Fußball kommt nach Hause.

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Good Final.

Götze - great goal and coincidentally my favourite Chas 'n' Dave track.

 

[Browner]

Shearer is crap pundit,

Messi isnt player of the tourno coz argies didn't win, but had they then he wudda been......whatta plonka statement. He's unlocked every team in the tourno and dragged an average Argentinian side into the final.

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Shearer is crap pundit,

Messi isnt player of the tourno coz argies didn't win, but had they then he wudda been......whatta plonka statement. He's unlocked every team in the tourno and dragged an average Argentinian side into the final.

PS...young browner lad collects his bookies bet on Monday !

 

[Ian_Cook]

Meh. Soccer, I don't get it!

All the players seem to do it kick it around among themselves until they lose it or someone takes it off them, and they kick it around until the same thing happens. Occasionally, someone might make a break and give the goalkeeper something to do, otherwise a player might take a dive and roll over and over clutching his shins in mock agony.

Yes, I see and appreciate the individual skills involved in playing the game, e.g. the James Rodriguez goal for Colombia v Uruguay was easy to appreciate whether you like the game or not, but honestly, the actual game itself leaves me cold. It seems 95% boring, with 5% exciting bits scattered throughout the game. I have not been able to sit though an entire game at this world cup, and have been happy enough to catch one of the the nightly highlights packages. I can't imagine what it would be like to sit through two hours of this and end up with a 0-0 result.

 

[4eyesbetter]

Meh. Soccer, I don't get it!

All the players seem to do it kick it around among themselves until they lose it or someone takes it off them, and they kick it around until the same thing happens. Occasionally, someone might make a break and give the goalkeeper something to do, otherwise a player might take a dive and roll over and over clutching his shins in mock agony.

Meh. Rugby. I don't get it! All the players seem to do is jump on each other, drop the ball or kick it away, then the referee gives a penalty for no obvious reason and they get three easy points. Occasionally, someone might make a line break and give the fullback something to do, otherwise two players might get offended by each other and start punching each other's meat heads.

C'est un jeu pour deux!

 

[Ian_Cook]

Meh. Rugby. I don't get it! All the players seem to do is jump on each other, drop the ball or kick it away, then the referee gives a penalty for no obvious reason and they get three easy points. Occasionally, someone might make a line break and give the fullback something to do, otherwise two players might get offended by each other and start punching each other's meat heads.

C'est un jeu pour deux!

Err, whatever!

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Err, whatever!

Each to his own Ian.

Lots of Points/Goals doesn't necessarily make for a good spectacle. I can't see the excitement in 121-104 NBA games but there can be exciting (finishes/periods) in lots of sports eg 1972 Olympic Basketball Final USSR v USA or one of my personal favourites the 1988 Olympic Water Polo Final - Yugoslavia v USA - watched in a pub in Bled - oooh my head the next morning.

 

[SimonSmith]

I've watched all the Germany games. They've been masterclasses in playing as a team, and having a system and players that are adaptable.

They went into the final with 4 or 5 midfielders missing. Lost Khedira before the game in the warm up and then Kramer went of with concussion after 30 minutes. They didn't miss a step.

Sad to say, many of the games at the this world cup have been better viewing than a lot of the rugby available on TV

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

I've watched all the Germany games. They've been masterclasses in playing as a team, and having a system and players that are adaptable.

They went into the final with 4 or 5 midfielders missing. Lost Khedira before the game in the warm up and then Kramer went of with concussion after 30 minutes. They didn't miss a step.

Sad to say, many of the games at the this world cup have been better viewing than a lot of the rugby available on TV

I saw the Germans & the Dutch more than any of the other teams and thought they were the best two teams in the competition - if that makes sense?

I thought there was some great football played throughout as well as some cracking goals.

As a Scot I know you know good football when you see it. Archie Gemmell's goal v Holland in 1978 IIRC. :biggrin:

 

[Browner]

As a old Scot he'll know how to spell Gemmill ...

As a current Scot he'll know how to spell the words 'failed to qualify again' . ....xx

 

[OB..]

The problem with soccer in a knockout tournament is that draws are far too common., and penalty shoot outs are a lottery.

One possibility is to take the penalty shoot out first, before the game. Then one team knows they have to win - a draw will be no good. That might lead to negative play by the penalty winners, but surely not for 90 minutes against constant attack?

Professional soccer in the USA used to have a system that made more sense than penalties. The goalkeeper would start on his line, the kicker would start with the ball on a spot 35 yards out. When the referee blew his whistle, the kicker had 5 seconds to try and score. Both players could move as they liked. Timing was done by a linesman with his back to play. He would start his watch on the whistle and blow an air horn after 5 seconds. If the ball was legally in the net by then, it was a goal. This system relates better to game playing skills.

 

[4eyesbetter]

If I had my way, I'd just get rid of penalties and make them have a replay, like it used to be.

Not as stupid an idea as you might think; the last replay at the World Cup finals was in 1938. What the threat of a replay did was made it absolutely imperative for both sides to win in extra time, because there was just no possibility you could continue in the tournament with an extra 90 minutes of fatigue on everyone's legs. No matter who you were, you were much better off throwing the kitchen sink and losing in extra time than shutting up shop and winning the replay.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

The problem with soccer in a knockout tournament is that draws are far too common., and penalty shoot outs are a lottery.

One possibility is to take the penalty shoot out first, before the game. Then one team knows they have to win - a draw will be no good. That might lead to negative play by the penalty winners, but surely not for 90 minutes against constant attack?

Professional soccer in the USA used to have a system that made more sense than penalties. The goalkeeper would start on his line, the kicker would start with the ball on a spot 35 yards out. When the referee blew his whistle, the kicker had 5 seconds to try and score. Both players could move as they liked. Timing was done by a linesman with his back to play. He would start his watch on the whistle and blow an air horn after 5 seconds. If the ball was legally in the net by then, it was a goal. This system relates better to game playing skills.

I remember that with Pele and Beckenbauer at the NY Cosmos where it was used to achieve a result instead of a "tie". I though it bollocks in the league scenario however for tournament football I think it preferebale to the Penalty Shootout even if it is derived from Hockey (Ice).

 

[Simon Thomas]

I am amazed that with Mr Blatter as el Presidente any drawn match isn't decided by the largest brown envelope handed over behind the VIP box. Well at is how future host nations have been decided.

 

[Dixie]

I am amazed that with Mr Blatter as el Presidente any drawn match isn't decided by the largest brown envelope handed over behind the VIP box. Well at is how future host nations have been decided.

Simon, can you please mod yourself and remove allegedly libellous posts? I know you'd argue "fair comment", and you may well have a case - but Robbie lacks the funds to pursue it, and the press has yet to uncover the smoking gun evidence.