Running, all-purpose World Cup thread

Sure, idiot. But here you are on the 158th page of a soccer-devoted thread.

 

Best match: Germany-Italy semifinal. No goals for nearly two hours, but edge-of-your seat stuff the entire way. And Italy, surprisingly, chose not to play for PKs but to actually try and win the thing.

Worst match: U.S.-Czech Republic. A thudding start after four years of waiting.


Favorite player: Thuram. He played his tail off the entire way. Zidane got all the credit, but other than Brazil, he was good, not great. Thuram was brilliant end-to-end.

Most disappointing player: Frank Lampard. Remember, this guy was finalist for World Footballer of the year just two years ago. For England, he was completely useless and frequently negative. England might have won this thing if it had played Gerrard forward full-time, used dual strikers and played Hargreaves in Lampard's spot.

Best goal: Maxi Rodriguez in OT vs. Mexico. No one else came close to that.


Suggested rule change for WC 2010 (wherever it might be): Allow one sub for each of the two 15-minute overtime periods to give teams a better chance to win before PKs.

 

One last bit of history for Zidane -- apparently he's the first player to be sent off in two World Cups. Today and in France '98 against Saudi Arabia.

 

God bless you, Barry Glendenning. ;D

If nothing else, I'll miss these Guardian podcasts.

 

From that article ...

Best prediction

Boston Globe

Pre-tournament guide, Boston Globe: 'ENGLAND: like the New York Mets. Massively, ridiculously overrated by their media, always involved in some sort of comic downfall, insane injuries, woeful management. A car crash waiting to happen, at which stage the local media go berserk.'

 

That's why Dell'Appa gets paid the big bucks.

 

Best pre-game show that you didn't see if you were watching ABC (it was shown in its entirety on Univision):

Shakira and Wyclef performing their "Hips Don't Lie"

Shakira is the one woman in the world that I would marry on the spot, no questions asked. That girl is triple jointed in her hips, I think.

Here it is:

 

Is there a link?

 

Best match: Australia-Japan. First WCup game in 32 years for the Socceroos, sub Cahill ties the game in the 84th minute, scores again at 89' and Aloisi with the clincher at 92'. Honorable mention: Italy-Germany, Brazil-France, Germany-Argentina. (And a shoutout to Saudi Arabia-Tunisia.)

Worst match: Ukraine-Switzerland. No question about it. Honorable mention: Portugal-Netherlands (what a disgrace), Switzerland-France.

Favorite player: Fabio Cannavaro. I knew nothing about him before this Cup. What an effin' stud. Completely dominated the tournament. Honorable mention: Tim Cahill, Franck Ribery, Shaka Hislop ... Juergen Klinsmann -- god, he was as fun to watch as anyone. (Zidane was atop my list until the 110th minute today. Fuck.)

Most disappointing player: Ronaldinho. He just never showed up. I don't know why; his talent is undeniable. But he showed nothing this month. Nothing. Brazil should've steamrolled thru this Cup. Honorable mention: Frank Lampard, Landon Donovan, Pavel Nedved, Ronaldo, C. Ronaldo.

Best goal: Maxi Rodriguez vs. Mexico. The exact same move as Joe Cole (without the bounce first), only it was an extra-time game winner. Brilliant. Honorable mention: J. Cole is No. 1 any other year, Argentina's teamwork against S&M, Schweinsteiger's mid-air S-turn of a drive vs. Portugal, Zinedine-to-Henry vs. Brazil.

Suggested rule change for WC 2010: Second referee. It works in hockey, it'll work here. I'm all for the human element in officiating, but this was a disgusting display of professionalism from players and refs.

 

Fatality ... oops, Materazzi was OK.

 

That would a great rule. Don't see it happening, but it would be great for the game. So would a fourth on-field referee.