Football

[AlterEgo]

Diva, or diver?

Btw, have you seen Cantona's latest take on Brazil's no. 10?
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/i-ca...s-brazil-ace-again/17g9noi25a2rh100uklmu45ab3

Hahahaha that is great. Thanks for the laugh.

 

[Darandio]

Roberto Martinez frozen on the touchline. Should be very recognisable to Everton and Wigan fans.

 

[EM2]

That first Belgian goal was just ridiculous!

 

[Mag_seven]

Gutted for Japan.

 

[EM2]

I would normally never condone parking the bus, but at 2-0 up against the Belgians, Japan should have parked the whole garage!

 

[DarloRich]

Roberto Martinez frozen on the touchline. Should be very recognisable to Everton and Wigan fans.

Vastly overrated. Belgium only looked good when he was forced into changes.

 

[Butts]

That first Belgian goal was just ridiculous!

The third one - excellent !!

 

[Butts]

Vastly overrated. Belgium only looked good when he was forced into changes.

So if England are 2-0 behind against Columbia are you confident they could repeat the Belgian comeback. ?

 

[DarloRich]

So if England are 2-0 behind against Columbia are you confident they could repeat the Belgian comeback. ?

No - because we never do. However even failing horribly tomorrow we have entered territory Scotland have never seen: The knock out phase of a major international tournament.

 

[Butts]

No - because we never do. However even failing horribly tomorrow we have entered territory Scotland have never seen: The knock out phase of a major international tournament.

Never mind the knock out phase - qualifying is a distant memory

Everyone on here dissing Belgium I just felt like standing up for them - not everyday an Albion reserve scores the decisive goal in a match like this.

 

[DarloRich]

Never mind the knock out phase - qualifying is a distant memory

Everyone on here dissing Belgium I just felt like standing up for them - not everyday an Albion reserve scores the decisive goal in a match like this.

I think they have some superb players but are actually held back by their manager.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Would have liked to see Japan go through as a reward for a spirited and brave performance (and redemption from the farce that was their game against Poland) but perhaps adopting the same strategy at 2-0 up would have seen them through.

A consolation is that Belgium would seem to have a far greater likelihood of beating the unsporting and vastly-overrated Brazil.

 

[adrock1976]

Roberto Martinez frozen on the touchline. Should be very recognisable to Everton and Wigan fans.

I thought I had recognised him from somewhere before a while ago.

I know who he is now that Everton and Wigan Athletic were mentioned. I remember his style of play when the not so mighty nowadays Aston Villa were in the top flight back in the days of finishing the season in the relative comfort zone of mid table obscurity.

Martinez's teams were good going forwards, but not very good at the back.

 

[adrock1976]

Never mind the knock out phase - qualifying is a distant memory

Everyone on here dissing Belgium I just felt like standing up for them - not everyday an Albion reserve scores the decisive goal in a match like this.

I take it you mean West Bromwich Albion (I knew a few Baggies fans when I was still residing in my native West Midlands), and not Brighton & Hove Albion, Stirling Albion, or even Coatbridge's finest Albion Rovers?

 

[Butts]

I take it you mean West Bromwich Albion (I knew a few Baggies fans when I was still residing in my native West Midlands), and not Brighton & Hove Albion, Stirling Albion, or even Coatbridge's finest Albion Rovers?

I did indeed -sorry for the lack of clarity.

 

[Antman]

His rolling around by the dugouts was embarrassing. Yes the Mexican player put his foot on Neymar's ankle but he didn't seem to put any weight down so the fish just taken from water routine was not necessary at all

Indeed and I wonder what these players must think when they see videos of their actions? Cringe with embarrassment I would hope?

 

[Antman]

Should we go down the route of discipline to decide who chooses if they want to go first or second in a penalty shootout, similar to how they have decided some finishing positions in the group stage of this WC? The team with less yellow and red cards in the match gets to choose whether they go 1st or 2nd and also at which end the penalties are taken from should it go the distance

Great idea!

 

[SteveP29]

Wait until England, or your own team, lose a shoot-out going second and see how you feel then knowing that the opposition went into that "fair" decider with an advantage.

Only ever seen Newcastle United win 1 penalty shootout in my life (I'm nearly 46), so I don't think it matters whether you go first or second

I think i have seen 1 (!) penalty shoot out victories for England. 1. The format don't matter. We are rubbish at them!

I think penalties against Spain in Euro 96 is the only one I've seen us win

Spain 1996, the only one I've seen too

but in terms of rule-changes on the field of play, they are a legitimate authority.

And there's no need to tinker with the rules of play any more, its still the same game as it always was.
The biggest problem in the game now is cheating and play acting (as witnessed by that pr**k Neymar yesterday)

not everyday an Albion reserve scores the decisive goal in a match like this.

Had he not spent most of the season injured, after the fee they paid for him, I doubt he'd have been a reserve

 

[The_Train]

Indeed and I wonder what these players must think when they see videos of their actions? Cringe with embarrassment I would hope?

