***Official World Cup Talk Thread***

[jsence2]

That is what I thought but wanted to be clear.

No offense Jscence2 but I love seeing the favorites sweat a bit just as Italy and some of the others like england, Spain have done so far. parity in World Soccer finally?

I don't think it's parity as much as it is fatigue and altitude, and chemestry.

The teams that have players who are key in Europe, like Spain and England and Brazil and Italy, are struggling more than normal, due to having played 10 months now and not having much national team time. The smaller nations get to spend more time together, have fewer options, and thus have more chemistry. You also have the altitude which I think is draining people more, especially matches in J-berg. That said, European nations have always struggled away from Europe, and this World Cup is no different.

But it definitely makes for a more entertaining tournament. And no offense taken lol, why would I be offended by that?

[kdog36]

UNLUCKY !

[jsence2]

UNLUCKY !

Good to see some people getting some long range shots on target though. Sneijder yesterday, and now that one.

IF HE HADN'T GIVEN THAT.....C'MON ITALY!!!

[kdog36]

lol ehh! no penalty at all with what I have seen so far in this tourney

[jsence2]

A bit of a dive from De Rossi (I'm getting tired of him doing it), but there was a shirt pull, so it was a deserved penalty either way.

Nicely taken by Iaquinta. Would've been less nervous if Pirlo was out there, but nicely placed.

[trendon]

Game over.

[brwnbear]

Wow!!! That was one huge Italian Flop that earns the penalty.

That is garbage. New Zeland just got robbed. Jsense, there is no way you can defend that.

[trendon]

What was with that ridiculous celebration?

[trendon]

Wow!!! That was one huge Italian Flop that earns the penalty.

That is garbage. New Zeland just got robbed. Jsense, there is no way you can defend that.

Make up call maybe?

That said, the NZ defender did the offensive lineman version of keeping his hands outside the shoulder. You may not have been holding, but you leave the referee little room for interpretation.

[jsence2]

Wow!!! That was one huge Italian Flop that earns the penalty.

That is garbage. New Zeland just got robbed. Jsense, there is no way you can defend that.

Yes I can--he was being pulled back by his shirt. That's a penalty at any level.

Did he dive? Most likely. But he didn't NEED to dive, it was a foul, and rightly given a penalty.

New Zealand didn't get "robbed". Had he stayed on his feet, and NOT been given a penalty, Italy would have been robbed.

If it's a foul OUTSIDE the box, it's a penalty INSIDE it. Shirt pulling is a foul.

[jsence2]

What was with that ridiculous celebration?

I think he was mocking the vuvuzela

[kdog36]

What was with that ridiculous celebration?

I saw that. pretty odd.

edit: could be Jscence lol. good point.

[trendon]

Penalty kicks are right at the top of my Top Ten list of Things Wrong With Soccer. There is absolutely no way it should be THAT easy for the attacking player. There has to be a way to make it slightly harder while simultaneously not turning the box into a rugby match because defenders aren't afraid of taking penalties.

Perhaps they can allow the goaltender to leave the goal line once the player moves.

[jsence2]

Penalty kicks are right at the top of my Top Ten list of Things Wrong With Soccer. There is absolutely no way it should be THAT easy for the attacking player. There has to be a way to make it slightly harder while simultaneously not turning the box into a rugby match because defenders aren't afraid of taking penalties.

Perhaps they can allow the goaltender to leave the goal line once the player moves.

Why make them harder?

If you make them "harder", it encourages more infractions inside the box. People already complain there aren't enough goals, and now you want to make it MORE likely that defenders will foul in the box?

The whole point of a penalty is that it IS more likely to go in (if taken properly) than saved; however it's still on the player to place it properly. I didn't hear you saying it was too easy when Podolski converted his against Serbi......oh that's right, HE DIDN'T, THE GOALIE SAVED IT!

If you commit an infraction in the box, be prepared to give up a penalty that will be converted more times than it won't!

[jsence2]

De Rossi is so fucking talented, and he's going to be our future captain....HE NEEDS TO STOP FUCKING GOING DOWN SO EASILY!

Ugh.

And France has officially gone down the shitter. I believe I predicted that one

[kdog36]

Trendon
Check out the PK rule for High School. When teams are tied and after OT has been played.

It is not the traditional PK like we see on TV. It is insanely different.

The striker start from almost midfield with a referee next to him/her. they blow the whistle and the striker has 5 seconds to get the ball in the goal. The Goalie CAN move once the time starts.

In fairness the ref looks the other way so he/she only looks at time and not the play.

It is crazy to watch but different.

[kdog36]

wow what a strike

[jsence2]

Uuaww will be at the Ivory Coast-Brazil match, take some pictures for us!

[jsence2]

We look lost out there without Pirlo pulling the strings in midfield.

We need him back, and we need someone to become a playmaker up top. Iaquinta and Gilardino are wastes of space, I still think leaving Rossi off was a huge mistake.

[kdog36]

LOL

Is that USA's favorite ref over there subbing guys in and out?