[Tavvar]

I am quite happy with the US's tie, hopefully they can continue to play well (enough) and beat Slovenia and Algeria. They do have several problems, but I think they can still make the second round.

edit: I accidentally wrote win, with the way we got the tie it kind of feels like that.

This post has been edited by Tavvar: 14 June 2010 - 12:30 AM

[Ulrik]

Win? Thats how soccer fans call "draw"? (sorry, just teasing, it was deserved and well played match and with quality of Slovenia and Algeria, US should qualify.)

[Aristai]

Based on that first half of Germany/Australia I'd say England just got their added incentive to pick their heads out of their asses and win the group. Slaughter going on.

And speaking of howlers, Algeria's keeper made one hell of one...He looked horrific all game. And what's up with the bone-head handballs in both earlier games? Who leaps for a header, flailing arms everywhere?

[MTS]

Slaughter is right. A one-legged asthmatic brontosaurus could probably replace the entirety of the Socceroos' defence at this stage, and our attack is about as useless as a cock-flavoured lollipop. It's embarrassing to be honest.

[Tsundoku]

I went to bed when Cahill got sent off at 2-0 and just read the final result now.

4-0. What utter humiliation.

I can't think of any positives to take into the matches vs Ghana and Serbia besides "Oh well, it can't get any worse. Can it?"

[Tapper]

If you want to play with both Gerrard and Lampard in central midfield, back them up with a defensive midfielder - even if that means sacrificing a winger or a defender and going 3-5-1-1 instead of what it is now. Gerrard was everywhere trying to fill gaps, which meant no positional play by him, and Lampard couldn't concentrate on offense either.

Also, why did the team try and erect a brick wall for 39 minutes in the first half? It's international football, no way you can defend an early 1-0 for an entire match like that unless you're Italy.

[Gothos]

@Sombra - is Oz entering the Poland Tourney Trance?
1. Match of opening.
2. Match for everything.
3. Match for honor.

As easy as that. 1, 2, 3.
Thankfully we're not even in this tournament. The way we got bumfucked by Spain 6-0 recently, it'd be disastrous.

[Cougar]

Coming a bit late to the party, I have to relate a story from the game vs the USA, which incidentally I though was generally rather poor, nevertheless...

At 1-1 Altidore (I think) had a chance and as he bore down on Green (who went on to turn the ball onto the post) my mate, who was having conflicting emotions about who to support (born in the US to American parents, but has lived in England since he was 1) finally decided to whole-heartedly throw his weight behind the US by screaming 'Yorktown' just as the US striker pulled the trigger. It would have been tremendous if he'd scrored as it was, the 5 of us who were there just fell about.

Anyone who doesn't get this should look up the siege of Yorktown on wikipedia.

[Tapper]

Holland is up and playing in an hour, I predict a relatively easy win - first match is usually our best and then the arrogance kicks in.

Now if only those f***ers partying outside in the street in anticipation of the game would stop playing on those damned vuvuzelas!

[Gothos]

They should really stick with civilized countries with tournaments like this. South Africa is a mistake, just as POL-UKR Euro2012 is a mistake. Korea/Japan was a mistake. USA was a mistake.

Just stick to France/Germany/England/Italy/Spain/Brazil/Argentina, really.

[Tsundoku]

Gothos, on 14 June 2010 - 07:49 AM, said:

@Sombra - is Oz entering the Poland Tourney Trance?
1. Match of opening.
2. Match for everything.
3. Match for honor.

As easy as that. 1, 2, 3.
Thankfully we're not even in this tournament. The way we got bumfucked by Spain 6-0 recently, it'd be disastrous.

More like:

1. Opening match
2. Loss instead of victory due to continued shock after first match result
3. Match for honour that turns ends up being a scrappy mess with a narrow sad loss or hollow draw.

But then again I have been accused of being pessimistic. Anything better than the above will be acceptable.

What was wrong with Japan/South Korea? I agree SA is a mistake and I have reservations about Poland/Ukraine.

