The Official World Cup 2010 Thread

[Manneken Pis]

Not great play fromOranje today, but in this phase of tournament 3 points is most important. Go Oranje!!!

Just warming up the steamroller.......

[rjf1]

Not great play fromOranje today...

You can put most of that down to the bullshit style (or lack thereof) of football that Denmark resorted to. Geez, you're in the World Cup -- play football like you mean it instead of resorting to parking 11 players in your defensive half -- just playing to spoil the game -- hoping for a 0-0 draw (or maybe even getting lucky and pipping one. If you're not going to play football just go home and be shoemakers.

It is really difficult to do much of anything attacking-wise under those circumstances. I thought they did better after getting that first goal -- which forced Denmark to change their tactics somewhat.

On another note -- between Rommedahl (who had a decent game, I thought), Eriksen, Gronkear and Morten Olsen, they could have named the Danish squad Team Ajax.

[SPL]

Not a great match but comfortable win for the Oranje especially after the og.

[Blind3]

It hurts me to speak well of ex- F-worders, except for those who are Ajacieden also , but I thought Dirk Kuijt played a strong , hard working, not afraid to get his uni dirty kind of match. He hustled on his goal and was last seen chasing a near lost cause to the touch line in , and keeping it in, in minute 89.

Gregory van der Wiel played pretty well also. Nigel de Jong played the hard man role well.

[Orange14]

It hurts me to speak well of ex- F-worders, except for those who are Ajacieden also , but I thought Dirk Kuijt played a strong , hard working, not afraid to get his uni dirty kind of match. He hustled on his goal and was last seen chasing a near lost cause to the touch line in , and keeping it in, in minute 89.

Gregory van der Wiel played pretty well also. Nigel de Jong played the hard man role well.

Yes, and I'm continually surprised at those who don't rate Kuyt. He tracks back relentlessly on defense which given our back four is a necessity.

[Kowalczyk]

Not great play fromOranje today, but in this phase of tournament 3 points is most important. Go Oranje!!!

Winning is always the most important thing, in any phase of any competition.

K.

[Manneken Pis]

Nigel de Jong played the hard man role well.

I thought he was lucky not to get e red for the two studded tackle he did.
Lucky we were playing the Danes who don't exagerate in those situations.
Against the German/Italian/Spanish/Portuguese/e.t.c. teams things would have been different.

Don't get me wrong, you need a "destroyer", but you need one that does it in a non-clumsy way.

[ajaxusa]

I'm surprised there is no discussion of BRAZIL-N.KOREA. What a fascinating match-up, top-ranked 5-time world champions vs bottom-ranked, utter mystery team. Before the match, the commentators (including Ruud Gullit) could only talk about how many goals Brazil would score. But NK played with startling confidence, organization and composure. Sure, they were in a defensive set-up, but the played beautifully out of the back and tried some cheeky moves including the longest shot on goal so far (from their own half). Then Brazil scores an amazing goal (yes, I'm convinced he meant it), and then a technically perfect 2nd, and you're thinking, "OK here comes the onslaught," but then NK scores a great one, and actually made the Brazilians nervous for the final moments. Imagine what this means to those players, and to the poor people of NK, who live a brutal, deprived life under this insane dictator. For me, this is the most fascinating story of the tournament so far. I expected so much less from them. I thought they'd be disorganized, afraid and would respond by hacking the Brazilians mercilessly. But in fact they were just the opposite. Great game, I thought. Anyone? Bueller?

[Blind3]

I was pleased to see FIFA not buckle under to the world village's resident idiots , a.k.a. some of the world politicos , who called for the North Korean team to be banned in the wake of that country... the military (!!) not the football side... sinking the South Korean naval vessel . Now I'm even more glad. Let politics be politics and sport be sport when possible... please . I was pulling for North Korea today. Had to put on the Spanish language broadcast at work , we have a TV to monitor news and we don't get ESPN , and thoroughly enjoyed the match.

To the match then. North Korea was very well organized and their game plan was excellent. Ashame the NK GK wasn't on the post tight on Maicon's effort . Not saying he definitely keeps it out , but oh to even think a fingertip or two might've meant 1:1. Elano's goal was placement perfect. Ji's ( IIRC) goal for North Korea was even better...a golazo according to Univisions commentary team. I definitely will catch North Korea's remaining matches.

[Manneken Pis]

Imagine what this means to those players, and to the poor people of NK, who live a brutal, deprived life under this insane dictator.

As I understand it those "poor people of NK" won't be seeing any of the WC unless NK win a game.

Still, you're right, great performance.

