Usually, I'm not a big football-fan (which shouldn't come as a surprise given the recent less-than-stellar performance of the Austrian national football team ), but I always watch the World and/or the European Cup. Yes, there are usually a couple of bad games, and we definitely had some of those already this year, but overall, it's mostly a joy to watch those great players/teams. And it can get pretty exciting too from time to time.
Concerning some of the recent games: Yes, England was bad but not even half as bad as France. It really seemed like the players were on strike. Then again, maybe that's why they're called "Le Bleu's" (Blue Flu, anyone?) .
Too bad that the US was robbed two points by that incompetent hack of a referee. I just hope they'll still make it to the play-off's.
And I really rooted for New Zealand yesterday . Too bad they won't make it, unfortunately.
Not yet. Group H is still undecided. If Chile loses it's match against Spain and Switzerland wins, then Chile is out (There are other combinations and permutations, but the point is, there is nothing set in stone yet)
Which honestly only would be fair due to again another superfulous red card against switzerland and chile's offside goal.
A World Cup with all these billions behind and playing with some of the best players in the world, also should try to sustain the same level of quality for the referees. Instead of, some overstrained third class referees, they somewhere found in the world, are in charge.
I've never seen a cup were the referees acted so unluckily and incompetent.
Okay, I've missed the last few matches, but I have not seen any bad refereeing yet, taumel. And the last cup had more than it's share of bad calls, and when I say bad call, I mean that the ref had no reason to make the call they did. Sometimes a call looks "bad" to us because the camera had a different viewing angle from the ref, and because we have slow motion replay so we can look at a call more closely. Refs have to make the calls as they see them, and refs aren't picked at random. You have to train for years before you're allowed to ref FIFA games, and they go through a vigorous screening process and regular re-certification.
Also you come across as a kind of dick when people say, "Yay! My team won!" and you say, "Yeah, 'cause the refs made dumbass calls!" :mad:
It also looked like Slovakia was offside when they scored against you guys, but the ref couldn't have seen it from where he was. I still think it was unfair to give Ronaldinho a red card in 2002 since it seems like he was aiming for the ball and hit the guy completely accidentally, but the ref has the right to make the call. It's like with tackles, when do you give kicks, cards or the benefit of the doubt?
The Kaka sending off was ridiculous. But at least Behrami's red card was for fouling (which includes raising hands to an opponent which he did twic) and while it may have been harsh (that ref was definitely leaning towards the punish everything way of officiating) it was still a more legitimate sending off than the likes of Kaka's.
@Lena_P
I think you're mixing things up here a little bit.
Of course you need an trained eye, you need a feeling for a game and an understanding for the chemistry between two teams and specific situations. I've seen many games in this world cup where the referees are lacking in these disciplines. I only hope that it will turn for the better once those group games are over and we'll hopefully see some better referees.
I've been watching football games for something about 20 years and from there you also get kind of a experience if a referee is up to the job or if he is not. In quite a lot of games the referees weren't. They are not controlling the game in a silent and invisible way, instead they are destroying them and altering the results.
They hand out way to many red and yellow cards for peanuts or making the wrong decisions. Yesterdays game switzerland vs. chile, was another example, an in the beginning interesting, friendly and open played game which got cankered by the bad/false decisions of the referee and which in the end was decided by him. With a good referee this would have been a different game and so most likely a different result as well as there is a difference if you're playing with 10 players only and when you get interrupted by this and that and the final goal isn't a correct one as well.
The football history is full of false/unlucky decisions and so far it's part of the game but it's pretty clear for the trained eye that this world cup offers some really bad referee performances. Beside of this it's not only me who is complaining about the way these games are blown. Actually the referees got briefed that they should be more restrictive but if you're going this route without world class referees you're destroying the games and that's what they are doing. Additionally you're encouraging all those teams and player who tend to fall in tragedy although nothing has happened in order trying to get a benefit for their team which then brings in anger into the game and so on. I know this also happens in the Champions League or in the national leagues but not to such a large degree.
Ah hey, i don't care what someone calls me for speaking out, what i think is true.
... it's not only me who is complaining about the way these games are blown. Actually the referees got briefed that they should be more restrictive ...
"Unpack that one" means explain it. I mean, if they're supposed to follow it closer to the book, how can you say they're interfering too much? FIFA has basically come out and said refs should come down harder on things like sliding tackles.
Edit: Did you mean they were told to restrict themselves more? Seriously, I can't figure out your post.
Woohoohh, just relax, i have other things to do in between as well. :O)
The idea is that they should more protect the players as there have been some pretty hard fouls. Problem is that if you have to be more accurate and aren't good at it, it won't be more accurate but instead more nitpicking and forcing bad decisions. Again, a good referee should understand a game and the teams and should according to this lead the game.
Otherwise blowing every fart and even false ones doesn't help anyone as it destroy the flow of the game and causes more bad fouls by poisoning the game and making certain players begging for them. Beside of this, this is no excuse for wrong decisions.
