LEN Teh Footy God's Footballodium

[naut]

Congrats New Zealand!

[Sarmatian]

As expected pretty much.

France and Russia will go through. Portugal will have a hard time in Bosnia. Portugal was better in the first half, in the second half Bosnians showed their teeth. As for Greece-Ukraine, well, I don't really care. I find both teams equally uninteresting.

We'll have New Zealand on WC! That's rather unexpected.

[Jolt]

Dzeko vs Ricardo Carvalho? Err...

Who's awesome? I'm awesome.

Poor, poor Dzeko.

Portugal (almost) completely dominated Bosnia. We should have won by more.

Anyhow, we'll win in Bosnia as well.

EDIT: My spider sense senses Russia losing 1-0 next game.

[scotchedpommes]

As expected pretty much.

France and Russia will go through. Portugal will have a hard time in Bosnia. Portugal was better in the first half, in the second half Bosnians showed their teeth. As for Greece-Ukraine, well, I don't really care. I find both teams equally uninteresting.

We'll have New Zealand on WC! That's rather unexpected.

Would have been more surprised to see Bahrain, myself. Pleased that the Kiwis qualified though, if only as I feel it's good to see another non-footballing country take notice of the sport. Doubtful that they'll even threaten to escape a group.

As for Bosnia, they needed the away goal. Ireland are finished. And I feel reasonably sure in myself that Slovenia will beat Russia - so they're unquestionably doomed.

Other points worth noting: Algeria and Egypt are heading into a cuddly lovely friendly one match play-off in Sudan, and Uruguay have a 1-0 lead over Costa Rica going into their home leg.

Edit: For those of you enthralled by my domestic trivia, George Burley has finally been sacked. Now I just have to hope that Jimmy Calderwood doesn't get the job.

[Louis VI the Fat]

And the world's most badass defender is:



A tattooed Scotsman with missing front teeth
An Italian whith tackles are as sharp as his looks
A 1.95 meter Nigerian packing 120 kilos of shear muscle and power



A nineteen year old, blond all-American soccer girl:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LPI...eature=related







Awesome.

[naut]

Defends like a couple of teams my team plays against. What a mean .

[drone]

That one was on the news quite a bit a couple weeks ago. She only got a yellow card the whole game, even though a few of those happened on the ball. The tackle at 0:19

[Louis VI the Fat]

That one was on the news quite a bit a couple weeks ago. She only got a yellow card the whole game, even though a few of those happened on the ball. The tackle at 0:19

My favourite action is at 00:38 in the video below. She kicks the ball upfield, and while in mid-air, manages both a left and a right hook. Genius.


Check the hotness of that number seven near the end! I bet she's pointing at the score board.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUTP...eature=related

[scotchedpommes]

Slovenia 1-0 up against Russia, who are now down to 10 men.
Ireland need to keep it together.

Edit: Duff should've finished them.
And Slovenia have qualified. [Portugal and Greece there too, yes. Ireland on the verge of extra time.]

[Afonso I of Portugal]

Bosnia 0 - Portugal 1

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Here we go...Here we go...Here we go...to the WC Here we go...

We show our superiority, Bosnian "wolves" were totally unable to do something...and one single shot was enought to them...we missed several opportunities to increase the score...once more.

PS 1: I hope Bosnia don't come to Portugal in the next few years...their national anthem will be totally muted with our boos...shame on them!

PS 2: Can you now "imagine" both Messi and Ronaldo in the WC Sarmatian?

[scotchedpommes]

And Henry cheats to win the game for France. What a shocking, shocking decision.

[Jolt]

Who's awesome? I'm awesome.

Poor, poor Dzeko.

Portugal (almost) completely dominated Bosnia. We should have won by more.

Anyhow, we'll win in Bosnia as well.

EDIT: My spider sense senses Russia losing 1-0 next game.

Who's awesome??? I'm awesome! :D

[Jolt]

LOL

[gaelic cowboy]

I will keep my comments to myself as I might get banned However overall France were poor tonight qualifying by the skin of a baguette. Massive performance by the lads heroes all

[naut]

Slovenia 1-0 up against Russia, who are now down to 10 men.

Must say that was never a red. If anything it should have been a red the other direction. Seems tonight's theme is downright shocking referee decisions.

Not a fan of Ukraine, glad Greece did the hard work and beat them in Ukraine, not the easiest of propositions.

The whole of FIFA is French, they aren't going to let Ireland beat them, even if it means they have to resort to cheating.

