FIFA World Cup 2010

[Talon87]

Ten minutes in, and we're still 0-0. But not without a random wanderer-on at the 3rd minute! lol

[Talon87]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

That is all.

[Doppleganger]

I'm amazing. My predictive power is unparalleled.

I've been able to guess wrong all 10 of the last World Cup matches. Dear friends, someone with the gift of prophecy could never hope to be this accurate.

[Tyranidos]

I'm going with the octopus for the final.

[Talon87]

The octopus shouldn't predict the final (although I'm sure he will ) because his owner has so far used him to predict only those matches in this World Cup in which Germany has played. That is part of the reason why Paul the so-called "psychic octopus" has yet to flub up: because he's only had to make six "calls" thus far, meaning random chance favors his psychic skills by an order of 1:64. Hardly impressive, really, when you think about it. (Especially since he's only had to call it right against 1:8 odds since the time people began paying attention to him, which is when Germany exited the Round 1 preliminary stages of the World Cup, or three matches so far.)

But given all of the publicity surrounding Paul now, I'm sure his owner will have him call the winner of the championship round as well as the winner of the 3rd Place match between Germany and Uruguay.

[Treepandaone]

Netherlands are much like Germany and will probably play the same as them, trying to counter while Spain push but I feel that the Holland defense is far weaker and will crumble far sooner than Germany did.

Spain will be able to play their style of football as all of the Holland midfield are somewhat slow in comparison and the same with their attack. I'm going Spain to win the final 2-0 and Germany to beat Uraguay 3-1.

[Tyranidos]

I disagree. From watching Holland play, I'd argue that they play more like Spain, that their entire offense relies on a strong midfield (Kuyt and Robben come to mind) and set up for the likes of Van Persie and Sneijder to score. Similary, Xavi and Iniesta fight past the midfield/defense and pass it to Villa who scores. So it'll be interesting to see who has a stronger midfield, as I feel that whoever does will win.

[Talon87]

Austin Powers' dad won't be pleased should the Dutch win.

But I have a friend from Caltech who's Dutch, and I have no Spanish friends, so I guess that makes me a Dutch fan!

[Treepandaone]

Originally Posted by Tyranidos

I disagree. From watching Holland play, I'd argue that they play more like Spain, that their entire offense relies on a strong midfield (Kuyt and Robben come to mind) and set up for the likes of Van Persie and Sneijder to score. Similary, Xavi and Iniesta fight past the midfield/defense and pass it to Villa who scores. So it'll be interesting to see who has a stronger midfield, as I feel that whoever does will win.

Sneijder plays in midfield and Kuyt plays up front with Van Persie, however, both Kuyt and Van Persie are very inconsistant with Kuyt often reverting back to his Liverpool form and Van Persie failing to really shine at all. Sneijder is a danger man and will always be looking to score from outside the box, much like Robben trying to get on his outside foot, but I think Spain have the better attack and defense.

Should David Villa turn around and play more like he has against everyone but Germany (which he was man-marked) and Pedro or Torres playing as well as they did against Germany then I feel that the Spanish may be able to break down the defensive lines of what I consider to be shakey.

It will be an interesting game, for sure, and I'm backing Spain to win. I put my bet on them at the start of the world cup, and I'm hoping to get some money next sunday. ;p

[Talon87]

Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffft, you bet on the favorite. You're going to get like nothing.

[Tyranidos]

Originally Posted by Treepandaone

Sneijder plays in midfield and Kuyt plays up front with Van Persie, however, both Kuyt and Van Persie are very inconsistant with Kuyt often reverting back to his Liverpool form and Van Persie failing to really shine at all. Sneijder is a danger man and will always be looking to score from outside the box, much like Robben trying to get on his outside foot, but I think Spain have the better attack and defense.

