2010 FIFA World Cup

[Guest The Architect]

One month to go till the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Predict the following:

 

1. Winning team

2. Top scorer

3. Tournament

[Gorgon]

It will be grand, and Denmark won't go through the opening rounds.

[Pidesco]

1. Germany

2. Villa

3. Xavi

4. None

5. Brazil

6. Definitely not Ronaldo. Rooney, probably.

 

 

The African teams will all crash and burn. Portugal will get easily thumped by Spain in the second round.

 

As for Portugal depending too much on Ronaldo, the team got the World Cup despite him, not because of him. Our real problem is the defence. Bosingwa, Pepe and Carvalho, our best defensive players, are all injured, and we don't have a proper left back.

[HoonDing]

1. Argentina

2. Messi

3. Messi

4. Australia

5. Spain

6. Ronaldo

Edited May 11, 2010 by virumor

[Meshugger]

If Messi keeps his flow going, he will win all awards and Argentina will win the cup and everything else is secondary. But of course, let us remember a few other "rules".

 

1) England will not get any further than the quarterfinals.

2) Germany will win any game that gets decided on penalty kicks.

3) No more than 5 goals will be scored in the finals.

4) Spain will not be world champions

Edited May 11, 2010 by Meshugger

[Tigranes]

A lot of promise in this one, 2008 euros were grand to watch and I just really really really want Spain and Netherlands to get in the semis at least. In Europe they are the only teams that you can rely on for some entertaining football now, following the demise of France, where the astrology-loving Domenech retains his tyrannical (and loony) grip. England won't get anywhere as usual.

 

I don't really think so about Messi, awesome as he is he is a Barca boy and doesn't tend to do well far afield or in any other shirt. I'm sure he'll score a couple of nice goals, though.

 

Pity Russia couldn't make it, they were really good to watch in 2008.

[213374U]

As for Portugal depending too much on Ronaldo, the team got the World Cup despite him, not because of him.

I can't say I've been following his performance with the national team, but in Real he's been carrying the team 50/50 with Higua

[Meshugger]

Oooh, another one: Will Ronaldo shed a tear and cry during this championship?

[Walsingham]

I think there will be a lot of dramatic football, which I like. but I am genuinely concerned about the security of the fans.

[Meshugger]

I think there will be a lot of dramatic football, which I like. but I am genuinely concerned about the security of the fans.

 

I think that the government has a pretty high priority on that one. The possibility of a german female being gangraped by a gang of men wishing to cure their aids-decease could be a spark to something really nasty. Despite the "white flight", South Africa is keen on establishing themselves as a Rainbow Nation.

[Pidesco]

As for Portugal depending too much on Ronaldo, the team got the World Cup despite him, not because of him.

I can't say I've been following his performance with the national team, but in Real he's been carrying the team 50/50 with Higua

[Walsingham]

I think there will be a lot of dramatic football, which I like. but I am genuinely concerned about the security of the fans.

 

I think that the government has a pretty high priority on that one. The possibility of a german female being gangraped by a gang of men wishing to cure their aids-decease could be a spark to something really nasty. Despite the "white flight", South Africa is keen on establishing themselves as a Rainbow Nation.

 

I'm not questioning how keen the government is to get the foreign money. I'm questioning the ability of the society itself to deliver. South Africa is ****ed. Very few jobs going, massive corruption. The police are chronically overstretched, under-equipped and under-skilled. On top of that you have the nihilistic atmosphere engendered by a 30-50% HIV infection in many areas. It's like setting up a Disneyland Hades attraction. Drugs of all kinds are endemic.

 

I'm not saying that everyone is suddenly a criminal. Far from it. Indeed it's a testament to how fundamentally decent most people are that there isn't even more crime. But the demand for crime is there in poverty, hunger, drugs, and despair. And realy there's **** all the authorities can do to stop it, short of cordoning off entire neighbourhoods.

[Pidesco]

By the way about Ronaldo's national team versus club team performances, he has scored 59 goals in the past 2 seasons for his clubs. That's in 87 games.

 

For the national team, over the same period he scored 1 goal, in a friendly against Finland, last February. That's in 10 official games and I don't know how many friendlies.

[RPGmasterBoo]

I think there will be a lot of dramatic football, which I like. but I am genuinely concerned about the security of the fans.

 

I think that the government has a pretty high priority on that one. The possibility of a german female being gangraped by a gang of men wishing to cure their aids-decease could be a spark to something really nasty. Despite the "white flight", South Africa is keen on establishing themselves as a Rainbow Nation.

 

I'm not questioning how keen the government is to get the foreign money. I'm questioning the ability of the society itself to deliver. South Africa is ****ed. Very few jobs going, massive corruption. The police are chronically overstretched, under-equipped and under-skilled. On top of that you have the nihilistic atmosphere engendered by a 30-50% HIV infection in many areas. It's like setting up a Disneyland Hades attraction. Drugs of all kinds are endemic.