[scotchedpommes]

Must say that was never a red. If anything it should have been a red the other direction.

Didn't really see what happened as my stream was... unstable. Saw him slide in but didn't see anyone injured. From then on the picture just about completely failed and I had to go by sound [the repeated screams of overexcited Slovenes "commentating".]

[naut]

Didn't really see what happened as my stream was... unstable. Saw him slide in but didn't see anyone injured. From then on the picture just about completely failed and I had to go by sound [the repeated screams of overexcited Slovenes "commentating".]

The keeper had a bit of retaliation, punched him in the stomach. A clear punch. The ref didn't really get a clear view, and was swayed by the crowd, but if anything was overeager to send the Russian off, when the keeper should have been the one to get a red.

And the media storm that has stirred is hilarious. You'd think Henry had killed someone and ate their brains.

Edit: Finally got to see a replay of it. It's nowhere as bad as it's being made out to be. A handball yes. But, not the injustice of century.

Eboue's first international goal.

[Sarmatian]

Can't believe Russia's out. Great job Slovenians! It seems Russia is a first rate team by quality and second rate team by mentality.

What a disgracing handball by Henry. I can't believe that goal was allowed.

PS 2: Can you now "imagine" both Messi and Ronaldo in the WC Sarmatian?

You phrase the question as if I don't like Portugal or something, which isn't true. I just don't like your attitude.

[Strike For The South]

What is this I'm hearing about a handball?

[scotchedpommes]

Edit: Finally got to see a replay of it. It's nowhere as bad as it's being made out to be. A handball yes. But, not the injustice of century.

Hm. I'd say given the occasion and the context [and a poor French performance] it just about scrapes into the seismic injustice category. No, France is not the new Italy to me yet, but I'm not looking forward to seeing a Domenech side at a tournament again, especially when we could and arguably should have had an Irish side in their place.

[Sarmatian]

What is this I'm hearing about a handball?

This. Not just a handball but two French players were offside, including Gallas.

[naut]

Basically SFTS:

There is only one thing to learn from this whole debacle: Never, ever wrong a British or Irish team. The crying will never stop.

two French players were offside, including Gallas.

Hmm. It only looks like Squillaci is offside, and he's pulled to the ground, playing no part in the move.

The press do love a team of gritty players taking on someone of pedigree, ala the FA Cup.

But, Robbie Keane aside they certainly didn't deserve it. If that'd been someone like England in Ireland's place, then yes they would have deserved it; a team of Rooneys/Fatty Lamps/JTs/Cashleys/Rios/Defoes would have been getting their just deserts for being dislikeable. On the other hand Ireland had at least 5 chances where they should have scored, but they didn't. And if you don't take your chances then you aren't going to win, regardless of any other aggravating circumstances.

Edit: OK! Let's put that behind us all. Quick question, if it had gone to penalties, who would have won? My bet France, Lloris and Given both would have saved a few for sure.

[el_slapper]

well, with a fair referee, obviously this ugliness would not have been allowed..... but Anelka would have got a penalty at the 98th minute. 80% chances of scoring. Would have been a cleaner win(yet still undeserved).

[Sarmatian]

Hmm. It only looks like Squillaci is offside, and he's pulled to the ground, playing no part in the move.

The press do love a team of gritty players taking on someone of pedigree, ala the FA Cup.

But, Robbie Keane aside they certainly didn't deserve it. If that'd been someone like England in Ireland's place, then yes they would have deserved it; a team of Rooneys/Fatty Lamps/JTs/Cashleys/Rios/Defoes would have been getting their just deserts for being dislikeable. On the other hand Ireland had at least 5 chances where they should have scored, but they didn't. And if you don't take your chances then you aren't going to win, regardless of any other aggravating circumstances.

Edit: OK! Let's put that behind us all. Quick question, if it had gone to penalties, who would have won? My bet France, Lloris and Given both would have saved a few for sure.

No, it's clear the Gallas was offside, even if only for a few centimetres. That aside, the handball is a disgrace. That's not allowed even in volleyball!

[gaelic cowboy]

Its a blatant handball as Henry has already mentioned and we were the best team on the night by far no if's no buts.

The French are lucky it was not England in Paris last night or the riots in the banlieue would have seemed like an arguement over the tv remote.

We Irish shall hold our heads high confident that we could only be beaten through trickery.

