The unofficial World Cup Thread,

[Reenk Roink]

Just saw the youtube video of the goal...

USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
TOUCHDOWN TOUCHDOWN TOUCHDOWN

We're even good at the sports we're not good at! That goalie is gonna get killed.

[Gregoshi]

England should Yank Green. That was terrible.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

No matter. England will win anyway!

[Reenk Roink]

NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION

[Marshal Murat]

As one of the ESPN guys said, "A mature performance"

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Excellent...although, didn't we tie italy in the last world cup and then not make it out of the group? But I think we were in a rougher group that year.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Did anyone (besides Sasaki) here predict a tie or a win for the US?


CR

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Well, it's not like I was going to predict a loss. But the 3:0 england predictions were a bit odd. Mine was only a goal post off at least.

[Gregoshi]

So does this mean the US has won the World Cup thingy?

Sorry, had to play the Dumb American.

Football is a frustrating game to watch. So many nicely setup attacks get turned away before a shot, those that aren't turned away rarely seem to yield a shot that is actually on net, and those that are on net too often seem to be right at the goalie/goaler/whatever-the-heck-you-call-the-position. And even more frustrating is that my body english doesn't help control the ball movement one bit. The game does look fantastic in HD though.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Yeah, I think if they ever want the sport to be popular they need to do something to increase the level of scoring. Maybe allow people to start their fists (not hands) to knock the ball in.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Yeah, I think if they ever want the sport to be popular they need to do something to increase the level of scoring. Maybe allow people to start their fists (not hands) to knock the ball in.

Yeah.. And later we should name it footfistball.

Edit: No wait.. You Americans already have it.

[Gregoshi]

Yeah, I think if they ever want the sport to be popular they need to do something to increase the level of scoring. Maybe allow people to start their fists (not hands) to knock the ball in.

Yeah, just imagine football being wildly popular all over the world!

Back to the game, England really put the pressure on in the second half. For what seemed like an eternity, the action was focused really tight around the US net.

Another random observation: the English team looked rather on the old side, at least compared to the US players. Almost made me want to cheer for the old guys (being one myself).

[LeftEyeNine]

Today, I was thinking that "that's what beautiful about football and what not about basketball is. It doesn't have to be a score, you can even get thrilled by a player whirling around himself with an elegant touch in front of his own box or a ball deflected from a goalie". Now I can see that perceptions are what makes preferences so different from one another. Greg gets frustrated over what I can say I would like to live more to see more of it.


[football_fascist]

This is no basketball, guys. Goals are the fruits of it, but the tree itself is a beauty for the eyes already.

[/football_fascist]

[Reenk Roink]

After seeing the first goal I turned on the game, and even though England was pressuring hard, I still found it to be really boring. Just not for me. The goal however, is incredibly awesome.

[Viking Prince]

USA ot lucky, but then -- does England deserve to move on with this performance.?

[gaelic cowboy]

That had to be the most inept performance by Eng I saw in a long time tonight. They will have to sort out midfield and quick Lampard and Gerrard are not workin as a team there not demanding the ball or dominating the midfield.

Fair play to the USA they had some nice touchs and they could have won if Altidore had a more fortunate bounce off the upright in second half.

[Louis VI the Fat]

England shall have to up its game. What a disappointment. so much for Capello the Tactical Genius. Capello not only failed to solve the key to England greatness: how to make Lampard and Gerrard complement each other, but managed to add to the problem by letting Rooney drop back and add to the problem by getting in the way.

Rooney should perhaps play as a lone striker. Certainly much closer to goal.

England reminded me a bit of France under Domenech - no urgency, no clue, lack of creativity, genuine talent that's wasted. The will is there, the means have not been found. Too much tactics, too little intuitive fun.



Howard is the world's best English speaking goalkeeper. Excellent. Shame about Green. Once again, lack of a decent goalkeeper is going to cost England dearly. Still, England had a full sixty minutes to do something about it. Can't just put the blame a Green alone.

My boy Donovan is great, but not decisive today. I'm counting on his putting two or three past Algeria.

Well done to the Yanks - they are always a delight to have at a World Cup. There's always some sensation or another coming from them.

[Gregoshi]

Today, I was thinking that "that's what beautiful about football and what not about basketball is...

Don't get me wrong LEN, the footwork and body control is simply amazing - however, that isn't what wins the game. And you are right about basketball - one basket in a basketball game is totally meaningless, no matter how spectacular the shot/dunk was. However, more scores like in hockey might do the trick. Or maybe a smaller field so there is more action around the nets. ...And I realize I'm probably talking blasphemy to you football fans. Sorry.

I'll try to watch a little more of the World Cup this time around and maybe I can catch the fever too.

[Ferret]

I disagree Louis, I thought it was a strong performance that lacked only finishing. We had plenty of creativity from our wingers and from Rooney and there is no way you can compare England to the shambles that is France at the moment. We played well the only negatives from that game were the result, Green's mistake and Heskey's woeful finishing.

And we do have a quality keeper in Hart, I can't understand why he didn't get more play time earlier, I think he should be number one.

I also thought the pace of Findley was more of a threat than Donovan too, but the USA was very very lucky to get a point from that.

[Hosakawa Tito]

So England played down to our level? Aren't ties like kissing your sister? How do they determine which team moves on to the next round? Help a Yank out here...

[gaelic cowboy]

Capello not only failed to solve the key to England greatness: how to make Lampard and Gerrard complement each other, but managed to add to the problem by letting Rooney drop back and add to the problem by getting in the way.

Englands midfield is a pairing not designed to build an attack but two out an out finishers of the ball this is not good enough.

England will not make the semifinals now say it quietly but they may be second qualifiers now if they do that again.

