The Official 2006 FIFA World Cup thread. (4 Viewers)

[matt#1]

Big game at 5am, should I stay up that late to watch it...? I got work tomorrow at 5:30pm-3am...

I face the same dilemma :S. As enticing as Argentina v Ivory Coast sounds...I might just have to give it a miss. By watching the England game, I effectively chose not to watch the later game. The England game was so boring that I now wish that I just went to sleep early.

 

[bazookajoe]

Oh, and Sweden to win 2-0

 

[LMF^^]

Wow, they held out in the first half, pretty impressive. Now come on Sweden, go on and win it.

 

[johnny_87]

Could T&T be the Senegal of 2006?

 

[LMF^^]

Nope, they didn't score, and obviously looked very crap technically. But they defended well, and the Swedish forwards, all of em, Ibrahimovic, Larsson and especially Allback, sucked big time. The gamblin gods don't like me, can't even get me that win I wanted so long.

 

[copious]

What do you expect, Trinidad have the ever green Shaka Hislop from my might hammers between the sticks =D! . Good draw for them.

On the England game, it looks like Gerrard once again is not being used effectively. It's not possible to have him and Lampard operating effectively, because it always means Gerrard is in the DM role. Especially in the 2nd half, he was sitting so deep , almost in a Makelele/Carrick/Vieria role =/ . While Lampard was firing in shots from outside the box and making inward runs into the box as well. But I guess they are just unlucky to be playing in the same position, but it would be nice if Gerrard is given more free reign.

How are everyone going with their bets? I've had success with my safe options with Germany and England registering wins. I gambled on Ivory Coast pulling off an upset with a random $2 bet, wasnt to be but it could of happened. I think Netherlands are at "ok" value at $1.95 @ centrebet.

Also, Trezeguet looks good for golden boot honours @ $28. Hopefully everyone will be focused on Henry and he'll just keep slotting in those assists for Trezeguet in a weak group

 

[acmilan]

I think the games were a lot better tonight. I don't really have a soft spot for England like most people here do, but in all honesty I wasnt really impressed by them, but they got the job done which is all that counts, although admittedly they werent at full strength. Paraguay never really looked like scoring.

Awesome result for Trinidad and Tobago on debut, more so that they were with 10 men for a lot of it. Although Sweden shouldnt be too worried, this was a game they probably expected to take all 3 points from and just adds on a little more pressure in the next game against Paraguay.

For the last game, although they didnt win, Ivory Coast proved they wont be pushovers in the group. Props to Argentina though, they got the job done and ease the pressure for the next 2 games.

I need to stop watching every game and sleep more, I had a whole flask of coffee last night. Time to study advanced vector calculus! -_-

 

[HannahMc]

I heard that they Ivory Coast actually halted a civil war when they qualified so that they could watch it in peace. Thus, if it's true, I'm going to be cheering for them in their group!

 

[HotShot]

England were really lucky that Paraguay werent on their in the first half-an0hour. Paraguay really dominated second half, and i think England were very lucky to take 3 pts.

Group B is a mess, sweden missed an oppurtinity, they will struggle to get through to second two. still yet to play against paraguay and england. Paraguay will be dissappointed with the start appalling, they really could have demolished the english.

English need to work on their midfielders, their defence were brillaint (apart from a few mistakes namely Ashely COle). Crouch was brillaint- how good is that guy-fucken tall.

paraguay defence was crap, alll over the place, really their midfield did all the work. upfront they fucked up too many oppurtinities taking shots early and not seeking better placed players.

in the end england were lucky, will need to improve against sweden who will have to beat both paraguay and england to really stand a change. why? if t&t lose to both paraguay and england, then sweden will be third or even fourth.

 

[acmilan]

England were really lucky that Paraguay werent on their in the first half-an0hour. Paraguay really dominated second half, and i think England were very lucky to take 3 pts.

Group B is a mess, sweden missed an oppurtinity, they will struggle to get through to second two. still yet to play against paraguay and england. Paraguay will be dissappointed with the start appalling, they really could have demolished the english.

