The World Cup Controversy thread (renamed)

[t00fri]

Hey, you were happy enough to "go with the octopus" when he was picking your team! :wink"

For me a way more serious reason is that our young 'star' Mueller is blocked (2 yellow cards, one unjustified).

F.

[CAP-Team]

Yay, Netherlands - Uruguay starts in half an hour!

Holland for champion!!

[Chuft-Captain]

What a goal!

URU 0 : NED 1

[Chuft-Captain]

... and Forlan's equalizer is almost as good!! 1:1

[t00fri]

Three Kinds of Kisses!


Image credit: Jenni Rieger, SWR, Stuttgart

F.

[Chuft-Captain]

Just one more little statistic for everyone...

If Germany wins the final, then New Zealand will be the only team not to have lost a single game in the tournament, so I'm rooting for Germany!!

...Same deal if Spain wins..... Gooooo Spain!!

[t00fri]

As I always predicted: The winner of the World Cup 2010 will be from Central Europe! The last LatinAmerican team now has to return home...

Fridger

[CAP-Team]

Yay! The Netherlands made it to the finals!

[Fenerit]

As I always predicted: The winner of the World Cup 2010 will be from Central Europe! The last LatinAmerican team now has to return home...

Fridger

Nope! Uruguay will play against the looser of Germany-Spain.

[Fenerit]

For the lovers of statstics, Forlan (until now) is the only player that has beated all the angles for its team. The last player in doing that was Deyna, of the 1974 Poland.

[t00fri]

As I always predicted: The winner of the World Cup 2010 will be from Central Europe! The last LatinAmerican team now has to return home...

Fridger

Nope! Uruguay will play against the looser of Germany-Spain.

True, of course. So you see I am still more of a chess player

F.

[TERRIER]

so I see you guys found another reason why Germany is not going to win this time??

Too right, there's no way I'm saying that octopus sucks !!

For me a way more serious reason is that our young 'star' Mueller is blocked (2 yellow cards, one unjustified).

No doubt he'll be missed, but if Spain doesn't dramatically improve then I still think Germany has more than enough ammo in the tank to win this one. BTW who's replacing Mueller ? - I know it's not going to be Ballack that's for sure!

... and Forlan's equalizer is almost as good!! 1:1

To me there was just a hint of yet more dodgy 'keeping with this goal. Somehow I think this World Cup will be remembered most for goalkeeping blunders and psychic sealife than good football.

As I always predicted: The winner of the World Cup 2010 will be from Central Europe!

I know Spain is on CET time zone, but I've always thought of it as Southern Europe along with Portugal, Italy, Greece et al ....regards from a North Westerner

[t00fri]

The replacement of Mueller will be decided just before the game. The three candidates are Cacau (with some med problems), Piotr Trochowski and Toni Kroos. Neither is considered comparably dangerous, unfortunately.

Yes, I used the CET timezone for simplicity...

F.

[Chuft-Captain]

Too right, there's no way I'm saying that octopus sucks !!

Of course he doesn't suck, they have teeth don't they?

As I always predicted: The winner of the World Cup 2010 will be from Central Europe!

I pedict that if Germany lose, there will be a rush on Octopus Paella.... in Germany!!

The replacement of Mueller will be decided just before the game. The three candidates are Cacau (with some med problems), Piotr Trochowski and Toni Kroos. Neither is considered comparably dangerous, unfortunately.

I say they should put the octopus in. After all, he's got eight legs and is good at getting through small gaps.

[t00fri]

Piotr Trochowski will be replacing Mueller in 24 minutes...

F.

[Chuft-Captain]

I don't really mind whether Spain or Germany wins, but I'm going to throw my hat in with Spain, as they're slight underdogs, and I always like to support the underdog.
Also, for no other reason than that they have better beaches than Germany
Of course, I must say that Germany have the best national anthem (even though they stole it from Austria )

It would also be nice to ruin Merkel the Turtle's day.

Kick-off in 5 mins.

[t00fri]

From a chessplayer's perspective, Spain was the better team in the first half.

F.

[TERRIER]

"Wow, the Octopus done good!" to coin an English football phrase.
100% correct with predictions so far this World Cup - I'm beginning to believe

From a chessplayer's perspective, Spain was the better team in the first half.

And I think they were even better in the second half. Instead of taking 20 passes to create a goalscoring chance they reduced it to 10 - speed chess!
No doubt for me though that the best side won the match.

Piotr Trochowski will be replacing Mueller in 24 minutes...F.

I thought Trochowski was completely anonymous, his replacement Kroos seemed to make more of an impact, but I don't know how much Mueller would have affected this game, because Spain kept possession of the football so well - maybe he could have created that one chance to at least tie the game.

[Chuft-Captain]

Bad luck Fridger
... but you have to admire Spain's strategy. They completely shut down and starved Germany of any real opportunity to get into the game. -- This was the perfect strategy against a team like the Germans. A real masterclass in control and short passing...and quite "chess-like" in terms of strategy.
I don't know if I saw more than a dozen times when they passed the ball more than 6 inches from the ground. Great one-touch controlled football.

Looks like Paul the Octopus' winning streak continues though... assuming he's still alive!! (I hear there's been death threats! )

[Fenerit]

After 1978, finally one final without already winner teams!

Bad luck Fridger
... but you have to admire Spain's strategy. They completely shut down and starved Germany of any real opportunity to get into the game. -- This was the perfect strategy against a team like the Germans. A real masterclass in control and short passing...and quite "chess-like" in terms of strategy.
I don't know if I saw more than a dozen times when they passed the ball more than 6 inches from the ground. Great one-touch controlled football.

...But the goal is arrived with the rest ball (angle). After the goal, In the successive and more easy occasions to make goals, their have failed in passing the ball (Pedro-Ni?o). Against a cynic Holland they must be more incisives.

P.S.
Is Paul the Octopus consulted also for the final?