:25 (nineteen years ago)

Ps there is a job going at Arsenal, I think it's to do with computers. Guardian website. Just in case anyone's interested.

It's good that football clubs have computers.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 15 June 2006 07:26 (nineteen years ago)

0850 BST: Apparently the England squad were kept up until 2am by the noise outside their hotel near the station in Nuremberg.
BBC News 24's Chris Hollins.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 15 June 2006 07:29 (nineteen years ago)

I think the Nipper might be right upthread - I don't see any reason why this Spain team can't go on and win the thing.

I wanted the Germans to win, partly because I want England to avoid them in the next round. Odonkor looks very good indeed - like an Aaron Lennon that can actually cross properly!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 15 June 2006 07:39 (nineteen years ago)

Ronaldo in can't-take-the-pressure non-shockah

― Gerard (Gerard), Thursday, 15 June 2006 07:52 (nineteen years ago)

> 0850 BST: Apparently the England squad were kept up until 2am by the
> noise outside their hotel near the station in Nuremberg.
> BBC News 24's Chris Hollins.

so we have 4 weeks of 'we're gonna win, it's our time' followed by 4 weeks of getting the excuses in early. um.

best ten minutes i've seen so far was tunisia vs saudi arabia.

― koogy wonderland (koogs), Thursday, 15 June 2006 08:02 (nineteen years ago)

I imagine they would all be up till 2am anyway, having one of their legendary Playstation parties.

Yes, it was a good ten minutes.

I am not interested in how many cars and houses the Saudi players have got.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 15 June 2006 08:14 (nineteen years ago)

the England squad are kept awake by noise outside hotel at every tournament they play in.

the noise comes from whoever their opponents are the next day partying it up.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 08:17 (nineteen years ago)

rather brilliantly i found MOTD highlights torrents for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. i'm almost back up to date.

put a bet on Ibrahimovic to score first and Sweden win 2-1 tonight, amongst a couple of others.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 08:19 (nineteen years ago)

-- jergins

You should Send It to me. by e-mail!

in exchange i can offer that dreadful new Bell & Spurling World Cup song. hm.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 08:20 (nineteen years ago)

i put one in for 0-0 :D

xpost

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 15 June 2006 08:21 (nineteen years ago)

0-0 would be ideal from England's pov, should they win (FFS they'd better win and comfortably).

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 08:24 (nineteen years ago)

Late dodgy pun for Tunisia-Saudi game following dramatic comeback 'Hail Jaziri'.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 15 June 2006 08:27 (nineteen years ago)

also: hattrick by roooooney

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 15 June 2006 08:33 (nineteen years ago)

Rooney Takes The Mickey (wrong thread)

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 08:34 (nineteen years ago)

I don't see any reason why this Spain team can't go on and win the thing.

You've just given us the reason, Matt.

― Ally C (Ally C), Thursday, 15 June 2006 10:42 (nineteen years ago)

I have just watched the news coverage of it in Spain and they are already talking about the final. So there's another reason. Not the players though, they are cautiously optimistic and resolutely monsyllabic.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 15 June 2006 10:49 (nineteen years ago)

BTW I was watching on something called P2P television. What other great things can I watch on this system? Perhaps this is another thread.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 15 June 2006 10:50 (nineteen years ago)

how many goals have been scored with the head so far?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 10:59 (nineteen years ago)

the header from the mexico was really good

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 15 June 2006 11:01 (nineteen years ago)

All of them, Konal. Football, it is mostly mental.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 15 June 2006 11:02 (nineteen years ago)

I've spent three hours trying to get ITV digital to work. Bastards. Oh well, a slight bit of ghosting will have to do!

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 15 June 2006 11:45 (nineteen years ago)

ITV are basically ignoring the Ecuador/Costa Rica game they're about to show in order to squeeze in more build-up to "the main event" of T&T stamping on Rooney's toes.

My god, I hate Vennables.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Thursday, 15 June 2006 11:51 (nineteen years ago)

Now they're showing clips from the 1966 tournament. Really relevant to today's game, lads.

That Eusebio chap looks a bit useful, mind. I think he'll do well.

Oh, now we're getting some "classic" clips from a 1966 episode of Corrie.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Thursday, 15 June 2006 11:56 (nineteen years ago)

Coverage has gone here totally. Is this a UK-wide thing, or just on Scottish?

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 15 June 2006 12:00 (nineteen years ago)

no probs in London (on cable that is)

― mason storm (mason storm), Thursday, 15 June 2006 12:02 (nineteen years ago)

> I've spent three hours trying to get ITV digital to work.

did you try going back in time? about 4 years should do 8)

tv in the games room is now piped through an amplifier and into bookshelf speakers. it's a 20' x 30' room and there's no door between that and the other parts of the office. i'm at the far end and i can still hear it over the AC and my headphones.

― koogy wonderland (koogs), Thursday, 15 June 2006 12:04 (nineteen years ago)

It's back on again now (came in about half a minute after kick-off).

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 15 June 2006 12:07 (nineteen years ago)

Goal for Ecuador!

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 15 June 2006 12:08 (nineteen years ago)

Ecuador's coach celebrates. Commentator: "look at that celebration, and he's not even Ecuadorian, he's actually Colombian!"

So, similar comments if Sven celebrates any England goal this afternoon then?

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 15 June 2006 12:12 (nineteen years ago)

From the Daily Mail, probably yeah.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 June 2006 12:13 (nineteen years ago)

140/1 on Ecuador winning the tournament: get on it now.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 June 2006 12:14 (nineteen years ago)

got analogue signal and cable TVs in the office here so i heard the goal from the TV to my right before i saw the goal on the TV in front of me.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 12:43 (nineteen years ago)

Rooney has been passed fit by (1) a Scottish bloke called William Wallace and (2) a bloke called ~~get a brain~~ Moran. Ha!

Does anyone outside England think that Trinidad & Tobago's sole tactic will be "re-break Wayne Rooney's foot"?

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 15 June 2006 12:55 (nineteen years ago)

i think it'd be more a metatarsal tactic than a sole one

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 15 June 2006 12:57 (nineteen years ago)

surely Rooney won't actually start the match if he is to even play at all so T&T would need alternative tactics even if 'taking out Rooney' was part of their game plan.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:00 (nineteen years ago)

i want to see Walcott come on later. but preferably not as a result of another striker getting injured.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:01 (nineteen years ago)

Ailsa, you're so original :)

― Mädchen (Madchen), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

T&T's tactics = injure robinson and make james play

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

kens joke is on a par with ITVs coverage

no analysis whatsoever of ecuador/costa rica. unbelievable

xpost

― mason storm (mason storm), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

are there any rude / funny combinations of the three letter abbreviations that the bbc use in their on-screen graphics?

-- koogy wonderland (il...), June 15th, 2006 1:38 PM.

i like GER-ARG (a bit like what the zombie says at the end of Buffy) should they meet.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:04 (nineteen years ago)

really? you'd think they'd show some interest, after all there's a chance England could play Ecuador in the next round.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

lol brazil is BRA for short :D

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

surely Rooney won't actually start the match if he is to even play at all so T&T would need alternative tactics even if 'taking out Rooney' was part of their game plan.

Well, yes, but since England are playing later and no-one apparently gives a shit about the game that's on just now, all that the pundits seem to be discussing at half-time is Wayne Rooney's foot and how it will stand up to Trinidad's enthusiastic tackling (or whichever poor euphemism El Tel used). Did I make it clear enough that I didn't think all English people think this, just that I can't believe anyone outside England would?

(mega xpost - they mentioned Moran on the telly just after you sent me that text, I thought I'd share it with the wider public)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:08 (nineteen years ago)

"Augustin Delgado with the kind of goal Southampton fans thought they'd see"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

Ecuador are playing well enough to go and beat Germany and top the group.

England must TS: surprise package vs host nation

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

by bribing the officials

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

Play up, Ecuador!

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:16 (nineteen years ago)

As it stands, a draw from Ecuador against Germany will win them the group.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

Rah Ecuador! I'm all for this.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

Ecudoring portering staff making a right racket. They've been eyeballing me saying its England for the second round. Considering my second team is Poland (being a quarter Polish) I don't like the omens.

I don't like The Omen too, but thta observation does not belong on a football thread.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:21 (nineteen years ago)

i loved The Omen 2, but the first one will always be the best.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

(gosh I'm so sorry about that)

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

Give me your hand
And come with me
Come and travel with me to
search the magic sounds
from Ecuador!
Ecuador!
Listen to me!
Come and travel with me to
search the magic sounds
from Ecuador!
Listen to me!
Now yes!

― mason storm (mason storm), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

who was the last Damien to play for England?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

If you count middle names, its Wayne Damien Rooney!

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:26 (nineteen years ago)

*cue Handel's Messiah*

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:27 (nineteen years ago)

rather a Duff effort, there

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

Hirst thread ever

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:31 (nineteen years ago)

http://coupedumonde2006.topela.info/

All the goals! Click on the football next to the goalscorer.

― Pete W (peterw), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:34 (nineteen years ago)

PLAYER RATER: Ecuador's opening scorer Carlos Tenorio, who went off at half-time, is leading your race with 8.85. Paulo Wanchope is not far behind with 8.45, despite having seen little of the ball so far. Perhaps there are lots of Manchester City, West Ham and Derby fans out there.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:35 (nineteen years ago)

that is excellent. (xpost)

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

v impressed they have the Ecuador goals up already.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

ecuador are a MACHINE! steam-rollering plucky poland and costa rica. only the brave never-say-die germans can stop them winning this group now!

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

Caviedes, 3-0.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:49 (nineteen years ago)

3rd goal for Ecuador!

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:50 (nineteen years ago)

ooh be afraid Germany

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:50 (nineteen years ago)

anyone see kaviedes wwf mask he had tucked down his shorts?

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

xpost
be afraid England

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

yeah them too

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

Looks like that England Germany game takes a step closer. Ecuador looked composed, and Costa Rica didn't really trouble them. Their defence was tight but I think our midfield could break them down. Equally I am sure we would not give them that much space up front. But excellent crossing and control from Ecuador and I think they could well be worthy group winners.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:55 (nineteen years ago)

Great site, Pete W!

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 15 June 2006 13:58 (nineteen years ago)

OMG if Ecuador draw against the Germans, then they win the group, which means if England contrive to win Group B (which looks well within their grasp), then they will play ....OMG !!

― darren (darren), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

Guardian writer brings troof: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/worldcup06/2006/06/15/goodnight_galacticos.html

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:05 (nineteen years ago)

england
second round
germany
penalties
bugger

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

I can imagine Ecuador resting a few of their better players for the Germany game. this could work either way - a) they beat the Germans by virtue of having a fresher XI ala Czech Rep beating Germany two years ago, or b) Germany beat the 'weaker' Ecuador side on the day who aren't bothered cos they're through anyway.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

Who said we were going to win our group anyway? Trinidad are going to bring their A game tonight.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

they probably ARE better than Northern Ireland...

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

And as for Tobago.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

"White Yorke"! What a fantastic nickname.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

ITV roffles

― mason storm (mason storm), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:41 (nineteen years ago)

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41770000/jpg/_41770874_kaviedes_getty.jpg

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:42 (nineteen years ago)

ITV's sheer contempt for any team that isn't England is staggering.Half-time Equador-Costa Rica they show the goal once then spend the rest of the time blathering on about England when there's going to be a 45 minute pre game for England-T+T anyway.
All this talk from Hansen,Shearer, Jewell et all about having nothing to fear from the Germans strikes me as bonkers.I thought Germany looked pretty good in both their games, and not obviously less impressive than England were in their qualification games with Poland.
Does anyone know what the score is as far as bookings and suspensions for this World Cup.How many yellows results in a ban and is there an amnesty after the first round?

― caspardam (caspardam), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:42 (nineteen years ago)

2 yellows for a ban. not sure on amnesty...

is england are winning comfortably expect gerrard to pick up a tactical booking

― mason storm (mason storm), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:46 (nineteen years ago)

if not is (sorry)

― mason storm (mason storm), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:47 (nineteen years ago)

England should've played one or two other teams who had also qualified for the World Cup in their run-up to the tournament. We'd have a better idea of excatly how good/capable England were if they'd played better teams between Jan and June. Maybe it doesn't matter in the end but it would've been nice.

Germany did do this and were v poor against Italy and more recently Japan. Poor enough to make both England (if they DO play them) and Ecuador fancy their chances and rightly so. They are good going forward (but no more than England) but their defence seems v vulnerable (far more so than England's imo).

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:51 (nineteen years ago)

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Pix/pictures/2006/06/15/crouchicocklarge.gif

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 June 2006 14:59 (nineteen years ago)

Looks like Yorke took a football to the nuts.

― M. White (Miguelito), Thursday, 15 June 2006 15:28 (nineteen years ago)

if england have (supposedly) some of the best midfielders in the tournement then why the fuck are they hitting long balls from box to box that bypass them all?

― mason storm (mason storm), Thursday, 15 June 2006 15:34 (nineteen years ago)

But it's so hard to play these teams you know you're better than, you see, and simply playing better than them and thus proving this superiority is not an option. You must play badly to prove it is hard.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Thursday, 15 June 2006 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

Jeez, this is unbelievably poor.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 15 June 2006 15:43 (nineteen years ago)

Crouch back to his early season form.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 15 June 2006 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

Jeez England...

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Thursday, 15 June 2006 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

i really don't understand why they are so poor.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 15:53 (nineteen years ago)

Well then.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 15 June 2006 15:57 (nineteen years ago)

the problems start by playing long and slow when they need to be playing quick a short. its no good carra & rio hoofing it forward from the back when T&T have two banks of four behind the ball. desperate need to link attack and midfield.

must play through them or go round them - over is not an option. this is really basic stuff...

― mason storm (mason storm), Thursday, 15 June 2006 16:01 (nineteen years ago)

hello, thought I couldn´t miss reading your posts about the match yesterday, but work has prevented me from logging earlier and see what was going on .

And please, we are so much lovable than Brazil. Think about it. Now that Puyol has decided to become Zizou

― olenska (olenska), Thursday, 15 June 2006 16:02 (nineteen years ago)

T&T didn't look appreciably weaker in the second half on Saturday. England, on the other hand...

