Official World Cup Thread

[drone]

What are the odds the World Cup will be about football for once?

No chance of that, the US has already qualified!

[Soulforged]

Could I ask for a firms request to ban all the judges from the previous WC, they were clearly on the side of Brasil....
Now seriuosly I'll really like to see for the first time just one game of Argentina vs. Brasil in the cup, better in the final match.

I agree with LeftEyeNine, Turkey has improved a lot, the team showed it in the match vs. Brasil, where Brasil won with a little help, keep it up!!

[LeftEyeNine]

I agree with LeftEyeNine, Turkey has improved a lot, the team showed it in the match vs. Brasil, where Brasil won with a little help, keep it up!!

Ah yes, you refer to the match between the U-19 teams.. That was a memorable match, truly memorable..

Nuri was promoted to seniors after that match and against Germany friendly, he scored. You should have seen how the whole team and coaches were all over him congratulating for the goal..

We definitely missed such a magical pair of feet at the hands of Switzerland. I still don't get why Terim did not give him a chance where he was absolutely needed. No Emre, no Hamit, no Yildiray..

Well, keep following the thread about Switzerland vs. Turkey. I'll be posting what's going on here until the match..

Soulforged, let me tell you that Leo Messi has already been one of my favorites. Every 2 or 3 years a new Argentinian player is dubbed as the new Maradona but this kid is the only one that Maradona told watching him was very enjoyable.

I love Argentinian football a lot, just remembered how we failed on Ortega (I'm a Fenerbahce fan). However, Brazil is my all-time favorite. These guys dance on the ball, one of the reasons I love football is that it is the most aesthetic sports of all. And Brazilian feet definitely prove that..

Netherlands come as my 2nd favorites and France (because of my Djibril Cissé adoration ) may come the 3rd. (not a World Cup '06 prediction, by the way. Only my personal preferences)

But Argentina has always its place, mate..

P.S. Greece had truly deserved their trophy on Euro '04. I was a fan of their wall-like defense and accurate counter attacks tactic. Pity that they could not keep up with that style.

[Ja'chyra]

Gah!! We're not going. Oh well, so long as you-know-who doesn't win I'll be happy enough.

[English assassin]

Gah!! We're not going. Oh well, so long as you-know-who doesn't win I'll be happy enough.

Ah yes, it must be great being Scottish when England qualify for the world cup, so many teams to support, Cameroon, Nigeria, Portugal, Sweden...

England will lose in the semi finals, to Germany, on penalties. David Beckham will take the first penalty and will somehow manage to hoof the ball into a low earth orbit.

[miho]

England will lose in the semi finals, to Germany, on penalties. David Beckham will take the first penalty and will somehow manage to hoof the ball into a low earth orbit.

That's most likely gonna happen.

P.S. Greece had truly deserved their trophy on Euro '04. I was a fan of their wall-like defense and accurate counter attacks tactic. Pity that they could not keep up with that style.

Come on! What they did on the Euro '04 was the worst massacre of football I've ever seen. Czech republic and Portugal should have been in the finals. But they did play their tactic well and deserved the victory.

[LeftEyeNine]

Come on! What they did on the Euro '04 was the worst massacre of football I've ever seen. Czech republic and Portugal should have been in the finals. But they did play their tactic well and deserved the victory.

Czechs were my favorites as well, I absolutely agree on them..

However I'm not talking about football murder here. I'm a tactics stuff addict, and Greece absolutely prepared a cup-long tutorial named : " For Dummies : How to be a Tournament Team "

Something that modern Netherlands - unfortunately - has to work hard on. Their last generation lacked team work so hard that whole team was rebellious against each other and their coaches. However, the new generation is young and therefore enthusiastic. Not predicting anything before the group drawings but if they can lean on the ones like Cocu, Van Der Sar and Van Bommel, these brilliant young guns may hit the bullseye..

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Ahh, memories! In Mexico '86 we had a bet with the grocer: I for Brazil or Argentina and he Italy or England. I had a free coke in the end.
.

