OT: World Cup picks

[JMM28]

I enjoy watching soccer, especially on the world stage like this. I don't understand many of the nuances and subtleties that the die hard soccer fans do, but I still enjoy the sport. Biggest problem I have with it is lack of winner in tie situations.

My biggest beef with the sport. Ties. Yuck.

Also, having watched a few games...the annoyance of the vuvuzela or whatever. At first I thought I had blown a speaker, then I just turned it off completely.

[For-DaLove]

I must say, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks MB sounds like a complete moron in nearly all of his post's.

[slufanskip]

Just watched the 1st half of the Ivory Coast vs Portugal game this morning. I have to say if I was an opposing coach I'd be hard pressed not to sacrifice my last player on the bench having him take a red card insuring Ronaldo is out for the rest of the World Cup. It drives me crazy to watch players dive and roll around as if there f...king leg was chopped off and they weren't even touched. He did it twice causing the opponent to receive a yellow card early. The second time, he gets up and limps around. The ref in this one had a pretty poor 1st half

[cheesycow]

Just watched the 1st half of the Ivory Coast vs Portugal game this morning. I have to say if I was an opposing coach I'd be hard pressed not to sacrifice my last player on the bench having him take a red card insuring Ronaldo is out for the rest of the World Cup. It drives me crazy to watch players dive and roll around as if there f...king leg was chopped off and they weren't even touched. He did it twice causing the opponent to receive a yellow card early. The second time, he gets up and limps around. The ref in this one had a pretty poor 1st half

The red card in the ***-GRE game was pretty ticky tacky as well. One of the unfortunate parts of the game, I guess.

[DirtyRican]

That shot would have taken the keepers head off.

[cheesycow]

Horrible offside call in the US game.

[strozier]

Horrible offside call in the US game.

Terrible officiating, but we shouldn't have been down 0-2 to that team. Bottom line.

[DirtyRican]

Horrible offside call in the US game.

I thought they called a penalty but couldn't tell for sure...either way it was bad.

[bleedtheblue]

It definitely was not an offsides call. He called a random foul. No one knows who it was on or anything. Even though 3 of our guys got taken down. The goal should have counted.

[bleedtheblue]

It definitely was not an offsides call. He called a random foul. No one knows who it was on or anything. Even though 3 of our guys got taken down. The goal should have counted.

wow. i take that back. maybe it was offsides. i did not know that they line refs put the flag up.

[Zink]

wow. i take that back. maybe it was offsides. i did not know that they line refs put the flag up.

there wasn't an offside reported in the post game info. bob bradley and donovan both indicated they were never told what the call actually was in post game interviews. either way, there was no offsides, as the only player who could have possibly construed as being offsides (bradley) was also being fouled and was not part of the play!!! great goal by edu, great service by donovan, terrible call by the ref. there could have been at least 3 different penalty calls on the play too (dempsey was in a headlock, jozy was wrapped up and bradley was the recipient of a bear hug).

[strozier]

there wasn't an offside reported in the post game info. bob bradley and donovan both indicated they were never told what the call actually was in post game interviews. either way, there was no offsides, as the only player who could have possibly construed as being offsides (bradley) was also being fouled and was not part of the play!!! great goal by edu, great service by donovan, terrible call by the ref. there could have been at least 3 different penalty calls on the play too (dempsey was in a headlock, jozy was wrapped up and bradley was the recipient of a bear hug).

Like I said though, we shouldn't have been in that position, needing to cap off a comeback. 0-2 to Slovenia...that should never happen.

[Ron Rimmerman]

Like I said though, we shouldn't have been in that position, needing to cap off a comeback. 0-2 to Slovenia...that should never happen.

Metz, what shouldn't have happened was the whistle being blown on that play. Slovenia had talent and they scored two good goals. We also have talent and scored 3. Enough excusing poor refereeing. This is infuriating. The USA will prevail!