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 15 June 2006 16:02 (nineteen years ago)

That's the most ridiculously flattering scoreline I've seen in football since, oooh, the Japan/Australia match.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 June 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

Why does Stevie wait 'til the dying moments to shoot like that?

― M. White (Miguelito), Thursday, 15 June 2006 16:56 (nineteen years ago)

Great Gerrard goal though. Last 20 minutes were OK (but not great obv.). The rest was the worst England have played since Northern Ireland.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 16:58 (nineteen years ago)

well Sven made the right changes to add the necessary width to go round them but jesus wept...

― mason storm (mason storm), Thursday, 15 June 2006 16:59 (nineteen years ago)

And hilariously the bookies have reacted to that match immediately by making Argentina 2nd favourites for the tournament.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

The T&T offside goal was quite nice.

― Jibé (Jibé), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:05 (nineteen years ago)

i haven't seen it, was it really offside?

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:07 (nineteen years ago)

rather moot stat but this is first time England have won their first two group matches since...ever?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:08 (nineteen years ago)

i haven't seen it, was it really offside?

yes but close

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:09 (nineteen years ago)

Nails were bitten ... by Sven.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:10 (nineteen years ago)

rather moot stat but this is first time England have won their first two group matches since...ever?

1982?

― mason storm (mason storm), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:12 (nineteen years ago)

I feel really bad for Justo Villar.

― M. White (Miguelito), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:14 (nineteen years ago)

1982 beat France 3-1, Czechoslovakia 2-0 and Kuwait 1-0

― mason storm (mason storm), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:15 (nineteen years ago)

Offside goal from T&T = sweeet! Beckham's long ball was gorgeous. I know it was probably the 20th cross like that he'd tried, but still. It was a little of the old magic.

ESPN2 is talking about:

* Freddie Ljundberg's underwear. "But enough of that. Let's get off underwear."

* Infighting in the Swedish camp. "'Any comment?' 'No. Happens all the time. It's a good thing.'"

* How USA's match against Italy is "must-win." Which I guess it is.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:38 (nineteen years ago)

Do any of the Americans know what Prince song that Aqua-Velva ad is aping? It's driving me crazy.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:42 (nineteen years ago)

Joe Cole is really reliably excellent now it seems.

Beckham is brilliant - I kept thinking during the Tunisia-Saudis game how valuable a player who could consistently do something dangerous from crossy dead balls rly was? I think England actually played pretty well apart from Ashley Cole, made a lot of chances etc, but I suppose I would.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:47 (nineteen years ago)

yeah they were rubbish but then england are always rubbish against teams when they are expected to have all the play. they'll raise their game as soon as they meet one of the top sides; a team who are expected to come out and attack. you'll see far more space in behind and it's really a matter of HOW capable they are of raising their game whether or not we can progress.

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:49 (nineteen years ago)

lennon looked really good and it was noticable how quickly england stepped up the pace once he and rooney came on. re. lennon: perhaps he and downing should have played from the start against t&t, no fear and all that. re. pace: the way england suddenly realised they were ok to break out of a canter when rooney came on speaks volumes of the fragile psyche this team has.

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 17:52 (nineteen years ago)

i am nowhere near as convinced as others about joe cole, he seems pretty but ineffectual so far, and def not as good as his recent chelsea form.

beckham needs to raise his all-round performance level, but his crosses still seem the most obvious route to goal. playing him at right back was the correct move in this game - he wasn't going to be relied upon to make tackles, as t and t's attacking contributions were minimal, and it gave him more space to play in, sitting deeper and not being so closely marked.

lennon excellent but needs to deliver better end product.

gerrard atrocious up until goal, what is with this guy at international level?

owen appalling. rooney not fully fit, but still added guile. bringing him was the correct decision. still no theo!

england are poor, and will be lucky to get past the last 16.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 15 June 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

i am on the verge of kicking ibrahimovic out of my fantasy league team. he is like a svelte ronaldo. he has the 2nd half to DO SOMETHING!

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 18:40 (nineteen years ago)

Less svelte than rail-thin, I'd say. Maybe he has a virus.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 15 June 2006 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

This has actually nothing to do about any of today's games, but I wish to share very important news that I've just read in Metro or some such crap : Cristiano Ronaldo was voted No. 1 player by a Dutch gay mag. they voted for a full team they dubbed FC Hunk! Cristiano Ronaldo has won at least one thing in this WC! Go him!

― Jibé (Jibé), Thursday, 15 June 2006 18:54 (nineteen years ago)

Is he the one with streaky hair who plays for Portugal and is addicted to fannydangle?

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 15 June 2006 19:01 (nineteen years ago)

That's the one yeah.

― Jibé (Jibé), Thursday, 15 June 2006 19:02 (nineteen years ago)

ibrahimovic off at half time. that is IT for him and me.

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

Again a bad offside call! I dunno, it seems like the linesmen are so afraid of not calling an offside and then being blamed by a whole nation that they usually call offside all the time *just in case*.

― Jibé (Jibé), Thursday, 15 June 2006 19:18 (nineteen years ago)

the group of dearth!

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 15 June 2006 19:36 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, this is pretty bad.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 15 June 2006 19:40 (nineteen years ago)

Gay underwear model just puts the Swedes 1-0 ahead. Trinidad in the final 16 suddenly goes out the window.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 June 2006 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

well, trinidad could still make it if we BEAT gay unerwear models and they DO paraguay by more than 3.

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 19:57 (nineteen years ago)

Who do you fear more against England, Germany or Ecuador? I'd say Ecuador, personally.

― M. White (Miguelito), Thursday, 15 June 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

neither

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 20:07 (nineteen years ago)

I think I'd rather go out to Ecuador than Germany. But I'd rather England beat Germany than Ecuador. Hmm.

I really wanted Sweden v Paraguay to be a draw in the end, then have England beat Sweden and Paraguay v Trinidad be a draw so that they'd all be tied on just TWO points. A team going through in second place without even winning a game would be too funny.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

I HATE ARSENAL AND THEIR SWEDISH PANTS MODEL.

PS: Mr A Lennon rox the big one.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Thursday, 15 June 2006 20:26 (nineteen years ago)

Problem for England v Sweden now is that both may feel they have done enough. And neither are sure who they'd prefer to play in the next round anyway - nor will they know until the final whistle. Best to play for the honour of topping the group anyway. England MUST finally beat Sweden, who look even poorer than they do so far.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 20:28 (nineteen years ago)

Sweden will put out a strong team as there's still a chance they could go out if they lost and other results went against them. Plus they're playing England, another chance to rub our faces (and Svens) in it.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 15 June 2006 20:32 (nineteen years ago)

costa rica need to give paraguay a bit of money.

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 20:39 (nineteen years ago)

The reason I would prefer to see England v Germany has nothing to do with whom I'd rather see them lose to, you defeatist. It has to do with the game they will bring to a Germany match and the familiarity they have with them. Ecuador not only look as good or better than Germany, the England players don't know them.

― M. White (Miguelito), Thursday, 15 June 2006 20:50 (nineteen years ago)

Owen looks like he's about to cry in these post match interviews I keep seeing.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Thursday, 15 June 2006 20:55 (nineteen years ago)

Owen's proud declaration that "I am content with my performances so far, if I wanted to impress people I'd drop back into midfield" left me somewhat agog.

But Shearer says he's the second best striker on the planet, so who could argue with that?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:00 (nineteen years ago)

I texted another ilXor when he came off today, to suggest that may well be his final appearance in an England shirt.

This assumes McLaren is cast from the same mould as Eriksson, which isn't too unreasonable an assumption.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:03 (nineteen years ago)

Finally back from the pub. In a nutshell: England are still shite, but it was good to see Crouch score as it will give him some confidence. England looked instantly better once Rooney came on, not just because of his own performance, but because they started playing with some belief/imagination which had been painfully lacking up till then. As for opponents in the next round, I would much rather it was Germany. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - we seem to be hopeless against teams everyone expects us to beat, but I think we can raise our game for big matches. Besides, Ecuador look better than Germany so far.

[a little aside: does Ecuador mean 'equator' in Spanish?]

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:07 (nineteen years ago)

xpost: that is a lunatic statement aldo, who else is there? xxpost: who ws shearer's first best striker, still himself?

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:15 (nineteen years ago)

But weren't Germany shite in 2002? They still managed to do okay.
btw..is Arsenal the gayest team going?

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:19 (nineteen years ago)

Crouch scoring = will not be dropped (see also Gerrard, had he not scored today I would have said since the Lampard/Gerrard pairing so obviously isn't working, he has to go)
Rooney "fit" = will start

Lennon gave the right side a good option = sub for Crouch if he's not scoring. Or else sub Crouch for Downing (see Paraguay match, OK it was Owen he replaced, but in formation terms it's the same change).

After the World Cup, I'm assuming reality will play a part in Steve McLAren's selections and he'll actually pick Fit players who are IN FORM. Obviously, this assumption may be in error and he could pick the same crocks firing blanks as Eriksson.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:22 (nineteen years ago)

Shearer's top 5 strikers in the world:

1. Wayne Rooney
2. Michael Owen
3. Thierry Henry
4. Ronaldihno
5. Ruud Van Nistlerooy

lol being wrong

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:24 (nineteen years ago)

is ronaldinho really a striker?
mcclaren's top 5 strikers, jibbing owen:
1)rooney
2)crouch
3)defoe
4)bent
5)johnson
hmmm inspiring.

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:31 (nineteen years ago)

the decline of Owen makes me very sad.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:32 (nineteen years ago)

me too

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:35 (nineteen years ago)

this cheers me up tho:

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/8374/crouch9gt.jpg

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:36 (nineteen years ago)

He's turned into a 2 or 3 note player and the darting runs he used to make are harder 'cause he no longer has the pace and everyone's figured him out. As to regaining confidence after a long injured spell, the darling of '98 hearing England fans call out for Rooney mustn't be too helpful.

― M. White (Miguelito), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:43 (nineteen years ago)

the decline of Owen makes me very sad

He'll be alright. He's just off the pace. He looked equally rubbish in Portugal two years ago in the group stages, before finally pulling himself together when we played Portugal. No one is great all the time, and he's been out injured for half a season. Rooney's injury has made people forget about Owen's situation, but he was looking pretty good for Newcastle late last year, and I'm sure he'll be good again, he just hasn't played since December, and if we had *any* other fit strikers in our squad (who had ever played a game) then I expect Owen would be being gradually brought back in, same as Rooney, rather than starting every match.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:50 (nineteen years ago)

Somebody remind why Walcott is there.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:59 (nineteen years ago)

HOW DO I SHOT SWASTIKA

xpost

― Nicholas Passant (Nicholas Passant), Thursday, 15 June 2006 22:03 (nineteen years ago)

Somebody remind why Walcott is there.

he's a figment of sven's imagination.

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 22:04 (nineteen years ago)

THEO WALCOTT: WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER HOLIDAYS

A nice Swedish Man took me to the world cup in Germany. It was very hot but we had special seats near the pitch. He was very nice to me and said that if I was very lucky I could play football. He does not seem to want me to be very lucky though. There was a Canadian boy called Hargreaves sitting next to me who smelled of sauerkraut.

The othe rboys were nice too, and some of them had their thin girlfirends there, though apparently Ashley's is a beard. She did not look very hairy. One day when a man in a hat shouted at me I got a bit upset but then Rio turned up and told me I had been Merked. I did not know what he meant, but he seemed so happy I did not eant to tell him that his shorts were stained with wee wee.

It is very hot in Germany so I don 't mind not playing. Sven says I could go again, though next time it is in South Africa and I can see Lions, Tigers and Girraffes which are almost as tall as Peter Crouch. He is called crouch because he has to to get in the tour mini which the FA hired because they could not spell minibus. But everyone is lovely and I have eaten lots of sausage.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 15 June 2006 22:25 (nineteen years ago)

THEO WALCOTT: WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER HOLIDAYS

The othe rboys were nice too, and some of them had their thin girlfirends there, though apparently Ashley's is a beard. She did not look very hairy. One day when a man in a hat shouted at me I got a bit upset but then Rio turned up and told me I had been Merked. I did not know what he meant, but he seemed so happy I did not want to tell him that his shorts were stained with wee wee.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 15 June 2006 22:26 (nineteen years ago)

I'm presuming Mr Baran doesn't remember HELDER POSTIGA: WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER HOLIDAYS, the daily section of the Graun's 'comedy' Euro 2004 sports column that they comically failed to pull the day after Postiga put England out of the tournament.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 15 June 2006 22:33 (nineteen years ago)

More importantly, why Sven got it right for once.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 15 June 2006 22:34 (nineteen years ago)

In the future: Dean Ashton and Rooney - could be a good England strike force !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 15 June 2006 22:46 (nineteen years ago)

dj martian was very right just then.

― michael wells (michael w.), Thursday, 15 June 2006 22:50 (nineteen years ago)

"England MUST finally beat Sweden, who look even poorer than they do so far."

No we don't. We've played better than you so far(or is that what you meant? I'm not sure...)

Anyway, I think Equador and Germany are equally tough opponents so I don't care if we end up first or second in the group, but I do not want to lose against the English.

― Lovelace (Lovelace), Thursday, 15 June 2006 23:01 (nineteen years ago)

Meh, I'd dearly love to see england think to themselves "hey, we NEVER beat sweden, but if we did, wouldn't that be great?" but I fear 0-0. Sweden look solid but not terribly scary, Kallstrom is awfully entertaining, though. Ecuador are my new favourite team. Germany are rubbish and will therefore win everything, somehow. England are baffling, so much ability, so little ability.

― Matt (Matt), Thursday, 15 June 2006 23:22 (nineteen years ago)

If England beat Sweden and T&T wallop Paraguay (or Paraguay wallop T&T), Sweden are out, no? So why did the ITV numpties keep saying that Sweden have assured themselves of a place in the second round?

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Friday, 16 June 2006 03:15 (nineteen years ago)

I like Ecuador. In fact, I might even love them.

Crouch doing "the robot" for the fans from his hotel window fills me with confusion. The England players standing at their window fills me with confusuion. I don't think they deserve to win, really and truly. But they probably will, just because I don't want them to.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 16 June 2006 06:17 (nineteen years ago)

If England beat Sweden and T&T wallop Paraguay (or Paraguay wallop T&T), Sweden are out, no?