Simple example of reasonable rules interpretation, and there always is a tolerance range. Those who are good, know how to do it, those who aren't, are tending to messing things up.
So alright. We have had these cute little talkies about how bad the referees are this year. And now we all take a deeeeep breath and come back to discussing the games with a more positive outlook on life.
And if that still doesn't help you, taumel, you can use this deep breath and start singing "Schiri, wir wissen wo dein Auto steht!"
Okay, let's discuss the game, like, another superfulous red card in france against south africa? Btw wilful damage to property doesn't sound like a reasonable solution.
Im rooting mainly for Argentina. But USA is catching my attention just because they are a crappy team and no one expects nothing of em. Usually USA in other sports has big egos, overconfident and act like show offs. But this team makes a good exception.
Commentators was so sure we would win and everything, man must they all be disappointed.
I am not surprised we lost really, our team is just not that strong.
At the end, we lost againt Spain, but Honduras draw with Switzerland, so, we are in the first knockout fase. Againt Brazil.
Oh well, good for those guys. They deserved.
Congrats, Ginny! I was glad to see Chile advance to the next round. It's always fun to watch Chile play, and I think you stand a fairly good chance against Brazil. I don't think it was entirely fair that Estrada got his second yellow card the way he did, but compared to earlier matches this tournament, the referees did a pretty good job this match.
Congrats Ginny,
However I disagree with Bamse: Estrada should have been expelled earlier AND this time the referee ignored the aggression against a Spanish player (I still think that the Chilean coach made a terrible mistake: He should have replaced Estrada after he got his first yellow card)
Still playing 10 against 11 and making it 2-1 after a 2-0 (regardless of it being a goal or own goal) it's commendable.
One thing that I like about Chile it's that they play and try to win. Spain and most of the other teams try to win but if they make a goal (that gives the team the win), then they go defensive and they try retain the ball till the game ends.
Anyway, I don't give Chile much credit against Brazil since:
a) Chilean players fear Brazil (and Argentina) for historical reasons
b) They don't have effective strikers (OK, they have Suazo, but he seems to be less than 100% after his injury)
c) They have important players banned for this match (Medel for instance)
But anything can happen, weirder things have already happened in this World Cup (The reigning champion was knocked out with only one point, the organizer was knocked out in the first round, ...)
Anyway, I don't give Chile much credit against Brazil since:
a) Chilean players fear Brazil (and Argentina) for historical reasons
That's true. Appart, our Team is Young and this is their first world cup. Also, everytime we are in a world cup, match against Brazil and presto, we're out. But this was the first World Cup since the '72 (I think. The one they played in Chile) the chilean team WIN a match.
If the team left everything they had in the field, we're going to be really happy. But I hope they win, because those guys deserve it.
I don't know if you know this, but, do you remember the February earthquake in Chile? There's a photo of a guy with the Chilean Flag. That photo was the most famous one, at least in Chile. Well, that same Flag is the flag in the Chilean Team Training Camp, so, this guys made it sentimental. So, at the end, I want those guys to win because that is going to made at least a bit happier the people at the south affected by the Earthquake/Tsunami.
Understatement of the week.
I was hoping for a one goal difference in the score, so that something would be done about how goals are declared (using insta-rewind) for future matches. No i can see FIFA glossing over it, saying it didn't matter.
Normally i'm a rather peaceful person but with this sound in my head i feel a strange urge using, this, this monstrous laser weapon on everyone blowing those demonical horns. *brrrrrrrzzzzzp* *brrrrrzzzzzpppp*
Comments
Usually, I'm not a big football-fan (which shouldn't come as a surprise given the recent less-than-stellar performance of the Austrian national football team
Concerning some of the recent games: Yes, England was bad but not even half as bad as France. It really seemed like the players were on strike. Then again, maybe that's why they're called "Le Bleu's" (Blue Flu, anyone?)
Too bad that the US was robbed two points by that incompetent hack of a referee. I just hope they'll still make it to the play-off's.
And I really rooted for New Zealand yesterday
Let's see what today's games will bring.
Can I celebrate?
A World Cup with all these billions behind and playing with some of the best players in the world, also should try to sustain the same level of quality for the referees. Instead of, some overstrained third class referees, they somewhere found in the world, are in charge.
I've never seen a cup were the referees acted so unluckily and incompetent.
Distorting the competition.
Also you come across as a kind of dick when people say, "Yay! My team won!" and you say, "Yeah, 'cause the refs made dumbass calls!" :mad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oHSVSKxoGo
NZ scored their goal from offside and Italy scored theirs from a penalty awarded after a dive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgf7ih_5EbA
(So that one evened out)
I think you're mixing things up here a little bit.
Of course you need an trained eye, you need a feeling for a game and an understanding for the chemistry between two teams and specific situations. I've seen many games in this world cup where the referees are lacking in these disciplines. I only hope that it will turn for the better once those group games are over and we'll hopefully see some better referees.
I've been watching football games for something about 20 years and from there you also get kind of a experience if a referee is up to the job or if he is not. In quite a lot of games the referees weren't. They are not controlling the game in a silent and invisible way, instead they are destroying them and altering the results.
They hand out way to many red and yellow cards for peanuts or making the wrong decisions. Yesterdays game switzerland vs. chile, was another example, an in the beginning interesting, friendly and open played game which got cankered by the bad/false decisions of the referee and which in the end was decided by him. With a good referee this would have been a different game and so most likely a different result as well as there is a difference if you're playing with 10 players only and when you get interrupted by this and that and the final goal isn't a correct one as well.
The football history is full of false/unlucky decisions and so far it's part of the game but it's pretty clear for the trained eye that this world cup offers some really bad referee performances. Beside of this it's not only me who is complaining about the way these games are blown. Actually the referees got briefed that they should be more restrictive but if you're going this route without world class referees you're destroying the games and that's what they are doing. Additionally you're encouraging all those teams and player who tend to fall in tragedy although nothing has happened in order trying to get a benefit for their team which then brings in anger into the game and so on. I know this also happens in the Champions League or in the national leagues but not to such a large degree.
Ah hey, i don't care what someone calls me for speaking out, what i think is true.
You wanna unpack that one for me, Mr. Expert?
Edit: Did you mean they were told to restrict themselves more? Seriously, I can't figure out your post.
The idea is that they should more protect the players as there have been some pretty hard fouls. Problem is that if you have to be more accurate and aren't good at it, it won't be more accurate but instead more nitpicking and forcing bad decisions. Again, a good referee should understand a game and the teams and should according to this lead the game.
Otherwise blowing every fart and even false ones doesn't help anyone as it destroy the flow of the game and causes more bad fouls by poisoning the game and making certain players begging for them. Beside of this, this is no excuse for wrong decisions.
Simple example of reasonable rules interpretation, and there always is a tolerance range. Those who are good, know how to do it, those who aren't, are tending to messing things up.
And if that still doesn't help you, taumel, you can use this deep breath and start singing "Schiri, wir wissen wo dein Auto steht!"
Carry on.
Is it odd that i was kinda secretly wanting the US to win their match, considering i'm English? Wait, don't answer that!
As i type this, theres some kids on the park claiming they are Rooney. I didn't think 8 year olds could be balding...
Looking forward now to a classsic Deutschland vs. England match. :O)
Yeah, we're all really proud here. NZ unbeaten, finished above the World Cup holders in our pool. Great defence, especially the keeper Patson.
We just didn't get enough strikes on goal in any of our matches to really be a contender to win.
...
I feel a little alone here
Other favorites im rooting are Spain.
I am not surprised we lost really, our team is just not that strong.
Oh well, good for those guys. They deserved.
Congrats, Ginny! I was glad to see Chile advance to the next round. It's always fun to watch Chile play, and I think you stand a fairly good chance against Brazil. I don't think it was entirely fair that Estrada got his second yellow card the way he did, but compared to earlier matches this tournament, the referees did a pretty good job this match.
However I disagree with Bamse: Estrada should have been expelled earlier AND this time the referee ignored the aggression against a Spanish player (I still think that the Chilean coach made a terrible mistake: He should have replaced Estrada after he got his first yellow card)
Still playing 10 against 11 and making it 2-1 after a 2-0 (regardless of it being a goal or own goal) it's commendable.
One thing that I like about Chile it's that they play and try to win. Spain and most of the other teams try to win but if they make a goal (that gives the team the win), then they go defensive and they try retain the ball till the game ends.
Anyway, I don't give Chile much credit against Brazil since:
a) Chilean players fear Brazil (and Argentina) for historical reasons
b) They don't have effective strikers (OK, they have Suazo, but he seems to be less than 100% after his injury)
c) They have important players banned for this match (Medel for instance)
But anything can happen, weirder things have already happened in this World Cup (The reigning champion was knocked out with only one point, the organizer was knocked out in the first round, ...)
That's true. Appart, our Team is Young and this is their first world cup. Also, everytime we are in a world cup, match against Brazil and presto, we're out. But this was the first World Cup since the '72 (I think. The one they played in Chile) the chilean team WIN a match.
If the team left everything they had in the field, we're going to be really happy. But I hope they win, because those guys deserve it.
I don't know if you know this, but, do you remember the February earthquake in Chile? There's a photo of a guy with the Chilean Flag. That photo was the most famous one, at least in Chile. Well, that same Flag is the flag in the Chilean Team Training Camp, so, this guys made it sentimental. So, at the end, I want those guys to win because that is going to made at least a bit happier the people at the south affected by the Earthquake/Tsunami.
I was hoping for a one goal difference in the score, so that something would be done about how goals are declared (using insta-rewind) for future matches. No i can see FIFA glossing over it, saying it didn't matter.
bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Normally i'm a rather peaceful person but with this sound in my head i feel a strange urge using, this, this monstrous laser weapon on everyone blowing those demonical horns. *brrrrrrrzzzzzp* *brrrrrzzzzzpppp*
Great match btw... :O)