Round 16 and Beyond

[Tom Halsey]

Well, even so, you'd think there were replacements in the Serie A who could pass the ball 10 yards without it hitting an Aussie!

They're all going to be in Serie B soon though.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

They're all going to be in Serie B soon though.

Point.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Italy had the better of the first half, yes, but only marginally. Australia had 57% of the possession at half time, and while Italy had the better chances Australia had a couple as well.

57% possession, no end product. Italy actually made something out of it and should, on chances,have been in front by half-time if they could finish.

And yes I agree, if it had gone to ET, you'd have been favourites... but only because of a wrongful sending off. You can moan about the penalty all you like, but fact is you had almost half the game playing against ten men, and didn't take advantage.

 

[howardj]

That's the end, I guess, of the little 'History Guy' on the Nike ads.

"Don't defy me".

And we no longer are.

 

[luckyeddie]

maybe, but i'm a Totti fan like seeing him on the pitch regardles..

He's a world-class player when he wants to be - but he's such a tit.

 

[luckyeddie]

I hope England go out more than ever now after seeing some of the comments here.

Somehow, that really concerns me - perhaps you're feeling a little left out of the banter.

I'm sure the minute that Vanuatu or Samoa produce some decent footballers, New Zealand will have a good run in the World Cup.

 

[Goughy]

Italy actually had an end-product and should, on chances,have been in front by half-time if they could finish.

Thats a contradictory statement. If they had an end product then that would mean they would have put the ball in the back of the net. You cannot have an end product and not be able to finish.

 

[luckyeddie]

For what it's worth, I too think that Australia were hard done to by the penalty (and Mrs LE thinks so too, but that's probably because she drinks Fosters, the stupid woman), but Lucas Neill gave the Italian every opportunity to make the most of it.

Still, two wrongs don't make a right.

 

[luckyeddie]

No-one managed to unearth any telephone calls between Berlusconi and the ref yet?

 

[superkingdave]

I remember when we went on university football tour to Italy, we played a couple of clubs and youth sides, they got pretty bad tempered because even at that level they know how to go down easy, it's not something any of us had come accross before and a few players got a bit heated about it. I'm always pretty calm on the football pitch, but there was a lot to be said for the 'if they're going down anyway..' mentality.

Slovenia, now there's a place to play football

 

[Tom Halsey]

Thats a contradictory statement. If they had an end product then that would mean they would have put the ball in the back of the net. You cannot have an end product and not be able to finish.

Okay, I wordede it wrong, shall edit.

 

[Blaze]

Somehow, that really concerns me - perhaps you're feeling a little left out of the banter.

I'm sure the minute that Vanuatu or Samoa produce some decent footballers, New Zealand will have a good run in the World Cup.

banter? lol

 

[BoyBrumby]

Pretty uninspiring first-half from yer Swiss & Ukranianians.

One of this lot v Italy is gonna be an absolute snooze fest too.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Absolute dross.

Dear Lord you owe us a penalty shoot-out after this. 30 mins to hang on.

 

[luckyeddie]

banter? lol

I said 'banter' in order to try to make light of the situation.

When you read some of the turd scrapings that many people have written about England (and not necessarily just about their their performances), frankly what the hell do you expect?

There are plenty of Aussies and plenty of New Zealanders (not least of all you) who have taken the attitude 'anyone but England' this World Cup from way before the event even started - so possibly a little payback from these shores is to be expected.

 

[Goughy]

I said 'banter' in order to try to make light of the situation.

When you read some of the turd scrapings that many people have written about England (and not necessarily just about their their performances), frankly what the hell do you expect?

There are plenty of Aussies and plenty of New Zealanders (not least of all you) who have taken the attitude 'anyone but England' this World Cup from way before the event even started - so possibly a little payback from these shores is to be expected.

If this was the House of Commons Id be stood up waving my bit of paper and shouting "Ra, ra, ra!"

Eddie I completely agree. I wanted Aus to win and Im upset that they didnt. However, not all were like me (though I think most were) and for people to get upset that some in England didnt want an Aussie win after some of their anti-England statements takes the buscuit.

Seems that some can give it but cant take it.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Absolute dross.

Dear Lord you owe us a penalty shoot-out after this. 30 mins to hang on.

Yikes. What a match. Old Blokhin appears to have studied Egil Olsen's book on "effective football" inside out.

Would this be the first time a team has failed to score in a penalty shoot-out?

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

What a horrible, horrible game. Ukraine have been resolutely crap throughout this WC, and didn't really deserve to beat Tunisia and make the second round, but Switzerland were no better today, and can't be too upset about losing. As one of the studio guys we got here said, a penalty shootout is a sad ending to a good game - for this game it was fair enough.

Terrible matchup for the second round, and it'll be an awful quarter final as well.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yikes. What a match. Old Blokhin appears to have studied Egil Olsen's book on "effective football" inside out.

Would this be the first time a team has failed to score in a penalty shoot-out?

Dunno. Just a pity both teams couldn't lose. Even the shoot-out was a disappointment!

 

[Blaze]

Pathetic...