ESPN: kaka elbowing keita wasn't worthy of a second yellow.
even if the guy acted and grabbed his face, it's ok for kaka to elbow someone? god the people @ ESPN are fucktards. asinine. glad i caught the game on univision instead.
this really is funny because the US actually have a stronger chance of making it to the 16 than England, France, Germany or Spain to make way for Ghana, Switzerland, New Zealand and Serbia... very interesting.
I'm glad Kaka was booked and sent off, although the next match is pointless anyway... he'll be well rested for the next round
it is my opinion that kaka knew exactly what he was doing... he extended the elbow out so that it was more of a point into the man's chest.. he also could tell that the other player was in a defenseless position. if he had just wanted to stop the player he could have either reached out or kept his elbow in. you could tell by the look on his face that he was kind of looking to get chippy since play was getting a bit dirty prior to that... having played a bunch of soccer you just know when your teammate is kind of just not there and is looking to get a bit dirty....especially when he's been fouled a few times
regardless u just have to play smarter when you're playing with a yellow
i dont think portugal has to worry about not advancing
having conversations with various people regarding the world cup i realize that fans of certain teams don't want to have semi intelligent discussion regarding their team... ie.
spanish team following friend tried to tell me that spain losing to the swiss and italy's tie with nz is not comporable... and that spain has been far better so far than italy... was anyone else unimpressed with spain in their loss? seemed to me that they were very direct and not all that creative..but am i wrong?
brasil team follower tried to tell me that kaka's sending off was a travesty equal to the US having their goal disallowed... when i then went on to tell her that kaka being sent off with a 3-0 lead at the 80th minute and given the day off when brasil has already advanced isn't anywhere close...well she didn't like to hear that. but seriously..the US getting 2 total points instead of 4 and being put in a far worse spot of not qualifying and brasil losing a player they won't need anyway with 6 points is the same thing? seriously?
According to "my" team: thus far, we've sucked donkeyballs. Sure, winning both first games is good, qualifying too, but it's almost as if they've decided to just play bad...
If they play like this against a country like Brazil, they're getting their asses kicked.
(I'm dutch, by the way).
The other teams: 7-0 for portugal sounds nice, but one has to remember that North Korea generally has difficulty winning from teams like Thailand or Lebanon. It isn't worth that much.
Brazil: the referee at that game was a joke. He had to ask Luis Fabiano wether he played with his hand (as if he's going to say "yes, twice"), he saw none of the really harsh tackles by the Ivorians, and Kaka did nothing twice, and got sent off for that.
France: is a joke. I think it's good that Domenec decided to leave some of the "criminals" at home (Benzema), otherwise the situation would've been more extreme (maybe fights between Anelka and Benzema?). Domenec never had the quality to lead the team (anyone remember the astrology-stuff last championship?)
Spain: played good, just didn't score. if they'd replay this game 100 times, spain would win 99 of them. Still one of the strongest sides.
USA: if they play against Algeria the same as in the second half against Slovenia, they'll easily progress. And if Slovenia plays well, England will be out (which wouldn't be totally unrealistic, considering the unrest in the English team)
Italy: they're playing really really bad. But it wouldn't be the first time they'd progress after three ties in the group phase.
holz.box, ya that makes sense... commit a foul then sprint 50 yards away just to make it more suspicious?? Clearly if he wanted to hurt the guy he would make sure his elbow is perpendicular to the guys chest.
I like how after running into Kaka, Keita looks at Kaka and then proceeds to grab his face, like I said... Oscar worthy.
it wasn't elbowing. It's bracing yourself after an Ivorian tank runs into you. what should he have done, cut off his elbow so keita wouldn't run into it?
you brace yourself by planting your feet, leaning in and sticking your elbow at the person running into you? funny, usually, you use your arms to absorbe the shock and avoid it.
watch the replay, it reeks of intentionality. if you think otherwise, you should stick to interior design because your basic understanding of physics is seriously flawed and i fear your buildings wouldn't stand a weak breeze.
