2006 World Cup Chock full o' spoilers thread

[Abagadro]

I think this would work out better to have a separate thread.  If you have watched the game or don't care you can post in here and otherwise avoid it.

Anyways, the first and last goals by Germany were seriously sick. I love the new ball although I wouldn't want to be a keeper. 

Poland looks like crap but it's not over yet.

[sigil]

It is now  :-D

2-0 Ecuador 89'th min in

[Abagadro]

Heh, second one off the post in the last 10 minutes of the game.

I like the English commentators because you get to hear things like "bulge the onion bag" and "denied by the woodwork."

[Righ]

The last goal by Germany was spectacular. Poland aren't looking bad at all - it was a much better match than the German debacle - Poland have had some misfortune, not least the beautiful left foot shot that went into the bar. Ecuador are remarkable however - this is a team that was crushed by Poland 3-0 in the friendlies. Changes the whole group. I still think Poland can beat Germany - where does THAT put us? They'll beat Costa Rica. No reason to think that Ecuador won't beat Costa Rica either. Even were Germany to beat Ecuador, its going to come down to goal difference, and Germany's defense is abysmal.

[Abagadro]

I thought Poland looked like they were asleep for the entire first half. They only really played a good 20 minutes (the last 20 minutes) but by then it was a bit late. They will have to bring it much better than that to have a shot against Germany.

[sigil]

The whole f13 communitiy had as many shots on goal in the first half as Poland did against Ecuador.

Hold your head up high, folks.

[El Gallo]

6-9-06 NEVER FORGET



See, I'm getting into this already.  If I had better mspaint skill, I'd add tears to the bird.

[sigil]

Maybe they could change their flag to a ball bouncing harmlessly away from a crossbar.

[Righ]

The real problem in this group remains the two goals against Germany. If Costa Rica can put two away with what wasn't particularly impressive play, Germany are in serious trouble. And it's not just an off day, a slow start, or, as Klinsmann put it 'a couple of mistakes'. Their whole defensive strategy is utter crap. Maybe its going to get them through the group - its more balanced than expected, but its all good news for England and Sweden.

The US studio presenters loved all the goal scoring though. More bad football please, they said. :)

[sigil]

The real problem in this group remains the two goals against Germany. If Costa Rica can put two away with what wasn't particularly impressive play, Germany are in serious trouble. And it's not just an off day, a slow start, or, as Klinsmann put it 'a couple of mistakes'. Their whole defensive strategy is utter crap. Maybe its going to get them through the group - its more balanced than expected, but its all good news for England and Sweden.

The US studio presenters loved all the goal scoring though. More bad football please, they said. :)

That's nothing new.

What's a long touchdown pass or run, or a home run?

Someone screwed up.

ESPN has made a industry off of people not being able to do their job on defense.

[Righ]

Que?

[sigil]

Think about it, when somone breaks an 80 yard run, somebody missed an assignment or a tackle.

Most long completions are due to people not bing able to cover a reciever.

Most Home runs are caused by a pitcher throwing a bad one, like a hanging curve or a high breaking ball.

The result of those plays is a highlight reel making performance, for the team that took advantage of  the mistake.

HIghlights are what drive ESPN.

The bad rear line play for germany led to several breakaways,  one of which was actually offside, and netted the two goals.

The first goal in the match  was a result of the defender falling down and out of position, otherwise, that shot fires into a Tico defende'rs gut.

All of which are highlights, and  poor football.

[Signe]

Home runs... that's something in cricket, no?

[Righ]

My point was that rather than simply having a bad day, an off moment, a guy screwing up, an unlucky break, an error discovered in hindsight, and all the other perfectly valid reasons for ceding a goal, Germany gave away both goals because the team played amateur hour tactics.

[Engels]

Germany always plays with a huge ego. They probably thought 'Costa Rica, who cares...' and played sloppy. But when Germany gets neurotically competitive, that's when you have to look out. They tighten up quite a bit. I'm not talking about the current team, though, only my observations of many many world cups.

[sigil]

My point was that rather than simply having a bad day, an off moment, a guy screwing up, an unlucky break, an error discovered in hindsight, and all the other perfectly valid reasons for ceding a goal, Germany gave away both goals because the team played amateur hour tactics.

Ah, I agree with that.

[Jobu]

Finally got home and watched the Germany game. I was going crazy all day trying to avoid my usual browsing habits of hitting up the English sports sites. Have the Poland one on DVR still to watch, but didn't care enough to avoid spoiling it.

Not much to add about the games... except for the commentary. The American guys commentating were pretty good. I was expecting some real idiots, but they did their research, and did themselves a favor by grabbing a veteran American player to offer real insight into the game. A few foibles like commenting on the amount of substitutions or the yellow card rule. But that's forgiveable considering their audience aren't as well informed about the sport as a whole.

