The 2014 World Cup thread

[Mick Mac]

You have been in Lewes too long already.

[StraferJack]

Even more shocking mick, is the fact I'm up at half past the midnight

[maxxi]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> Even more shocking mick, is the fact I'm up at

> half past the midnight

There's the giveaway - there be dragons.

[maxxi]

The Italian sub is a big girl!*

*La Donna e Immobile....

I'll get my cloak

[StraferJack]

Saw it more as a father ted ref maxxi

[maxxi]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> Saw it more as a father ted ref maxxi

Ah, okay. It was the lack of a "so" at the end that threw me.

[maxxi]

That was an inevitability that just took too much time happening. Sterling was the only one who gave it a go - the rest were in Hodgson's image - conservative, timid, clueless, stifled, lacklustre and just plain DULL. He was always going to produce a side of supply-teachers and that's what we have. Back off and do nowt until it's too late. Same old feckin' same old.

I was enjoying the football up to this game but this game was poor - Italy won easily but they aren't that good - that's how bad it was.

[Mick Mac]

Shearer nailing Rooney for missed chances. Can't see those two sharing a bottle of wine any time soon.

Ironically England were quite good and have more players who can attack defenders than they have had for a few years. That's the difference that might save them in next two games.

And hats off to Gary Linekar for embarrassing Henry about his infamous handball..

[maxxi]

That DOES kinda stick in the craw - the energy sapping, mind numbingly dull and too-slowly delivered observations of a confirmed cheat lighting up the studio. And you're right - England DO have the players; what is unfortunately evident is they don't have the manager/coach to take advantage of that fact.

Oh, and can someone shoot Danny Mills, PLEASE.

[maxxi]

The post-match comments by Hodgson & Gerrard should be written on stiff parchment and rammed down their throats with a starched otter.

eta: I am staying the course in the hope of some footballing entertainment from Ivory Coast and Japan.

(Asahi and Bangui - keep up)

[Otta]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> And hats off to Gary Linekar for embarrassing

> Henry about his infamous handball..

That was wicked.

[Loz]

maxxi Wrote:

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> That DOES kinda stick in the craw - the energy sapping, mind numbingly dull and too-slowly

> delivered observations of a confirmed cheat lighting up the studio.

Oh, please - show me a professional footballer and I'll show you a confirmed cheat.

[maxxi]

Loz Wrote:

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> maxxi Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > That DOES kinda stick in the craw - the energy

> sapping, mind numbingly dull and too-slowly

> > delivered observations of a confirmed cheat

> lighting up the studio.

>

> Oh, please - show me a professional footballer and

> I'll show you a confirmed cheat.

Ah, of course! They all cheat so let it go. Why didn't I think of that?

And so if I name a few you will have the evidence to back this up?

[maxxi]

You're probably only thinking of French footballers - in which case I waive my objection

[maxxi]

Viva japan!

sorry.....

日本の長いライブ ！

[Loz]

maxxi Wrote:

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> Loz Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > maxxi Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > That DOES kinda stick in the craw - the energy sapping, mind numbingly dull and too-slowly

> > > delivered observations of a confirmed cheat lighting up the studio.

> >

> > Oh, please - show me a professional footballer and I'll show you a confirmed cheat.

>

>

> Ah, of course! They all cheat so let it go. Why didn't I think of that?

>

> And so if I name a few you will have the evidence to back this up?

I didn't say that at all. But surely you are the one 'letting it go' by just concentrating on one individual when you could probably lay that claim on the entire commentary team? Why not the rest?

And, yes, I'm fairly confident that for 99% of footballers I could find evidence of rolling around with an injury hoping for a free-kick/yellow card before leaping to their feet (or not, if there is a minute to go and they're winning), 'professional' fouls, falling over under minimal/no contact, ridiculous claims for sideline throw-ins etc, etc. Cheating is pretty much endemic in the game. Even to the point it is accepted conduct - how many times have commentators said something along the lines of "well there was a slight contact there, so the lad was right to go down"?

Maybe not for goalkeepers, but I suspect that is more lack of opportunity than anything.

PS Before you start listing potential names, whether I could be bothered to go searching is another matter...

[Parkdrive]

And hats off to Gary Linekar for embarrassing Henry about his infamous handball

Jesus the Irish won't let it go will they? Yet they conveniently forget that they got a very very dubious (non) penalty to get that far in the that tournament. Let it go. And as for Linekar, wrong spelling by the way, embarrasing a world cup, champions league, Premier league winner, golden boot winner twice in the prem etc, I suspect his comment was delivered more out of jealousy than his sympathy for the Irish. If the boring Michael Owen was on the panel, wonder if he would ask him if he's ever dived in a world cup? Oops forgot, he's English.

[Parkdrive]

maxxi Wrote:

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> You're probably only thinking of French

> footballers - in which case I waive my objection

In comparison to the Irishman Roy Keane who is a model of professionalism and a nice man to boot. Boot being the operative word.

[StraferJack]

I think the Henry/handball comment was meant in jest rather than true grudge holding

But basically I agree PD. Irish complaining about it still isn't unknown and is embarrassing now. Especially after we qualified for last tournament and embarrassed ourselves

[Otta]

I thought it was a bit of ribbing, no need to get upset about it!

[StraferJack]

Did that read like I was upset? Sorry. Really wasn't

[maxxi]

Parkdrive Wrote:

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> maxxi Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > You're probably only thinking of French

> > footballers - in which case I waive my

> objection

>

> In comparison to the Irishman Roy Keane who is a

> model of professionalism and a nice man to boot.

> Boot being the operative word.

Agreed - but he wasn't boring the arse off me with his monotonous deadpan observations on the game. Henry on the other hand....

[Otta]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> Did that read like I was upset? Sorry. Really

> wasn't

No, was meant for PD.

Agree with his point about holding a grudge, but Henry signed up yo be a pundit, and is fair game for a bit of ribbing. And I'm sure he'll give some out too.

[Parkdrive]

maxxi Wrote:

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> Parkdrive Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > maxxi Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > You're probably only thinking of French

> > > footballers - in which case I waive my

> > objection

> >

> > In comparison to the Irishman Roy Keane who is

> a

> > model of professionalism and a nice man to

> boot.

> > Boot being the operative word.

>

>

> Agreed - but he wasn't boring the arse off me with

> his monotonous deadpan observations on the game.

> Henry on the other hand....

Rio Ferdinand was just as awful with his mindless drivel

[Jah Lush]

Gotta say all of the BBC's pundits have been trying to out bore Alan Shearer. It's a tough job but somebody's gotta do it. And as for Phil Neville the less said the better.

Still better than ITV though.