This has NOTHING to do with Diabetes......

[Randburg]

O DEAR WE DOWN TO THIS ?

 

[semiphonic]

Well it's all over and I'm £150 richer thanks to a great goal that was worthy of winning footballs biggest prize. I really enjoyed the final and thought it was a great display of world class defending from both teams, and while Schweinsteiger was superb in midfield, for me Boateng was the man of the match.

This has been, in my opinion, the best World Cup that I've seen, yes there were some atrocious games and some atrocious teams (I'm looking at you England!), but there were far more cracking games, some brilliant and unexpected teams (Costa Rica, Columbia, Chile, USA, Belgium), and some crazy results, surely no one predicted Spain losing 5-1, or Portugal losing 4-0, and Brazil losing 7-1?

It's also been a players tournament. With the exception of Germany, few of the 'world class' players have performed - Rooney, Gerrard, Ronaldo, Casillas, van Persie (apart from that goal), Neymar, Hulk and of course Messi, all failed to live up to the hype. And how Messi got player of the tournament is beyond me, that should have gone to James Rodriguez in my opinion.

The stand out moments?
Arjen Robben's goal against Australia quickly followed by Cahill's amazing volley
Arjen Robben's ridiculous dive against Mexico, and all of his subsequent theatrics whenever anyone, or the ball came anywhere near him (sorry @Randburg !)
Neuer playing as a sweeper against Algeria
Tim Howard's heroics against Belgium
James Rodriguez's goal of the tournament
David Luiz's free kick against against Columbia
Germany's demolition of Brazil
Goetze's goal in the final
And of course Chewy Luis
These are just a few

Oh well, roll on the 2014/15 football season, I'll start a thread nearer the time if nothing else so that @zand can dish out some much deserved banter

Thanks to everyone for keeping this thread going, I've really enjoyed it.

As always all comments, thoughts and opinions are welcomed.

 

[zand]

Oh well, roll on the 2014/15 football season, I'll start a thread nearer the time if nothing else so that @zand can dish out some much deserved banter

Looking forward to it already!

 

[Robinredbreast]

Looking forward to it already!

Erm............ don't forget the Commonworth Games in Glasgow really looking forward to it.

 

[Scardoc]

[QUOTE="semiphonic, post: 588790, member: 97458

As always all comments, thoughts and opinions are welcomed.[/QUOTE]

Well..............I'm in disagreement that this was the best WC to date. I'm old enough to remember from '86 onwards (86 is vague, Italia 90 clear as) and for me it has to be USA '94. Stunning goals, stunning teams (Sweden, Bulgaria, Romania, Nigeria), stunning players (Romario, Brolin, Hagi, Stoichkov, Baggio), Maradona booted out for drugs (ha ha), Diana Ross ****** up in the opening ceremony, Jack Charlton and John Aldridge going mental on the touchline and my favourite moment - in the final, there was a long range shot that the Italian goalkeeper looked to have caught easily and it squirmed out of his grasp, hit the post and fell straight back into his arms. The look on his face was priceless.

I'm also left with a sour taste from Brazil that started in game one when Fred fell over and got a penalty. The "win at all costs" attitude has invaded the game to such an extent that it's forever damaged. The slightest touch now and it's acceptable to fall over and get a free kick or penalty. It's meant to be a physical game. Robben's collapse in the 3rd place game is a great example. He could have stayed up and scored but he fully expected a red card. The standard of refereeing has been poor and the players antics even worse. My final point on that score is Thomas Mueller of Germany, it makes me feel sick to think he is a WC winner. In game one his antics helped get Portugal's Pepe sent off. Yes, Pepe was mental but the contact was minimal and Mueller put on an Oscar winning performance. What makes this a million times worse is that towards the end of the final, Herr Mueller had a genuinely accidental clash of heads with an Argentinian defender which you could see clearly and he didn't go down. He rubbed his head and got on with it. Why? Because there was no one to get sent off. Disgusting. The fact that Robben can also admit to cheating and not only not get kicked out but get nominated for player of the tournament speaks volumes. FIFA need to get a serious grip. Some of the pundits said after England's demise that they are perhaps not dirty enough and should maybe do what other teams do! Ludicrous. Sort out the cheaters first.

