Official World Cup Thread

[Dutch_guy]

I can't understand that. I know very little German.

He's basicly saying the Germans don't have any native German strikers. As Klose and Podolsci are Polish, Neuville is Swiss and Asamoah is Ghanese.

[AwesomeArcher]

WOW, that is the only word to describe that shot by Cole.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

An absolute peach of a goal. Well done Cole!

The team seems to be playing well, shame about Owen though-we appear to be running out of forwards. If Sven still isn't comfortable with Rooney playing the full 90 he's going to have to bring Walcott on, or have Crouch up front on his own and pack the midfield. Why on earth didn't he bring Defoe?

[Boohugh]

Absolutely cracking shot from Joe Cole, a very strong contender for goal of the tournament whatever happens.

[Avicenna]

He's basicly saying the Germans don't have any native German strikers. As Klose and Podolsci are Polish, Neuville is Swiss and Asamoah is Ghanese.

Using some very.. funky.. German.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Ack, complete defensive failure in the 89th minute. What on earth happened?

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Well at least we're playing Ecuador.

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Germany - 4 vs. Costa Rica - 2
Germany - 1 vs. Poland - 0
Germany - 3 vs. Equador - 0

Who's next? Sweden? Ha...this should be fun...

[Boohugh]

Germany - 4 vs. Costa Rica - 2
Germany - 1 vs. Poland - 0
Germany - 3 vs. Equador - 0

Who's next? Sweden? Ha...this should be fun...

I think you'll find Sweden a much tougher proposition than the 3 you've played already. You do know Ecuador rested 5 of their starting players against Germany too? They were a shadow of the team that won their first 2 matches, it had nothing to do with Germany being better so much better than them.

[Fragony]

Someone please euthanise the sluggish english team along with the joyless french, what happened with these teams

Ah well, tonight Netherlands vs Argentina, going to be interesting as neither of us really wants to win.

[English assassin]

Nothing has "happened" to England. Its always like this. Who do you think we are, Brazil?

[naut]

Nothing has "happened" to England. Its always like this. Who do you think we are, Brazil?

Too true.

[Fragony]

England isn't that bad, and at least they are usually a very entertaining team to watch. It just appears that they would rather be doing something else.

[R'as al Ghul]

I can't understand that. I know very little German.

SING IT WITH ME GERMANS!

DEUTSCHLAND ÜBER ALLES

Deutschland, Deutschland über alles, über alles in der Welt.

I realize that you know very little German.
I don't blame you, but please be informed that "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles, über alles in der Welt" is not part of the national anthem.
It's the first stanza of the Deutschlandlied, of which we use only the third.
This is mainly because it continues "Von der Maas bis an die Memel, von der Etsch bis an den Belt", claiming territory that now belongs to our neighbours like Poland and Holland. Generally it's associated with Neo-Nazis.



The real one:

Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit für das deutsche Vaterland!
Danach lasst uns alle streben brüderlich mit Herz und Hand!
Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit sind des Glückes Unterpfand;
|: Blüh’ im Glanze dieses Glückes, blühe, deutsches Vaterland! :|

Btw, most Germans don't even know the correct version.

[Taurus]

What a goal from Joe Cole, goal of the tournament so far definatly.

[Dutch_guy]

I still vote the second Argentinian goal in their match against Serbia-Montenegro as goal of the tournmament.

Cole's was great, but so was Lahm's in the first match and so was Koné's in the Ivory coast game against Holland.

[Red Peasant]

Well, that's 'Wimbledon-Sweden' out of the way, the team we can never beat. All they had to do was lump the ball into the area to start causing us all sorts of problems. This kind of defending is usually one of England's strengths so I hope Svennis will sort it out. And when did Tobias Linderoth develop a lazer-guided crossing technique, the useless git couldn't pass the ball to one of his own team-mates under ten yards away for the three years he played for us (Everton), the frikkin yard-dog!

I'm reasonably happy, but I can't fathom why the hell Sven took Theo Walcott along if he refuses to play him. If Jermaine Defoe had been there then he would have been on as a straight replacement for Owen. I'm puzzled by football managers sometimes.

[Kralizec]

Argentinia - Netherlands 0-0

One of the more dissapointing games so far.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Nothing has "happened" to England. Its always like this. Who do you think we are, Brazil?

It wouldn't be as much fun if they were, would it?

[Soulforged]

Well, it was a draw... not boring but a draw in the end. It was, without doubt, the most expected and concurred match so far. Many stars witnessing the match: Maradona, Platini, Beckenbauer, Rumenige, between others. I liked the spirit of relaxation both in the field and in the tribunes between the fans. That's the only thing that compensated my anxiaty.

