Hup Holland!

Go Japan!

Mandatory

Since the mods wouldn't green my headlines (probably because they sucked), people who watched the Slovenia/US clusterfark yesterday may get a kick out of this:

Koman Coulibaly to get performance review, likely out for remainder of World Cup (new window)

/some small justice

Much as I love Japan...I can't really see them getting this one. Keep the goal difference down and look ahead to the last match to qualify for Rnd. 2.

My predictions for what they're worth

GHA 1 AUS 0 - No Cahill means 3 pts for Ghana

NED 3 JAP 0 - Dutch have too much talent

CAM 1 DEN 1 - Two reasonably talented squads cancel each other out.

I love the look of this stadium.

This doesn't look like Australia - Ghana to me... unless Ghana is in an entirely different part of the globe than I thought, and Australians love the colour orange.

/come on you squinters

american forces network is beaming the match to american soldiers in 175 countries apparently.

Ouch. That had to hurt.

Why hasn't Japan invented the technology to beam this game into my dreams while I sleep?

Coming soon to a TV near you:

MARVEL as Pim Verbeek sends the Socceroos out without a recognised striker. Again.

BE ASTONISHED at the sheer dullness of his 4-6-0 formation.

COWER IN YOUR SEAT as despite his negativity his team still gets torn apart.

WONDER why he ever took the job in the first place if he had such little faith in the players. (clue: he's actually one of the highest-paid coaches at the World Cup)

MORAN COACH II: The Slowening

Be afraid. Be very afraid. And bored.

/has less hope than the kid with the sword at Helm's Deep

Come on, sub in Gozirra Japan!

ErgosumDominati: Come on, sub in Gozirra Japan!

Don't be ridiculous. Mothra is much better in the air and would provide more options in attack.

Like Japan/Korea, the weird spirits of foreign, non-soccer continents is leading to some upsets. The Dutch aren't impressing me right now, England are a joke, Germany lost, the French surrendered, Spain lost, and Brazil only beat North Korea by one goal.

Of course, this just softens the knockout rounds for Argentina and a naked Maradona.

Trapper439: ErgosumDominati: Come on, sub in Gozirra Japan!

Don't be ridiculous. Mothra is much better in the air and would provide more options in attack.

With Ebirah in goal.

Trocadero: Like Japan/Korea, the weird spirits of foreign, non-soccer continents is leading to some upsets. The Dutch aren't impressing me right now, England are a joke, Germany lost, the French surrendered, Spain lost, and Brazil only beat North Korea by one goal.

The big football nations got too rich and complacent, and that's why they're suffering for it now. They make so much money playing in Europe that this is small change for them, and apparently national pride just isn't quite enough for them to justify fighting for the world cup.

Germany and Argentina look good so far (despite Germany completely giving up yesterday), as for the others - with the exception of Brazil, I'd be surprised to see any of the 'big' teams in the final.

The Netherlands are playing mediocre again.

ErgosumDominati: Trapper439: ErgosumDominati: Come on, sub in Gozirra Japan!

Don't be ridiculous. Mothra is much better in the air and would provide more options in attack.

With Ebirah in goal.

Nah, I'd have a many-tentacled rape rape monster in goal, Gozirra being a defensive colussus at centre back, Ebirah as a deep lying defensive midfielder patrolling in front of the back one, and Astro Boy zipping down the wings providing crosses for Mothra.

/got nuthin more

It looks like the Cloggies have adopted England's tactic of trying to bore the other team into submission. That was a piss poor first-half Oranje.

NED reminds me of England: kicking the ball around with the intention of actually trying in their second half against their supposedly inferior opponent...let's see how that works out for them.

Trapper439:
/got nuthin more

But obviously a lot more than me. Where's Gamera in all this?

Someone needs to do a photo compilation of all the players tripping on the ball in these games.

I hate the Netherlands' jersey. It looks like a gym or camp issued t-shirt.

ErgosumDominati: Trapper439:
/got nuthin more

But obviously a lot more than me. Where's Gamera in all this?

