Discussion 2006 FIFA WORLD CUP

[Adam_xx]

Re: WORLD CUP

Japan'll kick aussie butt xD
But meh.. lol

 

[CheckMate]

Re: WORLD CUP

Japan'll kick aussie butt xD
But meh.. lol

aussie has better players, but they lack of experience (this is their first WC ever), but i think neither of them will survive from their group.
well there is brazil there, and croatia..

BRAZIL will win..... Ronaldinho + Ronaldo + Kaka + Robinho + Adriano + Roberto Carlos + Emerson + Cafu.... which other team can match that? like Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said..." if u can stop Ronaldinho in a match, can u stop Ronaldo or Kaka at the same time? " I am a brazil fan(since world cup 94)... and always will be.

well we never know. has many good players is really something, but not everything in soccer (football?)

Underdog Japan, can’t wait to see them play, I remember last time they surprised me greatly.

i think sotuh korea has better chance than japan.
and they did better than japan 4 years ago

 

[kadoman]

Re: WORLD CUP

BRAZIL will win..... Ronaldinho + Ronaldo + Kaka + Robinho + Adriano + Roberto Carlos + Emerson + Cafu.... which other team can match that? like Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said..." if u can stop Ronaldinho in a match, can u stop Ronaldo or Kaka at the same time? "

Ronaldhino was effectively contained for 70 minutes by 10 men Arsenal last week thank you very much.  Though nobody would deny his genius, he is certainly not unstoppable, as Arsenal proved.  And yes, if you have a team with a rock solid defence, it is possible to contain Ronaldo at the same time (who has also proven ineffective on a number of occasions with Real Madrid - noteably this year.  As for Carlos, Emmerson and Cafu, they are all in their 30's now (as is most of the squad - definitely an ageing team).  |For some, this will be their last world cup.  Teams who can stifle Brasil's attacking power are Italy, Germany (the best in defence) and France (possibly Spain, but they are always under-achieving). 

 

[Leen]

Re: WORLD CUP

Good individuals dont win the cup. Good team wins the cup. It's that simple. Even with Ronaldinho, Kaka, Robinho, Cafu, Roberto Carlos, and several other good players, there's still a possiblility that they might lose if they dont have a strong teamwork. Also, expect an African team to make some surprises somewhere. Angola might just proof as deadly as England if they work well as a TEAM. Besides, I can never understand how USA can rank 5th in the ranking. Do they hack the system or what? :P Germany will be very strong this year in front of their homeground. Last time's runner-up will show to the world their real strength this time around. As for France, I do not see it repeating its 1998 victory. Just no. Yes, Henry, Trezeguent, Zidane, Coupet, Thuram...and others are good but I just dont see them repeating its feat. As for England, they will have to depend on Owen and Rooney. Rooney was reported to be recovering steadily even though I doubt it. People like to cheer fans out a bit and also make people speculate more about England's chances in World Cup. I think that their fate will be in their keeper's hand. England never really has a GREAT goalkeeper after Gordon Banks . Not that former Arsenal's keeper, David Seaman isn't good, but he's never GREAT. Anyway, it will be a nice competition to watch. Just look out for those dark horses. They will emerge anytime. Spain might just be one of them or maybe Australia, who will be participating the last time as the representative of Ocenia will sting hard on those big guns of Europe.

 

[rykarreolacr]

Re: WORLD CUP

I can never understand how USA can rank 5th in the ranking.

Well, they win their matches and qualified easily to the cup.
The FIFA ranking however, it's just that, it doesn't show which team is the better, it shows which team is doing good.
Of course most European teams are better then USA's, but if they don't play against USA in a meaningfull match, there's no way to prove they are better.
Although it's obvious, that doesn't work with a matematical and stathistical system, like the one FIFA uses, hence, even if USA is ranked 5th, it's not the 5th team of the world.

 

[kadoman]

Re: WORLD CUP

Angola might just proof as deadly as England if they work well as a TEAM.

Maybe on paper, but in reality, hardly. Part of what separates the 'big' guns from the minnows, so to speak, is experience playing in high pressure games on a regular basis. Unless all of Angola's squad plays for the Premiership, or Serie A, the pressure and expectation that comes with such high profile games can break them eventually (among other reasons). Of course, there are exceptions. Minnows have beat over-confident giants every now and then, but it's always 'every now and then' and they never progress very far through the groups.

As for England, they will have to depend on Owen and Rooney.

Depend on Rooney, yes. Owen? Well, depend is a strong word. I don't see many goals coming from him. He peaked about 5 years ago. What is good about the England squad is goals often come from their midfielders and surprisingly often from their defenders. Campbell (who scored with a stunning header against Baracelona just last week) Terry and Lampard are all known to score, and Gerrard and Becks are regulars. None of these are strikers.

