The unofficial World Cup Thread,

[naut]

Marca has an excellent World Cup Calendar.

[naut]

Bump.

Seems every tournament the ball gets criticised, but this year's ball seems to have substance behind the criticism.

I got my first look at the 2010 World Cup ball this morning as I watched the USA play against Australia in the Colonial Bowl and I have to say, it’s weird, it’s unpredictable, it dips faster than I’m used to, and it’s only going to benefit the weaker teams.

FIFA recently launched a scathing rebuttal of Brazil coach Dunga’s criticizm of the ball when their general secretary Jerome Valke said that Brazil was basically making excuses for their failure:

"And is it Brazil that says that because they are afraid that they will not make it and it will be due to the ball."

But it’s not just Brazil who have complained, other technically adept sides like Spain have also said that the ball is going to be a problem. These teams are used to hitting the ball a certain way and generating a certain spin, dip, and knuckle. With the new ball, this is reportedly easier to do. Clint Dempsey said he likes the new ball because you don’t have to hit it very well or even very hard to make it knuckle. Of course, he also said that any overcooked passes made the player look foolish because of their unpredictability.

In today’s game all three keepers looked unsure of how to deal with crosses and it’s not like they are amateurs. Marcus Hanneman was the best keeper in the Premier League in the second half of last season, Tim Howard played every league game for Everton, and Mark Scwarzer is a vastly experienced keeper at 38 years old yet none of them were able to deal with crosses which seemingly dipped and swerved erratically.

I’m thinking this new ball is going to be a huge advantage for teams with less adept players because an unpredictable ball is an advantage. We’ll probably see plenty of long range efforts that seriously test the keepers this Summer and you should bank on several weird upsets owing to the unpredictability of the ball.

It’s going to be a wild ride I suspect.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

So apparently they are only showing 10 games on network tv here...only one of the USA group games, half of the quarterfinal games, and neither of the semifinal games.

********.

[Moros]

So apparently they are only showing 10 games on network tv here...only one of the USA group games, half of the quarterfinal games, and neither of the semifinal games.

********.

You can probably stream them from the internet if you look around.

Edit: France lost from China, Italy dissapoints again. Not that surprised though. It looks like they might end up the same way as two years ago.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Edit: France lost from China, Italy dissapoints again. Not that surprised though. It looks like they might end up the same way as two years ago.

Sure, we may have lost to China B, but we managed a 2-1 win over costa Rica!! And we kept Tunisia to a draw!!


Gah! Dissaray days before a World Cup is tradition for the French team. But this time, I do not see how the tide can be turned. There's no Zizou (pbuh) who can take charge, or Platini, no sense of group spirit, no sense of higher purpose as in 1984 or 1998. The games are getting progressively worse.

Spirits have been broken since the game against Ireland, and everybody is waiting for the end of Domenech's reign. As a result of both, there is no enthusiasm, no sense of destiny and purpose.

What should've happened, what could work, is the injustice having been done to France, or anger in the team over being underestimated by the fans. Or some such. You know, something to rally spirits around. That could work. But it is not there.


Desailly openly predicts that South Africa and Uruguay will progress to the next round. He might be right too.

[Pannonian]

Spirits have been broken since the game against Ireland, and everybody is waiting for the end of Domenech's reign. As a result of both, there is no enthusiasm, no sense of destiny and purpose.

I thought Domenech was done for in 2006. How the hell has he lasted this long, when he plainly doesn't have a clue?

Houllier back as coach, with Ginola as his assistant?

[Louis VI the Fat]

Blanc, the greatest living coach in Europe.

[Joooray]

Marca has an excellent World Cup Calendar.

Two great links, Psycho. Much appreciated.

Though I'm not normally very patriotic, I will be looking forward to the performance of the German team. 'We' have suffered quite a bit of bad luck, injury wise, but the result is that we have a quite young team now which could play out both ways: they can do fantastic or they can be utterly defeated. I'm very optimistic that we will prevail in the group phase but when we are up against the likes of Argentina or Spain, I'm not sure how it will go.
A lot of drama is assured though and I hope my heart will survive, as there was a recent study in Germany that during the the 2006 world cup, heart attacks sky-rocketed. But than again, I'm still young.

