FIFA World Cup

Post by **beer monkey** » June 26, 2006, 9:40 pm

This type of thing did'nt happen many moons ago...arjay will confirm this i hope, a little before my time, but i am sure the players from back then if they did get hurt they did'nt want to show they were hurt unlike the nancy boys today.

Post by **polehawk** » June 26, 2006, 10:21 pm

Players laying "injured" across corner flags while corner kick in progress?

Get a kick out of watching some player get rushed off on a stretcher, seemingly headed for the nearest hospital emergency ward. Then, after a miraculous recovery, he is seen running back on the pitch with no hint of an injury, like Arjay says.

I'm pulling for England also, Beer Monkey. Watched Beckham bend one yesterday against Ecuador to win it. Rooney looks like a class player. Here in South Florida, with so many Latin Americans, you can guess who they are cheering on.

polehawk aka Ronaldo

Post by **farang** » June 26, 2006, 10:29 pm

polehawk wrote:
Who is going to win this year?

i think argentina will win ,unless david beckham puts on his lucky knickers again lol

Post by **arjay** » June 26, 2006, 10:38 pm

Thanks for the support Polehawk. England haven't really been doing as well as they should be capable of, but fortunately have got the required results, so far.

I think we are all hoping that they are building up slowly, and will deliver what is required in subsequent games!!

(There isn't an Emoticon with crossed fingers).

Beckham yesterday, silenced his critics by delivering a spectacular goal from a free kick. Let's hope he and the team can build on that.

There are some good write ups on the England games on the BBC website.

I'm currently watching the Australia v Italy game, at home, - daren't go near the Aussie bar, in case things don't go well!!

Post by **beer monkey** » June 26, 2006, 10:57 pm

farang wrote:
polehawk wrote:
Who is going to win this year?
i think argentina will win ,unless david beckham puts on his lucky knickers again lol

argentina-germany will be good.....
good idea about the knickers any things worth a try.

Post by **Alagrl** » June 26, 2006, 11:36 pm

I spent too many years in the UK not to be an England fan, no matter the odds.

Post by **arjay** » June 26, 2006, 11:59 pm

Well that's incedible - Italy have just been awarded a penalty against OZ in the 92nd minute and 57th second of a 93 minute match, just because an Italian chose to fall over an Australian defender who had already fallen down a couple of moments before.

So Italy win and go through, from a penalty scored in the 94th minute, rather against the immediately preceeding run of play!!

Post by **farang** » June 27, 2006, 12:33 am

wonder how much the ref was paid by italy?

match fixing again!!!
germanys turn next to fix a game...

... as allways in germany

Post by **farang** » June 27, 2006, 1:40 am

COME ON ENGLAND, KICK SOME ASS!!

ROOOONEYYYY ROOOONEYYY

Post by **beer monkey** » June 27, 2006, 1:44 am

Post by **beer monkey** » June 27, 2006, 6:30 pm

FIFA have rejected Portugal's bid to overturn Deco's red card against Holland.

Boss Phil Scolari hoped the Barcelona midfielder would be allowed to face England on Saturday.

But Deco, who was dismissed for two bookings, failed to follow in team-mate Luis Figo's footsteps and escape a ban.

FIFA communications director Markus Siegler said: "There was a phone call from the Portugal camp about an appeal.

"But they were clearly told to 'forget it'."

Figo dodged a suspension after head-butting Mark van Bommel during Portugal's 1-0 win.

He was shown a yellow card by Valentin Ivanov and FIFA refused to take further action because the incident was dealt with by the match official.

they must be getting worried..

Post by **arjay** » June 28, 2006, 10:56 am

The following extract from today's Bangkok Post perfectly echoes my sentiments about both the incidents referred to:-

Refs against World Cup underdogs?

Berlin (dpa) - "The referee might has well have been wearing a yellow shirt under his own", said Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic after his side lost to Brazil in the quarter-finals.

The second round's other overwhelming underdogs Australia were feeling equally aggrieved. Midfielder, Tim Cahill said: "We played well and went out to get a goal - but then this guy falls over in the box and he gets a penalty.

"I'm furious. It's unbelievable. Everybody says 'well done, Australia's played well, pat on the back, you've proved everyone wrong' but we haven't. We should still be in this World Cup."

Totti's cruel spot-kick that knocked the Socceroos out was the last kick of the game. Lucas Neill's tackle on Fabio Grosso was the last tackle.

Sliding in on the Italian Neill actually made no contact with Grosso, who then tumbled over the Blackburn defenders prostrate body. It's difficult to know what Neill could have done to avoid it.

There was no trip, no drag back, no handball, he was on the deck and Grosso elected to fall over him rather than try to go around him. But Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo blew for the spot-kick. Would he have done so if it had been an Australian falling over an Italian in the last minute?

Equally debatable was Brazil's second goal on Tuesday against Ghana. Adriano was offside when he received Cafu's cross, which he then bundled in with his knee.

