World Cup Thread

[Mike the Brit]

I spent far too much of the weekend watching the WC and I've really appreciated the discussion.

But I suspect not so many are going to go on watching so much as we go further into the group matches. (I probably am -- I've just finished an incredibly busy work time so I'm due some relaxation.) In any case, some of the discussions are worth continuing from one match to the next. So let's have one World Cup thread -- at least until some other big match comes up.

One question I'd like to hear more about is what made the Germans so good. Do they (as it seems to me) have a very different style and tactical approach to any of the other teams that we saw -- apart from having good players and a lot of energy and self-confidence? What are their weaknesses -- how would you plan if you had to play against them?

Anyone who moans about soccer games being tedious and lacking in incident should have seen that game against Australia! It would be nice if more than one game in four or six were that great, but still ...

 

[Scouse Patriot]

I think Germany are now grooming more and more technical players with craft and vision and you can see it now in their football, a few years back some German sides would play a more direct game. Overall though I think their football has always been about maximising opertunities, hard work and not wasting possesion needlessly. Lots of small sided games in training (amongst other things of course) to develop touch, control, communication and movement off the ball aswell as freedom given by the coach to express themselves and enjoy their football. It really is that simple, Bill Shankly once said "Football is a simple game complicated by people who should know better".

Countering certain styles, aswell as playing a certain style very much depends on what players you have at your disposal. IMO you always go with what you have instead of going with what you believe in to start with, then over time you develop your style within the team.

Dutch have just had a decent start against Denmark, two nil and looks like finishing that way.

 

[Ciara's Dad]

Holland 2-0 Denmark

Very poor game.

The Dutch were disappointing. I was expecting a lot more from them.

I didn't expect much from the Danes, and I wasn't wrong with my expectations.

 

[TBradyOwnsYou]

I spent far too much of the weekend watching the WC and I've really appreciated the discussion.

But I suspect not so many are going to go on watching so much as we go further into the group matches. (I probably am -- I've just finished an incredibly busy work time so I'm due some relaxation.) In any case, some of the discussions are worth continuing from one match to the next. So let's have one World Cup thread -- at least until some other big match comes up.

One question I'd like to hear more about is what made the Germans so good. Do they (as it seems to me) have a very different style and tactical approach to any of the other teams that we saw -- apart from having good players and a lot of energy and self-confidence? What are their weaknesses -- how would you plan if you had to play against them?

Anyone who moans about soccer games being tedious and lacking in incident should have seen that game against Australia! It would be nice if more than one game in four or six were that great, but still ...

I remember in 2002 I would set my alarm for 2am to wake up and watch games! Those were the days!
I agree that most casual WC followers won't start watching games fervently until it's down to the elimination rounds not only because the really really bad teams (sorry Africa, but you guys suck!) will mostly be gone, but also because the games will be that much more important too.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Holland 2-0 Denmark

Very poor game.

No kidding. Any idea of the game-time temperature? That makes an enormous difference (one of the many reasons that the USA World Cup was the worst ever, IMHO).

If it had stayed 1-0 with a fluke OG the difference, that would have been about right.

OK for me, of course -- I'm sitting at my desk with the sound off, doing a little bit of work here and there ...

 

[Scouse Patriot]

Is the volume down for the horns or commentary? I wish I could mute Mark Lawrenson but I find it odd watching tv without sound, unless we go back to when I was 14 watching porn downstairs.

Japan v Cameroon is another France v Uruguay, although theres been a goal the general play is pretty uneventful and needs spicing up, especially by Le Guen. Your kinda getting beat son.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Is the volume down for the horns or commentary? I wish I could mute Mark Lawrenson but I find it odd watching tv without sound, unless we go back to when I was 14 watching porn downstairs.

Japan v Cameroon is another France v Uruguay, although theres been a goal the general play is pretty uneventful and needs spicing up, especially by Le Guen. Your kinda getting beat son.

Both, I guess. Ah, watching TV without the sound is fine -- practically a necessity in the U.S., to be honest, not only for the annoying commentators but also for the incessant ads. There's an instant sub-titles service (particularly useful for TVs in bars and restaurants showing games) but, unfortunately, my Comcast TV doesn't let you switch them on and off instantly.

To be fair, the German commentary isn't so much annoying as boring.

Apart from "Lawro" (would've thought you'd be able to tolerate him ) who's doing it in the UK? As I say, Guenther Netzer :youtheman: is the main studio person here.

Can't feel any sympathy for Cameroon, by the way. Love their supporters but they haven't got any organization and attacking ideas and their defenders can't count up to two.

 

[Ciara's Dad]

Japan 1-0 Cameroon

Simply dreadful stuff!!

As for the commentary, Mark Lawrenson on the BBC is a total bawbag! He is in good company though. On ITV they have Jim Beglin and Craig Burley. I would rather listen to those annoying 'effing horns than any of those knobs.
Someone has said that they will be all the rage in the UK next season. If anyone has one sitting next to me at Celtic Park, I'll shove it down his throat.

