World Cup - South Africa 2010

I remember when was talking about England with Big_Stu... great players, Defense, Midfield and Fowards but Goalkeeper sucks... I think should have selected Almunia (Arsenal FC), because what is in England best to call David Seaman. I understand that it is a mistake that can happen to anyone but it is a very serious mistake, the ball wasn't going very fast. I think Capello will his job in another two games, England will win vs Algeria, the problem would be Slovenia, they're a good team.

Good for Argentina, they failed a lot of goals and could pay dearly, highlight Messi and Nigerian goalkeeper, who saved his team from a large result.

Germany plays on tomorrow versus Australia, great match.

I've tried.  Believe me, I've tried.  I just can't get into soccer.  It's like watching paint dry.  To me, any game that can end in a 0-0 draw has issues.  Sorry guys.  No offense, but I'll stick to the NFL.  Enjoy the Cup, however, and best of luck to all of your respective teams. 

So nice there is a thread about the World Cup, looks like we got lots of soccer fans here.
Green was a disaster last night,  Joe Hart may be better, but we can't judge a keeper for only one match. And Capello is kind of stubborn, I guess he won't change the keeper so easily. Though England didn't win the first match, it won't be a problem for them to advance out of the group. =)

German will beat Australia, and I expect Ozil's performance. But sadly I probably won't be able to watch this match. -(

LMAO. I feel exactly the same with the NFL.  It's so dull, nothing happens and it stops every minute for silly reasons lol.  Reminds me of an episode of the Simpsons with soccer and hockey for that matter where it ends in  a "tie".

Rob Green made up for his mistake with a good save at near post in the second half, but the draw was the result I was expecting.  We will beat Algeria and Slovenia and qualify for the next round.

400 lb men need to take a breather every now and then, Nick. LOL.

At risk of sounding like a complete moron, why are there so few countries participating in the Cup?  I thought soccer was big in the Middle East.  Where is Egypt and Iran?  And why doesn't Russia have a team?  Am I missing something?  Please help out an ignorant American.

Before the World Cup starts there are only 32 places available, these are divided up into the football confederations i.e Europe, Asia, Oceania, South America, North America etc.

Every country is entered into the qualifying process which takes approximately 2 years to complete. In Europe for example there were around 10 qualifying groups each consisting of around 6 or 7 countries including Wales, Faroe Islands Norway etc... They play each other home and away, and the top teams from the group qualify for the World Cup.

This happens all around the world leading up to the World Cup. Supposed to represent the best of the best.

Ah...I get it.  So this is basically the playoffs.  Thanks mate! 

Yeah I guess!  All 32 teams have been put into groups (England and USA in the same for instance.)  Top 2 qualify for the last 16 which begins the knockout part of the tournament up to the final. There is also 3rd play play off too.

Slovenia beat a sorry Algeria thus heading group C ahead of England and USA.

And surprisingly Ghana beat Serbia 1-0 too.

Low scoring World Cup so far.  Germany v Austrailia tonight.

Robert Green, what a star. Still better than David James though I'd liked to have seen Hart given the nod. Anyone else wonder why Milner was replaced with Wright-Phillips instead of Joe Cole? And why did he start with Milner if he was still not 100%?

The problem with England is that we have no confidence when we come to these big events. Our penalty taker, Lampard has missed his last two. Rooney also looked quiet, and that is frightening considering the rest of our strikers are shit. Jemain Defoe is fine at club level, but he will never score in a world cup. And Crouch has a good record but all his goals come against poor opposition such as Trinidad and Tobago. And Heskey? Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Well the games are still going strong, I'm watching it all on ESPN. They've got this neat channel completely dedicated to FIFA on AT&T U-Verse which allows me to check up on scores, latest news, and brackets thus far. I can even watch anything I want FIFA rated at anytime, all of it on demand... don't mean to sound like I'm plugging AT&T, but it's pretty neat.

Now about the games so far, USA gets yet another tie! Their first match against England, gosh damn did they get lucky on that one! And I agree with you Neptune, don't want the French to win, let alone continue! When I saw their first match, I was totally taken aback by how they were playing. It was so dirty, that's it! They're playing dirty, they are not working as a team (which is really killing them), and they're just being greedy (again not working as a team).

Plus, I just can't stand that French player with the scar on his face...

And is it just me, or does anyone else find those horns the South Africans keep using annoying?! I know it's supposed to be traditional for the people of South Africa, but it's annoying the whole world! People who are watching the matches can't stand hearing it, and even the players are distracted by that noise, and they're hating it. I really cannot enjoy a match by hearing those damn things! It just sounds like a load of flies on a pile of very seductive manure.

England, once again playing with all the confidence I would have myself if I was trying to chat up Cheryl Cole.

That will be Franc Ribery.

It was a lacklustre England performance (what's new?) and quite frankly I don't care anymore. I was never excited about our chances, why?  Because I'm a realist. The media hype for the World Cup is simply too much. If we manage to make the world cup quarter finals it has to be considered a good campaign, but no, it won't be good enough. There is an arrogance amongst the nation that he must win the competition.

I would feel that it we had a good team. The class of 2006 will remain our best chance, every player in their prime. That should be considered the chance to win the competition. Just look at the team now (if you can call it that). We are playing 4-4-2, which is great, provided Gerrard and Lampard don't play together, it doesn't work we know that, and was the main criticism of Mcclaren era. 4-4-2 will work if you play Barry with Gerrard. Drop Lampard, simply not good enough for England.  (And believe it pains to forward the cause for a Liverpool player - being a Utd fan.) If we must play Lampard and Gerrard then play 4-5-1 with Rooney up front.  If that fails to work then bring on another striker and switch. I could manage the bloody team.

However regardless of the tactics, there is a fundamental reason why I don't care anymore and why us fans do get frustrated. The players simply don't care. It's as simple as that. Where is the passion? Where is the pride? Where are the Lions? The club v country debate is over.  Club rules, and players don't care, they get there £50k net pay that week, ah no worries about England...

Beckham was the last player I truly feel felt more about his country than club and felt that it was an honour to wear the shirt and especially captain. Like Stuart Pearce and the majority of the England '96 team, there was passion.

This generation don't give a shit and it shows.

The worst thing to happen to the English national team was the so called 'golden generation'. The 2006 World Cup campaign {not counting 2010 so far} was the worst and most lacklustre campaign since our failure to qualify for USA'94. The only good thing to come out of this current world cup is that it will hopefully be the last for the likes of Lampard, Gerrard et all. 

Our lack of strikers is worrying, how we desperately need someone in the mould of Gary Lineker right now. Players like Jermain Defoe are simply not good enough to grace a World Cup. Even Rooney, as good as he is, is more of a Beadsley/Sheringham type of player, he is not a natural goalscorer such as Shearer, Greaves or Lineker, and that's what we desperately lack.

And as for Beckham, there is no doubt he had the passion and the pride, but he was overrated as a player, even when at his peak. McClaren made a brave move in dropping him and he has achieved nothing since his comeback bar gaining a few more free caps on his claim to overtake Bobby Moore as England's most capped outfield player, a record he now thankfully will not break.