The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup

[supersarsfields]

Have to say Torres has ben very poor at the WC alright. But I don't think playing with Villa helps him. Both players like to take the ball out on the left and try to cut in and unleash a shot. It's something you would see him do regulary for Liverpool. But with Villa taking up the same positions he's not getting that option.

I think Spain would be as well dropping Torres. He's definitely not playing his best stuff and he seems to have lost his touch. He'd be a great man to bring on for 20 to go. There's no point going down the England road were your trying to put players in because of who they are rather than what'll be the best formation.

[Bogball XV]

Holland beat Brazil in 1974 and can do it again. It's he first WCup I remember without the Dutch team imploding with classic in-fighting.

Van Persie on being taken off against Slovakia queried why Sneidjer wasn't being taken off instead.  They have had a long running feud since the 2008 Euro's when they fought over who was going to take a free kick against Russia:

The Dutch pair have embarked on a war of words, stemming from a dispute over a free-kick that came in the Euro 2008 quarter-final against Russia.

Sneijder was the team's allocated dead-ball taker, only for Van Persie to attempt to wrest the ball from his grasp.

The Real Madrid midfielder, recovering from an injury sustained against Van Persie's Arsenal, told the Dutch newspaper Het Parool that Van Persie has 'broken agreements', and that he wanted a showdown.

Late in the last-eight tie against Russia, the Netherlands were awarded a free-kick, which Van Persie duly took. He missed, but Ruud Van Nistelrooy subsequently scored to take the game to extra time. However, Sneijder has revealed that the Arsenal striker broke team protocol.

Sneijder is quoted thus: "From the first practice game, I've been designated as the man who takes free kicks and no one else is supposed to touch the ball.

The ex-Feyenoord man Van Persie aimed low in his reply: "I expected more class from Wesley,'' he told Algemeen Dagblad.

"Besides, it's absolute nonsense that he's the only one who can take free kicks. You can ask the coach.''

Ex-Netherlands coach Marco Van Basten, in charge at the time of the 3-1 defeat, refused to comment while his replacement Bert Van Marwijk will not speak about the incident until he summons the squad togethet next week for the World Cup qualifying fixtures.

Van Persie was willing to clear the air with his international colleague, but has since revoked the offer due to the public nature of Sneijder's remarks.

He continued: "I'm flabbergasted by the way Wesley has acted. Must the whole country take part in a 'meeting' between Sneijder and Van Persie?''

[paco]

Have to say Torres has ben very poor at the WC alright. But I don't think playing with Villa helps him. Both players like to take the ball out on the left and try to cut in and unleash a shot. It's something you would see him do regulary for Liverpool. But with Villa taking up the same positions he's not getting that option.

I think Spain would be as well dropping Torres. He's definitely not playing his best stuff and he seems to have lost his touch. He'd be a great man to bring on for 20 to go. There's no point going down the England road were your trying to put players in because of who they are rather than what'll be the best formation.

This was the way they played at Euro 2008, Villa was the main striker and Torres was able to cut in from the left, both with great success. But the new manager decided to switch roles and Torres doesn't look comfortable, although his fitness/confidence issues are definitely a factor. Villa looks like he'll be a threat anywhere and I'd really like to see them playing 3 up front, with iniesta on the left like he does for Barcelona and Navas on the right.

[cokers]

Lads I'd be kinda interested to hear the total number of empty seats in the group stages of this tournament. From what I seen there was loads. Would it not have been a better advertisement for the world cup if fifa had filled these seats for free just for tv?

[mountainboii]

Lads I'd be kinda interested to hear the total number of empty seats in the group stages of this tournament. From what I seen there was loads. Would it not have been a better advertisement for the world cup if fifa had filled these seats for free just for tv?

I think they tried on a few occasions. During several matches, the TV commentators noted that the stadium seemed to fill up more and more as the match went on. This would suggest that someone was outside the grounds rounding up kids or whoever to fill the place. There definitely seemed to be lots of groups of kids in school uniforms at some of the matches.

[longrunsthefox]

Lads I'd be kinda interested to hear the total number of empty seats in the group stages of this tournament. From what I seen there was loads. Would it not have been a better advertisement for the world cup if fifa had filled these seats for free just for tv?

