Author Topic: World Cup (football) 2014.  (Read 37270 times)

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #25 on: 08 June, 2014, 05:16:13 pm »
Living in Wales it's going to be tough to watch the matches in a sociable manner as you get relegated to a quiet side-room in the pubs if they're showing it all which is a shame.
We were camping in Snowdonia during the 2006 competition. The campsite was owned by a pub so we spent most of the evenings in there. They did show the football in the main bar. Most of the locals preferred to speak Welsh. Watching the England Sweden game was an interesting experience. Most of the locals were grudgingly supporting England, but one in particular was making a point of supporting Sweden, cheering and shouting when ever they got a corner or a throw in for instance.  The five English people in the bar were keeping very quiet!


The weirdest experience I've had on that front was a few years back when I talked my mate into holding is stag do in Glasgow so I could educate him on what a great city it is.  It just so happened German were playing England that night, we walked into a pub showing the game and Germany immediately went 1-0 up.  This comprehensively put nearly everyone in the pub on cloud 9 and a right good atmosphere commenced, they hadn't been interested up to that point.
(A guy in a kilt on the train up there had put down a ghetto blaster, put on a tape playing the german national anthem and then did a Nazi salute)
Of course, if you recall the match, England then proceeded to butt kick Germany 5-1.  The atmosphere changed again...
It's a reverse Elvis thing.

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #26 on: 08 June, 2014, 05:29:57 pm »
I think it's great that some average old-timers have been left out and the likes of Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Sterling and Lallana..etc have been given a chance.

James Milner is a constant surprise to me, he really isn't a talented footballer but hey, Roy sees something in him as a "workhorse".

Generally we don't have much talent with a football so, in the absence of that, pace is a good substitute.  We have pace for sure.  Pace always gives you a chance.

Because we tend to give the ball away so much I think that will come back to haunt us in the Brazilian heat.  South American/"Latin" countries will pass the ball around us, at walking pace, while we wear ourselves out trying to win it back..before promptly giving it back to them.  We have to hope that, when we have the ball, our quick, youthful, front players can capitalise on any ageing defences.

I'm a Man U fan and hence should rave about Rooney.  However I think he's been average at best for two years.  He's culpable of losing possession too much.  That's the #1 sin at this level.
Can he control his tendency to get frustrated and kick out?  I suspect not when it's 100degC and he's lost possession again.

Overall though, you never know, pace up front, Ross Barkley in the middle, we may surprise some complacent teams.

I'd prefer to go out 3-4 than 0-0 and penalties.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #27 on: 08 June, 2014, 07:20:01 pm »
I'm not a football fan the wife is,  however I do like watching the world cup, one thing that does my head in is the gaps between games,  do they really need x days to rest before a match?  Big girls! Froome and brad don't get such luxuries!
There's always time for a second slice of cake.

mattc

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Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #28 on: 09 June, 2014, 07:09:05 am »
I'm not a football fan the wife is,  however I do like watching the world cup, one thing that does my head in is the gaps between games,  do they really need x days to rest before a match?  Big girls! Froome and brad don't get such luxuries!
i think the sensible answer is probably Yes.(look at how long rugby teams get).

But for the fans, those enormous gaps in the last week should come down. The players rarely put on a breackneck spectacle in the final anyway.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
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Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #29 on: 09 June, 2014, 07:33:51 am »
I wouldn't claim to be an expert but West Germany used to be good.  Haven't heard much about them lately.  Could it be their year again at last?
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Jaded

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Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #30 on: 09 June, 2014, 07:43:58 am »
I wouldn't claim to be an expert but West Germany used to be good.  Haven't heard much about them lately.  Could it be their year again at last?

Help, is Putin going to put the Iron Curtain back up  :o
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #31 on: 09 June, 2014, 08:26:02 am »
The Germans will have the same problem England do. They play a fast running game like us (but with better organisation usually) and the heat and humidity will kill them. I think this one will go to a South American or Southern European team that play a slow passing game.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #32 on: 09 June, 2014, 09:44:58 am »
I'm not a football fan the wife is,  however I do like watching the world cup, one thing that does my head in is the gaps between games,  do they really need x days to rest before a match?  Big girls! Froome and brad don't get such luxuries!
i think the sensible answer is probably Yes.(look at how long rugby teams get).

But for the fans, those enormous gaps in the last week should come down. The players rarely put on a breackneck spectacle in the final anyway.


Yes football is a full contact sport as is rugby (hard one to tell in this instance  ;) ).  I used play prop forward, it was hard to move my neck for about a week after a match.
It's a reverse Elvis thing.

Eccentrica Gallumbits

  • Rock 'n' roll and brew, rock 'n' roll and brew...
Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #33 on: 09 June, 2014, 12:42:45 pm »
Having watched a lot of the clips on the BBC site, I have realised that world cups were far better in the 70s and 80s. The players had cool hair. Some of them even had moustaches. They wore proper shorts, their jerseys were simple but stylish and they strolled around with their socks around their ankles before scoring memorable goals.
Yes, Scotland's 1986 Umbro strip was particularly memorable, and Graeme Souness had a moustache.

I think what's missing from World Cups these days is really good World Cup singles. Rod Stewart or BA Robertson, rather than Del Asoddingmitri.
My feminist marxist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard.


Pingu

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Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #34 on: 09 June, 2014, 10:37:18 pm »
Scotland v Holland from Aregentina 1978 on BBC red button now.

