Standard Of Play So Far

[joey_big_nose]

I thought South Korea-Swiss today was an excellent advert for the world cup. Outstanding technical ability combined with a real, especially from the koreans, give it your all attitude. A joy to watch.

I wouldn't mind seeing the Korean right back at Rovers! Excellent player andcould physically mix it with the big Swiss guys.

[RevidgeBlue]

What are peoples opinion of the standard of the play to date?

For me, it's been a bit ordinary, there doesn't seem to have been many spectacular moments. Maybe things will improve as the quality teams play each other in the knockout stages.

Your thoughts.......

Agree totally with that Dave, by and large everything has been extremely predictable, the 16 teams we thought would reach stage 2 have, it's gone so true to form that a lot of the third matches have been "dead rubbers" and there hasn't been that much to get the pulse racing.

It reminds me to a certain extent of the vastly overblown Champions League in which the group stages are usually pretty poor fare for the neutral and the knockout stages usually extremely excitiing.

The World Cup has been better than that but I only expect it to really take off now.

[Scotty]

I agree with what Rev says but it's kinda nice that all the good teams have got through I think. There were too many shocks in the last World Cup and too many teams who weren't that good got to the latter stages (USA, Germany, South Korea) - basically because all the top players were knackered.

This time everyone seems to have prepared better and it looks like the knockout stages will be fantastic. Whoever wins the cup this year will truely deserve to be hailed as the best team in the world.

[AxesFirstTouch]

I agree with what Rev says but it's kinda nice that all the good teams have got through I think. There were too many shocks in the last World Cup and too many teams who weren't that good got to the latter stages (USA, Germany, South Korea) - basically because all the top players were knackered.

This time everyone seems to have prepared better and it looks like the knockout stages will be fantastic. Whoever wins the cup this year will truely deserve to be hailed as the best team in the world.

If theres any justice in the world it certainly wont be England, they've had the easiest run of anyone so far.

[Scotty]

If theres any justice in the world it certainly wont be England, they've had the easiest run of anyone so far.

######. Germany, for example, had a far easier group than we have. So have Spain.

[philipl]

The Ukraine v Tunisia game was a stinker by all accounts but that seems to have been the only truly bad match which is not bad for such a big tournament.

However, I just don't get the sense that this World Cup has taken off.

Maybe it is German efficiency, England being predictably under-coached or a lack of a fairy tale story to get the immagination going.

Loking forwards to the last 16, there are 5 games with obvious favourites and only Switzerland v Ukraine, France v Spain and Portugal v Holland which look to be open fixtures.

Probably one underdog will upset one of the 5 front runners. The World Cup needs a genuine shock.

So come on Sweden, Ecuador, Ghana, Australia and Mexico.

[Rover4ever]

######. Germany, for example, had a far easier group than we have. So have Spain.

Far easier???

Ecuador = Sweden

Poland = Paraguay

Costa Rica > Trinidad

[greggyk]

This English jealousy you have is really unhealthy I must say.

If you cant see how much harder our group was compared to the Germans, then your stupid as well bitter. Every single one of those teams are better than the other in comparison

[adopted scouser]

Starting to lose interest already. Sod the game on Sunday, I'm taking the kids to the pictures.

Even if we scrape past Ecuador it's either Holland or Portugal next. Most likely opponents are the portuguese and we'll get buried.

"They're coming home, They're coming home, They're coming.... England's coming home"

[RevidgeBlue]

Portugal have been **** poor as well so far by all accounts AS.

It would be just SGE's luck for us to get them in the quarter finals. There's an old saying "It's better to have a lucky manager than a good one" and I'm starting to wonder if he's a lucky one.

[philipl]

But you make your luck and there is nobody in the England set-up good enough to make any luck for anyone except their own bank managers.

So the concensus is that we have had a decent, not-outstanding, humourless World Cup so far.... cue Bob Fleming.

Edited June 24, 2006 by philipl

[blue phil]

Even if we scrape past Ecuador it's either Holland or Portugal next. Most likely opponents are the portuguese and we'll get buried.

Nonsense . I expect Holland to comfortably beat Portugal who haven't looked a good team at all . Neither will beat England by more than a goal . In fact we would more likely be the winners .

(Now watch Ecuador paste us !! )

[Rover4ever]

This English jealousy you have is really unhealthy I must say.

If you cant see how much harder our group was compared to the Germans, then your stupid as well bitter. Every single one of those teams are better than the other in comparison

How were Englands rivals any better than Germany's???

Poland and Sweden both qualified as best 2nd place holders in Europe so they are roughly the same

Ecuador finished above Paraguay in South American qualifiers

Costa Rica finished above Trinidad in Concacaf qualifiers.