On the plus points there were some genuinely good games and results. Costa Rica proved that the gap has closed significantly and one of the best footballing games I saw was Algeria v South Korea. The real joy was for me that the crowd were not shy to boo any dull games and, of course, the magnificent camera work in picking out the ladies!!

 

[semiphonic]

Erm............ don't forget the Commonworth Games in Glasgow really looking forward to it.

The what now?

 

[noblehead]

It was a fantastic world cup Semiphonic, enjoyed this thread too and all the contributions everyone has made

 

[sanguine]

Erm............ don't forget the Commonworth Games in Glasgow really looking forward to it.

And the European athletics championships afterwards ...

 

[Robinredbreast]

And the European athletics championships afterwards ...

Happy days

 

[Robinredbreast]

The what now?

Cheeky lol

 

[Randburg]

Well it's all over and I'm £150 richer thanks to a great goal that was worthy of winning footballs biggest prize. I really enjoyed the final and thought it was a great display of world class defending from both teams, and while Schweinsteiger was superb in midfield, for me Boateng was the man of the match.

This has been, in my opinion, the best World Cup that I've seen, yes there were some atrocious games and some atrocious teams (I'm looking at you England!), but there were far more cracking games, some brilliant and unexpected teams (Costa Rica, Columbia, Chile, USA, Belgium), and some crazy results, surely no one predicted Spain losing 5-1, or Portugal losing 4-0, and Brazil losing 7-1?

It's also been a players tournament. With the exception of Germany, few of the 'world class' players have performed - Rooney, Gerrard, Ronaldo, Casillas, van Persie (apart from that goal), Neymar, Hulk and of course Messi, all failed to live up to the hype. And how Messi got player of the tournament is beyond me, that should have gone to James Rodriguez in my opinion.

The stand out moments?
Arjen Robben's goal against Australia quickly followed by Cahill's amazing volley
Arjen Robben's ridiculous dive against Mexico, and all of his subsequent theatrics whenever anyone, or the ball came anywhere near him (sorry @Randburg !)
Neuer playing as a sweeper against Algeria
Tim Howard's heroics against Belgium
James Rodriguez's goal of the tournament
David Luiz's free kick against against Columbia
Germany's demolition of Brazil
Goetze's goal in the final
And of course Chewy Luis
These are just a few

Oh well, roll on the 2014/15 football season, I'll start a thread nearer the time if nothing else so that @zand can dish out some much deserved banter

Thanks to everyone for keeping this thread going, I've really enjoyed it.

As always all comments, thoughts and opinions are welcomed.

WELL DONE ENJOYED ALL THE CHIRPS, HAVE ONE FOR ME (Preferably sugar free, Low Carb )

 

[Randburg]

Surprise !!!!!

 

[Randburg]

Well I for one am chuffed to rocks with the result, don't know if I mentioned it before but I got Germany in the sweep at the pub

£150 if they win, £80 if they lose. Either way the drinks are on me

Thanks for a enjoyable thread and a bit of fun, enjoyed it.
Here is an idea tp try with the empty Bottles after your Pub Bash
http://www.loopinsight.com/2014/06/05/what-to-do-once-youve-finished-all-the-beer/?utm_source=loopinsight.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Feed: loopinsight/KqJb (The Loop)&utm_content=FeedBurner


@semiphonic

 

[zand]

@semiphonic I keep forgetting to say...thanks so much for starting this thread. I've really enjoyed it

 

[sanguine]

@zand , something else to make you laugh if you're still feeling grumpy. From a few years ago, but my favourite is the Ian Rush one:

Subject: Football quotes

'My parents have been there for me, ever since I was about 7.'
David Beckham

'I would not be bothered if we lost every game as long as we won the league.'
Mark Viduka

'Alex Ferguson is the best manager I've ever had at this level. Well, he's the only manager I've actually had at this level. But he's the best manager I've ever had.'
David Beckham

'If you don't believe you can win, there is no point in getting out of bed at the end of the day.'
Neville Southall

'I've had 14 bookings this season - 8 of which were my fault, but 7 of which were disputable.'
Paul Gascoigne

'I've never wanted to leave. I'm here for the rest of my life, and hopefully after that as well.'
Alan Shearer

'I'd like to play for an Italian club, like Barcelona.'
Mark Draper

'You've got to believe that you're going to win, and I believe we'll win the World Cup until the final whistle blows and we're knocked out.'
Peter Shilton

