Worldcup 2006 (Note: May contain spoilers if you are recording games)
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belka
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UKRAINE!!
Andriy Shevchenko will dominate the tournament.
Andriy Shevchenko will dominate the tournament.
- Reaction score
- 3,104
- Points
- 1,160
always one wanker that screws it for England.....Beckham, Gazza, etc....
Joke: Why is David Beckham like tiffany cufflinks?
They both come in a Posh box..... >
PS the worst part of Wayne Rooney is Alex Fergusson
Joke: Why is David Beckham like tiffany cufflinks?
They both come in a Posh box..... >
PS the worst part of Wayne Rooney is Alex Fergusson
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 410
From a statistical analysis Rooney's play in the qualifiers has been atrocious, he is one of the few players who has got more penalty points than goals, 1 goal and 3 or 4 penalty points. Absolutely unaccept able number of penalties for his goal output when you've got guys like Owen who is quickly becoming the highest scorer in English history with a minimal number of penalties.
On a social level, Rooney is well known for his cursing an abrasive attitude which, while it has happened in the past with English stars, is well over the top when compared with guys like Owen, Gerrard, etc.
I mean, the guys a great player I can't take that from him, but there's more to it than that.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
Che said:
I agree. Sure, he can score the occasional goals, (his record still isn't as good as Owen's, btw) but he is NOT a complete player. Given how refs treat England in Euro / coupe de Monde, I'm not too stressed if he stays on the bench. Lamps, Ger and Owen (and out of no-where the hat-tricked) Crouch can do the job, provided the D holds, and Robinson doesn't pull a "Safe Hands".
T
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 110
My pick this year is for sure England with Owen, we'll make it.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
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Simulation stimulation
Bad actors could play major role in Cup outcome
Jun. 8, 2006. 10:25 AM
CATHAL KELLY
The Germans call it den sterbenden schwan machen — doing the dying swan. For Brazilians it's piscin — the swimming pool. Most nations have a similarly cheeky play on words to describe diving or, as it is officially known, simulation.
Once viewed by Europeans as a plague introduced by South Americans, simulation has been enthusiastically adopted by players from all nations.
The diving crisis is about more than looking for penalty kicks. It's a malaise that prompts some players to whine at every call, to fake injury after every tackle. It's a Machiavellian ailment that justifies all sorts of shameful behaviour, as long as it's done in the name of winning.
FIFA has vowed — again — to get tough on diving at this World Cup. Referees have been instructed to clamp down on eight problems: elbowing, reckless tackling, shirt-pulling, time-wasting, attitude toward referees, diving, behaviour in the wall during free kicks and wearing jewellery. Maybe they'll get somewhere with that insidious pendant problem this time around. For all the rest, we shouldn't harbour much hope.
The high stakes of the World Cup make it inevitable that at least one match will be turned by an unscrupulous bit of play-acting. Here are seven of the likeliest candidates:
DECO Portugal
The Brazilian-born Portuguese star is as unscrupulous as he is talented, which is to say quite a bit. He likes nothing better than to go on mazy runs, looking for contact in and around the box.
Poutometer: 8 out of 10
ARJEN ROBBEN Netherlands
His constant sprawling about the pitch is one thing, but the amount of whining he does about it is really unbearable in a player so gifted. His reputation so precedes him that he is currently shown in an adidas ad campaign being tripped by a 10-year-old and then begging for a call.
Poutometer: 7 out of 10
JOSE ANTONIO REYES Spain
On a team that makes simulation a point of pride, Reyes is the worst offender. Though he shows remarkable strength on the ball when running in midfield, it vanishes as soon as he enters the box. He spends more time on the pitch smiling ruefully at the assistant ref while pulling up his socks than he does running at the defence, with predictably poor results.
Poutometer: 6 out of 10
DIDIER DROGBA Ivory Coast
The Greg Louganis of big men. Earlier this season, after handling the ball before potting a goal, Drogba did a mini-Maradona and admitted his misdeed to the press. When an outcry erupted, the Francophone player claimed he'd been mistranslated. Shameless, really.