Besides, Spain might just be one of them or maybe Australia, who will be participating the last time as the representative of Ocenia will sting hard on those big guns of Europe.

As an Aussie, I wish! I'll agree with you about Spain but Australia will be taking an early exit. Sad, but inevitable.

 

[kiranikos]

Re: WORLD CUP

I support Poland and can’t wait to see them play

 

[ShgnLW]

Re: WORLD CUP

I go for my homecountry and my homecountry only:

HOLLAND!!! THE NETHERLANDS!!! ORANJE!!!!

WhY? According to the last ranking list of the FIFA the netherlands has - after Brazil, the strongest soccer team of the world, although they never won a single World Cup.... but okay they will this year, we didn't lost 16 times in a row, but then we lost with 2-3 against Italy

And we have Ruud van Nistelrooy, Edwin van de Sar (both manchester united I think, could also be Arsenal), Arjan Robben (Chelseau), Marc van Bommel, giovanni van Bronckhorst (Barca), Robin van Persie (english topclub, do not know which), Raphael van de Vaart (HSV), Roy Mackaay (Bayern Munchen, topscorer of the german competition)... ppppffff to much to call, but they are all topplayers. We had more but they were thrown out of the team, we really have one of the best soccer teams on paper, the last four times that we played against brazil we lost in the penalty shoot-out.

We win the last WC we did not participated because we had the worst team ever, but in the tournaments before we always made it to the half-final...

We rule And we have the best coaches. Hiddink was the coach for South-Korea and guess what, he is dutch NOw he is the coach of Australia The coach of Barca is Rijkaard, guess what: DUTCH!! FC Porto, also a dutch trainer (or: had).

We dutch rule at soccer

 

[mageofdeath]

Re: WORLD CUP

Ole, ole, ole, ole oleeeee, oleeeee, Brazil FTW ronaldo is the greatest of all time, and ronaldinho is good too...
I also like the US team, it has some of my favorite players like Donovan, and beasley etc etc...

 

[kadoman]

Re: WORLD CUP

Van Persie plays for Arsenal and Ver de Sar used to play for Fullham (he is a fantastic goal keeper!). Yeah, I like the Dutch squad...though you guys never seem to have much luck? It's weird! Considering the Dutch practically perfected modern football. Well, good luck for this time round!

 

[ShgnLW]

Re: WORLD CUP

Mmm... as long as their are no penalties it will be alright

Penalties are the weakness of the dutch team. Van de Sar (goalkeeper of Manchester, looked it up) will definetely save at least one, but it would be a fuckin miracle if we would score 3 out of 5 penalties at the penalty shootout.

The dutch has a reputation in missing penalties

Who here has already bought a shirt of his/her favorite soccer team?

 

[abdulahi]

Re: WORLD CUP

who said usa was ranked 5th in the world????? i would like to see some papers that supports that? because if thats the case, it mean usa is better then some of the following team, brazil, germany, england, france, italy, spain, portugal, holland, argentina, South korea, croatia. need i go on any more. i personally would put all of these teams before america, no offence to any american supporters but thats just how it is.

@ eileen, what you said about england goalkeeper was totally correct, to think about it england usual lost due to a goal keeper error. but for england stands Gerrod, and golden boy Beckham. who knows what will happen this year round. all i know is we havent the best of keepers but shit happens.and lets not forget england have this year a very strong defence. and a fab midfield.

 

[xallisto]

Re: WORLD CUP

Robinson is the best keeper england have had for quite a while, now that they have got rid of David James Fumble Master.

Theo Walcott anyone?

 

[rykarreolacr]

Re: WORLD CUP

These are the FIFA World Rankings for this month (May 2006)

1 Brazil 827
2 Czech Republic 772
3 Netherlands 768
4 Mexico 758
5 United States
Spain 756
7 Portugal 750
8 France 749
9 Argentina 746
10 England 741
11 Nigeria
Denmark 736
13 Italy 728
14 Turkey 726
15 Cameroon 722
16 Sweden 709
17 Egypt 708
18 Japan 705
19 Germany 696
20 Greece 694
21 Tunisia 693
22 Uruguay 689
23 Iran
Croatia 686
25 Romania 685
26 Costa Rica 683
27 Colombia 681
28 Senegal 679
29 Poland
South Korea 677
31 Republic of Ireland 671
32 Côte d'Ivoire 669
33 Paraguay 653
34 Saudi Arabia 651
35 Switzerland 648
36 Morocco 646
37 Russia
Bulgaria 645
39 Ecuador 631
40 Norway 627
41 Slovakia 613
42 Honduras
Australia 612
44 Serbia and Montenegro 610
45 Ukraine 609
46 Jamaica 607
47 Trinidad and Tobago 604
48 Ghana 600
49 Finland
Israel 599

 

[CheckMate]

Re: WORLD CUP

I go for my homecountry and my homecountry only:

And we have Ruud van Nistelrooy, Edwin van de Sar (both manchester united I think, could also be Arsenal), Arjan Robben (Chelseau), Marc van Bommel, giovanni van Bronckhorst (Barca), Robin van Persie (english topclub, do not know which), Raphael van de Vaart (HSV), Roy Mackaay (Bayern Munchen, topscorer of the german competition)...

