The inevitable World Cup thread!

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:30 pm

[QUOTE=Sytze]A note on Holland: the only real danger came from Robben, through the rest of the game Holland was more like a harmless kitten. The midfield has no creativity whatsoever, and our Van the Man (Van Nistelrooy) is playing like a bag of hay.

Yes, I'm a bit pessimistic concerning my own country, and no, I have no idea when that happened. My roommates don't like it, at any rate.

[/QUOTE]

My Dutch collegues say it's typicall Dutch to be dissatisfied with the national team although they play well and win, and it's also typically Dutch to have a pessimistic view

I didn't see South Korea-Togo but my father said Togo played surprisingly well but got one man sent off. I saw only the second part of the France-Switzerland game (sadly nobody else is writing my papers because it's the World Cup) but what I saw of France did not impress. Henry, my personal favorite should have scored but as usual in the national team, he didn't. In Arsenal, his average is about 0.7 goals/game, in France it's only about 0.4. He was denied a penantly though, the ball clearly changed direction when deflecting off Mueller.

Brazil-Croatia was as I expected. I never tought Brazil would win with several goals since I know Croatia's defense is like a brick wall and Brazil is obviously starting out slow. Parreira has stated that he wants the team to start the tournament at 70%, and I think it's what they did. Croatia played very well and also had some good chances, but had they scored I believe Brazil would have turned up one gear. Ronaldo was invisible, Adriano was mediocre, Ronaldinho was subdued most of the time, Roberto Carlos probably wanted to sink through the earth for a moment there, but my favorite Brazilian player Kaka, was shining. He looks so good I'm worried he is peaking too early in the tournament! I can hardly imagine this guy broke his vertebrae once! Adriano has said "I have two role models, Jesus from Nazareth and Kaka from Milan"

dj_venom · Post by **dj_venom** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 2:16 am

[QUOTE=Luis Antonio]I thought the referee would give him a red card during the game. Twas ridiculous, what he did.[/QUOTE]

Don't get me started on the referee...

He just wanted to see the reply, no one was letting him, emotions overtook him.

[QUOTE=Luis Antonio]I expect this game to be a hard one. Croatia has style and knows how to play, (unlike Japan and Australia) but they had a problem with a virus and it seems they're recovering. I hope it to be a nice football game, just that, no matter who wins.[/QUOTE]

Ohhhh that's it, you are so going down! But it sucks though, the time Brasil v Aus is playing is 2am. Now, I could handle that, but I have an exam later that morning. Ahhh well, let's hope I can handle it :laugh: .

[QUOTE=Ashen]You also played to the very end, and that is terribly important. I am always reminded of that game Italy-Nigeria when Baggio scored the equalizer in the 89th minute and then they won in overtime. Good teams play till the end, and they play to win. And besides you never really know in the WC, anything can happen. With good moral, good and not brilliant play you can do something. Look at the Germans last time.[/QUOTE]

Have you ever heard the story of our first Winter-Olympics Gold Medalist, Steven Bradbury? If you haven't, I shall have to enlighten you...

And off topic, but on the topic of football, the second state of Origin is on tonight, QLD vs. NSW. It's rugby, but Queensland (me), need to win since we lost the first game.

Sytze · Post by **Sytze** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 3:39 am

[QUOTE=C Elegans]My Dutch collegues say it's typicall Dutch to be dissatisfied with the national team although they play well and win, and it's also typically Dutch to have a pessimistic view

[/QUOTE]
Pessimistic, negative, lazy, complaining, all that and much, much more. What we trade, we sell!

Now, however, everybody becomes so ridiculously optimistic and nationalistic when the national team plays, it’s like a mirror world.

I figured Holland wouldn’t make it past the 8th finals, since they’ll probably encounter Portugal then, but I might’ve to come back to that statement. I’ve seen Portugal play and it was a huge disappointment. Slow, without spirit, and without and chemistry between the players.

[QUOTE=C Elegans]but my favorite Brazilian player Kaka, was shining. He looks so good I'm worried he is peaking too early in the tournament! I can hardly imagine this guy broke his vertebrae once! Adriano has said "I have two role models, Jesus from Nazareth and Kaka from Milan"

[/QUOTE]
Nice quote there. I sincerely hope he stays with Milan for the next couple of years. Shevchenko already left, which is a huge disappointment, so Milan can't lose another great player like Kaka.

As for the WC, strangely enough I voted for him as the top scorer. I was scorned from many sides, but all I hear now are mumbles and stammers... for as long as that takes, anyway.

Ashen · Post by **Ashen** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 3:49 am

[QUOTE=dj_venom]
Have you ever heard the story of our first Winter-Olympics Gold Medalist, Steven Bradbury? If you haven't, I shall have to enlighten you...

And off topic, but on the topic of football, the second state of Origin is on tonight, QLD vs. NSW. It's rugby, but Queensland (me), need to win since we lost the first game.[/QUOTE]

No, at least I don't remember the name, I am very bad with them, and yes please do tell

Go Queensland

dj_venom · Post by **dj_venom** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 3:57 am

I can't write up my own version (Origin about to start), so here's the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Bradbury"]wiki entry[/url].

Enjoy!

And thanks for the cheering!

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:23 pm

Great game by T&T against England.

Maybe in four years Hiddink and Beenhakker can have their own private tournament to make it more fair for the other teams.

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:29 pm

[QUOTE=Dottie]Great game by T&T against England.