[Geoffrey S]

England will lose in the semi finals, to Germany, on penalties. David Beckham will take the first penalty and will somehow manage to hoof the ball into a low earth orbit.

Can't imagine that; I mean, it's not as if there's a precedent...

Something that modern Netherlands - unfortunately - has to work hard on. Their last generation lacked team work so hard that whole team was rebellious against each other and their coaches. However, the new generation is young and therefore enthusiastic. Not predicting anything before the group drawings but if they can lean on the ones like Cocu, Van Der Sar and Van Bommel, these brilliant young guns may hit the bullseye..

Anyone in charge of the Dutch team needs to be more adventurous when it comes to selecting players. This has been happening more often lately, thankfully, but it takes guts to place far more emphasis on new players than on the recognized overpaid stars.

[Dutch_guy]

Czechs were my favorites as well, I absolutely agree on them..

Yeah, well, after the Portugese beat us then I I too wanted them to win;)
'
And I really hated the fact that Greece won the tournament....they did not deserve it, what ever you might say - they didn't.

Something that modern Netherlands - unfortunately - has to work hard on. Their last generation lacked team work so hard that whole team was rebellious against each other and their coaches. However, the new generation is young and therefore enthusiastic. Not predicting anything before the group drawings but if they can lean on the ones like Cocu, Van Der Sar and Van Bommel, these brilliant young guns may hit the bullseye..

I sure hope they do LEN , though I'd put Van der Vaart up in the list of names too.
He is just what the team needs , a leader, once the above mentioned retire, he'll be one of the most important players.

[Soulforged]

Ah yes, you refer to the match between the U-19 teams.. That was a memorable match, truly memorable..

No man I was refering to the match in the World Cup, unless my brother, who is a real fanatic, informed me wrong...

Soulforged, let me tell you that Leo Messi has already been one of my favorites. Every 2 or 3 years a new Argentinian player is dubbed as the new Maradona but this kid is the only one that Maradona told watching him was very enjoyable.

LOL- Don't believe anything that Maradona sais friend...He has being saying this of every player with name that I know. First Saviola, then Riquelme (my favourite), then D'Alesandro, then Tevez and now Messi. But yes I agree with you he has something special.

I love Argentinian football a lot, just remembered how we failed on Ortega (I'm a Fenerbahce fan). However, Brazil is my all-time favorite. These guys dance on the ball, one of the reasons I love football is that it is the most aesthetic sports of all. And Brazilian feet definitely prove that..

Yes well some brazilians are born for this (though it goes against my believes). But they're not so go tacticians, they're good dribblers and attackers but they lack on the back.

I like Turkey's team for two reasons. 1- Because it's an arising team (as long as they don't defeat us )2- Because the enemy of my enemy is my friend (I would let you guess who my enemy is )

[Dutch_guy]

Yes well some brazilians are born for this (though it goes against my believes). But they're not so go tacticians, they're good dribblers and attackers but they lack on the back.

Well the worst Brazilian attacker is the goalie, that's how they base their team on - their attackers, and the worst needs to be the goalie.

That;s not at all the case today, but that was said of the Brazilian team- and I found it quite appropriate, knowing their dribbling skills ;)

[LeftEyeNine]

The offical reports about Turkey - Switzerland match is said to be including heavy accusations over Turkey and around 3 or 5 matches of home ban (SP ?) is probable. Exclusion from the next tournament has low chances, they say.

I'm still shocked at how things grew that much wrong. We were just like grizzly bears trapped under a hornet hive.

[English assassin]

No disrespect LEN, because England can't exactly give anyone lessons in football hooliganism, (or rather, we can, sadly), but I can't say any of this is a complete surprise. My impression from English teams playing European football in Turkey is that the clubs are perfectly happy with the sort of bear-pit atmosphere that develops, and if you dine with the devil, sooner or later he is going to get out of control...

In other words this sort of thing was bound to get out of hand eventually, especially if as M says some of the Turkish police are maybe also too wrapped up in the game and not enough in their job.

Not intended as a criticism of Turks generally, as I say England too has a problem, albeit maybe a different one.