^They set a rule to give yellow cards to divers/injury fakers

6/14/2006 6:27:06 PM

but they haven't really enforced it, which is a major disappointment

6/14/2006 7:06:06 PM

6/14/2006 9:11:21 PM

^are those just regular road flares?

6/14/2006 9:41:44 PM

^ ???

In preparation for the England-Trinidad game, do the following game.

http://www.scottishquest.com/howscottish/game.html

6/14/2006 10:02:33 PM

^^yes they are....I remember the Japan vs. South Korea game I went to and that's what the people next to me used...

6/14/2006 11:14:07 PM

not sure what anyone has said about it, but that Saudi Arabia v. Tunisia Match was one for the storybooks...

6/14/2006 11:14:43 PM

Quote :

"sharrami All American 1267 Posts user info edit post ^They set a rule to give yellow cards to divers/injury fakers 6/14/2006 6:27:06 PM aimorris Veteran 490 Posts user info edit post but they haven't really enforced it, which is a major disappointment "

They enforced it big time last year and IMHO it isn't nearly as bad as it was then. The little faking and little dives are fine. But in '02 guys would be trying to run a ball down that was played too far, fall with the defender over 5 ft away hoping to get a free kick. I haven't seen that this year.

6/14/2006 11:16:20 PM

^I think it was Ronaldihno who was took a horrible dive... the ball hit him in the knees and he acted like it smacked him in the face and it was the end of the world. Lots of cameras caught it.

6/14/2006 11:18:20 PM

It was Rivaldo.

Ronaldinho wouldn't pull that bullshit.

6/14/2006 11:27:22 PM

Eh, I know it was one of those R's.

6/14/2006 11:46:06 PM

Ronaldo
Rivaldo
Ronaldinho
Ronaldao
Romario
Roque Junior
Rivelino
Robinho

etc.

6/15/2006 12:09:39 AM

ze Roberto....

...

6/15/2006 1:49:46 AM

can Ecuador play well in the second round?

6/15/2006 10:53:02 AM

A good report from an American fan at the USA-Czech Republic game that I thought I'd pass along:

Quote :

