Official World Cup 2010 thread

[Chaplin]

So if the Eng game ends in a draw, what theoretically is the 2nd tiebreaker after point differential?

I think it's actually not goal differential in general--it's goals for and then goals against I believe.

 

[Mathew81]

Terrible call and what worse is that he wouldn't even tell them what the call was. Both Donovan and Bradley said after the game that they weren't told what was called.

We need to come out against Algeria and grab the lead. We can't keep playing from behind. The commentators were saying that we do respond well to be "punched in the face." While true, it shouldn't take the other team scoring to get the players into the game.

 

[Milgod]

Bloody hell England, this is dire.

Andy Townsend on ITV is still making himself look like a right ****. He has gone on about how dodgy the Algerian keeper has looked 3 times already. In the first half he has done nothing wrong!

Steven Gerrard is also being his usual hypocritical self. Has a go at others for diving yet he does it every game.

 

[Mathew81]

Tie-breaker rules:

The ranking of each team in each group will be determined as follows:
a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;
b) goal difference in all group matches;
c) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings will be determined as follows:
d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
e) goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;
f) greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned;
g) drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee.

http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/world-cup-group-play-tie-breaking-rules.html

 

[Mulli]

It has been a long time since England scored.

 

[Milgod]

I think it's actually not goal differential in general--it's goals for and then goals against I believe.

I would be surprised if that was the case. I'm pretty sure it is goal difference first. Then goals scored. So a 2-1 win for the US would be better than a 1-0.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Tie-breaker rules:



http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/world-cup-group-play-tie-breaking-rules.html

ok, so best case scenario is a 0-0 draw.

 

[Chaplin]

New article from the Associated Press says that the foul was on Bocanegra.

JOHANNESBURG - Modern soccer has turned the penalty area into a wrestling ring, and that's what cost the United States victory in its World Cup match against Slovenia on Friday.

Maurice Edu committed no foul as he scored from just over six yards.

However, just about every other player in the penalty area was holding, grabbing, pulling or pushing as the U.S. free kick sailed in to the 18-yard zone.

Referee Koman Coulibaly of Mali saw one of several fouls. Unluckily for the U.S., he saw the only one committed by an American, defender Carlos Bocanegra.

Bocanegra had his arms around Slovenia substitute Jejc Pecnik and was preventing him from jumping for the ball.

Coulibaly was ideally placed to see the foul he called. He was 10 yards away from Edu as the striker hit the ball home, but the Bocanegra-Pecnik grappling took place just one yard away, in the referee's direct line of sight.

The 39-year-old referee, who has been officiating in tough African competitions for 17 years and called the final of the African Cup of Nations between Ghana and Egypt earlier this year, didn't hesitate to do his job.

But he couldn't see everything in the penalty area. So Coulibaly missed two American players being held and grabbed in different parts of the penalty area by Slovenian players.

Unjust? Certainly, but who's to blame? The referee or the players?

Referees are under orders from FIFA to clamp down on the plague of fouls in the penalty area, but it's proving virtually impossible.

English referee Howard Webb received death threats after he penalized a Polish defender for fouling an Austrian attacker in the penalty area in the 2008 European Championships. The penalty, deep into added time, gave Austria a crucial draw and led to Webb having his life threatened and being condemned by the Polish prime minister.

Most referees are unwilling to penalize the defending team, preferring to reject goals rather than give them. This is what Coulibaly did Friday and it cost the United States a victory that would have brought the team close to qualifying for the next round.

Instead, the team is struggling to qualify and must beat Algeria in Pretoria on Wednesday to have any chance of qualifying.

The referee's job is impossible in these situations.

In any game - from the lowest league to the World Cup - if eight players are fouling each other in the penalty area, the referee can only see a small number of the penalties that are occurring. Cynical professional players tumble and dive in the penalty area, trying to trick the ref into giving a penalty and only television replays reveal the full madness of their actions.

FIFA has rejected the use of video technology, preferring to try to maintain the spontaneous nature of soccer and, in the process, inherently rejecting U.S. sports like football and, to a lesser extent, baseball, that have incorporated replay into the sport.

The only nod FIFA has made is to allow the use of two extra assistants to police the penalty area in some European competitions and help the referee.

Who knows if they would have helped Coulibaly reach his decision at Johannesburg's Ellis Park.

--

Simon Haydon is a referee who has officiated amateur English soccer leagues for 10 years.

 

[Milgod]

ok, so best case scenario is a 0-0 draw.

For England v Algeria it is.

