World Cup Banter
 

Let's discuss Football!!!
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Glad to participate but everyone should remember that many will be recording the games to watch later in the day. Use discretion when posting.

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It's gonna be interesting to see the US can do. They have quite the challenge(s) ahead.

Not sure how I feel about Landon Donovan not being on the team. Just seems weird.

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It blows my mind that Donovan isn't in the team. I've been generally happy with everything Klinsmann's done since he took over in 2011, but this one hurts my head.

Perhaps you already saw, but it came out yesterday that Lando will be working as an ESPN pundit. And while I haven't yet seen it, allegedly Landon rips Jurgen Klinsmann in first segment.

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It has been said that Landon Donovan has been "coasting" and a number of commentators believe he hasn't been at the top of his game for a few years, now. It does sounds like Klinsmann has every intention of putting this team in a position to compete in 4 years, first, and, secondarily, to compete this year.

I don't really have an opinion, I guess. I don't follow the sport close enough.

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my son and I are more than ready.

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FYI, and FWIW (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5M_Ttstbgs) I don't give a fig, or a guava, about the World Cup. But for those who do, and whose interest goes deeper than the mere sporting interest of "the beautiful game", I urge you to seek out the June 7-13 issue of The Economist. Looking beyond the mere athletic aspect of this event, its lead article explores not only the limited appeal of the sport in half of the world (the USA, India, and China) but also the darker side of FIFA, which is characterized as, at best, an aloof uncommunicative bureaucracy and, at worst, an imperious and corrupt oligarchy. Also, in the magazine's Books and Arts section, you will find reviews of three recent works which explore Brazil's loving/hateful relationship with the game.

Just my :2 , and if you don't care to go deeper just tune in the matches and enjoy.

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Is it safe yet to discuss the opening match?

As a fan of the EPL I know what it means to live and die by self-imposed media blackout and my DVR. However, the games are so rapid-fire in this tournament that yesterday's match will be old news in just a few hours.

Should I give it another day? I don't want to spoil it for anybody.

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I've watched it.
Go for it, David.
Posted via Mobile Device

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You guys look plenty ready! I have a friend from Munich. What part of Germany are you from?

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With the wife being 1/2 Brazilian it's obligatory I go for Brazil. But at work the random pool has me with USA, Italia, Greece, France, or Belgium.

I feel I lost this pool already and made a monetary donation to someone else's libation fund.

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Alrighty then. How about Brazil's EGREGIOUS dive by Fred, for which the ref awarded a penalty, which led to the game winning goal! :eek:

Nothing burns me up like diving. Especially when it's committed by a Brazilian! I say this because Brazil has the talent, the history, and the home field advantage, and should manage a win by playing a clean game. And yet this is what they give us?! Really disappointing. The most offensive part, is that after the penalty was converted, Fred looked to the sky and pointed to the heavens as if God himself had directed him to cheat. :fl

I don't blame the ref for getting it wrong. Refereeing is one of the toughest, most thankless jobs around. I blame Fred for selling the ref a lie. I wish tapes would be reviewed and offenders would be fined, heavily. Diving discredits the player, the team, and the game I hold so dear. :2

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Brazil is far from alone in diving (selling lies) and I agree with your assessment as to the difficulty of being a referee. But I do think he has some accountability there. If it was borderline, then I agree. But this one being blatant , some of the blame IS on the referees's shoulders. And, trust me, having been a soccer referee for many years, I usually tend to give the officials the benefit of the doubt. Not this time.

I hope to get home from work soon and watch as much of the three matches from today as I possibly can.

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Holy Toledo macaroni!

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I grew up there for 6 years as a child. fell in love with the sport while over there and adopted Germany as my country to root for. I root for the USA. Just not when play Germany. ;)

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The four matches yesterday and today kept my attention. Nice to have something good to watch at work :tu Spain and the Netherlands!!

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I have had all the matches going on in the background either on on showroom tv or my phone....My co-worker isnt too pleased to be listening commentary over music lol.

I have only missed the match between Spain and Netherlands...kinda bummed I missed that

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If you haven't yet seen the highlights, be certain that you do.

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Ivory Coast with the first use of the "Magic spray". :banger

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Netherlands really surprised me! Destroyed Spain, would've liked to to see Van Der Vaart, Kuyt, and Huntelaar come in!

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It's almost here. Tomorrow is a BIG day for the USA. :usa

In the early match, Germany vs Portugal, We want to see a 0-0 draw. If not 0-0, then 1-1. If not 1-1, then 2-2. Whatever. As long as it's a draw.

In the main event, USA vs Ghana, the United States must collect all three points. There's just no two ways about it. With our group being as tough as it is, and our previous World Cup difficulties versus Ghana, we need to beat them soundly to boost our confidence and give us our best chance, perhaps our only chance, of advancing.

