Reply to: Uk 1 - usa 0

[Doggy Styles]

Patrice Evra explained that it was down to the Vuvuzelas. Must have sounded like the drone of distant panzers. By the end of the match, most of the French fans were at least 25 miles south of the stadium frantically trying to exchange match tickets for white handkerchiefs!

[shaunbhoy]

However, the French looked crap so I don't know what good it has done them.

Patrice Evra explained that it was down to the Vuvuzelas. Must have sounded like the drone of distant panzers. By the end of the match, most of the French fans were at least 25 miles south of the stadium frantically trying to exchange match tickets for white handkerchiefs!

[Doggy Styles]

I just read the French and Argentinians have been using it since February... did they all forget to tell us?

Sounds like a stitch up to me.

Not the Italians then? Might explain their error-strewn performance last night.

However, the French looked crap so I don't know what good it has done them.

[gingerjedi]

Also, they are more used to it. The Bundesliga have been using this ball since December.

So have the Dutch and Portuguese leagues.

Ominous indeed.

I just read the French and Argentinians have been using it since February... did they all forget to tell us?

Sounds like a stitch up to me.

[Doggy Styles]

The germans seem to be coping quite well. Ominously.

Also, they are more used to it. The Bundesliga have been using this ball since December.

So have the Dutch and Portuguese leagues.

Ominous indeed.

[Doggy Styles]

The germans seem to be coping quite well. Ominously.

Indeed, but let's wait and see how they perform against someone better than Hartlepool United.

[Bunk]

It didn't take long for the internet parodies to appear

[gingerjedi]

The germans seem to be coping quite well. Ominously.

The new ball is made by Adidas... need I say more?

According to this it looks as though Adidas has always supplied the WC balls, Gerry is a sneaky bugger.

[shaunbhoy]

The germans seem to be coping quite well. Ominously.

[Doggy Styles]

FIFA introduce a new faster, lighter ball before every tournament, I think they've gone a step too far as this one seems to behave like a PTFE coated beach ball.

I know it looks like we're blaming the tools but the change in ball and the altitude have got to factor when a keeper is used to certain speed, weight, grip and trajectory.

Not at all, it is a crap ball. Sure it applies to all teams, but that just means that all games have suffered. Players from all sides are complaining about it.

If FIFA wanted to open up the tournament by nullifying skills, which isn't out of the question knowing them, they have gone the right way about it.

[Moscow Mule]

...Hardly the end of the world. The USA are a decent outfit, and people that study the game will know that....

My mum was of the opinion that we should have stuffed 'em. Point made.

[Ruprect]

If they are feeling bad, they can just attach a few more flags to their car, have a few more cans of wifebeater, and off they go.

I feel so much better now, thanks Shaun!

[shaunbhoy]

Opening games are notoriously cagey affairs, you two should have made a packet.

I give England 5/10, a team can only peak once during a tournament.

No need to panic just yet. Hardly the end of the world. The USA are a decent outfit, and people that study the game will know that. For those who rely upon the hysterical pre-match jingoistic hysteria of the redtops, this result will perhaps have come as a huge shock. But as they hardly matter, who cares? If they are feeling bad, they can just attach a few more flags to their car, have a few more cans of wifebeater, and off they go.

[gingerjedi]

Hate to say I told you so but as minestrone and I predicted it was a draw.
And could so easily have been a loss.

Opening games are notoriously cagey affairs, you two should have made a packet.

I give England 5/10, a team can only peak once during a tournament.

[d000hg]

Not a great match last night but nowhere near as bad as Algeria/Slovenia

Slovenia are going to be topping the group at this rate.