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All that dust in the air over Europe that they blamed on a volcano was really just from Arsenal cleaning out their trophy case.
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ouch... its been a few years, but we did go undefeated in 2004... and i think we are one of the few clubs with out debt and with the players we are bringing in next season we should make a serious run. As long as our top players dont get injuredComment
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HUGE upset just completed...
Spain, the #2 ranked team in the world, and many peoples' favorite to win it all.........
was expected to have an easy time with Switzerland (the #24 ranked team)...
but the Spaniards just lost to the Swiss 1-0.........
Spain domionated the entire game in every aspect, possession, shots, etc....
... had only lost once in it's previous 49 matches worldwide......but lost in the important tally - goals scored...
No team has ever won the World Cup after losing its opening match.Comment
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Scoring in World Cup games is way down this year, averaging 1.56 goals per game so far. In all the past World Cups, the combined average was 3.18 goals per game. In fact, the lowest scoring average for a previous World Cup was in 1990, with 2.21 goals per game, so this World Cup's scoring drought has some people concerned.
Some people think the scoring will pick up as the competetion gets pared down to just the better teams. But I think that's doubtful, since most of the high scoring games in World Cup history usually occur in the early competetion, when high-seeded teams play against much weaker, low-seeded teams.
Some people are blaming the new Adidas ball, which some players don't like, and say doesn't stay true when kicked. But I don't buy that excuse either. In the games I've watched, the low scoring appears to be due to very few scoring chances, not because shots are wild.
I think it's because players are better conditioned, even the weakest teams, and are less prone to wear down as the match proceeds, which allows fewer good scoring opportunities. And I think teams study their opponents closer to prepare and execute better defense against them.Comment
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Da Coach I agree partly but I have also noticed a lack of execution from the set pieces. Set pieces in the past decade have resulted in the majority of goals and this WC it seems something is just not working. Could it be the ball? Also it could be that constant noice of the Vuvuzelas?"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people...they are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
??” Thomas Jefferson
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I like soccer but this is exactly what the world and the sport needs...finally a high profile example of repeatedly LOW scores and a few upsets..
which will hopefully finally convince enough Europeans and foreigners that something has to be done to help increase offense or the game will lose fans...
100 years ago, the offsides rule was placed in effect because too many teams were using the cherry-pick technique to just pass long for an unopposed shot and scores were way too high...
So - the rules satisfied the need then...but since defenses are so good now, the rule really has little need - and in fact it's more often used to trick teams' offenses into a violation and as can be seen on the replays, nowadays, the offsides calls and no-calls are as often WRONG as they are right.
Since "fast breaks" and nice passing & shooting are the most exciting and entertaining parts of the game, I think a growing number of people will call for changes, maybe change the off-sides rule or give 'em a step....
The purists hate this thought since it will render all the past scoring stats and records useless.......Comment
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I don't really see any of this as a problem. I suppose, people hoping soccer will become significantly more high profile in the US might be distraught with scoring, but in the end - this is futbol. Fans obsessed with scoring aren't likely to join the sport - but a huge degree of the excitement for many fans of soccer is simply the possibility of scoring, the technique, the ball movement, the flow and the build up. Sure, people want to see goals, and want to see their team win but I don't fathom anything will change. hell, the sport even rewards playing to a draw to some extent, and teams will often use strategy centered around simply not conceding goals, and living to fight another day against a weaker opponent. I think in the end the scoring trends are probably just indicative of the spreading of player development and growth around the world.Sungani umoyo womseko na wokonda waumbiri anznga.Comment
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I personally don't mind the low scoring. American Football is technically a low scoring game too, just they make touchdowns worth 6 points. Most of those games ends 4 scores to 2 scores and something like that its just we put an added worth on the scoring event. I honestly think a lot of people have the same belief on soccer as they do on NASCAR without realizing it (I personally die of boredom during NASCAR). Its a long slow event that usually has a thrilling ending. I personally can only watch the last 15 or so laps of NASCAR thats where the real exciting part is and I think many people feel the same. The first 60 or so minutes often set up the thrilling ending in soccer (anybody watch Spain and Switzerland today? the last 15 minutes were absolutely enthralling.
I'm sure many people will disagree with me or find many other ways to argue this, but I have always found a true draw to Soccer and have always found the sport to be fun to watch.Walk on, Walk on
With hope in your hearts,
and You'll Never Walk AloneComment
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All great points Byrd..... and I agree with you.
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Agree with byrd. One of the benefits of the lower scoring nature of soccer is that the game can change dramatically at any time. For instance today, the Swiss-Spain game was fantastic. The RSA-Uruguay game was decent for most of it, but after the second goal, it became clear it was over and the world over it got turned off for the most part.Sungani umoyo womseko na wokonda waumbiri anznga.Comment
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Here's an interesting event that happened at the WC.
B4L will like the photos that go along with the news event.
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people...they are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
??” Thomas Jefferson
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More sickening event involving the World Cup....
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-c...cc=5901?ver=usComment
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It seems watching the World Cup is "Un-islamic" according to some kooks in Somalia-Originally posted by Future Walk-On View Post
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FRUSTRATED!!! Stupid freakin' refs....stupid stupid stupid stupid incompetent idi*tic moronic failures at lifeComment
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That was awful.....what was the call there?...the final game stats said we had no offsides penalties....what did they call...Bradley was hog tied....Game was taken away right there...absolutely terrible.DUBL R 1
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