The Official Football/Soccer Thread

[Slim Jim]

Our first goal in particular was world class

[Big Roguey]

Highly unlikely it'll happen in the group stage in my opinion. In fact, if we don't make it past the group stage i'll put on makeup, pretend to be a girl and upload a video of it on YouTube for you all to laugh at. That's how certain I am.

 

Why do you want England being knocked out early anyway? Why England in particular rather than any of the other teams?

 

 

 

I think you'll come in second during the group stage. After that I don't fancy your chances much to be honest.

 

Scottish bitterness, pure and simple. That's why I want the Dutch to fail. Badly.

[TheEdgeOfReason]

rah rah rah, we would have won it, if it weren't for that dirty Henry. Guaranteed.

 

Brazil or Spain should win it. Argentina could be a darkhorse, if the can overcome the mis-management of Diego. Germany and Italy are always dangerous. I don't think France or Holland will cause any trouble. Ivory Coast and Ghana look good from Africa, but I see them being knocked out in the second round.

[Hyde Hill]

Scottish bitterness, pure and simple. That's why I want the Dutch to fail. Badly.

 

What the hell did we do?????? Still bitter about that play off multiple years ago?

[Big Roguey]

What the hell did we do?????? Still bitter about that play off multiple years ago?

 

Nah, if we had beat yous, we stood a good chance of going to South Africa. And the play offs are still a sore spot. God damn the Dutch.

[Hyde Hill]

Nah, if we had beat yous, we stood a good chance of going to South Africa. And the play offs are still a sore spot. God damn the Dutch.

 

Well if you had done better against Norway and the others you might have gotten to the play off's. Do not blame us for your shortcomings hehe. It's not like we scored via a hand ball. Cough *France* Cough.

[Gabbo]

Who i'd choose for the England starting 11:

 

GK: Robert Green (edged it over Joe Hart for me after his performance against Mexico)

DR: Glen Johnson (best of a bad bunch, I wanted Micah Richards here)

DC: Rio Ferdinand (best defender, end of)

DC: John Terry (Mexico should've had an earlier penalty because of Ledley King blatantly pulling a shirt in the penalty box, and he was running around like a headless chicken for most of the game)

DL: Ashley Cole (he's a big eejit, but he's undoubtedly our best left back)

MR: Theo Walcott (pace, skill, and he doesn't have the strength of a ten year old boy like Lennon and Wright-Philips - both are 5ft 5")

MC: Steven Gerrard/Frank Lampard (alternate who starts, one starts, one gets brought on as a sub to replace the other)

MC: Gareth Barry (holding midfielder while Gerrard/Lampard advances forward)

ML: James Milner (can't believe Capello didn't bring Ashley Young)

ST: Wayne Rooney (durrr)

ST: Peter Crouch (who doesn't want to see him do The Robot? )

 

Johnson is twice the player of Richards. Whilst Johnson offers very little at the back whilst being offensively strong, Richards offers nothing in either area.

 

Not sure I understand the logic in Walcott. He doesn't have the strength of a ten year old? So what? It's not like he can do anything with the ball when he gets past his man. Lennon may be weaker, but he's only marginally slower, with better skill and an infinitely better end product. Lennon and Walcott were very much the same player this time last year, however Aaron has pushed on and really developed this season. Theo is the same player he was in 2007.

 

I'd like to see England start with a 4-5-1. Similar to Manchester United. Rooney proved he can lead the line perfectly well. That leaves a three man central midfield for Barry, Lampard, Gerrard etc to play in, with two wide men. Possibly using Lennon or Walcott as pacey wingers. Or even (the relatively paceless) Milner on the wing, Giggs managed without his pace this season, as did Fletcher and Park when called upon.

 

That said I hope England lose every game and crash out in the group stage. I'm Welsh and I'm bitter.

[Wallbanger]

Is it too late to take back my prediction of Japan getting through group stage?

 

Two own goals...eeesh.

[smurphy1014]

Argentina could be a darkhorse, if the can overcome the mis-management of Diego.

