The 2002 World Cup Thread

[fanzee1]

Re: Re: i guess i'm a thread killer

*LOL* You not a thread killer I guess a lot of the folks that love to chat about football (English) are kind of switcted off to it right now and gone down to pub to drown there sorrows we was accepting a win over sweeden to have any chance of advanceing to next stage. Argentina and nigeria are going to be tough nerve wrecking games for us England followers now.

Hehe, I think i'll manage to stay out of the "pub" today until the lakers/kings game 7 tonight. Looking forward to that party.

i know the sweden match was one english fans were counting on having because their group is absolutely brutal. One thing i didn't understand was that it seemed like commentators were painting the situation as if sweden would be happy with a draw. I don't get that. The swedes still have to play argentina and nigeria, too. It's not like they have an easier round robin left to play. And sweden is way to strong just to be happy they made it.

 

[fanzee1]

No the press never begged wrighty to lace them up again they was begging Alan shearer thou to come out of international retirement. And seeing as how we played against sweeden with the long direct balls it whould have suited him down to the ground.

p.s. Good to see a American that loves football as much as us brits do.

good point. i remember shearer had a hot start to the last world cup, and fizzled shortly after. Well, here's hoping this year's argentina/england match is as good as the france '98 one was.

p.s.: i do enjoy soccer, especially when played at such a high level. I doubt i could ever love it the way you guys do though. It's in the blood.

 

[Svedish_Chef]

Germanys flogging of the Saudi's was the only game I really enjoyed so far

Paraguay are good, but its all bloody 1 all 2-1 boring crap things, and I'm screaming at defenders fuckign up left right and centre...

It will get better I know, but its average so far.

(Yet to miss a game)

 

[fanzee1]

Germanys flogging of the Saudi's was the only game I really enjoyed so far

Paraguay are good, but its all bloody 1 all 2-1 boring crap things, and I'm screaming at defenders fuckign up left right and centre...

It will get better I know, but its average so far.

(Yet to miss a game)

are you german? I don't see how you could have enjoyed that germany/saudi game if you're not. To each his own, i guess. I enjoyed s. africa/paraguay today. that's the best match i have seen, so far. i hear argentina/nigera was a strong match, i got to see very little of it, though.

And i do agree that it will only get better. Did you see spain's match? if so, how did it rate?

 

[JazzManJim]

The Argentina/Nigeria was was spendid. The Nigerian Keeper was playing out of h is head for most of the match. Kanu was nicked early in the match an dlimped around on a bum anke, which slowed them down a lot. After that, they didn't press as much as they could have, which put pressure on a defense that bent a lot but only broke once.

As a sidenote, that Batistuta for Argentina is a real thug!

 

[Svedish_Chef]

are you german? I don't see how you could have enjoyed that germany/saudi game if you're not. To each his own, i guess. I enjoyed s. africa/paraguay today. that's the best match i have seen, so far. i hear argentina/nigera was a strong match, i got to see very little of it, though.

And i do agree that it will only get better. Did you see spain's match? if so, how did it rate?

No, I'm australian.

Paraguay's first half was nice... second half was just annoying

Argentina nigeria, Argentina cruised it in really

Spains match was Ok...

The problem with the games is a lack of results really, lot of flash, little fire... the big teams in cruise mode, the little teams trying everything.

The second set of games we will see real fire (I hope).

 

[fanzee1]

No, I'm australian.

Paraguay's first half was nice... second half was just annoying

Argentina nigeria, Argentina cruised it in really

Spains match was Ok...

The problem with the games is a lack of results really, lot of flash, little fire... the big teams in cruise mode, the little teams trying everything.

The second set of games we will see real fire (I hope).

well, i have seen no great games to date but i haven't had the problems with them you have. I too hope play will get better as it progresses. That is almost certain to be the case.

How do you figure argentina cruised against nigeria? They won 1-0 against one of the stronger offensive sides around. Saying they cruised doesn't make sense to me. I didn't see the match though, so perhaps you know something i don't.

We'll just have to disagree about s. africa/paraguay. That was a fun match to watch. It was like 2 separate games really. Play was entertaining though, admittedly, not brilliant.

More to come, how you enjoy it. i know i will.

 

[fanzee1]

The Argentina/Nigeria was was spendid. The Nigerian Keeper was playing out of h is head for most of the match. Kanu was nicked early in the match an dlimped around on a bum anke, which slowed them down a lot. After that, they didn't press as much as they could have, which put pressure on a defense that bent a lot but only broke once.

As a sidenote, that Batistuta for Argentina is a real thug!

thanx for the summary jazz, wish i could have seen all of that one. Any word on Kanu's status for the next match?

