Official World Cup Thread

[Dutch_guy]

Wow - the Czech were really impressive. The strongest team I have seen so far.

I hope they will get far this time and finally get rewarded for their performance during the last couple of years...

I agree, with both statements.

The Czechs played solid, subtle and were on the attack a lot, which isn't their usual style of play. enjoyed to see them play, and am looking forward to their match against the Italians.

Only downside of todays match was that they should have scored a goal less, would have predicted it correctly if that were the case....Oh well...

[LeftEyeNine]

A-ye. They are not likely to miss their injured strikers Baros and Koller as long as Rosicky keeps up with his terrific form. Their defence is like a pile of mountains and midfield is very productive. Very well deserved.

SFTS, USA should have called up Freddy Adu no matter what age he was. There was not a team on the pitch indeed. (You 're still interested in football after this defeat, huh? )

Let's see how Italy will crush Ghana

[Rodion Romanovich]

I have to agree with you all - Czechs are best team so far. Notice they got 10 offsides or so? It's a clear indication of that they were using the effective near-offside long pass + breakaway attempt tactics. Looking at the tournament, this tactic was the way Costa Rica scored their 2 goals vs Germany, the way Robben and Pauleta scored their goals for Holland and Portugal respectively, and the way the Czechs scored 2 of their 3 goals. With the solid defenses used in football today that is the most effective way of scoring IMO. Notice that it also pushed back the USA defenders in a way that allowed Rosicky to get further forward for his long shot that gave the 2-0 goal. The last few games have clearly shown that the long pass and breakaway tactics is effective and that a slowly built up offensive seldom works well.

Finally, the Czechs also deserve credits for keeping up the offensive even after scoring 2-0 and also to some extent after 3-0, so it was entertaining to watch until the end of the game. My prediction of Czechs vs Brazil in the finals might not have been way off after all...

[LeftEyeNine]

Additionally, Czechs have a weak point: They lack quality bench. Yes I said that their midfielders will be compensating the strikers' absence, however a better set of substitutes are essential if they are to move to the final two.

[Rodion Romanovich]

Good point, Koller's injury today might be problematic... How long is it until Baros can play?

[Dutch_guy]

The point you make is valid LEN, put I didn't get the impression they needed their bench players, and I don't think they'll need them against Ghana and if lucky not even against Italy too.

The resting periods are fairly large, 5 days, so I'd say that's about enough time to get ready for the next match.

However, it is a good point, and may prove to be their doom as the tournament progresses.

PS: Barros I don't know, But Koller is out for approximately 4 - 6 weeks.

[drone]

Something tells me I shouldn't bother watching the game when I get home. Were the Czechs just really good, or did the US play like it was 1998?

[LeftEyeNine]

drone, really, don't bother..

[drone]

drone, really, don't bother..

D'oh!

I'll probably watch it anyways, just to see the impressive Czech performance. Got to have pain, to make glory taste even sweeter when it happens...

[Alexanderofmacedon]

HAHAHAHA!

Italy - 1 (what a goal)

Ghana - 0

We'll see how this pans out.



Oh and P.S: HAHA AMERICA YOU LOST 3-0!

[AwesomeArcher]

HAHAHAHA!

Italy - 1 (what a goal)

Ghana - 0

We'll see how this pans out.

Yea, i just saw them score, it was pretty sweet.

Yea, the U.S. got kicked, but they started out slow and gave up an early goal. It wasnt so much the czechs won the game, it was the U.S. who lost the game. Hopefully this will wake them up and get them going.

[Idaho]

The US were a real dissapointment. What were they doing passing the ball round the back and keeping possession when they were 2 down?

[Alexanderofmacedon]

2-0

[scotchedpommes]

I won't celebrate for Italy, and I have to disagree with the the suggestion that
the Czechs are the best side so far - as much as it pains me, I think from what
we've seen, Argentina still looks to be the best side.

[Boohugh]

Notice they got 10 offsides or so? It's a clear indication of that they were using the effective near-offside long pass + breakaway attempt tactics.

I disagree, many of those offsides occurred later on when they were playing long balls, yes, but they were aimed at Koller's replacement, their big man Lokvenc who was there to hold up the ball and pass it on, not to break quickly. It was actually due to his bad positioning much of the time that he kept being caught offside.

As for the Italy-Ghana match, Ghana looked like a fast, powerful team but were unfortunately let down by a bit of defensive naivety. I was impressed how they really went at the Italians, and I feel the game could still have gone either way until Italy got the second goal late on.

[Mithrandir]

2-0

[Louis VI the Fat]

What a shame Koller is out for the rest of the tournament. The Czechs are awesome, and just as two years ago in Portugal, the most exciting team to watch.

They have taken over the spot traditionally occupied by Holland: a gathering of amazingly gifted players playing a thrilling game of attacking football.

The US had no chance. Italy will prove to be too strong too.

There should really be a pan-American cup. The way it is now, Mexico and the US only ever get tested against each other. They should play the likes of Argentina, Chili, or Uruguay on a regular basis if they ever want to really improve their game.