 

LOL. I would like to see Argentina not do well just for the potential press conference blow up afterwards, then again he did go off after they got in.

 

I like Spain or Brazil to win but I'd like to see England win just to see what kind of national celebration would ensue.

[Genadi]

Not sure I understand the logic in Walcott. He doesn't have the strength of a ten year old? So what? It's not like he can do anything with the ball when he gets past his man. Lennon may be weaker, but he's only marginally slower, with better skill and an infinitely better end product. Lennon and Walcott were very much the same player this time last year, however Aaron has pushed on and really developed this season. Theo is the same player he was in 2007.

 

Could not agree more, spot on! Next to Australia, England is the team I support and unlike previous WC's I have a really good feeling about the team under Capello.

[Hyde Hill]

Is it too late to take back my prediction of Japan getting through group stage?

 

Two own goals...eeesh.

 

Nope not in my book, but what made you pic them in the first place? Plenty of potential dark horses around, but Japan????

[Gabbo]

A dark horse to get through the group stage? Ivory Coast.

 

Portugal are dreadful.

[Capelli King]

I think this is the best chance England have had in a long time, plus the new generation of players are much weaker than the ones which are 28-32 now. So it is either now or not for at least 2 more world cups.

 

Brazil is also significantly weaker than the sides they had over the last 15 years. Allot of underachievers, however they always seem to have a whole list of relatively unknowns to surprise people.

 

Argentina should be favorites, but with that dumb manager of theirs i am not so certain. They have easily one of the best attacking players in history all in one team and on fantastic form (Tevez, Higuain, Aguero, Milito, Messi, do i have to continue?)

 

Spain are\were easily the best team in Europe over the last 2-3 years, so they should still be pretty strong favorites. Negative is the Torres injury though, not sure he has hit form after that one yet.

 

I do rate Holland allot, they were really good in the Euro, just capitulated against a weaker Russian team. I would say they are outsiders.

 

Germany have allot of injuries, France have been crap for some time now and should not even be here if not for a double handball from an aging Henry. Italy are world champs, but most people would agree they are also outsiders.

 

Here are the odds:

 

# Spain - 9/2 (+450)

# Brazil - 9/2 (+450)

# England - 6/1 (+600)

# Argentina - 8/1 (+8000)

# Germany - 12/1 (+1200)

# Italy - 14/1 (+1400)

# Netherlands - 14/1 (+1400)

# France - 14/1 (+1400)

# Portugal - 14/1 (+1400)

# Ivory Coast - 20/1 (+2000)

# Chile - 40/1 (+4000)

# Cameroon - 66/1 (+6600)

# Paraguay - 66/1 (+6600)

# Ghana - 66/1 (+6600)

# Serbia - 66/1 (+6600)

# Mexico - 80/1 (+8000)

# USA - 80/1 (+8000)

# Greece - 80/1 (+8000)

# Uruguay - 100/1 (+10000)

# Nigeria - 100/1 (+10000)

# South Africa - 100/1 (+10000)

# Australia - 100/1 (+10000)

# Denmark - 100/1 (+10000)

# Slovenia - 100/1 (+10000)

# Switzerland - 150/1 (+15000)

# Japan - 200/1 (+20000)

# Slovakia - 250/1 (+25000)

# South Korea - 250/1 (+25000)

# Algeria - 250/1 (+25000)

# New Zealand - 500/1 (+50000)

# Honduras - 500/1 (+50000)

# North Korea - 500/1

[Gabbo]

Brazil as a team are probably their strongest since 1998. They struggled in the run-up to 2002, had the easiest group of all, had a few lucky results in the knockout rounds and managed to put it together in the final.

 

Dunga has got Brazil playing as a team. Big names have been left out and the strongest team has been picked not the best 23 players. Players like Ronaldinho, Hulk, Pato, Carlos Eduardo and Adriano have been willfully left out to make room for Grafite, Nilmar, Bastos, Ramires et al.

 

They're fairly methodical and efficient, pulling from the Italian-like defensive nouse the manager picked up from his playing time at Pescara and Fiorentina and the German sense of efficiency he picked up from Jurgen Rober at Stuttgart. It's a very 'European' Brazil, although one cannot rule out it's also partly due to the increasingly number of Brazilians playing over here.