And we have the best coaches. Hiddink was the coach for South-Korea and guess what, he is dutch NOw he is the coach of Australia The coach of Barca is Rijkaard, guess what: DUTCH!! FC Porto, also a dutch trainer (or: had).

We dutch rule at soccer

Nistelrooij plays for MU and so do Van Der Sar.
Arjen Robben plays for Chelsea, but he didnt play much this season as he suffered injuries.
Van Persie plays for Arsenal (also has problem with injuries this season)
Roy Makaay is an excellent player, but he isn't the top scorer in bundesliga, the top scorer is Miroslav Klose from Bremen (Germany), and Makaay will not play in WC, as the coach prefers Nistelrooij and the youngsters.

rijkaard and hiddink both are good coach, just they weren't lucky enough to be the champion.
Van Basten was a great player but i doubt he is a good coach, let see how far he can bring his team in this WC.
I personally like how they play their attacking football, just sometimes they forget how to defence, and they are out of luck (penalties shoot out )

@ eileen, what you said about england goalkeeper was totally correct, to think about it england usual lost due to a goal keeper error. but for england stands Gerrod, and golden boy Beckham. who knows what will happen this year round. all i know is we havent the best of keepers but shit happens.and lets not forget england have this year a very strong defence. and a fab midfield.

unfortunately, beckham has passed his prime now, and he has never really played very well for madrid.

english has good team back in 1996, and 2002, but again, they seem not ready to be the champion.
yes, they have a great team now, but i don't see they can reach semi-final. top 8 is their best for my prediction 

 

[Leen]

Re: WORLD CUP

Awww... I forgot about England's midfielders when I posted my earlier post. Lampard and Gerrard are wonderful players. Terry as well. I wont be looking to high on Bechkam though. Never really like this man.

As for Netherlands, they really really are a good team but they always lose. In 1998, they got 4th place. 2002, quarter final?? Cant remember. Until now, I could still remember that penalty shoot out by Jaap Stam. The whole ball just flew up in the air and Netherland lose because of penalties. Also, the best player of Netherlands that I can recall, Johan Cruyff

 

[kadoman]

Re: WORLD CUP

True, true...Becks is not as young or as fit as he used to be. I'm a bit of a Becks sympathiser though, because I've seen what he has done for his country on so many ocassions...I mean, when all the other players are down and out and it's the dying minutes of the game, it's Becks who does a Naruto and never gives up - even when such a game ends in defeat, he never gives up for a second (jesus...did I just mention David Beckham and Naruto in the same sentence?!?!).

Also, he is still the best crosser of a ball in the world. Even now. Don't forget this could be his last (maybe second last) opportunity to lift the cup. I think he'll give it his all.

 

[Amano]

Re: WORLD CUP

I dont know if it has been mentioned here already but I shall be very proud to share my thoughts with you:

We still believe, we still believe... we still believe, its coming home, its coming, footballs coming home ... Three lions on the shirt, Jules Rimet still gleaming ,No more years of hurt, no more need for dreaming... Its coming home its coming ...

England .... England ... England

 

[Kickmeister]

Re: WORLD CUP

For those of you who say Brazil have to many individual players: NEVER count those brazilians out! They really know how to dance, and will most likely act united.
I'm cheering for Sweden, since that's my homecountry. Well we're actually not that bad, I mean when Zlatan is in tip top shape we'll seriously whoop ass ;D
Edit: I hope I'm not the only one looking forward to see Swe pwn England..

 

[CheckMate]

Re: WORLD CUP

As for Netherlands, they really really are a  good team but they always lose. In 1998, they got 4th place. 2002, quarter final?? Cant remember. Until now, I could still remember that penalty shoot out by Jaap Stam. The whole ball just flew up in the air and Netherland lose because of penalties. Also, the best player of Netherlands that I can recall, Johan Cruyff

Netherland:
Euro 2000 - semifinal (lost from italy from PK Shoot Out)
WC 2002 - they failed in qualification stage
Euro 2004 - semi final (knocked out by portugal 1-2)

Also, he is still the best crosser of a ball in the world. 

he still is the best crosser in the world; maybe only recoba alvaro is close to him

I hope I'm not the only one looking forward to see Swe pwn England.. 

yeps, u got me, i dunno but it seems it never easy for england to play sweden 
i also like sweden, and denmark but they never be lucky enough to participate further