LordVader Honduras 1 Chile 1
LordVader Spain 3 Switzerland 1
LordVader SouthAfrica 0 Uruguay 1

I agree.

I really enjoyed South Africa - Mexico, France - Uruguay, Germany - Australia, Holland - Denmark and today's Ivory Coast - Portugal game.

The only game I've found particularly dull was England. The Argentina game was ok.

Watching how team's keep posession, organise themselves defensively, counter-attack etc....is all just as interesting as creating chances.

I think if you haven't played the game it is hard to relate too so I can understand if Lord Vader find's it dull from that perspective....as I and the rest of the world have found it hard to see enjoyment in their North American sports.

Alright, unless anyone has any other ideas (I don't mind complicated stuff but sometimes that doesn't make for a good game for everyone) I'll get that set up for next week.

I like the idea of a joker "card" too: where each person can play it on one match only and will get double points from an accurate result (2 pts for winner, 6 pts winner and goal difference). Sound good?

JamesM Honduras 1 Chile 1
JamesM Spain 2 Switzerland 0
JamesM SouthAfrica 1 Uruguay 2

Let's hope my predictive powers fair better tomorrow!

Flogger Honduras 0 Chile 1
Flogger Spain 2 Switzerland 0
Flogger SouthAfrica 0 Uraguay 1

That is the thing, it is way too easy to follow and far too predictable. The rules favor the defenses and limit the more talented players and offensive schemes. Soccer is the world war one of sports. The team that has scored first has not lost so far, there has not been one single lead change during the entire competition so far. It seems the only hope that the team that gets scored on first has is a draw. I get sick of people telling me that my geographic location means that me is too stoopid ta unnerstan dat tactics are a part of soccer, duh, tactics are a part of every sport ever played. You are right though, anyone can play the game, all that is required is a ball.

I still watch as much as I can. Tactics can be interesting but rarely exciting. I haven't seen any of today's games today, but what I have seen so far are mostly teams that are afraid to lose. None of the swagger of a great team, no one taking a defense apart and little of the brilliance of supposedly the best players in the world.

You can have exciting football at any level if you care about the result. However, when I am watching the best teams in the world I want more than the appreciation of how each team sets up to smother the creativity of the other.

Maybe the objective of the first round is not to lose. It should get better when the results mean something.

Oink Honduras 0 Chile 2
Oink Spain 2 Switzerland 1
Oink South Africa 0 Uruguay 1

No one gives a toss whether Americans or Canadians like football.

Well said.

Abso-bloody-lutely. I should have been keeping to my day one strategy of predicting a 1-1 draw in every team's first match.

Good

I notice with some wry amusement that the cheesy chav flags I brought back from the motherland for my car are starting to fray around the edges already.

A metaphor for Englands world cup performance perhaps. I fully expect them to fall totally apart, possibly landing in a nearby pile of manure before the whole thing is through...

Me too.

I'm confused by the technical terminology though. Could someone please have a go at translating the following from English:

"Initially it seemed the Koreans were wobbling. In the second minute, Robinho lollipopped down the left before nutmegging Jong Hyok-cha and passing to Kaká, who was tackled as he prepared to shoot."

From: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...p-match-report

Thank God that wasn't from the Canadian media or there would be no living with the pedants on this forum.