 

It's a very strong team. However, if you want to see 'Brazil' at the WC; support Chile. They're playing more like Brazil than Brazil are right now.

[Hyde Hill]

Yeah but it is exactly this more conservative approach that makes me less afraid of them from a Dutch perspective. Seeing as our weak place is defence I would be more afraid of a more attacking Brazilian side. Also England as No3 for the bookies??? Lolz. That is partly where the antagonism stems from. The constant overrating of the side. I am not saying other countries do not do the same. But the English tend to do it to the highest degree.

[Hyde Hill]

Also capitulated against the Russians? First off we where tactically outclassed by Hiddink compounded by Van Basten making some terrible subs. And to cap it all off one of our defenders had just lost a baby due to premature arrival putting a damper on the whole morale and atmosphere of the team.

[Wallbanger]

Nope not in my book, but what made you pic them in the first place? Plenty of potential dark horses around, but Japan????

 

More a comment on the group as anything -- while the Blue Samurai are definitely outclassed against the Dutch, they could hang with Denmark and Cameroon. They'll live and die on set pieces and free kicks. From what I've read/seen, Nakamura and Honda are free kick specialists that combined make Japan the most likely to score off of free kicks in the tournament.

 

So long as the Dutch get 9 points, all Japan has to do is get 4 points and hope it doesn't come down to goal differential. A 1-0 result against the Danes off a Nakamura free kick? Not impossible. (Didn't say it was likely, either, but not impossible.)

[Fleisch]

Following the result against Japan, I'm predicting England will be lucky to get past the quarter finals (which I think they'll do providing they play better than they did against the Japanese). Yeah ok England won 2-1, but Frank "Lumpalard" missing a penalty and the fact it was 2 own goals by the Japanese doesn't shout "World Cup Winners!" My predictions would be -

 

Group A:

France - 9

Mexico - 4 (goal difference)

Uruguay - 4

South Africa - 0

 

Group B:

Argentina - 9

Nigeria - 6

South Korea - 1

Greece - 1

 

Group C:

England - 9

USA - 6

Slovenia - 3

Algeria - 0

 

Group D:

Germany - 9

Ghana - 6

Australia - 3

Serbia - 0

 

Group E:

Netherlands - 9

Cameroon - 4

Denmark - 2

Japan - 1

 

Group F:

Italy - 9

Paraguay - 6

New Zealand - 1

Slovakia - 1

 

Group G:

Brazil - 9

Portugal - 6

Ivory Coast - 3

North Korea - 0

 

Group H:

Spain - 9

Chile - 4 (goal difference)

Switzerland - 4

Honduras - 0

 

Last 16

France v Nigeria

England v Ghana

Netherlands v Paraguay

Brazil v Chile

Mexico v Argentina

Germany v USA

Cameroon v Italy

Spain v Portugal

 

Last 8

France v England

Netherlands v Brazil

Argentina v Germany

Italy v Spain

 

Last 4

England v Brazil

Argentina v Spain

 

3rd/4th place match

Argentina v England

 

Final

Spain v Brazil

[Gabbo]

I'm baffled by how many people are picking up France to get full points from a group including Mexico and Uruguay. France are awful.

 

I'm also baffled that I appear to be the only one picking Ivory Coast to possibly pip Portugal. Portugal's last world cup warm-up friendly was against Cape Verde Islands. At home. They drew 0-0. Full strength team too, Ronaldo, Deco, Nani, Veloso, Carvalho etc.

 

World Cup's are hard to predict, or rather easy to predict, depending on which way you look at it. The big teams always seem to raise their game bar one disaster, ie France 2002. So, I do expect Germany, Italy and Argentina to play better than they have recently. However France, despite the miracle of Euro 2008, I just can't see doing anything of worth and it wouldn't surprise me to see Portugal fail to get out of the group.

 

Edit: Serbia will 2nd Group D. Ghana are a one man team and that one man is injured (Essien).

