World Cup 2010

[ghost]

This is coming up soon and looks to be a good one.

It looks like, from this list, that Spain should be a major player in this year's cup.  I fully expect to see Spain and England underachieve and Germany, Italy, Brazil and probably Argentina in the finals, depending on the path to the final game. 

[HaemishM]

Spain will depend on David Villa and Fernando Torres' health. If they can keep it together, I back them - I'm not going to dismiss them like I did in Euro 2008. Brazil isn't as scary as it used to be and Argentina is one white powder sniff from deconstructing at any time. Italy doesn't scare me either.

[sigil]

Italy does however have plenty of time to get up to speed with the minnows in their group.

[K9]

England are in awful shape for this World Cup. I expect we'll get through the group stages but I don't see us going much further.

[ShenMolo]

For those watching from the States, have you seen ESPN's broadcast times?

http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2010/01/espn-inc-2010-fifa-world-cup-schedule/

Basically, for the Group Stages, every day from 6/11 thru 6/25 there will be a 7am, 9:30am, and 2pm (Eastern Time) game.

For the elimination rounds, the games are 9:30am & 2pm.

Semi's and finals at 2pm.

Hurray for DVR, although I usually try to watch at least one game a day at the pub.

[ghost]

Hurray for DVR, although I usually try to watch at least one game a day at the pub.

I miss London.  There was a pub in the hallway between my dorms and the classrooms.

[Sir T]

I have to look forward to a summer with loads of people complaining about France kicking Ireland out of the WC qualifyers and how we would be beating the crap out of the useless teams that did qualify. 

[WayAbvPar]

Planning to watch the US v England game at a pub, but will probably watch most of the rest at home. Can't wait!

[HaemishM]

My Tivo will be on fire during that week month.

EDIT: Because the World Cup is longer than a week, dumbass.

[sigil]

USA England really needs to be watched with a crowd and saved to either be savored again in delicious happiness or ritualistically savaged over drinks and bitter tears of loss.

[Numtini]

It was flipping tapes in 98 that convinced me to get a DVR when the DISHplayer came out the next year.

[Lucas]

WAKA WAKA RISEEEEEE  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGMyHtZpMwY
----

Starts tomorrow, 11th June.

Group A:

4pm CET - 10am EDT South Africa - Mexico
8.30pm CET - 2.30pm EDT  Uruguay - France

My prediction: 1-1, 0-1

[sigil]

I am a bundle of giddiness.

tomorrow el-tri 2 Bafanna Bafanna 1
Hand of Gaul1 Ura, ura, ura not gonna make it to the second round 0.

[Amarr HM]

World Cup Calendar.

I worry that England might win it, the loss of Rio isn't the worst thing that could happen as long as Ledley King stays fit they have the more stalwart defender. I fancy Argentina to make it to the Semis or final and I suspect USA to go to the second round only to be knocked out by Germany. My punt for the semi's will be Argentina, Spain (maybe Brazil), England and Netherlands.

[HaemishM]

as long as Ledley King stays fit

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

 

[Amarr HM]

Hmm, good point.

[naum]

World Cup Bracket Poll

http://forums.f13.net/index.php?topic=19349.0

Get your picks before matches start tomorrow…

[Lucas]

Opening Ceremony starting any minute now.

[Lucas]

Good start of the 2010 World Cup: 1-1 between Mexico and South Africa, I was right  

Mexico has a brilliant play, but the young age of some of their key elements is clearly showing, like Dos Santos and Vela. Too many chances wasted, too much playing around in the middle with useless one-twos, they were playing better when using the wingers. But hey, if they manage to get more serious and pass on to the next stage, they can wreak some havoc, they're quite unpredictable with their quickness.

South Africa, heart, long balls, but beside the great goal and Pienaar experience, their true key element is the experienced coach, Parreira. He surely knows how to place his pieces around the field.

