I thought it was France that invented the French Fry?
And after a quick internet search it seems that hasn't been settled yet.
I will miss cheering for my home team... But I can still watch Germany, maybe they will win?
Same to you, Scooter.
Hi. I think you read my name wrong. But at least you got the S right, so I'll mark that up as a win. Good for you!
Chill out Jaelithe. It is pointless to fight about a penalty regardless of whether you think it unfair or not. Especially when the one you are fighting with didn't even assign that penalty.
G.I.F.T. on full display.
Back to watching premiership...
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On "dodgy decisions by referees", my brother, the most die-hard one-eyed, biased and dyed in the wool supporter of teams he supports always maintains this very wise observation.
[paraphrasing, with apologies to my bro and whoever he got this pearl of wisdom from]:
"Regardless of the referee's decision, if you haven't got your team into a winning position then blaming the referee for the other team being 1-0 is really your own damn fault. You should be winning by your own merit, not blaming causality. And if it happens very quickly in the game, then you should still be able to equalise and win. Or your team was likely going to lose anyway."
Because ultimately, once you step over the glorious white line you are in a new reality, an autonomous zone that has its own rules and regulations, where you can bite someone on the nose and NOT GO TO JAIL, where death and taxes are largely non-existent and where only the beauty of your combined efforts and the vagaries of a person with a whistle will determine your fate in a prior defined time limit.
[My team had most of our strikers away/injured/sick and we tooth and nailed a 2-0 win against some gun youths. I came away with a bruised ankle/limp. One of our goals may have in fact sailed through a hole in the side of the net, but again, we were already up by one, and apart from the sitter they missed in the first half, they never looked like scoring. Still undefeated this season. More missives from the dogtowns of football…]
G.I.F.T. ?
Gamete intrafallopian transfer or Growing In Faith Together? Clearly that must mean something else to you Kryzbyn... I am curious what?
Chill out Jaelithe.You're right. This is meaningless.
Apologies to Slaunyeh and everyone else. It's been a horrible week, in the real-world sense. That's not an excuse, just an explanation.
Sorry again.
[Walks away.]
worse arguments have been had over the beautiful game, itis a nearly religious topic for many people
please don't walk away
I myself may have been a bit rude in the "did Müller dive" and the "hulk hand discussion" and would like to apologies if I offended anyone
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and by the way:
my deepest respect for the Algeria team, you bearly had us, and you are still in the lead over all world cup matches German 1 win Algeria 2 wins
and my respect to the US team as well, great coragous performance, keep on playing and watching, USA
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Tell me again why its so amazing to watch people kick a ball into a hole 8 feet by 24 feet?
Tell me again why it's so amazing to watch people run a ball over a 53 yard wide line?
G.I.F.T.
Ahhh... thanks.
Was a bit crazy. The US had the prefect opportunity to end it as it was approaching the 90 minute mark, if they didn't screw that up it would be the US advancing. And the whole US team owes a huge dept to Tim Howard for keeping them in the game as long as they did.
Apparently, for a bit of time Tim Howard was the Secretary of Defense according to Wikipedia. And we all know its true if Wikipedia says it is.
Well, defense is his thing.
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Fair weather and all that...
Pick a second team, Germany is doing very well for me.
Rugby is my favourite, Australian Rules football my second and while soccer ranks below American football in interest for me - I do "get into" the world cup fever.
Stick with it guys. The final stages are the most intense.
Fair weather and all that...
Pick a second team, Germany is doing very well for me.
Rugby is my favourite, Australian Rules football my second and while soccer ranks below American football in interest for me - I do "get into" the world cup fever.
** spoiler omitted **
Stick with it guys. The final stages are the most intense.
I love the commentary in Welsh.
The only thing better than breaking an Englishman's spirit, is crushing it through skill and determination (on the sporting field).
Chill out Jaelithe.You're right. This is meaningless.
Apologies to Slaunyeh and everyone else. It's been a horrible week, in the real-world sense. That's not an excuse, just an explanation.
Sorry again.
[Walks away.]
Noted and accepted. Sorry to hear about your week, I do hope there's light at the end of the tunnel.
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Sheesh, I get too busy for a couple days and miss 100 posts.
Old news now but -- Replay should be applied to football and Robben should have been given at least a Yellow Card for simulation.
Of course, considering my prediction that that was the game of the Round that would be a blow out....
I have to admit relief that Holland won.
. . . .
So, when I started watching football in the Fall of '09 one of the first things I observed was that Tim Howard was really good. And for four-and-a-half years I would try to convince English fans I'd meet online or in person here in the States that he is easily one of the top 5 Goalies in England. Only to be treated as a "Homer." (In the US, someone who picks their "home team" in debate because they can't see past their emotional screen)
Now maybe they'll all believe me!
Is Hugo Lloris better? Yes.
Are Joe Hart, Simon Mignolet, and Asmir Begovic equal to and maybe better? Yes.
