*** Official World Cup 2010 Thread ***

[workinonit]

Yes, yes, I'm well aware there's a generic 'soccer thread', but let's face it, this is the mother****ing World Cup! It's just over a day to the first game and honestly I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve. I'm excited, I'm apprehensive, just everything, I cannot wait

These are the groups:


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I had wrote a tl;dr post on the six favourites but lost it Cliffs were I think Spain should win, brazil have an excellent chance and a Maradona in 1986 like tournament performance from Messi could win it for argentina

It saddens me that as good a team as England have, I don't think we can quite do it this time. But, as an England fan, it's time to throw all notion of logic out the window

LET'S GOOOOO!!!! COME ON ENGLANNNNNNDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!

 

[joshyb20]

On the subject of throwing all notions of logic out the window, go USA!!!

 

[S93]

I think Spain are gonna go far. The best team imo.
Any team that is forced to bench Fabregas has to be sick.

Argentina are interesting also. Probably the strongest squad on paper but havent been convincing since Maradonna took charge.
How the hell he is gonna line up his frontline is beyond me.

1. Messi
2. Higuain
3. Tevez
4. Aguero
5. Milito
6. Palermo

Maybe Tevez
Aquero----------Messi? Or Aquero-Tevez-Higuain with Messi in a freerole behind and 2 defensive midfilders behind him?

 

[ThunderPT]

I think Spain are gonna go far. The best team imo.
Any team that is forced to bench Fabregas has to be sick.

Argentina are interesting also. Probably the strongest squad on paper but havent been convincing since Maradonna took charge.
How the hell he is gonna line up his frontline is beyond me.

1. Messi
2. Higuain
3. Tevez
4. Aguero
5. Milito
6. Palermo

Maybe Tevez
Aquero----------Messi? Or Aquero-Tevez-Higuain with Messi in a freerole behind and 2 defensive midfilders behind him?

Palermo and Milito will sit on the bench and so will either Tevez or Agüero. The one who starts from those two will partner Higuain up front, with Messi and Di María on the wings and Verón as an attacking midfielder (Pastore being his alternative).

If Maradona prefers to use Messi in the center behind the forwards it becomes more complicated.


About Spain, their second goal against Poland in their friendly game says it all:
YouTube- Espanha 6 x 0 Polônia

Iniesta, Xavi and David Silva making magic! :adore:

 

[workinonit]

IT'S HEEEERRRRREEEEEEEEE!!!!!! XD Beer in, feet up, GOOOOOOOOOOO BAFANAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 

[workinonit]

Interesting and a really rather good first game imo. mexico should have had it wrapped up by half time, seemed to suffer a bit of 'Arsenal Syndrome'. Some really nice build-up play but there looked to be a lack of killer instinct. Thought SA were pretty good in the second half and their goal was really well taken. Verryyyy poor defending though for the Mexican goal. I think on balance a draw was a pretty fair result to be honest

Looking forward to Uruguay v france as well. I get the impression that France could either be very good, or relatively poor. Uruguay have some decent players, particularly in Suarez and Forlan. Should be a comfortable France win, but we shall see

 

[Gesshoo]

Check this out - pretty cool day-by-day calendar

http://www.marca.com/deporte/futbol/mundial/sudafrica-2010/calendario-english.html

 

[robwhufc]

Going to take a few matches before it gets underway - very cagey at the moment. Looking forward to some of the more exotic matches, e.g North Korea v Ivory Coast.

England tomorrow - a win will see the momentum start to build!

 

[workinonit]

God France v Uruguay was pretty poor. Didn't have 100% focus on the game due to, well its dullness quite frankly lol. France have basically just shown they have no chance at winning this World Cup. Strange squad, strange line-up, strange performance. Like I said, Uruguay have a relatively decent side, but a team like France should be winning that game comfortably. They just looked sooooo flat

 

[SPCotter]

The irony of Henry trying to claim handball!!

SA Mexico was a better game in fairness

 

[S93]

God France v Uruguay was pretty poor. Didn't have 100% focus on the game due to, well its dullness quite frankly lol. France have basically just shown they have no chance at winning this World Cup. Strange squad, strange line-up, strange performance. Like I said, Uruguay have a relatively decent side, but a team like France should be winning that game comfortably. They just looked sooooo flat

And a even stranger manager.
How Govou stayed on as long as he did is beyond me.

SPCotter, you are not the only one that saw the irony.
I litearly started laughing when the cheating c**t claimed the handball.

 

[ItsMe]

And a even stranger manager.

That hits the nail on the head.

