World Cup

USA played like they were a junior league team. really poor. you're right, realistically, Italy and Ghana need to draw and USA needs to win vs. Italy to have a chance to make it through the Group.

it is going to be tough.

i did watch the Mexico/Iran game. it had a good pace and some real skill was on display in that match. it got away from Iran late, but they weren't really expected to defeat Mexico.

we're getting them live and then on repeat later in the day and evening, so i'm usually missing the first match but catching it on repeat.

metta,

~v
 
Thanks for the tip, in truth I'm rarely far from a TV but for some reason they don't include stats in their coverage here in Taiwan.
 
One round of group games gone, obviously teams can and will improve, but who's your favorite so far?

I loved Italy in the first half but it seemed they sat back on their lead and didn't try to kill it off.

So I have to say Spain, maybe this will finally be their year.
 
well... it's probably cliche but i think that Brazil is still the side to beat. in the matchs i've seen thus far.. i think that Germany has really displayed the quality necessary to make it to the final.

metta,

~v
 
never been that much of a sports fanatic....used to enjoy betting, when I quit betting I quit watching.

I have logged about 4 hours of Australian Rules Football in the past month or so...that's a lot for me...interesting game...

For those of you that are into it, I've got another link from one of your cohort fanatics....

http://www.sunuker.com/LiveRTS.html
 
I think Argentina have looked the strongest team so far - but it's often been the case that teams will play below par for the first few games, while they work out which arrangement of players works best in the tournament.
 
Vajradhara said:
i think that Germany has really displayed the quality necessary to make it to the final.
Click to expand...
maybe you were on to something, they looked good yesterday and are building up some momentum. Home soil, and just the fact that they're German, who knows, maybe they can go all the way.


I thought England looked great in the first half, but in the second seemed to run out of steam a bit. Also my heart was in my mouth every time the Swedes put in a cross.
 
the England/Sweden match was quite excellent.. from a certain point of veiw. it cannot be much of a good feeling for England fans. the Swedes seem to have Englands number in football and haven't lost to England since 1968.

the Angola/Iran and Mexico/Portugal matches just concluded.. pretty good result for Angola even though they are out of the tourny now...

should be even more interesting in the elimination rounds.

metta,

~v
 
England is in a world of hurt now with Owen out for the rest of the tourney! i hope that he can recover from his injury for he is a really special player.

i understand that there is some controversy regarding the fact that the English side only brought four strikers and one of them has no national experience, is that correct?

going to be a tough round for them.

i'm a bit distraught, though. it seems that when a physical form ages it becomes more difficult to bear offspring. as such, my Dharma partner and i have an appointment tomorrow have a test for Downs Syndrome which means that i'll miss the USA/Ghana match!!!

perhaps my priorities are a bit skewed :)

metta,

~v
 
You're in company, mine are too.

You're right about England's strikers. Our other forward is a 17 year old, he played in a friendly just before the World Cup, but hasn't even played in the English Premier League yet. Don't know much about him, but apparently he's very quick.
We can always push Joe Cole upfront, or play with 5 in the midfield. Still, the selection of just those four, Owen just returning from injury, Rooney still injured, Crouch who doesn't score that many, Walcott who's never played, seems like a bizarre decision to me.

I hope everything goes well for you today.
 
Now I've admitted I don't follow this stuff, but I did catch a clip that the Americans stayed on for a while by a tie....yet they scored no goals! Both goals were scored by the opposing team, one in each net?? Gotta love it.
 
Ok, heading into the Quarter Finals, let's have some predictions. Scores are not necessary, but could be interesting to see how horrendously wrong we get it.

Quarters

Germany 3
Argentina 2

Italy 2
Ukraine 0

England 2
Portugal 1

Brazil 3
France 1


Semis

Germany 1
Italy 2

England 1
Brazil 0



Final

England 3
Italy 1


ENGLAND ARE
WORLD CHAMPIONS
 
Namaste all,

it was a really good match until Rooney lost his temper and cost England the match.

i know the feeling, though we didn't lose it in a PK i was still surprised that we lost to Ghana.

i predict that the final will be between Germany and Brazil with Germany winning at home to take their 4th World Cup.

metta,

~v
 
Agreed with Vaj.

Really thought we'd beat Portugal 2-1 as well, though. The moment they started playing for penalties, I knew we were doomed.
 
not too mention that Beckham had to leave in the 57th min. it really was a valiant effort playing a man down for almost an hour. still.. matches like that deserve a dramatic finish and this certain was that.

metta,

~v
 
I was going to come on and have a post match rant on Saturday but a need for beer intervened.
What's to be said? Rooney's a fool, but didn't deserve a red card. Lampard was poor, again. I don't think Beckham played well and actually thought we looked more dangerous with Lennon.
For me though the blame lies with Sven, I've never liked him and think his tactics were poor, he's incapable of making a creative substitution, actually seems scared of making any kind of substitution. Why take Walcott? If you take a player like that you must have some kind of plan for him yet it appears Sven was only ever going to bring him on if we were 3-0 up and cruising. Why a 4-5-1? Apparently to break up Portugal's game, why not let them worry about breaking up our game?

Breath, breath...

Ok, I'm going for Italy, but who knows?
 
If you're both right though and Germany win, I'll be happy. Always been a fan of Klinsman and I really admire the way he's coached the side.
 
Zadines' action was incredible! i've never seen a player with that sort of stature and in such a big match lose their cool like that.

it cost France the Cup this year, in my view, since the player that missed the PK is the one that had to come in for Zadine after he was red carded.

a fairly entertaining match though.

it was a wonderful ride and though i had Italy as one of the top four i didn't expect that it would be them in the end.

Good job, Italy.

thank you all for your contributions to this thread, see you again in four years!!!

South Africa, 2010.

metta,

~v
 
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