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Thread: World Cup Discussion Thread

  1. #256
    Danger is my business! oneupper's Avatar
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by M2
    Ecuador looks great and now only needs a tie against the Germans to win their group.

    On a separate note, the studio folks ESPN has had covering the World Cup have been excellent.
    Ecuador is a middle of the pack South American team which happens to be riding a good moment.

    Costa Rica's performance... IMO just accentuates how WEAK the CONCACAF is and how wrong the FIFA is to take 4 teams for this region to the World Cup.
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  3. #257
    Posting in Dynarama M2's Avatar
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by oneupper
    Ecuador is a middle of the pack South American team which happens to be riding a good moment.

    Costa Rica's performance... IMO just accentuates how WEAK the CONCACAF is and how wrong the FIFA is to take 4 teams for this region to the World Cup.
    I can't take too much issue with CONCACAF given how poor Asian and African teams have looked. I'd drop a team from those continents before I even considered taking a bite out of North America.

    I think what Ecuador's showing is that that sub-elite South American futbol (e.g. not Brazil or Argentina) is pretty good. We'll see what Paraguay does against Sweden today. If they can gain at least a tie then Paraguay and Trinidad will probably be playing for second place in Group B.

    If anything I think South America deserves a fifth slot in the next Cup.
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  4. #258
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by oneupper
    Ecuador is a middle of the pack South American team which happens to be riding a good moment.

    Costa Rica's performance... IMO just accentuates how WEAK the CONCACAF is and how wrong the FIFA is to take 4 teams for this region to the World Cup.
    NO!!!!!

    Are youi a U.S. fan? Losing qualifying spots is the absolute worst indictment for a soccer region. It woul be disastrous. We don't have 4. We actually hav e4.5. Our fifth place team plays team out of Asia in a home and home to decide who gets that spot. Giving up a single qualifying spot would be HORRIBLE for soccer in this region which is stgruggling to get better (and the majority of the Honduras and Panamas and Jamaicas of of CONCACAF \ARE struggling to improve. Soccer needs all the help it can get to continue to grow in this part of the world. Taking away a sport would be a MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR setback for soccer in this region, and yes, the world.

    On another point: The U.S GOT to accept ANY invitation to the Copa America championship (primarily South American tournemtn). The lack of playing quality opponents bringing a near-full side is one of the biggest problems that created what we saw yesterday. When was the last time we played a powerouse bringing their true heavy-hitters? A LONG TIME

    Getting more younger players oversees and scheduling top sides and participating in ANY 'good' tournements are the three monumental tasks facing American Soccer if they expect to continue to grow and improve.

  5. #259
    Posting in Dynarama M2's Avatar
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    The qualifying spots for this World Cup were:

    Europe - 13
    Africa - 5
    Asia - 4.5
    South America - 4.5
    North America - 3.5
    Oceania - 0.5

    Personally, I'd transfer one slot from Asia to South America and drop 0.5 from Africa and give it to the Euros.
    I'm not a system player. I am a system.

  6. #260
    Smooth WMR's Avatar
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    Oneupper: In reply to your SA weakness coment: Please remember that , in somewhat of a shocker, Uruguay, perennial power South American failed to qualify. I think I'd drop 0.5 from Asia and give it outright to Oceania. IMO, Oceania deserves to have 1 spot w/o being forced to play a South American team. *Australia & New Zealand, obviously 2 main power but I think giving Aussie football a high chance of consistently making the tournament is both good for soccer in general and especially good for that country and the overall betterment of the game)

  7. #261
    Posting in Dynarama M2's Avatar
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by WilyMoROCKS
    M2: In reply to your SA weakness coment: Please remember that , in somewhat of a shocker, Uruguay, perennial power South American failed to qualify. I think I'd drop 0.5 from Asia and give it outright to Oceania. IMO, Oceania deserves to have 1 spot w/o being forced to play a South American team. *Australia & New Zealand, obviously 2 main power but I think giving Aussie football a high chance of consistently making the tournament is both good for soccer in general and especially good for that country and the overall betterment of the game)
    The lack of Uruguay, Colombia or Chile really underscores why the South Americans deserve another spot. Any one of those teams might have been the top qualifier from Asia or Africa.

    While I'm sympathetic to Oceania, they really don't have enough quality teams to merit an automatic selection. Though if they were to get one, it would make sense to make Asia pay the price for it.
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  8. #262
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by M2
    The lack of Uruguay, Colombia or Chile really underscores why the South Americans deserve another spot. Any one of those teams might have been the top qualifier from Asia or Africa.

    While I'm sympathetic to Oceania, they really don't have enough quality teams to merit an automatic selection. Though if they were to get one, it would make sense to make Asia pay the price for it.
    Agreed on all points, esp. Colombia, they should have made it.

    It'd just make it more of a true "World Cup" to have *someone* from Oceania represented. I would take the 1st place Oceania team anyday over the 4th Asian (even if just in terms of attractability (sp?) and =interest)

    In terms of raising the level of American play,k if we could keep all the current spots, I would LOVE a combination ofCONMEBOL and CONCACAF. Soccer growth in America would gain in a few years what will take decades with our current qualification opponents.

    All in all, England has been a disappointment.

  9. #263
    Posting in Dynarama M2's Avatar
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    The seeds are being planted for England vs. Germany in the round of 16. That would be huge.