[gaelic cowboy]

So England played down to our level? Aren't ties like kissing your sister? How do they determine which team moves on to the next round? Help a Yank out here...

Both teams are on the same points but Eng are top of group probably due to there international seeding. I would not be a bit surprised to see US beat the other teams by more goals than Eng now after that anything could happen now

[gaelic cowboy]

We played well the only negatives from that game were the result, Green's mistake

No way man the midfield debacle has to be sorted out and fast thats the main problem, Green just had a bad day at the office but midfield is the real problem

[Rhyfelwyr]

Poor Green... poor England with goalkeepers in general.

They commentators were discussing the possibility of putting James on after half-time... yeah, because he would never make a howler!

[Louis VI the Fat]

Greg - it is about the flow of the game. Teams that dominate entire periods of the game, others that are pushed back. Or sometimes let themselves be pushed back to win on the counterattack. This is where the tension is.

The low number of goals greatly add to the drama - you can dominate most of the game, and still lose by one single action. It's what makes the game so tense. Everything can change at a whim.

The American team was very mature tonight. No panic after England threatened to overrun them at the start. Trying their luck with a long distance shot when it was needed. Realising in second half that one point was the best result they were going to get and stalling for time while falling back on defense.


Hosa:

Try wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_World_Cup

America is in a group of four teams. All four temas play each other once, for a total of three games. The two best teams progress to the next round, which is a simple knock-out format.

I thought it was a strong performance that lacked only finishing. We had plenty of creativity from our wingers and from Rooney and there is no way you can compare England to the shambles that is France at the moment. We played well the only negatives from that game were the result, Green's mistake and Heskey's woeful finishing.

And we do have a quality keeper in Hart, I can't understand why he didn't get more play time earlier, I think he should be number one.

I also thought the pace of Findley was more of a threat than Donovan too, but the USA was very very lucky to get a point from that.

Wingers? You mean like that disastrous Wright-Phillips?

England was not a complete mess - America simply is a good team, that played a mature game. There was a gaffe by Green, but let's not forget how Dempsey turned away from Gerrard as if he was not even there, to get a great unblocked line up for the shot. Gaffes are enforced, certainly with this unpredictable ball. You have to set yourself up, hit that ball hard and precise, to look for that gaffe. It is not mere luck. Then you need to benefit from it, carry the result to the final whistle. America never did look in a whole lot of trouble after the equaliser.

All is not lost for England, that much is true. Even so, England will have to seriously up its game if it's going to try for any more ambitious result than an anonymous quarterfinal exit.

There were several high crosses to that semi-midget Rooney, and none anymore after Crouch got on. Something didn't add up there, I thought.

[Louis VI the Fat]

I didn't see the other two games of earlier today, just the highlights.

Greece was rubbish. Still they have yet to win a point at a WC, or even score a goal. I don't see how they are going to accomplish either this time round.

Argentina looked alright. There was some fun in the team, inspiration. The players felt free. The Argentinians, contrary to the nation's image, are well disciplined and organised, have an absolute will to win. Always mixing it with genuinely great technical football. Oh, how love them! I hope they go all the way. Maradona may yet prove to be an inspiration more than a detriment after all. That is, if he manages to keep his cool for an entire month. He might still come to regret leaving half of Inter at home.



Algeria 1 - 1 Slovenia
Serbia 1 - 0 Ghana
Germany 2 - 0 Australia

[LeftEyeNine]

Hosakawa-san, if you win you get 3 points, if it's a tie, both teams share 1 point each. At the end of the matches, obviously, such tiny little points can cumulate to something meaningful, actually many giant teams who win the cup eventually (or end up as runner-ups), qualify from group stages by those draw points. There even is a mentality that many coaches follow: "If you can't win, don't lose then".

[gaelic cowboy]

England was not a complete mess - America simply is a good team, that played a mature game. There was a gaffe by Green, but let's not forget how Dempsey turned away from Gerrard as if he was not even there, to get a great unblocked line up for the shot. Gaffes are enforced, certainly with this unpredictable ball. You have to set yourself up, hit that ball hard and precise, to look for that gaffe. It is not mere luck. Then you need to benefit from it, carry the result to the final whistle. America never did look in a whole lot of trouble after the equaliser.

England had plenty ball but they gave away a lot of soft ball far too often, a top team with a world class finisher would have buried Eng tonight fact.

[Hosakawa Tito]

Thank you LEN, now I can see the strategy implications in the draws. There must be tie-breakers involved then, like goals scored and/or allowed? Does strength of schedule or seeding come into play for tie-breakers?

[LeftEyeNine]

Tie-breakers are prioritized:

1st: The result of the match between the teams that need a tie break.

Example:

Argentina 7 pt.
S. Korea 4 pt.
Greece 4 pt.
Nigeria 1 pt.

In that imaginary case S. Korea and Greece would need a tie-breaker and the first one to be looked up would be the result of the match between the two teams. Since S. Korea, today, has beaten Greece 2-0, S. Korea would qualify.

2nd: Goal differences of the teams that need a tie-break.

Example:

Take the case above with the same points but assume the results so that S. Korea and Greece had a draw (1-1, 0-0, 5-5, whatever). Then since obviously the 1st tie-breaker is not viable, the goal differences of the two teams would be taken into consideration. Say, S. Korea scored 4 and conceded 1 and Greece scored 2 and conceded 1. That would disqualify Greece since S. Korea had a better goal dif..

3rd: Total number of goals of the teams that need a tie-break.

Same case, as above, S. Korea scored 5 and conceded 2, hence a goal dif. of 3. And Greece scored 4 and conceded 1 whereas the same goal dif. occurs. In that case S. Korea having scored more goals than Greece would make it to the round of 16.

From this point on, if they still need a tie-breaker, I guess fair-play counts and other statistics join in.