[slufanskip]

I couldn't see the game, will watch it tonight when I get home, we deserve some credit for coming back. We have to quit giving up early goals. It's getting ridiculous.

How about the Germany vs Serbia game. That ref should be done forever. 6 yellows in 37 minutes and not one should have been a yellow. Neither of Kloses' cards should have been yellows. Did the ref just want some face time on TV. Podolski certainly had a poor game as far as finishing goals. He missed the penalty and a lot of chances. Germany had the chance to tie and probably still should have won if they could have finished well, but I can't stand it when a ref takes the game from the players.

I hope we don't get that guy. As often as we leave our feet, we'll be in trouble.

[strozier]

Metz, what shouldn't have happened was the whistle being blown on that play. Slovenia had talent and they scored two good goals. We also have talent and scored 3. Enough excusing poor refereeing. This is infuriating. The USA will prevail!

Not sure where I was excusing poor ref play...I was saying our D should have played better. Who's Metz?

[Westy03]

I couldn't see the game, will watch it tonight when I get home, we deserve some credit for coming back. We have to quit giving up early goals. It's getting ridiculous.

How about the Germany vs Serbia game. That ref should be done forever. 6 yellows in 37 minutes and not one should have been a yellow. Neither of Kloses' cards should have been yellows. Did the ref just want some face time on TV. Podolski certainly had a poor game as far as finishing goals. He missed the penalty and a lot of chances. Germany had the chance to tie and probably still should have won if they could have finished well, but I can't stand it when a ref takes the game from the players.

I hope we don't get that guy. As often as we leave our feet, we'll be in trouble.

Should of been 3-2 US but the ref made the worst call I have ever seen in any sport. It wasnt offsides and he didnt call a foul, he just disallowed the goal for no apparent reason. I havent seen anything like it. The players after the game said the ref never said what the call was, just said no goal. I was watching a Dutch broadcast and the commentators were in shock and wonder how this referee goes from reffing games in front of 12 fans to the World Cup in the matter of 2 weeks.

The US played awful in the first but this win was stolen from them.

[DirtyRican]

Should of been 3-2 US but the ref made the worst call I have ever seen in any sport. It wasnt offsides and he didnt call a foul, he just disallowed the goal for no apparent reason. I havent seen anything like it. The players after the game said the ref never said what the call was, just said no goal. I was watching a Dutch broadcast and the commentators were in shock and wonder how this referee goes from reffing games in front of 12 fans to the World Cup in the matter of 2 weeks.

The US played awful in the first but this win was stolen from them.

Too bad Jim Joyce doesn't do soccer!

[strozier]

Now the U.S. Open is on...good day for sports.

[moytoy12]

wow. i take that back. maybe it was offsides. i did not know that they line refs put the flag up.

It was a horrible call.

[Clock_Tower]

Our chances of moving out of Group C don't look very good anymore. Guess we have to hope England loses, and if so, that will be good for the US but bad for the World Cup.

At the risk of sounding like a dumb American taking shots at soccer, can someone explain why a team is a rewarded with a point (like Slovenia) for a shutout (Slovenia over Algeria 1-0) when that (1 point) is the same that a team earns for a tie? I understand the need for tie breakers (goal differentials, etc.) AFTER the 3 games are played and teams are tied with the same amount of points but why should a team get 3 points for a 1-0 win whereas another team gets only 2 points for 10-1 win? Scoring a fluke goal and then going into a defensive shell is not only boring and what many feel is wrong with soccer but then to reward such conduct??

[Pistol]

Not sure where I was excusing poor ref play...I was saying our D should have played better. Who's Metz?

Slovenia is a way better team than anyone gave them credit for. This draw made me nervous as soon as the groups were announced. I hate the "oh, this country is small and I don't know anything about it, therefore they suck" mentality that a lot of fans have, only giving credit to traditional powers. They didn't have the toughest road during qualification, but allowed just 4 goals in 10 games. This was a very good team.