How do you see this one going?

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Agreed. I do believe the USA will win.

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You hit the nail on the head, David.
As long as we're wishing, a red card for Ronaldo would be nice, too. That way, he'd miss the game against us. ;)

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:banger

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Well, you were close. Pepe out with a red card is a nice consolation. Also, the fact that Germany racked up such a large win could possibly help the USA.

Germany did their job. Now, the USA needs to do theirs.

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Safe to discuss USA vs GHA, pnoon?

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Yep.

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32 seconds. Gotta love it.

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I was loving it big time. My friend was trying to use this game as an example of why soccer is stupid, because of the 80 scoreless minutes in the middle. I disagree with him completely :tu

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Couldn't agree more. it was frustrating to watch the US go into their defensive mode, but it kept me watching to see if Ghana could score. When they did, then it was to keep watching to see if they would pour it on, knowing the momentum had turned. But to see the US come back like that and finally control the ball at the end. And the beautiful corner kick and header. I was out of my chair yelling.

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Disappointed with USA play. Ghana deserved the goal, and wonderful that we did end up winning. But that kind of play vs Germany or Portugal will get us destroyed! Hopefully we pick up the pace and don't copy the Italian catenacchio style of play.

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Agreed!

Their lack of ball control was pretty stunning. They are better than that. It was nice to hear, in post game interviews, the players and coach comment on that.

Sunday can't get here fast enough.

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This is a snippet of what Roger Bennett of ESPNFC had to say of the USA's performance against Ghana:

This is what we are made of then: A tenacious victory in which the back line made 45 clearances, most by a team in any World Cup match since 1966. The attackers conjured two touches within 20 yards of Ghana's goal (one was Brooks' goal) after Jozy Altidore departed. And a total 90 minutes in which goalkeeper Tim Howard led the team with 61 touches.

Yet still win.

And what could be more American than that?

I think that was pretty well said. :usa

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Thanks for sharing that, Dave. Fantastic.

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Anyone heard anything about the injuries to Portugal and if Pepe's red card will be more than a one game suspension?

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This comes from the FIFA website. It's the best I could find regarding Portugal's injuries. It was, however, published on Monday...

Striker Hugo Almeida and defender Fábio Coentrão are major injury doubts for Portugal coach Paulo Bento in the wake of their 4-0 drubbing by Germany at the FIFA World Cup™.

Portuguese media report Real Madrid's Coentrão is out for a minimum of ten days with a leg injury despite managing to finish the Group G match. Almeida is also rated doubtful for Portugal's next clash against the USA on 22 June after pulling up with a muscle injury in the first-half against Germany.

"The outlook isn't the best, they are two muscular injuries and will take time to heal," said Bento. "We'll have to see how bad they are, but the signs are not encouraging."

Bento is definitely without centre-back Pepe for the USA game after his first-half dismissal against Germany for head-butting Thomas Müller, who claimed a hat-trick. "We have to come up with the best solutions to any absences now," said Bento.

"We have to fight for our objectives and goals. We'll be under a lot of pressure, regardless of the result of Ghana verses the USA. Our goal remains to qualify. We're not happy, starting a tournament with a result like this makes it complicated. Now we'll find out who we are and we'll see our capacity to fight for our goals."

Sunday USA vs POR is going to be epic. :po

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No doubt.
Wondering about the injuries to Altidore and Besler, too.

Just finished watching Brazil/Mexico. Very intense match.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C058wv48oms


too funny not to post.

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I'm no expert, but watching that injury as it happened, I think Altidore is done for the tournament. :( Besler's injury appeared much less severe. Jozy reported feeling a pop, whereas Besler complained of tightness. I bet Besler will be back. I'm not sure what Klinsmann will do if Altidore can't go. Wondolowski?

As for Brazil vs Mexico, now THAT was an exciting 0-0 match. :2

I just read about an interesting study on cheating in the World Cup called Cheating The Beautiful Game. Better than the article, was the companion video at the top of the page. In the video, there is footage of what's now referred to as The Battle Of Santiago, a 1962 World Cup match between Chile and Italy. That one really got out of hand. :bx

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Me and my friends have a huge pool going and I have Mexico and Brazil advancing yesterday's game was HUGE for me!! As my major upset I have Netherlands not advancing hope Spain gets their **** together and Chile keeps momentum!!

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That's what I was thinking. Maybe one of the best 0-0 games I've ever watched :r Mexico's Ochoa was on fire.

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Could the reffing sucked any more??
It was painful watching the Greece / Japan match.

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Anybody have a prediction for USA vs Portugal? It's kicking-off in two and a half hours! :usa

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2-1 usa :)

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1-0 portugal

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3-1 Portugal

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FML

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*&^%$#@!!!!!