I think you've proven more than once now that you don't know what you are talking about when it comes to identifying good players.
This is just one more example.
You seem to forget that this is still a team game. you more than one great player to very good team.
You even need a decent coach to make it a great one.
enjoy the world cup....and learn
True, a good alternative.
but lets face it if Ribery could also be on the team it would be one more weapon that would benefit the French team. When he is on he can change a game.
I can guarantee that there are many coaches and players at the WC very pleased that they won't have to worry about defending against him.
That being said the french team is as good as it can be right now and they finally have a good coach.
It's a young team that lacks experience which may hurt them towards the later stages but I think they can go far.
I personally would give them a small chance to win it all if Ribery was also on the team at 100% ( i think he feels he had something to prove after not winning the Ballon D'or).
Will have to see how they do vs Swizerland. Their 1st real test at this WC.
Wales don't have such a bad team you know. For a very small country Wales have produced their fair share of world class players-from John Charles, who played for Juventus to Mark Hughes (Barcelona, Manchester Utd.) and Ryan Giggs etc.
Holland's last friendly match 2 weeks before the world cup was against Wales, Robben and Van Persie played and were kept busy by a talented, young Welsh team who play a positive, passing, continental style. The score flattered Holland, their second goal shouldn't have been given, one nil or maybe a draw would've been a fair reflection of the game.
At the moment Wales have some very talented young players including Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey (who didn't play against Holland), Wales have been genuinely unlucky not to qualify for a major tournament in the past having produced sides that beat Italy and Germany.
Things are building steadily for them at the moment, and after the death of their manager and legendary player Gary Speed, the new coach and the players have been immense in keeping strong as a team and continuing to improve.
France will make it to at least the semis.
The beautiful game wrote:
I think you've proven more than once now that you don't know what you are talking about when it comes to identifying good players.
This is just one more example.
Wayne Rooney scored most of his international goals against teams like Lichtenstein, Kazakhstan, Belarus and San Marino.
He never scored a single goal against Germany, Italy or Spain.
Again, most overrated player, only earns big time $ because he is British and plays in the Premier League.
American Abroad wrote:
Wørd wrote:Nobody outside the US has called group G the "group of death".
Group B is the strongest group based on rankings. Group D has 3 former world champions in it. A "group of death" usually means one where a big team will be eliminated, such as one of NED/ESP/CHI or one of ENG/ITA/URU. Nobody would find it odd if neither the US nor Ghana reach the knock-out stage. And that's not to offend anyone but at a World Cup, teams from Africa or CONCACAF (or Asia) are not usually "expected" to advance.
I am in Germany right now and pre-tournament the Germans were calling it a "group of death". 4 years ago it took Spain to put away Germany and Portugal, Ghana narrowly eliminated the US and then came 1 missed penalty from the semi-finals. That makes 4 teams clearly capable of advancing out of the group, if not further.
My personal opinion is that the draw this year just came out very unbalanced creating several groups of death (B,D,G) and several very soft groups (H,F,E).
Rooting for Costa Rica to hang on to their lead against Italy and turn Group D into the group of double death.
So far I don't think you can say any of the teams in Group D have played badly - probably possible to make a case for all 4 of them being among the 16 best in the tournament - yet England is already out, and if Costa Rica wins today, Uruguay or Italy is also headed home.
dkny64 wrote:
American Abroad wrote:I am in Germany right now and pre-tournament the Germans were calling it a "group of death". 4 years ago it took Spain to put away Germany and Portugal, Ghana narrowly eliminated the US and then came 1 missed penalty from the semi-finals. That makes 4 teams clearly capable of advancing out of the group, if not further.
My personal opinion is that the draw this year just came out very unbalanced creating several groups of death (B,D,G) and several very soft groups (H,F,E).
Rooting for Costa Rica to hang on to their lead against Italy and turn Group D into the group of double death.
So far I don't think you can say any of the teams in Group D have played badly - probably possible to make a case for all 4 of them being among the 16 best in the tournament - yet England is already out, and if Costa Rica wins today, Uruguay or Italy is also headed home.
Agreed that it's a crazy group. I suspect Italy might tie up or beat Costa Rica, but we'll see. I hope Uruguay moves on after seeing their dismantling of England yesterday.
CONCACAF representing!
george oscar bluth wrote:
CONCACAF representing!
+1. Also means Italy - Uruguay is gonna be intense!
Performance Ranking of CONCACAF teams thus far:
1. Costa Rica
2. Mexico
3. USA
4. Honduras
Wow, thank God we have the self-proclaimed kings of the region USA to save our pride.
True dat! They now are 4-1-1 after the Ticos put the beatdown on the Italians.
george oscar bluth wrote:
CONCACAF representing!
dkny64 wrote:
george oscar bluth wrote:CONCACAF representing!
+1. Also means Italy - Uruguay is gonna be intense!
Cannot wait for that match!
Switzerland looking like the drunk girl at the end of the night stumbling around with a mattress strapped to her back.
george oscar bluth wrote:
Switzerland looking like the drunk girl at the end of the night stumbling around with a mattress strapped to her back.
Haha, good lord. Sadly, for Switzerland, this is true.
Holy Sh!t. Just came in after a race, I wasn't expecting this scoreline. Goal! 5-2 now.
Honduras now down 2 to 1. Brilliant second goal by Ecuador on a free kick...hard driven cross..very precise header into the....GOOOOOLLLLLLLLL!
Iran has had a LOT of chances to upset Argentina.
george oscar bluth wrote:
Iran has had a LOT of chances to upset Argentina.
Argentina aren't doing much to justify their place as one of the tournament favourites. They were poor in the first game and now this.
But they are doing much to support my contention that they are overrated and not a favorite.
They don't match up well against a 10 men behind the ball opponent. Too poor of an aerial game.
Brilliant goal by Messi. He bails them out again.