I'd like to think so but unfortunately I can only imagine them laughing and joking about it with their team mates

 

[Macwomble]

The biggest problem in the game now is cheating and play acting (as witnessed by that pr**k Neymar yesterday)

Too true....unfortunately EVERY team nowadays seems to have (at least) one p***k.

 

[Puffing Devil]

Only ever seen Newcastle United win 1 penalty shootout in my life (I'm nearly 46), so I don't think it matters whether you go first or second.

Surely that's down to being a toon fan, rather than the system. Fairness can't do anything for ability

The biggest problem in the game now is cheating and play acting (as witnessed by that pr**k Neymar yesterday)

Too true....unfortunately EVERY team nowadays seems to have (at least) one p***k.

Completely agree! To open another can of worms, VAR and post-match review (in the prem) was supposed to get a grip of this. Clearly not.

If it can't be dealt with at the time some retrospective match bans need to be brought in.

 

[DarloRich]

The acrobatic performance of neymar needs to prompt a review at fifa into cheating. VAR should be used to ban them. It will kill the game

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I take it you mean West Bromwich Albion (I knew a few Baggies fans when I was still residing in my native West Midlands), and not Brighton & Hove Albion, Stirling Albion, or even Coatbridge's finest Albion Rovers?

Let it not be forgotten that Albion Rovers had an inside-right called John "Jock" White (I hope the younger amongst the forum members know of that positional term) who made his International debut for Scotland in the 1-2 away defeat to Wales on 4th February 1922 and then made his second International appearance for Scotland in the 1-0 away win against Northern Ireland on 3rd March 1923......Just over 22 years before I was born.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The acrobatic performance of neymar needs to prompt a review at fifa into cheating. VAR should be used to ban them. It will kill the game

I am glad to see that you have found a substitute bête-noire to replace "the usual suspect"....

Incidentally, is it only in ice-skating where points are awarded by the judges for both technical ability and for artistic impression?

 

[DarloRich]

I am glad to see that you have found a substitute bête-noire to replace "the usual suspect"....

Incidentally, is it only in ice-skating where points are awarded by the judges for both technical ability and for artistic impression?

he made Ronaldo look like a novice . Artistic merit for the scream mind. It looked at one point as if the only possible remedy was a double amputation but luckily Neymar was able to run it off.

You wont agree but this kind of behaviour will ruin the game. It wants fixing by FIFA. It wont be.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

he made Ronaldo look like a novice . Artistic merit for the scream mind. It looked at one point as if the only possible remedy was a double amputation but luckily Neymar was able to run it off.

You wont agree but this kind of behaviour will ruin the game. It wants fixing by FIFA. It wont be.

Perhaps there may have been medically unknown genetic mutationary changes to the bodily nerve connections in South American homo homo sapiens. If you recall the 2002 match between Brazil and Turkey, the Brazilian player Rivaldo was struck on a certain lower area of his body by the ball, that brought an immediate reaction to the head area of that player.

Heavens above, I am almost in agreement with your second paragraph, but from what I mention above that happened sixteen years ago, I would not agree with your contention that "this kind of behaviour will ruin the game". The ruination happened years ago.

I think your use of the word "fixing" is somewhat of an unfortunate choice of word to use in relation to FIFA.

 

[WelshBluebird]

The acrobatic performance of neymar needs to prompt a review at fifa into cheating. VAR should be used to ban them. It will kill the game

What I think annoyed me even more was how it was brushed off by the commentary team and the pundits. They had a little laugh, said it was pathetic and disgusting, then just moved on. Why not call it out, directly, for what it is? Cheating. And maybe suggest that players guilty of those actions should at very least get a booking, and that tools like VAR should be used to help?

 

[DarloRich]

What I think annoyed me even more was how it was brushed off by the commentary team and the pundits. They had a little laugh, said it was pathetic and disgusting, then just moved on. Why not call it out, directly, for what it is? Cheating. And maybe suggest that players guilty of those actions should at very least get a booking, and that tools like VAR should be used to help?

Not on Radio 5. They were laughing at Neymar and calling him out. Chris Waddle and Chirs Sutton do not hold back with these type of antics. Dion Dublin was almost unable to express his disgust that such a great player would cheat so openly.

 

[Cowley]

Not on Radio 5. They were laughing at Neymar and calling him out. Chris Waddle and Chirs Sutton do not hold back with these type of antics. Dion Dublin was almost unable to express his disgust that such a great player would cheat so openly.

I must say that I’ve enjoyed 5 Live’s coverage of this World Cup. Especially Sutton, Waddle and Butcher.
Chris Suttons co-commentary at the end of the South Korea - Germany game was absolutely hilarious.
The podcast is pretty good too.

 

[Butts]

Dire game this afternoon with the Swedes edging out Switzerland 1-0.

Hope tonights action is a little more exciting.

Is it heretical to be critical of female panel members. I don't mind presenters like Gabby Logan or commentators (just about) like Jackie Oakley but really the female panel members are not from the same level of competition as the males and shouldn't be there.