World Cup 2006

[Steeb]

I want someone to seriously break down the difference between Ballack and Lampard. Ballack has been a bit better for his side, but shots to goals wise, he has been just as bad. Yet, Lampard is zOMG SHITE and Ballack is the best player some people (the pundits, seemingly) have seen when he couldn't score (at the moment) to save his life.

[Farmer Reil]

Ballack is far superior to Lampard, in just about every way. And now he's coming to Chelsea, I really can't see Lampard staying.

Ballack has brilliant vision, and superb passing skills. And, unlike Lampard (who shows he has them for Chelsea) BALLACK ACTUALLY USES THEM. Some of his balls to Klose and Padolski against Sweden were nothing short of perfect. Lampard has made very very few good passes so far, and while Ballack does shoot almost as much as Lampard, he hardly ever does it if there's a better option, and most of them actually give the goalkeeper something to think about.

Lampard just doesn't seem to know whether shooting or passing is the right thing to do, almost always goes for the wrong one, and the shots themselves have been largely wasteful.

Oh, and Ballack actually bothers defending when he's needed. Lampard hardly ever has so far.

As for not scoring to save his life... and Lampard can? Ballack has looked far more like doing so than Lampard ever has so far. Besides, it's not Ballack's job to score. They don't need him to. They have Frings, Klose and Padolski. We have..Rooney. So Lampard and Stevie G NEED to help out. Lampard just can't do that at the moment. Usually, when a player can't do his job, he's dropped. But we're supposed to praise him because a few months ago he scored a lot for Chelsea? Newsflash: This isn't a few months ago, and he's not playing for Chelsea.

As for everyone calling me an idiot, we'll see about that on Saturday.

And as for John fucking Terry apparently getting man of the match yesterday... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA, dear God. The man of the match people are almost as blind as Sven. John Terry was Ecuador's best striker I guess, maybe that's where they're coming from. Seriously, he set up far more chances for Ecuador than Ecuador did ¬_¬

That is all.

Edited June 26, 2006 by TheReilDeal

[Lowerdeck]

My Yahoo team is going to shit in a real hurry. I only have 13 eligible players remaining and one transfer. The other 10 are on teams eliminated. Richard Kingston, the Ghana goalie, is the only GK I have left ... he won't last long (and perhaps isn't even worth starting vs. Brazil)

[fineintent]

I'm pretty sure Lampard will stay Reily. He's had 3 tremendous club seasons, in addition to steady international form apart from this World Cup (Euro 2004 anybody?). Traditionally, Lampard has outperformed Gerrard at international level, he's just had a bad few games - form is temporary, class is permenant.

John Terry and Frank Lampard are Chelsea, neither will be sold.

As for Terry's match, bar the slip at the beginning, he looked calm, composed, brave and was rarely caught out - impressive considering he lacks pace.

[Liam]

I'm just talking purely on shots, Ballack is as wasteful as Lampard is. I couldn't care less if more of his shots trouble the keeper, he still isn't scoring. Fuck, enough of Lampard's have either just flashed wide or has made the keeper make a save at least, they aren't all ballooning wide like the select few.

And we have players that score instead of Lampard, just like Germany, so it isn't totally necessary for Lampard to be scoring..sure it'd be nice, but since we've had goals scored by Gerrard, Crouch and Cole thus far, and still have others who can score goals when called upon (Rooney, Terry from corners, etc etc), we aren't the one man scoring team you try and make us out to be.

As for dropping him, he is playing fine aside from not scoring. You could have dropped most of the team at one point or another in these tournaments based on their lack of performance, so picking out Lampard seems a little pointless. He isn't setting the world alight like he does at Chelsea, but you shouldn't judge his peformances for England on what he can do for Chelsea. Sure he could do better cos we have seen him do better, but we've seen a lot of the players play better for their clubs at one point or another.

As for Ballack in the Premiership and Lampard's tenure, wasn't Lampard going to leave/not play when the first influx of players came into the Chelsea squad after Abramovich joined? But, he played his way into the side, and Jose seems to love him, so I don't see him losing his place. Also, if he regains his form, there is a reason he was second only to Ronaldinho in the FIFA World Player Of The Year award last year, because he is that good when he gets going....but I know it is a sin for some people to celebrate English talent or English people doing well, so I digress.

I don't see Ballack performing in the Premiership either, personally. He looks great in the Bundesliga, but you don't get the kinda freedom to sit around and play your passes in the Premiership, it is a lot more high tempo. Better players than Ballack haven't succeded or player anywhere near their expectations, and I don't think it is a given he will either. Add to that his penchant for diving, and the fact that I'm sure he won't like the physical side to the England game, I just am a bit skeptical.

[fineintent]

Liam, there is no doubt in my mind that Ballack will be a massive success in England. His game is suited to English football - he is a great tackler, has a lot of energy and a superb range of passing. Ballack is the type of player who could perform on any stage.