[scotchedpommes]

Any excuses made for the French so far have merely constituted a load of mince, frankly. Duff should have put them away, and he clearly realised as much mid-blubbery at the final whistle, but it doesn't alter the fact that the team were cheated out of the tie.

[No idea what kind of record Lloris has when it comes to shootouts, and in the only recent one I've seen Given play in I believe he saved three.]

[Louis VI the Fat]

Well that was . Games ought not to be decided like this. Happy as I am to go to South Africa, the story will always be about the 'Hand of Henry'.

It doesn't pay to play unfairly. Even if you win, the fun is gone. How can I possibly post taunts and otherwise irritate our Irish posters now. Dammit.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Ireland should've played like they did last night already on Saturday. I didn't understand the tactics of Trapp last Saturday. Sitting back, trying to avoid goals, plays into our hands. Ireland should've done from the start what I feared, and that is to just get at this weak French team. These girls are easily overpowered.

A few months ago, I had resigned myself to Domenech. Now I just long for his departure again. In two matches France was clueless, idealess. No fluidity, no two consecutive good passes. (Take a look at that Irish goal, Domenech. That's how it's done. Simple and effective) It was all a just a big underwhelming peformance again. I understand that France is not the team of ten years ago. Just a good European team. But the talent is there to play better than this.

~~-~~-<<o>>-~~-~~

Wuz Ireland robbed? Yes. Painfully so.

But...let's not get too carried away. Other teams throughout history have had poor refereeing decisions, cheating. These things happen. We've all benefitted from it at some point, or lost because of it. Without the goal, Ireland would not have gone to SA, Ireland would've had a fairly good shot at going to SA, with the score standing at 1-1 aggregate and twenty minutes of play left.

Also, penalties have been awarded for less than for that Anelka/Given clash in the 98th minute. Anelka didn't protest much, so to be fair this would indicate no penalty.
I am also not sure whether Gourcuff's volley in the 68th minute wasn't blocked by an Irish elbow, moving the arm to the ball.

~~-~~-<<o>>-~~-~~

Sarmatian:
At the free kick before the goal, Gallas and Squillaci did not commit an offside offence, even if both were standing offside.

Gallas later was in an onside position when he received the ball from Henry. Squillaci is more complicated. If he would've touched the ball, then he would've commited an offside offense. He didn't. He did interfere with the game, which is also an offside offence. Which would mean a free kick to Ireland. But he was fouled, pulled down. Which means a penalty to France. I can not work out whether a foul commited against a player in offside position means a free kick for Ireland or a penalty for France.

That's three possible penalties for France, plus a disallowed goal. Which gives the lie to conspiracy theories or biased refs.


However all of that may be, Ireland should've just scored their goals. The chances were there and this game was theirs for the taking. Which is both a criticism of les Bleus and of les Verts.

[Sarmatian]

Sarmatian:
At the free kick before the goal, Gallas and Squillaci did not commit an offside offence, even if both were standing offside.

Gallas later was in an onside position when he received the ball from Henry. Squillaci is more complicated. If he would've touched the ball, then he would've commited an offside offense. He didn't. He did interfere with the game, which is also an offside offence. Which would mean a free kick to Ireland. But he was fouled, pulled down. Which means a penalty to France. I can not work out whether a foul commited against a player in offside position means a free kick for Ireland or a penalty for France.

That's three possible penalties for France, plus a disallowed goal. Which gives the lie to conspiracy theories or biased refs.


However all of that may be, Ireland should've just scored their goals. The chances were there and this game was theirs for the taking. Which is both a criticism of les Bleus and of les Verts.

If they were offside at the moment the ball was played they can't do anything until the attack was followed through and that includes if the ball goes to another player first and then back to one of them. Even if they don't touch the ball later on but it is clear that the ball is supposed to go to one of them it is still offside and the game is stopped. Squillaci didn't do anything so he's okay but Gallas scored later on. It doesn't matter if he was onside when he scored, he was offside before during the same team move. Basically, if a player is offside, he doesn't exist until that team move is finished.

I don't think it's a conspiracy, I think it's a case of poor refereeing. Unfortunately, it's not the first and it won't be the last.

I don't agree with you that France is "just a good side". France is still one of the best teams in Europe and I don't understand how Domenech can get those players to play that poorly. He should be sacked before WC, otherwise there's a great chance that WC campaign will be one big embarrassment.

[Rhyfelwyr]

I almost feel this belongs more in the "News of the Weird" thread, but:

Tottenham 9 - 1 Wigan

8 of Tottenham's goals were in the second half.