Football World Cup

[stefano]

So the greatest show on Earth (by viewership) kicked off yesterday. It was a good day, I was pretty pleased at how it went off. An absolute pearler of a day in Cape Town, it felt like summer and the whole city was in a good mood, rival teams dressed up in their kit and singing, everyone flirting with everyone else. The clouds rolled in from the sea last night, though, today's a real winter's day. Nice and tense first game with Mexico holding SA to a 1-1 draw, SA could have won but two good shots went wide. Then a boring one between France and Uruguay, 0-0 draw with neither side showing any sense of occasion. Makes that group quite interesting now, I expect SA to beat Uruguay, so France will really need to get it together against Mexico on the 17th.

This afternoon sees Argentina run out against Nigeria, I'm looking forward to seeing Argentina, they've got one of the best teams on paper but can't always get it together. Then quite a big one this evening, USA against England. The English sound nervous and the US is fielding its best team yet, I hope we see an upset.

I reckon Spain are going to go through after a beautiful quarterfinal against Italy and an equally great semi against Argentina, and Brazil will beat England in the semi. Brazil will win the cup. I'm hoping for some upsets though, I'd be thrilled if SA could beat Argentina, or Cameroon could go to the semis.

All predictions, comments, bets or "no football is that game with the helmets, you mean soccer" arguments in this thread, please.

Edit - great flash calendar here.

[Jeff]

I'm kinda liking Argentina to take it, though I was pulling for a Nigeria upset.

[jingofever]

I'd like to see North Korea versus South Korea in the final, with the North taking it. Or maybe the United States losing to the North.

[JackRiddler]

jingo: your chances of becoming the Pope in Rome are higher. Much higher.

[Peregrine]

heh, I love World Cup in my neighborhood, everyone gets so into it.

[Pele'sDaughter]

My boss is having a World Cup party today. I'm sure I would've been invited had I not been scheduled to work today, heh.

[JackRiddler]

I suppose I should fly this now.


Last chance after the 2-0 loss to Korea today, because these guys aren't beating Argentina and maybe getting a draw vs. Nigeria.

[stefano]

Pretty tense so far! Three draws in five matches. Sorry for England, especially Green, now to be known as "Hand of Clod" and "Tainted Glove", ha. That's sure to rattle them, and they definitely don't look good enough to be considered favourites. Argentina played well at the front, that goal was brilliant. Good game from Nigeria though, I hope this tournament is one where the lower seeds shine.

Today's games aren't much to get worked up about, Monday I want to watch Italy's first game, and looking forward to Tuesday's Portugal-Ivory Coast.

[Stephen Morgan]

South Africa, as by far the lowest ranked team in the international rankings, looked surprisingly good. Even so, there's a reason they've favourites for the wooden spoon and I wouldn't expect them to beat Uruguay who are probably the best team in a mediocre group. France don't look too good, not surprising given the dissention (and apparently fist fights) in the camp. Tulalan might be a dirty cheat but he was the only thing keeping the French in that match. When Uruguay come against a team without such an effective midfield spoiler I expect Forlan and Suarez to get enough service to show why they scored so often in the League last season. South Africa won't want to be the first hosts ever to go out in the first round and they might have a chance against France, which would give them four points. Probably between them and Mexico, who create a lot, as in that first half against SA, but don't put their chances away.

Nigeria don't look up to much, especially at the back, but then nor do Greece. Greece are still very defensive but they haven't got the target man or wing play that managed to get them the 2004 European Championship. Not as good at defending any more either. Not an unknown quantity any more. Not up against a bunch of bottlers any more either. Argentina looked good up front but the only pace in their back line is that liability at right back and the whole team, which only just scraped qualification, is continuously mucked about by their crack head manager. Still likely to get through a group with Greece and Nigeria in it, though.

England, on the other hand, hammered USA for the whole match and were much better than I expected. Johnson and Gerrard did especially well, Green was unfortunate and careless for the goal but made a good save later on, Heskey missed a couple of good chances, fell over a lot and was habitually off side. As usual I'm baffled as to why a man who can't get a game for Aston Villa is perenially indispensable at international level. Honourable mentions for Rooney, Lennon and Terry. Biggest worry over injuries, a Carragher-Terry back line is painfully slow, which was nearly exposed by little Altidore on a few occasions, I don't know where Barry might fit in now if he sticks with 442. Could've done with a left foot on the left wing a couple of times too. The Americans looked like fit unimaginative journeymen, like they always do. Haven't progressed like the Koreans have, probably not as good as eight years ago.

[AhabsOtherLeg]

I suppose I should fly this now.

Well, it's an easy mistake to make, Jack, but, of course, you meant that you should be flying this:



They're kind of similar. I can see where you went wrong. And yeah, I know we're not in the world cup, due to our own repeated, concerted, and interminable failure, but that's no excuse. It should be flown at all times everywhere, regardless of location or propriety or decency or tact.

That's traditional, that is.

So is failing to get into the World Cup at all, though, I suppose. Hmmph.

Stephen Morgan clearly knows what he is talking about here, but I'm going to stick with supporting Portugal for the time being. I hear they are in with a long-shot chance, but they're still under-doggish enough to make it worth my time to follow them (at a distance). I hate folk who have Brazil as their fall-back or second carder after their own national team gets beat. It's just too easy. Plus, they don't really win all that often.

Stefano, both meself and my family were hugely impressed by the show SA has put on for this event. It looked fantastic, even from this distance.

And there was even a rare bit of indisputably good news on the BBC this morning. At least, I think there was... now that I'm looking for an article about it, there seems to be nothing at all.

So, provisionally... I saw this morning on the telly that the shirts that were left in tribute by fans after the death of Bobby Robson have now been flown over in bulk by by the RAF to be re-distributed to kids in Nigeria. I'm pretty sure I didn't just imagine that.

[Stephen Morgan]

Don't get the idea that I know what I'm talking about, I've just been watching it. Every minute of it. I'm in a prediction game thing on another board I post on in which I'm 26th out of 30.

[norton ash]

Ahhhhh, that soft goal that Eng-er-land allowed and their overall lazy play just makes me think the PTB want to maintain American interest for a little while longer via that FIX of a tie.

Not like the USA-UK aren't in constant collaboration on nefarious secret activities anyway, wot?

[jingofever]

Jeff should add the World Cup to this blog post.

[AhabsOtherLeg]

Don't get the idea that I know what I'm talking about, I've just been watching it. Every minute of it. I'm in a prediction game thing on another board I post on in which I'm 26th out of 30.

Well, you are rattling off the odds, and the strategies, and the overal likelihood of victory by each team like a well-informed bookie. You do know what you are talking about.

I myself know less than nowt about football outside the Old Firm, really. But I'm prepared to put a fiver on your top two recommendations for the winning of the World Cup.

I'll put a fiver on Portugal, for meself. You can choose any other two teams for me put a fiver on, 'cos i won't choose them meself. If they win, I will be grateful.

As Abba would say: Take a chance on me. Name me your top two teams, and we'll all follow them through the challenge, for better or worse. Then any winnings could go to a charity of some sort - we'll need to ask C2W which charities are decent, and which ones are merely fronts for politicisedl or Scientological bawbaggery.

As a board, in fact, we could all place a bet on a team, and see how it turned out. With a poll to make sure we all supported the same side (non-politically). We could raise some cash here. It's a thought, innit?

[Penguin]

Our team never makes it...