The Official World Cup 2010 Thread

[Monster Zero]

[England were shite.

A fine summation. Adrian Chiles is supremely irritating. Can we get him in a fat-off to the death with Corden?

[delboy]

ITV have got it woefully wrong with their pundits. Chiles had a decent enough start as a henchman but is beginning to wilt a bit. They're trying to be politically correct having so many foreigners on the pundit team but the likes of Davids and Viera are just so dull.... Keegan has always been a terrible pundit and looks like he's just there for a holiday. And both BBC and ITV cant wait to stop talking about whichever match they're covering and start harping on about England. At least the beeb made the wise move of sending the lovely Gabby Logan to hang out near the England camp.

Still at least the rest of the action today is on the BBC. Linekar can manage two live games in a day so why can't Chiles???

[Soda Jerk]

Having English pundits during England games seems a bit daft, as is English commentators, as it's very unbalanced and they don't really report on the game as they would a domestic game. Heaven forbid if a non-English person was watching the England game on British TV. I'd be pretty pissed off if I was watching a Premier League game, and the commentators were willing on just one team the whole time. It's just not right, no matter who is playing.

The panel for England games should be Leonardo, Ruud Gullit and Peter Schmeichel. That Spanish guy from Revista La Liga could host. It'd be a fine balance. Gullit hates English football. Peter Schmeichel seems quite level headed and can speak fluently, and Leonardo is the all-round gent. None of them give a shit about England. Bareable coverage!

[Sam 45]

Cameroon look atrocious.

[Soda Jerk]

Everyone has looked atrocious so far this World Cup. Everyone is so scared to lose their first game.

[Woodsinho]

Everyone has looked atrocious so far this World Cup. Everyone is so scared to lose their first game.

Except Germany and South Korea.

Ji Sung Park doesn't know the meaning of 'scared'. Not even after it's been translated into Korean for him.

[Soda Jerk]

Three Lung Park is the king of football.

I won't judge the Germans properly until they play another game. I reckon 4-0 was more to do with how piss awful the Aussies were. They were just atrocious.

[Captain America]

I would like to see Holland play Elia (sp) and Robben on either wing in the second match. That pace would be scary and trouble any opposition.

[delboy]

thought argentina looked good going forward. first games are always pretty cagey, doesnt really come alive till the second round of games and teams have to go for it.

Cameroon were awful, fair play to Japan they deserved the win. bet tonight's game is 0-0!

[Shaki]

Having English pundits during England games seems a bit daft, as is English commentators, as it's very unbalanced and they don't really report on the game as they would a domestic game. Heaven forbid if a non-English person was watching the England game on British TV. I'd be pretty pissed off if I was watching a Premier League game, and the commentators were willing on just one team the whole time. It's just not right, no matter who is playing.

The panel for England games should be Leonardo, Ruud Gullit and Peter Schmeichel. That Spanish guy from Revista La Liga could host. It'd be a fine balance. Gullit hates English football. Peter Schmeichel seems quite level headed and can speak fluently, and Leonardo is the all-round gent. None of them give a shit about England. Bareable coverage!

Ahem

Don't let that animal's eloquence and stylishness fool you.

[Soda Jerk]

He's a changed man.

[delboy]

nice one paraguay be funny as fuck if the Italiens get spanked!

[davidm]

Kommen Sie an das Vaterland!!!!

That is all.

Just so I know, is this in reference to Germany's win, or Kaiserslautern Under 19's Female Reserve side emphatic victory at the weekend?

[stuartmaxwell]

[Alkaline]

Just so I know, is this in reference to Germany's win, or Kaiserslautern Under 19's Female Reserve side emphatic victory at the weekend?

I have no interest in Kaiserslautern.

[davidm]

I have no interest in Kaiserslautern.

So you say...

[Alkaline]

So you say...

I have no idea what you're talking about. You're obviously too subtle for the internet. Fail.

[Woodsinho]

How about that Italy v Paraguay game, huh? I enjoyed it, despite the lack of goal mouth activity. The way Paraguay hassled and pressed Italy in the first hour was consistently impressive. Every time an Italian player touched the ball in the Paraguay half there were two opposition players charging towards them. If it hadn't been for Villar's ridiculous attempt at being a goalkeeper in the second half I don't think Italy would have managed a comeback.

What happened to Buffon at half time? How injured is he?

[davidm]

How about that Italy v Paraguay game, huh? I enjoyed it, despite the lack of goal mouth activity. The way Paraguay hassled and pressed Italy in the first hour was consistently impressive. Every time an Italian player touched the ball in the Paraguay half there were two opposition players charging towards them. If it hadn't been for Villar's ridiculous attempt at being a goalkeeper in the second half I don't think Italy would have managed a comeback.

What happened to Buffon at half time? How injured is he?

BBC Sport - Football - World Cup 2010: Buffon set for quick return for Italy

Back in two days, it'd seem. I want to say that Italy will do badly on the basis of that performance, but they'll come back. They always do.

Looking forward to Ivory Coast v Portugal today though!

[davidm]

I have no idea what you're talking about. You're obviously too subtle for the internet. Fail.

it was a bad joke in reference to you supporting many football teams. that was all.

[ca_gere]

Yeah, Paraguay did a great job. Beat the Italians at their own game. Well drew with them but still. The best tackling so far. Wasn't a great game in terms of action but tactically it was a lot better than the rest which have been pretty aimless. Watched it in a pub surrounded by about fifty Italians. They were quality entertainment. Singing 'la mere di zidane et un putana' (sic) and when the equalizer went in I've never seen a reaction like it... Beer went flying, they picked up a guy in his chair like at a Jewish wedding and ran around the pub. Was brilliant. There were some olive skinned, thick rimmed glasses wearing hotties in tow too, as there always is in a group of Italians. Going back tonight for the brazil game.

[Alkaline]

it was a bad joke in reference to you supporting many football teams. that was all.

That's so 2006.

[Johnny Mac]

I thought the Italy Paraguay game was horrendous. Dire, dire stuff.... much like the majority of the other games so far.

Hopefully things will improve in the second round of matches.... I guess teams just don't want to lose their opening game.

[Paranoid Android]

I only saw brief highlights of the Paraguay - Italy game but it seems like a fairly typical Italian opening to the tournement. Both these teams should qualify as I can't see Slovakia or the Kiwis giving them any trouble.

It could be quite interesting if in the third round of fixtures both teams had to go against their instincts and go out to get goals in order to avoid finishing second in their group and facing Holland in the second round.

Italy to go out to Spain in the quarters.

Today's games, I'm going for

Slovakia 2-0 New Zealand

Ivory Coast 2-1 Portugal (If Drogba is actually fit and doesn't spend the whole match protecting his arm)

Brazil 4-0 North Korea

I think North Korea will keep it tight early on but Brazil will score one in the first half and take advantage as more gaps appear later in the game.

[delboy]

yeah I agree the tournament hasnt really come to life yet but this is usual for the first round of matches, looking forward to todays matches. never tire watching the brazilians!