World Cup!!!

I guess the US team should take some tips from ice hockey players then! 

I watch quite a lot of football with DF

sorry... my assumption that you dont watch much football was just a stab in the dark, as i know nothing about you. 

No offence intended!  This World Cup is possibly the real experience of football  for expats that may have only recently arrived on these shores.

sorry... my assumption that you dont watch much football was just a stab in the dark, as i know nothing about you. 

No offence intended!  This World Cup is possibly the real experience of football  for expats that may have only recently arrived on these shores.

Yeah I love the game... I've played since I was 12 in school etc...   Most Americans really just don't care about it.

Well, once again I apologise for my incorrect assumption about the amount of football you watch! 

But i still stand by my statement that the way Italy played last night is just the same way they always play.  You were commenting on how dramatic and fake their 'injuries' were.   As you'll know if you watch Gazetta Italia, or any amount of Italian football... they always do that.  People expect it! 

And that's what i meant when i said this:

I get the impression from this post that you dont watch an awful lot of football in the normal season.
This 'appalling' behaviour you're talking about is pretty normal in European football. 

I wasnt referring to DeRossi's foul, which i *think* must be what you were talking about here:

it was the most atrocious and calculated incident he's wittnessed. 

And just to be clear, i was talking about European football, not English Premiership. 

You were commenting on how dramatic and fake their 'injuries' were.   As you'll know if you watch Gazetta Italia, or any amount of Italian football... they always do that.  People expect it! 

I think this is part of the problem why football is not taken seriously in the US.  I've heard lots of comments on this from various people and because we, Americans, aren't use to the behavior and not very familiar with the European leagues, we don't know it's common.  I know I didn't.

(mod hat waving) Let's remember people that this is a discusssion about FOOTBALL!   In discussions about FOOTBALL people joke, tease, stand up for their own team and DISAGREE.  That's what happens.     As long as we stay away from down right meanness and personal attacks we should be fine and there should be no hurt feelings.  OK?  OK.(stops waving)

**this applies to both World Cup discussions that we seem to have going on. 

it is kind of wierd that there are two world cup thread going on at the same time.  How did that happen?

Heres a couple of questions for you England supporters.

I asked this on another site and never got an answer.  Maybe ya'll can help.  Back when Rooney went down with the injury in the ManU game, was Sir Alex out of substitutions?  It just seemed to me being down 3 nill at the time that there was no reason to leave him on the pitch with the upcoming World Cup.  Do these coaches just not care about the World Cup?  It just seems since the country makes him out to be such an intregal part of the team that he should have  been taken out when the game was unwinnable.  Just wondering if he had the subs available and just didn't use them.

I'm not much of Rooney fan myself, so i'll ask this, do you think that him starting in this third game that has no real meaning is wise?  The England team to me has not seemed much like a cohesive unit thus far.  SHouldn't this game be used as chance for the guys to continue to gel?  We all know Rooney won't have the gas to play the full 90.  Why not bring him in during the second half again.

Also, why risk injury to him by bring him back in a somewhat meaningless game.  He is coming back early so why not just rest him until the next round.  If he's that good he should be able to pick up where he left off.

These are just some general questions.  The first one is still the one i'm searching for answers about.  It just seemed so stupid for him to be out there down 3-nil with the WC looming in the background.

I think part of Sven's choice to start Rooney is based on needing to rest some of the others.... And I'm not sure I'd say it's a meaningless match - they may not need to win, they want to be top of their group and maybe shake some of the Sweden curse off!!   

Do these coaches just not care about the World Cup?  It just seems since the country makes him out to be such an intregal part of the team that he should have  been taken out when the game was unwinnable. 

Make no mistake, these players' loyalties are to the pile of cash that is strapped to their backs.  Sir Alex could give a hoot about the world cup or the national team..

it is kind of wierd that there are two world cup thread going on at the same time.  How did that happen?

Heres a couple of questions for you England supporters.

I asked this on another site and never got an answer.  Maybe ya'll can help.  Back when Rooney went down with the injury in the ManU game, was Sir Alex out of substitutions?  It just seemed to me being down 3 nill at the time that there was no reason to leave him on the pitch with the upcoming World Cup.  Do these coaches just not care about the World Cup?  It just seems since the country makes him out to be such an intregal part of the team that he should have  been taken out when the game was unwinnable.  Just wondering if he had the subs available and just didn't use them.

I'm not much of Rooney fan myself, so i'll ask this, do you think that him starting in this third game that has no real meaning is wise?  The England team to me has not seemed much like a cohesive unit thus far.  SHouldn't this game be used as chance for the guys to continue to gel?  We all know Rooney won't have the gas to play the full 90.  Why not bring him in during the second half again.

Also, why risk injury to him by bring him back in a somewhat meaningless game.  He is coming back early so why not just rest him until the next round.  If he's that good he should be able to pick up where he left off.

These are just some general questions.  The first one is still the one i'm searching for answers about.  It just seemed so stupid for him to be out there down 3-nil with the WC looming in the background.

The game you're referring to was against Chelsea, he was injured and was carried off on a stretcher. Think he was replcaced by Evra. Fergie doesn't care for England, he's a Scot! Also, Man Utd medical blew the injury out of proportion, Gary Linker mentioned that the part of the metatarsal that Rooney broke is a soft which heals very quickly, it actually healed after 5 days. The remaining time was for rehab, build up the bone's strength, etc. Sven also mentioned Rooney was injury free. He needs to starts against Sweden to build his match fitness up, also to provide service upto Owen. Also, Crouch is one booking away from a ban, so it makes sense to start with Owen and Rooney, after 60 mins bring on depending on the score, bring on Lennon and play J. Cole in the hole.

Also no player will pick up where they left off after injury, as the injury lay off keeps you away from intense training and matchplay. So Rooney will need to regain that sharpness and extra yard. The game is not meaningless, as it could dictate who England play in the later rounds, it could be difference of meeting a fancied team in the quarter's or the final.

gotcha, thanks for the info.

But i still stand by my statement that the way Italy played last night is just the same way they always play. You were commenting on how dramatic and fake their 'injuries' were. As you'll know if you watch Gazetta Italia, or any amount of Italian football... they always do that. People expect it!

They're Italian - it's all about the drama baby!

it is kind of wierd that there are two world cup thread going on at the same time.  How did that happen?

The World Cup results discussion thread was started for that those that may have taped games.  Nothing worse than taping the game, carefully avoiding newspaper and other media, only to have the results revealed in the thread.  Just a kinda of 'heads up' that hey we will be discussing results here -- read at your own risk.

I have already said on the other thread about the English attitude to the US in football, so I won't repeat myself.  But this is what I see at the 'English guide to teams we hate'...

1)  Germany
2)  Argentina
3)  Brazil
4)  France
5)  Italy
6)  Portugal
7)  Spain

Teams we love

1)  Any African nation
2)  South Korea
3)  Anyone who beats or humiliates the teams named above!!! (and this weekend that meant you guys!!!)

As for the cheating/diving/fouling style of play...it is a European thing, and although it is creeping into the English game it is less prevailant here.  There also isn't much of it in the Dutch or Scandinavian leagues.


Vicky

I watched the Spain Tunesia game last night. I'm loving watching Spain.  They play as a team, pass really well, and the team is full of very fit, young hotties!  A total night of entertainment!!