Not if Paraguay beat T&T, only the other way round. T&T 1-0 Paraguay; England 2-0 Sweden = the drawing of lots!

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 16 June 2006 06:45 (nineteen years ago)

I'm thinking of putting money on Ecuador...

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Friday, 16 June 2006 06:55 (nineteen years ago)

I'm thinking of putting money on the drawing of lots.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 16 June 2006 07:05 (nineteen years ago)

crouch scored a header!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 16 June 2006 07:09 (nineteen years ago)

crouch scored ~~a header~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Friday, 16 June 2006 07:22 (nineteen years ago)

haha otm

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 16 June 2006 07:26 (nineteen years ago)

I just got back from Frankfurt yesterday - was at the South Korea v Togo game. Really fantastic experience, great atmosphere, brilliant weather, so well organised. I could just imagine a WC in Britain - CHAOS!!!
It was good to hear Dick Advocaat being booed by most of the germans at the game (Monchengladbach fans).

― JohnFoxxsJuno (JohnFoxxsJuno), Friday, 16 June 2006 07:31 (nineteen years ago)

I am listening to some interesting views on a Five Live phone-in.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 16 June 2006 07:44 (nineteen years ago)

Kaviedes grabbing and putting on a spidey mask => best celebration so far.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 16 June 2006 08:14 (nineteen years ago)

England MUST finally beat Sweden, who look even poorer than they do so far

No they don't. Sweden are crap but England have been terrible thus far. I don't understand the criticism of Germany on this thread (and by Hansen et al) strikes me as wishful thinking.

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 08:28 (nineteen years ago)

I liked the Saudi celebrations.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 16 June 2006 08:39 (nineteen years ago)

"England and Sweden battle to top Group of Deathly Boredom"

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 08:43 (nineteen years ago)

No they don't. Sweden are crap but England have been terrible thus far. I don't understand the criticism of Germany on this thread (and by Hansen et al) strikes me as wishful thinking.

This is just your predictable bias vs my predictable bias.

I don't understand the criticism of Germany on this thread

Have you not seen their defence then? They're lucky Poland turned out to be so much worse than them.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 08:47 (nineteen years ago)

Wow, this really is wishful thinking! Germany are like England, they don't actually have to be that good to win games.

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 08:51 (nineteen years ago)

"England and Sweden battle to top Group of Deathly Boredom"

I had a text message not entirely dissimilar to this last night. I've not been impressed with the way England have won their games, yet they have still won them, which says something, I guess. I said to the mister "England don't look like World Cup winners" then he challenged me to name who *has* looked like World Cup winners based on performance thus far. I struggled.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 16 June 2006 08:58 (nineteen years ago)

Argentina?

― theantmustdance (theantmustdance), Friday, 16 June 2006 08:59 (nineteen years ago)

Spain?

ECUADOR!!!!

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 16 June 2006 09:00 (nineteen years ago)

Italy. Spain. GERMANY.

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 09:01 (nineteen years ago)

Spain, yes, but, y'know, they're Spain. I also said Ecuador looked convincing. Noe of the rest of them looked *that* convincing yet, but most have only played one game.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 16 June 2006 09:06 (nineteen years ago)

They're Spain, true... but then, they're Ecuador... and, when you get right down to it, they're Germany

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 09:11 (nineteen years ago)

Argentina looked very good. Italy looked good, better than I thought they would, and they'll get better now they've got some confidence. Germany (despite dodgy defence) have won both their games more convincingly than England and they're playing at home. I only saw the last ten minutes or so of the Spain game, but they looked good. Brazil will get better when they drop the fat lad.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Friday, 16 June 2006 09:11 (nineteen years ago)

Argentina. Italy. That's it. Brazil if they start being bothered. I can see Spain reaching the semis this time but not quite having enough to win it - they're always a different beast in the knockout stage.

I think England and Germany are looking about the same. The Germans look better re attacking but England look better er defending.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 09:13 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't see much of the Argentina game. Italy looked fair, and yes, Germany have won more convincingly than England, and only some good goalkeeping from Boruc stopped them boosting their goal difference against Poland, but I thought their defence looked a bit shonky against Costa Rica.

I don't really know whether Ecuador are any good or not, but they've fairly outplayed their opposition thus far. I shall reserve my opinion on both them and Germany until Tuesday.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 16 June 2006 09:16 (nineteen years ago)

I think England and Germany are looking about the same.

Now I'm convinced you're joking. On England's defence, can i remind you that so far they've played Trinidad & Tobago and Paraguay (who look as if they could play till the next World Cup and still not score)

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 09:20 (nineteen years ago)

Can I remind you of the nature of Wanchope's goals?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 09:24 (nineteen years ago)

Carlton Palmer Property Services:

http://www.home-away.com/contact.html

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 16 June 2006 09:25 (nineteen years ago)

I admit I'm amazed that a country the size of Germany doesn't have a better full back somewhere than Friedrich

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 09:27 (nineteen years ago)

As mentioned upthread, you can reply Wanchope's goals (and all others) here:

http://coupedumonde2006.topela.info/index.php

It's like I always say, cliquez sur les ballons.

― caek (caek), Friday, 16 June 2006 09:34 (nineteen years ago)

My favourite moment of football yesterday = that Paraguay defender ABSOLUTELY LEGGING IT to catch up with Magnus Allback, throw himself in front of him and hoof the ball off the line.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 16 June 2006 09:59 (nineteen years ago)

I think you are all forgetting that the Czech republic are going to win the world cup.

Also Spain. These are the best teams so far x 100 no comebacks!

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:02 (nineteen years ago)

I liked that Allback managed a wry "What the fuck happened there?" smile in spite of having missed an open goal and having just being booked by that fucking awful referee Lubos Michel (xpost)

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:05 (nineteen years ago)

Also, this is the Klinsmann family bakery. Doesn't it look idyllic?

http://www.klinsmann.us/images/pic_bakery1.jpg

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:09 (nineteen years ago)

I think you are all forgetting that the Czech republic are going to win the world cup.

You're right. I even put a bet on them to win it before the tournament started, then somehow forgot they even existed.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:09 (nineteen years ago)

I'd love them to win it! Somehow I overlooked them in spite of the fact that they've twice been World Cup finalists and twice been European Championship finalists.

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:16 (nineteen years ago)

I think I've seen that bnakery in a film - all the bread was covered in blood dripping from above.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:16 (nineteen years ago)

i think we are ALL forgetting that last night we watched dwight yorke fiddle with his b0llocks for five minutes, or has this got it's own thread?

clearly jordan's voodoo doll has started working...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:16 (nineteen years ago)

i think we are ALL forgetting that last night we watched dwight yorke fiddle with his b0llocks for five minutes

We have joined an exclusive club of several thousand Page 3 girls, lingerie models and soap stars

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:20 (nineteen years ago)

Il mio nome e' Dadaismus
Seems like you skipped these screennames, Dadaismus:

A Fistful of Dadaismus
For A Few Dadas More

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:21 (nineteen years ago)

i think we are ALL forgetting that last night we watched dwight yorke fiddle with his b0llocks for five minutes

My 6 year-old son said "now THAT has to hurt!" and he and his brother had a good laugh at Yorke rolling around then were somewhat taken aback when the commentator said "we shouldn't laugh".

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:27 (nineteen years ago)

i like how he was pouring drinks down his pants.

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:53 (nineteen years ago)

Heineken etc.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:54 (nineteen years ago)

i liked it when Tyldesley said "we shouldn't laugh, we've all been there" forgetting that some of the viewers be women.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:56 (nineteen years ago)

Argentina and Serbia and Montenegro will play their Group C match under a closed roof at the AufSchalke Arena in Gelsenkirchen on Friday.

Officials have decided to shut the roof to prevent shadows on the pitch distracting television audiences.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 11:04 (nineteen years ago)

It will be scorchio.

― caek (caek), Friday, 16 June 2006 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

is it just me or does Mick McCarthy's semi-intelligable drone blend so well with the background crowd noise that it becomes almost inaudible?

― mason storm (mason storm), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:01 (nineteen years ago)

They should introduce him as "The Premiership's Worst Ever Manager, Mick McCarthy" every time he's on.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:05 (nineteen years ago)

that was a brilliant goal.

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:05 (nineteen years ago)

I can't get the bbc live feed to work. Ballacks.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

Was the crowd just singing You'll Never Walk Alone or was that my imagination?

― theantmustdance (theantmustdance), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:10 (nineteen years ago)

What happened to the live BBC stream?

― richardk (Richard K), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:26 (nineteen years ago)

it's working fine here (first time i've tried it)

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

What a goal!

― Greig (treefell), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

woah there's a good 10 second delay on the online feed (i think this was already mentioned tho sorry carry on)

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

not a 30 yard spanker but A GREAT TEAM GOAL, at last!

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

Saviola's was quite like that too tho

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:32 (nineteen years ago)

Argentina look shit hot

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:32 (nineteen years ago)

I reckon they've peaked too early. They're phenomenal so far.

A GREAT TEAM GOAL, at last

Hey, the 4th Spanish goal!

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:32 (nineteen years ago)

The live video on the BBC is crap today, it keeps stopping and starting. It's also delayed by a good minute or two, meaning that everyone in the office hears the goals on the radio then runs over to my desk to watch them.

Argentina looking brilliant so far.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:36 (nineteen years ago)

GOOD ONE REF DENY MY FANTASY PLAYER A GOAL AND BOOK HIM I HATE YOU

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

Crespo wasn't offside there, was he? Should've been 3-0.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

Definitely onside.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:39 (nineteen years ago)

yep, and that was another great goal not given. REF U PLUM.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:39 (nineteen years ago)

BAM

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

3-0

― Greig (treefell), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

argies looking good, they carve through defences

Sid Waddell would say the Argies carve through defences, like a knife sliding into butter

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:41 (nineteen years ago)

The referee's U. Plum? Where's he from then? (xxxpost)

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:42 (nineteen years ago)

What I caught of Argentina just now en route en was damn nice. Annoyed that I missed the goals.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:42 (nineteen years ago)

and we've still yet to see Messi or Tevez...

― mason storm (mason storm), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:43 (nineteen years ago)

See when I said no-one was looking like winners yet? It must have been obviously because I didn't see much of the first Argentina match. They're certainly looking good.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:44 (nineteen years ago)

I am seriously impressed

― Greig (treefell), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:45 (nineteen years ago)

A GREAT TEAM GOAL, at last!

Saviola's was quite like that too tho
Hey, the 4th Spanish goal!

yr right, they were good team goals but there were, like, 20 odd passes for that cambiasso goal.

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:47 (nineteen years ago)

Argentina been cut to 5/1 to win the tournament during this match. Nice to see Diego up in the crowds, apparently he's considering running as a pro-Chavez candidate in the next Argentine elections.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:47 (nineteen years ago)

too good to win (xxxpost). i agree with Jonesey - they'll peak too soon. or at least i am hoping this.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:48 (nineteen years ago)

Nice to see Diego up in the crowds

pretty sick of the sight of the twunt already myself.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:48 (nineteen years ago)

But the hand of god, Konal. *runs away*

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:49 (nineteen years ago)

hand of god vs arse of crouch

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:49 (nineteen years ago)

Could be like USSR in '86 - destroyed Hungary (who were quite highly fancied) 6-0, topped their group ahead of France, then lost a bizarre seven-goal thriller vs Belgium when a lot of people were tipping them to make the final. Or the Danes, who were spectacularly good in the same tournament - but only in the group stage.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:51 (nineteen years ago)

Those first two goals were beautiful.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:52 (nineteen years ago)

Ian Wright: "if Brazil had scored that second goal we'd be saying it was the greatest goal ever. We're so biased towards Brazil"
the others: 'hahahaha... ahem'

Wrighty speaks sense!

Shall we just hand the cup to Argentina now and be done with it?

― David Orton (scarlet), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:52 (nineteen years ago)

Argies = Total football, pass and move, making space, get into 18 yards zone and fire

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

3rd goal in off the near post. Get one angle of reflection!

*rips up physics textbooks*

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:54 (nineteen years ago)

Best half of football in the WC so far. Here's an idea... LET'S TALK ABOUT ENGLAND SOME MORE!

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

YAY GO ENGALAND!

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:59 (nineteen years ago)

Did they even discuss the bad offside call before going on to england?

― Greig (treefell), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:59 (nineteen years ago)

Argentina been cut to 5/1 to win the tournament during this match.

I just tried to get a piece of this on Ladbrokes and it says 'betting on Argentina is suspended'. Their odds look mad anyway: England second favourites behind Brazil?

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

haha at Wrighty finally getting the S&M joke and making with the rofflez! "S&M are going to get whipped" ha!

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

to be fair to the BBC boys at least their analysis of englands shortcomings was incisive

― mason storm (mason storm), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

pretty sick of the sight of the twunt already myself.

Pele is the real twunt here

Best half of football in the WC so far. Here's an idea... LET'S TALK ABOUT ENGLAND SOME MORE!

I can't understand why people in Scotland/Wales/Ireland just won't get behind England. Sour grapes I call it.

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

Incisive = taking 10 minutes to say "boring long ball crap" when we could have been watching endless replays of the Argentina goals.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

xxxpost = England are second favourites because lots of patriotic/mad people have been backing them therefore driving bookies to cut the odds to not lose stacks of money if England actually do win the thing. Not because they're actually second most likely to win it.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

HoBB- most of the major bookies suspend betting in-running during matches on the outright winners. Try Betfair.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:07 (nineteen years ago)

the insight was to why they were reduced to playing "boring long ball crap"

xxpost

― mason storm (mason storm), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:08 (nineteen years ago)

also i wonder what the odds are like outside england. presumably the odds are worse betting for england in england because they know people will do it no matter what. and maybe also argentina get better odds here for reverse reasons (although i doubt that more)

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

Pele is the real twunt here

I don't mind Pele. Tho if Brazil started scoring as many goals as Argentina and they cut to him in the crowd hollering and jumping for joy then that could also be v annoying.

Next time England score they should cut to Bobby Charlton in the crowd, dozing in his sun hat.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:13 (nineteen years ago)

Pele is endlessly pompous and full of himself, he throws hissy fits if everyone doesn't fall at his feet and worship him as the Greatest Footballer ever. I liked the reason Maradona gave for not appearing at the openining ceremony, "I've got better things to do than watch Pele parading around"

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

kezman straight red!

