World Cup 2014: BRASIL

[rapoon]

[GaijinPunch]

Well, maybe Germany takes it easy...send most of their bench players and get through getting an easy going tie. With that the USA will get to the next phase and get ready for a massive crush.

This seems possible. I don't know how the whole first string/second string works in the world cup, but for Germany to not make it, they'd have to lose by a 5 points (and have Ghana win), no?

[Ed Oscuro]

http://marcusd1.blogspot.com/2014/06/su ... atman.html
also:
http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2014/6/2 ... s-portugal

[Casey120]

Chile vs Holland last night, I never saw so many penalty claims from a team in a single match .
It's like Chile decided that if you make the Dutch box just go down straight away no matter what and claim, ref didn't fall for it once though but even pro flopper Robben was appalled by them

[R-Gray 1]

defensive strategic Holland won fairly. If Iran had a player like Robben they had beaten Argentina

the big problem in Chile is his height and they play in only one way.

Today Uruguay vs Italy a new final for the southamericans. I predict a lots of kung fu kicks and some elbows xd
Uruguay only needs to win.

[Casey120]

Rooting for Uruguay because of Suares .
He has an "over my dead body" mentality I like and will do anything to win, he played for years here in Holland with that exact same mentality .

[d3vak]

http://marcusd1.blogspot.com/2014/06/su ... atman.html

Look! it's Wonder Plank!

[R-Gray 1]

Suarez vs Pirlo.

Last world cup for Pirlo.

[Skykid]

That's the result I was looking for, well done Uruguay! Balotelli's big head will be slightly smaller by the time he gets home.

Had the England game on my tablet. Predictably uneventful, but had some of the best crowd banners I've ever seen.

I can't remember exactly the wording, but one read:

"Flight to Brazil = £1200
Accommodation = £2000

Arriving after the elimination = Priceless"

[BIL]

Dunno if it was the same, but Radio 5 described one ending in "going home: priceless."

Apparently Suarez had another Blanka incident v Italy? Doesn't seem to have been confirmed but would be ruefully hilarious if so.

[d3vak]

Such a disgusting game, I feel sorry for the Italian team. Shame on Uruguay.

[endoKarb]

Such a disgusting game, I feel sorry for the Italian team. Shame on Uruguay.

[Casey120]

I would be surprised if Suares plays another match this WK after the bite incident .
It's obvious now he has mental problems as this is the third time he bites now, he got the taste after he bit Bakkal from PSV here in Holland, tasted like chicken !

[Icarus]

Apparently Suarez had another Blanka incident v Italy? Doesn't seem to have been confirmed but would be ruefully hilarious if so.

I don't see the problem. Everyone loves to eat Italian every now and again.

:3

[BIL]

Russel Brand had a good one, "it's like Gary Lineker attacking people with his ears!"

[Eaglet]

All there is to say.

[d3vak]

Apparently Suarez had another Blanka incident v Italy? Doesn't seem to have been confirmed but would be ruefully hilarious if so.

I don't see the problem. Everyone loves to eat Italian every now and again.

:3

COSTA RICA


It's OK to cry, man.

[Skykid]

Such a disgusting game, I feel sorry for the Italian team. Shame on Uruguay.

Yeah right!

Balotelli's theatrics deserved a dedicated 30 minutes. Both sides were guilty of all sorts of bullshit - in fact it's been a running theme this World Cup.

But Italy going home feels right to me on this one.

[Icarus]

Yeah right!
Balotelli's theatrics deserved a dedicated 30 minutes. Both sides were guilty of all sorts of bullshit - in fact it's been a running theme this World Cup.
But Italy going home feels right to me on this one.

I saw the clip of Balo's booking - while he's got some hops, and would make a pretty good basketball player, he could have hit that player in the head with a Tiger Knee. Crazy.

[d3vak]

Such a disgusting game, I feel sorry for the Italian team. Shame on Uruguay.

Yeah right!

Balotelli's theatrics deserved a dedicated 30 minutes. Both sides were guilty of all sorts of bullshit - in fact it's been a running theme this World Cup.

But Italy going home feels right to me on this one.

It might be just me but there's at least a slight severity difference between diving and biting or trying to crush someone else's balls.

On the other hand I DO think that red card was well given. It seemed like an accidental foul, but still a dangerous one.

[Icarus]

I don't know how true this is, but apparently someone in Norway betted on Suarez biting someone at the World Cup.
https://twitter.com/NHLexpertpicks/stat ... 33/photo/1
The funny thing is that the bookmakers gave him relatively low odds of 175:1.

The evening games probably won't be that exciting, but will probably watch to see if Ivory Coast can break down the immovable Greek wall.

[brentsg]

It might be just me but there's at least a slight severity difference between diving and biting or trying to crush someone else's balls.

It looks more like a little pinch on the tip tbh.

[Gaia]

Question for some veterans of the sport, I'm watching (and enjoying) these games, but I must admit soccer was never a favourite of mine. I understand the game and the rules, and I guess the "strategy" behind it, but the whole "pretend to be hurt so the other team gets carded " thing is really ruining the experience for me. I mean are these little girls or grown men?