the IC player doesn't even see Kaka..he's watching the ball..Kaka could've avoided contact or got his hands up in time to stop the other player...instead he raises his elbow and sets himself. he knows exactly what he was doing..and it was cheap and beneath him.
keita may have sold it, but that's what soccer players do when they've been hit by someone who may be doing it intentionally. i know i've definitely been hacked a few times and sought out my revenge within or just outside the rules...especially when the foul hasn't been called.
you can see here the IC player is looking to open up for a pass... he doesn't even see Kaka..with that said..the ref doesn't see it either, but the assistant referee may have.
the flop that got kaka that 2nd yellow was really, really pathetic. Its shit like that which turns people off. These guys are supposed to be playing soccer... not acting, rolling around on the ground like they've been shot. Its infuriating to me, and i wish they would severely punish such brazen diving and play acting after the fact. keita should get suspended for that ridiculousness....
that rant aside... kaka might not deserve a card for that bump, but he deserves a card for flat out stupidity. Brazil was whipping IC, and for about 7 min prior to that card, they were tip toeing around, dancing on the ball, and for all intents and purposes, showing up the IC players along the left side line. What do you think is going to happen? Brazil behaved badly, the IC behaved badly, but brazil, to my eye, were clearly the provocateurs in this case.
either way, its a shame, because at the end of the day, Kaka, Dunga, and the brazilians look like bullys at best, morans at worst.
The IC look like babies at best, malicious at worst... and people who might not know the game, and turned it on to see what was overwhelmingly an entertaining game tuned out at the end disgusted... i know i did...
hey, nice uppercut in that second one...yea, Keita looks like a nice clean player that was done wrong...and my uncle is Winston Churchill....
yes, Kaka gave him a bit of an elbow, but the referee was not even looking, so he just carded him based on the Keita's wonderful acting and the other IC players' reactions...not a yellow card in my view...but then there have been many more abominable calls so far than that.
Creative forward to play in national team for a country that is shaped like a boot. Must know how to actually score a goal, or if opportunity is blocked, make a smart pass to someone open. Must pay own fare to South Africa.
Contact M. Lippi care of Nazionale, South Africa. Pay mediocre. Please hurry.
I'll second that, Orhan. Between spoiled brat players and a total fucktard of a coach, I've never been so happy to see a team knocked out in the first round.
The one positive of being unemployed: being able to watch most of these games.
Being from Brasil (although living in the US), I can tell you that we would rather win without the handballs, and that we tend to share holz and larslars' opinions on Kaká's elbow and the general poor sportsmanship our team showed at the end of that game. That said, the only reason it escalated to that point was the imbecile ref who did not keep control of the game. And the handballs do not look intentional, not that it matters.
I'll third "good riddance France!" Bonne chance with your press!
letdown...Kaka did just what I would do walk away from the situation....you had to see him back peddling while the acting was taking place on the ground. The offical obviously missed the call or they guy will be up for an Oscar for "Best World Cup Performance".
Having watched that game and Brazils first game I would say we are in for alot better games. When they spread the field and temp the other team to challange them they will always win for passing skills and of course open the goal for points.
I don't think we have seen their full force play, it will come with a real challange, then they will have to step up to the football and kick the hell out of it.
oh my God, snook, I knew there was someone missing from the Dutch side! How the hell could he exclude a player of his quality? Yea, Lippi should make a quick call, get him Italian citizenship, get him down to SA....now!
ruuuuud! didn't he retire from national play after the last eurocup, though?
did domenech really not shake SA's coach's hand after the loss? it'll be interesting to see what happens to the national team at this point.
the greece-argentina started to devolve at one point as well. wtf is up with the refs allowing things to get out of hand? the story of this WM will be the horrible reffing.
messi had a few good attempts, and it's really exciting to watch maradona enjoy his players doing well. you kinda wish all coaches had his heart, to some extent.