 

[JazzManJim]

thanx for the summary jazz, wish i could have seen all of that one. Any word on Kanu's status for the next match?

No, nothing official. It looked like just a twisted ankle, but those can be troublesome until you get it iced down and rested. He has a little time to get it back into shape.

 

[fanzee1]

No, nothing official. It looked like just a twisted ankle, but those can be troublesome until you get it iced down and rested. He has a little time to get it back into shape.

thank you again.

 

[p_p_man]

FIFA Official 2002 World Cup Site

I'm using this site for up-to-date information if anyone's interested.

 

[p_p_man]

The Times match report on yesterday's fiasco...

"The Times
3 June 2002

England fans suffer again as cup of victory is dashed

From Simon Barnes in Saitama

NEVER mind. We may have glimpsed the four horsemen of the apocalypse, but it is not the end of the world. True, England conceded a goal in the cruellest possible circumstance — glaring incompetence — but they are not actually out of the World Cup. After yesterday’s 1-1 draw with Sweden they are still alive and kicking, with two more group matches to play, although the result puts a bit of a damper on the jubilee.
It was one of the more absurd bits of footballing logic, that is all. Sweden played poorly but got a draw, so they feel pretty happy.

England played well for the most part but got a draw, so they will be feeling pretty low. It is a difficult one for non-footballing people to cope with: the side that played worse feels better. In theory, if England play as well or better in their next two matches, they will be in better shape than Sweden, if Sweden play as poorly or worse.

The truth is that the cup of victory has been dashed from England’s lips. They played with a kind of brutal calm over the first half but failed to kill the game off. This was two points that got away.

Sol Campbell scored England’s goal from a corner and it smashed into the Swedish net like the hammer of Thor. A fellow with a strange haircut supplied the ball from the corner: a chap called Beckham.

It was all going so well — so smooth, so easy, so much according to plan. That, as all those with experience of watching England know, is generally the moment when the roof falls in.

So it was. In the second half Danny Mills made what is known to technically minded football folk as a cock-up, which allowed Niclas Alexandersson — he plays for Everton but has clearly failed to go native — to score the jubilee party pooper.

It was a bit of a blow, but it is not a knockout. The competition is still at the league stages and England have matches against Argentina and Nigeria to come. Admittedly they are both extremely good; Argenti-na are most people’s favourites to win the World Cup.

Sweden was a must-win game. Now Nigeria next week is a must-win game. And Friday’s encounter with Argentina has become a really-ought-to-draw game. In other words, the stakes for what is probably the biggest match of the entire knock-out phase of this World Cup competition have just doubled.

Reasons to be cheerful: Beckham, who was substituted in the second half looking weary, will be fitter and brimming with desire to prove himself, for it was against Argentina he was so disastrously sent off in the World Cup four years ago.

Campbell had an excellent game and Owen Hargreaves, giddily promoted as a starter, was tremendous, Michael Owen glowed round the edges and could yet take light. And you never know how a side responds to a setback: sometimes they go into decline, other times they turn into giants.

Finally, since when did England do anything the easy way? The great hallmark of England, particularly England under the management of Sven-Göran Eriksson, has been the cheapest and most draining kind of melodrama. It has been a sickmaking ride. So why should it stop now? Eriksson actually looked rattled yesterday, but he is still Sven. And so far he has shown that he has the one great quality that Napoleon required of his generals: luck. Let us just hope he is still in credit at the Luck Bank.

Friday. Argentina. A nation will watch from behind the sofa. Here we go again."

 

[fanzee1]

that's some game story. the differences between journalism here and in england never cease to amaze me.

 

[solid_]

Here's a more true report on England's performance against Sweden. The times was never up to much with football coverage.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/picture/0,,2002250687,00.jpg
OVER TO YOU ... David Beckham hands the armband to Michael Owen after he is substituted
From MARK IRWIN in Saitama

DAVID BECKHAM has warned that England face crashing out of the World Cup against Argentina unless they learn how to play for 90 minutes.

Skipper Becks was bitterly disappointed with his team's second-half collapse in the 1-1 draw with Sweden.

And he said: "We can't afford a second-half performance like that in our next game, otherwise we'll be in real trouble. We were lucky and there is a real sense of relief that we didn't lose.

"The only thing we can take from this game is the fact that we got a point when Sweden could easily have walked away with all three."

Beckham also admitted England were lucky to hang on after a 59th-minute strike from Everton midfielder Niclas Alexandersson cancelled out Sol Campbell's first international goal.

And he warns that a massive improvement is needed against tournament favourites Argentina in Sapporo on Friday to keep our World Cup hopes alive.

