WORLD CUP MESSAGEBOARD
Okay, it's just about time to be thinking about the World Cup, for those of us who are serious soccer...I mean football!...fans. And to that end, I would encourage those of you in whom the interests of writing/reading and football converge to post over on the messageboard I've set up for this very purpose...and to spread the link far and wide.
Also, via Alistair Rennie, check out this World Cup predictor.
I have to say upfront, and apologies for appearing unpatriotic, that I'm not confident in the United States' chances. Nor do I particularly care for the style of football they play. I much prefer the various European styles, the Brazilians, and the high-risk African styles. The US still seems somewhat two-dimensional and unimaginative in the way they bring the ball forward, relying on athleticism and basic skill more than the kind of thing that made, for example, the Czech Republic so fun to watch in the European Championship awhile back (even though Greece beat them).
The other thing I love is an amazing defense (like the Greeks displayed in the European Championship).
It's going to be an unbelievable atmosphere in Europe during World Cup and I'm glad I'll be over there for at least part of it.
Jeff
posted by JeffV @ 7:29 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Hit and hope football has its place. It is still very common in England. There are two major advantages to it. First it is much easier to play if your side is lacking in talent. And second it can often beat more complex styles if the pitch conditions are bad. You can't run with the ball easily or pass accurately on the mud bath pitches we often get in the UK. In the US soccer teams are often forced to play on gridiron pitches, which are also far from flat.
Portugal will probably place second to Mexico in the D group, but the Portuguese have a history of lowering their defences when playing weak teams, most of the time to embarrassing results. I wouldn't be surprised if they lost to both Angola and Iran and then beat Mexico. Stranger things have happened . . .
From that point on, I don't know. The round of 16 matches group D with group C, which will most likely be topped by Argentina and the Netherlands, so I'm not getting my hopes up.
As for the Greeks, amazing defence rarely makes for enjoyable football. There's no spark in a match where one team just closes up after scoring a single goal, or stays closed most of the time, tiring their opponents and hoping for a goal near the end.
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