New Zealand was offsides. Sure De Rossi put a little acting but his shirt was being held, which is a penalty. If anything Italy got ROBBED. Apparently the only who understands that is Swoly.
Not more than 30 seconds. Not for any reason at all. A flopper can be punished later. If anything, I think they should start doing things after games to ensure that people are not encouraged to do these things. I'm sure a player would think twice about diving if he knew he wouldn't be caught during the game but would be suspended for 5 games afterward. Nothing to disrupt the game. No time outs. No waiting for a long ass decision. Everything on the spot, stricter measures after the game. They shouldn't be hesitant to taking taking Fabiano's goal away for example. They shouldnt be against giving the flopper a yellow card after the game. But the game should never stop for more than 30 seconds, and whatever kinks come with that, so be it. There are always better options.
If they stopped the game there would be no actual change in time anyway. The players already stop it often enough by flopping and writhing around on the ground. It would eliminate most of that, so it would equal out. Better to get it right and clean it up. DD
If the bolded part was intending that I was crying in some sort of way.. I wasn't because I'm pretty sure they gave us the pk. ----- It's okay though, any soccer fans who know their history (or actually watched the WC 4 years ago) have observed that the Italians are notoriously slow starters. We'll get Pirlo and Gattusso back which will more than happily, make us contenders. On another note, imagine how good the albicelestes would be if Maradona's crazy ass would've put Riquelme and Cambiasso on the team. Incredible how much talent they have. Side, side note. I apologize to all the Mexican fans for my ludicrous prediction on the France - Mexico game. France is horrid, Mexico is very dangerous this year along with Urugauy and Paraguay.
Yeah, all the latin american teams are pretty good this year so far. We'll see. About Italy - yes, Italy usually starts slow, yet, they are always dangerous. However, the team is a bit old this time and I think the core is past their prime. Still, they can always go far - usually, the German teams are similar, only problem is that we are different this year - young and inexperienced.
I actually really like this years German team, if Klose wasn't sent off I think they might of won. Serbia is really underrated also, Vidic (Man U), Stankovic (Inter) and Ianovic (Barca? I know he plays for a pretty good club) are all very good players. Germany is always in the mix, not worried about them or Italy. Italy's always been old, I don't think age is a factor for them as much as injuries. As long as we survive the group stage without Pirlo and Gattusso I'm good. Plus Montlivo and Pepe are looking very promising. Spain, Engalnd and France are in problems. France's players seem to not wear that national jersey with passion.... Only Ribery. Not like Patini, Zidane, Bartez, Petit, Thuram wore it.. It's a shame because player for player, they are very, very good. Spain is talented (like always) but seemed way too cocky since everyone picked them as favorites, maybe they can fix it. There is no communication in Engalnd, at all, everyone looks lost. I've come to a conclusion that Lampard and Gerrard cannot play together, Beckham is much more vital for that team than I thought.
I agree that Ribery is at least putting in effort. Not successfully because the team is so dysfunctional, but at least he is trying. I would say that more than half of the other players who played didn't even really try. That team (and the coach) is an embarrassment to their country.
I'm not worried about Spain until I see how they rebound from the Swiss shocker. I still think they're the second most dangerous team in this tournament behind Brazil. England can still recover and do some damage if Capello is willing to make some tactical changes, make use of Crouch and generally get the team to play a bit more freely/less conservative. I don't expect Italy and France to survive past the second round if they do make it. I have serious questions about Germany and their ability to beat the big dogs without Ballack. The Australia game really skewed people's perceptions of this team in my opinion. I *am* surprised at how the Americas are doing. I think the South American continent is 7-0-2 right now -- zero losses, which is amazing. And USA and Mexico are looking pretty good too. I picked the USA to reach the quarterfinals before the tournament and I'm feeling pretty confident in that pick at the moment.
A similar incident happened on the FIRST game of the '94 cup where Echeverry elbowed a German player (I forgot whom it was). Echeverry was thrown out with a red. I don't see what all the fuss is about here. You throw an elbow, you get thrown out. No problem, sir. We know predictions are like opinions and ass holes. Everyone has one. :grin: AND, I believe DrLudicrous is in South Africa right now. Also, stop trying to bring your silly "video review" crap from NFL, NBA, and MLB onto world's football. Like someone else said: "DON'T TOUCH THE GAME." That's what [Vanessa Hudgens] said.