I think they tried on a few occasions. During several matches, the TV commentators noted that the stadium seemed to fill up more and more as the match went on. This would suggest that someone was outside the grounds rounding up kids or whoever to fill the place. There definitely seemed to be lots of groups of kids in school uniforms at some of the matches.

That's a good one. At the Oscars when someone or a group of people go to take their prize, stand-ins move into their seats so there are no empty ones shown.
Also apparently some of these tasty birds at the World Cup are put in the crowd with football jerseys on waiting for the cameras to scan to them.   

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Have to say Torres has ben very poor at the WC alright. But I don't think playing with Villa helps him. Both players like to take the ball out on the left and try to cut in and unleash a shot. It's something you would see him do regulary for Liverpool. But with Villa taking up the same positions he's not getting that option.

I think Spain would be as well dropping Torres. He's definitely not playing his best stuff and he seems to have lost his touch. He'd be a great man to bring on for 20 to go. There's no point going down the England road were your trying to put players in because of who they are rather than what'll be the best formation.

This was the way they played at Euro 2008, Villa was the main striker and Torres was able to cut in from the left, both with great success. But the new manager decided to switch roles and Torres doesn't look comfortable, although his fitness/confidence issues are definitely a factor. Villa looks like he'll be a threat anywhere and I'd really like to see them playing 3 up front, with iniesta on the left like he does for Barcelona and Navas on the right.

I haven't been impressed by Navas.  Gets into some good positions but his final pass/cross have been awful and he is too easily dispossessed

[sammymaguire]

– I hear Oxo are making a new product. The packaging is white with a red cross and they're calling it the laughing stock.

– Fabio Capello was wheeling his shopping trolley across the supermarket car park when he noticed an old lady struggling with her bags of shopping. He stopped and asked, "Can you manage dear?" To which the old lady replied: "No way. You got yourself into this mess. Don't ask me to sort it out!"

– What do you call an Englishman in the knockout stages of the World Cup? A referee.

– Apparently that fan had no trouble slipping into the England dressing room – Robert Green was guarding the door.

– What does the Englishman do when England wins the World Cup? He switches off the Play Station.

[paco]

Have to say Torres has ben very poor at the WC alright. But I don't think playing with Villa helps him. Both players like to take the ball out on the left and try to cut in and unleash a shot. It's something you would see him do regulary for Liverpool. But with Villa taking up the same positions he's not getting that option.

I think Spain would be as well dropping Torres. He's definitely not playing his best stuff and he seems to have lost his touch. He'd be a great man to bring on for 20 to go. There's no point going down the England road were your trying to put players in because of who they are rather than what'll be the best formation.

This was the way they played at Euro 2008, Villa was the main striker and Torres was able to cut in from the left, both with great success. But the new manager decided to switch roles and Torres doesn't look comfortable, although his fitness/confidence issues are definitely a factor. Villa looks like he'll be a threat anywhere and I'd really like to see them playing 3 up front, with iniesta on the left like he does for Barcelona and Navas on the right.

I haven't been impressed by Navas.  Gets into some good positions but his final pass/cross have been awful and he is too easily dispossessed

He was great in the first game, although not as good in the second, but having seen him all season I know that he is capable of stretching the German defence and allowing Xavi more room to thread passes through the middle. He has the pace to enable Spain to counter-attack if needs be. Would be an interesting battle between him against Boateng, who's also very quick.

[Main Street]

There's a good read in an interview of sorts with a penitent Martin Hansson in the IT today,

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0630/1224273621922.html

"There are simulations by players and then they show their shirt and it says: 'I love Jesus'. That's very strange for me.


Has he some player in mind?

[longrunsthefox]

That's a load of kak

[Main Street]

Are you looking at your bed sheets?

[ross4life]

Torres highlight from the world cup so far

[ross4life]

Ronaldo is Nike curse's final victim
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/world-cup/armchair-pundit/article/4110/

[ludermor]

If Roger Federer, spanked at table tennis by Rooney in the Nike spot, fails to win Wimbledon, we'll know there really is a curse

Oh-ho