That said, Algeria is not a team that should beat us, or even score on us, for that matter.

Great second half comeback, and we undeniably had a goal stolen. Looks like another World Cup where poor officiating takes center stage, will be heavily scrutinized, and yet not improved.

I have to think England is going to handle Algeria, setting them up for the group lead at 4, with US at 2, Slovenia at 2, and Algeria with nothing. The tie-breakers are goal differential, then total goals, then head-to-head. As it stands, Slovenia has the GD edge because of their 1-0 defeat of Algeria, and we have the same goal total.

If I have this right (and this all assumes England beats Algeria), if there is a winner in the England-Slovenia game, we advance with a win over Algeria. If they tie, we need to beat Algeria by 2 or more goals.

[cheesycow]

Slovenia is a way better team than anyone gave them credit for. This draw made me nervous as soon as the groups were announced. I hate the "oh, this country is small and I don't know anything about it, therefore they suck" mentality that a lot of fans have, only giving credit to traditional powers. They didn't have the toughest road during qualification, but allowed just 4 goals in 10 games. This was a very good team.

That said, Algeria is not a team that should beat us, or even score on us, for that matter.

Great second half comeback, and we undeniably had a goal stolen. Looks like another World Cup where poor officiating takes center stage, will be heavily scrutinized, and yet not improved.

I have to think England is going to handle Algeria, setting them up for the group lead at 4, with US at 2, Slovenia at 2, and Algeria with nothing. The tie-breakers are goal differential, then total goals, then head-to-head. As it stands, Slovenia has the GD edge because of their 1-0 defeat of Algeria, and we have the same goal total.

If I have this right (and this all assumes England beats Algeria), if there is a winner in the England-Slovenia game, we advance with a win over Algeria. If they tie, we need to beat Algeria by 2 or more goals.

Your assertion that Slovenia will have 2 is incorrect. Slovenia already has 4. Right now, before England plays Algeria, the standings are:

Slovenia 4

US 2

England 1

Algeria 0

Presuming an england win, that would make the standings:

England 4 (assuming they win by more than 1)

Slovenia 4

US 2

Algeria 0

That means we would need either England to beat slovenia while we beat Algeria:

England 7

US 5

Slovenia 4

Algeria 0

Or we beat Algeria and they draw:

England 5

Slovenia 5

US 5

Algeria 0

Then it would all come down to goal differential, so we'd need to win by more than 1 to be safe.

[cheesycow]

Our chances of moving out of Group C don't look very good anymore. Guess we have to hope England loses, and if so, that will be good for the US but bad for the World Cup.

At the risk of sounding like a dumb American taking shots at soccer, can someone explain why a team is a rewarded with a point (like Slovenia) for a shutout (Slovenia over Algeria 1-0) when that (1 point) is the same that a team earns for a tie? I understand the need for tie breakers (goal differentials, etc.) AFTER the 3 games are played and teams are tied with the same amount of points but why should a team get 3 points for a 1-0 win whereas another team gets only 2 points for 10-1 win? Scoring a fluke goal and then going into a defensive shell is not only boring and what many feel is wrong with soccer but then to reward such conduct??

No one's awarded a point for a shutout. 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. There's no result that gives you 2 points.

[Westy03]

Your assertion that Slovenia will have 2 is incorrect. Slovenia already has 4. Right now, before England plays Algeria, the standings are:

Slovenia 4

US 2

England 1

Algeria 0

Presuming an england win, that would make the standings:

England 4 (assuming they win by more than 1)

Slovenia 4

US 2

Algeria 0

That means we would need either England to beat slovenia while we beat Algeria:

England 7

US 5

Slovenia 4

Algeria 0

Or we beat Algeria and they draw:

England 5

Slovenia 5

US 5

Algeria 0

Then it would all come down to goal differential, so we'd need to win by more than 1 to be safe.

Thanks for the breakdown.

[For-DaLove]

That ref isn't new to the scene by any means. But, I do agree, terrible call.