Hello.
Someone say grandstand finish?
Weird game. So far its been total BIH dominance with no end product, book marked by periods of genuine Argentinian threat. But only one team scored twice.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
Hello.
Someone say grandstand finish?
Hopefully both teams go through.
Never seen Messi give the ball away so much.
Argentina looked anarchic compared to the neat, organised and impressive Bosnians.
Hondurans were overwhelmed, they should have played us in a friendly.
The Swiss 2nd goal was a spectacular event from beginning to end.
Ecuador were a very disappointing contrast to the team I had seen before, their fans looked a sorry sight after the final whistle.
I listened to some of the rte punditry, Kenny C is a wonder, a fountain of comment. Sadlier and Whelan are just suicidal territory, there should be a sign to warn viewers that you're about to listen to 2 professional moaners and to have 2 of them on together is a dereliction of duty by RTE.
Ecuador was a fashionable pick based on the fact no one picking them has ever seen them play. To wit;
Chile 2- 1 Ec
Ec 0-0 Argentina
Honduras 2-2 Ec
Ausies 3-4 Ec
Dutch 1-1 Ec
Mexico 3-1 Ec
Swiss 2-1 Ec
Not exactly lighting the world on fire. But its fun to think so I guess.
Agree about Sadlier and Whelan (the former in particular). Wrist slitting stuff. Even O'Herlihy couldn't manage one of his laughs with them. No credit given to the Swiss for coming from a goal down and being in the position they are with pretty much a team of journeymen.
Without checking the results, I think that other than in the English/Italian game, the side who has scored the second goal (where there was one), has gone on to win the game. Quite a few teams coming from behind in this tournament. Do the new systems of play weaken defences I wonder?
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
I'm not sure if this is the funniest or most pathetic thing I've read in a while so I'll go with the most pathetically funny!
Linfield's Tricolour
Very interesting how many teams are coming from behind. I think football tends to go through cycles, from defences dominating and then attacking dominating. WC 2010 rewarded tight well organised teams but almost immediately afterwards Euro 2012 was full of very open, high scoring games. Unfortunately a couple of those involved Ireland! It certainly looks like at club level that endless possession is contained much more easily now.
I do wonder though whether the pressure on the big wealthy clubs to buy attacking crowd pleasers in an era where budgets are limited by FFP means that the best clubs in Europe are a bit top heavy on attackers and the result is that there are fewer Baresis, Thurams, Blancs, Cannavaros and other top class defenders. Which international defenders do we drool over these days?
Defence also seems to be much more about the collective application of the team at the moment rather than individuals.
We are assuming it's because they don't like the Irish Tricolour but perhaps it's because the good folk of the Shankill believe the shop owners are confused and think we have qualified and have notified the shop of the error of its ways.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
Not sure I drooled over many defenders at international level. Paul McGrath and Beckenbauer perhaps. Definitely no Italian no matter how good they were. Admired sure, respected yes, drooled no but then you'll probably mention about ten and I'll say, oh yes I drooled over them.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
If anyone's watching on a SKY+ or TiVo box, rewind the Germany game to 25:02 / 25:03. In between the two straw hats is that an old Cork City jersey?
Germany looking very very polished. Much more purposeful looking than the tippy tappy style of Bayern.
Portugal imploding. Really soft red. Germany should - and could yet - be further ahead.
Daft by Pepe but I think football's zero tolerance to aggressive actions is counterproductive. Muller's initial reaction was pathetic but wouldn't be encouraged if the offence he was trying to intimate happened if the ref had discretion how to punish those incidents. I don't think the "head butt" warranted a red at all. It makes the game look stupid and actually encourages over reaction to innocuous offences. Pepe was fully entitled to make his disgust at Muller's cheating known.
I'm sure Geysir was seething!
Cracking finish to the first test between England and Sri Lanka!
Thankfully a draw, but not the World Cup...
No, but it coincided with the last 6 mins of a 4-0 formality. That last over was thrilling.
Btw, I played an hour of footy yesterday, Fathers Day game at my son's footy club. Loved it, despite getting turned twice by a guy who was clearly a proper full back in his prime but who revealed he was 67 after the match. Still, I scored one and after a switch into nets made 3 good stops but punched two corners when I should have caught them. Match sharpness, if you're reading CD! I'm aching like hell today.
Bookmarks