But Tim Howard is still easily one of the top 5 Keepers in England. Sorry David de Gea. (Actually, REALLY not sorry!)
. . . .
Well, the US is out and the handful of my fellow Americans who follow this game for a few weeks every four years are gone. We will get a small few more permanent fans, just like we have done the last 4 World Cups -- folks who enjoyed it enough to want to start following Club football and stick to the sport.
But not many. Just like 2010. Just like 2006. Etc.
It'll be interesting to see what happens in 2018. Then we'll have a very experienced, and actually quality defense in front of goal -- PLUS -- Gedion Zelalem, Mix Diskerud, Julian Green, Aron Johansson, (perhaps) Yedlin, and who knows, maybe even one or two other actually talented players. Bradley as team captain then makes sense. We could potentially do really really well. (And the English shall hold their breaths!) Bot of course that's only if these young guys actually live up to their potential.
We could potentially do really really well.
You did do really well.
Well, today begins 1/4, and with two excellent matches, like Brasil-Colombia and France-Germany. Personally, I will like a Brasil-Germany semifinal.
We could potentially do really really well.You did do really well.
Did we?
We were eliminated in the round of 16. I feel the American public won't flock in-mass to the sport until our men's team has a serious chance to win the world cup... not just take a consolation prize each time. Yes globally we are a good team; we are not one of the best teams. We need that if mass followings of people are going to watch soccer over any of the other sports we excel at.
We could potentially do really really well.You did do really well.Did we?
We were eliminated in the round of 16. I feel the American public won't flock in-mass to the sport until our men's team has a serious chance to win the world cup... not just take a consolation prize each time. Yes globally we are a good team; we are not one of the best teams. We need that if mass followings of people are going to watch soccer over any of the other sports we excel at.
from what I have seen in pics and clips there where some solid following on many US FanFests (whta we Germans call "public viewing")
it may help to bring young ones into the sport and maybe keep players in the sport after youthbut it takes time, success brings new players, new players bring more success
it may take time until you can compete with nations where Soccer has been number one (and number two and number three) sport for almost 100 years
in germany we call it "King Soccer" for a reason
and by the way:
USA has reched the semi finals before: in 1930
30 minutes till Germany vs France
sings:
" 54, 74, 90, 2014
and we all sing along,
with our hearts in our hands,
and with passion in our legs,
we will be
WORLD CHAMPION "
Apologies to aeglos, but for reasons I'm rooting for Les Bleus tonight.
Apologies to aeglos, but for reasons I'm rooting for Les Bleus tonight.
well, yeah
that whole World Cup 82 was one big shame for us
yes!!!
Hummels !
I'm almost surprised FIFA didn't force him to change his name to a different sportswear manufacturer for the duration of the tournament. ;)
Did we?
We were eliminated in the round of 16.
Yeah, finishing in the top 16 of the entire world is pretty good. I realize that the US isn't used to competing against anyone but themselves, so take it from the rest of us: You did well. (Significantly better than many of the usual contenders, like England, Portugal, Italy and Spain.)
Yeah, finishing in the top 16 of the entire world is pretty good. I realize that the US isn't used to competing against anyone but themselves, so take it from the rest of us: You did well. (Significantly better than many of the usual contenders, like England, Portugal, Italy and Spain.)Did we?
We were eliminated in the round of 16.
even reaching the Final tournament is a success, after all
209 Teams played the world cup, 32 qualified for the group stage in Brasil
and of the 209 FIFA member nations only 8 ever did win the World Cup
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Ah well... The Germans were better.
And no Mertesacker seems to have helped with the defence.
Or as a reporter put it on Twitter: #SolideTurniermannschaftsleistung
[rant]
I don't mean to sound like a broken record, but... wow, I'm absolutely shocked by the horrible, horrible level of refereeing in this World Cup. I've lost count of how many grotesque decisions have been made by referees this year, interfering directly with so many match results, and that's on top of the abundant small mistakes like wrongly assigned corners or even throw-ins. I know FIFA has a tradition of connivence with that kind of performance-I remember one Brazilian referee who got picked for a World Cup that had single-handedly ruined more than one national championships, so deep down I know they don't care much about the quality of their referees... but this time, wow, just wow.
Velasco allowed the game to turn into an UFC match. 54 fouls and only 3 yellow cards, and by then things had already gone sour in terms of discipline. Sadly that culminated in a fractured vertebra for Neymar, who is now out of the cup. And I don't even want to single Velasco out-he's just another drop in the storm of incompetence that started in the opening match.
I can only hope the referees go unnoticed in the remaining six matches, because FIFA's reluctance in allowing technology to help correct all those mistakes almost makes me believe in match fixing conspiracies.
[/rant]
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Petr Cech is often seen as the best keeper in the British league.
He is very good.
.