This post has been edited by Sombra: 14 June 2010 - 10:50 AM

[Gothos]

Terrible referee performance, for one. Also, totally subjective, the times of live transmissions!

[Ulrik]

Im probably only non-SAR human in world that isnt disturbed by vuvuzelas:) OK, other african teams play better...well they play real music, but...I dont mind.

And this isnt case o f whole Arfrica - who saw some African Cup matches know, that african fans can be really great in singing, playing on drums and even tumpets:)

[dktorode]

Here we go again with no one giving Africa a chance in hell at pulling it off.

[dktorode]

I was at the France game on friday and the only thing that made it worth my while was the amazing atmosphere.
With both teams being rather pedestrian.

The vuvuzelas were a big part of why the atmosphere was so amazing. Even the french and the Uruguayan supporters where getting involved.
Suppose you have to be there to appreciate it.

My friend was at the Greece game and reckoned seeing a Korean blow a vuvuzela with a miners cap on had to be the funniest thing he had seen all year.

But watever... you can have your "civilized" singing and us "uncivilized" people will keep blowing our Horns, keep murdering, raping and doing whatever other prejudiced things your media so loves to shovel down your throats.

[alt146]

Tapper, on 14 June 2010 - 10:32 AM, said:

Holland is up and playing in an hour, I predict a relatively easy win - first match is usually our best and then the arrogance kicks in.

Now if only those f***ers partying outside in the street in anticipation of the game would stop playing on those damned vuvuzelas!

I'm chuckling quietly at the image of vuvuzelas in Holland, I didnt think they would be even remotely tolerated anywhere outside SA.

The thing you have to remember about vuvuzelas is

1 vuvuzela - irritating
10 vuvuzelas - very irritating
40 000 vuvuzelas - one hell of a party

[Tsundoku]

dktorode, on 14 June 2010 - 11:20 AM, said:

But whatever... you can have your "civilized" singing and us "uncivilized" people will keep blowing our Horns, keep murdering, raping and doing whatever other prejudiced things your media so loves to shovel down your throats.

I wouldn't care about the noise if it didn't have the effect on me as making me feel like someone was drilling into my ears. It's a truly ghastly noise, sorry. For me it's just as aggravating as the sound of a baby crying - I don't know why, it just makes me very angry very, very quickly and I have to remove myself from the source of the sound or I will go mad trying to make the sound stop or at least block it out for myself. Seriously, I have to watch the matches at a low volume just so I don't get irritated by the sounds of those bloody horns. It must be a "pitch" thing, no pun intended.

And most of my reservations about SA holding the Cup are - like Poland/Ukraine - to do with infrastructure and organisational competence.

[Cougar]

I've been watching games with the sound off they are pissing me off that much, the only thing more irritating is the fact that you can't say "I fucking hate that droning noise" without some wet arse telling you you are being culturally insensitive. They are a disgrace at cricket matches, where the Asian nations have been honking the fuckers for years, and they are little better as part of football.

[dktorode]

Sombra, on 14 June 2010 - 12:19 PM, said:

And most of my reservations about SA holding the Cup are - like Poland/Ukraine - to do with infrastructure and organisational competence.

It would be a sad world indeed if everyone had this elitist type of view.

Cougar, on 14 June 2010 - 12:21 PM, said:

I've been watching games with the sound off they are pissing me off that much, the only thing more irritating is the fact that you can't say "I fucking hate that droning noise" without some wet arse telling you you are being culturally insensitive. They are a disgrace at cricket matches, where the Asian nations have been honking the fuckers for years, and they are little better as part of football.

oh cry me a river

Im going to be at the Italy game tonight.

Ill be sure to blow my horn extra loud just for you

[Tsundoku]

dktorode, on 14 June 2010 - 12:27 PM, said:

Sombra, on 14 June 2010 - 12:19 PM, said:

And most of my reservations about SA holding the Cup are - like Poland/Ukraine - to do with infrastructure and organisational competence.

It would be a sad world indeed if everyone had this elitist type of view.

You say "elitist", I say "realist". And it's already a sad world.