Honor mention: Perez, Mexico goalkeeper. He's just a MESS, lol.

Oh, and by the way:

http://www.beet.tv/2010/06/world-cup-fever-internet-has-busiest-day-ever-.html

[EWSpider]

I still don't understand why that first goal wasn't given to Mexico.  What happened there?  There was a defender on the goal line so it clearly wasn't offsides.  I never really heard an explanation for it.

[Paelos]

I still don't understand why that first goal wasn't given to Mexico.  What happened there?  There was a defender on the goal line so it clearly wasn't offsides.  I never really heard an explanation for it.

He was ruled offsides.

[eldaec]

You are offside when the ball is played forward by your team from a position further from the goal line than the second to last player of the opposing team and you are closer to the goal line than the second to last player of the opposing team and you are ahead of the ball (unless you are in your own half, then you are never offside). The key thing here, is that the goalkeeper is just another player for the purpose of this rule, you don't get special credit for who happens to be the last and second to last man.

There was one defender on the goal line, the second to last player was the goalkeeper who had charged forward, the player who put the ball in the net was ahead of the goalkeeper when the ball was played forward. Ergo offside.

[Amarr HM]

I can understand the confusion I've rarely seen that call come into play.

[Jobu]

You can watch the games live on the internet through Univision here:

http://futbol.univision.com/fifacopamundial/partidos-en-vivo/

Also, you can watch them live on ESPN360.com if you have the right broadband provider. It's currently not working, probably because of too much demand.

[Paelos]

The Uruguay-France match was a total letdown. 

[Tale]

Enjoyed the Bafana Bafana goal celebration.

[sigil]

The Uruguay-France match was a festering pile of dogshit 

Fixed that for you

[Amarr HM]

Guess that's two fingers to those who thought France were the more attractive proposition than Ireland.

[Lucas]

The Uruguay-France match was a festering pile of dogshit 

Fixed that for you

Right 

Nothing really to comment about that match. Tomorrow should be interesting enough with the much anticipated debut of Argentina (Milito, Messi and everyone else) and USA vs. England (for many reasons, not only sport ones), of course. Oh, and the EXCITING Greece vs. South Korea at 1.30pm CET (7.30am EDT)

[HaemishM]

I can understand the confusion I've rarely seen that call come into play.

I was sure that was an onside play. It still doesn't make any sense to me, but I ain't a ref.

Shocked by the France game though. I didn't expect Uruguay to make much of a fight of it. France must have had sore hands. 

The South Africa-Mexico match was fun, though. Tshabalala looked pretty damn good, and I wouldn't be surprised if some European team gave him a look when this was over. He seemed a pretty decent Michael Essien type with a killer shot.

[Mosesandstick]

You need 2 defending players ahead of you to be on-side (usually a goalie and a defender). Goalie went out, so there was only one player left, hence off-side. I think I just paraphrased eldaec

[Lucas]

30 minutes 'til Day 2 starts.

My predictions: Kor-Gre 1-2 (but quite uncertain on paper), Arg-Nig 3-1, Eng-Usa 2-0

May the Vuvulezas be with you.

[Azazel]

Greece are playing some really sloppy football so far. If they'd played the way they did in the last 5 minute's for the past 20, they''d have gotten the lead, though.
Hoping to see a fistfight between the Greek keeper and his defender in the second half...

Looking forward to trying to stay awake for the England-US game later though.  


Greece doing the same thing I keep seeing lower-tier teams do (including Australia, I have to say) - fucking around passing the ball back and forth in your own half looking for the perfect play when a player from the other team has a go at them, gets the ball and puts it in the net.

[Lucas]

Greece is a total trainwreck, horrible slow play and lack of attention, they're basically sleepwalking on the field. Deserved 2-0 lead for South Korea.

[Azazel]

Greece have been playing much better in the second half, but too little, too late, and well outclassed by the Koreans. Argentina and Nigeria will show them the meaning of pain!