[Orange14]

Remember how they surprised everyone in 1966 (I was just starting to follow football at that time)? See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_FIFA_World_Cup They finished second in their group and I think were up 3-0 on Portugal in the first knock out round when Eusebio hit for four and Portugal won 5-3. I don't think we can underestimate this team and I was not surprised at their performance yesterday. Maicon's goal was amazing and maybe the Korean keeper should have been closer to the post to have a chance at it.

It's not a given that Brazil will finish on top of their group at this point. If Drogba can play a little more than he did yesterday Ivory Coast will be tough. I was surprised at how poor Portugal was, but I absolutely don't want our team facing them! Too many bad memories.

[rjf1]

I thought Suarez's dive in the Uraguay-SA match was worth a 9.9. Could have been a perfect 10 except he didn't roll around enough. Good thing it wasn't a referee from the Eredivisie who has seen him in action before, or else he might have been the one who got the red card.

[Cedric]

This is slightly exaggerated too...

[rjf1]

This is slightly exaggerated too...

True -- but only slightly.

[ajaxusa]

Normally my three favorite teams are USA, Netherlands and whoever is playing Mexico. But the ancestral Irishman in me found some joy in seeing France lose to a team in green.

[Orange14]

Normally my three favorite teams are USA, Netherlands and whoever is playing Mexico. But the ancestral Irishman in me found some joy in seeing France lose to a team in green.

and Germany loses to Serbia and the US is behind to Slovenia at the break 0-2. You cannot take any team for granted! I will settle for a 1-0 win tomorrow against Japan.

[Ajaxfanuk]

Schade Deutschland Alles ist vorbei!

Hup Holland

C'mon England!!!

The world cup makes me crazy

[gordonvandekamp]

Would have been nice if the US showed up in the first half. Refereeing has been poor (a lot of games seem that way), but not a horrible result considering the first half.

I think it will be Oranje again tomorrow, 3-0.

[Orange14]

Would have been nice if the US showed up in the first half. Refereeing has been poor (a lot of games seem that way), but not a horrible result considering the first half.

I think it will be Oranje again tomorrow, 3-0.

But what was the call on the Edu go ahead goal that was disallowed? I couldn't see any foul or offside at all. Could be the bad call of the tournament (at least for the US)

[ajaxusa]

Unquestionably the worst decision of the tournament so far, and among the worst I've ever seen, given the significance. If the USA were real contenders for the cup, this would be THE story. Maybe it still is.

FIFA said it was a foul (not offside violation) but offered no further explanation.

http://gizmodo.com/5567120/usa+slovenia ... needs-tech

I'm not in favor of instant replays. But this result is galling. (Maybe I'm being punished for supporting Mexico.)

[orange goblin]

I saw a god Us team. they have problems in defending, but try to play good football. they would have deserved a fantastic win.
and, yes: I enjoy a Us player. although he has been changed after the first half, findley is an interesting player, I noticed him with england and wanted to see again. not a phenomenon, and not even close to landon donovan: but a fast, and non-egoist striker, who would suit as a winger in ajax system, if given the time. I had this pretty sensation. so go Usa, I want to see more!

[Orange14]

I saw a god Us team. they have problems in defending, but try to play good football. they would have deserved a fantastic win.
and, yes: I enjoy a Us player. although he has been changed after the first half, findley is an interesting player, I noticed him with england and wanted to see again. not a phenomenon, and not even close to landon donovan: but a fast, and non-egoist striker, who would suit as a winger in ajax system, if given the time. I had this pretty sensation. so go Usa, I want to see more!

Yes, and he would do well to come over to Holland and play just like Michael Bradley did. I don't think he will improve much staying in our league here in the US. BTW, England looked terrible this afternoon; they may as well book their plane tickets for home if this is the level of commitment they have. This tournament is still wide open for the pickings. The team that wins it will have some measure of good fortune with no injuries or player suspensions.

[paladinby]

That disallowed goal was just terrible. There was a US player held (Bradley i think), but still referee mysteriously whistled. And after EPL turned into money-throwing competition there's just no place for englishmen to play.

[Blind3]

The Ballad of Johannesburg

Now hear the mindless folly
Of Koman Coulibaly
The refereee from Mali
Who stole our win today.

Edu should have been "invictus"
But unless the replay tricked us
He really ********ing dicked us
We should have won today.

What a free kick! What a goal!
What a cheer from heart and soul!
But that stupid f****** a*******
Stole our points today.

Already immortalized in song . Copied and pasted from Big Soccer . Kudos to the unknown author. The Addams Family tune fits . Funny little ditty , but crap call . Hopefully, the US will not put themselves in a position where a controversial call in the Algeria match ,one way or the other, determines their fate.

[Blind3]

The Netherlands not exactly en fuego in the first half. Need more width . Japan looks tough to break down.

EDIT : Second half - more of the 69% possession , but now chances and ...SNEIJDER with a lightning bolt 1/2 volley ...1:0 !!