Ruud first retire to focus solely on Real Madrid. After a while, he started to regret it. After being injured, Real told him it was unlikely he would play a lot, and the coach claimed that Ruud needed to play in order to have a chance. That was him main motivation to move to HSV... But Van Marwijk didn't select him (but instead took Huntelaar who kinda failed at AC Milan this season)...
that really was such an incredible finish... it could not have been more intense... im sitting here at my office and see that we got the goal... i could barely contain my excitement... i almost jumped up on my desk... holy majoley.... from out of the tourn to topping the group in 1 second... totaly amazing... could donovan possibly be more clutch? sheesh...
it makes up for his pussyfooted play in the box 8 minutes earlier where he should have touched it once and shot, but instead lost the ball. i dunno if clutch is the word i would use for landon. overrated, maybe. but not clutch.
Yes, the last goal released unbearable tensios...the US should have scored earlier - particularly Bradley...c'mon, put that thing in the net - and that offsides on the goal was inches if that.
But holz, give Landon a break...he's got, what is it now, 45 goals in USA national play...that's overrated?
I'm really glad they scored at the end there, because I was ready to boycott watching the rest of the games if the USA had been eliminated and resulted in one of the biggest rip-off eliminations in World Cup history.
USA will play either Ghana or Serbia. Germany will only go on if they'll win against Ghana, and then they'll lead the group. Or, rather theoretically, USA can also play against Australia.
I wasn't quite expecting the goal anymore, I must admit...
Do you really think Serbia is going to score 4 more goals than Germany..haha.
I am fairly confident the US will avoid Germany, as Germany will beat Ghana and Serbia may or may not win, but if they do, they will not beat Australia by +4 goals.
My 7 year old son was watching it and as I passed by I saw a player who looked like he took a smallish hit from another player around the facial area and went falling to the ground. Flag came out. The guy rolled all over the place like he might need to be taken off the field on a stretcher. I was like "wow, it didn't look that bad but ok" Then they showed the instant replay from another angle which showed the guy didn't really get hit at all. I sat there thinking "man what a sissy actor" If a hockey player laid out like a little gurl on the ice after not even being touched his own team mates would knock em down.
Fence..this is the big problem with the sport, IMO. I too believe they need to eradicate the 'acting'. I think they should follow the Scottish FA and issue post match yellow cards for those that obviously fake injury and foul . It is hard enough on the referees to police the players without having to deal with the sissy questions. I play ice hockey here in the northeast and could never imagine a player going down and rolling around after getting 'hit'. On the other hand, I have played soccer my whole life as well, and it is a sad part of the culture of the game. I think the game would thrive without it..and I am sure many casual fans are turned off at the spectacle (understandably)
That being said...if you watched the US / Algeria game from start to finish, this is the best of the sport. The intensity and build up in this game was fantastic with a great finish. The emotion in the game is unrivaled in US sports.
2010 world cup
the brazilian acting is phenomenal! who knew they could dive/whine as much as cristana ronaldo?
and the ref missing BOTH of fabiano's handballs? reidiculous.
the refs apparently need glasses.
and wtf is up w/ france? zizou needs to knock some heads.
ESPN: kaka elbowing keita wasn't worthy of a second yellow.
even if the guy acted and grabbed his face, it's ok for kaka to elbow someone? god the people @ ESPN are fucktards. asinine. glad i caught the game on univision instead.
holz.box, in the replay it did not look like kaka was trying to elbow; he just stuck out his arm to stop the other player from running into him.
IVC had an oscar worthy performance.
Italy in the world cup this year..........um...........yea................next!
(same for England, France, and maybe Germany, Spain, and Portugal)
....what on earth has happened to the great European national teams?
this really is funny because the US actually have a stronger chance of making it to the 16 than England, France, Germany or Spain to make way for Ghana, Switzerland, New Zealand and Serbia... very interesting.