[Sarmatian]

Two great links, Psycho. Much appreciated.

Though I'm not normally very patriotic, I will be looking forward to the performance of the German team. 'We' have suffered quite a bit of bad luck, injury wise, but the result is that we have a quite young team now which could play out both ways: they can do fantastic or they can be utterly defeated. I'm very optimistic that we will prevail in the group phase but when we are up against the likes of Argentina or Spain, I'm not sure how it will go.
A lot of drama is assured though and I hope my heart will survive, as there was a recent study in Germany that during the the 2006 world cup, heart attacks sky-rocketed. But than again, I'm still young.

In your dreams :D

[Joooray]

In your dreams :D

I have one word for you: Turniermannschaft!
Now, beg for mercy and face your inevitable defeat!

[Louis VI the Fat]

Serbia will be this tournaments surprise package. Provided, of course, they do not succumb to complacency about lack of in-fighting.



We need to get our bets in for the in-tournament game!! The pre-tournamnet bracket game decides who is the most knowledgable of all about world football. The in-game game decides who's got the best analytical skills, best intuitive sense of team psychology, best feel for the flow of a tournament.

The winner then gets to brag for two years, and gets to annoy lesser posters with his superior footy knowledge. Needless to say, this person is going to be me, and you will not hear the end of it after my inevitable victory.




First Day predictions:

South Africa
Mexico 1 - 1



Uruguay
France 1 - 1



I still think thios group is the most open of all. It is anybody's for the taking. Odds of a boring and cowarldy nil - nil for Uru - Fra are just as high as the river plate wizards up front putting four past the world's most posh goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris

[Joooray]

Alright, Louis, I see your First Day predictions and I raise you:

South Africa 2 - 1 Mexico


Uruguay 0 - 2 France

I think SA will use the euphoria in the country to at least win the first match. Who knows, maybe Zuma had a tête-à-tête with the SA-captain and they will after all go on to win this thing, for the unity of the country.
Anyway, I dunno much about Uruguay, but I'll give France this one victory.

And two 1-1 on the first day? That'd be lame!

[LittleGrizzly]

The winner then gets to brag for two years, and gets to annoy lesser posters with his superior footy knowledge. Needless to say, this person is going to be me, and you will not hear the end of it after my inevitable victory.

As I see it this person is still me until the final (when it becomes me again) so until then I shall be the Mourinho, Lippi, Ferguson, Hiddink and you can be.... Domenech ?

South Africa 1 - 2 Mexico

Uruguay 2-2 France

South Africa are going to be 0 pointers I feel, France possibly too good for Uruguay even disorganised and shambles, either draw or a france win not sure.

[Louis VI the Fat]

this person is still me until the final (when it becomes me again) so until then I shall be the Mourinho, Lippi, Ferguson, Hiddink and you can be.... Domenech ?

Such indeed is the prerogative of one who has displayed superior football knowledge.


I demand to be henceforth quoted as 'Domenech VI', until such time as somebody has managed to dethrone Grizzly. This winner then gets to decide my new football thread name.

[Afonso I of Portugal]

South Africa 1 - Mexico 2

Mexico is far better and should be not too hard for them as the African side will try perform well...

France 0 - Uruguay 1

Diego Forlan will score...

[Pannonian]

Serbia will be this tournaments surprise package.

Serbia surprised me last time round, especially against Argentina.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Thank you Louis.

This means I can't watch any of the matches from June 14th to June 18th. Also, I'll miss the first quarterfinals as well. I hope nothing interesting happens during those games.

I was especially waiting those Swiss games.. Oh well..

[Sarmatian]

Serbia surprised me last time round, especially against Argentina.

That was Serbia and Montenegro and it is a general consensus in Serbia that it was in fact Montenegro that conceded 6 goals while Serbia managed to secure a 0:0 draw :D.

Demands of an enormous sex life stopped me from posting yesterday but for today:

Korea - Greece 0:0

Argentina Nigeria 3:1

England - USA 2:0

[Louis VI the Fat]

Marca has an excellent World Cup Calendar.