But what really, really irked me... were the dumb, flashy NFL style graphics with swooshy noises. They took up way too much of the screen, and were totally useless. They presented the lineup of each team during open play, but it was rushed and didn't even mention the formations (4-4-2, 3-4-3?)or relative positions. It was sloppy, and I didn't like it at all.

[Abagadro]

Those shadows are really distracting.

[Signe]

Those swooshy noises drive me nuts, too.  I don't watch much ESPN but Righ says they do that during all the sports they show.  ARGH! 

[Tale]

England vs Paraguay is fun though. Roaring English crowd, preposterous German stadium, South American flair vs English know-how. Enjoying it.

[CmdrSlack]

Those swooshy noised drive me nuts, too.  I don't watch much ESPN but Righ says they do that during all the sports they show.  ARGH! 

Everyone knows that swooshing means ACTION!

[Tale]

Mine is on SBS because only strange foreign people play soccer.

[Numtini]

Maybe they should stick to flat packed furniture.

[JoeTF]

It'll probably just like in last World Cup: 0-2, then 0-4, then 3-1.


   

[CmdrSlack]

The Ivory Coast - Argentina match was good, although I think the announcers made too big of a deal about Argentina having never lost a World Cup match when up by at least one goal.  I also think I may have to fly to Germany and throttle the next one who states the obvious...."You really need to attack and apply pressure on the ball, while keeping the other team from scoring -- that's how you win."  No shit.  It's like when Madden says, "The team with the most points at the end of the game will be the winner."

Color commentay doesn't HAVE to be asnine to be color commentary.

[Teleku]

Home runs... that's something in cricket, no?

We're talking about sports here.

[Lantyssa]

Everyone knows that swooshing means ACTION!

In my case it means I'm swinging my hips too much.  There isn't much action there. :P

Is anyone besides me rooting for Trinidad?

[Righ]

Is anyone besides me rooting for Trinidad?

Back to cricket(s).

It's always nice when an underdog has good fortune, but I want to see the best international football in the world. The only team that played a first class game today was Argentina. Lots of good individual performances (not least among England's players) but its team play that should win out. It was good team play that saw Trinidad draw against a team which boasts more star talent. All England need now is another sloppy win against Trinidad to progress. Hopefully Trinidad will frighten them into some team play, because otherwise England will be in big trouble in the next round.

Unfortunately England has heaps of stars, most of whom have egos that keep weighting them down. That tall streak of piss Crouch is a liability.

[CmdrSlack]

That tall streak of piss Crouch is a liability.

Is Crouch the one who was throwing up his hands when called on penalties and the like?  If I remember right, the announcers even commented on what a douche he was being.

[Abagadro]

Crouch is the ungodly tall, gangly striker.  He was getting quite abused in the box all game from what I saw.

[Righ]

Is Crouch the one who was throwing up his hands when called on penalties and the like?  If I remember right, the announcers even commented on what a douche he was being.

He's the one what was carded for dissent. He's got heaps of talent, and the height to target long lobs to, but he's got to drop the attitude. The stupid thing was that even after he was carded, he still got mouthy with the ref. England does not need to be playing with 10 men. And he's no subsitute for Rooney in the attack. He's way too slow to respond, as Gamarra demonstrated by scoring (!) before Crouch had even left the ground.

[Abagadro]

He does a good robot though.

[HaemishM]

Watched the Germany and England games.

Crouch was being a twat, and there was really only one play where I saw him do anything other than throw up his arms and point his razor-sharp gob at the refs. That Paraguayan team was full of divers, Paedas the worst. Every time you turned around, the wind of a passing player had blown him over. I don't know dick about futbol, but damn England looked REAL SLOPPY. They just kind of ponced their way through the whole match, not really trying. Right near the end, Paraguay almost scored on them, which would have been real, real bad.

My non-HD feeds of ESPN and ABC are night and day. The ESPN feeds are crisp, the ABC ones muddy as fuck. One of the few times I've actually wanted HD. Though I thought the American announcers did a decent job, I'd have preferred to have at least one Brit, or better yet a Scotsman in the booth. I just love those wacky accents. And it would be nice if the announcer actually knew what a "geezer" was.

[sigil]

Those shadows are really distracting.

FIFA agrees with you.

It would, however, not be possible to close the ceilings. It's  awfully hot in germany right now, and those stadiums are not air conditioned,because they're normally used in the fall winter and spring, and are more for rain protection.

[Righ]

Though I thought the American announcers did a decent job, I'd have preferred to have at least one Brit, or better yet a Scotsman in the booth. I just love those wacky accents. And it would be nice if the announcer actually knew what a "geezer" was.

Ally McCoist or Andy Gray would be good picks. They're both somewhat known in the US due to their involvement in EA video games.