'I faxed a transfer request to the club at the beginning of the week, but let me state that I don't want to leave Leicester.'
Stan Collymore

'I was watching the Blackburn game on TV on Sunday when it flashed on the screen that George (Ndah) had scored in the first minute at Birmingham. My first reaction was to ring him up. Then I remembered he was out there playing.'
Ade Akinbiyi

'Without being too harsh on David Beckham, he cost us the match.'
Ian Wright

'I'm as happy as I can be - but I have been happier.'
Ugo Ehiogu

'Leeds is a great club and it's been my home for years, even though I live in Middlesbrough.'
Jonathan Woodgate

'I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel.'
Stuart Pearce

'I took a whack on my left ankle, but something told me it was my right.'
Lee Hendrie

'I couldn't settle in Italy - it was like living in a foreign country.'
Ian Rush

'Germany are a very difficult team to play...they had 11 internationals out there today.'
Steve Lomas

'I always used to put my right boot on first, and then obviously my right sock.'
Barry Venison

'I definitely want Brooklyn to be christened, but I don't know into what religion yet.'
David Beckham

'The Brazilians were South America, and the Ukrainians will be more European.'
Phil Neville

'All that remains is for a few dots and commas to be crossed.'
Mitchell Thomas

'One accusation you can't throw at me is that I've always done my best.'
Alan Shearer

'I'd rather play in front of a full house than an empty crowd.'
Johnny Giles

'Sometimes in football you have to score goals.'
Thierry Henry

'I was surprised, but I always say nothing surprises me in football.'
Les Ferdinand

 

[zand]

Thank you Rod, hilarious, I am still laughing and trying to choose my favourites. the Paul Gascoigne one and David Beckham Brooklyn one I think. But I also love the Leeds and Arsenal ones obviously. I'm not grumpy at all now.

 

[semiphonic]

[QUOTE="semiphonic, post: 588790, member: 97458

As always all comments, thoughts and opinions are welcomed.

Well..............I'm in disagreement that this was the best WC to date. I'm old enough to remember from '86 onwards (86 is vague, Italia 90 clear as) and for me it has to be USA '94. Stunning goals, stunning teams (Sweden, Bulgaria, Romania, Nigeria), stunning players (Romario, Brolin, Hagi, Stoichkov, Baggio), Maradona booted out for drugs (ha ha), Diana Ross ****** up in the opening ceremony, Jack Charlton and John Aldridge going mental on the touchline and my favourite moment - in the final, there was a long range shot that the Italian goalkeeper looked to have caught easily and it squirmed out of his grasp, hit the post and fell straight back into his arms. The look on his face was priceless.

I'm also left with a sour taste from Brazil that started in game one when Fred fell over and got a penalty. The "win at all costs" attitude has invaded the game to such an extent that it's forever damaged. The slightest touch now and it's acceptable to fall over and get a free kick or penalty. It's meant to be a physical game. Robben's collapse in the 3rd place game is a great example. He could have stayed up and scored but he fully expected a red card. The standard of refereeing has been poor and the players antics even worse. My final point on that score is Thomas Mueller of Germany, it makes me feel sick to think he is a WC winner. In game one his antics helped get Portugal's Pepe sent off. Yes, Pepe was mental but the contact was minimal and Mueller put on an Oscar winning performance. What makes this a million times worse is that towards the end of the final, Herr Mueller had a genuinely accidental clash of heads with an Argentinian defender which you could see clearly and he didn't go down. He rubbed his head and got on with it. Why? Because there was no one to get sent off. Disgusting. The fact that Robben can also admit to cheating and not only not get kicked out but get nominated for player of the tournament speaks volumes. FIFA need to get a serious grip. Some of the pundits said after England's demise that they are perhaps not dirty enough and should maybe do what other teams do! Ludicrous. Sort out the cheaters first.

On the plus points there were some genuinely good games and results. Costa Rica proved that the gap has closed significantly and one of the best footballing games I saw was Algeria v South Korea. The real joy was for me that the crowd were not shy to boo any dull games and, of course, the magnificent camera work in picking out the ladies!!

All comments, thoughts and opinions have always been welcomed on this thread

Yes I'm old enough to remember from 86 onwards too and before this World Cup I think my favourite was France 98, in my opinion the last time England played with any passion.

