World Cup predictions

**tetsujin1979** · 20/06/2010, 2:40 PM

Terry's gone public about a player's meeting with Capello tonight. Surely bringing this to the attention of the press will only make things worse for the manager?
Beat Slovenia and qualify for the second round and the win will be assigned to the players
Fail to qualify and the lack of faith of the player in Capello's management (underlined by the need for this meeting) will be front page news.

Either way, it will be painted as the manager's fault England are not playing as well as they can.

**Ciaran W** · 20/06/2010, 3:04 PM

Come on new zealand !

**Sullivinho** · 20/06/2010, 3:36 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Terry's gone public about a player's meeting with Capello tonight. Surely bringing this to the attention of the press will only make things worse for the manager?

I'd say the stone-faced Italian will absolutely love the sense of squad democracy that this projects. Doesn't undermine his authority at all.

In other news, Joe Cole was earlier spotted walking on water in preparation for his much anticipated role of messiah.

**elroy** · 20/06/2010, 4:48 PM

Italians held by NZ today and to be honest they deserved the draw. Bucketloads of possession but very few real chances created. So far this WC has been a disaster for me in the betting stakes.

**bennocelt** · 20/06/2010, 5:13 PM

Originally Posted by elroy

Italians held by NZ today and to be honest they deserved the draw. Bucketloads of possession but very few real chances created. So far this WC has been a disaster for me in the betting stakes.

Tell me about it!!!!

Italy cheated a peno, was obvious the ref was going to gift them one, a bit bad that the World Champs have to cheat to beat a team as lowly ranked as NZ.

MON performance from R Neslon, brilliant

**Stuttgart88** · 20/06/2010, 5:21 PM

NZ goal was a mile offside and came from a push in the back too, in fairness.

**bennocelt** · 20/06/2010, 5:37 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

NZ goal was a mile offside and came from a push in the back too, in fairness.

Fairness is not falling to the ground every ten minutes.
Offside, very hard to spot for the linesman me thinks
Italy always play like this...................

**tetsujin1979** · 20/06/2010, 7:54 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

NZ goal was a mile offside and came from a push in the back too, in fairness.

I thought he was onside because the ball came off Cannavaro?

**Ciaran W** · 20/06/2010, 8:08 PM

Tell ya one thing, i wont miss any of the diving and rolling around when we get back into the league of ireland

**Noelys Guitar** · 20/06/2010, 10:08 PM

Its time to pick your quarter finalists. Mine are
Uruguay(after beating SK) v England(after beating Serbia)
Italy(after beating Holland)v Brazil(after beating Spain)
Germany(after beating US) v Argentina (after beating Mexico)
Paraguay(after beating Denmark) v Portugal (after beating Chile)

**bennocelt** · 21/06/2010, 7:24 AM

According to the Guardian R Herbert of NZ earns about 26,000 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Contrast to Capello, isnt he on 6 million.................?

**Stuttgart88** · 21/06/2010, 8:22 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

I thought he was onside because the ball came off Cannavaro?

The commentray said it was headed on by a NZ player and got a deflection from Cannavaro, the deflection not counting as a pass. The NZ guy only won the header because of a clear 2 handed push in the back. That's how I saw it anyway.

**bennocelt** · 21/06/2010, 8:27 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

The commentray said it was headed on by a NZ player and got a deflection from Cannavaro, the deflection not counting as a pass. The NZ guy only won the header because of a clear 2 handed push in the back. That's how I saw it anyway.

But Stutt did you see it in real time, thats the point (mine anyway)?

**endabob1** · 21/06/2010, 8:41 AM

Looked a perfectly good goal to me, not offside because of the deflection and if you blew every physical contact like that the ref would be out of breath in 5 minutes. It was less contentious than the penalty imo.

**tetsujin1979** · 21/06/2010, 9:31 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

The commentray said it was headed on by a NZ player and got a deflection from Cannavaro, the deflection not counting as a pass. The NZ guy only won the header because of a clear 2 handed push in the back. That's how I saw it anyway.

I missed the push, but if the deflection had rolled to the keeper, wouldn't it have been counted as a pass then?
Splitting hairs I know, but I genuinely didn't see anything wrong with the goal

Either way, New Zealand were good value for the draw. Italy badly missing Pirlo, and more questions about why Totti and Cassano were left behind.

**Stuttgart88** · 21/06/2010, 9:31 AM

I didn't see it real time - I only started watching after about 20 minutes and first saw the goal in the HT review. It looked a clear push, not even marginal, and I thought he looked a mile off. I'd have been suprised if I hadn't thought the same about the offside (not necessarily the push) in real time, but who can tell?

My gut reaction when I saw the Italy penalty in real time was "the ref won't buy that one". It turns out he did. The Yanks must be fuming - by the same standards they had 3 separate claims for a penalty against Slovenia, yet got penalised.

**tetsujin1979** · 21/06/2010, 9:31 AM

anyone got any thoughts on why the South American teams are doing so well thus far, and the higher ranking European and African nations have been poor?

**superfrank** · 21/06/2010, 9:37 AM

For the South Americans, they're used to being in winter at this time of year, Europeans are not. That'd be the best I can come up with.

As for the Africans, I have no idea whatsoever.

**bennocelt** · 21/06/2010, 9:48 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

anyone got any thoughts on why the South American teams are doing so well thus far, and the higher ranking European and African nations have been poor?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/a...zealand-france

They give 5 good reasons................
1- The shorter football season in S America
2- The equator
3- 3/4 games at altitude every year
4- attacking style
5- .................mmmm cant remeber . sorry