I leave it to any neutral observer to decide whether Englands group was "much harder" than Germany's when 2 teams in Germany's group are better than the corresponding 2 teams (from the same region) in Englands group, and the 3rd were almost equal based on European qualifiers.

[Drakefyre]

Just because Germany has played better doesn't mean that the group is easier. And Germany's thorough trashing of Sweden just proved it.

Edited June 24, 2006 by Drakefyre

[joey_big_nose]

Starting to lose interest already. Sod the game on Sunday, I'm taking the kids to the pictures.

Even if we scrape past Ecuador it's either Holland or Portugal next. Most likely opponents are the portuguese and we'll get buried.

"They're coming home, They're coming home, They're coming.... England's coming home"

Come on! You can't say that your giving up just because we are not going to win the thing. Makes you sound like a Man Utd/Chelsea fan.

Football is about the taking part! I mean good lord we aren't the favorites and our chancs of winning are small but thats no reason to throw your toys out of the pram.

[RevidgeBlue]

I thought Sweden had a real chance of turning Germany over today and was beginning to despair when the match turned out to be as one sided as most of the action that had gone before.

Then just in the nick of time along came Argentina v Mexico to rescue the tournament. One of the best World Cup games I can recall. Mexico were absolutely superb but as well as they played Argentina always seemed to have a slight edge somehow. And the strike that decided it!

What's the betting on another damp squib (England v Ecuador) and another classic (Portugal v Holland) tomorrow?

[bb3]

Then just in the nick of time along came Argentina v Mexico to rescue the tournament. One of the best World Cup games I can recall. Mexico were absolutely superb but as well as they played Argentina always seemed to have a slight edge somehow. And the strike that decided it!

Agreed.

And the atmosphere in that stadium tonight was something else.

The supporters are making this tournament fantastic.

[tcj_jones]

I think that the standard of play, for the most part, has been superb. I don't remember there ever being so many sensational goals and there have been a fair few high scoring games.

I think there have been a few surprises with Ecuador and Trinidad and Tobago both playing very well.

I think group C and group F have been very exciting to watch and I have been surprised by the likes of the Ivory Coast who played so well, and in any other group, would have gone through.

We've been treated to some mastercalssses with Spain, Brazil and Argentina as well, with the Aussies being a pleasure to watch.

I think the only teams to really disapoint are Sweden, Serbia and Montenegro and, most of all, England.

I'm particularly looking forward to the Germany - Argentina quarter final and think it could be the game of the tournament! Both teams have been playing wide open attacking football and I wouldn't count Germany out of getting to the final if they can pull a surprise against the Argentines.

I've never enjoyed a major international competition so much before!

Edited June 24, 2006 by tcj_jones

[dave birch]

It's starting to turn, The Argies are looking promising. The German goals looked good. I must admit to going to bed after the 2nd German goal,( well it was close to 2am, and we'd had a heap of people over).

Agree, Tcj, Germany v Argentina should be a good one. Hope it's not a game of get one up and then defend like hell.

[RevidgeBlue]

Ukraine v Switzerland - how bad was that?

Good grief.

The Swiss didn't even look like threatning the goal during the penalty shootout!

Lucky boy that Shevchenko.

30m quid? ..................hmmmm.

[Shevchenko]

Lucky boy that Shevchenko.

30m quid? ..................hmmmm.

Worth every penny too.

I dread the day we have to play Chelsea with Shevchenko in their side

[grizfoot]

Yeah the Swiss/Ukraine match was the worst i've seen so far.

Lets hope for some better stuff tommorrow.

[greggyk]

Cant wait for the Brazil v Ghana match tomorrow! Certainly dont think Brazil will win easily, if at all!

[blue/white]

I agree w/ Greggy--

Brasil/Ghana have the making of a killer match. Shame Essien can't jump on the pitch, i was

looking forward to some nice, studs up, two-footed clangers on the Bucktoothed one. shame, that.

Still looking forward to Appiah's mazy runs onto a stretched out Brasilian back 4. Brasil might score 5 goals, but Ghana might hit of 3... anyone else think this will be a wide open, NBA-esque affaire ?

dbirch- I wish to take a moment to offer you my condolences. Aussies were absolutely robbed. If that clown ref was going to make a stupid call in the box, why not the hand ball in the Italian box just moments earlier? I am doing a novena for you ( ) so that Medinas Cantalejo's ill will bounces back and bites the Spaniards in the rear end.... what goes around, comes around, you know.

Edited June 27, 2006 by blue/white

[philipl]

The Guardian's analysis of why this World Cup is a good one:

http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup200...1808315,00.html

The most successful highest tackling midfielder is a shock!