the Netherlands (who are all playing well and like they have something to prove)

Have you not seen the matches? The Netherlands has been awful so far, lucky to win both times.


But yeah, Spain and England are hyped every time there's a big tournament, but they've hardly ever won a thing.

If Spain are ever going to amount to something it will be this year, I'd say... Their team is just absolutely jammed full of regular players from the best teams in the world, and they actually are able to play very well together, particularly in midfield seeing as Iniesta and Xavi, who're the best midfield pairing in recent memory, also play together at Barcelona. If Torres can find form like he had from before he had all those injury issues more goals will come. I don't think David Villa can carry the team entirely by himself, although he's doing a fairly good job so far tonight...

...in spite of the fact he just blazed a penalty wide...

the Netherlands (who are all playing well and like they have something to prove)

Have you not seen the matches? The Netherlands has been awful so far, lucky to win both times.


But yeah, Spain and England are hyped every time there's a big tournament, but they've hardly ever won a thing.

Only saw highlights from the Dutch games. I assumed that if they'd played like shit, one of those teams would have given them at least a bit of punishment and not clean sheets. I guess I was wrong about that, but they're still the group favorite (although it's a pretty easy group).

Spain will probably make it through to the round of 16 but I don't think they deserve it. If you play like cocks, you should expect to be beaten like them.

So...bracket predictions for the 2nd round? A little early still for some groups, yeah, but take A for instance--no question that France and RSA aren't moving on.

A: Uruguay, Mexico
B: Argentina, S. Korea
C: Slovenia, USA (that could change if England can pull themselves together enough to win one)
D: Germany, Serbia
E: Netherlands, Japan (Maybe Denmark instead of Japan, though)
F: Paraguay, Italy
G: Brazil, Portugal
H: Chile, Spain

Other thoughts?

I fucking love the World Cup.

Indeed.

The French... Well they're a complete joke really. Everyone hates the manager, players refusing to train, Anelka being sent home and quitting international football. It's like a bad soap opera with them this year. I really, really hope Mexico and Uruguay get out of that group. I obviously have a little something extra to hate the French about but their performance at the tournament so far this year has been totally laughable.

I fucking love the World Cup.

Ha ha, indeed. For what they're doing, they'd better have let Ireland in.
I don't care about football so it's all fun, and right now I'm PWNing my boss at telling who wins or if there's a draw , what bothers me though is that this whole football thing buries the interesting informations, as we may have yet another political scandal involving a minister (not counting the one that may be involving the president), well, probably one more that'll be shamelessly put aside, this whole government is a total, unscrupulous joke.

The French... Well they're a complete joke really. Everyone hates the manager, players refusing to train, Anelka being sent home and quitting international football. It's like a bad soap opera with them this year. I really, really hope Mexico and Uruguay get out of that group. I obviously have a little something extra to hate the French about but their performance at the tournament so far this year has been totally laughable.

I fucking love the World Cup.

Ha ha, indeed. For what they're doing, they'd better have let Ireland in.
I don't care about football so it's all fun, and right now I'm PWNing my boss at telling who wins or if there's a draw , what bothers me though is that this whole football thing buries the interesting informations, as we may have yet another political scandal involving a minister (not counting the one that may be involving the president), well, probably one more that'll be shamelessly put aside, this whole government is a total, unscrupulous joke.

We're all honourary Mexicans now anyway... They even wore their green strip for us.

[djskrimp]

I'm actually following the World Cup this year. And caring. WHAT 'AVE YA DONE TO ME, KEEKER?!?!!?

[swervedriver]

I'm also following it quite actively, although I'm hoping the knockout phase will have more interesting matches than what we've been offered so far.

No more 12:30 kick off... I'm having withdrawal symptoms! There're four games on today and I'm only able to watch one between the scheduling conflicts and having to go out for dinner tonight... Awful.. I've only missed one game all tournament!

No more 12:30 kick off... I'm having withdrawal symptoms! There're four games on today and I'm only able to watch one between the scheduling conflicts and having to go out for dinner tonight... Awful.. I've only missed one game all tournament!

