[gualbert]

Well you tell me..

Regardless of political concern, I hope Brazil will lose: they've been cheating twice (vs cote d'ivoire and portugal), and the referees were obviously on their side each time.

[pokkeherrie]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

Although I've dismissed it in the past, maybe there is just too much pressure on England players. There's an irrational expectancy at the heart of England supporters. It's stuck in some mythical past with no real acknowledgement that the game has changed a lot since 1966. England fans see everything in black and white: either England are the best team in the world, or the worst. Most people are looking for a scapegoat and Capello's the obvious target - especially as he's foreign and therefore "doesn't understand the English way". God knows.

I'm starting to wonder how other nations' supporters think of their team? Is there the same pressure on Holland's players, for example?

There's some pressure, but nobody in Holland really expects them to win the trophy. what people do expect is "beautiful footbal", "dominating play" and that kind of thing. After each and every game so far journalists and people like Cruyff have been criticising the lack of entertainment, the conservative tactics, etc.... What they want to see is something like Arsenal or Barcelona, what they get is Inter Milan.

Van Marwijk sometimes seems to get annoyed by journalists who keep focussing on good football rather than results. At the same time I think some of the more creative players (Sneijder, Van der Vaart, Van Persie) seem to get frustrated by the lack of freedom they have.

I think one of the biggest differences between Holland and England as far as pressure goes is probably the way that the UK tabloids are always hyping up the England team as being the best in the world in a way that the general public starts believing it.

[pokkeherrie]

Originally Posted by _slavo_

Too bad Vittek didn't properly polish his shoes today (except for the penalty in the last seconds). We had our chances, but the Dutch were a tough cookie today. From now on, I hope for you guys to go far, because it's a pleasure to see Robben, Kuyt and Sneijder play.
I didn't like how some of our guys played today (especially Weiss, no.7, who is a very gifted and technically skilled guy, however he's too young and tends to hold on to the ball for too long), but there's room for improvement, as majority of our team memebers are under 25 yrs.

Brazil is not as strong as it used to be, you can sail through if you really try.

I think Holland really should've scored a second one before the hour mark, they had plenty of chances. But when that goal didn't come (Mucha had some good saves by the way!) I was starting to get worried. Slovakia had some good chances of equalising and I had the impression that your players didn't fully realise it... maybe it was their lack of experience or maybe they were affraid of a counter-attack. Anyway, if they had scored 1-1 then anything could've happened. Still, I think Slovakia can look back at a succesful tournament. Surely that win over Italy must have been a big party in Bratislava? And Vittek can still win the Golden Boot!


Stekelenburg really should've just conceded the goal rather than trying to save at the expense of a penalty. Now he's on a yellow card and won't be able to make a similar save/foul against Brazil if necessary. I'm happy with his goalkeeping, but the Dutch central defense is looking vulnerable. The errors they made today and in the game against Cameroon would surely be punished by Luis Fabiano et al.

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

that was such a Booooring first half, it got exciting in the second when the Slovakians finally showed up.

I'm not sure you'll be seeing much exciting stuff from Holland this tournament.

[pokkeherrie]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

I really thought Brazil were awesome tonight. Strong in every area. Maicon and Lucio at the back seem like immovable objects while Silva is running things from midfield.

Brazil v Holland is gonna be a great game but I think, even with Robben's return, that Holland will have to improve if they wanna get through that defence. Never mind the fact they seem capable of cutting teams open on the counter-attack, almost at will.

That was the most impressive team performance I think I've seen in this tournament so far.

Haven't seen all of the Brazil game, but what I saw was looking very good and I agree with your points. Holland have been struggling to break down teams like Denmark and Japan, so I don't give us much of a chance against Brazil.

If Brazil score first then I fear they'll rip the Dutch apart on the counter-attack. If Holland score first then they may have a chance, but they'll really have to play better than they've done so far. Maybe it's time to drop Van Persie in favour of Huntelaar.

This one game will be all-decisive for the Dutch campaign. If Holland goes out, then nobody will remember their 4 wins, because they were mostly colourless, workman-like and not all that convincing. But if they do upset Brazil, then all of a sudden there's "only" Uruguay or Ghana left to beat on the way to the final.

[_slavo_]

Originally Posted by pokkeherrie

Still, I think Slovakia can look back at a succesful tournament. Surely that win over Italy must have been a big party in Bratislava? And Vittek can still win the Golden Boot!

