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2010 World Cup Soccer - Discussion

39K views 416 replies 30 participants last post by  peds48 
#1 ·
With the World Cup starting 6/11/10 we can talk about the games here. Go Italy
 
#4 ·
Thx! Realistically, they've got a shaky backline and somewhat inexperienced forwards, but a good midfield and good goalkeeper. I don't see why they shouldn't be able to move out of their group, anything after that is too early to say.

More than anything, I'm worried about the noise of vuvuzelas ruining a tournament. (Talking about the entire tournament as a whole, not just USA.) Something must be done quickly to deal with this menace. Maybe only allow them in matches involving South Africa?!?!?
 
#15 ·
I certainly am not trying to offend, just understand (I am the anti Fox-News). I just don't get how anyone making their living and/or supporting their family in the USA can cheer for anyone other than the Americans. Fact is, we ALL came from somewhere else (actually, if you want to get technical, we all came from Africa). Just my two cents. GO USA!!!
 

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#16 ·
Lots of People discovered Soccer, by watching other nations, in the World Cup or by watching professional soccer from other countries. US Soccer wasn't something to watch when I was growing up.

US Soccer, is getting better, will be pulling for them all the way. I am a realist, I don't have them getting out of the 2nd round, I would love to be proved wrong...., I grew up watching German and English Soccer, and will be pulling for Germany this year again. I respect how Soccer is played in some Nations(most Euro leagues), despise how it is played by other nations(read flopping Brazil, Arg, a few others. Plus if Decco dives like he did last time, Portugal shouldn't be allowed back)

Nothing wrong with pulling for countries you 1st started following, more than one way to develop loyalty to a team.
 
#17 ·
Go Nigeria!!! Argentina is going down tomorrow
South Africa did a good job with the first goal of the Tournament wish they had won the match though
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#18 ·
I was disappointed in that moron color guy on ESPN Efan Ekoku claiming Mexico had a valid goal incorrectly ruled as offside. I wished a world class PBP guy Martin Tyler could've told him to shut up. Or he should've taught him the rule about the sport he claims to be an expert of.

South African goalkeeper was "ahead" of the last Mexican forward when pass on that play occurred. Therefore there needed to be yet another South African player to be behind last Mexican forward, other than their lone defender rooted on the goal line at the far post. Even an AYSO level referee or linesman is supposed to have this basic knowledge. Efan Ekoku claims to have played in the English Premiership and worn Nigeria shirt at the top level, and he doesn't even know that? It's hard to take anything he says seriously anymore for me, for future match telecasts.
 
#19 ·
Chandu said:
I was disappointed in that moron color guy on ESPN Efan Ekoku claiming Mexico had a valid goal incorrectly ruled as offside. I wished a world class PBP guy Martin Tyler could've told him to shut up. Or he should've taught him the rule about the sport he claims to be an expert of.

South African goalkeeper was "ahead" of the last Mexican forward when pass on that play occurred. Therefore there needed to be yet another South African player to be behind last Mexican forward, other than their lone defender rooted on the goal line at the far post. Even an AYSO level referee or linesman is supposed to have this basic knowledge. Efan Ekoku claims to have played in the English Premiership and worn England shirt at the top level, and he doesn't even know that? It's hard to take anything he says seriously anymore for me, for future match telecasts.
What is really, really, really sad about that play call, and even the complaints by the Mexican players at half time, was both my Daughters, started to laugh at just how stupid the announcer was. Both play goalie and Forwards and since the day they started playing 11 v 11, I have coached that VERY trap(thanks to watching the Paraguay team), with pulling the goalie off the line, and putting a defender on the back line that can boot the ball a mile.

Kids couldn't believe that somebody that is a supposed ex-pro player could miss a trap that has been taught to players since the age of 12 and up. I switched over to Univsion, but went back to ESPN as the PQ was better on ESPN. Sound is better on Univision, but the announcers kept on whining about the call.
 
#21 ·
GrumpyBear said:
"IF" US Soccer makes it to the 2nd round who here thinks that is a successful World Cup?
I would hope they could at least make it to the semi-final (remembering their victory over Spain in Confed Cup last year AND the fact that they led Brasil 2-0 at half-time in the final of that competition). Also remembering their 2002 quarterfinal appearance, and almost taking it to extra-time against Germany in that match, except for the Scottish referee robbing them on a non-called handball.

I'm hoping the 2006 World Cup was an aberration in this regard.

Granted, they're very weak on player depth in this tournament. Especially very shaky back-line(s), and very inexperienced group of forwards. The midfield and goalkeeper positions are reasonably solid. But if there are any player injuries or suspensions, it would leave them extremely vulnerable in terms of remaining player quality. They're nowhere close to other world class teams like Argentina, Spain, Brasil, Italy, Germany, England in that regard.

Having said that, you've got to set your standards high. Remember Greece in Euro 2004? Nobody gave them a whiff of a chance before that tournament started. But they lifted that trophy by playing some ugly football. Likewise, I bet nobody before 2002 World Cup gave USA a chance of beating Portugal and then Mexico in second round. Nobody in their right mind would claim USA plays the best or "most attractive" brand of football. But I suppose the tournament is not about deciding that. It's about winning matches.

A goal is a goal is a goal. An ugly scored goal or even an own goal would count just as much as some beautiful creativity by Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Diego Milito, Wayne Rooney, Fernando Torres .... Let's see how the games turn out. I'm for sure keeping my optimism before their matches start.
 
#24 ·
GrumpyBear said:
...but the announcers kept on whining about the call.
To be fair, I think it was only singular "announcer" instead of plural "announcers". That is the color guy Ekoku. I don't recall PBP guy Martin Tyler whine about it like Ekoku. But Tyler didn't clear up that simple matter either. Maybe he thought it was beneath him to insult Ekoku, educating him on live TV. I wouldn't have thought so if he did that. In my opinion, it would've been professional of Tyler to clear up the matter immediately. Maybe his apparent silence on the issue can count as "whining".

Anyway, that's as much I'll say about that topic.
 
#25 ·
sigma1914 said:
The second game was a snoozefest.
Hahahaha, Thierry Henry claiming non-called handball on the Uruguayan defender in the box late in the match?!?!?!?! (Soon after my mention of non-called German handball call against USA by Hugh Dallas in 2002 quarter final.)

Is that poetic justice for Henry?!?!?!?! I would think so. France don't deserve to be there in the first place. It should've been the Republic of Ireland playing there in their place. What goes around comes around. I hope France have a repeat of their pathetic showing in 2002, and not like being 2006 runners-up.
 
#26 ·
Chandu said:
To be fair, I think it was only singular "announcer" instead of plural "announcers". That is the color guy Ekoku. I don't recall PBP guy Martin Tyler whine about it like Ekoku. But Tyler didn't clear up that simple matter either. Maybe he thought it was beneath him to insult Ekoku, educating him on live TV. I wouldn't have thought so if he did that. In my opinion, it would've been professional of Tyler to clear up the matter immediately. Maybe his apparent silence on the issue can count as "whining".

Anyway, that's as much I'll say about that topic.
No on UniVision the announcers were Whining, about the call, so I switched back to ESPN. Ekoku several times during the match brought up the taken away goal for Mexico, but it wasn't his whining, I was talking about, it was the whining on UniVision that made me switch back to ESPN.

I could "understand" Univision announcers, as the passion of the game catching up with thier team.
ESPN just needs to hire some REAL announcers, they didn't have the right people last time, and they still don't. Just because somebody has an english accent, doesn't mean he knows what he is talking about.
 
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