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#52 Dec 16 2009 at 4:01 AM Rating: Good
soulshaver wrote:
Spain will choke as always once they face a semi-decent team in the quarters or semis.


They did win the Euros last time round, a competition arguably harder to win than the WC. neither Spain nor Brazil are "overrated". They are the two favourites by a mile, and not just according to me, but also to pretty much every bookmaker. It doesn't mean they'll win for sure, of course, but they're much more likely to win than portugal who are 100% reliant on one player.

Switzerland are pretty ****, Denamrk are ok but won't make it past the Quarters. The best African team is clearly Ivory Coast, it's a real shame they have such a tough group, otherwise I could see them make the semis.

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BTW, the refs unofficially used replay to see Zidane's headbutt and eject him from the world cup FINAL with a few minutes to penalties. It would have been fair to do the same with Henry. This is a problem that needs to be addressed, I think instant replay should be official in the case of a goal scored or (possibly) a violent foul.


You're entirely right that Zidane was sent off because the 4th official saw the headbutt on a TV replay from the touchline. He was sent off over a minute after the incident itself. It certainly wasn't "fair", since I don't think exceptions to the rules should be made purely for French players, but that's how it happened.

It's also stupid to think that it would've been "fair" to do that for Henry when it's clearly not allowed in the FIFA rules. Don't get me wrong, I'm 100% in favour of video technology, but it should be applied accross the board. Not only for ad hoc incidents involving French players Smiley: rolleyes

Anyway, back to nursing my hangover now Smiley: snore
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#57 Dec 16 2009 at 9:51 AM Rating: Decent
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Or we just, you know, use video technology like there is in rugby and tennis.


The argument usually used against this is that a large part of the appeal of soccer is the "flow of the game" and that using video technology would introduce lots of stop/starts. Rugby and tennis are characterised by stop start play so it works well there.

I think there should be some sort of video technololgy personally though
#58 Dec 16 2009 at 9:54 AM Rating: Good
Patrician wrote:
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Or we just, you know, use video technology like there is in rugby and tennis.


The argument usually used against this is that a large part of the appeal of soccer is the "flow of the game" and that using video technology would introduce lots of stop/starts.


I don't think I've ever, in my 30 odd years on this planet, heard someone say that they enjoyed soccer because of the flow of the game.

Maybe I don't talk to the right people, though.

Also, I think Sepp Blatter is a gigantic Swiss cunt, but I guess that's another topic altogether.

So Pat, England to go out in the Semis on penalties?
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#59 Dec 16 2009 at 10:01 AM Rating: Decent
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Spain and Brazil are always overrated. Not that they aren't in the top ten, but Spain will choke as always once they face a semi-decent team in the quarters or semis. Picking Brazil to win it all is too predictable and should not allowed. Portugal is the team to pick if you like spanish/brazilian type of play.


If you haven't noticed how vastly improved Spain are in the last 4 years compared to the previous two decades, then you haven't been following football. Of the 23 man shortlist for World Player of the Year, only 3 countries had more than one player in the list

6 Spanish!!!
4 English
3 Brazilians

This has now been narrowed down to 5, with Spain having 2 (Xavi and Iniesta).
#60 Dec 16 2009 at 10:01 AM Rating: Decent
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You talk about Spain buckling under the pressure and then pick Portugal? That's pretty rich.


Portugal is playing the underdog role, while Spain is the favorite. Every time any significant tournament rolls around everyone talks about how good Spain is and they always buckle under the pressure of being favored (granted the one exception to this is Euro 2008.)

Teams like Spain and Portugal play with passion, so if they are the underdog, this lights a fire under them and they over perform, and if they are the favorites then they get big heads and think it should be handed to them so they under perform (Confederations Cup.)

While Brazil is definitely one of the best teams in the mix, it would be disappointing if they won because the football world needs some diversity when it comes to champions.

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It's also stupid to think that it would've been "fair" to do that for Henry when it's clearly not allowed in the FIFA rules.


If FIFA disregards its rules in overtime of the WORLD CUP FINAL then it has no basis to stand proudly on those rules where they may apply in future situations. Furthermore FIFA has already re-played a world cup qualifier in the past because of a poor refereeing decision.

So basically FIFA disregards or bends its own rules when it feels like it, which means they can't consistently argue that they are merely "following the rules" here.

Ireland got screwed, France got an easy draw.
#61 Dec 16 2009 at 10:07 AM Rating: Decent
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So Pat, England to go out in the Semis on penalties?


Yeah, the usual probably. I think our 1st XI is as strong as it has ever been, and Capello seems to be good at getting the best out of our players. However our strength in depth is woeful. If any of Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, or Terry get injured we suddenly have a gaping whole to be filled with some lightweight player. Spain and Brazil in particular will likely destroy us. Everyone else we can beat if we play well.


On the otherhand, I have a feeling that there might be one last amazing chapter to the Beckham story. He has a knack for headlines.
#62 Dec 16 2009 at 10:20 AM Rating: Good
So long as we're not betting actual money, I bet England will win.
#63 Dec 16 2009 at 10:49 AM Rating: Good
soulshaver wrote:
Furthermore FIFA has already re-played a world cup qualifier in the past because of a poor refereeing decision.


Bahrain-Uzbekistan was replayed because the referee made an error in applying the rules. It's not the same as a referee missing an incident, which happens all the time. It's all stiplated clearly in FIFA regulations.

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So basically FIFA disregards or bends its own rules when it feels like it, which means they can't consistently argue that they are merely "following the rules" here.


No, they disregarded their own rules *once*, in the WC final. There are literally hundreds of matches where referees made mistakes and FIFA followed their own rules by not overturning it. Once out of hundreds of matches is not "bending your own rules when you feel like it".

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Ireland got screwed, France got an easy draw.


Yeah, welcome to football. Costa Rica should be in the WC because the goal Uruguay scored in the play-off against them was blatantly off-side. France didn't cry when Zidane got sent-off through video referreing, nor when Schumacher crashed into Battiston teeth in the WC semi of '82 and the ref gave a goalkick, nor when Henry was unfairly sent-off in the 2002 WC, etc, etc... Football is littered with unfair or poor refereeing decisions. Bad referreeing decisions are currently part of football. It sucks, but until FIFA change their stupid ways by allowing video technology on a consistent basis, that's the way the game works.

Making ad hoc exceptions because you like the team who was wronged is not the answer.


Edited, Dec 16th 2009 5:09pm by RedPhoenixxx
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#64 Dec 16 2009 at 10:50 AM Rating: Good
Patrician wrote:
On the otherhand, I have a feeling that there might be one last amazing chapter to the Beckham story. He has a knack for headlines.


Me too. It's about time him and Tom Cruise came out, and what better time to do it than during the WC?
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