I'm glad Kaka was booked and sent off, although the next match is pointless anyway... he'll be well rested for the next round
it is my opinion that kaka knew exactly what he was doing... he extended the elbow out so that it was more of a point into the man's chest.. he also could tell that the other player was in a defenseless position. if he had just wanted to stop the player he could have either reached out or kept his elbow in. you could tell by the look on his face that he was kind of looking to get chippy since play was getting a bit dirty prior to that... having played a bunch of soccer you just know when your teammate is kind of just not there and is looking to get a bit dirty....especially when he's been fouled a few times
regardless u just have to play smarter when you're playing with a yellow
i dont think portugal has to worry about not advancing
having conversations with various people regarding the world cup i realize that fans of certain teams don't want to have semi intelligent discussion regarding their team... ie.
spanish team following friend tried to tell me that spain losing to the swiss and italy's tie with nz is not comporable... and that spain has been far better so far than italy... was anyone else unimpressed with spain in their loss? seemed to me that they were very direct and not all that creative..but am i wrong?
brasil team follower tried to tell me that kaka's sending off was a travesty equal to the US having their goal disallowed... when i then went on to tell her that kaka being sent off with a 3-0 lead at the 80th minute and given the day off when brasil has already advanced isn't anywhere close...well she didn't like to hear that. but seriously..the US getting 2 total points instead of 4 and being put in a far worse spot of not qualifying and brasil losing a player they won't need anyway with 6 points is the same thing? seriously?
According to "my" team: thus far, we've sucked donkeyballs. Sure, winning both first games is good, qualifying too, but it's almost as if they've decided to just play bad...
If they play like this against a country like Brazil, they're getting their asses kicked.
(I'm dutch, by the way).
The other teams: 7-0 for portugal sounds nice, but one has to remember that North Korea generally has difficulty winning from teams like Thailand or Lebanon. It isn't worth that much.
Brazil: the referee at that game was a joke. He had to ask Luis Fabiano wether he played with his hand (as if he's going to say "yes, twice"), he saw none of the really harsh tackles by the Ivorians, and Kaka did nothing twice, and got sent off for that.
France: is a joke. I think it's good that Domenec decided to leave some of the "criminals" at home (Benzema), otherwise the situation would've been more extreme (maybe fights between Anelka and Benzema?). Domenec never had the quality to lead the team (anyone remember the astrology-stuff last championship?)
Spain: played good, just didn't score. if they'd replay this game 100 times, spain would win 99 of them. Still one of the strongest sides.
USA: if they play against Algeria the same as in the second half against Slovenia, they'll easily progress. And if Slovenia plays well, England will be out (which wouldn't be totally unrealistic, considering the unrest in the English team)
Italy: they're playing really really bad. But it wouldn't be the first time they'd progress after three ties in the group phase.
this is nothing? if kaka did nothing, why did he not look shocked afterwards, and instead run 50 yards down the field so the ref couldn't see him?
he knew exactly what he was doing. this may have been the only correct call by that ref the entire game.
holz.box, ya that makes sense... commit a foul then sprint 50 yards away just to make it more suspicious?? Clearly if he wanted to hurt the guy he would make sure his elbow is perpendicular to the guys chest.
I like how after running into Kaka, Keita looks at Kaka and then proceeds to grab his face, like I said... Oscar worthy.
Maybe Keita and the guy in this video had the same acting coach?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUsqUyCHYcA
regardless of keita's sell, intentionally elbowing someone is a card. he immediately sprinted away because he knew he was going to get booked.
pique just took one to the balls. ouch.
it wasn't elbowing. It's bracing yourself after an Ivorian tank runs into you. what should he have done, cut off his elbow so keita wouldn't run into it?
you brace yourself by planting your feet, leaning in and sticking your elbow at the person running into you? funny, usually, you use your arms to absorbe the shock and avoid it.
watch the replay, it reeks of intentionality. if you think otherwise, you should stick to interior design because your basic understanding of physics is seriously flawed and i fear your buildings wouldn't stand a weak breeze.
the IC player doesn't even see Kaka..he's watching the ball..Kaka could've avoided contact or got his hands up in time to stop the other player...instead he raises his elbow and sets himself. he knows exactly what he was doing..and it was cheap and beneath him.
keita may have sold it, but that's what soccer players do when they've been hit by someone who may be doing it intentionally. i know i've definitely been hacked a few times and sought out my revenge within or just outside the rules...especially when the foul hasn't been called.