 

I'm not saying that everyone is suddenly a criminal. Far from it. Indeed it's a testament to how fundamentally decent most people are that there isn't even more crime. But the demand for crime is there in poverty, hunger, drugs, and despair. And realy there's **** all the authorities can do to stop it, short of cordoning off entire neighbourhoods.

 

The thought has crossed my mind since I lived a for a few years in Botswana, SA neighbor. Also, the native population seems unable to handle alcohol well, I've seen them stone drunk from a few beers (the local kind sold in milk type cartons with like 1.5% alcohol). There could be hell.

[Walsingham]

The thought has crossed my mind since I lived a for a few years in Botswana, SA neighbor. Also, the native population seems unable to handle alcohol well, I've seen them stone drunk from a few beers (the local kind sold in milk type cartons with like 1.5% alcohol). There could be hell.

 

You know what you saw but are you sure that wasn't kalabash beer? It's live, like live yoghurt, and keeps fermenting inside you (so I've been told). I do know it will get you pissed off your proverbials like nobody's business. I love the stuff.

[RPGmasterBoo]

This is it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A965036

 

I'm no beer expert

[Walsingham]

This is it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A965036

 

I'm no beer expert

 

Interesting. I've only had it homestyle, not from the cartons. Homestyle it contains extras like fresh cow's blood, milk, and actual beer (more for fun than kick). Imagine a smoothie made from cottage cheese, grits, chargrilled very rare steak, and lager.

[Guest The Architect]

The Argentina squad is a joke.

 

Goalkeepers -

 

Mariano

Sergio

Diego

 

Defenders -

 

Nicolas Burdisso

Marin Demichelis

Juan Manuel

Gabriel Heinze

Nicolas Otamendi

Clemente Rodriguez

Walter Samuel

Ariel

Fabricio Coloccini

 

Midfielders -

 

Mario Bolatti

Sebastian

Jesus Datolo

Angel Di Maria

Jonas Gutierrez

Javier Mascherano

Javier Pastore

Juan Sebastian Veron

Juan Mercier

Maxi Rodriguez

Jose Ernesto

 

Forwards -

 

Lionel Messi

Martin Palermo

Gonzalo Higuain

Sergio Aguero

Ezequiel Lavezzi

Carlos Tevez

Diego Milito

 

No Cambiasso, G. Milito, Zanetti, Banega, Lisandro Lopez, Lucho, Riquelme, Aimar, or Gago.

 

Although I'm not up to speed with injuries and have just been paying attention to the Champions League these last couple months, but some bad decisions by Maradona otherwise.

 

And Pato must still be injured. He didn't make the Brazil squad, but Ronaldinho I can understand. I haven't even seen them play under Dunga, but apparently he's a spud (useless)?

 

This is the Brazil squad.

 

Goalkeepers -

 

Julio Cesar

Heurelho Gomes

Alexander Doni

 

Defenders -

 

Maicon

Daniel Alves

Gilberto

Michel Bastos

Lucio

Juan

Luisao

Thiago Silva

 

Midfielders -

 

Gilberto Silva

Felipe Melo

Kaka

Julio Baptista

Josue

Kleberson

Elano

Ramires

 

Forwards -

 

Robinho Santos

Luis Fabiano

Nilmar

Grafite

[Tigranes]

I haven't even heard of half the Argentinian squad - pretty amazing, this. They have a frightening attack (though what partnership will be used is important), which excuses Lopez being gone, and Riquelme is Riquelme (i.e. you never know which one will turn up, the great or the useless)... I don't know, if you've played for the Argentinian league all your life, can you really do it at the World Cup?

[HoonDing]

Argentina had a **** team in '86, but one star player. Even in '90 they still reached the finals, where they were cheated.

 

History might just repeat itself.

Edited May 12, 2010 by virumor

[Monte Carlo]

Hopefully England will be knocked out early and the overpaid cretins can go home to count their Bentleys and mansions.

 

Then I'll be able to go down the pub without being bothered by drunk, tattooed halfwits watching it on the telly.

[Gorgon]

Apostate, Heretic !.

[Walsingham]

Then I'll be able to go down the pub without being bothered by drunk, tattooed halfwits watching it on the telly.

 

Didn't you hear? My mum died last year.

[Guest The Architect]

Bump.

 

Gee not a lot of enthusiasm about the World Cup on the boards it seems. There was more activity in the thread here prior to the 2006 World Cup, but I would guess that is for two reasons, 1) There's a fair few Swede's here and Sweden didn't qualify this time. 2) The build up to this World Cup isn't as big because a lot of tourists will be staying away from South Africa, quite a few coaches have made some surprise omissions from their final squads and are opting for a defensive style of play (but what's new?), and there's been complaints, especially from players and scientists, about the World Cup ball - some have likened it to a beach ball (but again, what's new? People weren't all that impressed with the 2002/2006 World Cup balls).

 

It starts tonight.

 

Here is the match schedule.

 

And click on the country to see the final 23 squads.

Edited June 11, 2010 by The Architect

[WorstUsernameEver]

Considering our impressively bad performances in the last matches.... let's just say I see Italy being eliminated soon.