I also agree. So far Germany and Italy have given the impression of being able to go far in this tournament.

How can you possibly say that about Italy after today? Sure they played better near the end, but it was quite clear that Paraguay sufficiently matched them throughout and that they're nowhere near the team that won four years ago. The fact that they drew a much weaker team should say enough.

I also seriously doubt they can make it past the round of 16. They'll play either Brazil or Portugal...who will destroy them.

Considering they finish in the 1st place of Group F, in the round of 16 they'll play against the 2nd place of Group E. I'm betting on Denmark.

Considering they finish in the 2nd place, which wouldn't be a surprise for me, they'll play against the 1st place of Group E, probably Holland.

 

but it was quite clear that Paraguay sufficiently matched them throughout

A team that fails to beat Paraguay doesn't deserve my consideration.

Considering they finish in the 1st place of Group F, in the round of 16 they'll play against the 2nd place of Group E. I'm betting on Denmark.

 

Sorry I read the schedule wrong! I actually am expecting someone to pull ahead of Italy, so I think they'll play the winner of that group...the Dutch.

Alright, it's everyone's favorite time of night again. Place your bets:

 

New Zealand 0 - 2 Slovakia

 

Ivory Coast 0 - 1 Portugal

 

Brazil 4 - 0 North Korea

 

A team that fails to beat Paraguay doesn't deserve my consideration.

 

Or Mexico.

Italy aren't convincing this year,

Alright, it's everyone's favorite time of night again. Place your bets:

 

New Zealand 0 - 2 Slovakia

 

Ivory Coast 0 - 1 Portugal

 

Brazil 4 - 0 North Korea

 

 

 

New Zealand 0-1 Slovakia

 

Ivory coast 1 - 2 Portugal

 

Brazil 3 - 1 North Korea

 

 

:wink3:

If North Korea scores I'll eat my shoe. *wonders if he can mail-order confectionary shoes in the unlikely event...*

New Zealand 0 - 1 Slovakia

 

Ivory Coast 1 - 2 Portugal

 

Brazil 4 - 0 North Korea

Brazil's defense is insane this year...if they win it all, it will be because of their defense. I almost don't expect them to score very many goals. The only reason I'm predicting 4 goals for them tomorrow is because, well, they're playing North Korea.

I only stopped at 4 in anticipation that by that, by then, Kim Jong-Il will bomb the stadium to save his country from further humiliation.

 

 

sorta random but I loved this nike football ad thing growing up.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrShUb4pU14&feature=related]YouTube- Nike Secret Tournament-The Cage(full)[/ame]

 

Germany's Franz Beckenbauer criticises England style

 

Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer has launched a blistering attack on England's playing style in their opening game at the World Cup.

 

While Fabio Capello's team laboured to a 1-1 draw with the United States, Germany crushed the Australians 4-0. The former German captain, 64, said: "What I saw of the English against the US had very little to do with football. It looked to me as if the English have gone backwards into the bad old days of kick and rush."

 

Joachim Loew's German side has looked the most impressive so far in South Africa, with the Bild newspaper, after the opening win in Durban, declaring: "We're going to blow you all away."

 

England are hoping for an improvement in performance in forthcoming games against Algeria and Slovenia to enable them to top Group C and avoid a last-16 clash with the Germans - who are the likely winners of Group D, although Ghana and Serbia may prove tougher opposition than Australia.

 

Beckenbauer, who captained his country in the 1974 victory over the Netherlands and also played in their World Cup final defeat against England in 1966, believes their problems were the result of a shortage of talent in the Premier League. "I am not sure if the England coach Fabio Capello can still change much there," he told South African newspaper the Times. "The English are being punished for the fact that there are very few English players in the Premier League as clubs use better foreign players from all over the world."

 

Capello would no doubt prefer to see more English players in the domestic top flight, but questions have also been raised regarding the team's lack of preparation with the new Jabulani ball being used in South Africa. The ball has been used in domestic football in Germany, France and Argentina since February, but not in England.