The 2-2 draw today could come in handy next week!

 

[Mulli]

New article from the Associated Press says that the foul was on Bocanegra.

I say no way he makes that call against one of the powerhouse teams.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Andy Townsend on ITV is still making himself look like a right ****.

LOL. I need to start calling people right *****.

 

[Chaplin]

I was watching a couple of replays and Bocanegra and his man were nowhere near where the ball ended up. Makes no sense to make that kind of call, even if it were legitimate.

 

[Chaplin]

Just to lighten the mood:

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Shzm13]

Poor Gerard.. Its him vs Algeria.
Its like im watching a Liverpool match.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

The foul was called on Edu...There was no foul and evrey american player other than donovan and was being manhandled...Worst call I have ever witnessed in a soccer match!

 

[Shzm13]

You must be registered for see images

LOL thats what they get

 

[Evil Ash]

Well as frustrating as the ending to our game was, it doesn't compare to England just getting a scoreless tie with Algeria. The Brits look absolutely AWFUL

A win against Algeria and we're in at this point

 

[Milgod]

Poor Gerard.. Its him vs Algeria.
Its like im watching a Liverpool match.

And THIS is why he has some kind of reputation he doesn't deserve. He has been crap today, like he is most games for England. He scores the occasional cracker and people treat him like a god.

The man is dirty, he dives (two clear ones tonight) and goes missing for huge spells. He has been especially **** for Liverpool this year as well.

 

[Mulli]

And THIS is why he has some kind of reputation he doesn't deserve. He has been crap today, like he is most games for England. He scores the occasional cracker and people treat him like a god.

The man is dirty, he dives (two clear ones tonight) and goes missing for huge spells. He has been especially **** for Liverpool this year as well.

I have always thought of Gerrard this way.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Wow...wtf is wrong with England.

So at this point:

If we beat Algeria, and England loses to Slovenia, we're the 2 seed, Slovenia 1.

If we beat Algeria and England beats Slovenia, we'll be the 1 seed, and Slovenia/England will be the 2. (based on differential)

If we tie Algeria, and England loses to Slovenia, we're still #2, and Slovenia #1.

If we tie Algeria, and England beats Slovenia, we're out.

I won't even put in predictions if we lose, but the US and England winning next Wed seems to be best case scenario. (Unless that would mean a 2nd round matchup with Germany) Bottom line is, we need to beat Algeria, which became a much taller task, now that the game matters to Algeria.

*Please correct me if I'm wrong on any of this.

 

[Shzm13]

And THIS is why he has some kind of reputation he doesn't deserve. He has been crap today, like he is most games for England. He scores the occasional cracker and people treat him like a god.

The man is dirty, he dives (two clear ones tonight) and goes missing for huge spells. He has been especially **** for Liverpool this year as well.

Why can't we just be friends, Milgod?

You get a chance to see him a lot more than I do, so you're probably right. From what I saw, it was gerrard getting open, and taking shots while everyone else was busy finding ways to kill the momentum.

You have to give credit to Algerias defense, the played a great game.

As far as England goes, they aren't much different from the team that played vs Mexico in the friendly. They are very beatable.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I feel bad for the official. How is one guy supposed to watch all those guys?

The NBA has a much better ratio of players/officials and they still get stuff wrong...but then again, they're crooked, so maybe it doesn't matter.

 

[Mulli]

Why can't we just be friends, Milgod?

You get a chance to see him a lot more than I do, so you're probably right. From what I saw, it was gerrard getting open, and taking shots while everyone else was busy finding ways to kill the momentum.

You have to give credit to Algerias defense, the played a great game.

As far as England goes, they aren't much different from the team that played vs Mexico in the friendly. They are very beatable.

Hey Wayne Rooney, what gives?

For all the crap Beckham got, and for all the crap Messi got, what has Rooney done in World Cups?

 

[Milgod]

Why can't we just be friends, Milgod?

You get a chance to see him a lot more than I do, so you're probably right. From what I saw, it was gerrard getting open, and taking shots while everyone else was busy finding ways to kill the momentum.

You have to give credit to Algerias defense, the played a great game.

As far as England goes, they aren't much different from the team that played vs Mexico in the friendly. They are very beatable.

haha. Sorry I don't mean to sound like am attacking you. I just really can't stand the Gerrard love fest there is in England. He NEVER gets called for diving yet he constantly complains about foreign players doing it.

You will be proud to know I was cheering both Mexico goals last night. I want them to do well, just not as good as the US.

 

[Dback Jon]

Horrid, horrid call...