Liverpool FC Forum

[Bad Bob]

A bit of heat over here and we are all suffering ! We are not used to it, so imagine what it is like in South Africa. The south american teams are doing well as they are used to it, most of europe are not.

Err, it is winter for them down there, mate.  From what I've heard, the daytime highs are in the mid-teens to low-20s celsius.  Hardly the heat wave we saw in Germany in 2006 and hardly an excuse for the European sides.

[laza]

Yes commentators were saying in early games playing in the southern hemisphere and having a winter World Cup mean't teams werent tiring as early, as per your normal summer WCs

[The Good Yank]

So call me late to the party, but I was just looking at the way the bracket sets up, 2 of these 4 teams will go out next round (if they make it of course)

Spain
Brazil
Portugal
Chile

Wow, just the way things have been set up are just begging for controversy.

[Owzat]

I've heard a lot of sh it talked over this World Cup and I knew it was worth looking into. Italy have been slated for their "ageing team" yet ENGLAND's squad is older overall :

England : players = 23, total years = 654, average age = 28.43 (players 30+ = 7)
Italy : players = 23, total years = 649, average age = 28.22 (players 30+ = 9)

Still working on most of the rest, will take longer than I have now, but Spain is the youngest so far :

Spain : players = 23, total years = 596, average age = 25.91 (players 30+ = 4)

Be interesting to see what the tournament average is. Hello, we have a new leader :

Brazil : players = 23, total years = 658, average age = 28.61 (players 30+ = 9)

2/3 (16/23) of the Brazil squad are 28+

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_World_Cup_squads


Does anyone know for sure if this is the first time both previous winners/holders AND runners-up have both bombed out at the 1st round stage of the next World Cup?!?

[Ben Patrick]

Big Niall are you saying the Spanish arent technically great players ?
If you are then i think you are off your head.

I agree the south americans have dominated so far and its hard to say why but there will still be some strong europeans in the later stages. Germany or England. Probably Holland. Portugal and Spain have good chances also.  With the slovaks buzzing after their win yesterday who knows how they will fare in the 2nd round.

I was very impressed with the Japs yesterday, great goals - loved the assist for the last goal, raped rommedahl then put it on a plate for his team mate, looks some player that Honda.

[Judge]

A bit of heat over here and we are all suffering ! We are not used to it, so imagine what it is like in South Africa. The south american teams are doing well as they are used to it, most of europe are not.

Err, it is winter for them down there, mate.  From what I've heard, the daytime highs are in the mid-teens to low-20s celsius.  Hardly the heat wave we saw in Germany in 2006 and hardly an excuse for the European sides.

i think its more to do with altitude playing, rather than the temperature

[SouthCoastShankly]

Big Niall are you saying the Spanish arent technically great players ?
If you are then i think you are off your head.

I agree the south americans have dominated so far and its hard to say why but there will still be some strong europeans in the later stages. Germany or England. Probably Holland. Portugal and Spain have good chances also.  With the slovaks buzzing after their win yesterday who knows how they will fare in the 2nd round.

I was very impressed with the Japs yesterday, great goals - loved the assist for the last goal, raped rommedahl then put it on a plate for his team mate, looks some player that Honda.

Exactly.

Spain have to be the most fluid and technical teams in the world let alone in the tournament.

[Judge]

dark horses - south korea

[Sabre]

We'll play better than ever, we'll be out as always.

Come on Spain!!!

[Judge]

when your team is out, you can always use xbox for a game of this 

[lakes10]

its been a very strange world cup so far.
big teams going out in truth has not been a shock as the media seem to try to make out, France were not looking good before it and Italy have had lots of problems due to age and players being unfit,, both teams lost belif before it even started.

other teams seemed to think they could just turn up and they would win, them days have gone, no team fears the big teams anymore.....just like the prem.

[SouthCoastShankly]

2 world wars and 1 world cup - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZaWe3elBmE

[laza]

Cmon Brazil give Portugal and that poser Ronaldo a thumping

[Reg]

Sitting in the office wearing my Brazil shirt with 30 other colleagues similarly dressed - Brazos do things together, they dont run off home.

Bbbbbbbbbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaazzzzzzzzzziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiillllllllllllllllll
lllllllllllllllll  !!!!

[SouthCoastShankly]

Ivory Coast 2-0 after 20 mins. They only need to score 8 assuming Brazil win.