France director resigns amid disarray KNYSNA, South Africa -- A draw, a loss, a tantrum and now chaos for Les Bleus. France's World Cup team refused to train Sunday in protest of striker Nicolas Anelka's expulsion from the squad, prompted by a profanity-laced tirade against coach Raymond Domenech the day before. “ Everyone in the whole world is mocking us now. I'm gutted, because we're not playing football any more. ” -- Franck Ribery The latest round of turbulence also led to the resignation of France team director Jean-Louis Valentin, who said he was fed up with the team. "It's a scandal for the French, for the young people here. It's a scandal for the federation and the French team," Valentin said. "They don't want to train. It's unacceptable." Before getting in a car and driving off, he added: "As for me, it's over. I'm leaving the federation. I'm sickened and disgusted." Tensions boiled over after the team arrived at training and got off the bus to greet about 200 fans who had gathered there. Domenech, whose tactics and management skills have been questioned, stayed on the bus to talk to France captain Patrice Evra. Meanwhile, fitness coach Robert Duverne was on the field putting down training cones. After Domenech and Evra got off the bus, Evra and Duverne started to argue. Domenech tried to intervene, but Duverne then stormed off, throwing his accreditation down the field. Afterward, Domenech read a statement he said was written by the players to explain their protest: "The French Football Federation did not at any time try to protect the group. They took a decision uniquely based on facts reported by the press. As a consequence and to show our opposition to the decision taken by officials of the federation, all the players decided not to take part in today's training session." Evra and the players, en masse, boarded the team bus and drew the curtains. French sports minister Roselyne Bachelot said "the indignation of the French is great" and that she had spoken to French President Nicolas Sarkozy about it. In their first two matches at the World Cup, France drew 0-0 with Uruguay and then lost 2-0 to Mexico. France can still advance to the round of 16 with a win over host South Africa, as long as Uruguay and Mexico don't draw in the other Group A match. Christian Teinturier, vice president of the federation, was stunned by what happened. He had objected to Domenech remaining as coach after the European Championship two years ago, when France went out at the group stage. "I confess that I understand nothing," he said. "We're in another world here. French football is in a catastrophic situation." Domenech said he gave Anelka the chance to apologize for his profanity-laced outburst, and that his refusal to do so justified his expulsion from the French World Cup team. Anelka was sent home Saturday, hours after revelations of his angry tirade was revealed by sports daily L'Equipe. Domenech said on the French television show Telefoot on Sunday that "I gave him the chance to come and talk and to say sorry" but that "he didn't want to and that's why I went along" with the French soccer federation's decision to throw Anelka out. Domenech added it was not "a personal problem between the coach and the player," but "a problem concerning the federation and the image of the French team." For Swiss coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, France's behavior was bewildering. "What can I say? If something like this happens, I am going to say bye. This is where our paths part," he said. link
even though spain lost, their continuity and team play has really impressed. they control the ball probably better than any other team. i don't expect the loss to be anything but a wake up call. argentina and brazil are the other two teams that have impressed me. all three of the teams are obvious choices.
My sleeper to advance to the quarter-finals is Uraguay. They've played solid defense, having yet to give up a goal. And they have shown in their most recent game their ability to score.
well all the problems in the french team, proves it again that karma is a b**ch because they entered a world cup cheating, so they are living a hell, inside the team. In the brazil, MAYBE the first handball was not intentional, but the 2nd one sure was intentional, but he didnt call it (even when the ref saw it) because it was brazil, and looked like a great goal. its like when lebron takes like 4 steps and dunk it, the refs dont call it, because its lebron. the italy pk, he did grab him, but he maximized the contact. so it was a good call. what is it, with all the bad calls this world cup??
Anybody else watching the Portugal - North Korea game? I'm watching it for the Korean storylines, if any nothing else. The commentators keep talking about Kim Jong Il's secret, invisible cell phone that he uses to call the coach mid-match.
Go ahead and post the replay for everyone to see. I watched the replay several times on my recording and I am sure that is was that clear cut. 1) It was hard to see the glance of the head of NZ #4. I don't know if the AR could see that. If he was not absolutely sure about the touch, the law requires the AR to keep his flag down. 2) There is the question regarding Cannavaro's touch. Is it a controlled touch? If it is then no offside. It it is not, then offside. Again, it's very hard to say one way or the other. 3) Thirdly, did Cannaro touch the ball with his hand? It looks a bit like the ball hit just under his abdomen, between his thigh and arm, was bouncing up, it might have been his hand that changed the trajectory and knocked the ball down. It was very close again.
This guy gets cleats grazed across his face and he's back up and ready to kick in under a minute. Quite refreshing from the end of yesterdays Brazil match.
You see shirt held a lot and sometimes the ref call the PK, sometimes he doesn't. The NZ player did hold on to the shirt for a second and he let go and De Rossi took a dive. If the ref decides the hold prevents De Rossi to get to the ball, sure he can call the PK. If it's triffling, if the ball sails too far away to reach in any case, maybe he wouldn't call it. I think it 60-40 for PK.
