South Africa 2010

[CassinoChips]

Unfortunately, I was on a (American) football field all day, so I wasn't able to watch the game. I will say I'm generally pleased with the result though, and more pleased with myself for calling it months in advance, down to the exact score. So kudos to the U.S. and to me.

GROUP B
Nation . . . . . . . . . W . . L . . D . . Pts . . GF . . GA . . GD
South Korea . . . . . 1 . . 0 . . 0 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 0 . . +2
Argentina . . . . . . . 1 . . 0 . . 0 . . . 3 . . . 1 . . . 0 . . +1
Nigeria . . . . . . . . . 0 . . 1 . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 1 . . -1
Greece . . . . . . . . . 0 . . 1 . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 2 . . -2

GROUP C
Nation . . . . . . . . . W . . L . . D . . Pts . . GF . . GA . . GD
England . . . . . . . . 0 . . 0 . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 0
United States. . . . . 0 . . 0 . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 0
Algeria . . . . . . . . . 0 . . 0 . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 0
Slovenia . . . . . . . . 0 . . 0 . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 0

 

[CassinoChips]

Germany's performance was very impressive. Australia, on the other hand, looked shell-shocked after Klose's goal. They'll need to recover quickly if they hope to get out of that group. Doesn't look like anyone's going to touch Germany before the knockout stage.

GROUP C
Nation . . . . . . . . . W . . L . . D . . Pts . . GF . . GA . . GD
Slovenia . . . . . . . . 1 . . 0 . . 0 . . . 3 . . . 1 . . . 0 . . +1
England . . . . . . . . .0 . . 0 . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 1 . . .0
United States . . . . .0 . . 0 . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 1 . . . 1 . . .0
Algeria . . . . . . . . . 0 . . 1 . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 1 . . .-1

GROUP D
Nation . . . . . . . . . W . . L . . D . . Pts . . GF . . GA . . GD
Germany . . . . . . . .1 . . 0 . . 0 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 0 . . . +4
Ghana . . . . . . . . . 1 . . 0 . . 0 . . . 3 . . . 1 . . . 0 . . . +1
Serbia . . . . . . . . . 0 . . 1 . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 1 . . . -1
Australia . . . . . . . .0 . . 1 . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 0 . . . 4 . . . -4

 

[Jack's Smirking Revenge]

I thought England were fairly poor. How many other teams give up trying to play the ball along the ground to their strikers? Lampard and Gerrard were poor again and they never gave it to Lennon early enough.

Together Lampard and Gerrard were quite poor, but Steve Gerrard gave a proper captain's performance last night, especially early on.
I'm refusing to blame Robert Green at all. It was just one of those complete random freak accidents that unfortunately happen. It's best he makes a mistake like that now rather than later when there aren't any more games for us to recover in.

I was actually really surprised by how well Germany were in an attacking sense today. Their main strikers (Podolski and Klose) have both had poor seasons for their clubs, yet were excellent for their country tonight. It's never safe to write off the Germans, but I really wasn't expecting that.

 

[Rey]

Watched Germany and Australia and Germant dominated them 4-0. I saw it coming alright. was a good game but Australia need to play better defense or else they wont do shit. Italy vs Paraguay tommorow My team better not dissapoint me.

 

[Jack's Smirking Revenge]

Germany played Australia.

 

[VinnieJones]

Very impressive from Germany, in particular Ozil. I saw him in the under 21's only a couple years ago but now he looks top class, pulled all the strings. Him and Muller are Germany's future.

and credit to Klose, Podolski and Lahm; 2 goals from players who've had loads of stick recently and Lahm showed why he was given Ballack's armband.

 

[Amizon]

I'm refusing to blame Robert Green at all. It was just one of those complete random freak accidents that unfortunately happen. It's best he makes a mistake like that now rather than later when there aren't any more games for us to recover in.

I blamed him at first, but then he redeemed himself for me. I couldn't agree with you more.

On the other hand, I couldn't help feeling that they could've played Crouch earlier when they had so many chances to get the ball at the back of the net. But oh well, Friday should be interesting enough now to see if we can actually win after last night's performance.

 

[Jack's Smirking Revenge]

Crouch needed to come on about 10 minutes before he did. We started putting some decent balls into the box, and America were obviously struggling to deal with aerial balls at the back. Heskey is strong in the air, but Crouch's height is just such a massive advantage when it comes to that.