When I started in '09 it was Van der Sar of Man Utd and, of course, Cech of Chelsea that were miles ahead of everyone else. Pepe Reina too, in third. But Mignolet and Begovic weren't then as good as now so Howard was still in the top 5. Now a few new greats have emerged but Van der Sar & Reina are gone and Petr Cech has lost a step or two. We can't really consider him a top 5 Keeper anymore. Meanwhile, for a year Brad Friedle was causing me problems because he was so great; I remember a few Scottish golfers who came here during their "tour" of big name Golf Courses -- they swore Howard wasn't even the best US Keeper in England. (Friedle was great, yes, but never as good as Howard has been the last 5 or 6 years.)
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It may help to bring young ones into the sport and maybe keep players in the sport after youth
(my bold)
This.
Absolutely this.
Problem is -- we're a LONG way from that. All of our kids play when they are little -- though not at all seriously. (In the US there's a cliche stereotype used called "Soccer Mom" describing ninety-eleventy percent of moms here.)
But NONE, honestly none of our top youth atheletes stick to football. They ALL switch to basketball or American-football.
Honestly, had the Howards and Dempseys and Donovans and Bradleys and Beckermans and Holdens and such played basketball, baseball or American-football, none of them would have even been able to play at the college level -- they're not nearly good enough atheletes. (You've seen our Olympians, right, at the Olympics -- They are not as good sports-wise as our best atheletes. I can name, of the top of my head, two dozen American footballers who could BLOW AWAY Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale in a sprint. Please believe me, I'm not exagerrating. And they're all built like Hulk and are the size of your average Center Back.
Until our best atheletes stick to football we will not get significantly better. I hate that, too. Giuseppi Rossi showed promise at age 11 and his father immediately sent him from New Jersey to Italy. And our players of the immediate future: Diskerud is from Norway. Green and Zelalem are from Germany. Johansson is from Iceland. Heck, our top players now are a mix: Jones from Germany, Bedoya from Spain and Chandler (also) from Germany.
Until our kids stick to it we will stay about where we are.
Incidentally, this is why it's a great idea for Klinsman to try so desperately to get Julian Green and Gedion Zelalem to join USA. Because if they DO live up to their potential, holy cow, we could be a legitimate contender for a semi-final in 2018, or at least a Q-Final.
And who knows, maybe that'll lead to some of our young prodigies to stick to football when they hit High School instead of switching to the more popular American sports.
[slight derail back onto topic....]
* The difference between Fra/Ger and Bra/Col was staggering. The energy of the Americans was intense compared to the Europeans. I do enjoy watching the different styles of football, though the rise of tikka-takka 500 pass Barcelona style football in Germany is frustrating. I guess a change was necessary. But Barcelona are now being matched as teams have adapted to that style...
* As a Germany fan I will be very interested to see Bra/Ger. Wish the Colombians had gone through, I can't stand David Luis (fantastic goal however!) and always liked Colombia since the days of the Human Puma uber traveling keeper Higuita and the flair of Valderama. I could not see why Colombia's goal was disallowed. Both teams also committed a LOT of petty fouls. Unnecessary in the Beautiful Game.
* It is also worth noting that if your national team has a wealth of players that have played far into the European Championships then they tend to do better. "Tend" being the operative word. I see the WC as akin to the Olympics and the Euros as the real deal. Sad but true for me - these national teams do not have the coherence of club teams that train together day in day out and squads that play together every week...
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Ah well... The Germans were better.
And no Mertesacker seems to have helped with the defence.
.
I think leaving out Mertesacker was a wise decision. (Remember I'm a huge ARSENAL fan.)
Germany played with a back line higher than Delta flies in the sky. If you're gonna do that it is a bad idea to put in a CB (Mert) who can not run the length of the pitch in less than six minutes.
Now, I'm quite proud of this little observation -- remember, I'm an American who's only been following this game for a few years and (except for my first 6 months) have had no one to teach me this stuff. I usually have to watch the games by myself and be completely autodidactic.
What do you guys think? Am I on to something -- great idea to sit Mert if you're gonna use a high line!
. . . .
Of course, it SUCKED for me because out of the large number of Arsenal players for the two teams, ONLY Ozil started. I was SOOOOO looking forward to seeing Mert vs Giroud! And Ozil vs Kos! Heck, and maybe even Podolski off the bench.
Ah well.
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Argentina Question
So let's pretend: Argentina win the World Cup but Messi isn't the main reason. He has a pretty good overall Cup but isn't the Golden Boot.
.... Where then do you rank Messi all time?
How about this -- same situation except that it's Sergio Aguero who IS the hero. Let's say Aguero scores 4 or 5 goals in the next two games and is the main hero for Argentina.
.... Where do you rank Aguero all time?
The fact that in soccer/football the best team doesn't necessarily win may be a strange concept, but to me that's part of the fun. It's one of the few sports where the underdog has a real shot.
In league tournaments it happens less often, but in cup tournaments it is a real thing.
An exciting extra time. Amazing Costa Rica, goes home undefeated.