    I love the combined Americas idea.
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  10. #264
    Danger is my business! oneupper's Avatar
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by WilyMoROCKS
    Oneupper: In reply to your SA weakness coment: Please remember that , in somewhat of a shocker, Uruguay, perennial power South American failed to qualify. I think I'd drop 0.5 from Asia and give it outright to Oceania. IMO, Oceania deserves to have 1 spot w/o being forced to play a South American team. *Australia & New Zealand, obviously 2 main power but I think giving Aussie football a high chance of consistently making the tournament is both good for soccer in general and especially good for that country and the overall betterment of the game)
    Australia (A team I root for BTW, lived in Melbourne 8 years) pulled off a nice one against Uruguay. It's the CONCACAF (North America/Caribbean) slots that are excessive IMO.

    Mexico and the US can be competitive AT TIMES with the rest of the world, but after that...its the pits.

    A North + South American group of some sort would be a fine solution. As things stand today, the SA teams play a grueling 18 match (10 teams) elimination series over 2 years. CONCACAF has lots of "little" teams everyone beats up on. Mexico and the US might still be able to make it, but they'd have to earn it.

    As for Colombia...they didn't have a good team in the early going. After Brazil and Argentina, SA teams are very evenly matched. If you look at the group standings, you'll see it was a fight. Even Venezuela, which was a perennial dormat, has been fielding a much better team lately.
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  11. #265
    Posting in Dynarama M2's Avatar
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by oneupper
    Australia (A team I root for BTW, lived in Melbourne 8 years) pulled off a nice one against Uruguay. It's the CONCACAF (North America/Caribbean) slots that are excessive IMO.

    Mexico and the US can be competitive AT TIMES with the rest of the world, but after that...its the pits.

    A North + South American group of some sort would be a fine solution. As things stand today, the SA teams play a grueling 18 match (10 teams) elimination series over 2 years. CONCACAF has lots of "little" teams everyone beats up on. Mexico and the US might still be able to make it, but they'd have to earn it.
    Trinidad's played better than most every African and Asian team so far. Again, I've got no problem with 3.5 CONCACAF slots given that lesser regions like Africa and Asia have more.
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  12. #266
    Danger is my business! oneupper's Avatar
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by M2
    Trinidad's played better than most every African and Asian team so far. Again, I've got no problem with 3.5 CONCACAF slots given that lesser regions like Africa and Asia have more.
    \

    I don't agree. Trinidad was outshot by Sweden 18-6 and got away with a tie.
    With some decent finishing, England could have beaten them 5-0 today.
    What happens with these overmatched teams in World Cup play is that they'll play back and pray for a tie. Doesn't make for much of a match.

    The African teams, may have lost, but IMO have played much more competitive matches. They'll take the risk and try to win. Makes for more interesting soccer.
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  13. #267
    Posting in Dynarama M2's Avatar
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by oneupper
    \

    I don't agree. Trinidad was outshot by Sweden 18-6 and got away with a tie.
    With some decent finishing, England could have beaten them 5-0 today.
    What happens with these overmatched teams in World Cup play is that they'll play back and pray for a tie. Doesn't make for much of a match.

    The African teams, may have lost, but IMO have played much more competitive matches. They'll take the risk and try to win. Makes for more interesting soccer.
    Portugal ran circles around Angola. Togo and Tunisia played enjoyable matches against AA opponents from Asia. Trinidad played beautiful defensive soccer against two of the better attacking teams in the world for almost two full games until the Brits broke through at the end of today's contest. Trinidad's shown they can stay on the field with top flight opponents and they might be playing for a slot in the knockout round against Paraguay. Wait until Spain gets ahold of Tunisia and the Saudis. Switzerland and France should make easy work of Togo. We'll see if there's anything to South Korea against those two European clubs as well. Japan's well on its way to getting obliterated. Angola's got the weakest draw in the cup, but Mexico should carve them up pretty well.

    Ivory Coast and Ghana are the clear class of Asia/Africa regions and, unfortunately, they wound up in the two groups of death. Outside of those two teams, and maybe the Koreans, there isn't a club from either of those two continents that's likely to stick with the better teams in the world. Not very interesting as far as I'm concerned.
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  14. #268
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by M2
    Trinidad's played better than most every African and Asian team so far. Again, I've got no problem with 3.5 CONCACAF slots given that lesser regions like Africa and Asia have more.
    Trinidad's been decidedly mediocre so far. What's saved them is good defense and luck. I mean, sheesh, England was pretty terribly coached today and simply couldn't get the ball into the net until T&T started to visibly wear out and screw up. If that game ended in a tie, I think Peter Crouch would have been strung up by his toenails afterwards.

    T&T had plenty of opportunities to score themselves, but squandered them pretty badly (save for their best scoring chance on the header with the goalie out of the picture, which would have gone in if it weren't for that miracle).

  15. #269
    Posting in Dynarama M2's Avatar
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Outshined_One
    Trinidad's been decidedly mediocre so far. What's saved them is good defense and luck. I mean, sheesh, England was pretty terribly coached today and simply couldn't get the ball into the net until T&T started to visibly wear out and screw up. If that game ended in a tie, I think Peter Crouch would have been strung up by his toenails afterwards.

    T&T had plenty of opportunities to score themselves, but simply could not convert.
    Last I looked, defense was a skill. Trinidad stifled the English and Swedish attacks, didn't allow them to take high percentage shots until that Crouch header. And you're right, T&T did create some chances to score in that game and very well could have beaten one of the tournament favorites.

    In my book, that's a team that has acquitted itself well so far.
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  16. #270
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    Re: World Cup Discussion Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by M2
    Last I looked, defense was a skill. Trinidad stifled the English and Swedish attacks, didn't allow them to take high percentage shots until that Crouch header. And you're right, T&T did create some chances to score in that game and very well could have beaten one of the tournament favorites.

    In my book, that's a team that has acquitted itself well so far.
    Read my edit, I had to clarify. :

    England had way too many open shots for me to say that the T&T defense was stifling. They were good, but that was pretty much the extent of the talent on that team.


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