World Cup Soccer 2010

[yourchoice]

Originally Posted by kazzaca

The ball is definitely a problem, not just for the keepers but also for attacking players.

We really haven't seen many goals from long range or any quality free kicks either. Most shots from long range just balloon over the goal. Players are even having trouble reading the flight of the ball because it doesn't behave the way they're expecting it to.

Everyone wants to see more goals but it seems like the number of quality goals is not so high whereas the crappy goalie mistakes are on the rise.

The ball may or may not be a problem, but I think the altitude is playing a bigger part. I think all of the venues are all several thousands of feet above sea level. Here's an msnbc article on it. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37789278...ience-science/

[LooseCard]

Originally Posted by kazzaca

The ball is definitely a problem, not just for the keepers but also for attacking players.

We really haven't seen many goals from long range or any quality free kicks either. Most shots from long range just balloon over the goal. Players are even having trouble reading the flight of the ball because it doesn't behave the way they're expecting it to.

Everyone wants to see more goals but it seems like the number of quality goals is not so high whereas the crappy goalie mistakes are on the rise.

Yeah, from the little I've caught - the ball is making a huge difference.

The ball is benefitting from a technological upgrade.
The attackers are hitting harder than needed, so the ball is sailing higher faster than they are used to.
The goalies likewise, are expecting the drag and hook/slice of the old ball and are not compensating for the newer techno-ball.





just my

Originally Posted by kazzaca

The ball is definitely a problem, not just for the keepers but also for attacking players.

We really haven't seen many goals from long range or any quality free kicks either. Most shots from long range just balloon over the goal. Players are even having trouble reading the flight of the ball because it doesn't behave the way they're expecting it to.

Everyone wants to see more goals but it seems like the number of quality goals is not so high whereas the crappy goalie mistakes are on the rise.

I'd say the long range goal against the US in the last game was pretty nice! Also, the US' goal that the ref ripped off was definitely a quality indirect that was volleyed very well, and it should have won us the game.

Originally Posted by yourchoice

The ball may or may not be a problem, but I think the altitude is playing a bigger part. I think all of the venues are all several thousands of feet above sea level. Here's an msnbc article on it. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37789278...ience-science/

Interesting article!

[TheRiddick]

Great news! (sarcasm here)

Mali ref that messed up the USA game is now not in the rotation pool for the next round. BUT... With great fanfare FIFA announced that an "experienced" Belgian ref will now be in charge of our next game. Yep, that same idiot who refereed the Chelsea/Barca game in CL. Have no idea who is worse, the Mali guy or this clown. As much as I dislike Chelsea and some of its players, they were beaten that day by the ref, not Barca.

Oh well... The only way for USA now to advance is to go full out against Algir with the "we have nothing to loose at this point". make sure Onyewu is not playing, though, he is a liability against a speedy Algir team.