Beckham added: "David Seaman made a couple of great saves, but we're all disappointed with the way we eased off after playing so well in the first half. We can't afford to sit back like that. We gave them too much space, we didn't keep the ball enough and it cost us.

"Sweden were pumping the long balls up and they gave us more problems than they should have done."

Beckham, playing his first match since breaking a bone in his foot nearly eight weeks ago, lasted just 64 minutes before being replaced by Kieron Dyer. He said: "It was difficult coming straight into this game after two months out.

"And I found it tiring, especially in this humidity.

"I eased off the pace in the last five minutes of the first-half and, at half-time, a few people were asking me if I'd be okay for the final 45 minutes.

"I thought I'd be all right in the second half but I just couldn't get going again."

 

[fanzee1]

good post solid.

i've seen the game now and i, too, will vouch for the accuracy of this report.

Meanwhile, in live action, brazil just drew even with turkey (yeah you read that right) on a goal by ronaldo that he scored while airborn and sliding forward feet first.

brazil/turkey 1 all in the 52nd minute. Lots of energy in this one. Let's see if the play keeps up.

 

[Phil333]

Right now I am watching the Brazil vs. Turkey game right now. Watching Brazil play, it puts me in football bliss. They are so agile with their feet, it is truly incredible. I can't wait to see their next game.

 

[fanzee1]

nice dive there by the brazilian

the ref bought it hook line and sinker. On the replay, you see the ball hit him in the thigh, then you see him grab his HEAD and fall to the ground writhing in "pain." Hilarious. The turkish player lost his cool though, so no excuse for him.

 

[wizbit9]

brazil 2 turkey 1

thats what we want to watch when we watch footie

everything class, world class, penantlys, red cards the works

lets hope the standard stays as high as that.

and well done ronaldo after his shitty couple of years

 

[solid_]

Re: nice dive there by the brazilian

the ref bought it hook line and sinker. On the replay, you see the ball hit him in the thigh, then you see him grab his HEAD and fall to the ground writhing in "pain." Hilarious. The turkish player lost his cool though, so no excuse for him.

You get that a lot from south American teams brush them with a feather and they go down like a sack of shit.

The ref's are meant to be clamping down on the play acting cheats for this world cup to.

 

[fanzee1]

Re: Re: nice dive there by the brazilian

You get that a lot from south American teams brush them with a feather and they go down like a sack of shit.

The ref's are meant to be clamping down on the play acting cheats for this world cup to.

right. similar to european hockey players. Anyway, they said before the last world cup they would be cracking down on that acting crap and they really didn't do enough to stop it in my opinion.

When i saw the ref draw his red card, i was actually hoping he was sending the brazilian off, even though it was a cheapshot by the turks, because i hate the acting so much.

Despite all of that, fine match. About to see italy for the first time this tournament, can't wait for that.

 

[fanzee1]

story on fifa's anti-diving efforts

http://worldcup.espnsoccernet.com/story?id=213113&lang=us


click on the link to an espn.com "soccernet" feature about steps fifa is taking to cut down on cheating. It's a fairly neutral story but ends with an English perspective on the impact of the new measures, should the refs actually enforce them.

 

[solid_]

Re: story on fifa's anti-diving efforts

http://worldcup.espnsoccernet.com/story?id=213113&lang=us


click on the link to an espn.com "soccernet" feature about steps fifa is taking to cut down on cheating. It's a fairly neutral story but ends with an English perspective on the impact of the new measures, should the refs actually enforce them.

Good report. The closeing part that reads Michael Owen dived to win the penalty against Argentina at France 98.

That was down to Glen hoddle England manager at the time telling the squad to dive when ever they get touched in the opposition penalty box. Going on the theory what they do to us we will do back in spades.

 

[fanzee1]

Re: Re: story on fifa's anti-diving efforts

Good report. The closeing part that reads Michael Owen dived to win the penalty against Argentina at France 98.

That was down to Glen hoddle England manager at the time telling the squad to dive when ever they get touched in the opposition penalty box. Going on the theory what they do to us we will do back in spades.

argentina/england at france 98 was an absolute classic. Both sides gave and got plenty in that one. And i'll never forget owen's goal, or mick jagger watching so nervously.

 

[fanzee1]

btw solid, thanks for that tidbit about hoddle. I hadn't heard that.

 

[solid_]

Re: Re: Re: story on fifa's anti-diving efforts

argentina/england at france 98 was an absolute classic. Both sides gave and got plenty in that one. And i'll never forget owen's goal, or mick jagger watching so nervously.

One of my all time classic games had it all passion/skill/Determination.

Hope this fridays England Argentina game is going to match it.