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

makes a change from the kezman offside from his chelsea days

― mason storm (mason storm), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:25 (nineteen years ago)

radio 5 now counting the number of consecutive passes between argentinian players...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:32 (nineteen years ago)

Lots.

Messi on now. More goals please.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

4-0, messi comes on and sets up crespo

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

I made that happen.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

Well done you. Can you also make people get sent off in the Holland game so my drinks are cheaper please?

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

That...was liquid football.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:42 (nineteen years ago)

Cor, Tevez makes it five.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:43 (nineteen years ago)

6-0

― Greig (treefell), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:46 (nineteen years ago)

:-0 6-0 messi

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:46 (nineteen years ago)

Six brilliant goals now

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

Jesus

― Guy Incognito (Guy Incognito), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

blimX0r!!!

i can't believe i'm sitting in my office not watching this :((((

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

OK, copy read:

Argies HIT SIX TIMES ! S&M FEEL THE PAIN !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

S&M are getting dominated, humilated...

I wouldn't mind Argentina winning this World Cup - they're so bloody ruthless, it's great.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:48 (nineteen years ago)

Told you. I'm only watching snatches of the live stream but Argentina look frightening. They could crush Brazil, or the Czechs on this perforance.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:48 (nineteen years ago)

fucking brutal

― akender (Seuss 2005), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:50 (nineteen years ago)

that's one of the all time great World Cup performances, given S&M's credentials on paper at least (and that PAYS BAS only put 1 past them).

the Argentina v Pays Bas match could be classic but for different reasons. an INTRIGUING clash awaits there.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

Grr, I can't believe I missed this...

― Baaderonixx immer wieder (baaderonixx), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

More copy: for The Daily Sport

Argies inflict total football pain on S&M

S&M get a thrashing from the Argies

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

Not too hot in the midday sun for Argentina then? Or maybe their hotel was quiet?

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:58 (nineteen years ago)

no Dadaismus they're just a better side than England.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

The betting says otherwise!

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

i can't believe i'm sitting in my office not watching this :((((

I feel your pain. Man, that must have been astonishing to watch.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

S&M are 10 men though right?

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:04 (nineteen years ago)

Not any more. New odds have Argentina 4-1, ahead of England. (xpost)

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:04 (nineteen years ago)

Argentina were 3-0 up when s-m went down to 10 men

― Greig (treefell), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:05 (nineteen years ago)

William Hill offering 9/2

(England 6/1, Brazil 3/1)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

only for the last 10-15 minutes, argentina 4-0 up against 11 men, and it was the striker who got sent off.

they did, apparently lose a central defender in the warm-up, having alreaady lost vidic last week, so not the "famous four" defence from qualifying...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

i bet on Argentina to win back when they were 9-1 :)

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:07 (nineteen years ago)

time to hedge your bets then on betfair?

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

Cambiasso's goal (2nd) was one of the most beautiful team goals I have ever seen

― akender (Seuss 2005), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:10 (nineteen years ago)

This tournament has been locked by an administrator.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:10 (nineteen years ago)

Watch out England, they'll be invading the Falklands again at this rate

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

come on le cote d'ivoire! backed 'em at 10-3 to beat the dutch, can't believe the price, especially in light of that argentina result.

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:32 (nineteen years ago)

That was v v good and all against a Serbian team that apparently had an excellent record in qualifying - there were some good touches and searching stuff with poor final ball in the 20 min gap between the 1st and 2nd goal. The 2nd goal was good enough to kill them, their heads went down (their first WC and it showed etc) and the 3rd was bad defending. The match situation took over - gradual disintegration.

of course, its too early - there are far better defences than s-m in this tournament and far better teams going forward than s-m

Good to see Messi making on the pitch. He looks v hungry.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:48 (nineteen years ago)

Were they playing Crespo, Saviola, Tevez AND Messi all at once towards the end?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:49 (nineteen years ago)

The Montenegrans really, really should be asking Fifa to take their name off the team. Its not as if they have any players in the team.

― Pete (Pete), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:50 (nineteen years ago)

"they did, apparently lose a central defender in the warm-up, having alreaady lost vidic last week, so not the "famous four" defence from qualifying..."

oops missed this bit..

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:50 (nineteen years ago)

Isn't the goalkeeper from Montenegro?

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:52 (nineteen years ago)

In that case, Serbia should disown them!

― Pete (Pete), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:56 (nineteen years ago)

COME ON ELEPHANTS!!!

I AM SKIPPING CLASS FOR YOU!!!

― gbx (skowly), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:04 (nineteen years ago)

it would be a logistical and financial nightmare to remove the Montenegro name from all the branding, signage, merchandise etc. associated with the World Cup.

It must be bad enough for UEFA and their Euro 2008 preps.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:05 (nineteen years ago)

Just popping in to say:

1) Deutschland is buzzing and bloody hot

2) Trinidad - Sweden was da bomb. Probably my favourite stadium in the world. Was apprehesnive about wanting a draw, until TT went down to 10, so 0-0 became equivalent of TT win. Atmosphere in stadium great.

3) Sweden have lots and lots of fans

4) They are all rather surly

5) This is because they drew

6) ha

7) Gelsenkirchen is nicer than it is made out to be

8) German trains are nice

9) but they have ALL BEEN LATE. I am betrayed.

10) German beer is very nice

11) Kolsch is really nice

12) So is Currywurst

13) Managed to avoid Engerland massif. saw some pathetic shark hooligans in Dortmund who sang 'No Surrender' and the whole wanky Soccer AM repertoire.

14) Went into a small Irish bar in Cologne and some fans started a 'we can sing our club songs better than you can' and one guy starts going 'AFC Wimbledon'. He turns out to have never been, but his dad lives in California, and is a massive womble fan.

15) The other guys in the bar start singing FCUM songs.

16) The commentary in this bar is from BBC. They are so fucking irritating. The German ones have no co-commentator in the box, just one guy, who shuts up for long periods. Bliss.

17) Germany is a weird country. Before Germany-Poland came on at the Cologne Fan-fest, a bunch of velvet clad dad-rockers called 'LA Underground' played a host of crap hits, with the verses in German and the chorus in English. This was taken to new heights when a guy came on dressed in comedy-arab getup and did 'sex machine'

18) The Germans have recorded a new version on Football's Coming Home, including the lines:

'Talk about football coming home
You'll never walk alone
We have grown
Now we're strong'

Brushing aside the parallels with the German Re-armament, it really grates. It's our fucking song. Bah

19) The Germans have the exact same brittle optimism that we have (hoping, but scarely believing). They went batshit when they beat Poland, which was a great night all round.

20) Ivory Coast are called 'Elfenbeinkuste' which translates as 'Elephant Bone Coast', which made us laugh.

21) I've not been interviewed for TV.

22) But chatted lots to a Canadian Broadcasting Corp guy doing a piece from Dortmund

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:15 (nineteen years ago)

hi Dave!

good free-kick from Van Persie, just avoided deflection off Ivorian defender's head.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:23 (nineteen years ago)

Yay Dave!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:25 (nineteen years ago)

R WE STARTING A WRLD CUP RND 2 THRED COZ THIS ONE IS ANNOYING/BIG

― Jimmy Mod: NOIZE BOARD GRIL COMPARISON ANALYST (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:25 (nineteen years ago)

and now RVN finally stamps his authority in the form of an goal. crikes.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:26 (nineteen years ago)

Great pass from Robben.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:28 (nineteen years ago)

both nice goals, but who the fuck was covering ruud???

I AM UPSET.

― gbx (skowly), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:32 (nineteen years ago)

Robben's yellow card: fair trade for the non-existent foul committed by the Elfenbeinkuste.

― gbx (skowly), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:34 (nineteen years ago)

The little left-back for ElfenBeinKuste is at a fault. He ducked for the freekick (and who can blame him) and then played horsey onside.

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:35 (nineteen years ago)

it just wouldn't be ruud if he was being covered

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:36 (nineteen years ago)

KILLER!

― gbx (skowly), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

Dutch have to be v careful here, possible hallmarks of game against Czechs in '04.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

this ref is terrible.

none of the cards given for either side has been deserved.

― gbx (skowly), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

Robben was diving!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:46 (nineteen years ago)

NO WAI

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:47 (nineteen years ago)

dude, there was contact.

― gbx (skowly), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

just caught some highlights of the argentina game. they're looking GOOD.

― gbx (skowly), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:53 (nineteen years ago)

The little left-back for ElfenBeinKuste is at a fault. He ducked for the freekick (and who can blame him) and then played horsey onside.

No. 14 is Bakari Kone, the striker.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:53 (nineteen years ago)

oh man, Argentina were AWESOME and i am SO HAPPY i chose them as My Team. after goal #2, i called it 5-0! yet i found the 6th slightly sad, yet still awesome. oh, they will be kicking some ass, oh. yaay!

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:57 (nineteen years ago)

yes there ws contact but not enough for a penalty and Robben went down looking to get one.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 16 June 2006 15:59 (nineteen years ago)

Why you scenester, Rrrobyn. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 June 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

dude, soccer is reforming my life. up at 8am! jogging after first game! (i chose argentina before this all began! korea is my 2nd team - i wonder if that's scenesterish? i jus cant help it yknow.)

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Friday, 16 June 2006 16:28 (nineteen years ago)

Nah, it is all good. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 June 2006 16:29 (nineteen years ago)

I'm suffering. Elephants please score.

― Collardio Gelatinous (collardio), Friday, 16 June 2006 16:42 (nineteen years ago)

it is also interesting to hear my (almost) name said A LOT during this game. i keep feeling like i should fake right and dodge or something. (but it is sad that the int tv network i use is DOWN and i am relying on the sun radi0 coverage at the moment... grarr. c'mon haxors, pls fix.)

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Friday, 16 June 2006 16:46 (nineteen years ago)

oh elephantpaws. good game, for sure, but that last freekick was atrocious.

― gbx (skowly), Friday, 16 June 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

Poor Ivorians :(

I realise now that I'm fond of Gareth Southgate because he sounds like Naboo from the Mighty Boosh.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 16 June 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

At first I thought, 'poor Africa' but on reflection, I think that since these African teams are all new to the World Cup, with the exception of Tunisia, it means more exposure, potentially more signings in Europe and a further broadening of their financial, training, and tactical base.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 16 June 2006 16:57 (nineteen years ago)

y elephants braek hrt all tiem

m white's right, tho: ultimately, this cup has been good for african teams in general. esp since 2010 will be in s africa.

― gbx (skowly), Friday, 16 June 2006 17:00 (nineteen years ago)

Man, I've been watching the replay of Kone's goal. What a shot!

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 16 June 2006 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

I am terrified of Argentina. Best day of the tournament so far?

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Friday, 16 June 2006 17:22 (nineteen years ago)

jesus.....gutted I was in work and missed that. highlights made them look amazing.

be great to see Argentina win.

― Ronan (Ronan), Friday, 16 June 2006 17:36 (nineteen years ago)

Mexico's fans sporting some of the most impressive moustaches of the tournament so far.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 16 June 2006 17:55 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, DUH.

― gbx (skowly), Friday, 16 June 2006 17:57 (nineteen years ago)

Brace yourself for "OH WHERE IS MARQUEZ NOW" jizzing from Clive.

― Ronan (Ronan), Friday, 16 June 2006 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

In what way does the mexican coach 'look, act and sound' like a pirate?

― theantmustdance (theantmustdance), Friday, 16 June 2006 18:01 (nineteen years ago)

Don't know many pirates, eh?

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Friday, 16 June 2006 18:08 (nineteen years ago)

not that wear ties

― theantmustdance (theantmustdance), Friday, 16 June 2006 18:09 (nineteen years ago)

I just found out what y'all probably knew already- that that is his lucky, Feng-shui-appropriate tie.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Friday, 16 June 2006 19:00 (nineteen years ago)

hey ho let's go mexico

― jergins (jergins), Friday, 16 June 2006 19:16 (nineteen years ago)

So Angola are bravely going to hold on until the 93rd minute before Mexico score seven, huh?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 16 June 2006 19:30 (nineteen years ago)

That's what the smart money is saying.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Friday, 16 June 2006 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

Mexico are not delivering and this saddens me.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 June 2006 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

My excuse has been that Angola is defending very agressively and not worried about getting cards.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Friday, 16 June 2006 19:34 (nineteen years ago)

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/fifa/06/t/pla/l/162685.jpg

Hero.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 16 June 2006 19:52 (nineteen years ago)

You never want that Ricardao to get between your ball and the basket.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Friday, 16 June 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

I think Sam Allardyce has found his next signing. Bit young for him, obviously, but I think he can do a job.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 16 June 2006 19:59 (nineteen years ago)

ivory coast should have won, obv. the weight of carrying MY MONEY was too much. also zinha just let me down. rubbish day (apart from argentina who were beautiful)

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 16 June 2006 20:26 (nineteen years ago)

Does Garth Crooks shave his eyebrows or what?

This was how the Guardian's live updates service responded to that second Argentinian goal today: "29 mins - GOAL! Argentina 2 - 0 Serbia and Montenegro Sweet mother of Jesus, how the fuck am I supposed to describe that? The goal of the tournament so far by Cambiasso, and quite possibly the greatest goal that's ever been scored.

31 mins: Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Ping. Cambiano. Crespo. Cambiasso ... goal!

Starting deep inside their own half, with 24 short, high speed passes, the blurry shapes that are assorted Argentina players carve open Serbia and Montengro. Sorin does brilliantly to pick out Cambiasso, who dinkls the ball to Crespo on the edge of the box and continues his run. With his first touch, Crespo back-heels the ball across the edge of the penalty area and into the path of Cambiasso, who pulls the trigger and lashes it home. So mesmerised were the S&M players, they were left standing like statues. Make it your business to see that goal tonight - a mere hack like me doesn't have the literary skills to do it justice. In the stands, Diego Maradona is beside himself with excitement - they'll be setting that one to music for years to come. It'll certainly give England's defenders plenty to think about while they're hoofing long balls up to Peter Crouch. An astonishing goal ..."

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Friday, 16 June 2006 22:14 (nineteen years ago)

well, it was a very good goal but was it really THAT good?

