Predictions on the slaughter anyone? :lol:
Crazy game so far. Very physical.
Worst referee call Ive seen in the cup so far, they red carded the USs Mastroeni for a bleepin late tackle! Jeez, it really only needed a free kick, or even a yellow card if they were feeling frisky.
1:1 so far with Italy responsible for both goals. :lol: The Americans are playing world class football compared to their last game, which is comforting. Its not on par with other teams, but at least they arent an embarrassment like last time.
tbh if the Yanks dont win this game now, they dont deserve to play the beautiful game.
Quote from: Nimrodtbh if the Yanks dont win this game now, they dont deserve to play the beautiful game.
What a pile of horsesh*t. Should the Czechs hang up their cleats because Ghana just embarrassed them? Both teams are a man down. Id like to see the US get one in the net, but even Italy winning 3:2 would be proof that the US put up a fair fight.
Someone else just got sent off?
lmfao, 9 men...
Right, well. Erm....god knows what the score should be now.
lmfao, do you want to pick a team. You cant sit on the fence and support them all :crazyemote:
OMG, they ejected Pope for another late tackle. He made contact with the ball even. That ref will never work again. :shock:
Quote from: Nimrodlmfao, do you want to pick a team. You cant sit on the fence and support them all :crazyemote:
Thats 10 y/o mentality. I watch the WC and enjoy it on many levels. If the Americans do well, it translates to more advertising revenue and better coverage of our national league. If Sweden does well, I feel a bit proud for my scrappy countrymen. I can also get a grin when an African team upsets a "sure" win for some Europeans. Its just football in the end.
In this matchs case the refs are ruining the game, regardless of who wins. :cry:
So youre not really a supporter, your an observer. The difference is that you enjoy watching the sport but you dont get any of the emotional baggage that goes with it. Would that be about right ?
I work with someone who is the same, he really likes Rugby Union and I have hassled him into picking one team to support. As a result he went to see his first match as a non-neutral and loved it more than any match he had seen where he had sat on the fence.
I find it hard to understand the observer mentality because I am English and this is, for better or worse, our National sport. There are few Englishmen who dont support a football team, most of them do appear to reside on this forum though ;)
Back on Topic...
The refs have been shocking in this World Cup but imo its not their fault. FIFA told them what they expected and that if the Ref did not follow their guidelines they would be sent packing :o
As a result all of the Refs seem to be card happy and seem to be awarding more free-kicks than playing advantage, which is killing the games.
Ill be amazed if Italy make it to the end of the match without losing another man, they are still going in a bit strong given the way the game is being Refd.
Final score will probably be 2-1 Italy.
OMG, that offsides call on the goal was legit, but I just went from screaming to feeling all gutted. Poor Marcus Beasley.
Quality game, usa deserved every point of that point :)
Im willing to bet that Italy will have a new manger in the next 3 months :D
Yes, I think the USA did an alright job at defending once they went to 9, although they did get pulled apart quite a bit :s
Whew, that plumb wore me out, havin to watch all that on in HDTV. :lol:
Jorge Larrionda wont ref another match to be sure. :shock: Both of the USs red cardings were outrageous. Hes had a history of inconsistent behavior in the past, and has been suspended for it--why was he even hired?? :shock:
Did the US think they were playing by Ankh Morpork rules? :lol:
Two sent off for the Yanks vs one for the Italians, towards the end though you could tell that both sides had wreaked themselves with the Americans staging a very strong ridgid defense and the Italians trying their best to break through.
Quote from: maximusotterBoth of the USs red cardings were outrageous. Hes had a history of inconsistent behavior in the past, and has been suspended for it--why was he even hired?? :shock:
Youre just being biased in favour of your own team maxi :lol:
Quote from: SeriousQuote from: maximusotterBoth of the USs red cardings were outrageous. Hes had a history of inconsistent behavior in the past, and has been suspended for it--why was he even hired?? :shock:
Youre just being biased in favour of your own team maxi :lol:
You OBVIOUSLY didnt watch the game. You dont red card for a slightly mistimed slide tackle where the defender touches the ball first. Thats really only yellow card material if the player has had a previous verbal warning.
The call of offsides for the American striker blocking the Italian goalies ability to defend was legit, but from the angle I saw, it was a bit of a stretch.
I didnt watch the *whole* game, I did see a good bit of it :P
BBC report on the match
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4853182.stm
I actually think the US played well overall, defending with only nine players takes some doing.
Pope got a yellow and then a red card - if you have a yellow then the second automatically becomes red.
I watched the game and I have to say all red cards were correct. The American defender was already on a yellow. If the referees should have taught you something at this world cup its that you cannot slide in on anyone. The second, he slid in with his studs showing and took the guy in the lower shin area.
The fact that the Italian tried to plead his innocence was stupid. Everbody and their dog could see the elbow and if there was any doubt you just had to look at McBrides face afterwards.
A gutsy performance from the US. Now all they have to do is beat Ghana. And from this afternoons performance that may be a tall order.
I think its more 50-50 :)
Quote from: Deaths HeadI watched the game and I have to say all red cards were correct. The American defender was already on a yellow. If the referees should have taught you something at this world cup its that you cannot slide in on anyone. The second, he slid in with his studs showing and took the guy in the lower shin area.
The Guardian agrees with me on the ejection of Mastreoni:
Quote from: guardian.co.ukRED CARD! Mastroeni sent off! The referee predictably evens things up by sending Mastroeni off for a tackle that was, In My Haughty Opinion, a yellow card at worst. He was late on Pirlo, with studs showing, but it was a genuine attempt to play the ball and there is no way in the world that was a red card. Well, no way in the world it should have been, anyway. That was disgracefully weak refereeing.
The ejection of Pope they stand by. I didnt see a very convincing replay that warranted another yellow, but he was playing rough after a yellow card--so I think it was more of a "I mean it when I give you a yellow" sort of thing. Fair enough, I guess, but Id have liked less interventionist reffing.
Thank god for Keller as keeper, he defended a couple great Italian goal attempts.
The live Guardian coverage makes up for a lot:
Quote9 min The chips still havent fallen. "I?m an American who loves football, but I am sick and tired of seeing European and South American players go down at the slightest touch like a bunch of pussies,? says Norbert Knapke. ?If someone goes down for an injury, they should be forced to stay out for 10 minutes.? Yeah, send McBride off for 10 minutes after getting his snorkel rearranged!
Meoowww! :lol:
I am with DH, the red cards when watched back on TV were correct, nothing untowards with any of them. The Italian elbow was a disgrace, a number of players down the years have nearly been killed by elbows, Gary Mabutt (elbow by John Fashanu) being one of them. The other two were similarly deserved in the eyes of the law, the first american sending off was possibly just as dangerous as the elbow - two footed, studs up, around the ankles - idiotic. The Pope sending off was due to inept and poorly timed tackling.
Quote9 min The chips still havent fallen. "I?m an American who loves football, but I am sick and tired of seeing European and South American players go down at the slightest touch like a bunch of pussies,? says Norbert Knapke. ?If someone goes down for an injury, they should be forced to stay out for 10 minutes.? Yeah, send McBride off for 10 minutes after getting his snorkel rearranged!
LOL
yeah send them to the sin bin
[yank mode]
and while were at it them players hardly ever put the ball into the cages - what sort of score is 2-1 - yall should make every goalscore worth ten points and fit basket ball nets so that when players are by the big cage they can pick the ball up and slam dunk it to get another 5 points... plus yall need to be able to call for a time out so that coach sven can talk to his boys every once in a while and give em all high fives and such.... & how about getting some of them wives into cheerleaders outfits to lend a bit of support. [/yank mode]