True, it was much more than we all expected. Yesterday in the national newspaper I read an article covering the most impressive sport achievements of Slovakian history (dating back to 1993 when our country emerged from the void) and this tournament already ranked #2, being topped only by our memorable 2002 World Cup Ice Hockey gold medal. Shit, those were the days. The whole city was drunk.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by gualbert

Well you tell me..

Regardless of political concern, I hope Brazil will lose: they've been cheating twice (vs cote d'ivoire and portugal), and the referees were obviously on their side each time.

who said I was rooting for Brasil? That gol was utter shit against Cote d'Ivore..

Originally Posted by pokkeherrie

I think Holland really should've scored a second one before the hour mark, they had plenty of chances. But when that goal didn't come (Mucha had some good saves by the way!) I was starting to get worried. Slovakia had some good chances of equalising and I had the impression that your players didn't fully realise it... maybe it was their lack of experience or maybe they were affraid of a counter-attack. Anyway, if they had scored 1-1 then anything could've happened. Still, I think Slovakia can look back at a succesful tournament. Surely that win over Italy must have been a big party in Bratislava? And Vittek can still win the Golden Boot!


I'm not sure you'll be seeing much exciting stuff from Holland this tournament.

agree completely both with Hollanda needing the second gol in the first half and with Slovakia surely being proud and worth celebrating over that great victory over Italia, after all just making it into the world cup is an accomplishment let alone dethroning a super hyped team.. but Paises Bajos needed to play better against Slovakia do demonstrate the world class skill needed to take it in the next round, and they simply did not show it today, though they still have it in em.. They are the only European team I am rooting for

Originally Posted by pokkeherrie

Haven't seen all of the Brazil game, but what I saw was looking very good and I agree with your points. Holland have been struggling to break down teams like Denmark and Japan, so I don't give us much of a chance against Brazil.

If Holland score first then they may have a chance, but they'll really have to play better than they've done so far. Maybe it's time to drop Van Persie in favour of Huntelaar.

exactly why they need to up their game, but I think they have been enjoyable to watch thus far.. against Brasil though? Cote D'Ivore was a spectacular team and there was only one thing which kept them out of advancing, they had to play Brasil..

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by pokkeherrie

There's some pressure, but nobody in Holland really expects them to win the trophy. what people do expect is "beautiful footbal", "dominating play" and that kind of thing. After each and every game so far journalists and people like Cruyff have been criticising the lack of entertainment, the conservative tactics, etc.... What they want to see is something like Arsenal or Barcelona, what they get is Inter Milan. ...

I think one of the biggest differences between Holland and England as far as pressure goes is probably the way that the UK tabloids are always hyping up the England team as being the best in the world in a way that the general public starts believing it.

Yeah, that makes total sense, and it's very much how the Dutch team is perceived here. No English commentator can ever talk about a Holland team without mentioning total football at least ten times per half.

Originally Posted by pokkeherrie

If Brazil score first then I fear they'll rip the Dutch apart on the counter-attack. If Holland score first then they may have a chance, but they'll really have to play better than they've done so far.

An early Holland goal would be really interesting. I don't think I've seen Brazil chase a game yet and it's hard to imagine how effective they'd be in that situation. So I suppose there's a temptation to try and blitz them from the beginning but that's precisely what Chile tried, and Maicon and Lucio just soaked it up. I think they can be beaten but it'll take one or two moments of brilliance to do it, and a seriously good defence. Is Ruud Krol still available?

[knox]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

I really thought Brazil were awesome tonight. Strong in every area. Maicon and Lucio at the back seem like immovable objects while Silva is running things from midfield.

Brazil v Holland is gonna be a great game but I think, even with Robben's return, that Holland will have to improve if they wanna get through that defence. Never mind the fact they seem capable of cutting teams open on the counter-attack, almost at will.

That was the most impressive team performance I think I've seen in this tournament so far.

yes
yes y
yes
yesy eysy eys
yes
yes

happy times.
the drunkos think so too.