English need to work on their midfielders, their defence were brillaint (apart from a few mistakes namely Ashely COle). Crouch was brillaint- how good is that guy-fucken tall.

paraguay defence was crap, alll over the place, really their midfield did all the work. upfront they fucked up too many oppurtinities taking shots early and not seeking better placed players.

in the end england were lucky, will need to improve against sweden who will have to beat both paraguay and england to really stand a change. why? if t&t lose to both paraguay and england, then sweden will be third or even fourth.

erm..assuming both paraguay and england beat trinidad and tobago, then sweden just need to beat paraguay to finish 2nd, doesnt matter if they lose to england.

 

[withoutaface]

will this be the fastest goal this world cup?

Nope, Turkey in third place play off last year scored off a mistake made by Korea in the first kick off.

 

[Benny_]

^^ I think he's referring to this world cup however. And that 3rd place playoff took place 4 years ago How many of the games did you see last night?

 

[withoutaface]

^^ I think he's referring to this world cup however. And that 3rd place playoff took place 4 years ago How many of the games did you see last night?

World cup makes me sleep deprived, hence not read/write/think properly I watched 2 because decided T&T v Sweden would be a shallacking.

 

[sunjet]

Ivory Coast made the game very interesting, dissapointing they didn't win

 

[DRAGONZ]

As for the Argentina v Ivory Coast game, I didnt watch it, which is a little disappointing since I am of Argentine decent, but to be honest I was just too damn tired. And the result was what I expected it to be.

!!!!!

I went to bed after the England game at 1am, missed T&T vs Sweden, and woke up at 5am for that match.

It was AWESOME. I'm not sure if it's Game of the Day on SBS, but for your sake, I hope it is.

Whilst it didn't have quite the spirited feeling that Sweden vs T&T definitely would've had, it was just a very high quality game.

Cote d'Ivoire can be disappointed, I think they deserved a point for their efforts. Seriously, they created more genuine goal-scoring opportunities than Argentina did. However, Kalou missed two he really should've scored in the first half, and his substitute Kone missed one in the second half. Along with a couple of goalmouth scrambles off corners.

If it's on at 5pm, I'm going to watch it again.

 

[AsyLum]

We're going to be fucked if we give them room, and let them play their natural game, ala Netherlands game. We didn't deserve that draw, and judging by that, I think we're in for a 2-3 goal against loss.

 

[Paragon]

Ivory Coast match is on replay right now.


Furthermore,

why are the balls used in the world cup "contraversial"?

Yeah, I'm watching it again just to make sure I didn't miss anything while I blinked in an invariable pattern. The WC's official match-ball, "Teamgeist", is controversial because it swerves more than normal footballs do, thus making it increasingly difficult for GKs to judge etc. Plus, I think the synthetics of the ball are also keeper unfriendly, as in, it supposedly gets even more slippery when wet, again moreso than normal balls.

The conspiracy-theorists will have you believe that it's a ploy by FIFA to bolster the number of spectacular goals. Frings and Lahm will claim it to be skill.

 

[Paragon]

On the England subject, it was frustratingly silly for England to bypass their MF quartet and launch long-balls to Crouchy. Whatever it was Sven was trying to achieve by doing that, I'm guessing it didn't quite come-off. On Sven, Downing for Owen ? Didn't make sense at all.

As for Lamps./Gerrard in Central MF, it is clear now, as it ever was, that they can't operate side-by-side, and what Sven is doing is sending them out and hoping they'll sort it out between themselves. Fine management. It's never happened in the past, it's unlikely to happen in the next 4 weeks. Seeing as the Crouch/Owen combination didn't come to fruition, for me, the best option is to drop one of the strikers, (if it's Crouch, that'd mean the long-ball game goes out the window as well), and play either Gerrard or Lamps. off the sole striker, whilst the other operates solely in MF. Bottom-line, get them away from each other and give them distinct roles in the team.

Paraguay v. Sweden should be one battle-charged affair.

 

[*Minka*]

I have one of those balls and was kicking it around today and they are curl and serve very well. I was able to get good dynamnics off a set piec with then while practising. I have several footballs and this one does allow for a lot more curve and swerve.

 

[Paragon]

I have one of those balls and was kicking it around today and they are curl and serve very well. I was able to get good dynamnics off a set piec with then while practising. I have several footballs and this one does allow for a lot more curve and swerve.

Are you heading out for the match tomorrow night ?