FIFA World Cup 2010

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Meh... We shouldn't need him to beat the Japanese. If Elia is as good as everyone claimed we should play him instead of van der Vaart, obviously.

of course we don't need him. I am referring to match fitness. A sub in that game, and then a full game against Cameroon is probably the perfect situation to have him up and ready for the knock out stage. He needs game fitness.

I think Van Bommel deserves MoM, since there was no one else and Elia played too short.
Van Persie was horrible. When you claim the striker position and ask for specific teammates you have to show yourself. He was awful and almost got a red card.

yeah van bommel wasn't bad. had a solid game and played some beautiful balls in.

 

[Moondance]

Am watching the game now. 1st half performance by the Dutch looks like some of the shittier games we played under van Basten. Lots of possession, but few ideas on how to create space and danger. At least the back six look solid and well drilled.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Japan - Cameroon is beyond horrible. Even Algeria - Slovenia was a delight compared to this crap.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Am watching the game now. 1st half performance by the Dutch looks like some of the shittier games we played under van Basten. Lots of possession, but few ideas on how to create space and danger. At least the back six look solid and well drilled.

Bronckhorst and Matthijsen made one awful mistake. I'm afraid it won't be the last time.

 

[uphillstruggle]

I honestly thought the Danes just gave up Elia looked good granted but more a case of fresh guy with pace against a knackered defense. Still I'd rather be ducth than English at the moment but brazil will beat you in the quarters on that showing. Van persie looks like he not fully fit to me which is a shame because he's one of the best false no 9's when fit.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Bronckhorst and Matthijsen made one awful mistake. I'm afraid it won't be the last time.

Yeah some bad signs in defense. gave too much space at times.

I honestly thought the Danes just gave up Elia looked good granted but more a case of fresh guy with pace against a knackered defense. Still I'd rather be ducth than English at the moment but brazil will beat you in the quarters on that showing. Van persie looks like he not fully fit to me which is a shame because he's one of the best false no 9's when fit.

To be fair, the dutch can play a lot better then that. Better to get these poor performances out of the way now.

 

[Moondance]

Meh... Japan-Cameroon produced some good entertainment late. Cameroon maybe deserved a draw after their last 20 minutes especially. But still, very average performance by both teams. Japan were on total defense for most, and Cameroon totally lacked creativity until a few minutes before the end.

 

[issoisso]

Nice one by Olsen. They defended beautifully and his tactical choices almost worked wonderfully. Too bad about Poulsen's screw up.
Van der Vaart has to realize that the best way to stretch play and open up space is not to run right at Sneijder and compress the play into a tiny little square. Elija is much better suited for that role, and the second goal showed it.

Didn't watch Japan-Cameroon. What happened?

 

[ak-zaaf]

Didn't watch Japan-Cameroon. What happened?

Two amateur teams trying their best not to do anything right. That's what the first 80 minutes looked like.

 

[B.Rasmussen]

Nice one by Olsen. They defended beautifully and his tactical choices almost worked wonderfully. Too bad about Poulsen's screw up.
Van der Vaart has to realize that the best way to stretch play and open up space is not to run right at Sneijder and compress the play into a tiny little square. Elija is much better suited for that role, and the second goal showed it.

Didn't watch Japan-Cameroon. What happened?

Yep, had it not been for Poulsen's error we might have 1 point now, I didn't really expect us to get one from this game though. Oh well, I guess we need to beat the teams teams now, but that requires scoring....

 

[issoisso]

Another advantage of downloading the games from the internet and watching them on my PC instead of seeing them live:

I found settings for VLC that cancel the vuvuzelas. I can't hear them now

 

[Moondance]

Nice one by Olsen. They defended beautifully and his tactical choices almost worked wonderfully. Too bad about Poulsen's screw up.
Van der Vaart has to realize that the best way to stretch play and open up space is not to run right at Sneijder and compress the play into a tiny little square. Elija is much better suited for that role, and the second goal showed it.

Didn't watch Japan-Cameroon. What happened?

What AK said. Cameroon were horrible the first 75 mins apart from one good chance. The pressed hard (or, better to say they punted a bunch of balls forward and got pretty close two or three times). Japan scored a very nice goal in the 1st half. One of the few times (excepting Germany) that good teamwork and clever play resulted in a goal. Then they defended like mad.

Japan didn't look good, Cameroon looked worse. Eto'o was practically invisible.

And yes, v.d. Vaart either didn't listen to the coaches orders, or else van Marwijk screwed up. The Dutch front four looked, apart from a few moments here or there, largely uncoordinated tactically as well as personally, there were some moments where RvP just flubbed it where he's normally so clinical. I imagine vd Vaart will be dropped in favor of Elia, unless Robben is ready.

 

[Anonymous]

skynews
World Cup organisers say they have called in police after stadium staff leave their posts in a wage dispute

and more here
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=111784

 

[uphillstruggle]

This world cup has been an absolute shocker. When Germany are proving the highlight to a Englishman's world cup you know something is wrong. Bring on Brazil and Spain.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

the quality of football isn't great so far I agree, but it's the first games. I expect better performances will come as the tournament progresses, and I mean that for the next group stage games also.

 

[uphillstruggle]

the quality of football isn't great so far I agree, but it's the first games. I expect better performances will come as the tournament progresses, and I mean that for the next group stage games also.

Yeah I agree it will get better but it's just a little annoying. Once every 4 years this beauty come round and it's proving an anti-climax. Where are the 30 yard screamers, come backs, shock results - there has been nothing so far.It is almost a caricature for the US stereotype of football.

Hopefully it will be the opposite of Germany where the group stages were good then the knock-out phase tailed off.

 

[Moondance]

HOLY $#!}!!!!!!

Oscar Cardozo isn't starting?!? Either Paraguay is full of super-star strikers completely unknown to me, or else a massive blunder by the coach. They're playing in Cape Town (sea level) so I imagine the problems that some of the games at altitude have had with balls that don't drop wont be evident. And Cardozo has maybe the best free kick in the game today.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Ah, Italians signing their anthem. What a beauty.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Holy crap, Zambrotta just racked that guy. Ouch.

 

[theyoungest]

Yeah I agree it will get better but it's just a little annoying. Once every 4 years this beauty come round and it's proving an anti-climax. Where are the 30 yard screamers, come backs, shock results - there has been nothing so far.It is almost a caricature for the US stereotype of football.

Hopefully it will be the opposite of Germany where the group stages were good then the knock-out phase tailed off.

With so many long distance passes and free kicks going horribly wrong it can't just be the quality of the players. Apparently the ball on this altitude really is a disaster. And the altitude also renders going full gas for longer than 5 minutes virtually impossible, as some Dutch players have pointed out.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Magnificent dive by Italy. Ref not biting.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Hmm. Overwhelming difference in skill so far. All the action is on the Paraguay side of the pitch.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Signs of life from Paraguay.

 

[Moondance]

Have to say, no big chances yet, but a lively game nevertheless.

 

[Moondance]

Now things get really interesting

Very pretty free kick and a good header to round it off too.