[!@#$%!]

the reason brazil looked great today was because they finally allowed themselves to play freely on the offensive.

it helped that chile is not strong on defense and went on the attack from the start, leaving brazil spaces to do their thing. chile was forced to do that, and it was an uphill climb which eventually defeated them.

chicka-- reason brazil kept attacking is not a moral but logical one-- folding back on defense would play to the chile's strengths, i.e., attack (bielsa is famous for his offensive game). so the best way for them to protect their advantage was by increasing it.

then again, man to man, each brazilian player was better than its chilean counterpart, so in the end it was a matter of sheer "weight". they played qualifiers in the same group (CONMEBOL) and chile could not beat brazil-- it hasn't in 10 years.

i'm looking forward to elano's return, who remains benched due to injury. i hope his bones aren't fucked or something, he's been great.

a brazil-argentina final would be specfuckingtacular, by the way.

[jon boy]

i am so sick of brazil winning football, i really want someone like japan or holland to win it.

[knox]

shut up jon boy.
seriously.

and symbol i told you.
its the rule, they only play like they can if its worth something.

brazil-argentina would be awful. AWFUL.

[!@#$%!]

WHAT A GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!

loved it. TENSE. contested. fucking penalties. AWESOME.

last 10 minutes was like a weird game of badmington but the first 90 nobody let down. tight...

--

knox- watchu talking about? south american classic!

[jon boy]

Originally Posted by knox

shut up jon boy.
seriously.

and symbol i told you.
its the rule, they only play like they can if its worth something.

brazil-argentina would be awful. AWFUL.

well it aint japan, i really wanted them to win and knox you know its gonna be brazil in the final dont ya.

[davenotdead]

man thats heartbreaking.... feel generally sad for Japan and especially for the defender who missed his PK

[knox]

Originally Posted by jon boy

well it aint japan, i really wanted them to win and knox you know its gonna be brazil in the final dont ya.

i know a lot of things i cant talk about because im psychic.

[Rob Instigator]

why did this guy pick and eat his booger?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA803...layer_embedded

[chicka]

What a shame. I was rooting for Japan hopping to see a South American team finally loose. Don't understand why the coach would put a guy who's never scored a goal in that position, I would of though save him until forced to use him in sudden death. Sloppy refereeing at least they didn't make a game changing error.

The bad boys against the pretty boys this afternoon. Will Spain continue to go uncarded? Will Portugal's muscle and Ranaldo's flopping antics be enough? Let's go Espana!

[jon boy]

Originally Posted by knox

i know a lot of things i cant talk about because im psychic.

what else come on no one looks here.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by jon boy

i am so sick of brazil winning football, i really want someone like japan or holland to win it.

yeah, but then it might be a boring, scoreless or low scoring match like the last Hollanda and Japon matches turned out to be..

Originally Posted by davenotdead

man thats heartbreaking.... feel generally sad for Japan and especially for the defender who missed his PK

I was feeling for Japon as well, I feel they outplayed Paraguay, but its was fucking UGLY! that ref was BULLSHIT! he blew the whistle LITERALLY every minute! That killed the tempo for either team... it was seriously the most boring match yet, thought Japon did bring some very exciting blocks and a even few dazzling offensive plays..

what was up with all those head shots? Seriously, it was comedic! I never seen so much head shots in any of the 40 odd matches I've got in this cup so far!

That match ended up so long, boring, and technical that I only kept watching it because I had already invested so much time into it.. I wanted Japon to make it, and they were fun to watch at times, but generally these teams were evenly matched, they blocked each others kicks, they continually stole from each other, they blocked each others passes and plays, and generally matched each others abilities and attempts so perfectly that it was just back and forth, though I honestly can't help but wonder if an interesting and even good match would have evolved had that ref shoved that damn whistle up his ass instead of blowing it so often..

paraguay on the other end, looked terrible, sloppy and slow, their only saving grace was a solid defense to block every Japanese attempt..

Originally Posted by chicka

What a shame. I was rooting for Japan hopping to see a South American team finally loose.

Sloppy refereeing at least they didn't make a game changing error.

The bad boys against the pretty boys this afternoon. Will Spain continue to go uncarded? Will Portugal's muscle and Ranaldo's flopping antics be enough? Let's go Espana!

fuck espania, I hope those Eurotrash bastards get eliminated, and then Portugal can get tossed out next

its an Americas cup this year, though it looks clear now from the seed, I been calling it as Argentina vs Brasil since I saw Argentina's first match..

[knox]

Originally Posted by jon boy

what else come on no one looks here.

idk
i might get drunk tonight and start telling people things