Broke a metatarsal before the tournament. Sitting on the bench like this guy:

BOOOM

D'oh. NED 1 - JPN 0

LadyBinky: I hate the Netherlands' jersey. It looks like a gym or camp issued t-shirt.

I like them because of that...

Oh Snap, hell of a hit. Keeper even had his hands on it.

Nice strike there, but crappy goalkeeping.

Darn. I don't think the Dutch really deserve the points they have. Also, they have terrible food!

Finally! The Dutch have to win this one, so Denmark can take second place in the group.

Van Persie cheated! fark that shiat!

Ball's fault!!!111

I'm just stopping by to post this before I go to work. I like that my pub opens early for the WC, except on days I'm the opener. Go Holland or something.

epoc_tnac: The big football nations got too rich and complacent, and that's why they're suffering for it now. They make so much money playing in Europe that this is small change for them, and apparently national pride just isn't quite enough for them to justify fighting for the world cup.

I think it's more that the financially successful leagues buy the best players from around the world which leads to a dearth of opportunities for home-grown talent to break through. That's certainly the case in England. Plus there's little incentive to spend 10/15 years and lots of money nurturing and developing talented youngsters (with no guarantee they'll make the grade) when you can take a few million from the TV companies and buy a squad of average but ready-made talent from abroad.

Germany and Argentina look good so far (despite Germany completely giving up yesterday), as for the others - with the exception of Brazil, I'd be surprised to see any of the 'big' teams in the final.

Football in Argentina might be huge in terms of popularity, but financially it's farked. Most of the clubs survive by selling their best players to European teams. On the other hand, there's a massive amount of community involvement in local teams, often with top quality coaching going on for little or no remuneration - it's about love of the game and serving your community.

Germany is a comparatively rich country and league, but the league impose strict rules on clubs so they develop more young players.

The Netherlands are playing mediocre again.

Wesley Schneider says hi!

FightDirector: Since the mods wouldn't green my headlines (probably because they sucked), people who watched the Slovenia/US clusterfark yesterday may get a kick out of this:

Koman Coulibaly to get performance review, likely out for remainder of World Cup (new window)

/some small justice

FIFA refereeing rules state: "The referee shall hand over to the FIFA general coordinator a match report at the stadium immediately after the match. On the report form the referee shall note all occurrences such as misconduct of players leading to caution or expulsion, unsporting behavior by supporters and/or by officials or any other person acting on behalf of an association at the match and any other incident happening before, during and after the match in as much detail as possible."

wHere
mathc report
ref
whe
\ o /
|
/ \

/oblig

/also oblig

LadyBinky: I hate the Netherlands' jersey. It looks like a gym or camp issued t-shirt.

With numbers stuck on using Duck Tape.

"He has a left foot that you could open a can of tomato soup with."

WHAT THE FRAK DOES THAT EVEN MEAN

james1878: epoc_tnac:

Football in Argentina might be huge in terms of popularity, but financially it's farked. Most of the clubs survive by selling their best players to European teams. On the other hand, there's a massive amount of community involvement in local teams, often with top quality coaching going on for little or no remuneration - it's about love of the game and serving your community.

What about Boca and River Plate? I thought they did pretty well.

MurphyManifesto: "He has a left foot that you could open a can of tomato soup with."

WHAT THE FRAK DOES THAT EVEN MEAN

That's what my wife just said!!

Search YouTube for Alan Partridge World Cup. It's the guy from Night At The Museum and Tropic Thunder imitating strange comments like that.

MurphyManifesto: "He has a left foot that you could open a can of tomato soup with."

WHAT THE FRAK DOES THAT EVEN MEAN

Don't people usually open it with the right foot? Doing it left footed requires skillz.

/no idea what commentator meant.

MurphyManifesto: "He has a left foot that you could open a can of tomato soup with."

WHAT THE FRAK DOES THAT EVEN MEAN

Hahahaha, I also had that question and the perplexed look.

/got you covered skink

MurphyManifesto: "He has a left foot that you could open a can of tomato soup with."

WHAT THE FRAK DOES THAT EVEN MEAN

I think he actually means that the leg could open any tinned foodstuffs.

Come on Nederlands, get that second goal!

If Honda scores I do another one of these.



Please be a header!