Copa America

[whacked]

Originally Posted by matadorpoeta

the only matches that count are world cup qualifiers and world cup finals. everything else, including copa america, euro 2008, confederations cup, etc... should be treated as a tune-up.

Actually, if a survey were carried out among soccer fans everywhere but South America, I bet the European Championship would rank right up there with World Cup finals. For one, it is a much more level playing field (no Saudi Arabia or Peru => no 8-1 goalfest), yet the strategies and playing style are sufficiently diverse. I, for one, enjoyed Euro 2004 much more than WC2006.

PS: It's funny you brought up WC qualifiers. The perennial powerhouses never bring forward their best eleven, unless for a game they absolutely have to win.

 

[matadorpoeta]

Originally Posted by whacked

Actually, if a survey were carried out among soccer fans everywhere but South America, I bet the European Championship would rank right up there with World Cup finals. For one, it is a much more level playing field (no Saudi Arabia or Peru => no 8-1 goalfest), yet the strategies and playing style are sufficiently diverse. I, for one, enjoyed Euro 2004 much more than WC2006. PS: It's funny you brought up WC qualifiers. The perennial powerhouses never bring forward their best eleven, unless for a game they absolutely have to win.
1. ask the greeks if they would prefer their european championship or to have qualified for the world cup. 2. better yet, ask the portuguese if they would have preferred to beat greece at the expense of not playing in the world cup. 3. the powerhouses do bring their best 11, but they include younger players who may or may not convince the coach to keep them on the team. when it's a must win game, the coach often relies on the "old guard" who have played together more, even if they are too old or are not really the best players anymore. the copa america final starts in 5 minutes. brazil v. argentina. i'll be pulling for argentina in this one. at 4:30 pacific time, mexico plays argentina in the under 20 world cup. look for it.

 

[Manny Calavera]

What a disappointing match. Argentina's stars being nonexistent coupled with the fact Brazil had a handful of their most important active players not playing makes it almost insulting. So many wayward passes up the middle. And the half-hearted flicks to not work against tall defenders like Alex.

Oh well, I don't have a problem with Brazil winning, I just wish it was more of a match.

 

[imageWIS]

Argentina v. Mexico and Uruguay v. Brazil were much better games. This game just sucked. Plus, when a game has that many yellow cards, you know one of the teams isn't playing all that fairly.

Jon.

 

[matadorpoeta]

i enjoyed this match. i was for argentina before the game started, mostly because i tend to get along with argentines better than i do with brazilians. i find the brazilians to be a rather primitive people. but when brazil scored their first goal, which was a beautiful play, i clapped with joy. i then became a traitor and rooted for brazil the rest of the match. i am happy they called a foul on messi when he pushed off while dribbling. he does that a lot and they should call that every time.

right now i'm sad that mÃ

xico lost to argentina in the under 20. the coach took out our best player, who had hit the post twice, with 20 minutes left.

jon,

why do so many arshenteeeeenos have afros?

p.s.
brazil's second goal, vagner love's pass to the shooter was a work of art.

 

[Augusto86]

Primitive people?

Ok, I guess...

WIS, of course I'm going to be biased in the other direction but it seemed to me the ref was going crazy with the fouls on Brazil - two for stalling, and the Argentines were throwing themselves all over the field. Brazil wasn't playing particularly rough soccer, the Argentine team lost flat out. You don't get scored on three times and not make a single goal because of "luck", like they were calling it.

Brazil's two "real" goals were perfect plays. I don't know why you thought the Uruguay game was good - the second half was **** and to win in the second set of penalty kicks is just ugly.

 

[romafan]

Did Doni play?

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by Augusto86

I don't know why you thought the Uruguay game was good - the second half was **** and to win in the second set of penalty kicks is just ugly.

Brazil was matched by Uruguay, all the way up to the first set of penalty kicks. That makes it a good game.

Argentina v. Mexico was a better game because at least both sides were playing, whereas in last nights game only Brazil showed up. Yes, Brazil played dirtier than usual, but at least they played, my countrymen on the other hand were all looking for individual glory...which never came.

Jon.

 

[Augusto86]

That is true.

I feel like that's been endemic to a lot of high-level games these days, unfortunately. Brasil might have been more cohesive because the squad was stripped of all its big-name stars.

Too many players these days just show up for their ******* paychecks...or in the case of half of Brasil's squad, don't show up at all.

Filhos das putas....

 

[matadorpoeta]

Originally Posted by Augusto86

Too many players these days just show up for their ******* paychecks...or in the case of half of Brasil's squad, don't show up at all.

Filhos das putas....

who wasn't there? by my count, brazil only had 2 guys missing. (i hope you're not suggesting that roberto carlos, cafu, or ronaldo still belong on the team.)