pie-eater 207 Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Tubby, are Scotland even worse than England? Do they even have a team? Just think though, if we had a UK team and could use the talents of Bale and maybe a few others, and Scotland went independent, you couldn't bask in the glory that would undoubtedly ensue! Something to jolly well think about anyway. Anyway, now that England are out, I'm looking forward to hearing news of the more important business of their new tattoos. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Japan look like they have an easy group. Not that anyone here will admit it. England's run of easy groups has ended and they could really struggle. They've got some good attacking players but the defence looks pretty dodgy, with you know who as the probably undroppable DM. Some massive build him up, knock him down also seems likely for Rooney, even though he'll have better players than Crouch or Downing alongside him this time and shouldn't have to try as hard as he may have done in the past. The broadcast times look a nightmare, but I'm going to watch what I can. Not a bad prediction! Rooney should maybe have another goal to his name but he's not been doing too badly. He's getting some flak, but mainly from the mongs that turn up every four years. "He's rubbish just like in the 2011 CL final" etc. Aye, the game in which he scored and was just about the only ManYoo player to turn up. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Tubby, are Scotland even worse than England? Do they even have a team? Just think though, if we had a UK team and could use the talents of Bale and maybe a few others, and Scotland went independent, you couldn't bask in the glory that would undoubtedly ensue! Something to jolly well think about anyway. Anyway, now that England are out, I'm looking forward to hearing news of the more important business of their new tattoos. Both feet? Right in? Surely not! Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 In other news, France are looking really strong. I mean, sure it was only against the Swiss but they looked strong... they'll be one to watch going forward for sure. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Roomey was less than great, but I suppose at least he did score. I thought England might go ahead after that. Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Just over 80 minutes to go. Was kinda filling my time with nothing and started reading the honduras-ecuador report on the guardian. Was gona just skip it since ive seen the goals, but it sounds hilariously good fun. Off to watch it. http://www.theguardi...014-live-report (im still chuckling away at the images they went for). ETA: 56 min:Interesting fact: Honduras midfielder Jorge Claros is so hard that in 2011 he sustained a gunshot wound to the head in an attempted car-jacking and then drove himself to the hospital for treatment. ETA2: 20 minutes in and ive seen: i) a **** you attitude to midfield. Both teams might as well play a 4-0-6 formation. ii) a sublime pass to costly on the half volley that just skidded away from him. iii) a beautiful run from right to left to beat the offside trap and run completely free through the middle from Valencia. It really didnt get the credit it deserved. iv) Someone kicked up the arse. I forget who it was. It was early on. I also caught the last ten minutes of the game at the gym where i watched ecuador tell honduras to go **** themselves with some outrageous time wasting. Now its contextualised, its much funnier. ETA3: Brilliantly taken goal though. ETA4: Honest to christ though, if you didnt know the result, theres no way in hell you could know if thered be no more goals or 15 more. Its pure chaos. One lucky bounce and its in. And to prove the point, one lucky deflection and blam, ecuador one-one. ETA5: Either the alcohol is leaving my system or the games kinda losing its mojo. Though still as scrappy as the first half, theres a real lack of push. Both teams kinda scuffing it in the second last ball. Sounds stupid, but everyone keeps talking about quality in the final pass, but really, no way either side is approaching the final pass. Lots of moves just ending up nowhere. First half definitely better. I know a goals due, but its... actually, the exact second i type that its 2-1. But its a set-piece classic. Nothing interesting. It sort of lacks the aggression. Both teams seem settled unfortunately. Still, first half was a belter. ETA6: Rightyo, time to skip to next game. But honestly, kinda hope Honduras keep going. Of the two teams, theyre the more entertaining. Ecuador are alright, but trying to play football. Honduras are a bit more chaos, and way aggressive. Fun to watch. Also, im not going to pretend im a fount of information. The last game i probably watched before this world cup was in the last world cup, but the three players that stood out were the two hondura centre halfs (figeuroa and Beckeles) and Costly, who looks genuinely dangerous for around 60 minutes (id sub him after that though hes kinda dropped out of the game now). Dont get me wrong, both the Valncia's did their job, but i mean poacher first goal and set piece second. Not exactly mindbinding stuff (though loved that run he did in the first half).Anyways, commentary over, time to fall asleep watching the Argentina rout of Iran. Heres to Honduras sneaking through against Switzerland (who can honestly bugger off home). Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Nice one ippy Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Germany nearly went down to Ghana That would have been an interesting result good result great last half of Soccer Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 That was such an entertaining match. There have been quite a few of them this world cup. I've been really enjoying it so far! Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Fell asleep in the Argentina match (didnt fancy my chances to be honest of making it), would have loved to have seen the Germany game live though. Sounds like a genuine cracker. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 That was such an entertaining match. There have been quite a few of them this world cup. I've been really enjoying it so far! It was indeed. Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Another crazy match! Last second reprieve for Portugal. Germany almost certainly through but it's anyone guess who is going with them! Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 More fun games to watch. Wonder how England will play. Japan media has been pretty quiet the last few days. They seem to have sort of given up on thinking they'll get through. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Probably better chance of getting hit by lightning on a clear sunny day than Japan going on... Link to post Share on other sites