[Louis VI the Fat]

What a pity there was nothing at stake in Arg-Hol. It was easily the biggest game in the first round, but didn't amount to anything now. Let's hope they meet each other later in the tournament again.

What's with the defeatism in the English camp? Few of the biggies in the tournament have played to their full potential yet. Brazil, Italy have not made more of an impression than England so far. Only Argentina, Spain and Germany have been impressive. But the Spanish and Germans, like the Czechs, Dutch and Portugese have shown signs of weaknesses too. France is not a serious contender, nor anybode else apart from the teams I already mentioned.

England still has a fair shot at the title.

[scotchedpommes]

What's with the defeatism in the English camp? Few of the biggies in the tournament have played to their full potential yet. Brazil, Italy have not made more of an impression than England so far. Only Argentina, Spain and Germany have been impressive. But the Spanish and Germans, like the Czechs, Dutch and Portugese have shown signs of weaknesses too. France is not a serious contender, nor anybode else apart from the teams I already mentioned.

England still has a fair shot at the title.

A fair shot? Not if improvements aren't made in the defence, and add to that if
anything happens to one of their other forwards they might have serious
problems. Aspects of defence were simply shocking at times against Sweden. I
found it amusing that one of the players I'd picked out as doing particularly well
was Owen Hargreaves, and yet he is the one many of the England fans criticise
and boo.

[Soulforged]

...Owen Hargreaves...

I feel sorry for him. It's always sad to see a great player leave the tournament. Besides if we were to defeat England at some point I'd like it to be at it's maximum potencial. And I'm still waiting for Burdisso in my own team. Let's hope for the best.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Hargreaves is still in the tournament. You might be getting him confused with Michael Owen?

[scotchedpommes]

I feel sorry for him. It's always sad to see a great player leave the tournament. Besides if we were to defeat England at some point I'd like it to be at it's maximum potencial. And I'm still waiting for Burdisso in my own team. Let's hope for the best.

Owen Hargreaves

Michael Owen

[Soulforged]

Owen Hargreaves

Michael Owen

Yep. Sorry, too many Owens then. I thoght that Hargreaves was something like a second name...

[Louis VI the Fat]

Michael Owen Hargreaves?

Well we're all familiar with how Spanish football players are known by a single brief abbreviation. That's because their full name would take up several football shirts - the Spanish insist on having a name that reads like a full family genealogical tree.

That somebody could be called 'John Smith', and 'John Smith' only is puzzling to the Spanish world. 'Michael Owen' can't be a name, it must be an abbreviation.

In real life, Soulforged is probably named something like Juan Pérez Martínez María González y González Alonso Pedro Muy Magnifico Soulforged de Montoya.

[Soulforged]

Michael Owen Hargreaves?

Now I was thinking more like, Michael Hargreaves Owen... but Hardgreaves sounds more like a last name.

Well we're all familiar with how Spanish football players are known by a single brief abbreviation. That's because their full name would take up several football shirts - the Spanish insist on having a name that reads like a full family genealogical tree.

Well that's not true in all cases... I think it's more a case of tradition.

That somebody could be called 'John Smith', and 'John Smith' only is puzzling to the Spanish world. 'Michael Owen' can't be a name, it must be an abbreviation.

LOL - I don't know, maybe with the Spaniards that's true. But I assure you that this is not the case here.

In real life, Soulforged is probably named something like Juan Pérez Martínez María González y González Alonso Pedro Muy Magnifico Soulforged de Montoya.

Muy Magnifico? LOL - You once again show your sense of humour Louis , as always "magnifique". Nah... My name is only one, followed by my last name wich of course designates my italian ascendence. But it's nothing like Juan, Gonzalo, González (pretty rare in Argentina, unless it's a last name), Pedro or Pepe (wich happens to be an abbreviation too).

[Louis VI the Fat]

I think it's more a case of tradition, maybe with the Spaniards that's true. But I assure you that this is not the case here.

My name is only one, followed by my last name wich of course designates my italian ascendence.

Meh, I should get my Latin American stereotypes right - didn't think of all the Italians in Argentina.

I thought you were all named something like Gabriel García Márquez or Mario Vargas Llosa over there.

[Dutch_guy]

Well, it was a draw... not boring but a draw in the end. It was, without doubt, the most expected and concurred match so far. Many stars witnessing the match: Maradona, Platini, Beckenbauer, Rumenige, between others. I liked the spirit of relaxation both in the field and in the tribunes between the fans. That's the only thing that compensated my anxiaty.

Indeed, a decent game with decent football shown by both teams.

As said, it would have been great had there actually been something at stake, well maybe we'll meet you again in the semi's ?

Would most definitely be a great match if both sides start with their best team, unlike yesterday.