Official World Cup 2014 Thread

WAY TO GO GREECE!!!!

 

IMO it'll be between Dutch and Germans. Germany is a well rounded team, but without a clear striker. Holland has this "new" 3-5-2 system/ it's not really new, but they taking away midfield from the opponent very effectively. I'd say Holland probably slightly better, but very slightly.

 

Germany beating US while Ghana beating Portugal; if any of those results are by more than 1 goal, Ghana goes through.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/socce...rules-luis-suarez-bit-opponent-194322521.html


The major World Cup storyline over the next several days will not be how group play finishes it, but rather Luis Suarez and his alleged bite of Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini. We may have seen the last of the Uruguayan this tournament, but that decision is up to FIFA. Soccer's governing body will have plenty of previous evidence to go on, with Suarez having been punished twice since 2010 for separate biting incidents.

With that history, betting site Betsafe decided to have some fun before the World Cup by creating a prop bet that involved another chomp from Suarez. The prop bet went off at 174/1, according to a site spokesman, and Swedish soccer fan Mats Johansson decided to throw 10 kronor ($1.83 USD) down and hope the madman went mad.


"Hahahaha! THANKS Suarez to you again bet a player o thanks for 1750 profit"


The ticket translated: "Will Suarez bite an opposing player? Soccer / World Cup / 2014 World Cup specials Winner - your bet: Yes"

According to Johansson, he thought about betting 50 kronor, but "chickened out."

Suarez waited until Uruguay's final group match to revert to his old ways and for Johansson it paid 1750 kronor (about $260 USD). According to Betsafe, they will be paying out 39 winners who took the prop bet, including one bettor who will take home nearly $3,000 USD.

"We saw the incident and thought it was obvious," a spokesperson said. "Betsafe players are in it to win it, and we saw no reason to delay them from getting what they deserve."

 

Penalty no, Oscar for acting yes

 

That video misses the frames leading up to the samras mis-kick where Sio impedes his shooting motion by running into him.

 

I have watched numerous videos and have yet to see Sio run into Samaras. What time of this video is where he runs into him?


Only way they are going to stop all the blatant flopping is implement a rule where they can review after games and start handing out suspensions. It is getting ridiculous.
When flops like this can completely change the outcome of the tournament it needs to be fixed.

 

here http://a.pomf.se/jcecwh.gif


and after 0:45

 

He never touched him, he tripped himself on the turf. You are looking at the view from behind which does not offer concrete evidence but if you look at it from the side view you can see there is no contact.

 

Umm yes his shooting motion was interrupted causing him to lose balance and trip. You could argue about his theatrics post touch but for me who has played and watched football all his life that is a foul.

 

He didn't touch him, not sure where you are seeing him doing anything to him. You can also take your "for me who has played and watched football all his life" and file it with the numerous other factors that don't have any bearing on the play.

 

I saw it a number of times and I couldn't tell if that should have been a penalty or not. I also don't know soccer really good.

 

yeah, it is getting ridiculous with phantom penalties..........best thing that came out of last WC was the implementation fully of goal line tech.......now coaches/mgr's should get 1 or 2 "reviews/replay requests" on penalties called in the box at least.......not sure what the penalty should be if the call goes against them though.......lose a sub?

 

Hey Waterboy

Before he tripped himself, the Ivory player is pushing his leg. I saw the touch. It is a clear penalty.

Edit: In JetNotts video, please watch 52nd and 53rd seconds.

 

We're going around in circles. He clearly runs into him when Samaras is about to shoot ... You can't just say it's not concrete evidence when it clearly shows the incident.

Can someone else chime in, don't wanna keep repeating myself lol. Even Ivory Coast fans concede it was a clumsy challenge in the box.

I know diving is endemic in football and even in this case it was slightly exaggerated but it doesn't take away from the fact that if a player runs in from behind and impedes a shot like that it is a foul.

 

Oh, now I see it. I had been focusing on the Greek's right leg. It is a definite penalty.

 

ok, yeah that was a penalty. (first time I've seen it)

 

That was the first view I saw where you can see the foul, the other views did not show this.