OT: World Cup Day 3 Open Thread
I heard them say it's the longest day. Looks like it is.
There's 4 other days when there's 4 games (the last day of each group) but the games are played concurrently so there's only 2 time slots. This is only day with 4 games consecutively.
Super Mario!
There's a clear interest in this game. You can hear both the slight bias and the English pessimism.
and Steve McMannaman.
You'll find Ian roots just as hard if not more for the American side, as he did at South Africa. Most of his recent career has been working for ESPN and living part time in America. Unfortunatley because NBCSN took the Premier League away he's a brilliant, familiar voice to soccer fans without much work except for friendlies and the World Cup.
Steve McMannaman played for Liverpool/England but spent a number of years in Spain, still has a home there. I find him genuinely entertaining and he just likes watching good soccer.
I think to understand their pessimistic nature toward the England team and thes competitions, you truely have to be English.
Well right now their accuracy on passes, shots and crosses is AWFUL
How can such a football-crazed nation continue to play so badly?
If it's true that EPL teams have more foreign players than teams in other top leagues it's because the English developmental system is so poor.
Foreign players are happy to play in Serie A and the Bundesliga, too. Why don't they have the same problem?
have "non-homegrown" player restrictions. EPL has no such restrictions, so very few of England top youth players get to play top flight football, essentially stuck on the reserve squad of a big club or play at a lower division club either on contract or loan.
Think of it as being a great American baseball player but never getting to play in the Major Leagues because its full of guys from Cuba, Venezuela etc. You just wouldn't develop as well or as quickly.
England actually do have a homegrown limit. At least 8 players in the 25-man squad have to be 'home-grown', as defined by the Premier League.
This was to enable the 'home grown' rule to be enacted, whereby the League would also from 2010 require at least 8 of the named 25 man squad to be made up of 'home-grown players', defined as a player who:
irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to The Football Association or the Welsh Football Association for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21)[142]
Watching English fall apart.
Omg Pirlo and the crossbar he looks like a hobo, a very good one at soccer.
Was incredible. It deserved to go in.
Ian and Steve...are going to get HAMMERED within the hour.
I want to party with those guys tonight, they completely lost their composure watching England fall apart at the end with poor play and fatigue.
England being England.
Actually though they had a lot of good chances but finishing was lackluster. Pirlo is freaking ridiculous. Today has not been as excellent as yesterday but still loving the goals everywhere.
for the 4th game. Sweet.
BTW, just picked up my Lindy's. When do we get a thread to make fun of it?
Get outta here! Really?
Japan are pretty talented, decent ball control.
No, what time was it?
A block M? Or a state flag?
I'm hoping for the latter; it'd be more surreal.
And I'm going to a quarterfinal match...
I'll bring it.
Japan has been playing a bit too tentatively for a bit, but CIV just absolutely turned it on the past couple of minutes since Drogba subbed in.
However, I don't know how much of an emotional leader Donovan is/was...seems to me that Bradley will have that affect in 8 years if he's on the team (doubtful), not Donovan.
He didn't score, but he has inspired the troops.
The time wasting at the end was disgraceful.
Clock stops in the last 5 minutes of the game and in extra time.
I'm not even going to complain about that one because soccer could EASILY solve that problem.
The only one that matters, the one in the referee's head.
He's supposed to add on time whenever there's an injury or any time wasting, and he's supposed to add more time to the time he's already posted as extra time if it happens in extra time.
That he didn't tonight, that's a disgrace. But the instructions to officials are clear.
Refs were much better today after a tough start to the tournament.
I'm still going to stay up and watch all the post day coverage...I'm absolutely obsessed with the WC. I've watched everything...may as well wear it out now, have 4 years to "recover."
Has anybody else looked at the "tactical cam" that's one of the channels at ESPN3?
They have a camera mounted high behind one of the goals, with a wide view showing the entire field. You can't see how the players are going about their technical business but it's much better for seeing how plays develop. And ambient noise, no announcers. It's really interesting for games like Italy/England where both teams try to hold their shape--you could see how Italy went about isolating Baines and why it was working so well. I may go back and watch some of Brazil/Croatia that way.
and they replied with a form letter "apologizing for the inconvenience."
I don't think they're used to people liking their work.