Official World Cup Thread

[mg91]

Boring.

Yeah it was tense, but I'm sick of tense. When are managers going to start playing with more than one striker? I'm getting sick of seeing one on four.

I have a lot of respect for New Zealand and their manager. He plays with three strikers, regardless of their opponents, and they got a good draw today.

Today I watched the ball go from one end to the other, with every attack finishing with teams over passing the ball.

Where are the players trying to break through the defensive line? Where are the midfielders and wingers bombing forward?

This World Cup is going to set a record for least amount of goals scored unless something changes.

 

[Mooche]

Boring.

Yeah it was tense, but I'm sick of tense. When are managers going to start playing with more than one striker? I'm getting sick of seeing one on four.

I have a lot of respect for New Zealand and their manager. He plays with three strikers, regardless of their opponents, and they got a good draw today.

Today I watched the ball go from one end to the other, with every attack finishing with teams over passing the ball.

Where are the players trying to break through the defensive line? Where are the midfielders and wingers bombing forward?

This World Cup is going to set a record for least amount of goals scored unless something changes.

I understand what you are saying. However, I think that for a lot of teams they are going to a more defensive minded strategy. The Italians have always played defense first, strong defense leads to good offense is the philosophy that they use. I think maybe more and more teams are adapting this. With that being said, the games haven't been boring at all... it's not like they aren't getting quality chances teams.

 

[Fear The Goat]

I understand what you are saying. However, I think that for a lot of teams they are going to a more defensive minded strategy. The Italians have always played defense first, strong defense leads to good offense is the philosophy that they use. I think maybe more and more teams are adapting this. With that being said, the games haven't been boring at all... it's not like they aren't getting quality chances teams.

I agree. When the lower seeded teams are playing the higher seeded teams of course they'll play more major defense. For example, I expect North Korea to play more defense then offense against Brazil because there aware of all the talent on that squad. Even when a team is playing high offense, and the opponent is playing defense, if there's a turnover then that could easily turn into a scoring opportunity for the opposing squad. The players within all countries are getting better, especially Korea!

 

[sheed]

I'm so pissed Buffon is out. I have never seen Marchetti play so I have no idea how good he is.

 

[Mooche]

I'm so pissed Buffon is out. I have never seen Marchetti play so I have no idea how good he is.

It's just a report man... We'll wait and see. If he is out for the group play -- I'm not that worried.

 

[cruzg24]

Brazil beat North Korea 2-1. As long as they win its all good, even though people say they struggled.

 

[sheed]

It's just a report man... We'll wait and see. If he is out for the group play -- I'm not that worried.

It said he is likely out for the entire World Cup.

 

[Mooche]

Again... it's a report. We'll see if it's true. Pirlo at one point was said to miss the entire World Cup.

 

[Fear The Goat]

Brazil beat North Korea 2-1. As long as they win its all good, even though people say they struggled.

They did struggle. N Korea was generous to get out of there with one goal. It was a nice touch though. The first goal allowed by Korea though the goalie played wrong, he was playing as though he was expecting the pass and left a big enough goal for the winger to blast the ball on the inside and he didn't even get a finger tip on the ball! Unfortunate, but it did help me continue my ESPN streak for cash to keep on going.

 

[mg91]

I'm all for a good tactical battle, but what pissed me off about the Portugal v IC game, was that it wasn't tactical at all. Neither manager once tried to change their shape, neither manager changed their approach to the game, and to say that good chances were created in that game is bollocks. All the shots came from outisde the box, because no one is trying to run behind the defense. I think I've seen two teams with players who have tried to break the defensive line so far:

Germany - Just look at some of their goals. Fantastic passing timed perfectly to beat the offside trap.

Netherlands - The sub winger they bought on named Elia constantly beat his man and got beyond him. Shock horror, this resulted in a goal.

I don't understand the all out defense approach to a game. I understand the merits of a good defense, don't get me wrong, but having a good defense doesn't mean you have to sit back and attack on the counter. If you do that you heighten the chance of conceding, because you invite a lot more pressure on you. Ask the Italians, ask the Aussies, ask the Danes.

I wouldn't care if teams played with one striker if the midfielders would be allowed to bomb forward to support them either. United played their best football with one striker on the pitch but when we did we had no less than four midfielders busting their gut to join Rooney in attack. When they didn't do that we looked like garbage.

Anyway, rant over. Every team has only played once, so hopefully come the knock out stages we'll see some real football.

Also, what's everyones take on the new ball?

 

[Fear The Goat]

I'm all for a good tactical battle, but what pissed me off about the Portugal v IC game, was that it wasn't tactical at all. Neither manager once tried to change their shape, neither manager changed their approach to the game, and to say that good chances were created in that game is bollocks. All the shots came from outisde the box, because no one is trying to run behind the defense. I think I've seen two teams with players who have tried to break the defensive line so far:

Germany - Just look at some of their goals. Fantastic passing timed perfectly to beat the offside trap.

