FIFA World Cup 2014!!!

[herzmeister]

The US making fun of football: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-s--to-lose--682-m-in-worker-productivity-today-and-here-s-why-121857265.html

Conservative "Columnist" Ms Ann Coultier made fun of this totally un-American sport already before: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/06/26/ann-coulter-soccer-column/11394947/

[dreamspark]

The US making fun of football: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-s--to-lose--682-m-in-worker-productivity-today-and-here-s-why-121857265.html

More galling still, based on Wall Street Journal calculations more than 10 minutes of today's game will be devoted to "writhing time;" that's how long on average these teams have combined to spend lying on the grass faking injury to try and draw a penalty in prior games. That's at least $50 million of productivity lost via U.S. workers getting drunk and watching brilliant young athletes trying to draw the sporting equivalent of workers comp.

....

If we're going to be throwing our money away watching a sport we don't understand we may as well win. Take a cue from our lads this afternoon: pretend to trip on the copier and hold your shin screaming until your boss lets you go home early. Grab a burger and watch the game. It's your patriotic duty.

I think even most hardcore fans have had enough of it now, it gets worse year on year to the point where your whole tournament can hinge on an opposition players best impression of being shot at point blank range with a sawn off.

The amount of time spent rolling on the floor and the amount of people diving and then just apologizing in the press like its nothing in appalling.

I disagree, trying to trick the ref is part of the game. They just should stop halting the play if someone's injured. Seriously, even if your leg is fucking broken your not dying spending a few minutes lying on the grass, let's just continue to play. If the player is still not up after 5 minutes allow some medics to haul him off the pitch but stopping the play is not necessary.

I hate the time wasting, I don't hate the acting. If anything they should just allow the ref to have contact with colleagues with access to instant replays.

Gee, whatever happened to quality sportsmanship where teams and players won by being better than the others at the game they're playing. The ref has a hard enough job as it is without all these ametuer dramatics. The fact that people genuinely think that diving and feigning injury is part of the game it doesn't surprise me how shit the game is getting. If it was genuinely a part of the game how come you didn't see it 10, 15, 20 + years ago? Its not a part of the game, its part of the 'modern game' which is a laughable.

Of course the ref shouldn't stop the game but with health and safety and all that jazz the same player who was happy to fall over like a fairy to 'trick' the ref will be the same one balling his eyes out and suing for not receiving prompt medical treatment if he was genuinely hurt. Just a bunch of overpaid wimps kicking a ball around and going down like they've been snipered at every opportunity. Take a leaf out of Rugbys book...

You Dutch by any chance ?  

[nickenburg]

France-Germany is probably the most difficult quarter final (either that or Brazil-Colombia). The right side of the fixtures is much lighter (I'm happy Holland ended up there).

Even if France wins the QF match against Germany, they will be facing Brazil in the SF. France winning against Brazil? Next to impossible.

Meanwhile the Dutch will have it easily... against Costa Rica. But in the SF, they will face Argentina.

My guess for the final is Brazil vs Argentina.

I doubt France would beat Germany, especially if Germany is on form. France have been pretty mediocre so far imo.

In an Argentina Holland semi finals I agree Argentina are the favorites.

The most likely final is indeed Brazil-Argentina, but Germany-Argentina is a close second.

Holland vs Argentina will be great and so will Brazil vs Germany. It could go either way but Brazil have the home advantage.

Yes Holland vs Argentina will be very great, it will be a hard match for The Netherlands.
But I really think we can beat them and advance to the finals, because they haven't preformed there greatest in the groupfase.
Also Messi did score some good goals he isnt on his topform, I expect them to go out against Switserland, or Holland will take them down in the semi final.
And face Germany or Brazil in the finals, Both really awesome matches where I would prefer to play against Brazil.
Just because the Germans have a better team overall, and we took brazil 4 years ago to, and now we have a better team and should take them easily.

[v3l0ci7y]

MESSI better score!

[koshgel]

Looking like a pretty even match so far. Both teams getting chances and pressing

[Spayse]

Switzerland will win this match.

[Carra23]

Looking like a pretty even match so far. Both teams getting chances and pressing

Shaqiri is looking quite good.

Horrible miss by the Swiss 

[bryant.coleman]

Seems like this match will also end up in the penalty shootouts. The defence of both the teams looking quite good. And other than Xherdan Shaqiri, the Swiss attack seems to be a bit toothless. Argentine attack only marginally better.  

[wachtwoord]

The US making fun of football: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-s--to-lose--682-m-in-worker-productivity-today-and-here-s-why-121857265.html

More galling still, based on Wall Street Journal calculations more than 10 minutes of today's game will be devoted to "writhing time;" that's how long on average these teams have combined to spend lying on the grass faking injury to try and draw a penalty in prior games. That's at least $50 million of productivity lost via U.S. workers getting drunk and watching brilliant young athletes trying to draw the sporting equivalent of workers comp.

....

If we're going to be throwing our money away watching a sport we don't understand we may as well win. Take a cue from our lads this afternoon: pretend to trip on the copier and hold your shin screaming until your boss lets you go home early. Grab a burger and watch the game. It's your patriotic duty.

I think even most hardcore fans have had enough of it now, it gets worse year on year to the point where your whole tournament can hinge on an opposition players best impression of being shot at point blank range with a sawn off.

The amount of time spent rolling on the floor and the amount of people diving and then just apologizing in the press like its nothing in appalling.

I disagree, trying to trick the ref is part of the game. They just should stop halting the play if someone's injured. Seriously, even if your leg is fucking broken your not dying spending a few minutes lying on the grass, let's just continue to play. If the player is still not up after 5 minutes allow some medics to haul him off the pitch but stopping the play is not necessary.

I hate the time wasting, I don't hate the acting. If anything they should just allow the ref to have contact with colleagues with access to instant replays.

Gee, whatever happened to quality sportsmanship where teams and players won by being better than the others at the game they're playing. The ref has a hard enough job as it is without all these ametuer dramatics. The fact that people genuinely think that diving and feigning injury is part of the game it doesn't surprise me how shit the game is getting. If it was genuinely a part of the game how come you didn't see it 10, 15, 20 + years ago? Its not a part of the game, its part of the 'modern game' which is a laughable.

Of course the ref shouldn't stop the game but with health and safety and all that jazz the same player who was happy to fall over like a fairy to 'trick' the ref will be the same one balling his eyes out and suing for not receiving prompt medical treatment if he was genuinely hurt. Just a bunch of overpaid wimps kicking a ball around and going down like they've been snipered at every opportunity. Take a leaf out of Rugbys book...

You Dutch by any chance ?  

Sportsmanship? Winning for having the better team? Lol, this is a man's game: win by any means necessary.

I am Dutch, but the above statement is very unconventional for the Dutch as most people here want to win with good football (bunch of pussies). Anyway, if the best teams would win we wouldn't have made it past the group stage (Spain and Chili are better, but our tactic, drive and overall fitness was better). I love how well we are doing with such a mediocre team based on individual skills. The same was true 4 years ago btw. In the world cup of '98 (in France) and the European Championship of 2000 (In the Netherlands and Belgium) we had an incredible team but in neither we reached the final. I like winning a lot better. I don't care how we do it in the slightest.

[v3l0ci7y]

lets break it open the 2h!!

[Dogtanian]

Argentina have been lifeless this game. If they play like this they'll be lucky to get through and will struggle to beat Holland at this rate.

As for the diving, it's part of the game. If you're caught you should be booked, but if you can get away with it players are always going to do it.

[wachtwoord]

As for the diving, it's part of the game. If you're caught you should be booked, but if you can get away with it players are always going to do it.

I didn't like it when they introduced that silly rule a few years back. As silly as getting a booking for taking your damn shirt off.

[Benjig]

Argentina have been lifeless this game. If they play like this they'll be lucky to get through and will struggle to beat Holland at this rate.

As for the diving, it's part of the game. If you're caught you should be booked, but if you can get away with it players are always going to do it.