Kaka is also acting as if he doesn't see the other player by kind of looking away..but his body language says a different story.
you can see here the IC player is looking to open up for a pass... he doesn't even see Kaka..with that said..the ref doesn't see it either, but the assistant referee may have.
the flop that got kaka that 2nd yellow was really, really pathetic. Its shit like that which turns people off. These guys are supposed to be playing soccer... not acting, rolling around on the ground like they've been shot. Its infuriating to me, and i wish they would severely punish such brazen diving and play acting after the fact. keita should get suspended for that ridiculousness....
that rant aside... kaka might not deserve a card for that bump, but he deserves a card for flat out stupidity. Brazil was whipping IC, and for about 7 min prior to that card, they were tip toeing around, dancing on the ball, and for all intents and purposes, showing up the IC players along the left side line. What do you think is going to happen? Brazil behaved badly, the IC behaved badly, but brazil, to my eye, were clearly the provocateurs in this case.
either way, its a shame, because at the end of the day, Kaka, Dunga, and the brazilians look like bullys at best, morans at worst.
The IC look like babies at best, malicious at worst... and people who might not know the game, and turned it on to see what was overwhelmingly an entertaining game tuned out at the end disgusted... i know i did...
btw, keita is no angel.;.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei0f12GYHgk&feature=related
another one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm4NIZ9xt5s&feature=related
hey, nice uppercut in that second one...yea, Keita looks like a nice clean player that was done wrong...and my uncle is Winston Churchill....
yes, Kaka gave him a bit of an elbow, but the referee was not even looking, so he just carded him based on the Keita's wonderful acting and the other IC players' reactions...not a yellow card in my view...but then there have been many more abominable calls so far than that.
and Spain seems to have found itself...nice goals by Villa...could have been three...and they could have won 4 or 5 to nil.
WANTED:
Creative forward to play in national team for a country that is shaped like a boot. Must know how to actually score a goal, or if opportunity is blocked, make a smart pass to someone open. Must pay own fare to South Africa.
Contact M. Lippi care of Nazionale, South Africa. Pay mediocre. Please hurry.
Useful analysis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McJ7X_G__jE
this is disgusting. good riddance asshole!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDrq1SM9f_o&feature=player_embedded
I'll second that, Orhan. Between spoiled brat players and a total fucktard of a coach, I've never been so happy to see a team knocked out in the first round.
Messi deserved to score a goal in today's game....but I'm sure he doesn't care as long as they keep winning.
The one positive of being unemployed: being able to watch most of these games.
Being from Brasil (although living in the US), I can tell you that we would rather win without the handballs, and that we tend to share holz and larslars' opinions on Kaká's elbow and the general poor sportsmanship our team showed at the end of that game. That said, the only reason it escalated to that point was the imbecile ref who did not keep control of the game. And the handballs do not look intentional, not that it matters.
I'll third "good riddance France!" Bonne chance with your press!
Also, I found a great site for tactical analysis: http://www.zonalmarking.net/
letdown...Kaka did just what I would do walk away from the situation....you had to see him back peddling while the acting was taking place on the ground. The offical obviously missed the call or they guy will be up for an Oscar for "Best World Cup Performance".
Having watched that game and Brazils first game I would say we are in for alot better games. When they spread the field and temp the other team to challange them they will always win for passing skills and of course open the goal for points.
I don't think we have seen their full force play, it will come with a real challange, then they will have to step up to the football and kick the hell out of it.
Let the games go on!
@ Emilio: I suppose Ruud van Nistelrooij would be up for that challenge. He's left at home by our coach and (probably) still pissed about it...
tempt....
oh my God, snook, I knew there was someone missing from the Dutch side! How the hell could he exclude a player of his quality? Yea, Lippi should make a quick call, get him Italian citizenship, get him down to SA....now!
ruuuuud! didn't he retire from national play after the last eurocup, though?
did domenech really not shake SA's coach's hand after the loss? it'll be interesting to see what happens to the national team at this point.
the greece-argentina started to devolve at one point as well. wtf is up with the refs allowing things to get out of hand? the story of this WM will be the horrible reffing.
messi had a few good attempts, and it's really exciting to watch maradona enjoy his players doing well. you kinda wish all coaches had his heart, to some extent.
