Most teams, at that point, eschew offense to a degree that I find unappealing.
Then your problem is that you don't appreciate the finer complexities of midfield play strategy, a problem you share with only a small fraction of the planet, and a problem which REALLY shows that you don't understand "soccer."
Please. I've seen enough sports to know when a game gets boring. If I don't understand, my ignorance is bliss. I'll go watch me some hockey while you debate the fine nuances of Chardonnay and soccer. And for the record, I'm no pure action junkie. Curling is amongst my favorite "sports" to watch. Since I get Canadian television, I watch quite a bit.
On a somewhat less cynical tone, I understand the strategy. That's why I am complaining. The problem with soccer is that it is a game that makes it too darned easy to sit back and defend. Hockey teams defend, but a faster pace and small playing area make it much more difficult. Call me crazy, but I like games that force teams to be challenged. Soccer does not present sufficient challenge to a team that is up by even just one goal. Even with curling, a team playing defensively is constantly put to the test and challenged.
I have tremendous respect for the skills that these players have. That does not mean that I must have tremendous respect for the game. And, frankly, this is a subjective matter. You think it's great, and I think it sucks. It's a matter of taste, and our tastes are different. Big deal.
I'll go watch me some hockey while you debate the fine nuances of both Chardonnay
Wow, you present the red herring fallacy. Why does this not shock me?
Soccer does not present sufficient challenge to a team that is up by even just one goal.
Really? Because Paraguay had a hard fucking time holding back Italy today, who was losing by one point. Or South Africa in playing Mexico. You act as if scoring more goals is the only way to keep things interesting, the only way to demonstrate skill. The major amount of defense that it takes to hold a lead in soccer and the skill it takes to do so is a source of tremendous entertainment.
Really? Because Paraguay had ahard fucking timeholding back Italy today, who was losing by one point. Or South Africa in playing Mexico.
Isolated exceptions does not negate the overall premise. As for the red herring fallacy, life would be boring without some humor. We aren't debating physics here. We're debating a matter of personal taste. Lighten up a little! I don't expect any foreigner to enjoy watching a baseball game - but I love to watch. That's what makes this world great. We all have different cultures and tastes. Why force assimilation and homogeny? Boring!
You act as if scoring more goals is the only way to keep things interesting, the only way to demonstrate skill. The major amount of defense that it takes to hold a lead in soccer and the skill it takes to do so is a source of tremendous entertainment.
I guess we disagree on the level of skill needed to hold a lead. My argument is that it's too easy. Sure, it does not always work, but IMHO there is not enough of a challenge.
I also don't like basketball. Why? Because nearly all of the rule changes have been for the sole purpose of making it easier to score - or at least harder to stop a player from scoring. This is to promote artificially high scoring. I remember when teams with better technical ability could be challenged by less skillful teams that played smarter. Yale University was a master of this. It was fascinating to watch. Skill with no "brains" was not a guaranteed win. The best teams had to have both. Those days are long gone.
Just as soccer has too few goals, basketball has too many. Hockey is an example of a game that has it figured out.
Now if you added some levitating brooms and a few more balls to soccer.... hmm... there may be something to that.
If that's true, then FIFA should invade. I'm not joking.
I hope you mean the Nations in FIFA - I mean, what's FIFA itself going to do? Send Soccer players to kick them to death? Make them talk to David Beckham for five minutes?
I do have to agree with Kilarney, most of the matches I've seen have been a dash for the first score then a tight defense and time wasting plays. It's lacking the flare these matches usually have, Germany is one of the few teams that didn't turtle up during the match.
I do have to agree with Kilarney, most of the matches I've seen have been a dash for the first score then a tight defense and time wasting plays. It's lacking the flare these matches usually have, Germany is one of the few teams that didn't turtle up during the match.
This is true that teams are scoring and turtling. However, I don't think this is because of the size of the goals. This is because of the structure of the tournament. 1 point for a draw, 3 points for a win. It very much encourages teams that are underdogs to turtle to get a draw.
If I ran the World Cup, I would just make it a single-elimination bracket, like NCAA basketball. There would be no draws. After the clock runs out there will be a break, and then a sudden death overtime. The overtime would have no clock. Play forever until someone scores, even if you have to play for 12 hours. Loser goes home. That would prevent turtling. I can assure you that once we get past the first round turtling will disappear.
This is true that teams are scoring and turtling. However, I don't think this is because of the size of the goals. This is because of the structure of the tournament. 1 point for a draw, 3 points for a win. It very much encourages teams that are underdogs to turtle to get a draw.
If I ran the World Cup, I would just make it a single-elimination bracket, like NCAA basketball. There would be no draws. After the clock runs out there will be a break, and then a sudden death overtime. The overtime would have no clock. Play forever until someone scores, even if you have to play for 12 hours. Loser goes home. That would prevent turtling. I can assure you that once we get past the first round turtling will disappear.
I actually like the 2 overtimes + penalties system.
Well, if everyone ties, then it goes over to goal average to decide who goes through, but it seems it's not incentive enough.
Well, if everyone ties, then it goes over to goal average to decide who goes through, but it seems it's not incentive enough.
Yeah, this is a problem. Head to head should be the #1 tie breaker. With the current system let's say team 1 beats team 2. However, team 2 destroys team 3 by more goals. It is possible for team 2 to move forward while team 1 drops out even though team 1 beat team 2 in their match. That's bullshit. Eliminating ties will also eliminate this bullshit.
