Topic: 2010 FIFA World Cup Thread

At the rate this World Cup is going anything can happen

No doubt about it.
It's been crazy so far.

Yay GO JAPAN!! Great performance tonight and some amazing goals (and very nearly goals!!) Hope Fergie's gonna sign Honda up soon, he was awesome tonight.
As for England well......it's Germany FFS!! We all know the drill by now But seriously they look strong and fast and they have got goals in em but I reckon if we play like we have in the past and get our rythym back I feel we can break there defense so I reckon we can do em'. Then probably Argentina hmmmm.......,............ I do think that we should rest Rooney at least for the first half ,he dosen't look right at all maybe give Crouchy a chance I can see him getting some joy with Defoe.Can't wait for Sunday, I iz guna b smashed!!

Japan and South Korea move one, Italy and France dont. What the hell is going on?

Oh ya! Big day of football today! Brazil vs Portugal and then it's Spain vs Chile! So happy I bought extra beer for today.

Just gimme lotsa Goals!!! _{and a Portugal win if possible}

edit: Half time.... yaaaaaaaaaaaawn! D:

I hate it when a team play a super defensive game... I mean c'mon, only 1 attacker?

Can't watch it live, unfortunately, but I'm keeping up with the play by play on fifa.com. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Brazil v Portugal is mostly inconsequential, isn't it? As long as Cote d'Ivoire doesn't score a bazillion goals and Portugal loses, Brazil and Portgual move on, right? And Brazil moves on no matter what. So what are these guys (especially Brazil) doing racking up yellow cards?

@Adam
Brazil is already moving on. Portugal as well, unless Ivory Coast scores 9 goals. It's basically a battle for first position in group G.

That's what I thought. Then I'm completely confused. I mean, I don't think anyone wants them to just sit on the pitch and have a picnic (though it'd be kind of cute), but according to the play by play they've got seven yellow cards between them? That seems unnecessarily dangerous. I'm not able to watch right now, so maybe it's just harsh calls, but I think if I were them and I had the slightest uncertainty about a play, I'd just pat the guy on the back and wish him the best instead of risking a card, haha.

Edit: Re: Getting First Place
Ah, does that make a difference, or is it just bragging rights?

Alot of them were cautions, like 3 out of questioning the ref.

What exactly is a "caution"? I've heard the term used before, but I thought it was just another word for yellow card. Do cautions not carry over to the next match?

@Adam: A caution is like a warning, before a yellow card, or inbetween your first and 2nd yellow cards. And YES, finishing first makes a big difference. >_> Just look at England and USA's possible routes to the final. Quite a difference.

Anyway, boring football match was boring. That was so hyped up, but we should have realized they'd both play for the draw. I don't blame 'em, but....

Damn, Brazil played horribly! But it was basically the reserves versus Portugal, no Elano, Robinho or Kaka. Felipe Melo (not the best player, but he makes a difference) went out at the end of the first half and Luis Fabiano was subbed for the last 15 - 20 minutes. Anyways, Brazil finished 1st in the group. Note to Portugal though: grow some balls and try playing offense next time! That game was irritatingly boring because of all that defensive play. Ball possession and offense was like 65 Brazil 35 Portugal. I hope the Spain vs Chile game sees more action. I hope Chile wins.

That's what I was asking, Machu. I didn't know how the rankings affected. For all I knew, it might have meant nothing but bragging rights, or maybe the top teams would play each other. You take for granted that you live in a country that both covers football constantly and cares. I can't even watch the weekday games because of timing, including US's games, so I don't know how this stuff works.

@Adam
I live in a country that covers football constantly, cares about football AND stops all work and activities for the game day. It's like a long weekend here in Brazil!!!

I think I need to move to Brazil! Not that I am that passionate about the game, but I like long weekends, haha.

I'm excited for the next round in the coming week, especially since this is a most unusual World Cup with giants like Italy being beaten by outsiders.

(And hurrah for our win against Cameroon last night, even though it was completely unessesary.)

@Adam
Long weekends, lots of public holidays, good and cheap beer, amazing beaches, delicious food AND extremely beautiful women.

@Adam: On Wednesday schools finished early so the kiddies could watch the England match.