World Cup 2006 in Germany

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 21 Jun 2006, 14:02

Owen is out for five months.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 21 Jun 2006, 15:01

Shame

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 21 Jun 2006, 21:06

Rubbish that neither Argentina or Holland managed to score... but it was an entertaining match anyway. The Serbia v Ivory Coast game sounded like it was way more fun.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 22 Jun 2006, 00:54

Some good play in the Argentina v Holland game, but I was amazed no goals were scored. Argentina seemed not to be trying at times... I can't imagine in a knockabout game they'd let Holland have so much possession.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 22 Jun 2006, 08:26

Yeah, both teams defended pretty well, and the Dutch handled the Argentinian midfield well. Riquelme hardly got into the game, and Messi also didnt get to strut his stuff. For us, Boularouz was man of the match. Incredible that he hasnt been a starting player from the beginning of the tournament.

The front 3 players of Oranje didnt have a very good game though... Van Nistelrooy was pretty much invisible, Van Persie wasnt as good as he has been in the first 2 matches, although he did help out well with defending, and the same goes for Dirk Kuytt.

Both keepers made some crucial saves, and we should have gotten a penalty in the first half when Ooijer was thrown to the ground during a corner...

But it was a good game. No goals, but position-wise and defence-wise a masterclass from both teams. Holland occasionally had some periods where they gave the ball away too easily though...

Unrealnils · Post by **Unrealnils** » 22 Jun 2006, 13:01

Both coaches used the game as a reporting game.......

i have a sneaky feeling thats gonna be the WC final !!

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 22 Jun 2006, 13:56

Unrealnils wrote:Both coaches used the game as a reporting game.......

i have a sneaky feeling thats gonna be the WC final !!

I hope so, cause in that case we have a chance of taking revenge for that '78 final. But many tournaments are decided by luck and referee decisions. Plus in order to progress in a tournament you will often need to have a penalty shoot-out at least once, and as we all know the Dutch are incapable of taking penalties.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Jun 2006, 14:14

At least England are practising penalties this time

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Jun 2006, 14:40

Ghana are leading the US team!
Italy ahead against Czechs.

Czechs could be going out!

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Jun 2006, 14:55

Ghana leading 2-1!

Go Ghana

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 22 Jun 2006, 15:01

grim_tales wrote:Ghana are leading the US team!
Italy ahead against Czechs.

Czechs could be going out!

Czechs also down to 10 men

I'm not really fond of either team (both teams have some players that like to dive and whine and bitch and moan), but I'd rather see Italy go out instead of the Chechs, simply because I dont like the way the Italians play football.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Jun 2006, 15:15

Agree, Italian players (some of them) in the team are dirty buggers

The way they behaved against the US team was a dsgrace.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 22 Jun 2006, 16:16

Italy and Ghana through!!

I think it'll be 2-0 (to England) in the Ecuador game TBH.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 22 Jun 2006, 20:02

We will see.... chuffed to bits with Ghana.

Now if only Japan can get two more goals.....

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 22 Jun 2006, 21:21

Poor Japanese getting a gubbing. Oh well, Brazil look like they were back on form but it's early yet to suggest anything.

The Australia v Croatia game looked pretty dramatic - one dude got 3 yellow cards lmao.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 22 Jun 2006, 21:27

That was pretty amusing. 2's not enough for him, oh no!

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 22 Jun 2006, 21:29

Just one more goal required from Ronaldo... and he'll hold the new record.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 22 Jun 2006, 21:38

He deserves it because even though, to quote Ian Wright "he's carrying a bit of timber" (:D), he is still an amazing player.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 22 Jun 2006, 23:13

Looking forward to when Equador beat, er, play England on Sunday.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 23 Jun 2006, 10:12

Don't be so sure...

The moment in the Portugal/Mexico (?) game when one of the Portugal players embraced the keeper was hilarious

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 23 Jun 2006, 10:15

Kurgan wrote:That was pretty amusing. 2's not enough for him, oh no!

I thought that was funny, but to be honest the referreeing by Poll in that game was pretty terrible. I mean he spotted a handball which was hard to see, and then the same guy does the same handball (only worse) later, but Australia dont get anything?

Kurgan what do you reckon to England-Ecuador? Could depend on Paul Robinson/set pieces, someone should tell him he can come off his line

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 23 Jun 2006, 16:28

Stroke the French team - I'm gonna switch over to BBC3 and watch the South Korean game tonight instead.

Glad to see my team Spain top their group. My quid is ever so safe for the time being...

Again some funny refereeing going on today...

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 23 Jun 2006, 21:00

shit shit shit shit shit :x :x :x :x :x :x

The South Koreans were robbed. The referee - like most of the referees in this tournament - is an asshole. He should be sacked, effective immediately. If I couldn't do my job, I'd get the same treatment at work - don't see why refs are any different.

Racist commentator as well.

I don't like the Switz team anymore. Put it this way, if England played them, I'd want England to win at least 5-0. :x :x :x

This entire tournament has been a farce.

BTW I did find it funny watching the BBC presenters argue earlier this afternoon. Some took minor offence lol.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 23 Jun 2006, 22:09

grim_tales wrote:Kurgan what do you reckon to England-Ecuador? Could depend on Paul Robinson/set pieces, someone should tell him he can come off his line

Well, the odds are in our favour. I just hope the team can keep their heads on straight and focus. It's going to be a shift after losing Owen and moving into a 4-5-1 formation, but frankly, as long as Gerrard gets his attempts on goal, we have a decent enough chance. Lampard needs to be kept away from the ball. He's had the most shots in the tournament with not a single goal. Gerrard has a much higher strike rate.

The referee in the S. Korea - Switzerland game was proved to have an amazing eye afterwards. The linesman got it wrong and the ref got it right.
However, the quality of refereeing has been poor, in my opinion, throughout this tournament, especially considering they're supposed to be using these new earpieces... what's the point, if no-one's going to double-check decisions?

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 23 Jun 2006, 22:15

I agree Kurgan, it was the linesman who got it wrong and the ref who got the decision right. The linesman raised his flag but the ref said play on, and replays showed Frei wasn't offside.
As you say though, the overall standard of refereeing has been poor.
Havent we got most of our goals from midfield Kurgan? I do agree it won't be a stroll, especially if Rooney plays up front by himself (is he fit enough?) but we should win IMO.
Bisc how was the commentator in the Korea/Swiss game racist?