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 16 June 2006 22:26 (nineteen years ago)

I think England should give their last 16 place to Ivory Coast; the gulf between their respective performances against wildly different classes of opposition and the fact that we're already through and they're already out - it's a joke.

PJM, Pinefox and I established beyond reasonable doubt the other night (by application of pub science, with reference to curry logic) the twattishness of every single member of the England squad. I can't really remember how we did it and whether I'd be able to re-create the elements of the proof, but the conclusion was pretty compelling.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 16 June 2006 22:29 (nineteen years ago)

you dont like david b?

― ∂ (duff), Friday, 16 June 2006 22:36 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I was going to say. I realised recently that David B is actually a genuine hero of mine, not just for footballing reasons but also for the strides he has made in normalising ponciness.

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 16 June 2006 22:39 (nineteen years ago)

db stands tall,

― ∂ (duff), Friday, 16 June 2006 22:48 (nineteen years ago)

xpost:
robinson - sinking ship i suppose
neville- obv
a. cole - denies his own seckshuality
ferdinand - puncked an everything else
terry- hmm, plays for chelsea?
gerrard- ur asking the wrong person...the pringles ad?
lampard - over-rated, stops stevie playing his natural role, london media darling
beckham - over-rated media construct
j.cole - large chin, ws on eastenders once
owen - boring, blew his career THAT day
crouch - milking it re. robot dance
carson - how can u possibly have an opinion on scott carson?
james - artistic temperement
bridge - who?
campbell - he's had enough shit, surely
carrick- *shrugs* you an arsenal fan?
downing - god this is hard. not good enough?
hargreaves - ur so predictable
jenas - gareth gates
lennon - what? he's great!!
rooney - ugly fat bastard
walcott - you bully, he's only little

― comeon befair (michael w.), Friday, 16 June 2006 22:50 (nineteen years ago)

Lawro told a story on CBeebies last night. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he was excellent. I hope they show it again, cos I missed the beginning.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Saturday, 17 June 2006 06:54 (nineteen years ago)

This is not entirely dissimilar to a conversation I had in the pub last night as well.

It was nice of Mexico and Angola to be really really boring, in case everyone was all footballed out after the two cracking games that preceded it.

Also, I feel the need to resurrect the "mouth opening and closing, no sound coming out" meme for that thing that Drogba did. Fannydangling of the highest order, and utterly brilliant with it. No fucking way should he be going home, yet two teams out of the group of boredom (Group B, in case you were in any doubt) get to go through.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 17 June 2006 07:01 (nineteen years ago)

j.cole - large chin, ws on eastenders once

haha!

― ken c (ken c), Saturday, 17 June 2006 07:13 (nineteen years ago)

what was great about that 2nd cambiasso goal? just looked like some d00d kicking a ball 2 me

― INSANE CLOWN FOSSE (Adrian Langston), Saturday, 17 June 2006 08:31 (nineteen years ago)

Haha, best post ever!

Joe Cole was on Eastenders?! WTF?

An Italy v Argentina game is going to be very intriguing.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Saturday, 17 June 2006 08:43 (nineteen years ago)

Italy would win 1-0.

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 17 June 2006 08:45 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.walfordweb.co.uk/walfordweb/photos.php?id=928

― ken c (ken c), Saturday, 17 June 2006 09:05 (nineteen years ago)

joe cole bought a bag of chips from ian beale's chippy!

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 17 June 2006 09:50 (nineteen years ago)

although google shows NOTHING! this really did happen.

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 17 June 2006 09:56 (nineteen years ago)

Google shows you are (sort of) right.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 17 June 2006 09:59 (nineteen years ago)

i thought he was actually in an episode, oh well.

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 17 June 2006 10:02 (nineteen years ago)

Scots on England at WC

Mogwai: England Are Shite And So Are Their Fans
http://www.gigwise.com/news.asp?contentid=18522

Portsmouth's Richard Hughes
http://tinyurl.com/ewsz5
No chance on this showing, says Hughes

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Saturday, 17 June 2006 11:35 (nineteen years ago)

Portugual-Iran about to kick-off: the iranian captain's gift (looked like a small rug) had Figo looking slightly puzzled.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 17 June 2006 12:00 (nineteen years ago)

Who gets to keep all those gifts, I wonder?

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

I'm sure there'll be a fight for that rug - its a good gift!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 17 June 2006 12:13 (nineteen years ago)

charltonlido: liverpool player transferred out!
charltonlido: not CISSE, but zak WHITBREAD, PLANK SVEN are you WATCHING?
Ronan909: PLANK YANK ZAK OFF
Ronan909: YANKS, stick to BOMBING IRAQ! footie NOT FOR YOU

― Ronan (Ronan), Saturday, 17 June 2006 12:24 (nineteen years ago)

Art Deco!

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 17 June 2006 13:21 (nineteen years ago)

That took long enough.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 17 June 2006 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

12 goals in 37 games, FOR A WHITE MAN THAT IS SOME RETURN?

― ken c (ken c), Saturday, 17 June 2006 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

haha that's what it sounded like (it was "wide" i think)

― ken c (ken c), Saturday, 17 June 2006 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

Is that the first penalty of the World Cup?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 17 June 2006 13:42 (nineteen years ago)

second i think?

― ken c (ken c), Saturday, 17 June 2006 13:43 (nineteen years ago)

I can't think what the other one was - one of Spain's four?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 17 June 2006 13:45 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yeah - ludicrous decision, red card, David Villa.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 17 June 2006 13:46 (nineteen years ago)

Ghana 1-0 up after 73 seconds!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:01 (nineteen years ago)

holy cow!

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

Great news for USA but of course makes them look worse, if that's possible.

New link for goal archive - http://www.11football.com/coupedumonde2006/

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:23 (nineteen years ago)

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:31 (nineteen years ago)

The Czechs look devoid of any ideas at all out there. Lack of first choice strike force = zero plan B, by the looks of things. Ghana look a lot more capable of adding a second at this rate.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:33 (nineteen years ago)

They're giving Czechs too many looks it seems to me, but their last-gasp clearances and blocks have been awesome!

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:36 (nineteen years ago)

Have all these refs received FIFA instructions to look as camp as possible when brandishing a card?

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

Yes but will Ghana RUE these opportunities etc

― Ronan (Ronan), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

Have all these refs received FIFA instructions to look as camp as possible when brandishing a card?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86AJje3ElDc

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:49 (nineteen years ago)

Ok, thanks for putting things into perspective for me.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:58 (nineteen years ago)

Ghana are playing absolutely out of their minds right now!

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:14 (nineteen years ago)

The Guardian helpfully points out where you've seen Pavel Nedved's haircut before:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/features/wallpaper/images/640/bucks_fizz.jpg

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

I know, it's great and they're all smiling like loons!

crosspost

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

And now they have a penalty!

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:21 (nineteen years ago)

Gyan = slapstick king.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:22 (nineteen years ago)

Czech Republic down to ten men. Ghanaian booked for taking the penalty while the ref was sending off the Czech bloke.

Off the post! Cor!

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:23 (nineteen years ago)

how did that PK not go in!!!

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:23 (nineteen years ago)

Do I get fantasy football points for Cech saving the penalty even though he didn't actually save it?

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:24 (nineteen years ago)

What a clusterfuck. I guess they're both down to 10 now?

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:25 (nineteen years ago)

Commentator now claiming that Gyan will miss 'Angola's' next game, while 'Poland' are searching for an equaliser.

Ghanaian booked for taking the penalty while the ref was sending off the Czech bloke.

I think he was booked for waving an imaginary card to try and get the Czech sent off.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:26 (nineteen years ago)

Ghana still has 11 men. Gyan's going to miss the USA game for getting a yellow card in the first two games.

― d4niel coh3n (dayan), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:28 (nineteen years ago)

The Czech are diving and whining all over the place.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:32 (nineteen years ago)

some amazing goalkeeping by cech, whoa

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:33 (nineteen years ago)

This group could be blown wide open now. Especially if the unthinkable happens and the USA hold Italy to a draw.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

Ghana _really_ need to kill this off within the next five minutes or they're so gonna conceed a soft equaliser.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

Goal!

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:39 (nineteen years ago)

2-0!!!

― d4niel coh3n (dayan), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:39 (nineteen years ago)

As in, excellent finishing! Ghana 2-0 up.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:39 (nineteen years ago)

Oh my!

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

wow. what has happened the czechs, they look absolutely awful.....their defence???

― Ronan (Ronan), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

whoo!!!

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

COR

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

Gyan Asamoah has just overtaken João Ricardo as my favourite player of the tournament.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:42 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, the Czechs in the back suddenly looked like the Washington Generals, the hired patsies who would lose to the Harlem Globetrotters for all their games.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:45 (nineteen years ago)

haha aww that was cute. "come on guys! ... guys?"

see i told yall the usa were that bad.

― rtccc (mwah), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:47 (nineteen years ago)

we wouldn't be americans without the basketball analogies! xpost

― jergins (jergins), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

What's crazy is how easy this could have been 4-0!

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

what a save!

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:50 (nineteen years ago)

dude, this could have been 8-0 if Ghana hadn't been offsides all the time.

also: were those EMPTY seats I saw??

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

WOW

― Jimmy Mod: NOIZE BOARD GRIL COMPARISON ANALYST (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

I was gonna say Gyan's booking was an absolute farce, but the card-waving explanation makes sense, I guess. You'd forgive him for wondering why the ref didn't seem to be planning to send him off though. Also, the whole "YEAH I'M SENDING YOU OFF WHAT YOU GONNA DO BITCH" expression half the refs seem to aiming for is getting a bit ridiculous.

Tyldsley's constant veneer of smugness is extremely annoying ("they're having too much fun"), and he doesn't seem to know who has the ball for Ghana half the time.

This group just got good anyway - are the Czechs definitely without Baros and Koller for the Italy game? Cos y'know, without a big lad to aim it at and a cheating fucker to back into people when they're going up for headers and then act as if he's been fouled...

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

Who's the team that played instead of Czech Rep?

Yay Ghana. That's the loudest I've cheered a goal since Austrailia's winner.

― David Orton (scarlet), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

Coulf have been 8-0 is cech didn't stand on his head for the 2nd half

― Jimmy Mod: NOIZE BOARD GRIL COMPARISON ANALYST (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, and the announcers were saying how for a game like this a lot of people just buy tickets and root for the underdog! hence all the cheering for Ghana, which helps, doesn't it? it seemed to!
xpost to empty seats thing

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

Is there some tragic Ghana Come Third On Goal Difference conclusion to this group in the offing, praps? Cos that disallowed goal is gonna look extremely poignant if so.

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:56 (nineteen years ago)

If ever there were a game to turn non-fans onto international soccer, that was it. Stellar. Go Ghana.

― Big Loud Ape Mountain (Big Loud Mountain Ape), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:56 (nineteen years ago)

So then, Italy vs the US.

Eddy Johnson reckons the World Cup is exactly like a war, so obviously the US are going to win. Try imagining him reading this in the voice of Joe from Family Guy: http://www.nytimes.com/glogin?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/sports/AP-SOC-WCup-Italy-US-War.html&OQ=_rQ3D2Q26orefQ3Dslogin&OP=6e97e496Q2FQ7BosqQ7BQ23Q220Q27nQ22Q22W4Q7BQ5EPQ22eJiesQ7BQ27PQ22nWQ27Q7BQ7CYwEAQ2AwtQ2A-PwvWQ5EJ.wGEwtQ5EnQ2FRWDJ

Andrea Pirlo, on the other hand, brings the ignorance to the table. When asked to name some members of the US team, he managed Reyna and "that lad from PSV": http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=371230&cc=5739

Alexi Lalas thinks that Kasey Keller is the best goalkeeper in the world. lol.

There's 55,000 members of the US military stationed in the city near the match tonight. So that's a free gang rape for any female Italian fans in attendance.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

"Also, the whole "YEAH I'M SENDING YOU OFF WHAT YOU GONNA DO BITCH" expression half the refs seem to aiming for is getting a bit ridiculous."

You gotta check this out too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86AJje3ElDc

-- Onimo (gerry.wat...), June 18th, 2006

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 17 June 2006 17:06 (nineteen years ago)

I'm guessing that's the flamboyant dancing ref montage?

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Saturday, 17 June 2006 17:15 (nineteen years ago)

yep

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 17 June 2006 17:16 (nineteen years ago)

Or yeah "gay funny referee" as they've chosen to phrase it

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Saturday, 17 June 2006 17:16 (nineteen years ago)

"are the Czechs definitely without Baros and Koller for the Italy game?"

yeah.

Also Nedved was quite disappointing - he really mistimed his runs and ws totally knackered by the end of it, but Ghana moved well throughout and even before the penalty it just felt like they were edging it. Their goalie was v v good wasn't he? A couple of excellent saves and they could need it just in case we get down to goal diff.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 17 June 2006 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

okay what's the deal with the kids standing in front of the players during the anthems?

― jergins (jergins), Saturday, 17 June 2006 17:58 (nineteen years ago)

They're mascots, all football matches have them. It's like a fun day out for the kids.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

Okay, so it's 2006 and we're at work watching this on an 11 inch black and white tv . wtf?

― jergins (jergins), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:02 (nineteen years ago)

Italy are the team playing in the darker grey!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:07 (nineteen years ago)

god i hope the US pull this one off. not just because American, but because the Italians are insufferable.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:13 (nineteen years ago)

good start from the US!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:17 (nineteen years ago)

no kidding!

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:18 (nineteen years ago)

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:22 (nineteen years ago)

FUCK

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:22 (nineteen years ago)

(sorry)

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:22 (nineteen years ago)

ah well that ws fun while it lasted: Italy 1-0.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:22 (nineteen years ago)

Good starts don't really matter if they can't equalize...blah.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:23 (nineteen years ago)

lol @ spray on ass

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:24 (nineteen years ago)

lol@usa

http://www.hifiny.com/020527_ussoccer.html

― duff (duff), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:24 (nineteen years ago)

Actually, this is playing like Italy's game with Chile back in 98, the Azzuri score against the run of play then proceed to get played off the pitch by their spirited opposition, and then somehow fluke a 2-2 draw. Dempsey and Convey have been the best players on the pitch by far, but then Italy have obviously identified Keller as the US weak link. Expect lots of aimless shots from 30 yards out in the 60-70 minute period.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:24 (nineteen years ago)

dom otm.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:26 (nineteen years ago)

FUCK

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:27 (nineteen years ago)

Score!