Poutometer: 9 out of 10
RONALDO Brazil
A brisk wind is capable of knocking over the Golden Boot winner once he's got the ball at his feet. In fairness, he's been kicked to pieces over the course of his career, but as age and injury whittle away at his once-legendary speed, Ronaldo's willingness to go down easily has increased proportionally.
Poutometer: 8 out of 10
PAVEL NEDVED Czech Republic
It's the hair that makes it work for Nedved. His flowing mane really does look quite impressive as he's hurtling toward earth after some imaginary contact with a defender. Also, it allows him to hide his giggles as he rolls around clutching his ankle as though his foot needs to be amputated, mere seconds before leaping up to demand the right to take the free kick.
Poutometer: 7 out of 10
FRANCESCO TOTTI Italy
The Roma midfielder is renowned in his homeland as a bit of a blunt instrument, but it's the rest of us he must really think are stupid. Spitting in the face of Denmark's Christian Poulsen at Euro2004 cost him his tournament and Italy its title shot.
Poutometer: 6 out of 10
Simulation stimulation
Bad actors could play major role in Cup outcome
Jun. 8, 2006. 10:25 AM
CATHAL KELLY
The Germans call it den sterbenden schwan machen — doing the dying swan. For Brazilians it's piscin — the swimming pool. Most nations have a similarly cheeky play on words to describe diving or, as it is officially known, simulation.
Once viewed by Europeans as a plague introduced by South Americans, simulation has been enthusiastically adopted by players from all nations.
The diving crisis is about more than looking for penalty kicks. It's a malaise that prompts some players to whine at every call, to fake injury after every tackle. It's a Machiavellian ailment that justifies all sorts of shameful behaviour, as long as it's done in the name of winning.
FIFA has vowed — again — to get tough on diving at this World Cup. Referees have been instructed to clamp down on eight problems: elbowing, reckless tackling, shirt-pulling, time-wasting, attitude toward referees, diving, behaviour in the wall during free kicks and wearing jewellery. Maybe they'll get somewhere with that insidious pendant problem this time around. For all the rest, we shouldn't harbour much hope.
The high stakes of the World Cup make it inevitable that at least one match will be turned by an unscrupulous bit of play-acting. Here are seven of the likeliest candidates:
DECO Portugal
The Brazilian-born Portuguese star is as unscrupulous as he is talented, which is to say quite a bit. He likes nothing better than to go on mazy runs, looking for contact in and around the box.
Poutometer: 8 out of 10
ARJEN ROBBEN Netherlands
His constant sprawling about the pitch is one thing, but the amount of whining he does about it is really unbearable in a player so gifted. His reputation so precedes him that he is currently shown in an adidas ad campaign being tripped by a 10-year-old and then begging for a call.
Poutometer: 7 out of 10
JOSE ANTONIO REYES Spain
On a team that makes simulation a point of pride, Reyes is the worst offender. Though he shows remarkable strength on the ball when running in midfield, it vanishes as soon as he enters the box. He spends more time on the pitch smiling ruefully at the assistant ref while pulling up his socks than he does running at the defence, with predictably poor results.
Poutometer: 6 out of 10
DIDIER DROGBA Ivory Coast
The Greg Louganis of big men. Earlier this season, after handling the ball before potting a goal, Drogba did a mini-Maradona and admitted his misdeed to the press. When an outcry erupted, the Francophone player claimed he'd been mistranslated. Shameless, really.
Poutometer: 9 out of 10
RONALDO Brazil
A brisk wind is capable of knocking over the Golden Boot winner once he's got the ball at his feet. In fairness, he's been kicked to pieces over the course of his career, but as age and injury whittle away at his once-legendary speed, Ronaldo's willingness to go down easily has increased proportionally.