Maybe in four years Hiddink and Beenhakker can have their own private tournament to make it more fair for the other teams.

[/QUOTE]

T&T definately played well and if I wasn't English I'd have been cheering them on to win lol, but you have to remember that the English team are not exactly known for doing well against weaker teams (anyone remember Northern Ireland and Australia lol).

Oscuro_Sol · Post by **Oscuro_Sol** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 9:25 pm

GERMANY WON!!!!!!

Yes, I only found out today. I had a concert during the game.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 1:07 am

Hmm - I wonder if Mexico will beat Angola with more goals then Argentinia against Serbia/Montenegro .....

I need to score some points in the office "manager leauge" so I need to pick right today. We are 5 in a leauge where we set teams for the world cup and then get points based on performance (goals/assist et al), and the one below me is catching up cause I picked paraguay over sweden yesteday

....
I need to pick the best scoring team today and select the goalie and trainer from that team for maximizing my point gains

I don't trust Holland over Ivory Coast as much as the two other teams today ... but what do I know. I usually make one blunder each day which is why I'm only ranked 3rd

Lestat · Post by **Lestat** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 2:32 am

[QUOTE=Xandax]Hmm - I wonder if Mexico will beat Angola with more goals then Argentinia against Serbia/Montenegro .....

I need to score some points in the office "manager leauge" so I need to pick right today. We are 5 in a leauge where we set teams for the world cup and then get points based on performance (goals/assist et al), and the one below me is catching up cause I picked paraguay over sweden yesteday

....
I need to pick the best scoring team today and select the goalie and trainer from that team for maximizing my point gains

I don't trust Holland over Ivory Coast as much as the two other teams today ... but what do I know. I usually make one blunder each day which is why I'm only ranked 3rd

[/QUOTE]Well I hope you're not playing for money then.

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 2:52 am

[QUOTE=Xandax]Hmm - I wonder if Mexico will beat Angola with more goals then Argentinia against Serbia/Montenegro ..... [/QUOTE]

Serbia/Montenegro have a very good defence. They conceded only once in qualifying in a group that included spain, So I would go for Mexico.

Very interesting games today. All the teams in group C would have chance for knock out stage if they had been drawn in another group imo.

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 7:48 am

Well, it's half time and I'm embarrassed. Hope Xandax didn't listen to my misleading advice.

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 8:04 am

I'm terribly busy this week, and I almost cant pay attention to the games, despite the fact that we have a TV at work. I turn on my earphones cause if I try to pay attention to the games I just wont work. Yeah, they're addictive.

Anyway, I'm willing to point out that I want Brazil to put Ronaldo to sign more autographs instead of playing. Robinho is far more quick than Ronaldo is. Also, I want Ronaldinho to play a little bit more freely, and that's something for the coach, Parreira, to organize.

Regarding the game results, I'm very happy that Equador has won, that England has won too, that Spain has got a nice result and I'm deeply disappointed with Brazil and Portugal this far.

It has been a good fun, I just hope Brazil PLAYS the next game.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 8:41 am

[QUOTE=Dottie]Well, it's half time and I'm embarrassed. Hope Xandax didn't listen to my misleading advice.

[/QUOTE]

*grrrrrr*

Hope Mexico erradicates Angola and Zinha scores/assists like mad

"Luckily" I have almost the excat same team set up as the person hunting me in the league except for the fact that he gets more points from Niestlroy(sp?) then me (got him as captain) and I get for Zinha...
So I hope Holland also wins big but Nistelroy(again sp?) doesn't score

That'd be perfect for me.

moltovir · Post by **moltovir** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:09 am

Bad luck for you Xandax

Mexico will indeed have to score like mad to beat Angola with more goals than the insane amount Argentina just eradicated Serbia with...

6-0 for Argentina!
Messi is God. In the second half I've seen him play some of the best football ever.

(it's "Van Nistelrooy" by the way

)

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:21 am

Nice to see Messi on, yes. But I'll wait until he plays against better opposition to make a statement about his form. His been playing well for Barca though.

I hope Argentina doesn't get overconfident after this game. They haven't won the world cup yet.

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:16 am

[QUOTE=Dottie]

I hope Argentina doesn't get overconfident after this game. They haven't won the world cup yet.[/QUOTE]

Impossible. They're arrogant, really, regarding soccer. They're even worst than us brazilians about that, and I know we can be bastards regarding soccer. And they will think and act as masters of the game after this match, and they will succeed, I'm sure, till someone uses that against them.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:23 am

[QUOTE=moltovir]
6-0 for Argentina!
Messi is God. In the second half I've seen him play some of the best football ever.
[/QUOTE]

Grrrr! Thanks for adding insult to injury! I missed both games today due to a meeting with some clueless people I am trying to teach how to make science!

Hmpf, shouldn't Eboue have gotten a penalty there?

EDIT: Oh, poor Cote d'Ivoire, Touré and Eboue ran but the third guy stayed to let the Nistelrooy NOT stand offside. *sigh* I was looking forward to an exciting game.

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:40 am

Ivory coast scores! I'm with Ik on the msn, and twas nice

OWNED! Now we'll se ivory coast change things (I hope)

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:45 am

The referee must not like Cote d'Ivoire or he is too easily swung by the Dutch players' emotional pleas! That was never a yellow for Drogba, the van der Sar is coming towards him and you see on the replay Drogba is actually trying to avoid him. Very bad for the tournament we will not see Drogba in what I believe will be Cote d'Ivoire's last game in this tournament