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:27 (nineteen years ago)

lol@italy

― duff (duff), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:27 (nineteen years ago)

LOL @ STUPID ITALIAN

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:27 (nineteen years ago)

(sorry)

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

aaaaaaa humourous!

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

oh shit, dude.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

Haha this match is fucking insane already

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

omg Italy imploding right now!!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

Man, this is 96/98/02/04 all over again.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

OMG thank you Masonic Temple.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:29 (nineteen years ago)

that was the most blatant foul i've seen in a while, holy shit.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:29 (nineteen years ago)

You're getting sent off to cause mild discomfort to Brian McBride????. Typical Milanese....

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:30 (nineteen years ago)

i dont think ive ever seen a player get in the wars as much as brian mcbride.

― duff (duff), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:30 (nineteen years ago)

Haaland?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:31 (nineteen years ago)

Anymore Group E players that don't fancy playing on Thursday?

― MitchellStirling (MitchellStirling), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:31 (nineteen years ago)

What's funny is that Italy still seems better.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:32 (nineteen years ago)

mcbride seems to be covered in blood and bruises ever week. i'm not actually sure he really notices though, its just his default state

― duff (duff), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:32 (nineteen years ago)

Don't tread on him.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:33 (nineteen years ago)

Is it just me or is Landon Donovan not really very good?

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:33 (nineteen years ago)

dempsey's looking like the better player, for sure.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:34 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.clintdempsey.com/

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:34 (nineteen years ago)

This was always going to be the fucking problem: all America have going for them is the fact they're probably one of the five most ORGANISED teams in the world cup. If Italy could just hold off with the standard Azzuri mental breakdown for 90 minutes, we could have killed this game off by now. But, no, comedy guinea handwaving must triumph.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:35 (nineteen years ago)

Gattuso and his horrid beard on for Totti.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:35 (nineteen years ago)

USA to win 2-1, 7/1. I've just thrown a tenner on it.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

WTF

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:44 (nineteen years ago)

Mastroeni red card! Both teams down to 10! Battle of Santiago mk 2!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:44 (nineteen years ago)

shit call

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:45 (nineteen years ago)

hmm, that's a yellow..(all xp all time)

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:45 (nineteen years ago)

Cor!

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:45 (nineteen years ago)

He implanted his studs into his ankle! That's the damn challenge FIFA have been directly stamping out in this tourney.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:45 (nineteen years ago)

yellow card, sure, but NOT a red. appeasement call.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

Well, that's the first bottle of Prosecco finished.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:47 (nineteen years ago)

I've seen that same tackle get a yellow card 10 times in this World Cup.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:48 (nineteen years ago)

Two footed too late, the ball was a metre away. He deserved it.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:49 (nineteen years ago)

what is a metre

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:50 (nineteen years ago)

Ref was right to give a red. That kind of tackle is a good way to dislocate an ankle and break a tibia at the same time.

― caek (caek), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:50 (nineteen years ago)

haha ok i suppose it would've been 'hilarious' to see Italy play this out with a man short.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:51 (nineteen years ago)

I mean, it's great that the USA have the fitness and commitment to harry the ball all around the opponent's final third (witness Convey minutes later), but there's a point when you've got to start using your head too.

― caek (caek), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:52 (nineteen years ago)

3 ft ish

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:52 (nineteen years ago)

Sam Allardyce says it's a red card. That's good enough to me. He then went on to add "This American team could be a lot better if every player was 20 years older", before waving his hand in an "I'll get you Butler" manner at Brian Barwick.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:53 (nineteen years ago)

Oh come on. That tackle is a yellow card in any other situation. It was a make-up call. Call the call what it is.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:53 (nineteen years ago)

I still think the USA will win. Was 2-1 7/1 before the second sending off? What is it now?

― caek (caek), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:53 (nineteen years ago)

USA to win 2-1 is 12/1 now. 1-1 5/2, Italy to win 2-1 5/2. 2-2 14/1, which strikes me as an interesting one.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:55 (nineteen years ago)

btw: what was up with ghana player waving Israeli flag after their second goal? anyone?

xp: where are you getting these odds? gambling is illegal in america.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:55 (nineteen years ago)

Oh come on. That tackle is a yellow card in any other situation. It was a make-up call. Call the call what it is.

It's a yellow card if there was a clean attempt to get to the ball. Unless Mastroeni has dyspraxia, he must have known that he couldn't reach the ball at the time he went sliding in.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:56 (nineteen years ago)

williamhill.co.uk
betfair.co.uk
coral.co.uk
ladbrokes.co.uk

― duff (duff), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:57 (nineteen years ago)

gbx: http://www.betfair.com/ Click "world cup betting zone", £15 million bet on win/lose/draw alone so far.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:57 (nineteen years ago)

How dare ITV show highlights of on-going game before talking about England.

― MitchellStirling (MitchellStirling), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:57 (nineteen years ago)

It's just not cricket

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 17 June 2006 18:59 (nineteen years ago)

betfair looks like a dangerous place for me.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:00 (nineteen years ago)

It's a yellow card if there was a clean attempt to get to the ball. Unless Mastroeni has dyspraxia, he must have known that he couldn't reach the ball at the time he went sliding in.

He wasn't that late. Yes, it was a dangerous tackle and a definite yellow. But it's a judgement call. I just can't believe that the red would have come out if it was 11 vs. 11. But it's a new half now.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:01 (nineteen years ago)

oh shit i forgot to make lunch!

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:03 (nineteen years ago)

And both teams justifiably playing with 10 men a piece.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:03 (nineteen years ago)

another one off!

― duff (duff), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:04 (nineteen years ago)

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:04 (nineteen years ago)

WHAT THE FUCK

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:04 (nineteen years ago)

OMG WTF!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:04 (nineteen years ago)

How many players are left for the referee to boot?

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:04 (nineteen years ago)

worst ref ever

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

This is going to end up with both goalkeepers chasing each other around the pitch!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

Haha. This match is highly entertaining.

― Ogmor Roundtrouser (Ogmor Roundtrouser), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

this ref is fucking terrible. HE HAD THE BALL.

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

Oh my word.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

That was a dive, I'll admit, but there was always a danger that the US were going to be naive enough to walk into those kind of situations.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

i wonder what odds you can get on a 4th player being sent off

― duff (duff), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:06 (nineteen years ago)

What a debacle.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:06 (nineteen years ago)

So basically now the US are going to play 45 minutes of long balls to Donovan.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:06 (nineteen years ago)

Ok, that was tough.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:07 (nineteen years ago)

What odds now for a 2-1 US win?

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:07 (nineteen years ago)

16/1

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:08 (nineteen years ago)

Italy 2-1, 8/5
Italy 3-1, 13/5.

1-1, 7/2

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:09 (nineteen years ago)

Convey off for Conrad, the US are basically going to play 4-2-2 for the rest of the game.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:09 (nineteen years ago)

Del Piero on for Zaccardo. Italy switch to 3-4-2. lol.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

Del Pierro is in. Does he still have the magic?

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:13 (nineteen years ago)

4-2-2, didn't do England any harm on Thursday.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:13 (nineteen years ago)

Answer: no.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

Ha ha - they've just announced that there is full capacity in the stadium, well, there's plenty of room on the pitch!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:15 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, Reyna ya numptie.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:16 (nineteen years ago)

TS: MC Clint Dempsey vs mediocre early 90s hip-house act Jovanotti.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:17 (nineteen years ago)

Good on America for still playing hard. Reyna has been disappointing.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:17 (nineteen years ago)

US guys have VERY tired legs. I figure Eye talians get another one soon.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:19 (nineteen years ago)

Offsides:

Italy 8, USA 0.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:19 (nineteen years ago)

Man has the pace fallen off since that red card.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:20 (nineteen years ago)

US has two subs left. Beasley in.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:20 (nineteen years ago)

That was a nice effort.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:21 (nineteen years ago)

The US aren't dead and buried at all.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:21 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, McBride ya numptie.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:21 (nineteen years ago)

it seems crazy that we're still getting chances like that at this point!

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:21 (nineteen years ago)

BEASELEY OFFSIDE!!!!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:22 (nineteen years ago)

Man has the pace fallen off since that red card.

Absolutely. The ref has just ruined this match.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:22 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, poor Beasley.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:22 (nineteen years ago)

MOTHERFUCKER

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:23 (nineteen years ago)

BEST MATCH EVER!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:23 (nineteen years ago)

And it was a clear offside as well.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:23 (nineteen years ago)

Awww, ITV score went up to 2 for a second or so.

― Ogmor Roundtrouser (Ogmor Roundtrouser), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:23 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, McBride ya numptie.

-- Billy Dods (butterbubble...), June 17th, 2006. (Billy Dods) (later)

Billy Dods can see into the future!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:23 (nineteen years ago)

if the u.s. get a result here then i'll buy them all a pint (but not the 2 who got themselves sent off, talk about shooting yrself in the foot, oh these naive plucky americans!)
also, de rossi is a vicious twunt.

wha just happen? it's 1-1, beasley "scores", drury shouts EQUALISER! anyway, offside

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:24 (nineteen years ago)

killer match, btw

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:24 (nineteen years ago)

That ball probably wouldn't have found the net if McBride hadn't been standing there.

xpost

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:24 (nineteen years ago)

I really really need to go to the loo but I'm afraid I'll miss a couple of sending offs and some unprovoked violence if I leave the TV for more than 50 seconds.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:24 (nineteen years ago)

Like I said nearly 40 minutes ago, it's the new Battle of Santiago!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:26 (nineteen years ago)

Nice 'Equaliser!' Peter Drury.

― MitchellStirling (MitchellStirling), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:26 (nineteen years ago)

McBride is a fucking idiot.

― Tracey Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:26 (nineteen years ago)

It's incredible viewing...

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

I'll be honest, I'd be happy with 1-1 at the moment, to save any chance of me having a heart attack this evening.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

Ha ha - I want more goals and drama, please!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

For some light post-match entertainment may I suggest heading here The most interesting pieces of pop music trivia that you know (that are 100% false)and tracking down Dom's posts.Genius at work.
anyway here's another yellow card.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

Just as well this is fantastic stuff as I could be watching ELO live at Wembley 1978 on BBC4.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

what if he runs out of cards??

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

Not red? I thought he'd forgotten about the yellow one.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.ssfiacc.org/images/logo.jpg

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:29 (nineteen years ago)

Save!

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:30 (nineteen years ago)

OK, Keller has earned his pay cheque (or "check") in this match.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:30 (nineteen years ago)

The most interesting pieces of pop music trivia that you know (that are 100% false) this

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:30 (nineteen years ago)

i need a drink

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

What an incredible save!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

i need a drink

No one mention liquids, please!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

srsly

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

Italy apparently have no other options than "try and get another free kick".

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

is that pic supposed to look like bossoms?

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:33 (nineteen years ago)

When did America learn to play the offside trap correctly?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:34 (nineteen years ago)

Both sides are looking mighty sluggish

When did America learn to play the offside trap correctly?

Half-time, I think.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:35 (nineteen years ago)

Ha ha.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:35 (nineteen years ago)

Why are the crowd singing PSB?

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:36 (nineteen years ago)

Donovan comes alive!

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:36 (nineteen years ago)

Why are the crowd singing PSB?

Because they're all gay.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:38 (nineteen years ago)

Brilliant!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:38 (nineteen years ago)

Beasley was a good substitution. He's brought some energy.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

when is arena going ot make another sub??

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:40 (nineteen years ago)

The referee has apparently stopped giving fouls now.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:40 (nineteen years ago)

It's probably a toss up over which US player is likely to collapse first.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:40 (nineteen years ago)

he ran out of cards

HOLY SHIT. THE FEED JUST TURNED OFF. !!!!

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:41 (nineteen years ago)

HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT.

WHY DID BROADCAST CUT OUT

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:41 (nineteen years ago)

HELP HELP HELP

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

and we're back. heart attack city

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

Iaquinta is apparently scared of shooting on target now.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

The referee has apparently stopped giving fouls now.

Do you think he was in the pub last night and his mates bet him he couldn't fuck up this game completely?

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:43 (nineteen years ago)

corner, oh no

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:43 (nineteen years ago)

HOW THE FUCK DIDN'T THEY SCORE THERE????

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

*HOW* did they miss that?????

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

The U.S. looks totally spent. They just want to hold on.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

The US now playing 8-0-0.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:45 (nineteen years ago)

The linesmen are doing a great job, hope their not sent home with the ref.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:45 (nineteen years ago)

Too many corners. Tragedy will ensue.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:46 (nineteen years ago)

put in another sub! these dudes are wiped

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:46 (nineteen years ago)

Italy to win, 7/2. Draw, 2/5. US win, 30/1.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:46 (nineteen years ago)

The US are going to end up with 9 men standing across the goal line (too knackered to run anymore).

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:47 (nineteen years ago)

Eddie Johnson ought to be sent in.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

Italy are passing it around like we're 3-0 up. Absolutely fucking hopeless.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

K nearly lost his crown!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

How much extra time?

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:49 (nineteen years ago)

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:49 (nineteen years ago)

80 seconds left.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:49 (nineteen years ago)

This is an unimpressive showing for Italy. But I will say that this match is too bizarre to judge a team by.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:50 (nineteen years ago)

Absolutely pathetic. The worst Italian performance since the 2-1 loss to Wales. I'm embarassed to be Italian after that. America deserved the win there. Humiliating.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:51 (nineteen years ago)

why didn't beasley run the shit out of that last chance? not that it would have done anything, but c'mon, dude

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:51 (nineteen years ago)

Italy are gonna make the final now aren't they?

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:52 (nineteen years ago)

The Italians are in for some kicking when they get back to the changing room...

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:52 (nineteen years ago)

U.S. did well. They showed a lot of heart and determination. Beasley is a bit of a bum.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:53 (nineteen years ago)

I hope Lippi starts smacking them across the face with his signet rings after that, seriously.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:53 (nineteen years ago)

Irish commentators have described it as the least exciting match of the tournament so far??????

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:53 (nineteen years ago)

Next round of games will be something to watch, anyone of the 4 could go through.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:54 (nineteen years ago)

And they're quoting "We're doing this for the boys in Iraq"???