Brazil were clear 3-0 winners but the second goal was decisive. It was the strike that effectively killed off the Ghanians who went in at half-time with a mountain to climb.

Two highly debateable and decisive refereeing calls in the last sixteen matches and both going against the underdogs. It's little wonder they leave the World Cup wondering if the referee didn't have another shirt on underneath his own.

Post by **lee** » June 28, 2006, 12:21 pm

This quote echoes my sentiments too.

The Australians played really well against the Italians and didn't deserve to go out in this way. If it wasn't for that crazy penalty decision, I'm sure Australia would have been in a very good chance to win and go through.

Post by **beer monkey** » June 29, 2006, 4:11 pm

THE ref taking charge of England

Post by **arjay** » June 29, 2006, 7:22 pm

A quote from BBC Sports News:

David Beckham insists England are more than capable of dealing with a physical match against Portugal in Saturday's quarter-final match in Gelsenkirchen.

England have struggled at times with the heat in Germany, while Portugal's second round match against Holland saw 16 yellow cards and four reds.

But the captain said: "We're English and, typically, we love physical games.

"We relish a high tempo with tackles flying in so, if that's the way the game turns out, we will relish it."

News conference: David Beckham

Another late afternoon kick-off will ensure that England will play in temperatures forecast to reach over 80F (27C).

And, after a series of poor second-half performances, an improved display in the latter stages in the second-round win over Ecuador was overshadowed by Beckham being physically ill on the pitch.

However, the midfielder said: "We've always said we can't use excuses, and we can't blame the heat for poor performances.

There are two teams who want to go to the semi-finals and are very passionate, so it needs a strong referee

David Beckham

"Physically we have struggled at tournaments and in the past couple of games in this tournament we have struggled in the heat.

"But it is up to us to overcome that, there are no excuses now. We're confident we can deal with anything thrown our way."

But he played down fears that Argentine referee Horacio Elizondo may be forced to employ a strict approach to avert the kind of play-acting and fouls that marred Portugal's win over Holland.

Elizondo has sent Beckham off in his career, in the World Club Championship game against Necaxa in 2000, while he has issued 16 yellow cards and one red in his three World Cup games so far.

But Beckham said: "Whichever referee comes in and referees the game he'll have a tough job to do.

"There are two teams who want to go to the semi-finals, want to win the game and are very passionate, so it needs a strong referee. I'm sure he is."

Post by **arjay** » June 30, 2006, 10:39 am

Another quote from BBC Sport interviewing Gary Neville about the forthcoming England match with Portugal:

Gary Neville is convinced England's World Cup day of judgement will arrive when they face Portugal.

Right-back Neville is expected to be recalled at Michael Carrick's expense for Saturday's quarter-final after overcoming a calf injury.

"I believe there is a time and a moment for players to deliver and I think it will be on Saturday," said Neville.

"If we fail we have to hold our hands up and say the talk of us being potential world champions was rubbish."

Feature: Neville has a joke with the press

If England go out in the quarter-finals - as they did in Japan four years ago and in Euro 2004 against Portugal - Neville promised there would be no excuses from the team.

He said: "If we don't deliver then I will be talking on Saturday after the game saying that you have found the true measure of this team.

Is this England team capable of beating Portugal? I believe the answer is yes

Gary Neville

"I have said before this tournament that there are no excuses this time.

"We are not coming off that pitch on Saturday thinking 'we could have done this better' or 'we could have done that better'.

"We have got to make sure that if Portugal seem to be doing better in one area of the pitch, we have to deal with it. We have to fix that problem.

"We can't allow it to just slowly eat away at us during the match - we have to affect the game. We have to use our experience.

"We have got players in the team who, I think, will deliver on Saturday."

Neville believes England will reach a World Cup semi-final for the first time since 1990, when Bobby Robson's team sealed a last-four place.

"This is it for us. In four years we will be in South Africa. It could be 45 degrees, we might not qualify, we could get a group of death," said Neville.

"We have had a pretty decent track to this quarter-final and now we have got to beat Portugal to get to the World Cup semi-final.

"Is this England team capable of doing it? Can it do it? I believe the answer is yes."

We are all waiting for saturday!

Post by **beer monkey** » June 30, 2006, 2:32 pm

ENGLAND were thrown into panic last night when Frank Lampard suffered an injury scare in training.

Chelsea midfield ace Lamps twisted his ankle at the team

Post by **Garnet** » June 30, 2006, 9:41 pm

In Defense of Soccer's Biggest Villains

http://www.slate.com/id/2144625/

I've no special inclination to agree with this article, but it's an interesting argument.

Post by **beer monkey** » June 30, 2006, 10:58 pm

Well i must say The Germany- Argentina Game first Half... has had me fallin asleep in my swival Chair..

...

Post by **beer monkey** » June 30, 2006, 11:43 pm

thats more like it, second half action...

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup

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