The Official 2010 Fifa World Cup Thread (7 Viewers)

[twistedrebel]

brazil, spain, Argentina and holland top 4.

 

[LordPc]

FIFA couldn't really do anything and I'm glad they didn't, the ref's decision should be final despite how horrendously wrong it was. But it is a good example of just how close France got to not making it.

not it isnt. the handball goal sent france through, it didnt bring them back from a goal down. its not like they would have been knocked otherwise

if the handball never occured the game would have went on, and it is likely france would have won anyway

and i disagree. its a perfect example of why the refs decision should not be final, there should be a backup system. refs make mistakes all the time, and most of them are pretty minor. but when a goal is at stake, its absurd to think that a ref can spot everything from handballs to a ball crossing the line when the ball can move around so quick and there can at times be a dozen bodies obstructing the view of the ref

i do remember several seasons ago that (correct me if im wrong) but arsenal won a title on the last day with a win over some team (chelsea?) when they should have drawn and lost the title because of a goal line clearance. the ball clearly crossed the line and a goal should have been awarded but it wasnt. these decisions can change history

i just hope that in the WC final, the ref makes a really bad mistake and fifa finally realise they need to do something

 

[LordPc]

brazil, spain, Argentina and holland top 4.

mmmm....wouldnt suprise me if england managed to sneak in there somehow and spain or holland choked in the group stages

 

[Phylo]

I go for australia, but i think spain will take it out. There team is like the guy who plays fifa online for too long and gets all the best players

casillas for keeper, pique and puyol defense, alonso, xavi hernandez and silva for mid, (THEY ARE BENCHING FABREGAS!!), and torres + david villa for attack.

gun team, will be surprised if they dont win it.

ps. wtf is up with ronaldinho not playing for brazil!?!?

 

[CheesePlease]

not it isnt. the handball goal sent france through, it didnt bring them back from a goal down. its not like they would have been knocked otherwise

if the handball never occured the game would have went on, and it is likely france would have won anyway

and i disagree. its a perfect example of why the refs decision should not be final, there should be a backup system. refs make mistakes all the time, and most of them are pretty minor. but when a goal is at stake, its absurd to think that a ref can spot everything from handballs to a ball crossing the line when the ball can move around so quick and there can at times be a dozen bodies obstructing the view of the ref

i do remember several seasons ago that (correct me if im wrong) but arsenal won a title on the last day with a win over some team (chelsea?) when they should have drawn and lost the title because of a goal line clearance. the ball clearly crossed the line and a goal should have been awarded but it wasnt. these decisions can change history

i just hope that in the WC final, the ref makes a really bad mistake and fifa finally realise they need to do something

The goal was at the end of the first period of extra time. Ireland had already gone nearly 105 minutes keeping France scoreless, managed to score one themselves and were only 15 minutes away from a penalty shootout to decide who took the place in the world cup. The 2nd half of extra time is almost always incredibly tight with neither team giving away anything in defence. Having watched the game, by the flow of play there is absolutely no credence in saying France would have likely won anyway.

On top of that if the game did go to penalties, Ireland have arguably the world's best keeper in Shay Given and France would have been at best 50/50 to win the shootout.

Despite all of this I'd say having a team that played in the last world cup final (and based on this thread so far, are favoured to do well again) missing out on automatic European qualification and waiting until half way through extra time in the second round knock-out to secure their place in the world cup through blatant cheating is pretty good example of how close France got to not making it.


As for the referee's decision it is a long and much debated topic. Personally, as a fan, player and referee I don't think the game should be tampered with. Their is something beautiful about their being no technological assistance in football ( you can play essentially the same game the pros play in your backyard). And if we start interrupting games for decisions it will break up the flow. And if we start reviewing games after the fact it will place less importance on the actual game.

IMO you have to take the good calls with the bad calls, it's just another factor that adds interest to the game that both teams have to deal with, neither are advantaged or disadvantaged. If it came out afterwards that the ref was showing unfair bias then that's a different story and the game probably should be replayed.

 

[CheesePlease]

mmmm....wouldnt suprise me if england managed to sneak in there somehow and spain or holland choked in the group stages

No way Spain are choking in the group stages. Best team in the tournament in the easiest group in tournament. They could choke in the round of 16 though if they're not careful.

 

[emiliieee]

lol australia? seriously. imo they're not as good

 

[twistedrebel]

Australia will be lucky to make top 16. If we make top 8, celebrations will be like we won the world cup.

 

[mes ami]

lol australia? seriously. imo they're not as good

omg emily, FIFA world cup game meet?

 

[LordPc]

No way Spain are choking in the group stages. Best team in the tournament in the easiest group in tournament. They could choke in the round of 16 though if they're not careful.

have we forgotten france at 2002 already?

although spains group is easier than what france had. still, it wouldnt suprise me if they choked, or got to relaxed considering they should go deep into the tournament

 

[shaon0]

Well France only made it in with a blatant handball, it should be Ireland's place. And apart from a few ageing, past-their-prime strikers their team really is dull.

lol, u can't say for all certainty that Ireland would have won. Anyway, France > Ireland.

 

[shaon0]

FIFA couldn't really do anything and I'm glad they didn't, the ref's decision should be final despite how horrendously wrong it was. But it is a good example of just how close France got to not making it.

Don't you know of "The Hand of God" incident? That still stood, so France's qualification assist/goal should stand.

 

[twistedrebel]

spain choking is a possibility.

 

[kyokaku92]

spain choking is a possibility.

It's interesting noting that Spain have an easy group but come r16 they'll most likely come up against one of the big teams in the group of death (group G). Whilst I admire Cote D'Ivoire, I'd love to see a Spain vs Portugal r16 match...

 

[fsal]

Boys watch out for Argentina. They have true class, pace and finishing in attack. They have a diverse range of players in the mid-field with some young talent such as Di Maria and the experience of Veron. With Messi, Aguero and Higuain they will be hard to defend. I have a feeling Argentina will go a long way if not take it out.

 

[CheesePlease]

Don't you know of "The Hand of God" incident? That still stood, so France's qualification assist/goal should stand.

Exactly, they can't change the game retrospectively. Both teams knew the rules going out to play, the referees decision stands. If they changed the rules after the game it would have been unfair on France.

 

[CheesePlease]

It's interesting noting that Spain have an easy group but come r16 they'll most likely come up against one of the big teams in the group of death (group G). Whilst I admire Cote D'Ivoire, I'd love to see a Spain vs Portugal r16 match...

That game would rock, I hope it happens. That's why Spain will have to be careful coming out of their easy group and getting immediately thrust into Brazil/Portugal/Ivory Coast. Poor old North Korea, why do they even bother coming.

 

[kyokaku92]

Boys watch out for Argentina. They have true class, pace and finishing in attack. They have a diverse range of players in the mid-field with some young talent such as Di Maria and the experience of Veron. With Messi, Aguero and Higuain they will be hard to defend. I have a feeling Argentina will go a long way if not take it out.

Only if Maradona can coach well, otherwise I can only see them make the quarters, after that depends...

 

[CheesePlease]

Yeah Maradona is a bit of a wild card. Doesn't seem to be the world's best coach and pretty much blooded half the country as Argentina struggled to qualify. But any country with the likes of Messi up front and enough quality to back him up are sure to be in with a chance.

 

[UltimateSupremo]

i would've rated argentina very highly if it wasn't for the omission of cambiasso..but nonetheless they should progess to the quarters