I'm well aware of their positions, but the fact remains: Kuyt hasn't scored a goal and Van Persie has scored one. Sneijder has scored 5, Robben has scored 2. Kuyt and Van Persie have been PLAYING midfield-like positions, often getting the ball from Sneijder or someone, then holding on to the ball for a while until they can pass forward to Sneijder, who then scores. Similary, Robben does the same thing, except he's better than Kuyt and Van Persie, so he can push forward more. I'm simply stating that the forwards and playing like midfielders (which they've done a better job at IMO) and the midfielders are playing like forwards.

[Talon87]

In other words, the players' positions need to be switched by their coach?

Or in other words, to hell with traditional football positions?

[Tyranidos]

Originally Posted by Talon87

In other words, the players' positions need to be switched by their coach?

Or in other words, to hell with traditional football positions?

I didn't say either of those things. Read my post before you accuse me of saying stuff like this.

[Talon87]

Read my post before you accuse me of accusing you of stuff. I'm getting pretty sick and tired of these cruel and baseless allegations.

[Tyranidos]

Originally Posted by Talon87

Read my post before you accuse me of accusing you of stuff. I'm getting pretty sick and tired of these cruel and baseless allegations.

As am I. If you read the last sentence of my post I said "I'm simply stating that the forwards and playing like midfielders (which they've done a better job at IMO) and the midfielders are playing like forwards." Never did I say they should change positions or to hell with positions altogether. I stated that that's how their playing not how it should be played.

[Treepandaone]

I got evens actually.

[Talon87]

You said, Forwards are playing like midfielders; and midfielders are playing like forwards.

So I then politely asked you, "So are you saying, then, that they ought to switch their official positions?" In other words, "Do you think that they are better suited to the others' position?" In other words, "Do you think that the coach has made an error in placing them as he has?"

I realized you might be suggesting another opinion, so I checked that one as well: "Or are you suggesting, 'To hell with traditional football positions'?"

It was an innocent, sincere question and you took it like a personal attack. This tells me that you've got a preconceived notion about what kind of guy I am, that it isn't a very nice one, and that you're not very nice yourself. A nicer person wouldn't have read what I wrote and said, "Man, that Talon, he's just asking for someone to tell him to knock it off." Knock what off? Knock what off? I can't even hold a discussion with someone without being accused of being an instigator? Fuck that bullshit. I'll call out anyone who's going to frame me like this.

And I have.

[Tyranidos]

Originally Posted by Talon87

You said, Forwards are playing like midfielders; and midfielders are playing like forwards.

So I then politely asked you, "So are you saying, then, that they ought to switch their official positions?" In other words, "Do you think that they are better suited to the others' position?" In other words, "Do you think that the coach has made an error in placing them as he has?"

I realized you might be suggesting another opinion, so I checked that one as well: "Or are you suggesting, 'To hell with traditional football positions'?"

It was an innocent, sincere question and you took it like a personal attack. This tells me that you've got a preconceived notion about what kind of guy I am, that it isn't a very nice one, and that you're not very nice yourself. A nicer person wouldn't have read what I wrote and said, "Man, that Talon, he's just asking for someone to tell him to knock it off." Knock what off? Knock what off? I can't even hold a discussion with someone without being accused of being an instigator? Fuck that bullshit. I'll call out anyone who's going to frame me like this.

And I have.

If you said it like that then I wouldn't have bothered.

[Doppleganger]

I placed my bets.

I think Spain is going to break Holland's spine like Bane did to Batman.

Germany to stomp over Uruguay, although I would honestly feel rather bad if no South American team placed this year.

[Talon87]

I wouldn't! Suarez, go home!

