The Official World Cup Thread

[Mark Priors Calves]

Did anybody else know that Balboa wants the refs to talk to the players after they committ a foul rather than giving them a yellow card immediately?

[soccer10k]

Did anybody else know that Balboa wants the refs to talk to the players after they committ a foul rather than giving them a yellow card immediately?

 

I agree with him in that regard. I think the referees have, for the most part, been way too quick to hand out yellow cards. Some cards are warranted and necessary but the referee must look at the context of the game before handing out a yellow card. For anybody that watched, the referee for the Brazil-Japan match was excellent. Also, even though he handed out 6 yellow cards, the ref for the Argentina-Mexico match was excellent as well. The referees aren't supposed to be noticed on the field but they have become the story of the World Cup. I don't necessarily think that the referee needs to talk to every player but they don't need to hand out yellow cards like they are going out of style.

[soccer10k]

Marcelo Balboa basically just said that David Beckham should not be on the field right now and there are other players on England that could do a much better job than Beckham is currently doing. I would love to know what the Brits on here think about that statement.

 

Hey Marcelo. I bet England is happy to have Beckham on the field, eh? Still think he shouldn't be playing? Idiot.

[davecubsfan]

It's become fashionable to hate on Beckham now. I'd still rather have Beckham on the field than any of the yahoos the US sent out.

[lowest]

Marcelo Balboa basically just said that David Beckham should not be on the field right now and there are other players on England that could do a much better job than Beckham is currently doing. I would love to know what the Brits on here think about that statement.

 

Hey Marcelo. I bet England is happy to have Beckham on the field, eh? Still think he shouldn't be playing? Idiot.

 

i think what he was saying earlier was that he was only useful on set pieces, and he wasnt contributing alot to the open play, because the game and conditions werent suited to his usual style of play (or something like that).

my interpretation was that celo thought england needed someone to run at players (like lennon), which beckham isnt doing.

he wasnt entirely off.

 

and on a side note: lampard's finishing is comical. in every game he's played in its like hes pissed at someone in row Z.

[Balsa]

Again, England plays just enough to get by. But I'll take it.

 

Thank god Crouch didn't play today, although Rooney really needs another striker to help him out up front.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Did anybody else know that Balboa wants the refs to talk to the players after they committ a foul rather than giving them a yellow card immediately?

 

I agree with him in that regard. I think the referees have, for the most part, been way too quick to hand out yellow cards. Some cards are warranted and necessary but the referee must look at the context of the game before handing out a yellow card. For anybody that watched, the referee for the Brazil-Japan match was excellent. Also, even though he handed out 6 yellow cards, the ref for the Argentina-Mexico match was excellent as well. The referees aren't supposed to be noticed on the field but they have become the story of the World Cup. I don't necessarily think that the referee needs to talk to every player but they don't need to hand out yellow cards like they are going out of style.

 

I agree with he was saying but he makes the point of saying it in numerous times in every single broadcast. Its a valid point but he's beating a dead horse.

[USSoccer]

Wayne Rooney is the exact kind of player the US needs to develop. Strong, overly aggressive, intense, skilled and dangerous. Rooney makes Landon Donovan look like a ballerina. He dominated 1 v 2 most of the game, and should have had 2 assists if Frank Lampard didn't suck. He's easily becoming my favorite player to watch on the field.

 

And for all you England fans that want to gripe about your team not playing well, I'd like to say that I wish the US was "not playing well" into the quarterfinals.

[sethuel1]

Rooney is just an absolute bulldog. Great to watch.

[soccer10k]

Did anybody else know that Balboa wants the refs to talk to the players after they committ a foul rather than giving them a yellow card immediately?

 

I agree with him in that regard. I think the referees have, for the most part, been way too quick to hand out yellow cards. Some cards are warranted and necessary but the referee must look at the context of the game before handing out a yellow card. For anybody that watched, the referee for the Brazil-Japan match was excellent. Also, even though he handed out 6 yellow cards, the ref for the Argentina-Mexico match was excellent as well. The referees aren't supposed to be noticed on the field but they have become the story of the World Cup. I don't necessarily think that the referee needs to talk to every player but they don't need to hand out yellow cards like they are going out of style.

 

I agree with he was saying but he makes the point of saying it in numerous times in every single broadcast. Its a valid point but he's beating a dead horse.

 

True. It makes me want to say 'Hey, Marcelo. We get it already. We understood the first 10 times you said it during this broadcast."

[AI]

I think Beckham puked from sheer exhaustion. I mean, it must be tough to run around for 90 minutes with Marcelo Balboa riding you the whole way.

[sweetpeteman]

Portugal will play the second half with only 10 men.

[Jon]

That was a pretty stupid decision.

[Jon]

I'd also like to say that Nike's soccer commercials, for the most part, suck. Adidas has them beat pretty easily.

[Jon]

Fight! Fight! Fight!

[Butterscup1679666578]

Holy yellow card-extravaganza Batman!

[Jon]

This is really getting crazy.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Don't worry guys, FIFA will defend the ref tomorrow.

[lowest]

sooooo..... this means the ref wins, right?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

sooooo..... this means the ref wins, right?

 

2nd time so far!

[USSoccer]

Marco van Basten must have been saving van Nistelroy for the 3rd Half...that was a crapperrific tactical error.

 

And the FIFA refs are giving the NBA refs a run for their money. A new record for red cards and we're not even thru the round of 16 yet.

[shnsajax]

US-Italy had nothing on that game. The two countries hate each other to begin with, and the ref had no clue from the begining.

[USSoccer]

US-Italy had nothing on that game. The two countries hate each other to begin with, and the ref had no clue from the begining.

 

That looked more like a Mexican league game with all the pushing and such.

 

BTW, shnsajax, I'm sorry about the Oranje.

[shnsajax]

Marco van Basten must have been saving van Nistelroy for the 3rd Half...that was a crapperrific tactical error.

 

And the FIFA refs are giving the NBA refs a run for their money. A new record for red cards and we're not even thru the round of 16 yet.

 

I hope he was hurt otherwise he has to explain something. Ruud equals at least a tie if not the win. Very depressed now.

[USSoccer]

Marco van Basten must have been saving van Nistelroy for the 3rd Half...that was a crapperrific tactical error.

 

And the FIFA refs are giving the NBA refs a run for their money. A new record for red cards and we're not even thru the round of 16 yet.

 

I hope he was hurt otherwise he has to explain something. Ruud equals at least a tie if not the win. Very depressed now.

 

I didn't get the sense that he was hurt. He was warming up, and looked like he was coming in. I got the sense that van Basten tried to prove some stupid point by not putting Ruud in, and then when the avalanche of cards came out, he wet the bed and put the guy with 33 letters in his name in.

 

Certainly Ruud finishes the clear chances Kuyt had. I don't even know how you don't put him in, even if he is nursing something. You were up a man most of the half, and you controlled posession, so it's not as if he's going to be making 40 yard runs. You put him in to finish in the 18.