Jaded

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Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #35 on: 09 June, 2014, 10:48:39 pm »
I remember that well, because I was in Endinburger.

It was a lot noisier than the Peru match - the quietest night I ever experienced in Auld Reekie.
It is simpler than it looks.

Wowbagger

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Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #36 on: 09 June, 2014, 10:50:23 pm »
Scotland played brilliantly in that match.

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Quote from: Dez
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Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #37 on: 09 June, 2014, 11:20:18 pm »
Aregentina 1978

I can still remember so much from that World Cup, so vivid still in memory [and that was a WC by no means not without it's dark side either] - the wonderful Dutch team, Mario Kempes, a forlorn looking Ally MacCleod in the dugout against Iran, some great games, an truly inspired Archie Gemmil but more than all of these these.....the supremely elegant Frank Bough. In the Studio. Only 36 yrs ago!
Garry Broad

Jaded

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Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #38 on: 12 June, 2014, 08:35:35 am »
Just maybe the media girning about how unprepared Brazil is might be true?

Quote
"Frankly, Manaus is in bad shape," said Carlos Botella, head groundsman for the Royal Verd company which is responsible for the turf at Manaus.
"The maintenance has been complicated."
Botella added: "There are no roads. All the machinery and materials had to be brought by ship. There was no fertilizer and no seeds.
"Now we have put fertilizer down. We will increase the fertilizing process with biostimulants and seeds to try to get the most out of the grass."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27800681
It is simpler than it looks.

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #39 on: 12 June, 2014, 09:10:50 am »
Despite the FIFA corruption, the impending and crushing disappointments that await me (as an England supporter) and the numerous disappointing games.... I'm very excited.  IT'S THE WORLD CUP...IN BRAZIL!!

My hopes are raised by some fresh English talent but they will be dashed against the rocks of reality when we meet any big teams.

I'm actually hoping that I get to see Messi and Ronaldo at their very peak.  They are two of the top 10 players ever to have kicked a football and yet still need to display that at this level to cement their place in history I think.  Amazing to think that the last 6 "World Player of the year" awards has gone to just 2 players (and same 2 players have mostly been the runner-up if they didn't actually win it).

Either one could win "Golden Boot" but Ronaldo, in full flight, would be my current choice as best player on the planet right now.  He got Portugal to the finals almost single-handedly.  Maybe his team aren't good enough to give him the platform to do too well, whereas Argentina are good enough to let Messi dominate.

Neymar, of Brazil, will be tying defenders' legs in knots in front of a home crowd, there should be quite an atmosphere.

Anyhoo..I can't wait now.

Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #40 on: 12 June, 2014, 02:41:26 pm »
I understand that a free copy of The Scum was issued today, and that the Liverpool postmen refused to deliver it.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #41 on: 12 June, 2014, 03:17:38 pm »
I understand that a free copy of The Scum was issued today, and that the Liverpool postmen refused to deliver it.

I had a quick flick through the copy I received, and it's fair to say that Liverpudlians aren't missing a lot. I was expecting a copy of today's paper, but it looked more like a cringeworthy advertorial where the Sun was extolling what it thinks is so great about England - or at least, that was the gist I got in the few seconds before it was consigned to the recycling box...
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #42 on: 12 June, 2014, 04:16:57 pm »
I think the last time the Sun was read in Liverpool, Samantha Fox was still featuring about on page 3.
It's a reverse Elvis thing.

Basil

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Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #43 on: 12 June, 2014, 07:30:26 pm »
I'm sitting in the pub (because for me, once a fortnight Thursday night is the new Friday night).  I assume that what's going on on the muted telly is the footy opening ceremony.
 wtf?. 

I assume it will get better.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Basil

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Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #44 on: 12 June, 2014, 07:45:43 pm »
I particularly enjoyed that bit where the orb in the centre dramatically opened up to reveal

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Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Blazer

  • One too many mornings and a thousand miles behind
Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #45 on: 12 June, 2014, 08:02:12 pm »
Glen Hoddle  :hand:

2 pundits with English as a second language  :-\ (don't get me wrong)

Clive Tylsley  :'(

Its going to be a long evening

Basil

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Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #46 on: 12 June, 2014, 08:24:05 pm »
There again, I suppose that the 1966 opening ceremony was a guards band marching up and down a bit.  I didn't actually see it.  I think the only games I saw were England France -  we were on a family holiday in the south of France at the time and my dad had the stupid idea of taking us kids to a local bar to watch it.  :facepalm:.  Luckily my brother and I were more interest in the pinball machine than flakey black and white shadows on a tiny telly.  That was the first and only time I ever knew my Dad to show an interest in footingball.  My mom, true Scot that she was, didn't join us.
And I believe I remember watching the final.  But maybe I've seen the clips so often I just think I remember it.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Eccentrica Gallumbits

  • Rock 'n' roll and brew, rock 'n' roll and brew...
Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #47 on: 12 June, 2014, 09:10:51 pm »
Twitter is filled with concern for poor wee ginger Gordon Strachan, whom ITV are attempting to slowly fry to death by making him present under the blazing Brazilian sun, on a beach for extra glare.
My feminist marxist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard.


mcshroom

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Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #48 on: 12 June, 2014, 09:14:29 pm »
Hmm
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Re: World Cup (football) 2014.
« Reply #49 on: 12 June, 2014, 09:17:34 pm »
Just to clarify, what will be the spoiler stance of this thread?  Can we openly discuss results?
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson