Fifa Fever!!!

Ok, sorry if there is alrady a thread on the imminent Fifa World Cup.

I am SO excited it is finally here (well in two weeks). I just have to say for me soccer/football is an obsession. Personally, I don't see any other sport even come close in comparison the passion and pride felt in the World Cup. (The Olympics maybe)

Mainly because it comes around every four years, it takes two years to get there and you may only have 3 games in the tournament. Most go home broken hearted. Any one wanna discuss?

(no bashing please if you don't like it or understand it)
 
I'm lookin forward to it.. Not sure who I who I want to win though.. Its just you sit there and watch this 90 min game.. when in reality its wayy longer, but it keeps you waiting there for that first goal. Every close call gets you going crazy. I guess I'll figure out a team before it comes round'. Fifa 06' for Xbox I'm usually Juventus or Manchester UTD.

Its from June 9 to July 9 correct?
 
Yup. I'm thinking of taking the 9th off just so I can watch the first game with my dad! I'm a nerd :D what can I say...I seriously record every game so I can watch them all...my SO even promised me Tivo so I don't have so many damn tapes lol.

I think the usual stronger teams will move up to the second round but I'm actually a big fan of the African teams, Like Senegal in Korea I think they will surprise. Alot of the first timers look strong, like Serbia and Montenegro.

Yeah, it's longer but then again so is Basketball, I've been wathing the playoffs and they can stretch the final minute into 10 LOL. I LOVE sports in general, my dad never had boys so all us girls became big sports fans.
 
Ohhh your a girl.. interesting. Never woulda thought.

Yeah wasn't saying its stretched in a bad way.. its just your on the edge of your seat waiting for that damn goal and every close call your going nuts.. Me n' my bro go crazy.. At half we play some Fifa on Xbox and whoever is playing for real is who we pick... and we'll play til' the games on again. The last year they played.. not sure if it was 03' 02'? My bro taped all the games...
 
What country is it in this year? I remeber the last world cup when all the games were on at like 2:00 am so I would have to stay up late and watch them :) .
 
Its in Germany, kick offs vary between 5pm GMT and 7pm GMT.

I love the way your complaining about 'waiting' for a goal. Where you all from?
 
Its going to be an interesting tournament

Brazil and Argentina going in as overwhelming favourites - I think most of the world (England aside - more on that soon!) will be surprised if one of these two dont take the trophy home.

You've also got the strong contingent of European nations - Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, England, Czech Republic and Holland all feel they have a chance to lift the trophy, and of course you have the likes of USA, Mexico, Paraguay, Ivory Coast, Australia who all want to show they're not just there to make up the numbers.

Imo:

Brazil to lift the trophy - they've got a relatively comfortable group and shouldn't have any trouble passing Croatia and Australia along with Japan - and they always peak later in tournaments than group stages.
Argentina have talent but a suspect pair of fullbacks - can be exposed and lead to problems for themselves.
Italy have the best defence on the planet, but have always struggled to impose themselves on teams and grind out the results as required, all too often knocked out by lesser teams.
Czech Republic are arguably the strongest side Europe has to offer - flair in the midfield from the returning Nedved and Rosicky, Sivok holding the fort and the giant 6'10 Jan Koller and the lethal Milan Baros up front, as well as Petr Cech in goal means the Republic are a tough side to stop.
England have a very strong first 11 but very little beyond it - Rooney and Owen both hampered by injuries and the former is unlikely to feature, problems with pairings in midfield and a highly suspect centre half alongside Terry in Rio Ferdinand means I think England will be the shock casualty of the group stages - beaten by Sweden and failing to beat Paraguay (who by the way, are no mugs, have beaten Bolivia away - regarded as the toughest trip in South America due to the height above sea level at which their matches are played, as well as beating Argentina to get to the finals) and an unconvincing win over Trinidad will see England back on home soil before 24 June.
Germany - never rule out the Germans is a well known saying in football, everyone did so before 2002 and they went on to the final, with 2006 being the pinacle of so many of their international careers, will they go one step further in front of a baying crowd? With so many potential explosive fixtures for them - Holland, Czech Rep, England and Poland all potential opponents before the Quarter final, it could be a massive tournament for the Germans.

But to summarise this:
Brazil to win, England to be the shock casualties due to an inability to score goals, and the Czech Republic to do very well as well.
 
I agree mostly chrissmith, but I think there's hardly any team with a better defence than England's (Ferdinand played a terrific world cup in 2002). Also I don't think the Czechs will do that well considering their problems in the qualification round and their historical habit of failing at the world cup. I think the real contenders for the trophy will be Brazil, Argentina and Italy. Italy do have, apart from their world class defense (as usually), a world class attack as well this time... in the past when they did, they always came far.
I'd say from their players quality Spain and France could easily compete with those big three- but Spain are notoric undershooters and France looked somehow burned out during the last tournaments. And of course- never leave out teams like Netherlands, Sweden or Portugal, as well as the new strong teams like Ukraine and Serbia/Montenegro.

Certainities: One of the big three will win it, Spain will undershoot (unfortunately because I love Spain).
 
BRAHMA said:
Ohhh your a girl...

LOL yes, I thought the name would have given it away but I've seen stranger names!

I also agree with most of what Chrissmith said. I think we can expect the usual suspects to make an appearance in round two (Brazil, Italy, Germany, England France Argentina) but I think we may see surprises too. Serbia and Montenegro look good and Iran as well, a number of their players play in the Bundesliga so I wouldn't count them out just yet.

Here are my predictions:

A) Germany/Costa Rica Although Ecuador will put up a fight

B) England/Sweeden

C) Argentina/Serbia and Montenegro (they are on a high at edging Spain in the European grouping)

D) Portugal/Mexico Although Iran may spoil it for one of these two as they have a nubmer of players in the German league

E) Italy/Czech Tough Group-possibly the toughest group even with Ghana the newcomers who only conceded 4 goals in 12 matches in qualification

F) Brazil/Japan

G) France/Korea

H) Spain/Ukraine
 
I wouldnt agree with group A there - Poland are a very very good side - better side than England (having seen both sides live twice in the last qualifiers, plus TV) - Poland are a very very good side very well organised and score goals.
 
Yeah I agree, I think Poland will advance along with Germany. Not sure if Poland is better than England though... didn't England win their group as well as the game against Poland?
 
Yes, they are strong, I saw them live as well right before the end of qualifiers.

They didn't impress me too much though, they edged a Central American team by 1 goal (if I recall correctly). They have lost two of their last 4, though I will admit friendlies are much different...it will be interesting to see what happens

Yes, England won their group by 1 point but they were in a very weak grouping. Austria was the closest contender 9 points behind
 
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Did you guys happen to catch the Poland friendly last night? How did they look? I only saw highlights...I felt bad for the keeper for being caught off his line and having the Colombian keeper score on him. England looked good too.
 
benelson101 said:
Its in Germany, kick offs vary between 5pm GMT and 7pm GMT.

I love the way your complaining about 'waiting' for a goal. Where you all from?


If your going to quote me.. know your ****. If you read carefully... well you can read can't you... or are you some illiterate "i hate the world" kid that just looks to droppa comment here and there. You don't call it "complaining", as what I said was

"its just your on the edge of your seat waiting for that damn goal and every close call your going nuts.. Me n' my bro go crazy.."

Pull out the dictionary and recheck your word. Thats enthusiasm dumbass.
 
BRAHMA said:
If your going to quote me.. know your ****. If you read carefully... well you can read can't you... or are you some illiterate "i hate the world" kid that just looks to droppa comment here and there. You don't call it "complaining", as what I said was

"its just your on the edge of your seat waiting for that damn goal and every close call your going nuts.. Me n' my bro go crazy.."

Pull out the dictionary and recheck your word. Thats enthusiasm dumbass.

what? whats with the slanging off? i dont need to start defending myself about being 'illierate' so you can stop gobbing off at people you dont know. and anyway, anyone that uses the words 'droppa' and 'n' my bro' can hardly have at dig at my english abilities.

why did you take it so seriously? maybe you weren't complaining but that fact that you see that as the be all and end all of football shows that your missing most of the point.

the last world cup was 2002, thats 4 years ago. and the one before that was 4 years previous, and the one before that was also 4 years previous. hang on, there's a pattern emerging. enthusiasm? yeah, you really know your stuff.
 
Come on now guys...I wanted this thread to be friendly! Brahma, I don't think Benelson was disrespecting you, I think he just wanted to know if you were from a soccer dominated country...which by the way the US is coming around, they're actually gonna show ALL matches live!

Getting back to Poland mr_Ark, the Colombian keeper scored on the Polish keeper!! I hope it was just nerves, but the Colobian keeper drop-kicked the ball and it bounced over the Polish keeper (can't remember his name) and into the net...
 
Moonbeam3 said:
Getting back to Poland mr_Ark, the Colombian keeper scored on the Polish keeper!! I hope it was just nerves, but the Colobian keeper drop-kicked the ball and it bounced over the Polish keeper (can't remember his name) and into the net...

what?!? seriously? I HAVE to see that! Oh my gosh, poor guy.
By the way, did you happen to see France vs. Denmark? They say that France was on fire and that they will compete for the world cup all of a sudden :D
I hope I get to see Netherlands - Mexico tonight...
I can't believe that there are so many games ahead of the world cup already.. has it been like this in the past? I can't remember!
 
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