634-maru 4 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Dunno Chriselle, one media outlet last night was telling me how Japan might get to the final and goddam win it! Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Well, since Colombia have already qualified in first place it's not an impossible feat to beat them. However, Greece have to beat Ivory Coast. A draw in that match leaves it up to points difference. It's not impossible. Winning it however is! Link to post Share on other sites
1 4 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Ah, but remember nihonjin have 'teamwork' as their weapon. And so they might win it! Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Imagine the noise if they do beat Columbia! But anyway, what do you say, gambare nippon. Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Right, can someone explain Bradley. What the **** is he? Theyve stuck him at the top of their diamond, but the dude is slow, lacks creativity, holds up possession instead of attacking with it, and cant lay off a pass longer than 5 yards sideways without it going to a player from the other team. Oh, and he bottles it the closer he gets to the goal. Everything about him screams holding midfielder. When i think of the dude, i think of two key moments. The first one was his fluff in the box that fortunately led to the Dempsey goal. I think he did it earlier as well. (His open goal miss shouldnt really count against him because he did hit the target. Nor should his give away at the end really be a fair reflection on his performance. He lost possession in midfield... so it goes. ninety nine times out of 100 it wouldnt have led to anything. It took a sublime cross and some poor marking to make that happen). The second one though was a three v three break V Ghana about 30 yards out for the US. He cut from the left into the center and then had no idea what to do with the ball. He literally pulled an awesome attacking opportunity back and held possession for Ghana to get back and kill the attack. So he puzzles me. And then when youre done, explain Jones. The guy has the vision of a playmaker, the passing of a playmaker, but seems ideally suited to a defensive midfield role since he clearly loves making challenges, sitting deep and covering the runs of the opposition before they push into his defence. He also reads where the ball is going before everyone else on the park which led to some brilliant and important challenges in the Ghana game. On the flip, he played a little more up front in the portugal game, and his balls through the defence turned a poor attacking side into a genuine threat. Is there something going on with the US training system? Cant they get their players to play where they need them? Cant they pick the right player to do their job? Or was this all structured beforehand with Jones and Bradley always fighting over the same position (that neither of them seem to play naturally - theyre both center midfielders, but with a more defensive lean)), but Bradleys form has just been poor in the world cup, while Jones' has been rather excellent? Its... confusing. Maybe i need to judge it after more than two whole games of watching them (internationally or domestically), so maybe some of you guys can explain it a bit more. Is it just because Dempsey is being played out of position and Beckerman is filling in the gap left by pushing one of those two forward? Anyways, US deserved the win. Both sides arent brilliant, but Portugal seemed out of it. I bet Ronaldo wishes they were knocked out last night. If hes going to set a world cup alight, its not going to be this one. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 His miss should be held against him....the goal was gaping and he smashed it into the defender....what a fud Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 ah, you know, he ht it decently with enough pace, he just happened to pick the only spot in the entire goal where the only player for Portugal (Costa i think it was), happened to be. Maybe he shut his eyes. He seems scared of the goal to be honest. Link to post Share on other sites
2pints-mate 0 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Sounds like Japan strikers that. Enjoying the games as well. It always seems easier once England are knocked out somehow. Link to post Share on other sites
gnarly-dude 1 Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 The guy on the Telly now was just saying how Japan can win. Aoparently, they need to attack and score; and also defend a bit as well...so the other team don't score. Don't tell anyone else though, it's a secret, radical and very cunning plan!!! Link to post Share on other sites
gnarly-dude 1 Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 The guy on the Telly now was just saying how Japan can win. Aoparently, they need to attack and score; and also defend a bit as well...so the other team don't score. Don't tell anyone else though, it's a secret, radical and very cunning plan!!! Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Sounds pretty ridiculous to me. It'll never work. Link to post Share on other sites
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