As for the "better players" than Ballack comment, I can only assume you mean Veron. Veron was, essentially, a number 10 played in the centre of an unbalanced midfield by Man Utd. Ballack is a centre midfielder who can sit or go forward, and will have any of Makelele, Essien and Lampard to support him in either role.

[Liam]

Liam, there is no doubt in my mind that Ballack will be a massive success in England. His game is suited to English football - he is a great tackler, has a lot of energy and a superb range of passing. Ballack is the type of player who could perform on any stage.

As for the "better players" than Ballack comment, I can only assume you mean Veron. Veron was, essentially, a number 10 played in the centre of an unbalanced midfield by Man Utd. Ballack is a centre midfielder who can sit or go forward, and will have any of Makelele, Essien and Lampard to support him in either role.

Veron was part of it, but I meant as much players such as Crespo, who underperforms regularly in the Prem and is only a shell of what he was in other leagues. So yeah, I'm not just limiting it to midfielders. "Better" probably wasn't the right word, but "world class" then. I know Crespo has the problem of continual rotation with Drogba, but before he went on loan he was poor as well.

And I'm just a little skeptical. I know he is good, great even.... but it is a totally different stage, and any number of things could make him under-perform, from just not being able to adapt, to not being able to settle, to external issues not related to the football side of it. I'd love to see him do well, I'm just not sold until he IS doing well, I guess

[figos]

then Figo fucking dives and Boulahrouz gets send off. All hell breaks loose with Heitinga not passing the ball followed by Deco's insane tackle.

[alldaws1]

Ballack has brilliant vision, and superb passing skills. And, unlike Lampard (who shows he has them for Chelsea) BALLACK ACTUALLY USES THEM.

That's because Ballack's expected to make the penetrating passes and brilliant through-balls. Germany rely on him to provide. England rely on Beckham and Gerrard, not Lampard. Lampard's expected to get on to the end of the passes whereas Ballack's meant to provide them.

This is of course only comparing the two at international level.

then Figo fucking dives and Boulahrouz gets send off. All hell breaks loose with Heitinga not passing the ball followed by Deco's insane tackle.

Boulahrouz sould have been sent off after injuring Ronaldo.Figo dived? :lmao: What about Heitinga and Sneijder pushing Petit? I tought Holland was credited as one of the most "fair-play" teams but apparently they are not so Deco did what he had to do.

Deco didn't have to make that sliding tackle, he could have won it back fairly

But yeah, Figo didn't dive, he may have milked it but Boulahrouz did throw an arm out.

[Guest Ringo Mars]

then Figo fucking dives and Boulahrouz gets send off. All hell breaks loose with Heitinga not passing the ball followed by Deco's insane tackle.

Boulahrouz sould have been sent off after injuring Ronaldo.Figo dived? :lmao: What about Heitinga and Sneijder pushing Petit? I tought Holland was credited as one of the most "fair-play" teams but apparently they are not so Deco did what he had to do.

[Liam]

"Jesus said we should turn the other cheek, unfortunately, Figo is not Jesus Christ."

BWAHAHA, I love it.

[fineintent]

"Jesus said we should turn the other cheek, unfortunately, Figo is not Jesus Christ."

BWAHAHA, I love it.

[The Quasi Juice]

then Figo fucking dives and Boulahrouz gets send off. All hell breaks loose with Heitinga not passing the ball followed by Deco's insane tackle.

Boulahrouz sould have been sent off after injuring Ronaldo.Figo dived? :lmao: What about Heitinga and Sneijder pushing Petit? I tought Holland was credited as one of the most "fair-play" teams but apparently they are not so Deco did what he had to do.

[Dan]

Portugal looked a lot worse than England in their game, to be honest, I know the opposition was stronger but the Dutch really aren't that good, they'll come good in 2010 probably.

[Chris the Human]

Just over an hour until Australia's footballing 'date with destiny' and I'm a nervous wreck, heh. I'm over the moon we made it this far, but now I'm just hungry for more. If Kewell is out (and rumours say he is) we'll really struggle to exert as much pressure as we needed to to beat Uruguay and Greece (two solid defensive sides). If he is fit, however, I think we're a chance as long as we keep attacking and don't try to protect an early lead. I honestly don't think Italy are infallible.

And if we do go down, I hope we go down fighting. I think, from now on, we'll be a fairly regular fixture in the World Cup. The Asian qualification route will benefit our cohesiveness and competitiveness greatly.

[Buford Ripley]

Can someone tell me the reason behind Italy coming out in those tracksuit tops at the beginning of matches?

To me it seems like a slap in the face to the opposition.

[MDK]

If it would help England win I'd want them to wear tracksuit tops.

[AJ]

I thought I would share with you guys the look of my Outlook Calendar, showing just how busy I am kept at work =\

[Guest Ringo Mars]

Is everyone getting really shit commercials during the WC? I swear, if I have to see an Adidas/Rogers/Budweiser commercial, I'm gonna gouge my eyes out. Its like they air the same three commercials OVER AND OVER.

Fiends.

[Chris the Human]

We keep getting ads for the Sante Fe car and Nike's Australian Joga Bonito ads