Poutometer: 8 out of 10
PAVEL NEDVED Czech Republic
It's the hair that makes it work for Nedved. His flowing mane really does look quite impressive as he's hurtling toward earth after some imaginary contact with a defender. Also, it allows him to hide his giggles as he rolls around clutching his ankle as though his foot needs to be amputated, mere seconds before leaping up to demand the right to take the free kick.
Poutometer: 7 out of 10
FRANCESCO TOTTI Italy
The Roma midfielder is renowned in his homeland as a bit of a blunt instrument, but it's the rest of us he must really think are stupid. Spitting in the face of Denmark's Christian Poulsen at Euro2004 cost him his tournament and Italy its title shot.
Poutometer: 6 out of 10
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
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Worst Cup dives
RIVALDO Brazil, 2002
Late in a tightly contested first-round match between Brazil and Turkey, Rivaldo settled in to take a corner kick. As he dallied, frustrated Turkish defender Hakan Unsal kicked the ball at him in anger. Though it struck Rivaldo harmlessly in the leg, he clutched his head, fell to the ground and writhed as if he'd been harpooned. Unsal was red-carded. Turkey lost. An unrepentant Rivaldo was fined $10,000.
MICHAEL OWEN England, 1998
Moments before scoring one of the most scintillating goals in World Cup history during the Round of 16 against Argentina, Argentine defender Roberto Ayala made a move to intercept the fleet-footed Owen. There wasn't a hint of physical contact. The ensuing penalty tied the match 1-1. One hundred and nine minutes later, the game ended 2-2. Ayala scored the decisive penalty that sent England out.
ROBERTO ROJAS Chile, 1989
During a qualifier against Brazil, goalkeeper Rojas, facing defeat, tried to have the match cancelled. When a flare was tossed close to his goal, Rojas stepped into the smokescreen, pulled a small knife from his glove and cut his own head open. The game was cancelled. His act was caught on TV, however, Chile forfeited. Rojas was banned for life. The woman who threw the flare was later featured in Brazilian Playboy.
JURGEN KLINSMANN West Germany, 1990
The Barishnikov of the dive, Klinsmann didn't just fall down — he routinely rose like a high diver and risked serious injury slamming himself into the ground. In the Italia90 final, he rushed toward Argentine Pedro Monzon, took flight several feet before contact and rolled not once, not twice, but thrice. Monzon was ejected, the first red card in a World Cup final.
SLAVEN BILIC Croatia, 1998
During a goalmouth scramble in the semifinal between France and Croatia, defender Laurent Blanc tried to rub Bilic off with an upraised arm. Though Blanc's elbow clearly didn't come within a foot of Bilic's noggin, the big Croat fell like a sack of potatoes, pretending to be unconsciousness, then awake, then in excruciating pain. Blanc's ejection cost him his spot in the final against Brazil. Bilic's playacting cost him the respect of some of his own teammates
Worst Cup dives
RIVALDO Brazil, 2002
Late in a tightly contested first-round match between Brazil and Turkey, Rivaldo settled in to take a corner kick. As he dallied, frustrated Turkish defender Hakan Unsal kicked the ball at him in anger. Though it struck Rivaldo harmlessly in the leg, he clutched his head, fell to the ground and writhed as if he'd been harpooned. Unsal was red-carded. Turkey lost. An unrepentant Rivaldo was fined $10,000.
MICHAEL OWEN England, 1998
Moments before scoring one of the most scintillating goals in World Cup history during the Round of 16 against Argentina, Argentine defender Roberto Ayala made a move to intercept the fleet-footed Owen. There wasn't a hint of physical contact. The ensuing penalty tied the match 1-1. One hundred and nine minutes later, the game ended 2-2. Ayala scored the decisive penalty that sent England out.
ROBERTO ROJAS Chile, 1989
During a qualifier against Brazil, goalkeeper Rojas, facing defeat, tried to have the match cancelled. When a flare was tossed close to his goal, Rojas stepped into the smokescreen, pulled a small knife from his glove and cut his own head open. The game was cancelled. His act was caught on TV, however, Chile forfeited. Rojas was banned for life. The woman who threw the flare was later featured in Brazilian Playboy.