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:54 (nineteen years ago)

Doesn't Italy still have the second largest number of troops in Iraq after the States?

Anyway, so if Italy draw against the Czechs and Ghana beat the US, that means that they become the first African team to win their group since Nigeria in 94?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:57 (nineteen years ago)

And potentially the only African team to go through at all.

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:58 (nineteen years ago)

Congratulations to the USA and their supporters. This group is wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide open.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:58 (nineteen years ago)

The goal differential has got to be a big issue for the US now.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:00 (nineteen years ago)

round of applause for the u.s.

this is a really inriguing group.

― michael wells (michael w.), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:00 (nineteen years ago)

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41780000/jpg/_41780210_pope300.jpg

― caek (caek), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:02 (nineteen years ago)

That photo reminds me of the Pagliuca/Taffarel one from the 94 final.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

apparently ref was suspended b4 by FIFA for 'irregularities'

― Jimmy Mod: NOIZE BOARD GRIL COMPARISON ANALYST (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:04 (nineteen years ago)

This group could be blown wide open now. Especially if the unthinkable happens and the USA hold Italy to a draw.

-- Matt DC (runmd...) (webmail), June 17th, 2006 1:35 PM. (Matt DC) (later) (link)

:-O

― INSANE CLOWN FOSSE (Adrian Langston), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:05 (nineteen years ago)

Apparently that ref was suspended in '02 for "Irregularities." He wasn't allowed to officiate the Cup that year.

xpost

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:05 (nineteen years ago)

Before we celebrate for our draw (which really should have been a win) against Italy, let us not forget that Ghana just beat the shit out of a team that beat the shit out of us. I would not be surprised at all if Ghana crushes the US on Thursday and advances to the next round with the Italy/Czech winner.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:06 (nineteen years ago)

To be fair to the ref, the straight reds were straight reds, and not his fault. The game was so exciting I've forgotten what Pope's yellows looked like. Offside calls were all OTM.

― caek (caek), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:07 (nineteen years ago)

The only thing that can't happen is USA and Ghana both going through. USA must win to have a chance of going through.

― MitchellStirling (MitchellStirling), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:07 (nineteen years ago)

http://espn-att.starwave.com/photo/2006/0617/soc_3redcards_412.jpg

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:07 (nineteen years ago)

okay anyway sorry to beat a dead horse, but nobody answered my question from earlier - what was great about that 2nd cambiasso goal? just looked like some d00d kicking a ball 2 me - i have only watched like four soccer games ever and they were all this month. a bunch of dudes passed the ball a lot and eventually one of them scored. my friend was practically in tears over how beautiful it was though and i couldn't figure it out. can anyone break it down for me? :(

― INSANE CLOWN FOSSE (Adrian Langston), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:08 (nineteen years ago)

To qualify for the next round:

Italy: 4/5
Ghana: 7/10
Czech Republic: 11/10
USA: 9/2

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:09 (nineteen years ago)

let us not forget that Ghana just beat the shit out of a team that beat the shit out of us.

There is no transitive property in sport

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:09 (nineteen years ago)

okay anyway sorry to beat a dead horse, but nobody answered my question from earlier - what was great about that 2nd cambiasso goal? just looked like some d00d kicking a ball 2 me - i have only watched like four soccer games ever and they were all this month. a bunch of dudes passed the ball a lot and eventually one of them scored. my friend was practically in tears over how beautiful it was though and i couldn't figure it out. can anyone break it down for me? :(

Lady if you have to ask, etc etc etc.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:09 (nineteen years ago)

Ghana were magnificent today but the Czechs gave them an absurd amount of space. The Beasley non-goal caused various agonies in our house (I was conflicted cos I have Cannavaro in my fantasy team).

Unfortunately there's no way now that both USA and Ghana can go through (it was a long shot even if USA had won).

oh. xpost

Arena is a beast, isn't he? "Fuck youuuuuu!"

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:11 (nineteen years ago)

Both the straight reds were deserved, but the Italian one was far worse because it was so unbelievably blatant and so pointless: it would have gained him virtually nothing even if it had gone unnoticed by the referee, but the chances of it going unnoticed were next to zero anyway given that a) the referee was right next to him, b) McBride's face exploded. I thought it was harsh for the USA to go down to 9 men.

As for why the Camibasso goal was good: watch another four 'soccer' games, then another forty, then another four hundred, and see how many 24-pass goals occur.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:15 (nineteen years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Larrionda

Larrionda was selected as a referee for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, but was suspended for six months by the Uruguayan football association two days after his selection, and was dropped from the list of referees. He was selected again for the 2006 World Cup, at which his performance in the United States National Soccer Team–Italy National Football Team match drew heavy criticism from American supporters. In the match, Larrionda became only the fourth referee to send off three players in a single World Cup finals match, after sending off Italy's Daniele De Rossi and the United States' Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope.

He is not only Anti-American, but also an Anti-Italian for also makes dubious calls against the Italian team aswell.

Moh.

― caek (caek), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:16 (nineteen years ago)

Was not allowed to referee during the 2002 FIFA World Cup for "irregularities". He may well soon be "suspended" from life for "irregularities".

― caek (caek), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:20 (nineteen years ago)

There is no transitive property in sport

Yeah I know, I just mean that despite the fact that the Czechs didn't seem prepared to run with Ghana, Ghana looked very fast, very athletic, and much more skilled than they showed against Italy. If they bring that kind of effort against the US, I don't think the US can beat them.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:23 (nineteen years ago)

The Czech defending against Ghana was utterly inept. Depending on who they have to replace Pope, I don't see the US being quite that bad. And if you can score against Italy, I don't think Ghana should be too much of a problem.

― caek (caek), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:25 (nineteen years ago)

And if you can score against Italy, I don't think Ghana should be too much of a problem.

Italy scored against Italy though!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:29 (nineteen years ago)

Just to state the ovious: Wikipedia may not be the best source for accurate information on this matter.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)

OKAY WELL THAT WAS ILLUMINATING THANK YOU

― INSANE CLOWN FOSSE (Adrian Langston), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)

anyone have a youtube link for that argentina goal? i missed that game :(

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:38 (nineteen years ago)

The last half dozen passes are on that French site mentioned upthread:

http://www.11football.com/coupedumonde2006/

― caek (caek), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:45 (nineteen years ago)

Thanks, I didn't see tha match either, what with having to work dureing the day and all. The tyranny!

― Lara (Lara), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:46 (nineteen years ago)

evan:

Defender John Paintsil celebrated the two goals in Ghana's 2-0 World Cup win over Czech Republic on Saturday by taking out a small Israeli flag from his sock and waving it above his head. Paintsil, who plays for Israeli side Hapoel Tel Aviv, waved the flag after goals by Asamoah Gyan in the second minute and Sulley Muntari in the 82nd. After celebrating each goal, the 25-year-old put the flag back in his sock.

― robots in love (robotsinlove), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:58 (nineteen years ago)

oh, thanks! both!

― gbx (skowly), Saturday, 17 June 2006 21:01 (nineteen years ago)

P.s. There are plenty of captures of the Cambiasso goal on Youtube too. Just search for Cambiasso.

― caek (caek), Saturday, 17 June 2006 21:08 (nineteen years ago)

So I thought I would take today off to get up to LA, which I did, because I figured I knew what the results of the last two matches would probably be.

Good lord. Serves ME right.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 17 June 2006 21:47 (nineteen years ago)

haha

i maintain that as of right now, in montreal, the Portugese are the most crazed fans around. ALL-DAY PARTY PEOPLE.

i wish i knew more people from Ghana. The ones i do know moved to toronto last year :( they are pretty awesome and i can now only imagine the fun we could be having. must find more Ghanan friends. probably some Argentines and S Koreans too. it will happen.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Saturday, 17 June 2006 22:00 (nineteen years ago)

Do you generally choose your friends based on the success of their World Cup teams?

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 22:20 (nineteen years ago)

yes. all my british friends are old old old.

― jergins (jergins), Saturday, 17 June 2006 22:21 (nineteen years ago)

All my Italian friends whine whine whine and are very passive aggressive.

― Super Cub (Debito), Saturday, 17 June 2006 22:23 (nineteen years ago)

THat's what made our country great. That and the Medicis.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 22:29 (nineteen years ago)

And the Swiss had 500 years of peace and brotherly love and what did that produce?

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Saturday, 17 June 2006 22:48 (nineteen years ago)

A 0-0 draw with France!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 17 June 2006 22:50 (nineteen years ago)

That and the Medicis

Totally misread that as the Medics and now I have Spirit In The Sky in my head. :-/

― StanM (StanM), Saturday, 17 June 2006 22:55 (nineteen years ago)

Ghana illustrate FIFA rankings are meaningless.

Again.

― Ghana & Italy to go through (Dough Boy), Sunday, 18 June 2006 00:49 (nineteen years ago)

Okay, so if Italy beat the Czech Republic, and the US beat Ghana (un-f***ing-likely), then the USofA go through, right?

Nobody's answered the question about the Ghana player's Israeli flag...what's the deal-i-o?

Beasley did a pretty amazing job. Impressive for a guy with an uncontrollable bladder.

― The Ultimate Conclusion (lokar), Sunday, 18 June 2006 01:07 (nineteen years ago)

That Ghana player plays for an Israeli team and had promised to do that with the flag, it says here.

― StanM (StanM), Sunday, 18 June 2006 01:29 (nineteen years ago)

(was also answered a couple of hours ago by robotsinlove, btw.)

― StanM (StanM), Sunday, 18 June 2006 01:33 (nineteen years ago)

Cheers Stan. Missed that, sorry. I was wondering because I thought there might be ramifications for making a contraversial political statement. Glad its nothing serious.

― The Ultimate Conclusion (lokar), Sunday, 18 June 2006 01:54 (nineteen years ago)

So why do the final games of the group stage start at the same time? Maximum suspense?

― jergins (jergins), Sunday, 18 June 2006 03:42 (nineteen years ago)

Oh hell yeah.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 18 June 2006 03:43 (nineteen years ago)

Do you generally choose your friends based on the success of their World Cup teams?

i never have! but i sense a new system coming on. maybe i need a new system. maybe this'll bring in the winners, the friends in high places, teh ones that're going places, you know, not the handsome rabble i roll with now.

ohgod i have to wake up so soon and watch more. a friend is bringing breakfast. because it is japan playing. not that japan has everything to do with breakfast. just 9am kickoff. tomorrow.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Sunday, 18 June 2006 06:42 (nineteen years ago)

Don't mention the war?
http://www.escapetovictory.spodrum.co.uk/photogallery.php?photo=206

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/5061456.stm

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Sunday, 18 June 2006 08:09 (nineteen years ago)

Hmm, I'll try again...

http://www.escapetovictory.spodrum.co.uk/photogallery.php?photo=206

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/5061456.stm

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Sunday, 18 June 2006 08:11 (nineteen years ago)

Right, as that's not working just go here:

http://www.escapetovictory.spodrum.co.uk/photogallery.php?photo=206

Then go here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/5061456.stm

Compare and contrast.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Sunday, 18 June 2006 08:12 (nineteen years ago)

So why do the final games of the group stage start at the same time? Maximum suspense?

-- jergins (jergin...), June 18th, 2006.

and to stop West Germany, Austria, Argentina and Peru cheating.

― MitchellStirling (MitchellStirling), Sunday, 18 June 2006 08:16 (nineteen years ago)

ARRRRGHHHHH....

THIS SHOULD WORK:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41780000/jpg/_41780260_mcbride220.jpg

http://www.escapetovictory.spodrum.co.uk/images/photoalbum/206.jpg

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Sunday, 18 June 2006 08:23 (nineteen years ago)

"okay anyway sorry to beat a dead horse, but nobody answered my question from earlier - what was great about that 2nd cambiasso goal? just looked like some d00d kicking a ball 2 me - i have only watched like four soccer games ever and they were all this month. a bunch of dudes passed the ball a lot and eventually one of them scored. my friend was practically in tears over how beautiful it was though and i couldn't figure it out. can anyone break it down for me?"

Did you get yr friend to try and explain it for you? Like it has already been said its very rare to have 24 passes that lead up to a goal. But its like the Serbs just couldn't get the ball, no one pass was wrong given to the opposition, and every player pass it just quickly enough so as to avoid a tackle..the Argies start from around the half-way and eventually, slowly but surely and with every pass move slightly forward THEN the sudden change of pace in the last five passes or so with a great last Crespo back heel to Cambiasso. Its a well crafted move.

Against it you could probably say the defence might have allowed them too much time and space. and its a first round match not a goal against quarter-/semi-/final oppostion. Then again the Argentina were only 1-0 up and mid-way through the 1st, unlike the similarly well-crafted goal Brazil scored against Italy in the '70 final (a goal that ws scored toward the end of the match when Italy were already beaten, so I end up thinking that's overrated).

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Sunday, 18 June 2006 08:26 (nineteen years ago)

so this biz starts in 3hr (180 min in metric time) and goddamn i'm drunk post-MSTRKRFT. the question, ile, is do i stay up for jpvs.croat or do i get a couple hours and start fresh with mimosas and brazilvs. aus? ansewr me.

― jergins (jergins), Sunday, 18 June 2006 08:51 (nineteen years ago)

jus' relax, jergis. have a drink. relax some more.

― tiit (tiit), Sunday, 18 June 2006 09:32 (nineteen years ago)

So why do the final games of the group stage start at the same time? Maximum suspense?
-- jergins (jergin...), June 18th, 2006.

and to stop West Germany, Austria, Argentina and Peru cheating.

Yeah, just to clarify, if the final group matches were played at different times, you'd have a situation where the teams in the last match knew what they'd have to do to go through. In 1982, West Germany and Austria knew a 1-0 win for the former would put both teams through and played for that result.

In 1978, there was a second group phase (the two group winners meeting in the final), and while Ned-Ita and WG-Aut were played simultaneously in one group, hosts Argentina somehow managed to put back their last match with Peru until several hours after Brazil's 3-1 win over Poland. Argentina then knew precisely what they needed (a four-goal win) and proceeded to win 6-0. Peru were, er, not trying very hard. Allegedly.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 18 June 2006 09:43 (nineteen years ago)

thx michael

― jergins (jergins), Sunday, 18 June 2006 09:44 (nineteen years ago)

More Brazil backlash?