Yeah, this two-at-a-time thing is sucking...

I've missed 3 fully (Alton Towers on friday (12:30 & 15:00), BBQ yesterday(19:30))... but all the rest I've seen properly (except for another 2 where I could only catch glimpses during the day due to a flatmates "football ban" on her birthday... ergh).

But the 3 that I've completely missed I have downloaded via rapidshare and will watch whenever I can.

Although, the "other matches" today are on ITV4 and BBC3, which you can watch streaming live on the internet, so I'm gonna steal my sisters macbook and have that in front of me streaming the other match while watching the main ones on TV

...not sure about the BBC Red Button ones though. Don't think they're available online, unless I haven't looked very hard.

I'm really gutted/worried about the England situation right now though. HAVING to win the last match, and if USA win theirs, HAVING to win with a higher goal difference than they do.
I put £10 on England to win, not because I thought they actually would, but to make the games more enjoyable/tense. I was hoping that enjoyment would last more than 3 games

Something has gone terribly wrong though. We did great in qualification. I had hope that after the dodgy warm up friendlies (even against a small african CLUB TEAM!) that the form/flare etc. was going to finally emerge when it really mattered. Well now, it REALLY matters...

No more 12:30 kick off... I'm having withdrawal symptoms! There're four games on today and I'm only able to watch one between the scheduling conflicts and having to go out for dinner tonight... Awful.. I've only missed one game all tournament!

Although, the "other matches" today are on ITV4 and BBC3, which you can watch streaming live on the internet, so I'm gonna steal my sisters macbook and have that in front of me streaming the other match while watching the main ones on TV

Yeah I think for the games where both matter I'll probably do that. The ones today aren't hugely important. Mexico and Uruguay will probably play out a draw while France... Well I don't even know what more the panto that is French football at this World Cup can pull off against South Africa. South Korea will probably breeze by Nigeria tonight as well, and Argentina will murder Greece.

I'm really gutted/worried about the England situation right now though. HAVING to win the last match, and if USA win theirs, HAVING to win with a higher goal difference than they do.
I put £10 on England to win, not because I thought they actually would, but to make the games more enjoyable/tense. I was hoping that enjoyment would last more than 3 games

Something has gone terribly wrong though. We did great in qualification. I had hope that after the dodgy warm up friendlies (even against a small african CLUB TEAM!) that the form/flare etc. was going to finally emerge when it really mattered. Well now, it REALLY matters...

Even if ye do get through ye're probably gonna get minced at the next hurdle... Either Germany or Serbia (maybe Ghana) await and to be honest I could easily see any one of those three being able to cut away this England team.

The England Team went to visit an orphanage in South Africa this morning.
"It's so good to put a smile on the faces of people with no hope, constantly struggling and facing the impossible" said Jamal Umboto aged 6.

This is amazing football today... Mexico and Uruguay are playing at an absolutely frenetic pace, clearly they're both gunning for the win here. The prospect of Argentina is probably stirring them on. And South Africa are 2-0 up against 10-man France! So if SA can score more goals.. Another one or two, and Uruguay can topple Mexico.. SA would go through! This is getting exciting.

edit... URUGUAY HAVE SCORED! EPIC TIMES LIE AHEAD!!

[EphelDuath666]

Germany vs. Ghana....I don't know. Germany has to play very carefully since there's quite a few German players with yellow cards. And apparently the ref for their game is a pretty controlversial one who has been banned before and accused of cheating. Not sure how this will work out for Germany but in this WC nothing's surprising, I guess.

Geez, and what's up with France. Not doing well at all and South Africa is leading the game 2:0. I kind of knew France would not advance but I thought they'd at least perform better in their last group match.

edit: Well, France just scored...2:1 for SA now

Domenech is an absolute cunt... Really and truly a fucking wanker. Refusing to shake the hand of the South African manager at the end of the game is just disgraceful behaviour really. What a child.

I only get to see the weekend games. And the first half of the 2nd (7 am) match. Sad.