Why on earth have they not adapted the rules in soccer to work with the excellent technology available today for the refs to see basic replays before they hand out a yellow card over something they clearly didn't even see, just because this guy is better at being a baby?

Not trying to offend those who love this sport, I'm enjoying the World Cup, just an outsider looking in I guess.

[SharkSkin-Man]

You can respond to almost any question that casts light on the less wonderful facets of the beautiful game with the same answer: FIFA is shit (and corrupt).

[d3vak]

Question for some veterans of the sport, I'm watching (and enjoying) these games, but I must admit soccer was never a favourite of mine. I understand the game and the rules, and I guess the "strategy" behind it, but the whole "pretend to be hurt so the other team gets carded " thing is really ruining the experience for me. I mean are these little girls or grown men?

Why on earth have they not adapted the rules in soccer to work with the excellent technology available today for the refs to see basic replays before they hand out a yellow card over something they clearly didn't even see, just because this guy is better at being a baby?

Not trying to offend those who love this sport, I'm enjoying the World Cup, just an outsider looking in I guess.

I completely agree with you, that kind of behavior kills the game in almost all of the cases. The reason why they don't use the hi-tech available in-game is because the FIFA considers (and in some way we all do too) that the "human error factor" that can be behind the desicions of a referee, make this game more interesting, controversial and charged with passion.
The whole thing around the Italy vs Uruguay match you're witnessing is the proof of that.
As for those said hi-tech technologies, they do use it but only for the official TV transmissions, though they've been showing in the stadiums the 3D replays of the nullified goals (non/little controversial information which won't start a riot in the stadium).


Also, this:

FIFA is shit (and corrupt).

For more info, watch this.

[Ruldra]

Had the England game on my tablet. Predictably uneventful, but had some of the best crowd banners I've ever seen.

I can't remember exactly the wording, but one read:

"Flight to Brazil = £1200
Accommodation = £2000

Arriving after the elimination = Priceless"

[BIL]

Can't remember where I read it, but it was some commenter who suggested a video review panel after every game to watch it again and catalogue all the players who flop down, dive, hit the deck when someone breathes near them, drop and clutch their leg when they've been pushed in the shoulder and generally behave like preening cheating footballers.

For every fake injury, over-acting and cheating hustle you attempt to pull you rack up the points and then are banned from the next game or two. The sooner FIFA put that in place the better.

Will never happen, not even with my preferred amendment of the penalty to a pounding up the ass with a big black dildo, but it's a nice thought.

[Skykid]

Question for some veterans of the sport, I'm watching (and enjoying) these games, but I must admit soccer was never a favourite of mine. I understand the game and the rules, and I guess the "strategy" behind it, but the whole "pretend to be hurt so the other team gets carded " thing is really ruining the experience for me. I mean are these little girls or grown men?

Why on earth have they not adapted the rules in soccer to work with the excellent technology available today for the refs to see basic replays before they hand out a yellow card over something they clearly didn't even see, just because this guy is better at being a baby?

Not trying to offend those who love this sport, I'm enjoying the World Cup, just an outsider looking in I guess.

Well let's start by calling it football. Americans call it soccer because you have American Football, a sport where the ball is carried in the hands.

Diving players is the worst in this World Cup I can remember in a long time, discounting Rivaldo's ultimate card victory many moons ago.

Sadly, it's a part of the game and always rears its head based on several conditions: severity of consequences of the match outcome (or nerves), opportunity to win a penalty (or freebie goal), political/historical rivalry (bloodbath).

Because the sport is reticent to adapt into greater technologies players will always attempt to deceive the referee's human weakness of only having two eyes and a direct line of sight. It's nothing to do with FIFA or corruption.

That said, there are teams and matches who play with sportsmanship. England might be useless, but I give them credit for playing relatively clean games compared to some of their peers.

[GaijinPunch]

Well let's start by calling it football. Americans call it soccer because you have American Football, a sport where the ball is carried in the hands.

...and kicked. Why do the Aussies call it soccer (other than they turn to America for pop culture)?

Sadly, it's a part of the game and always rears its head based on several conditions: severity of consequences of the match outcome (or nerves), opportunity to win a penalty (or freebie goal), political/historical rivalry (bloodbath).

And for this, non fans of the sport will call them pussies. I have no counter argument for them.

Because the sport is reticent to adapt into greater technologies players will always attempt to deceive the referee's human weakness of only having two eyes and a direct line of sight. It's nothing to do with FIFA or corruption.

And for this, non fans of the sport will call them [those making the rules] morons. I have no counter argument for them but can pile on and say it's something I would totally expect in Japan, not the west. Reminds me of all the cabs I've been in where I tell them the address, and the cabbie asks me if I know the fucking roads. When I say "use the navi" at best they blow a layer of dust off of it, but are more likely to say "I don't use the Navi".

[antron]

Apparently the official name of the sport in English is Association Football, and that some geniuses at Oxford decided that soc was an abbreviation for association. It appears that the homeland of the USA's tounge is at least partially responsible for its adoption of the word "soccer"

And it sounds better