The reason I think that this was the best so far is because of the footballing drama, Spain getting resolutely dumped out along with Portugal and Italy, Brazil being very very poor throughout and teams like Costa Rica, Chile and Columbia playing some great football.

I agree that cheating is an epidemic in football, but it's hardly a recent phenomenon -

Harald Schumacher making no attempt to play the ball, and hitting Battiston so hard he lost two teeth, cracked vertebrae and had serious concussion - 1982

Maradonna's 'hand of god' - 1986

Beckham (while lying face down) raised his foot and caught Diego Simeone on the back of the leg with all the force of a dying fly, Simeone went down like he'd been hit by a speeding bus, Beckham got sent off - 1998

Rooney went in hard on Carvalho (probably a yellow card at best), Cristiano Ronaldo came running up to the ref and held his hand up like he was brandishing a red card, Rooney got sent off and Ronaldo winked at the bench - 2006

The only person who got Pepe sent off was Pepe, he smacked Mueller in the face and then head butted him!

In my opinion, Arjen Robben's cheating is the most insidious and insipid that the modern game has seen. He throws himself to the floor at every opportunity, and the sad thing is that he is incredibly talented. Man Utd have had a lucky escape with him not signing.

Totally agree with the magnificent camera work, I'm hoping to get a job as a spotter for the next World Cup

 

[semiphonic]

@semiphonic I keep forgetting to say...thanks so much for starting this thread. I've really enjoyed it

Thanks @zand but I only started the thread, it's only been so good because of the input from everyone, I've really enjoyed it too

 

[semiphonic]

@zand , something else to make you laugh if you're still feeling grumpy. From a few years ago, but my favourite is the Ian Rush one:

Subject: Football quotes

'My parents have been there for me, ever since I was about 7.'
David Beckham

'I would not be bothered if we lost every game as long as we won the league.'
Mark Viduka

'Alex Ferguson is the best manager I've ever had at this level. Well, he's the only manager I've actually had at this level. But he's the best manager I've ever had.'
David Beckham

'If you don't believe you can win, there is no point in getting out of bed at the end of the day.'
Neville Southall

'I've had 14 bookings this season - 8 of which were my fault, but 7 of which were disputable.'
Paul Gascoigne

'I've never wanted to leave. I'm here for the rest of my life, and hopefully after that as well.'
Alan Shearer

'I'd like to play for an Italian club, like Barcelona.'
Mark Draper

'You've got to believe that you're going to win, and I believe we'll win the World Cup until the final whistle blows and we're knocked out.'
Peter Shilton

'I faxed a transfer request to the club at the beginning of the week, but let me state that I don't want to leave Leicester.'
Stan Collymore

'I was watching the Blackburn game on TV on Sunday when it flashed on the screen that George (Ndah) had scored in the first minute at Birmingham. My first reaction was to ring him up. Then I remembered he was out there playing.'
Ade Akinbiyi

'Without being too harsh on David Beckham, he cost us the match.'
Ian Wright

'I'm as happy as I can be - but I have been happier.'
Ugo Ehiogu

'Leeds is a great club and it's been my home for years, even though I live in Middlesbrough.'
Jonathan Woodgate

'I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel.'
Stuart Pearce

'I took a whack on my left ankle, but something told me it was my right.'
Lee Hendrie

'I couldn't settle in Italy - it was like living in a foreign country.'
Ian Rush

'Germany are a very difficult team to play...they had 11 internationals out there today.'
Steve Lomas

'I always used to put my right boot on first, and then obviously my right sock.'
Barry Venison

'I definitely want Brooklyn to be christened, but I don't know into what religion yet.'
David Beckham

'The Brazilians were South America, and the Ukrainians will be more European.'
Phil Neville

'All that remains is for a few dots and commas to be crossed.'
Mitchell Thomas

'One accusation you can't throw at me is that I've always done my best.'
Alan Shearer

'I'd rather play in front of a full house than an empty crowd.'
Johnny Giles

'Sometimes in football you have to score goals.'
Thierry Henry

'I was surprised, but I always say nothing surprises me in football.'
Les Ferdinand

Brilliant

 

[semiphonic]

I always do that with the empties @Randburg

Thanks for your input (along with everyone else but special mentions for you, @zand , @nosher8355 , @noblehead & @sanguine ) you need to pick a uk team for the upcoming season ready for the new thread