[Louis VI the Fat]

QUID!

Sleep well tonight - for you won't be able to get any tomorrow after the right good spanking we're gonna give Switzerland.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Provided of course, that:

Henry and Zidane will cease their incessant in-fighting for 90 minutes
Barthez get's a last-minute injury so Coupet can take his rightful place in goal
That Zizou's miserable form is not owing to his age, but to him having spared himself for one last blast
That Thuram and Viera will not play as two geriatrics way beyond their prime like they have been lately
That astrology-freak Domenech will read the correct line-up in the stars

[scotchedpommes]

What a shame Koller is out for the rest of the tournament.

Seems he might not be, according to recent news.

As for France, isn't Coupet your first choice keeper now?

[Louis VI the Fat]

Seems he might not be, according to recent news.




As for France, isn't Coupet your first choice keeper now?

Only in my dreams.

He played most of the qualifying matches. Barthez was ruled out for a long time after a spitting incident. But Domenech cowardly has decided to rely on his old guard for this world cup again. You know, the ones that did not manage to score even a single goal four years ago because they were too tired and too old.

The French squad is good, the talent is there. But something doesn't feel right. There is too much friction, and too much denial there is any. If they don't manage too perform well, I think there might be a massive revolt in the team. Between Zidane and Henry, Coupet and Domenech, Domenech and Trezeguet, the old guard and the new players. The whole thing looks set too collapse.

Really, if the Swiss get at France the way they can, the tournament could be over for France within twenty minutes.

Then again, a good ol' thrashing of our Alpine brethren may be just the ticket.

[Soulforged]

There should really be a pan-American cup. The way it is now, Mexico and the US only ever get tested against each other. They should play the likes of Argentina, Chili, or Uruguay on a regular basis if they ever want to really improve their game.

It has been in projects. But 1) They play a different kind of elimination, like the one in Europe. 2) Many of them, powerful nations, specially USA, would not qualify. 3) America is big, very big, in comparission to Europe, and it's not a matter of team quantity, but a matter of organization. For intance travel times would be great, the same with the changes on envioraments and climatic conditions. 4) It's hard to break traditions.

Anyway, great games, I didn't see any since Argentina vs IC, until the one with Italy today so I cannot say much about them. However the result on USA vs CR did surprised me, I knew US will lose but 3-0... One more reason to fear CR, though they lost Koller, they got Varos (it's with "V" right, I don't want to spell it wrong), it would be interesting to see CR advance to quarters.

[Strike For The South]

Go Germany!!!!!!!! Im amazingly dissapointed but I watched every single match. Even Aus-Jap at 8 in the morning which was the best soccer game Ive ever seen. I hope Brazil gets knocked out. Can anyone tell me about the Dutch? The guy who scored the goal Robben is he a little diva or something?

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Go Germany!!!!!!!! Im amazingly dissapointed but I watched every single match. Even Aus-Jap at 8 in the morning which was the best soccer game Ive ever seen. I hope Brazil gets knocked out. Can anyone tell me about the Dutch? The guy who scored the goal Robben is he a little diva or something?

I thought I knew you and you say something like this...

...and totally redeem yourself!

I'm a 100% German backer. Then comes Italy for me. I could care less if the USA lost to the Czech's 3-0. Hell, if it were 6-0 I'd be happy.

[Strike For The South]

Every time the team I like scores (which today was Aussies Usa and Italy) I take off my shirt run round my house yelling GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL

Im wearing a mexico jersey right now vhehe

[scotchedpommes]

Highlights of the second half of the Australia match with
over-enthusiastic Arabic commentary. [I like.]

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Every time the team I like scores (which today was Aussies Usa and Italy) I take off my shirt run round my house yelling GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL

Im wearing a mexico jersey right now vhehe

Well I will not say anything about the Mexico jersey (ick), but let me tell you. I was home alone today and whenever Italy missed a shot or got a goal I went crazy. My throat hurts pretty badly right now. When Italy got the second goal the trashmen were outside getting the trash and they waited there for like 2-3 minutes after they heard me screaming. I looked out the window and two of 'em were looking at my house.

Now let's hope they weren't looking at my house for any other reasons...

[Fragony]

Czech team annihilated USA which was to be expected, who can stop these guys? The most interesting match was Italy vs Ghana to me, great defence vs the armour piercing spear Ghana.

[Fragony]

Can anyone tell me about the Dutch? The guy who scored the goal Robben is he a little diva or something?

Robben is extremily talented, but he is only one of our great players. We have a pretty good team this time, I think only the Czech Republic and Brazil can beat us, but they will have to work.

ps, an american with world-cup fever??? excellent!!

[The Blind King of Bohemia]

Robben is a good player but he suffers from a disease, medically known as Nevercus Passecus Evercus. His greed really gets to me, the worst thing as that when he shoots he makes out that he came close.

I have no doubt holland and argentina will top the group, serbia and IC are good teams but don't have that extra bit of talent to see them beat the other teams. IC like Ghana and the other african teams have a good work rate but are not organised and couldn't score in a brothel

[InsaneApache]

Nice analogy BKB