football: the beautiful game

[78]

Have any of you actually kicked that ball?

[STFU]

Not being funny but if a professional footballer can't kick any ball ever made in the world then they shouldn't be called professionals. Too many excuses again.

Valter Birsa scored a class goal against the yanks, he had no trouble shooting with it.

It's a round ball, what more do they need?

I've had a kick about with the new ball and it is definitely different. Nothing that world class players shouldn't get used to after a day or two training with it though.

It almost feels too round and smooth like a cheap plastic floater. Maybe a decent ball can't be too perfectly spherical - like the reason that golf balls have dimples.

[mis]

The weight and texture(kind of padding) of the ball can completely alter the way a player should hit the ball. Most players train 5 days a week for an entire season with the same ball, theyd be pretty damn used to it. So I can completely understand why some players complain about the Jabulani, maybe that C Ronaldo shot would have sailed into the top corner if it had been the official ball used in the SPL. Ideally they'd just use the same ball for the EPL, SPL, serie A, Champs league, world cup, so players can shut the fuck up and get on with the game

[icandunkonu]

this ivory coast v brazil game got me wet in anticipation

[polishmike]

I've had a kick about with the new ball and it is definitely different. Nothing that world class players shouldn't get used to after a day or two training with it though.

I played with the official ball twice for few hours and didn't see any problems. I probably had a chance to kick every official ball since 1990, and tbh they were all pretty good.

The ball bullshit comes back at every tournament. Half of it is probably started by adidas themselves, just so they can sell more balls. Get on with it. The federations got the ball at the beginning of the year. They had time to train with it, but most players just won't bother.

And Messi couldn't hold to the ball? He's passing was very good, he would probably take more shots if he wouldn't be man marked the whole match.

Also, everyone please laugh at Italians.

[icandunkonu]

the italians diving their way to a penalty kept them from taking a loss

[Magsåvningsreserven]

considering most of the participating players in the tournament are pros, they should be able to play with a fucking lemon if they have to.

[Hocus Pocus]

The single consolation about England's performance is how bad France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal have done so far.

[JohannesDeSilentio]

The single consolation about England's performance was how bad it was

[chantheman]

go kiwisssssss

[Magsåvningsreserven]

utter fucking farce

get the man an oscar

[polishmike]

Dunga was silly to keep him on. Keita is a joke. It was still a good second half.

[Magsåvningsreserven]

Definitely, didn't want the game to end once Gervinho (should have started) came on, some fantastic football being played; loved that spell of one-touch passing Brazil enjoyed after the third goal I think it was. lovely.

[omjonat]

What do you guys think about our "lovely" national french team and his "amazing" coach Raymond Domenech?

Gosh irony is the only way we do have here to prevent us from cutting our wrist.

Anelka gettin kicked out the team for saying "fuck off you son of a bitch" to Domenech... The players, led by stupid Pat Evra (who play like a grand pa when he has da blue jersey), going on strike, Ribery punching Gourcuff cause he s jealous of his mediatization... Ribery Gallas and co gettin the same Gourcuff kicked outta the team because they don t like him...

This world cup is boring but thanks to us : we entertain the whole world by bein the most ridiculous team ever :]

[Magsåvningsreserven]

I have no idea about this gourcuff news, that hasn't been reported over here as far as i'm aware, other than that I think the general consensus is that it's a shame.

I think it was completely idiotic on FFF's behalf to announce Domenech would is stepping down after the WC, before the team even got there! What the hell is point of that? They might as well have installed Blanc and let him have a go. I'm sure the players would favour him (or anyone else) over Domenech.

I mean in the game against Mexico (who were fantastic, has to be said), Domenech's body language -- even when they were 2 down -- said it all.

[icandunkonu]

even though there were lots of good touches in the bzl/civ game, it got real lame and ugly towards the end, brazil HANDled business though. i really wanted CIV to win though for no reason other than i've been a few times and had tons of fun

[jim_n]

on a quick side note this is airing on espn soon: http://30for30.espn.com/film/the-two-escobars.html

anyone gonna check this out?

[omjonat]

I have no idea about this gourcuff news, that hasn't been reported over here as far as i'm aware, other than that I think the general consensus is that it's a shame.

I think it was completely idiotic on FFF's behalf to announce Domenech would is stepping down after the WC, before the team even got there! What the hell is point of that? They might as well have installed Blanc and let him have a go. I'm sure the players would favour him (or anyone else) over Domenech.

I mean in the game against Mexico (who were fantastic, has to be said), Domenech's body language -- even when they were 2 down -- said it all.

Facts are Gourcuff is in the middle of an unrealistic imbroglio.

Last year he came back in France after two bad years in Milan... He left Rennes too early and never made his place in the 11, because of intouchable Kaka and Pirlo.