 

[CassinoChips]

But oh well, Friday should be interesting enough now to see if we can actually win after last night's performance.

England will, barring something very, very strange. Both England and the U.S. are going to finish with two wins and a draw. It'll come down to goal differential to see who gets to avoid drawing Germany in the Round of 16, and England will likely have the advantage there by a goal or two.

 

[Rey]

Germany played Australia.

Lol How in the world did I write England. Its edited now though but I wrote Australia 2nd wow. Mayb was thinking about ENG thats why

 

[charliepanayi]

Impressive start from Germany, though some people are going a bit overboard, you can't win the World Cup in your first game. Serbia and Ghana will be a tougher test for them but Ozil certainly looks good. I was pleased to see Ghana win today as well.

Holland and Italy making their first appearance tomorrow. The tournament needs more goals, let's hope these games can provide them.

 

[Warbsywoo]

England will dominate Algeria if today's play between them and Slovenia is any indication. As creative as the commentators made Algeria's midfield to be, it seemUed they lacked that killer instinct to create really great chances against Slovenia's back four.

Honestly, both teams didn't change my opinion that they're both weak teams and England and the US SHOULD have comfortable wins against each of them respectively.

 

[Donald Trump]

England will dominate Algeria if today's play between them and Slovenia is any indication. As creative as the commentators made Algeria's midfield to be, it seemUed they lacked that killer instinct to create really great chances against Slovenia's back four.

I think England's midfield of Gerrard and Lampard is equally uncreative. James Milner couldn't defend against a journeyman from a mid to lower table German team. Algeria played with wing backs against Slovenia, so if they do the same he'll probably struggle again.

Crouch needed to come on about 10 minutes before he did. We started putting some decent balls into the box, and America were obviously struggling to deal with aerial balls at the back.

I disagree, America's defender who plays for AC Milan was immense and probably would have kept controlled crouch.

 

[Mr.Sark]

Honestly, both teams didn't change my opinion that they're both weak teams and England and the US SHOULD have comfortable wins against each of them respectively.

Yeah right, cause what we saw in the England/US Match was far superior...

But seriously, England will surely win against both teams, but I wouldn't be to sure about the US.
Slovenia has a very tight defense and some really good players, yeah sure they rank about 11 places under the US in the FIFA Rankings, but I think the US will have a tough time against Slovenia at least.

And just an observation, but I think most Americans tend to overrate their soccer team a great deal...

 

[Black Butler]

My blood is pumping up in ecxcitement for italy vs paraguay, like I said b4,italy has a big advantage in the group they are in, but i hear rumors that paraguay is not an amazing team, its not necessary 4 me to underestimate them still. GO ITALY!

 

[DarkShadow]

Just a congrats to Japan 1-0 Aagainst Cameroon (Honda)


Wonder how the people of SE feel about that victory?

 

[CassinoChips]

And just an observation, but I think most Americans tend to overrate their soccer team a great deal...

Most Americans don't even realize we have a national soccer team.

Most non-Americans underrate our soccer team. But that's somewhat justified considering we don't exactly have a storied soccer history.

 

[DarkShadow]

Most Americans don't even realize we have a national soccer team.

Most non-Americans underrate our soccer team. But that's somewhat justified considering we don't exactly have a storied soccer history.

But you have got other sports to be proud of like Basketball American football etc...............Anyway USA are ranked kind of high for football in the FIFA rankings...........They are good knowing they prefer other popular sports in the US.

 

[Mr.Sark]

Most Americans don't even realize we have a national soccer team.

Well thats gonna change now, thaks to ABC and ESPN ^^
They are über excited, even the English comentator was realy into the US Team...

Most non-Americans underrate our soccer team. But that's somewhat justified considering we don't exactly have a storied soccer history.

True, true, but those Americans who care, like the people on TV, think that the USA will just crush Slovenia and Algeria, even though those two are at least an equal match for the USA. I'm not saying that the US Team is bad at all, they are good, but so is the rest of the group...

But I guess the overrating of ones own team is a global thing, just look at the Germans: beating Australia 4 - 0 and suddenly the entire country is sure they'll get their fourth star...well they also thought that in 2006, and 2002, and...^^

 

[Rey]

I was so scared during Italy and Paraguay. When Par scored I went nuts and Ill admit they were ok at defense but Italy could have let 3 goals in paraguays net. I mean Italy played good but Im dissapointed they tied Par instead of winning. Still Great Game!