Netherlands - The sub winger they bought on named Elia constantly beat his man and got beyond him. Shock horror, this resulted in a goal.

I don't understand the all out defense approach to a game. I understand the merits of a good defense, don't get me wrong, but having a good defense doesn't mean you have to sit back and attack on the counter. If you do that you heighten the chance of conceding, because you invite a lot more pressure on you. Ask the Italians, ask the Aussies, ask the Danes.

I wouldn't care if teams played with one striker if the midfielders would be allowed to bomb forward to support them either. United played their best football with one striker on the pitch but when we did we had no less than four midfielders busting their gut to join Rooney in attack. When they didn't do that we looked like garbage.

Anyway, rant over. Every team has only played once, so hopefully come the knock out stages we'll see some real football.

Also, what's everyones take on the new ball?

I did notice that with the offense trying to break the defense down even, for instance the Brazil game in the first half but that was also because of good defense. They had 5-7 guys around the ball pretty much all the time. They only chance they had was to take the ball wide to the outside like they began to do in the 2nd half. Which is how it created their first goal!

Germany is just beast, I do expect them to make it far!

Netherlands, I forget the guys name but he's the dark complexed guy with the mohawk and he's just amazing for them and tends to sneak by defenders.

I haven't paid attention to World Cup in the past compared to now. But I have noticed that ball tends to take some crazy bounces off the ground and takes unpredictable bounces. Not to mention it seems very light coming off the foot of the ballers because just about 3/4's of the balls have been air mailed to the fans..

 

[sheed]

W00T! Just found out I'm going to the AC Milan/Panathinaikos FC game at the Pontiac Silverdome on August 6th.

 

[RipCity32]

W00T! Just found out I'm going to the AC Milan/Panathinaikos FC game at the Pontiac Silverdome on August 6th.

Damn I was literally just about to tell you we should go to that lol.

 

[sheed]

Haha. If I weren't going with my family I'd say we should. My dad is getting five tickets. So everyone but my mom is going. Unless we buy our own and drive separate. They go on sale at 10 tonight.

 

[RipCity32]

Haha. If I weren't going with my family I'd say we should. My dad is getting five tickets. So everyone but my mom is going.

Sickkkkk. Should be fun.

 

[mg91]

I did notice that with the offense trying to break the defense down even, for instance the Brazil game in the first half but that was also because of good defense. They had 5-7 guys around the ball pretty much all the time. They only chance they had was to take the ball wide to the outside like they began to do in the 2nd half. Which is how it created their first goal!

Germany is just beast, I do expect them to make it far!

Netherlands, I forget the guys name but he's the dark complexed guy with the mohawk and he's just amazing for them and tends to sneak by defenders.

I haven't paid attention to World Cup in the past compared to now. But I have noticed that ball tends to take some crazy bounces off the ground and takes unpredictable bounces. Not to mention it seems very light coming off the foot of the ballers because just about 3/4's of the balls have been air mailed to the fans..

Brazil did well to score two last night. North Korea were extremely disciplined, and that's what I expected them to be. But Brazil are dynamic in attack. They have more than one approach and that Plan B got them the goals. That's a tactical battle. Dunga made the necessary changes to the squads shape and gave certain players greater attacking license and he got just rewards for it.

The Dutch player you're talking about is Elia, the one I mentioned. He was indeed very impressive. He completely changed the game when he came on.

 

[Mooche]

I don't know, I went to a soccer store today actually and got the hold the official game ball, and kick around with it a bit. I found it really slippery when I held it, it has a weird type of design on the actual ball you can't really see. The design and look of it, doesn't really bother me, it's the like design on the ball...might just be me, but.

 

[mg91]

I wasn't really asking about the design in an aesthetic sense.

If you ask me, they've gone too far. I mean, it's a football...how much science can you put in it?

It's meant to be the perfect ball, which is bollocks. Players seems to do better with the usual league balls. I don't know why they would bring this ball in without even trying it outside of the World Cup.

 

[cruzg24]

I wasn't really asking about the design in an aesthetic sense.

If you ask me, they've gone too far. I mean, it's a football...how much science can you put in it?

It's meant to be the perfect ball, which is bollocks. Players seems to do better with the usual league balls. I don't know why they would bring this ball in without even trying it outside of the World Cup.

They did try it before the World Cup, its just that no one had the balls to <Censored> about it before the World Cup. I think that people are complaining about the ball because its the popular thing to do right now. It might be a horrible ball, but the uproar about it shouldve occured when they were testing it out and not now.

 

[cruzg24]

Spain tied with Switzerland 0-0. 2nd half about to start.