The thing is the swiss guys are getting all in the back, marking Messi with two def, waiting to counter attack only, not even the best team can have it easy this way.

[Dogtanian]

As for the diving, it's part of the game. If you're caught you should be booked, but if you can get away with it players are always going to do it.

I didn't like it when they introduced that silly rule a few years back. As silly as getting a booking for taking your damn shirt off.

It's cheating so it should be punished if caught, but you can always bend the rules and if you can get away with it go for it. In some instances the tackle is a fowl but if the player stays up it probably wont be given, so if they go down it usually is. I think sometimes people accuse players of diving even when they're not, though.

Argentina have been lifeless this game. If they play like this they'll be lucky to get through and will struggle to beat Holland at this rate.

As for the diving, it's part of the game. If you're caught you should be booked, but if you can get away with it players are always going to do it.

The thing is the swiss guys are getting all in the back, marking Messi with two def, waiting to counter attack only, not even the best team can have it easy this way.

Other teams should take note. Just goes to show you how Messi is practically their entire team.

[wachtwoord]

As for the diving, it's part of the game. If you're caught you should be booked, but if you can get away with it players are always going to do it.

I didn't like it when they introduced that silly rule a few years back. As silly as getting a booking for taking your damn shirt off.

It's cheating so it should be punished if caught, but you can always bend the rules and if you can get away with it go for it. In some instances the tackle is a fowl but if the player stays up it probably wont be given, so if they go down it usually is. I think sometimes people accuse players of diving even when they're not, though.

Argentina have been lifeless this game. If they play like this they'll be lucky to get through and will struggle to beat Holland at this rate.

As for the diving, it's part of the game. If you're caught you should be booked, but if you can get away with it players are always going to do it.

The thing is the swiss guys are getting all in the back, marking Messi with two def, waiting to counter attack only, not even the best team can have it easy this way.

Other teams should take note. Just goes to show you how Messi is practically their entire team.

It's not cheating. If I want to go for a rest and scream while doing so I should be free to do so.

Anyway, in football when you actually are fouled and don't fall on purpose you'll never get the free kick you actually do deserve. It's just part of the game.

[Welsh]

USA, I Believe that we will win  

It will be a tough game against Belgium. Very good side indeed.

[sed]

Belgium won all three games in the group stage.  I think that's pretty scary for the USA team.  USA team has a pretty good intangibles, but I'm not sure they have the quality to beat belgium.  We'll know in a few hours!

[sj2199]

according to the present situation the result will go to penalty shootout once again.....

come on messi we need a goal.....

[Dogtanian]

As for the diving, it's part of the game. If you're caught you should be booked, but if you can get away with it players are always going to do it.

I didn't like it when they introduced that silly rule a few years back. As silly as getting a booking for taking your damn shirt off.

It's cheating so it should be punished if caught, but you can always bend the rules and if you can get away with it go for it. In some instances the tackle is a fowl but if the player stays up it probably wont be given, so if they go down it usually is. I think sometimes people accuse players of diving even when they're not, though.

Argentina have been lifeless this game. If they play like this they'll be lucky to get through and will struggle to beat Holland at this rate.

As for the diving, it's part of the game. If you're caught you should be booked, but if you can get away with it players are always going to do it.

The thing is the swiss guys are getting all in the back, marking Messi with two def, waiting to counter attack only, not even the best team can have it easy this way.

Other teams should take note. Just goes to show you how Messi is practically their entire team.

It's not cheating. If I want to go for a rest and scream while doing so I should be free to do so.

Anyway, in football when you actually are fouled and don't fall on purpose you'll never get the free kick you actually do deserve. It's just part of the game.

Of course it's cheating if it wasn't a foul, but I agree with the last bolded part and that's why players do it, but it's definitely cheating when there is no foul and they act it out and they should be punished if caught.

according to the present situation the result will go to penalty shootout once again.....

come on messi we need a goal.....

Still plenty of time left yet. Looks like they'll get one I reckon.

[Carra23]

Argentina looking stronger, but I reckon this one is going for penalties too.

Too many shootouts this time around.