World Cup 2010 - South Africa Thread

[HappyDayRiot]

^ Confirmed James is playing tonight.

France were dreadful and got worse and worse as the game went on. Nothing galvanised Mexico quite as much as Hernandez scoring - looking forward to seeing him at United next season. Abidal at fault for both goals, Gallas a defensive moron on at least 3 occasions I can remember, Ribery totally wasted in his position behind the striker, Govou invisible, only Malouda looked like he was even trying... Oh, and replacing Anelka with Gignac sure worked didn't it? Domenech, I imagine, is being slaughtered in France right now. The players really don't like him, but surely it's the World Cup, you give your all for each other and play to win. Or does half the squad hate the other half, as rumours suggest? Even so, let's hope for a deliberate draw by the south Americans to send them packing in the same way they reached the group stage - by cheating. Hopefully they'll lose to an offside Pienaar goal as well, just to rub salt in the wound.

Take nothing away from Mexico though. They were very good, very swift and very enterprising. Missing product in the final third, however, so I would expect them to fail against Argentina in a repeat of the 2006 last-16 match (we can only hope it's as good as that!).

 

[Angel4576]

Personally I don't have a problem with James getting the nod. Like others (Gerrard, Lampard etc), if he could just bring his club form to the international stage then he'd be one of the world's best.

Seems odd to find myself saying that I feel more confident of our defence with James in goal!

 

[Starkers]

Personally I don't have a problem with James getting the nod. Like others (Gerrard, Lampard etc), if he could just bring his club form to the international stage then he'd be one of the world's best.

Seems odd to find myself saying that I feel more confident of our defence with James in goal!

For me James' problem is that he's brilliant so long as he hasn't seen the ball coming/had time to think about it. As an instinctive shot stopper he's magnificent.

I do wonder if Hart's the future though, and I do think we have to stop cutting goalies adrift when they make one mistake/have one bad game.

 

[Angel4576]

Yes, I think Hart is looking like the most likely prospect. I think after the world cup Capello should just come out and say that Hart's #1. None of this ambiguity around who it is, let's just say it's him and play him, consistently. That gives him two years to get his confidence and experience at international level, to be ready for the European Championships.

Other than Hart, I guess you're looking at Ben Foster. If only he could get regular football he'd be a lot closer to the England squad than he currently is.

 

[Jax]

James is better than Green but for me you play keepers in form and Hart should be number 1, Capello could live to regret this.

I want to see Gerrard play alongside Barry in a central attacking role but I doubt we will see that either

 

[Shaytan]

Domenech, I imagine, is being slaughtered in France right now.

You can't slaughter a dead body. But I'm sure the FFF will have questions.
Anyway, this result is not a surprise.

Edit : it's funny, today is the 195th birthday of Warterloo. How appropriate

 

[Roger Wilco]

Klose

To get a yellow-red card in the 37. minute as a striker is quite an achievement.

eta: and here's the goal too.

 

[HappyDayRiot]

^ Not so much of an achievement with this referee. What a joker.

Lovely goal though. I hope Serbia hold on to this.

 

[SmoothieX]

I'll try to watch the US game on my computer at work if I get the chance. I'm more interested in this than I thought I would be. Plus it will be fun to piss off my coworkers with the vuvuzela sounds coming from my cube.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Yeah, it was a pretty weak red but why does he attack the Serbian player like that when he already has a yellow card?

The Serbs were lucky at the end there, could be an interesting second half. The Germans really kind of need to take a point away there to be comfortable. If they lose they would be under a lot of pressure to win against Ghana...

 

[Angel4576]

All of a sudden finishing second in our group might not be so bad afterall!

Pathetic refereeing so far though.

 

[HappyDayRiot]

I guess only England could draw their first game, go all out to win the other two to ensure they finish top and avoid Germany, all to find Germany cocked it up and came second, meaning they play each other after all!

There's another red card or two in this game without a doubt. You're right though, Roger - what kind of idiot goes in from behind when he's already on a yellow? Especially when the ref is happy to book for breathing too hard? Or give a free kick for Muller raising his foot too high whilst attempting an overhead kick!?

EDIT following penalty: WHAT A GAME.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Best match of the WC so far.

 

[HappyDayRiot]

I admire your neutrality

 

[Angel4576]

Podolski really is shite.

<que Podolski hat-trick>

 

[Roger Wilco]

I'm always rooting for Germany's opponent.

And I'm enjoying this immensely. I have never seen the German national team be so unluckly ever.

 

[Angel4576]

40-odd years of good luck finally being offset in just one game?

Serbia hit the post. Fantastic game.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Löw storming off the field.

Ohh, this will be so much fun to watch the German media on the weekend.

 

[Count Zero]

Of course, Germany had to have impossibly bad luck now that I support them for once. Seems like we took a page out of England's book concerning drama. Miro Klose is an idiot but it was a yellow-red card waiting to happen. I don't understand why Löw didn't replace him with someone else. Then again, we wouldn't have gotten Löw's bursts of anger otherwise, which were somewhat entertaining.

 

[Angel4576]

Serbia should have gotten a few more in those last 10 minutes.

Only need Australia to beat Ghana later on and that group's wide open going into the final round of games.

Not liking the looks of this;

Spain, France, Germany, next up? Hopefully not us tonight!