Ruud first retire to focus solely on Real Madrid. After a while, he started to regret it. After being injured, Real told him it was unlikely he would play a lot, and the coach claimed that Ruud needed to play in order to have a chance. That was him main motivation to move to HSV... But Van Marwijk didn't select him (but instead took Huntelaar who kinda failed at AC Milan this season)...
ngggggggggggggggggggggoooooooooooooooooolllll
surprised that one wasn't called back either.
unreal.......
that was such an amazing finish........ wow.....
DONAVAN!! DONAVAN!! DONAVAN!! DONAVAN!! DONAVAN!! DONAVAN!! DONAVAN!! DONAVAN!! DONAVAN!! DONAVAN!! DONAVAN!! DONAVAN!!
.......EPIC......
ha. if both previous u.s.goals hadn't been called back, the tension wouldn't have been there.
algeria played really well, though. will US be playing DE or serbia? holz is hoping serbia.
also, can dempsey PLEASE stop kicking it directly at the goalie? i can't take it anymore...
that really was such an incredible finish... it could not have been more intense... im sitting here at my office and see that we got the goal... i could barely contain my excitement... i almost jumped up on my desk... holy majoley.... from out of the tourn to topping the group in 1 second... totaly amazing... could donovan possibly be more clutch? sheesh...
it makes up for his pussyfooted play in the box 8 minutes earlier where he should have touched it once and shot, but instead lost the ball. i dunno if clutch is the word i would use for landon. overrated, maybe. but not clutch.
Yes, the last goal released unbearable tensios...the US should have scored earlier - particularly Bradley...c'mon, put that thing in the net - and that offsides on the goal was inches if that.
But holz, give Landon a break...he's got, what is it now, 45 goals in USA national play...that's overrated?
unbearable tension, that is....
and 2 crucial ones in 2 do or die games
I'm really glad they scored at the end there, because I was ready to boycott watching the rest of the games if the USA had been eliminated and resulted in one of the biggest rip-off eliminations in World Cup history.
USA will play either Ghana or Serbia. Germany will only go on if they'll win against Ghana, and then they'll lead the group. Or, rather theoretically, USA can also play against Australia.
I wasn't quite expecting the goal anymore, I must admit...
I stand corrected: if Germany and Serbia both win, but Serbia wins with 4 goals more than Germany, it'll be USA-Germany.
Do you really think Serbia is going to score 4 more goals than Germany..haha.
I am fairly confident the US will avoid Germany, as Germany will beat Ghana and Serbia may or may not win, but if they do, they will not beat Australia by +4 goals.
is boateng in strictly to f*ck with the ghana team?
dear ESPN,
landon's goal was in the 90th minute. the 91st minute would be in extra time, not stoppage time.
How do you even watch this sport?
My 7 year old son was watching it and as I passed by I saw a player who looked like he took a smallish hit from another player around the facial area and went falling to the ground. Flag came out. The guy rolled all over the place like he might need to be taken off the field on a stretcher. I was like "wow, it didn't look that bad but ok" Then they showed the instant replay from another angle which showed the guy didn't really get hit at all. I sat there thinking "man what a sissy actor" If a hockey player laid out like a little gurl on the ice after not even being touched his own team mates would knock em down.
Fence..this is the big problem with the sport, IMO. I too believe they need to eradicate the 'acting'. I think they should follow the Scottish FA and issue post match yellow cards for those that obviously fake injury and foul . It is hard enough on the referees to police the players without having to deal with the sissy questions. I play ice hockey here in the northeast and could never imagine a player going down and rolling around after getting 'hit'. On the other hand, I have played soccer my whole life as well, and it is a sad part of the culture of the game. I think the game would thrive without it..and I am sure many casual fans are turned off at the spectacle (understandably)
That being said...if you watched the US / Algeria game from start to finish, this is the best of the sport. The intensity and build up in this game was fantastic with a great finish. The emotion in the game is unrivaled in US sports.
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