 

Altitude is another factor that has been affecting England's squad, with defender John Terry admitting last week that the players were taking time to adapt to the conditions. England are based in Rustenburg, 1,403m above sea level, while Germany are playing their games at sea level in Durban.

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8740637.stm

Paraguay boss delighted with draw

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8740400.stm

 

Buffon confident after back pain

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8740361.stm

 

Cameroon attitude wrong - Le Guen

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8740251.stm

 

Cup chiefs rule out vuvuzela ban

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8737455.stm

 

Olsen backs Poulsen after mistake

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8739532.stm

 

Netherlands relief at first win

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8739507.stm

Drogba to wait on Fifa decision

 

Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba is set to discover whether he will be allowed to wear a protective cast on his broken arm in Tuesday's game against Portugal.

 

Football's world governing body Fifa will make the decision prior to the first Group G game of the World Cup. Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said on Monday: "There has been a Fifa meeting - we will know later."

 

Chelsea striker Drogba needed surgery after breaking his arm in a friendly against Japan on 4 June. The 32-year-old suffered the injury in Sion, Switzerland, in a collision with Japan defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka - three minutes after the forward had opened the scoring with a 13th-minute deflected free-kick.

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8722701.stm

^ Why wouldn't he be allowed to wear a cast? Is it against the rules to wear paraphernalia not directly related to their uniform?

Would be fun if the NZ football team did the Haka as well.

 

BBC receives 545 vuvuzela complaints over World Cup

 

The BBC has received 545 complaints about the sound of vuvuzela horns during its World Cup coverage.

 

The corporation is considering showing coverage that cuts out the noise of vuvuzelas on its red button service.

 

On Monday, World Cup organisers ruled out a stadium ban on the plastic horns, which can reach 130 decibels, following complaints from players and fans.

 

Experts say it is impossible to cut out the horns without affecting commentary and crowd noise.

 

The BBC says it has already "taken steps to minimise the noise".

 

"If the vuvuzela continues to impact on audience enjoyment, we will look at what other options we can take to reduce the volume further," a spokeswoman said.

 

The BBC is considering cutting out some of the vuvuzela noise on the red button service but says a final decision has yet to be made.

 

On Monday, Trevor Cox, president of the Institute of Acoustics, told the BBC News website's Magazine that vuvuzelas were tuned to a similar frequency to speech tones.

 

If broadcasters tuned out it would dampen the commentators' voices, he said.

 

"It would sound really horrible to notch these out - if one coincides with the vowel sound e, you won't be able to hear the -es in the commentary. It would sound unnatural," he said.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10317767.stm

Well... Italy deserves the World Cup at least for how they sing their national anthem!:rolleyes:

 

 

I'm glad Italia didn't win against Paraguay, I hate the spirit of the team so much :mean:

:whip:

 

BBC receives 545 vuvuzela complaints over World Cup

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10317767.stm

 

Viva la vuvuzelas! They make every match's atmosphere epic

this just in from espn

 

The big team news for the Ivory Coast is that Didier Drogba is on the bench. FIFA granted him clearance to play in a cast to protect his broken arm, but Sven Goran Eriksson has decided not to risk him from the off.

this just in from espn

 

The big team news for the Ivory Coast is that Didier Drogba is on the bench. FIFA granted him clearance to play in a cast to protect his broken arm, but Sven Goran Eriksson has decided not to risk him from the off.

He will come in the second time

Kill the bumble bee.

Hyped about Drogba playing. LETS GOOOOOOOOOO IVORY COASTTTTTTTTT

Ronaldo is the captain?! :lol:

 

Yesterday's memories:

 

 

I just fixed my TV so I can't hear the vuvuzelas. Woooow. So much better.

Watching Ivory Coast v Portugal and have to say I am disgusted by the diving antics of that little shit Cristiano Ronaldo. Coming from a player who he knows full well that he is no longer the best player in the world and quite far from it.

Watching Ivory Coast v Portugal and have to say I am disgusted by the diving antics of that little shit Cristiano Ronaldo. Coming from a player who he knows full well that he is no longer the best player in the world and quite far from it.

 

I hate him more than any other player in this tournament. Even the frenchies.