I wouldn't hold it against him that much if all I'd seen was his foul. But in the pre-game for the Germany vs. Spain match, they were re-showing footage from the Ghana vs. Uruguay game, and I saw Suarez on the sidelines watching the penalty kick. The childish, impish look of delight, of glee on his face when he saw that the penalty kick missed really miffed me. I mean, yeah: you don't expect a guy to be elated about a goal that goes against his own team! But he just danced and giggled in jubilance, and it was like, "STFU, fucker , you don't get to dance this one. Sit yer ass down! "

Give the guy some time away from the public eye (and mine) and I'll welcome him back and re-judge him with a clean slate, just like I did with Donovan. (Although admittedly "being a pompous ass" is hardly in the same league as "being a pompous ass who double-hand balls what would have been the winning goal against his team". )


As for bets ...

Spain 3 - Netherlands 1 is my baseless gut instinct, while 2 - 1 is my more measured instinct.

Germany ? - Uruguay less than ? is my baseless gut instinct, while Germany 3 - Uruguay 1 is my thought-out one.

[Tyranidos]

No South American team placed in 2006.

[Treepandaone]

Even Alan Shearer admited that every single player would do exactly the same in a quarter match. Nobody would be exempt from saving their team and sacrificing themselves.

TBH, I see handballing the ball on the line just as bad as the diving cunts who faked at any point during the world cup and the people who lashed out.

I still see Kaka's incident as a red card because although the player made a meal of it, he wasn't looking at Kaka when he ran into him and Kaka looked at the player before he lifted an arm. Straight red even if it didn't hit him on the face.

[Talon87]

Well, the problem I have with it is that people are talking about it as though it's a part of the game we want to hold onto, to cherish. This idea of "fouling for the sake of a win." People on another forum I go to have condoned Suarez's actions as follows:

Red card offenses don't mean "OMFG DON'T YOU EVER DO THIS! " Red card offenses mean "You are totally, 100% allowed to do this. But know that if you do in fact do it, you will be issued a red card." Red card offenses are free choices which every player is entrusted to make. If you have a choice between allowing a goal and not allowing it but being red carded, the sensible thing to do when that goal would spell absolute defeat for your teammates is to intercept the ball at all costs, red card be damned.

I understand their logic, really I do, but I find that I want it to have no place in my football. I don't want red card offenses to be the sorts of things which players are seriously encouraged to consider doing. To me, a red card offense should be something which you never, EVER ought to do and the red card is simply the symbolic gesture of Justice meting out your punishment.

Think of it this way: suppose it's 1-1 in the 89th minute and your goalie is nowhere to be seen. The only thing in between the onrushing forward with the ball and the back of the goal is, well, you. Just you. So you figure, "I must stop him at all costs: for my team! >O" And so you tackle him, aiming for his kneecaps, and sure enough you blow that poor man's right knee out. He howls in pain as he falls to the ground. You are immediately ejected from the game. But your team has prevented the enemy from scoring, and in the end, that's all that counts.

Is that the sort of football people want to see? Not me. Sure, nobody physically gets injured by a handball, but it's the same sort of grievous offense: cheating and getting away with it. After all, what's the loss of one player vs. elimination from the World Cup?

[Concept]

Originally Posted by Talon87

The octopus shouldn't predict the final (although I'm sure he will ) because his owner has so far used him to predict only those matches in this World Cup in which Germany has played. That is part of the reason why Paul the so-called "psychic octopus" has yet to flub up: because he's only had to make six "calls" thus far, meaning random chance favors his psychic skills by an order of 1:64. Hardly impressive, really, when you think about it. (Especially since he's only had to call it right against 1:8 odds since the time people began paying attention to him, which is when Germany exited the Round 1 preliminary stages of the World Cup, or three matches so far.)

But given all of the publicity surrounding Paul now, I'm sure his owner will have him call the winner of the championship round as well as the winner of the 3rd Place match between Germany and Uruguay.

Seems pretty likely its luck will hold, given which way it's gone with the two matches.

Agree with Talon on the red card thing. I can understand why he did it, but that's not the sort of thing we want to see. Plus his reaction when Gyan missed the penalty was douchebaggery of the highest order.

[Concept]

"Has to be said, the loudest complaint there for handball was Suarez"

I lol'd.