Yeah i know what you mean... i still dont think its an issue though.

Another win for Australia on their road to the World Cup. Take that, Liechtenstein!

 

I see what Maj is saying about experience. It's like when players first play State of Origin. A lot of them have a hard time adjusting to the pace, skill and power of the elite game. Just look at Queensland's performance in Game 1.

 

Having said that, I still think Australia is going to wipe the floor with everyone. Then you'll all have to call football Soccer! :P

Another win for Australia on their road to the World Cup. Take that' date=' Liechtenstein!

 

I see what Maj is saying about experience. It's like when players first play State of Origin. A lot of them have a hard time adjusting to the pace, skill and power of the elite game. Just look at Queensland's performance in Game 1.

 

Having said that, I still think Australia is going to wipe the floor with everyone. Then you'll all have to call football Soccer! :P[/quote']

 

Oyoy, defeating the mighty Liechtenstein, the fooball-world better shiver with fear :lol:

(To put Australia's massive achievement in perspective, the mighty Liechtenstein has in over 60 competative games since 1997 managed a total of 2 victories...)

 

Todays saddest player: France's Cissé, who broke his leg in the final game before going to Germany (France - China 3-1).

That's gotta suck, breaking a leg two days before the tournament starts, knowing you're in the squad, knowing you'll get to play at least a little...

 

But since he's playing for Loserfool, all I can say is...Neeneer :lol:

And what about the Netherlands, Maj? How are they ranked?

 

3rd in the world? We went toe to toe with them minus two stars. Oh yeah, it's game on. I know a great recipe for humble pie that I can loan you, Maj!

Well, Australia had to injure 3 dutch players to get that result...Had it been the WC that might have rendered a red card or two.

 

But friendlies close to a WC is not a good way to measure team's strengths. What you usually see is that players who are certain they'll be starting take it quite easy, rather risking a defeat than risking an injury that will rule them out of the WC.

 

And most teams usually try to find opponents that can help them prepare for the opponents they'll face in the WC. For the Netherlands, the physical approach from Australia was preparation for Serbia & Montenegro, for Australia Netherlands technique was preparation for Brazil. Only, Brazil is a far stronger team than the youthful team Van basten has picked for the Netherlands.

Serious, Im not too optimistic, thinking we will win m/any games, but potentially I think with some luck we can do well. People should write us off at their own peril.

 

As Leaf said about Australia "This is what we do". The worlds greatest sporting country has a chance to shine on the worlds greatest stage.

i jsut wish i could watch the games on tv, but the stupid tv-people are on strike!!! :evil:

Poor Danya! And we all wont get to see Eirik Bakke in action either xoxoxo

lol, i dont think he would be on the team actually :? :D and the norwegian team sucks, i know :P

They are ok mate, you have a pretty small country population wise (just like us) but we have a more conducive climate than Scandinavia!

In Norway's case, it's not so much the climate being a problem, as the nature of the country. I mean, where do you play football when the land consist of 98& mountains, 1% fjords and the remaining 1% is covered by snow at least 300 days/year? :lol:

 

Another reason why norwegians can't play football is because FIFA refuses to impliment a special rule allowing norwegians to play with skis on their feet :lol:

:P :P :P we can play football!! just not together.. as a team... against other teams.. :?

I like John Arne Riise. Anyone with a dipthong of two i's in their name deserves respect!

Isn't Ahmadinejad coming?

Yeah, he is playing left back for Iran!!! He is fleet of foot and has a booming boot on him!

Ouch!

Things all of a sudden got a bit more difficult for Sweden, after the keeper isaksson "saved" a shot with his face, and as a result he misses at least one game because of a concusion...

 

Granted, Sweden's first game is against Trinidad & Tobago, a game where I think Sweden could put me in the goal and still win. Bit worse if he's out against Paraguay and England though.

Maj, Dwight played for my team Sydney FC this last season, and he makes an intelligent and influential central midfielder. I think him providing for the likes of Stern John could be a dangerous threat.

As much of a hero Dwight is to me, he's too old, too slow, and the players around him are not the quality that they can make use of his skills. Even Australia would win against T&T

Ok....last sec change.

 

I can't go with the fav....The Dutch take care of biz this year!

And so it has begun. Germany - Costa Rica 4-2, which is most goals in an opening game ever. But despite scoring a lot, I wasn't very impressed by Germany. Costa Rica had a defence that might have been the worst I've ever seen on this level. MOTM...Lahm.

 

And now time to make popcorn for Poland - Ecuador, could be a nice game.

Small shocker with Ecuador beatin Poland 2-0. But Poland played really bad, poor defending and lack of orgaisation on the attack. And Ecuador had a really impressive defence. I don't think they lost a header-duel in the entire game.

Today Paraguay will win against England. It is fated. Otherwise, Sweden and Argentina.

*grumbles* I need to change my frogs.

Seems like Fate changed it's mind :D

 

Decent 1-0 win for England, but they hardly looked impressive. Poor Sven can't have liked what hesaw from some of the players. Owen completely invisible, Ashley Cole not going forward the way he's supposed to, Lampard unusually anonymous, and Gerrard spreading his shots all over the place. And Beckham missed unusually many crosses. But "his" goal was the usual high class.

 

But yet, as a collective they looked good in the 1st half, but it was quite foolis to invite paraguay back in the game the way they did in the 2nd half.

 

And it was very obvious how much England needs Rooney. Though, another performance like this from Owen, and he might be the one put on the bench instead of Crouch.

 

MOTM...A tie between Ferdinand and Gerrard.

 

One hour til Sweden's first game.

So, ok, i watched tonights game drunk in a club--but it seemed weak. For the first game of the world cup it was just a let down. *sigh*.