Monday Morning Mehta World Cup Edition
Just a few thoughts from Derreck Sura about the World Cup today, Ed Wasser and I will return next week.
World Cup Roundup - Derreck Sura
Just a few quick thoughts on the World Cup as my farewell until October.....
- I know Zinedine Zidane's head butt is getting all the attention, but that was not the reason Les Bleus lost. The penalty kick France was given in the 7th minute came off a dive that the ref bought. However, the off sides that took away the Italian's second goal was legit in my opinion. The Azzurri were the best team throughout the tournament and deserved to win it all. Overall Italy proved to be the deepest team that played the best defense. Some things are always the same for championship teams regardless of the sport.
MVP of the World Cup - Gianluigi Buffon (goalie for Italy). The guy was off the charts from start to finish. He only gave up two goals in the entire tourney. The first was an own goal against the USA and the last was the PK in the Final.
Best Individual Performance - Zidane against Brazil in the Quarterfinals. Zizou was absolutely masterful in that match. He single handedly controlled the midfield against the most talented team in the world.
Best Player For My Money - Cristiano Ronaldo (midfielder for Portugal). I know he's taking a lot of heat for his antics and diving, but the guy was unreal every time I saw him in action. He's only 21 and already plays for Manchester United. Enough said.
Until next time.
World Cup Roundup - Derreck Sura
Just a few quick thoughts on the World Cup as my farewell until October.....
- I know Zinedine Zidane's head butt is getting all the attention, but that was not the reason Les Bleus lost. The penalty kick France was given in the 7th minute came off a dive that the ref bought. However, the off sides that took away the Italian's second goal was legit in my opinion. The Azzurri were the best team throughout the tournament and deserved to win it all. Overall Italy proved to be the deepest team that played the best defense. Some things are always the same for championship teams regardless of the sport.
MVP of the World Cup - Gianluigi Buffon (goalie for Italy). The guy was off the charts from start to finish. He only gave up two goals in the entire tourney. The first was an own goal against the USA and the last was the PK in the Final.
Best Individual Performance - Zidane against Brazil in the Quarterfinals. Zizou was absolutely masterful in that match. He single handedly controlled the midfield against the most talented team in the world.
Best Player For My Money - Cristiano Ronaldo (midfielder for Portugal). I know he's taking a lot of heat for his antics and diving, but the guy was unreal every time I saw him in action. He's only 21 and already plays for Manchester United. Enough said.
Until next time.
posted by Monday Morning Mehta at 11:24 AM
3 Comments:
I completely understand the soccer bashing about the diving and the shootouts.
In the old days if the game was tied after OT, they played again the next day. A full match. With all the running, I'm sure you can understand why that's no longer possible. Not to mention the logistics and scheduling of a big tourney like that.
A shootout may not be the best way to do it, but what else are you going to do? I suppose you could just play until someone scored, but again, with all the running that would be a piss poor product to watch in like the 200th minute. It would be more a war of attrition then a game at that point, but I guess that could be entertaining on some level.
Let me ask you this, would you rather tune in to watch a game that has no end in sight, or a shootout (a 5 minute commitment at most)? I'm guessing most of you would say the later.
As for the diving, it totally pisses me off (Italy is great at it too, BTW), and here's my solution. FIFA reviews every foul committed during every game (a la post game instant replay if you will). If any are deemed to be a dive, the player is suspended for the next game. No questions asked. No appeals. Nothing. Trust me when I tell you that diving would stop with a quickness after that.
For the record, I'm not a soccer crusader/defender, I'm just a fan of the World Cup. Not a popular stance I'm sure, but that's what remotes are for.
- D$
Frank, I agree about moving the distance back a bit from where a normal PK is taken. It would definitely be a more level playing field for the keeper that way. It would also force the players to use a little more skill to score, so it's a win-win in my book.
As for diving, first remember that my WC knowledge only goes back to 1994. Back then there didn't seem to be as many dives at all. There were some for sure, but it was no where near the art form it is now.
In 1998 there were a few more, but the refs would give yellow's when they saw fit, which kind of kept it in check.
In 2002 it got worse, and this past WC was absolutely disgraceful on the dive front.
To answer your other questions, the refs may be idiots, but I doubt they were instructed to allow it.
The weird thing to me is that with all the cards we saw in this WC, that players were very rarely booked for diving.
Basically, when someone goes down hard it's got to be one of two things. Either a foul or a dive, and if it's a dive, the rule book says that's a yellow card.
Just like NBA with hand checking, you've got to enforce the rules if you want the players to follow them.
- D$
Frenchman Mike Merschbach's take...
As a soccer fan and player for 15 years I can not say
Italy was the best team in the tourney. Here are a
few reasons why.
First they were very lucky to get the 1-1 tie with
the US in the first round. they were playing a man
short and being outplayed all over the pitch until the
ref decided on red carding two us players.
Second a loss here to the us and then they have to
play a much harder round of 16 match up against Brazil
but they get to play the powerhouse Aussies. Now in
this match Italy again has 10 men and is being
dominated by the Aussies until....a bogus penalty kick
is called with seconds remaining and Italy wins. Next
up those world beaters The Ukraine. Early in this
game Buffon did play well and made some great saves
however we are talking about The Ukraine. Next up
Germany a team that just played an extra time penalty
kick shootout vs Argentina. Also Germany can not play
T Frings who was caught on ITALIAN TV PUNCHING AN
ARGENTINIAN AFTER THEIR GAME FIFA SUSPENDS HIM ONE
MATCH. FUNNY NO OTHER NETWORK REPORTED THE PUNCH. I
ALWAYS THOUGH YOU WANTED TO BEAT THE BEST OF YOUR
OPPOSITION. Wonderful game Argentina vs Germany.
Germany extends to 4-0 all time in PK shootouts. Made
all their goals and two excellent saves by Jens in
goal. Italy ends up beating the Germans in extra time
1 minute before pen kicks. The Germans had no legs.
Thank God for Italy because we all know Buffon didn't
stop one french kick and Jens is one of the best in
the world in PK stops. Now the final sure France got
a pk early that was iffy however you forget the pk
they should have rec in the second half when the
Frenchman was taken down on the left side of the goal.
i agree the offside was a good no goal call. Now the
second half was all France especially the OT the
Italians were out of gas due to their long game with
Germany you didn't see Grosso making runs down the
sideline as he did vs Germany. France is destined to
score but ITALY RESORTED TO INSTIGATING AND GOT JUST
WANT THEY WANTED A FRANCE TEAM DOWN TO 10 PLAYERS.
After this both teams play for pk's and while i will
give Italy credit for making all 5 of theirs vs
Barthez an average keeper at best. Buffon came up
lame not even close to one ball. Imagine how someone
like Jans or Ricardo would have done in goal. Italy
champions yes......Deserving Hardly
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