[Hyde Hill]

Yeah it all depends on let's call it the feel of the tournament. If it is 2002 like we could get a lot of surprises. If its more 2006, not so much.

 

And yeah I do not see France getting full points but I do see them topping the group. France and Argentine have kind of the same problem, great players but woeful coach and team balance. Ghana and the other African teams get so much love I think because they are playing on semi home soil. Except Algeria and SA of course who are both woeful. Plus Ghana has some pretty good players beside Essien and Serbia tends to under perform.

 

I think Portugal's bad full side showing against the Cape Verde was because of the opponent. Who the hell would do their best or take any risks in a friendly against them with the World Cup so close? Portugal is generally woeful when unmotivated but they will have to be motivated in the group they got.

[Gabbo]

Without looking it up, I'd say Ghana and Ivory Coast are way too far away to consider it semi-home soil. I guess there may be some argument for altitude, fan support, and humidity though, yeah.

 

I'd say 2002 was partly due to the setting, Japan and South Korea, for the first time ever in Asia. I've never been to such a place but I'd guess it's a completely different atmosphere and way to play a game. In 2006 we returned to familiar Germany.

 

Argentina, I'd say have arguably the best squad of players in the tournament. Samuel, Milito, Demichelis, Di Maria, Mascherano, Higuain, Tevez, Aguero and of course Messi. That is phenomenal, but the manager is loopy, as you say. Evidenced by the fact he left out Lucho Gonzalez and Cambiasso! and took Pastore and Bolatti, two average players with 6 caps between them.

 

I'd still say they have enough individual quality to pull them through a few games, despite Messi never really performing for them.

 

France however... look so mediocre. They'll miss Lass, no idea why Domenech didn't properly replace him. Henry is alright but he's 32 and on his way out. The rest of the attacking quality in the team comes from players that have flattered to decieve their potential, players like Gignac, Toulalan and Gourcuff.

 

Ribery is probably their best player, but I'm not a fan of his. Regardless of that, I'm not sure if you know but the French team are in turmoil, in no small part to Ribery's (and three other players) relationship(s) with an underage prostitute.

[Hyde Hill]

Bayern Munich's manager Louis van Gaal said on Monday that Ribery "has only been questioned as a witness . . . we should not make any declarations while the judicial proceedings are underway."

 

He added: "Is he suffering from the situation? I don't know but I don't think so. I think he is more concerned about Lyon," whom Bayern Munich play on Wednesday in the semi-final of the European championship.

 

I'll take Van Gaal's word over tabloids any day hehe. Plus prostitution in soccer??? Oh no shock horror!! Lolz. Do not see that effecting the side at all.

[Gabbo]

I think it's the underage part more so than prostitution. Van Gaal isn't gonna come out and say 'yeah Frank was sleeping with kids' is he?

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1267201/French-footballers-Fanck-Ribery-Sidney-Govou-questioned-child-prostitutes-scandal.html

 

I know it's a tabloid but it's financial suicide to post something as libellous as that falsely.

[Hyde Hill]

Yeah I know she told them she was 18 when she wasn't according to her. Do not think even if she is lying they would sue her for libel as they would just want it to go away and if she is speaking the truth its not their fault for her lying to them. Just do not think it will effect the France side at all.

 

It´s just a prostitute trying to get her 15 mins of fame and getting her ass out of the prostitution ring conviction.

 

Anyway I really do not care and do not want to give it any more attention then it deserves, which is none at this time imho.

[SuperOwens]

Rumours going around about the England World Cup Squad. Seems Walcott is out and this is considered a 'shock' for some unknown reason. No idea why, has done nothing for 18 months and lacked ideas in the warm-up games.

 

Looks like Barry will make it, meaning will play Stevie on the left and not off of Rooney like he should be. Unless he stick Joe Cole up there as well expect to see some pretty poor performance from England.

 

I take a look at Span and see they have 4 fantastic central midfielder's, I then see they dont try to turn 2 of them into wingers just because there awesome.

 

2ndround/QF exit as usual I thin for us. Hope I'm wrong.