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/worldcup06/2006/06/18/the_golden_quartet_have_lost_t.html

― caek (caek), Sunday, 18 June 2006 10:30 (nineteen years ago)

"this referee was born in July 1966 - an excellent month for football". FUCK OFF. We get it!

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 12:20 (nineteen years ago)

Kawaguchi says no-no

― Super Cub (Debito), Sunday, 18 June 2006 12:23 (nineteen years ago)

Penalty to Croatia - saved by the Japanese goalie.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 12:23 (nineteen years ago)

You hear various stories about that Peruvian team from '78- that they were later seen with big shopping bags at the Patio Bullrich in Buenos Aires, that when they got off the airplane in Lima the fans pelted them with coins,etc..

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Sunday, 18 June 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

Didn't the Argentine government send Peru a shitload of corn as well soon afterwards?

Anyway, Croatia/Japan is a lively game at the moment, end-to-end stuff.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 12:38 (nineteen years ago)

Also comedy goalkeeping moment with the ball trundling over a divot.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 12:39 (nineteen years ago)

Where's DJ Martian to talk about former Pompey sticksman Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 12:42 (nineteen years ago)

"we all expect Japan to be vulnerable in the air at corners" = "all these Japs are the same - titchy wee short-arses".

Commentator = fuckwit.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 12:44 (nineteen years ago)

From the BBC site:

Player Rater: The jury is out over Japan hero Kawaguchi's ability to star in the Premiership. 57% of those who responded to a poll on Player Rater say the Portsmouth reject deserves another chance, though 43% say he is too small to star on the big stage.

Yes, because obviously the potential of new Portsmouth signings is of paramount concern to everyone watching at this moment.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 18 June 2006 12:45 (nineteen years ago)

who is this ITV commentator? he's such a tit. "we are just the warm up act today, Brazil later blah blah"

― Ste (Fuzzy), Sunday, 18 June 2006 13:19 (nineteen years ago)

Is he the same guy that was doing last night? I was in the pub, but they were on about something to do with Joe diMaggio and Rocky Marciano being both Italian and American and Christopher Columbus discovering American and I think he was trying to make a point about Italo-American relations in light of people elbowing each other in the face/trying to break their legs off at the ankle etc, but he just sounded like a twat and I couldn't hear him properly anyway.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 13:22 (nineteen years ago)

Brazil v Australia is so important, btw, that ITV can't get a whole studio full of footballing pundits so have dredged up Shane Warne instead.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 13:25 (nineteen years ago)

Hold on, Croatia v Australia is a derby match?

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 13:28 (nineteen years ago)

In the same way that Australia vs Wormwood Scrubs would be.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 13:35 (nineteen years ago)

three of the croatian squad are australians who decided to play for the 'mother country', despite being born here and learning their football here at taxpayers' expense.

― indie disco dancer, sweet romancer (haitch), Sunday, 18 June 2006 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

we hate them, obviously.

― indie disco dancer, sweet romancer (haitch), Sunday, 18 June 2006 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

Mark Viduka's Croatian, isn't he? You got to keep him. Fair's fair?

I mean, I know there are a fair few folk of Croatian extractian in Australia, but that still doesn't make it a derby.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 13:43 (nineteen years ago)

(sorry, I've been reading Digital Spy and I seem to have developed the inability to spell by osmosis)

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

haha there is that, yes. mind you viduka joined dinamo zagreb because the croatian president flew to melbourne and told him to, basically! he should've went to dortmund instead, he would've become a better player I think.

― indie disco dancer, sweet romancer (haitch), Sunday, 18 June 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

Oh wow! Federation Sqare looks mad! I think I'll go down there for the next match.

― miele kitty (miele), Sunday, 18 June 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

Suspicious lack of Football Pie all over anybody's shirt yet, what?

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:17 (nineteen years ago)

PLUCKY OZZIES DARE TO PLAY AGAINST SHINSEN OF SAMBA FOOTBALLING DEITIES.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

The commentator was a bit disparaging about Robert Carlos for having dined out on one decent free kick ten years ago, which was refreshing considering the guff they've been spouting about how anything less than a considerable victory for Brazil would be the biggest shock in the history of world football.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:24 (nineteen years ago)

And now Ronaldinho's tripped over the ball.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:25 (nineteen years ago)

(xpost he, unlike me, called him Roberto Carlos though)

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:26 (nineteen years ago)

me too MK. 5am though! (xp x5)

kaka really is very good isn't he? all their best moves are going through him.

― indie disco dancer, sweet romancer (haitch), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:28 (nineteen years ago)

Cuh, tehse furrin goalkeepers don't like to catch the ball do they

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:29 (nineteen years ago)

PLUCKY REFEREE DARES TO BOOK RONALDO, MULTI-SKILLED GRAND MASTER OF FOOTBALLING EXECLLENCE.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:31 (nineteen years ago)

COR, AUSTRALIA HAVE DONE SO WELL NOT BE TO GETTING BEATEN YET!

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:33 (nineteen years ago)

Be to? WTF?

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:34 (nineteen years ago)

His lumpen trotting is almost hypnotic.

That would've been a pretyt neat goal if he'd made contact, mind.

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:36 (nineteen years ago)

lol pretyt what is that some kind of Czech player or something

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

Christ, I'm surprised John Champion can be heard, what with his head been so far up a selection of Brazilian arses.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

been = being. This thread = the death of the English language.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/2659/cattyping2gf.jpg

― StanM (StanM), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:47 (nineteen years ago)

WoW! We are actually looking very decent against this Brazilian team! And the blue uniforms are so much more manly than the gold ones ;-) My heart rate has been very fast for the last 45 mins.

― miele kitty (miele), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:52 (nineteen years ago)

lol @ Lalas. "To quote a great Australian poet, Bon Scott, 'If you want blood, you got it.'"

― Offisa Pump (Rock Hardy), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:54 (nineteen years ago)

Meanwhile, Shane Warne thinks that if Australia continue to play reasonably well, they may get another opportunity and score a goal, which would be good for them.

WHY HAS NOBODY SHUT ITV DOWN? SCORCHED EARTH IS THE ONLY SOLUTION

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 15:57 (nineteen years ago)

ITV = worst channel ever. Should never been allowed to show football ever ever again. Shane Warne? Shane WARNE? *adopts Peter Kay "garlic bread?" type voice of indignation*

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

And now it's the moron who they send out to speak to the "fans who make this the greatest spectacle on earth". Here he's speaking to some loud drunk Australians, like in your local branch of Walkabout.

Shane Warne is turning more and more into David Van Day every time I see him.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:03 (nineteen years ago)

omg teh foot like a traction engine

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:07 (nineteen years ago)

oh well

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:08 (nineteen years ago)

Brazil 1-0, Adriano. Commentators jizzing themselves over a perfectly average goal.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:09 (nineteen years ago)

Haha yeah "exquisite finish", whuh?

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:10 (nineteen years ago)

When Adriano kicks the ball I'm not gonna be impressed unless the net's broken and three people in the crowd are dead

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:11 (nineteen years ago)

"exquisite finish" = sclaffs it under a defender and just past the goalie, except DONE BY A BRAZILIAN. D'oh. No job on ITV for you!

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:11 (nineteen years ago)

Harry Kewell to come and save Australia! He's from TEH PREMIERSHIP! He must be a match for TEH BRAZILIANS!!

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:13 (nineteen years ago)

If Australia aren't going to win, can they at least start crippling motherfuckers like it's going out of style?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:13 (nineteen years ago)

Harry Kewell = fucking useless.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

aargh open net! jesus!

― indie disco dancer, sweet romancer (haitch), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

Craig Moore said as much in the paper today.

Slightly paraphrased, like.

xpost to Dom

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:19 (nineteen years ago)

That didn't work.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:20 (nineteen years ago)

That Ze Roberto (or Say Robert as Ailsa might call him) looks pretty handy.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:24 (nineteen years ago)

At least he's a babe. It's very disappointing that australia seems to have such trouble getting the ball into the goal.

― miele kitty (miele), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:24 (nineteen years ago)

That Ze Roberto (or Say Robert as Ailsa might call him)

I think Ronnie, Lucy and Adrian have been underperforming somewhat, as has Terry Henry for France.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:26 (nineteen years ago)

we are holding together surprisingly well considering we have, like, ONE defender left on the pitch.

― indie disco dancer, sweet romancer (haitch), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:36 (nineteen years ago)

"An Australian being man-marked by a Brazilian - who'd have thought it?"

Right, they are seriously overdoing the plucky little Australians thing now...

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:39 (nineteen years ago)

Roberto Carlos' epitaph: "It was always rising".

Also, there's a certain sort of backs-to-the-wall-can-they-possibly-hang-on thing that ignores the fairly high likelihood Australia'll make the last 16 anyway.

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

[i]Right, they are seriously overdoing the plucky little Australians thing now...[/i]

"Instant immortality awaits any Australian who scores now", you know.

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

(Sigh. Wrong markup.)

― Ranking Rupert (Ranking Rupert), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

Haha, Fred. Best name ever!

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:46 (nineteen years ago)

You know that dude got picked last at school

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:47 (nineteen years ago)

"...and Fred the substitute makes it two" = most surreal line of commentary yet, praps

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

poor POOR australia :=(

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

The Univision broadcaster started singing at the end of the match.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

That was really harsh. I hope Australia make it into the knockout stages.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

Japan could still go through if everything goes their way and they cane the shit out of Brazil, ennit?

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

Yet another undeserved win for Brazil. Fuck's sake.

― David Orton (scarlet), Sunday, 18 June 2006 16:56 (nineteen years ago)

can we hate them justifiably now?? :(

― indie disco dancer, sweet romancer (haitch), Sunday, 18 June 2006 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

Sadness :-(

They looked great on the field - except for the 14 shots that missed the goal!

― miele kitty (miele), Sunday, 18 June 2006 17:07 (nineteen years ago)

As things stand I'm gonna feel really bad for Teh Hated Argies if they don't win this.

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 17:07 (nineteen years ago)

Are Brazil still favourites after that?

― caek (caek), Sunday, 18 June 2006 17:08 (nineteen years ago)

Bloody shouldn't be.

Could the Argentina / Holland game possibly be a dress rehearsal for the final?

― Matt (Matt), Sunday, 18 June 2006 17:09 (nineteen years ago)

Good to see Brazil getting thoroughly booed on the pitch. Would have been nice to see Cafu get sent of for timewasting (twice) on throw-ins when he already had a yellow, but I suppose it's a brave ref who gives a second yellow for that, even with the FIFA crack-down.

― caek (caek), Sunday, 18 June 2006 17:10 (nineteen years ago)

Brazil are the Son Of A Preacher Man of international football teams. That said, I heard people who actively hated them in the pub last night. For me, this was a first.

-- caek (ung...), Wednesday 12:55 PM. (caek) (later) (link)

AWW! CUTE!

― caek (caek), Sunday, 18 June 2006 17:12 (nineteen years ago)

Brazil are still favourites with William Hill at 100/30. Argentina just behind on 7/2.

― caek (caek), Sunday, 18 June 2006 17:32 (nineteen years ago)

Haha, my Brazil hate lasted approximately 5mins into that game. They're the Aussies! You just CAN'T root for the Aussies!

It's a shame that game wasn't played in Frankfurt. They could've hung a giant pie off that big spider thing and laughed at Ronaldo and Viduka frantically jumping up and down in the centre circle.

I now have a growing feeling that Italy will beat Argentina in the semis by shutting them out altogether. Possibly with a hugely contentious goal/refereeing decision somewhere along the line. They're due some luck eventually.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 18 June 2006 17:42 (nineteen years ago)

Also I CANNOT BELIEVE we are over a week into this World Cup and no one has commented on Dida's = freak doppelganger.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 18 June 2006 17:46 (nineteen years ago)

You just CAN'T root for the Aussies!

I was supporting them, but then with very little interest in cricket, rugby or swimming I don't feel any rivalry with Australia.

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Sunday, 18 June 2006 17:57 (nineteen years ago)

I was supporting Australia though I was a bit less passionate after seeing those two fans interviewed at half-time.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 18 June 2006 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

Haha Matt, I'd already pointed out the resemblence of Switzerland's Johan Vonlanthen's Panini sticker photo to plastic Mickey (though just in the pub, so you weren't to know)

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 18:02 (nineteen years ago)

ah, terry henry

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Sunday, 18 June 2006 18:09 (nineteen years ago)

Cuh, you wait eight years for a French goal in the World Cup and then one comes along

― Fraggle O Rly (Ferg), Sunday, 18 June 2006 18:10 (nineteen years ago)

Most obvious refereeing error so far! That was miles over the line!

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 18:32 (nineteen years ago)

Get in there!

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

YES!!!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

GOAL IN!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

As much as my hatred of the Koreans carries over from four years ago, I actually jumped up in celebration at that.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

And Viera with the comedy mishit of the tournament.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:40 (nineteen years ago)

ATTENTION !

After this match can moderators please start a part 2 thread, and close this thread.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:41 (nineteen years ago)

anyone can start part two! just whoever starts it should post the link to part two on this thread and then ask on the mods board (if me or stevem or mattdc or whoever doesn't get the hint first).

― teeny (teeny), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

I got the impression that Gallas wasn't particularly impressed with that Korean goal. Should've cleared the bugger himself then, shouldn't he?

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:45 (nineteen years ago)

i'm not too impressed because Gallas is the captain of my fantasy football team.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:46 (nineteen years ago)

There's something incredibly pleasing about Barthez flapping around like a headless French cockerel.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

Hah, as the commentators rightly point out, if France fail to beat Togo, this will be Zidane's last ever game! lol geriatricos.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:49 (nineteen years ago)

lol at Domenech having a faced like a smacked arse.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:52 (nineteen years ago)

ok someone start a new thread because I'm too american to come up with a clever title.

― teeny (teeny), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:53 (nineteen years ago)

Something about how everyone hates Brazil?

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41781000/jpg/_41781968_koyair_afp_story300.jpg

― caek (caek), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

World Cup Germany 2006 - thread two

― Teh HoBBercraft (the pirate king), Sunday, 18 June 2006 19:57 (nineteen years ago)

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