---

I wish they'd put some corks in those horns as well. Oh and while I'm having a moan, if some twit from ITV calls the South Africans Bafana Bafana again or starts attempting any other bantu expressions, I'm going to throw the TV out the window. Even their President doesn't like the name. I guess we are going to have exotic name attempts all the way through this world cup. I wish they'd just try to talk English - most of the commentators can just about manage that.

 

[workinonit]

How Govou stayed on as long as he did is beyond me.

He's a Leo. A game against a South American team in June means a Leo is an ideal striker. Thought everyone knew that

 

[blacksun]

He's a Leo. A game against a South American team in June means a Leo is an ideal striker. Thought everyone knew that

Is not that far from the truth. Most French fans can't wait til the end of the WC just to see the end of Dominech's reign.
South Korea showing some decent football albeit against a very weak Greece side. Looking forward to see the bizzare line up for the Argies from another freak of a manager

 

[workinonit]

Looking forward to see the bizzare line up for the Argies from another freak of a manager

Newcastle's Jonas Gutierrez is set to start on the right side of midfield

This pleases me as a Newcastle fan, but lol

 

[workinonit]

Sigh England

Edit: Wanted to make some sort of analysis but I'm annoyed lol

 

[S93]

Sigh England

Edit: Wanted to make some sort of analysis but I'm annoyed lol

Shit keeper.
No left winger.
And a complete lack of finishing.

On the plus side for England fans you drew with the second strongest team in the group and created alot of chances despite playing badly so things can really only improve(or get much much worse).

 

[Effexor]

I have a question after watching the soccer game today.

What is that buzzing noise that never ever stops. Sounds like a cloud of Bees. I even heard it on ESPN radio when they were doing the updates of the other games.

 

[ThunderPT]

I have a question after watching the soccer game today.

What is that buzzing noise that never ever stops. Sounds like a cloud of Bees. I even heard it on ESPN radio when they were doing the updates of the other games.

It's the sound of thousands of vuvuzelas, typical south african blowing horns. I hate them, they're annoying and completely ruin the atmosphere. We can't hear chants or excitement from the crowd during goal chances, just the same endless annoying noise for 90 minutes...

 

[S93]

First 2 games today where pretty boring but germany are showing they have real class right now.
Klose scoring his 11th WC goal and Podolsky scored a scorcher.
I kinda like the Australian team so its a shame it looks like this might end with a humiliation if Germany keeps playing like this in the second half.

 

[fletchdad]

Those Germans

4-0 and 10 minutes left. I feel bad for the Australians, that red card was not deserved, a yellow would have sufficed. But the Germans were playing strong, so quite a deserved win. My wife is German and I am American, so I hope a USA vs Germany happens, tho I know which team I would lay my money on, I would still root for the US boys.......

 

[S93]

Undeserved red but a deserved win for Germany.
It was a foul from behind but he didnt raise his studs and there was no intend in the foul so I think a yellow would have been more then enough.
Germany could have scored a few more but seemed to shut off that last 10min.

Nice to see how many young players(Klose beeing the exeption) where in Germany´s team.
Defenatly a team of the future for Germany.

 

[Suited Frenzy]

Undeserved red but a deserved win for Germany.
Nice to see how many young players(Klose beeing the exeption) where in Germany´s team.
Defenatly a team of the future for Germany.

Yea, they are lookin' great. It's going to be exciting watchin' em in the future. My monies might be on them :top:

 

[SilentJay]

Having lived in Australia for 10 years, I feel kinda bad about the result. But being German I'm also pretty happy with that performance, of course. To be honest, I wasn't expecting anything like that. Thought it would be a hard-fought 1:0 or so.

The red card for Cahill was undeserved. Fairly irrelevant for tonight's game, but it's a big loss for their next one. Hopefully they can still prevail in the group, though.

 

[8Michael3]

Germany are looking like the best team so far. Argentina are a close 2nd. But we have to wait and see how the big teams will play against big teams.

The vuvuzelas are that buzzing noise--and if you dont like them youve never been to a game where the whole stadium is moving through your bones...you can keep your anthems and singing of national songs--theyre nice and patriotic-- but if you want an atmosphere that moves your soul you take a vuvuzela ; - ]

Semi final predicitons anybody...if its possible I would say Argentina, Spain, Brazil, and Germany. But who wants the regular teams there.? Would be nice to see an outsider take on a big team and win.. Im South African I would like it to be "the boys" but Im also a realist so I have to say that we dont really have shot against the big names. I would like to see the Spanish win their first world cup if they make a final though...

Italy got thrashed by Mexico in the friendly-those grandpas with walking sticks shoulda lost 5 zip to the mexicans but we will have to see tonight how the old men are playing because they always up their game for the big stage!!