"Right so I'm an American who's lived in the UK for the last 4 years. I have the luxury of going to the games for a day or two and then coming home for a rest in between - unlike most of the fans who are there for a couple of weeks. I'm sure some firsthand info is filtering back and making its way onto the boards but I thought I'd put up my thoughts... On the game itself The US team did not look good. The "rabbit/deer in the headlights" type description sums it up pretty well from my point of view. The Czech team is not old, hurt or slow - and "rumors of their demise are greatly exaggerated". And Reyna's post-game comment that "we just got beat by the best team in our group" might well prove true with all due respect to the Italians. They were everywhere swarming the ball. Watching from the upper deck it seemed like there were twice as many Czechs out there than US players and that started from the opening kickoff. They played like maniacs for 90 minutes and the US looked like we had no ideas - no game plan whatsoever and no one to step up and start something. Especially after the first goal. I was just shocked. I really thought going in that we had a 50/50 type chance in this game but I don't think that now having seen the Czechs live. Bruce Arena's comment about our defense playing well is true despite the score. Considering we had nobody going forward in the midfield or up front the guys in back did a pretty good job of limiting the Czechs to maybe 5 or 6 good chances - unfortunately they bagged 3 of them due to lapses in marking. That Rosicky shot for their second goal was a frickin rocket. No one on our team could have done that. We had about 3 or 4 good chances and bagged... none. Reyna, Gooch and Keller were the only guys that looked like they'd played in a WC game before. McBride and Convey had moments and Johnson looked dangerous when he came in. I really believe that this was a poor way to lose. I think I could have understood if we'd played a more open, risk-taking game and gotten burnt for 3 goals, but there are several players out there who look like they don't want to play with the ball at their feet going forward and I find that seriously disturbing. I really believe that the Italy game (and Ghana to some extent afterwards) will be a turning point in US soccer. Some guys better step it up a bit (like Donovan, Beasley, etc.) or they will not be on the team much longer - seriously. As we all know in US sports you can lose as long as you give it all you've got but there were far too many guys out there who weren't giving it much of anything and that just makes me sick. I can't speculate on why this was. I'd like to chalk it up to that was the game plan and it didn't work because the Czechs were a better team on the day - just suffocated us - and went up with an early goal. I'd like to think it's not something more sinister like lack of unity in the team or lack of support for the coaching staff, etc. The next two games will tell. There was a quote from Rosicky after the game where he said something like the US was a 'tough side, played hard and the score was not a true indication of the match.' That's right. We needed some luck on the day and had none whatsoever. They had all the luck. That being said they made their own luck and we didn't. On the Fans Make no mistake... From a fan support point of view this was a home game for the US. From the opening anthems. I have never heard the National Anthem sung so loud at a sporting event in my life and I've been to quite a few. You couldn't even hear it playing on the loudspeaker we were singing so loud. Even my English wife was impressed - and happy she knew some of the words! Then it went deadly quiet for the Czech national anthem - you could have heard a pin drop - no whistling, booing or anything else. It was like everyone else was in shock that there were so many of us and we were so loud. We saw the Elvises, the Harlem Globetrotters, a guy dressed like George Washingto, people young and old all wearing red, white and blue jerseys and t-shirts, carrying flags, waving flags, tooting horns, yelling. From the town just outside the train station to outside the match before the game, going into the match, during the match even when we were down 2-0. Everytime the US starting to look like they were getting something going it was "USA USA USA" so loud. The only thing the Czech fans had on us was that they all wore red - it looked like a cornhusker game in their corner. We were a mix of red white and blue and ok we didn't have much variety in our chants. Mostly "USA", or players names "Kas-ey Kell-er" "Gooooch Gooooch", etc. But when you consider that there wasn't much to cheer about on the field we did a good job - chanting and cheering for most of the game - Sam's Army guys banging drums below us, etc. There were more of us there than were Czech fans and we did a better job of making noise until about the 80 minute mark when they took over. Some of the players kind of half walked over our way clapping after the game but their heads were down and they seemed really embarrassed that they hadn't played better and they got such good support. Reading the UK Financial Times on the plane on the way home yesterday (it was the only English language paper on Lufthansa) there was a good two paragraphs about the US fans, how much support we gave, how loud we were and how well behaved we were. There was a quote something like - The US fans 'are doing more for a positive image of Americans in Europe since they were "over here" last time' (tongue in cheek positive ref to WWII) and it's 'too bad we don't have a football team to match us.' I talked to half a dozen groups of Czech fans walking out - congratulated them and they seemed really happy to have won. I think they were quite nervous about this game and happily surprised it went so well for them. Everyone was very friendly and polite. On Germany in general Germany gets a 10. All Germans we met were very happy, helpful and polite. The wife and I kept looking at each other when we got bills for food, drink, souveniers or whatever and were surprised not to be paying more. The Germans are definitely not taking advantage of having the World Cup. Whether they are native Germans or immigrants working at pubs, fast food restaurants, hotels or whatever, they're all busting with pride and very friendly. Everything is clean and organised. The train system is easy to use, there are english speaking guides and help desks everywhere. Germans are happy to speak to you in pigeon English (or fluent english for a lot of them) or pigeon German if you prefer to give that a try. If you're coming over - if you just learn a few words - danke, bitte, wie gehts?, etc. you'll make loads of friends. Perfect example: I was taking a smoke break outside a pub in Cologne during halftime of the Mex-Iran match (you could smoke inside but since there were about 100 of us USA fans in there I felt I needed to go outside!). A guy was walking by and looking at my USA jersey. So I said "wie gehts?" (how's it going). He stopped and came over and said "you are American?" I said yes. He says "what do you think of your chances against Czech Republic?" I said "well I think it's a very very important match for us, and will be very difficult, etc." We had a nice conversation for about 10 minutes about the match - in English. But if I hadn't known those two words in German it would never have happened. That's the difference between having a great time in Europe and not. You have to engage with the folks just a tiny bit and they're dead curious to see what you're like. That's the main thing. They really want to talk to you and ask you what you think about football, being in Germany, etc. but they're a little nervous so you've got to step in - have a beer and break the ice with some really bad German! Europeans were very interested to see if the US team was ready to take the next step - unfortunately I think that question has been answered for them now barring a shock upset of Italy. Right - I've got to go do the laundry now and get ready to go back for Italy on Friday. I'll be hanging around the boards today though and am happy to try and answer any questions you guys have got if I can. Cheers"

6/15/2006 10:55:38 AM

Quote :

"can Ecuador play well in the second round?"

See their Germany game in some days. If they finish second in their group, they'll get England most likely. Which based on play so far I think would go to the Ecuadorians.

6/15/2006 11:00:29 AM

HOLY SHIT DID ANYONE ELSE SEE THAT SAVE!!!????

John Terry is my hero.

6/15/2006 12:47:17 PM

WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
that almost was a goal

6/15/2006 12:50:39 PM

That save was silly. T&T is looking good to me.

6/15/2006 12:51:18 PM

i really hope T&T wins

6/15/2006 12:53:25 PM

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN

ENGLAND NUMBER 9 WAYNE ROONEY HAS ENTERED THE WORLD CUP

Listen to that crowd

6/15/2006 1:18:29 PM

I can't believe they took out Owen instead of Crouch. I understand that Rooney and Owen fill the same role and Crouch has special talents (if being a lanky bastard is a talent), but Crouch hasn't even come close on any of his shots. The volley he tried when he was wide open would've been the hooking point for me.

