Why is there no world cup thread ?

[Keyrock]

Wow, Song just totally lost his mind.  His World Cup is done.

Edited June 18, 2014 by Keyrock

[JadedWolf]

Wow, Song just totally lost his mind.  His World Cup is done.

 

As is Cameroon's. Not that there was much hope left.

 

It's a shame really. I would really love to see an African team do well again.

Edited June 18, 2014 by JadedWolf

[Zoraptor]

Cameroon just needs to bring on super sub Roger Milla, problem solved.

 

Bit weird this world cup, I really cannot recall anywhere near as many large margins in previous tournaments. There was Portugal v DPRK from 2010 but that's the only one I can remember from 4 years ago.

[Elerond]

Cameroon just needs to bring on super sub Roger Milla, problem solved.

 

Bit weird this world cup, I really cannot recall anywhere near as many large margins in previous tournaments. There was Portugal v DPRK from 2010 but that's the only one I can remember from 4 years ago.

Germany - Australia (4-0), Argentina - South Korea (4-1), Germany - Argentina (4-0)

[Malcador]

Germany smashed Saudi Arabia 8-0 in '02.

[Keyrock]

Is it any coincidence that ze Germans have been on the winning end of so many of the most lopsided games?  Proof positive that they're not partial to only slaughtering Jews. 

 

I'll see myself out.

 

[Gorgon]

You would think that just getting to the world cup means anyone is good enough to win on a good day, generally that's true, but qualifications follow geo regions and some are just inherently pretty weak. 

 

If they didn't do it that way it would be 30 teams from south america + Italy and Germany every time. 

[Malcador]

Not much of a World Cup to ignore CONCACAF, CAF, AFC, OFC for the almighty UEFA and CONMEBOL.

[HoonDing]

Ever since Australia left OFC there will never be a Oceania team anymore at a World Cup. 2nd best New Zealand is already laughably bad.

 

[Humanoid]

Except Australia left in 2006 and NZ qualified in 2010?

 

But yeah, it's going to be luck on which continent's lucky loser gets drawn in the playoff against the Kiwis. If they get Asia again...

 

 

Courtesy Wikipedia, in reverse chronological order, the OFC winners have played off against: CONCACAF, AFC, CONMEBOL, CONMEBOL, AFC, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL*, UEFA, AFC, AFC.

 

* Israel was OFC winner for this occasion because reasons.

[Gromnir]

Wow, Song just totally lost his mind.  His World Cup is done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVEb2-SByPs

 

from the replay, it looks like he barely touched the guy. yeah, the fact that strong didn't successfully do anything more than graze the croatian is a "weak" defense... pun intended. nevertheless, am thinking this clip is more a recognition o' yet another brilliant soccer flop than anything else.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

ps apologies for "flop" language-- is possibly idiomatic and misleading. a "flop" is the term most frequent used in american basketball when a defending player pretends as if he were charged or run-over so as to be drawing a foul.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Gromnir

[Zoraptor]

Except Australia left in 2006 and NZ qualified in 2010?

And we went through the tournament unbeaten, too, even finishing above Italy in our group.

 

Though there certainly is a bit of a difference playing off for a place against Mexico as opposed to Bahrain. OFC only really exists for political reasons, a bunch of small easy to manipulate countries that'll vote whichever way they're told to.

 

Germany - Australia (4-0), Argentina - South Korea (4-1), Germany - Argentina (4-0)

 

 

Heh, I had little doubt my memory was rubbish on this. And you even, mercifully, left out Germany - England (4-1)...

[JadedWolf]

 

Wow, Song just totally lost his mind.  His World Cup is done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVEb2-SByPs

 

from the replay, it looks like he barely touched the guy. yeah, the fact that strong didn't successfully do anything more than graze the croatian is a "weak" defense... pun intended. nevertheless, am thinking this clip is more a recognition o' yet another brilliant soccer flop than anything else.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

ps apologies for "flop" language-- is possibly idiomatic and misleading. a "flop" is the term most frequent used in american basketball when a defending player pretends as if he were charged or run-over so as to be drawing a foul.

 

 

Acting lessons are part of the curriculum for a football player. Wonder if Song would still have been sent off if instead the Croatian guy had just turned round and started laughing at Song instead?

[HoonDing]

The intention is enough to be sent off.

[JadedWolf]

The intention is enough to be sent off.

 

True, but often if there is a foul -let's say a player is held and can't reach the ball- and they stay upright, the referee ignores it, while if in the same situation the player falls over and flops around on the ground like a freshly caught salmon the ref does take action. A lot of what we've seen over the years of people headbutting or slapping people they never did look like they would cause all that damage, yet the people hit by them looked as if they were just sucker punched. So my question is, if players didn't react in such an exaggerated manner, would the ref still take action (even though according to the rules they still should)? Because I am doubtful about that.