When he came back in Bordeaux, he showed to everybody how good he could be, managed by an amazing coach, Laurent Blanc. He brought Bordeaux to the national title after an epic 12 wins in a row and a fantastic struggle against Marseille. Then, a gay magazine made its cover with Gourcuff, cause the whole gay community here in France loves him. Rumor is that Gourcuff may be gay...

Anyway, he became a superstar, the lady's favorite, the gay's favorite and everybody claimed we had found our "New Zidane", but even better because of his advantageous apparence.

He made his begin with the national team and saved us with a fantastic goal against Roumania during the qualifications for the World Cup. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x72uvw_roumanie-vs-france-22-gourcuff_sport

Then, for his second year with Bordeaux, after 6 months where his team and him were on the top of the French football, everythings fell appart... Bordeaux fell, and Gourcuff played very bad.

Anelka, Gallas and mostly Ribery began to set him apart with the national team, on the field. We had an amical game against Spain in Paris, that we lost 2 - 0. Everybody noticed Anelka Ribery and Henry never passed the ball to Gourcuff. Now, things have turned into a big drama : The Ribery clan stigmatized Gourcuff, and Ribery even punched him for nothing else than his jealousy. They also asked Domenech to put him out the 11. As i told you, reasons are that they are jealous of his popularity, his advantageous apparence, the fact that everybody love him for being humble, for speaking a good french (Ribery speaks like a 7 years old trisomic kid) and for being seen as the new Zidane (which is a mistake : nobody will be Zidane, and speaking like this about young players -Nasri, Menez, now Gourcuff- isn t good for them).

The situation is so unrealistic here that many people want Laurent Blanc, when he ll become our coach, to fire Ribery for ever.

Did you guys know about this? What s your foreign opinion about Ribery? Did you know he was that kind of pretentious fuck?

[78]

on a quick side note this is airing on espn soon: http://30for30.espn.com/film/the-two-escobars.html

anyone gonna check this out?

I've been keen to see that. Heard some great reviews.

[Magsåvningsreserven]

forca portugal heh

lolled at ronaldo's goal, great touch haha

[Whodinihimself]

forca portugal heh

lolled at ronaldo's goal, great touch haha

That was a thorough routing by Portugal. If they play tight against Brazil, they've all but secured 2nd spot, win or lose. Ivory coast will have to break records in their next game to advance on GD.

[78]

damn why can't Chile give that simple extra pass at the end? UGH. Coulda smashed them dirty Swiss n' their stupid 'record'.

[omjonat]

Gary Medel my man from Boca Juniors is fucking amazin... Imagine Gattuso with great technical skills ;]!

He plays as a defender with Chile but actually he s real position is number 6, alone forward the defense!

(Don t hesitate to correct my english, it s been a long time without using it)

[omjonat]

Gosh our french national team is better than a soap opera... Stupid Roselyne Bachelot, Sport and Youth Minister is having a meeting with Domenech and Evra to decide some punishments for the strike of yesterday...

Blanc is going to have a lot of work... Our team is a ruin.

Laurent Koscielny is about to sign in Arsenal. Probably the future best french defender... Bought 1,5M to Tours by Lorient... Sold 10M to Arsenal a year later hahaha

[readytoignite]

I think it was completely idiotic on FFF's behalf to announce Domenech would is stepping down after the WC, before the team even got there! What the hell is point of that? They might as well have installed Blanc and let him have a go. I'm sure the players would favour him (or anyone else) over Domenech.

yeah they did the same thing with santini to similar effect. tbh he is a joke of a manager and should have been on his bike two years ago

Did you guys know about this? What s your foreign opinion about Ribery? Did you know he was that kind of pretentious fuck?

i'm not into french dressing room politics but it's well known that ribery is a nasty piece of work.

[omjonat]

yeah they did the same thing with santini to similar effect. tbh he is a joke of a manager and should have been on his bike two years ago

You meant 4 years ago no? Cause everybody here know that the finale we played in 2006 is the merit of Zidane, Makelele, Thuram and Vieira when they decided to take the power unstead of Domenech after the second game... They made the team worked and set Domenech apart... Zidane and Makelele were the coaches and made the composition.

After this, we should have fired this cunt.

[zenii]

portugal vs. north korea

7 - 0

north korea team is either getting sent to forced labor camp or getting shot when they return home... portugal should've shown them some mercy, since their lives aren't on the line.

[icandunkonu]

North Korea/Portugal political conflict in 5....4......3.....2....

[Janavar]

Gosh our french national team is better than a soap opera... Stupid Roselyne Bachelot, Sport and Youth Minister is having a meeting with Domenech and Evra to decide some punishments for the strike of yesterday...

Blanc is going to have a lot of work... Our team is a ruin.

Laurent Koscielny is about to sign in Arsenal. Probably the future best french defender... Bought 1,5M to Tours by Lorient... Sold 10M to Arsenal a year later hahaha

is koscielny really that good?

all i've ever seen of him is some videos online (that i have looked up lately)

would be nice if he were like a TV 2.0

[chantheman]