Glen is looking more Rooney-like than Rooney.

[Edited on June 15, 2006 at 1:34 PM. Reason : d]

6/15/2006 1:34:17 PM

beckhams crosses have been utter garbage...



plz score rooney...

[Edited on June 15, 2006 at 1:35 PM. Reason : adsf]


ahahahhaa that lanky bastard finally scored after about 80 chances

[Edited on June 15, 2006 at 1:42 PM. Reason : dfg]

6/15/2006 1:35:11 PM

And as soon as we slag Beckham and Crouch in tandem...they score.

NO ROBOCROUCH WTF

6/15/2006 1:42:56 PM

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!!!!!!!

[Edited on June 15, 2006 at 1:45 PM. Reason : ^http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060613/6/7h6r.html]

6/15/2006 1:43:34 PM

haha very true, bout time though, england should have 3 or 4 goals in this game with all possession and chances

6/15/2006 1:44:47 PM

Aaron Lennon is good

6/15/2006 1:44:57 PM

That's the Gerrard I like to see

6/15/2006 1:50:01 PM

gerrard steps out of invisibility to finally say hes playing in this world cup!!

6/15/2006 1:50:08 PM

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!!!!!!!

6/15/2006 1:50:52 PM

oh shit, that could have been nice

6/15/2006 1:51:27 PM

Jesus Christ the second half really picked up.

6/15/2006 1:52:40 PM

That T&T goal was NOT offside. He was even.

6/15/2006 1:53:54 PM

englands gotta practice crosses or something, if they were playing any team with a decent chance or better, they prob would have lost

6/15/2006 1:53:56 PM

There were so many opportunities that England had, I'm glad they finally followed through on some of them.

6/15/2006 1:55:08 PM

Sweden Paraguay should be interesting - I'm picking Sweden to win

6/15/2006 2:17:17 PM

I think Eric is taking the Beckham jokes a little too far.

6/15/2006 2:47:59 PM

Quote :

"That T&T goal was NOT offside. He was even."

Holy Helen Keller...he was at least a yard offsides.

And Beckham might have had a shitty cross or two...but the majority of his balls were on point. England should have had a couple more goals off of Beckham assists.

6/15/2006 3:00:22 PM

that first half was awful, ive never seen england play this poorly
the second half wasnt anything to be proud of either
they can play a whole lot better and they better

6/15/2006 4:12:59 PM

They were on fire for the last 20 minutes of the game.

6/15/2006 4:13:55 PM

they beat jamaica 5-0 in their last friendly
i was expecting something close to that

6/15/2006 4:16:24 PM

Sweden 1 - Paraguay 0

6/15/2006 4:48:55 PM

Valdez is a selfish son of a bitch

seems like he wants to pull a Maradona and take all the defense before shooting and scoring a goal.
needs to work on his passing skills

GG Sweden!

6/15/2006 4:54:56 PM

Looking forward to the England/Swede matchup and hoping T&T wins by 3

6/15/2006 5:17:40 PM

if anybody was wondering about the masked celebration in the Ecuador game (like I was)

Quote :

"Ecuador striker Ivan Kaviedes paid tribute to fallen teammate Otilino Tenorio with his mask celebration in La Tri’s 3-0 defeat of Costa Rica. After scoring the third goal late in the match, El Nine pulled the mask out of his pants. It seems pretty clear that the move was to honor former Ecuadorian international Otilino Tenorio, who was killed in a car crash last year. From the FIFA article: “Tenorio was known as Spiderman for his habit of donning the superhero’s mask during goal celebrations.” Tenorio often donned a mask just like El Nine did today."

http://ecuador.worldcupblog.org/1/el-nines-masked-celebration.html

6/15/2006 7:35:39 PM

Quote :

"That T&T goal was NOT offside. He was even."

I recorded the game on my dvr, and just watched the goal. He was barely off, maybe just a step. He looks even from the angle they show because its not really parallel with the field.

6/15/2006 7:43:46 PM

could someone explain the offsides rule to me, i don't feel like looking it up

6/15/2006 7:44:49 PM

^

Team A who is attacking Team Bs goal can't go past Teams Bs last defender and recieve the ball.

6/15/2006 7:46:29 PM

that seems dumb

what makes that illegal

just seems like good offense and/or bad defense to me

6/15/2006 7:49:43 PM

Actually, a better definition is there must be two players even or behind an opposing player when the ball is PLAYED to him, not when he receives it. The goalie obviously counts as one so the player must be even with the last defender when the ball is played to him, he can be five yards past when he gets the ball as long as he was even when it was struck by the player passing it to him

6/15/2006 7:52:52 PM