JURGEN KLINSMANN West Germany, 1990
The Barishnikov of the dive, Klinsmann didn't just fall down — he routinely rose like a high diver and risked serious injury slamming himself into the ground. In the Italia90 final, he rushed toward Argentine Pedro Monzon, took flight several feet before contact and rolled not once, not twice, but thrice. Monzon was ejected, the first red card in a World Cup final.
SLAVEN BILIC Croatia, 1998
During a goalmouth scramble in the semifinal between France and Croatia, defender Laurent Blanc tried to rub Bilic off with an upraised arm. Though Blanc's elbow clearly didn't come within a foot of Bilic's noggin, the big Croat fell like a sack of potatoes, pretending to be unconsciousness, then awake, then in excruciating pain. Blanc's ejection cost him his spot in the final against Brazil. Bilic's playacting cost him the respect of some of his own teammates
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 410
Blasphemy, Owen is a solid English player, not a diving bone in his body!
The worst case of "simulation" I saw was during a Man U and Benfica game,
The Benfica player fell over in the box and did the whole "I'm covering my face but it was my ankle that was 'hit'." trick.
The man was in serious pain, or at least appeared to be, until he realised that he had failed to draw a foul for it and got up and started runnng, then the ref (apparently delayed the penalty call due to advantage) blew the whistle on the foul and the guy got back on the ground and did the face grab trick again.
Absolutely shameless display of "simulation".
The worst case of "simulation" I saw was during a Man U and Benfica game,
The Benfica player fell over in the box and did the whole "I'm covering my face but it was my ankle that was 'hit'." trick.
The man was in serious pain, or at least appeared to be, until he realised that he had failed to draw a foul for it and got up and started runnng, then the ref (apparently delayed the penalty call due to advantage) blew the whistle on the foul and the guy got back on the ground and did the face grab trick again.
Absolutely shameless display of "simulation".
- Reaction score
- 3,104
- Points
- 1,160
I don't think the Poles knew what hit them. Day one, upset one....Game On!!
- Reaction score
- 5,626
- Points
- 1,360
I really would rather watch paint dry than watch soccer but why in the world on a field that big with that many players is there only one ref?
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 430
Bruce Monkhouse said:
Because it is the beautiful game, no fouls allowed.
Joga Bonito!
tess
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
Torlyn said:
Actually T, that has now been changed as a commentator pointed out. There are now 5 officials. The fifth official is a spare linesmen, as it had apparently happened in the past that the fourth official had to run the line, but was inexperienced as a linesmen. Now the game will have dedicated replacement ref and linesmen.
Did you think that the German goalie Lehman, looked shaky? The goals were not his fault (break aways, one-on-one) but he looked indecisive challenging the breakaway. Remember that Lehman was the Arsenal goalie, that after 12min in Paris against Barcelona, when Eto'o had the breakaway, Lehman rightly challenged him at the top of the goalies area and fouled Eto'o, as a last resort. Lehman was red carded, and perhaps is now gun shy?
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
Blue Max said:
Sorry, but it hasn't... I don't disagree that there are spares, but the spare linesman is exactly that, a spare. There are still only 4 refs that have any say on the game as it's being played. (If I wasn't clear, that's what I was getting at... 4 officials that can effect the outcome of the game as it's being played) That fifth is a "just in case" who doesn't have any say unless he's subbed in... I also think that commentator is full of BS. You cannot get to be a 4th referee at an international match without being a totally proficient linesman. I'm a FIFA certified class II, I've done my share of provincials to know that to get higher, I have to be able to do both jobs.
And I agree, Lehmann looked a bit off... I read that he's injured himself somehow? I dunno... Oh, and after the replays, what did you think about that second Costa Rica goal? I was convinced he was offside...
Bah! Time to start drinking. Tequila Sunrise party with the westies out here, we figure we should be nice and primed in 9hrs, 45 min when England begins retaking the World Cup against Paraguay.
T
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