Reporting on Yahoo news that Drogba is out injured. But yahoo news is usually unreliable and it is Drogba. He "hobbled off" with a elbow injury - WTF!!!!! Is he just messin again?
Rio crocked already.....
John Terry and Ledley King vs any half decent striker with pace = massacre.
Reporting on Yahoo news that Drogba is out injured. But yahoo news is usually unreliable and it is Drogba. He "hobbled off" with a elbow injury - WTF!!!!! Is he just messin again?
It's being reported a good few places, including RTE, that it's a suspected fractured elbow and he's out of the tournamnent.
Tallaght Stadium Regular
Saw it on SSN. Fell awkwardly with his arm underneath him. Didn't look like much at all, but it's a tournament-ending injury apparently.
If club form is anything to go by the Dutch and Argentinian midfielders and attackers are on great form and they could be a real threat, if their defence and temperament is good enough. I read a good article recently saying that Maradona's mad selections weren't as mad as many reported (he was forced to play ludicrous friendlies so fielded well below-par teams for example) and I think they may be a threat.
I'm genuinely concerned about England, yet at the same time I think USA could beat them and Slovenia won't be pushovers. I think England will do to Algeria what Germany did to Saudi Arabia in 2002 though.
Spain weren't as invincible as their perfect record in qualifying suggests. Turkey should have beaten them and Belgium nearly drew with them. I think the draw pitches the better teams together early and that's why I think England will carve an unimpressive path to the latter stages.
Does anyone have
(a) a good WC calculator spreadsheet?
(b) a link you can download that puts all the fixtures into a Microsoft Outllok calendar?
Maybe you could pm me and I'll give you my email address.
Yep, both surprised me. Do they have players of similar ability? Do they have a decent keeper?
Shocking exclusions in Zanetti and Cambiasso. Both big personalities (maybe that's the problem??) but more importantly, tremendous players. Zanetti is flawless, arguably the most consistent player in world football. Cambiasso and Mascherano in the center...try playing through that!
Keepers are average. Pozo, with the no. 1 shirt, is home-based. The other two are in Europe but hardly earning rave reviews.
I hear Maradona called up over 100 players during qualifying...
Regardless, I'll be happy to see them do well. Been my second team ever since I opened a Panini sticker book way back when and was transfixed by that smiley face in the middle of their flag
Thanks.
It was the 100 players being called up that I was referring to above. Apparently their FA had committed to some daft friendlies against daft teams and Maradona's response was to call up lots of players who'd never feature again.
Robben would be a bad loss for the Dutch.
Can't simply write Maradonna off so easily - iirc the last manager only managed to win 2 of their previous 7 Qualification games - Maradonna came in - and guided them to 4 wins in 8 - basically sending them to the finals single handidly.
Having seen them in recent games - the pieces seem to be fitting together nicely right at the correct time. Could well surprise a few
Last edited by Réiteoir; 06/06/2010 at 12:04 AM.
Kom Igen, FCK...
Ossie Ardiles was scathing of Maradona in this morning's Sunday Telegraph, mainly on the issue of Zanetti, Cambiasso and also Riquelme, and playing Gutierrez at right back. But I tend to think Reiteoir is right. There's still a lot of attacking merit in this team.
I think the style of refereeing in big tournaments will continue to favour ball playing teams.
(a)Don't have a spreadsheet, but there's an online one here: http://www.worldcupchart.com/
Click Yes if it gives a security warning
(b) download the iCal from here: http://www.worldcupkickoff.com/
Have it in my work calendar, and then sync'd it with my phone so all the fixtures are on my mobile calendar as well
I think that was the first time drogba ever went to ground by actually being hurt.
Ahhh
There could be some insane long distance goals in this one. Heard the Italians giving out stink about the new football during the week. They said it's highly unpredictable in the air and puts goalkeepers at a big disadvantage.
Ossie is on the RTE panel for the WC. Probably for the Argentina games. It'd be great if Dunphy was a fan of Maradona's management, just for the argument that would ensue.
The look on his face after suggested a ruptured funny bone.
Last edited by Sullivinho; 07/06/2010 at 1:30 PM.
Spain have so much expectation behind them I would worry that could be their downfall. A couple of the European teams that I think will do well are Denmark and Serbia. Both teams were pretty good in qualifying, Denmark especially in what was a tricky group. The clamour behind Holland I don't necessarily understand , they were in by far the weakest European qualifying group, their defence I reckon is substandard, and their squad overall isn't as good as previous Dutch squads.
Serbia I really think will do well. Sure they're in a tough group, but they are extremely efficient, and I think they can make the quarters at least.
Both Serbia and Denamrk are decent odds to make the quarter final stages with PP
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
There's always one, so will predict the surprise package in the QFs to be South Korea. Otherwise Holland, Brazil, England, Germany, Argentina, Italy, Spain.
Uruguay to top group A (France to limp into knockouts but fall to the Argies), only to be stunned by the plucky SKs. That would put them against the English (if they can get by the Serbs), with a repeat feat beyond them, and so the semis will be Brazil v England, Spain v Argentina.
Mad Diego to finally let his stellar side down, Brazil v Spain final, not going to call that TBH, but football the winner yadda yadda...
Last edited by stann; 10/06/2010 at 8:27 AM.
more bass
Thank god, the world cup is finally here
Ahhh
Thank god, the world cup is finally here a whole month of solid football what more could you ask for
Ahhh
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