I do have to agree with Kilarney, most of the matches I've seen have been a dash for the first score then a tight defense and time wasting plays. It's lacking the flare these matches usually have, Germany is one of the few teams that didn't turtle up during the match.
You have to remember that the World Cup is like 2 different tournaments in one. The first phase is always like this, teams play very carefully trying to get whatever points you can however you can. I mean 4 points would probably be enough to go to the next round, that is winning just one game, and making sure you tie one of the other 2.
After this things will get much more interesting, there would be no ties.
Come back when the actual interesting matches have started. We're still in the group round and the first matches for everyone, a match in which most people do not wish to lose because "Oh shit, our first match of this WC". Thus far there have not been any truly great matches. Germany thus far has been the only team to keep cool and just play. Enlarging the goals will not achieve anything other than breaking the game, since the goalies won't be able to cover that gigantic an area (especially, as you propose, if you raise the thing 2 freaking feet). What you propose just turns the game into distance-shot, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal. Of which a fraction is a goal because the goalie can't reach the fucking ball anymore, something which is already the case sometimes. Also, you underestimate how hard turtling is.
What you don't like is just the result of it currently being the Groups phase and the first match for the teams. Just chill and come back during the final 16 and up.
Also. Fuck you Italy, fuck you Portugal, fuck you all of south Europe. Stop your fucking diving, if you like eating grass that much, go to a pasture, not a football field.
Come back when the actual interesting matches have started. We're still in the group round and the first matches for everyone, a match in which most people do not wish to lose because "Oh shit, our first match of this WC".
That's fair enough. Like hockey, I am sure that play becomes more intense as the stakes are raised.
The really exciting games happen in the last round of the group stages when teams need to win to get through, then you tend to see games with lots of goals as they both go for it.
That's fair enough. Like hockey, I am sure that play becomes more intense as the stakes are raised.
I do have to say that some teams have been playing very shitty. But then on the other side we have the great game played by Germany and today's Brazil vs. Korea. The latter did amazingly well the first half, and deserved their goal at the end (also d'awwww during national anthem).
Stakes will rise from now on (well, after tomorrow's matches), as points to advance will matter. The teams in a 'desperate' position will then start playing all or nothing, which is basically a first course for the second round matches where every match will be just that.
Comments
Damn fufuzelas are ruining the whole thing.
On a somewhat less cynical tone, I understand the strategy. That's why I am complaining. The problem with soccer is that it is a game that makes it too darned easy to sit back and defend. Hockey teams defend, but a faster pace and small playing area make it much more difficult. Call me crazy, but I like games that force teams to be challenged. Soccer does not present sufficient challenge to a team that is up by even just one goal. Even with curling, a team playing defensively is constantly put to the test and challenged.
I have tremendous respect for the skills that these players have. That does not mean that I must have tremendous respect for the game. And, frankly, this is a subjective matter. You think it's great, and I think it sucks. It's a matter of taste, and our tastes are different. Big deal.
I also don't like basketball. Why? Because nearly all of the rule changes have been for the sole purpose of making it easier to score - or at least harder to stop a player from scoring. This is to promote artificially high scoring. I remember when teams with better technical ability could be challenged by less skillful teams that played smarter. Yale University was a master of this. It was fascinating to watch. Skill with no "brains" was not a guaranteed win. The best teams had to have both. Those days are long gone.
Just as soccer has too few goals, basketball has too many. Hockey is an example of a game that has it figured out.
Now if you added some levitating brooms and a few more balls to soccer.... hmm... there may be something to that.
Soccer fans in Somalia Executed for watching the world cup.
If I ran the World Cup, I would just make it a single-elimination bracket, like NCAA basketball. There would be no draws. After the clock runs out there will be a break, and then a sudden death overtime. The overtime would have no clock. Play forever until someone scores, even if you have to play for 12 hours. Loser goes home. That would prevent turtling. I can assure you that once we get past the first round turtling will disappear.
Well, if everyone ties, then it goes over to goal average to decide who goes through, but it seems it's not incentive enough.
After this things will get much more interesting, there would be no ties.
Also: The Vuvuzela game.
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZzzZZZZ
Come back when the actual interesting matches have started. We're still in the group round and the first matches for everyone, a match in which most people do not wish to lose because "Oh shit, our first match of this WC". Thus far there have not been any truly great matches. Germany thus far has been the only team to keep cool and just play. Enlarging the goals will not achieve anything other than breaking the game, since the goalies won't be able to cover that gigantic an area (especially, as you propose, if you raise the thing 2 freaking feet). What you propose just turns the game into distance-shot, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal, distant shot at goal. Of which a fraction is a goal because the goalie can't reach the fucking ball anymore, something which is already the case sometimes. Also, you underestimate how hard turtling is.
What you don't like is just the result of it currently being the Groups phase and the first match for the teams. Just chill and come back during the final 16 and up.
Also. Fuck you Italy, fuck you Portugal, fuck you all of south Europe. Stop your fucking diving, if you like eating grass that much, go to a pasture, not a football field.
Stakes will rise from now on (well, after tomorrow's matches), as points to advance will matter. The teams in a 'desperate' position will then start playing all or nothing, which is basically a first course for the second round matches where every match will be just that.