[Semper]

if the referee saw it, definitely. he's focused at the action around the ball so he's a hard time seeing all the little vulgarities. in the case of song i doubt that the referee would have punished that behaviour if both players kept running along. btw the red card was well deserved. an assault to let off steam, even slightly missed or just the intention, demands a dismissal - especially if no soccer ball is involved.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Semper

[Malcador]

The intention is enough to be sent off.

 

Quite true, something not many people get when they say an elbow aimed at a player but one that missed or a two footed lunge that misses should only get a yellow.

[Keyrock]

I wish the refs would do something about the insanely blatant time wasting when a team is up and trying to hold on to the lead.  Like when a player goes down, lays on the ground in "agony" like had just been stabbed by Brutus, Cassius, Casca, and the other senators, they bring out the stretcher, carry him off the pitch, then, MIRACULOUSLY, he's back on the pitch 15 seconds later.  That should be at least a yellow, shouldn't it?  If it was up to me I'd red card the guy on the spot, because that's some seriously flagrant, despicable bull****.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Keyrock

[213374U]

I wish the refs would do something about the insanely blatant time wasting when a team is up and trying to hold on to the lead.  Like when a player goes down, lays on the ground in "agony" like had just been stabbed by Brutus, Cassius, Casca, and the other senators, they bring out the stretched, carry him off the pitch, then, MIRACULOUSLY, he's back on the pitch 15 seconds later.  That should be at least a yellow, shouldn't it?  If it was up to me I'd red card the guy on the spot, because that's some seriously flagrant, despicable bull****.

 

Well, they do hand out yellow cards to goalies for delaying goalkicks and that sort of thing, from time to time. But when some crybaby is rolling on the ground feigning a mortal injury, it's not so easy. I'd settle for refs keeping a close watch on exactly how long the play has been stopped, and having "injured" players be carried off ASAP, instead of letting them derail the game for so long. That way the practice would be discouraged by making it counterproductive and you don't risk seriously damaging a team. But yeah, generally the sport would be improved by doing something about the rather unsportsmanlike "dramatic" aspect.

 

Because it never gets old:

 

Edited June 19, 2014 by 213374U

[Gfted1]

They should just stop the clock for injuries?

[Malcador]

I wish the refs would do something about the insanely blatant time wasting when a team is up and trying to hold on to the lead.  Like when a player goes down, lays on the ground in "agony" like had just been stabbed by Brutus, Cassius, Casca, and the other senators, they bring out the stretcher, carry him off the pitch, then, MIRACULOUSLY, he's back on the pitch 15 seconds later.  That should be at least a yellow, shouldn't it?  If it was up to me I'd red card the guy on the spot, because that's some seriously flagrant, despicable bull****.

Iffy, as long as the referee gets him off the pitch promptly and game resumes, he's not delayed the game unnecessarily. The referee has to let you back on as well, I imagine there's discretion there so if he thinks you're being a scamp about it he may leave you out there.

 

I find the cramping epidemic a funny bit of gamesmanship.

 

They should just stop the clock for injuries?

Referee adds that time on at the end, some games have had major time added on due to injuries like 10 minutes or so.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Malcador

[Blarghagh]

They should just stop the clock for injuries?

 

They kinda do anyway, they always add on extra time for these things at the end of the game. : /

[Keyrock]

The best solution I can think of is to add a rule stating that any player that gets taken off the pitch, for whatever reason, cannot return on to the pitch for at least 5 minutes.  Having to play a man down for 5 minutes might make teams think twice about pulling that kind of crap, and if a guy is legitimately hurt, he'll likely spend at least 5 minutes being tended to on the sidelines, if not exit the game entirely.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Keyrock

[Malcador]

The best solution I can think of is to add a rule stating that any player that gets taken off the pitch, for whatever reason, cannot return on to the pitch for at least 5 minutes.  Having to play a man down for 5 minutes might make teams think twice about pulling that kind of crap, and if a guy is legitimately hurt, he'll likely spend at least 5 minutes being tended to on the sidelines, if not exit the game entirely.

Not really, players go off after taking a bump to the head or something that can be numbed or stretched, that takes a minute maybe in addition to on pitch treatment. Making his side go down for 5 minutes seems unfair. Works fine as is, referees just need to make sure the game starts back and he's off the pitch as soon as he can.

 

Shame they can't have someone assess the guy while play continues and then let the referee stop it (he can't really do that and follow the play), that way they can be gauge it better.

[Keyrock]

As an aside, my favorite dive ever:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiesHBBOGQg

 

It does not get any more shameful that this.