 

[Mike the Brit]

As for the commentary, Mark Lawrenson on the BBC is a total bawbag! He is in good company though. On ITV they have Jim Beglin and Craig Burley. I would rather listen to those annoying 'effing horns than any of those knobs.

Mark Lawrenson had a lot of credit with me for two reasons. He was sacked as manager of Oxford United by Robert Maxwell and anyone who was an enemy of that pr*ck is OK with me. Also, he once bought a shirt in Next at the same time as me (not the same shirt, though). But I reckon that 25 years on that's all been used up ...

 

[Scouse Patriot]

Even ex Liverpool players can't tolerate him, I think Hansen just puts up with him. Can't stand Craig Burley, being the lead pundit on ESPN went to his head. Man hasn't got a jar of glue. The BBC cast are the likes of Jonathan Pierce and Guy Mowbray, with expert analysis from Mark Bright :nono: Still the likes of Lineker, Hansen and Shearer in the studio with Emanuel Adebayor this time.

ITV have the likes of Viera, Desially and Davids in the studio. Some suave customers on ITV man.

 

[Ciara's Dad]

Forgetting the poor audio commentary for a while, visually, I've been watching the footy in HD.
Well impressed!
The difference in quality is enormous. There was one solw motion replay where it showed a ball bouncing off player's head. After the ball spun away, you could see the individual beads of sweat jumping off his brow and dispersing.
I've got it free for a year with Sky, but I certainly won't be paying an extra tenner a month for something they should be delivering for nowt.

 

[Scouse Patriot]

I think eventualy HD will be standard, technology moves so fast and HD channels are springing up everywhere on cable now. Low end HD tv's are gradualy phasing out non HD ready. The picture is fantastic, non just for the footy but the likes of Discovery Channel in HD too. Broadcasting in 3D is the new thing.

 

[Nikolai]

I'm a little shocked Japan won a match.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Even ex Liverpool players can't tolerate him, I think Hansen just puts up with him. Can't stand Craig Burley, being the lead pundit on ESPN went to his head. Man hasn't got a jar of glue. The BBC cast are the likes of Jonathan Pierce and Guy Mowbray, with expert analysis from Mark Bright :nono: Still the likes of Lineker, Hansen and Shearer in the studio with Emanuel Adebayor this time.

ITV have the likes of Viera, Desially and Davids in the studio. Some suave customers on ITV man.

Well, I'll take pretty much any commentators except John Motson, and Lineker, Hansen, Shearer and Adebayor sound fine. Also like Desailly -- been there, done that, got the medals, no need to big it up. Haven't heard Viera and Davids, but I can imagine they'd be pretty cool customers too.

No Martin O'Neill? He's always good fun come World Cup time.

Jim Beglin and Craig Burley? Whew!

 

[Scouse Patriot]

Davids very nearly matches Joachim Loew for sharpness with the threads You may want to search youtube (or the ITV website) for Desailly's celebration to Ghana's goal in the studio.

Some more are joining this week I believe, Roy Hodgson is due on the BBC unless he has to report at Melwood July 5th. Not sure about O'Neill, I seem to remember him being slightly nuts though back in '06 I think it was.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Just been watching Italy-Paraguay with half an eye open, but, my goodness, I'm reminded how much I *hate* the way the Italians play -- diving like swans, mouthing off at the referee. The whole thing's one big show. Who was the blonde guy who threw himself down with no one near him and then gesticulated as if he'd been mugged and beaten up? Please, if there's any justice, let them lose ...

 

[Nikolai]

Concur about the Italians. One of the worst for me will be Materazzi acting like he got shot when Zidane gave him his due.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Mmm, yes. Camoranesi dives into a Paraguayan, studs up, gets booked (could have been a red for me) and then runs over to the referee to give him a mouthful. That's Roy Keane standard ...

 

[Ciara's Dad]

Italy 1-1 Paraguay

Not a bad game, not great either.
Italy were very poor in the 1st half, but a lot better in the 2nd. I'm not sure they can go to a higher level though.
Paraguay are the Denmark of South America. Nothing fancy, sturdy, nothing special.

I have to say that I enjoyed Mick McCarthy's summarizing on BBC1's commentary. Although Johnathon Pearce as the main commentator does nothing for me.

Regarding diving etc by the Italians, I've saw a lot worse from them than what we saw tonight. Mike, I think you're a tad harsh on them.

 

[Mike the Brit]

I've got to admit that the only thing I liked about the game was the result and the thought that the Italians *might* not go on to win the group. No flow, no imagination, lots of niggling and play-acting, two set-piece goals. You've got to believe that I LOVE Italy as a country, but when it comes to football they stand for everything that is the opposite of The Beautiful Game -- in style and in spirit. And we saw that tonight.

The only really entertaining moment was the Italian goal, but somehow an Englishman can't laugh wholeheartedly at clownish goalkeeping at the moment ...

Oh, and Barnsley Mick was worth listening to? Do tell!