Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Back to normal
It's been a crazy month but finally the World Cup is over. Italy have been just barely good enough to lift it, and France have been too intermittent. There's one thing that we will all bring home from this tournament: cheating will get you a long way. Portugal, Italy, and France have all been very guilty of this. I was looking forward to the last match, but Henry's histrionics in the first minute of the final set the scene for a disappointing game. After barely being brushed against he went down, as the commentator said, "like he'd been hit by a truck" and put on a big show of having some kind of head injury. Well, I'm hoping somebody gives him one after that carry-on. Then a shameful dive, once again without any contact, led to a penalty. Later, the linesman came into it with a dubious offside call when Italy had the ball in the net. France might have dominated the game but for me, Italy scored two goals and France scored only through a dodgy penalty. Justice, for this game at least, was done in the end. I must say though that I feel for Trezeguet - hardly a kick all through the tournament and now he must take the blame for his penalty miss.
Zidane has been named the player of the tournament, which goes to show what a joke this "honour" really is. He went missing for the first few matches, then had two superb games, and then a very average final, topped off by a foolish and in-character send-off. Cannavaro, on the other hand, was superb for the entire competition and did not even pick up a single yellow card. Is it a coincidence that Zidane and the Golden Ball award are both sponsored by Adidas?
Anyway, here's a bit of fun. Now, let's talk about West Ham..
Zamora is rumoured to be leaving, but I doubt it's true. The official site has published this denial, and I think he'll stay. Sheringham is hardly first choice any more and I think Pardew will want to create a Zamora/Cole partnership.
"On me 'ead, son!"
Zidane has been named the player of the tournament, which goes to show what a joke this "honour" really is. He went missing for the first few matches, then had two superb games, and then a very average final, topped off by a foolish and in-character send-off. Cannavaro, on the other hand, was superb for the entire competition and did not even pick up a single yellow card. Is it a coincidence that Zidane and the Golden Ball award are both sponsored by Adidas?
Anyway, here's a bit of fun. Now, let's talk about West Ham..
Zamora is rumoured to be leaving, but I doubt it's true. The official site has published this denial, and I think he'll stay. Sheringham is hardly first choice any more and I think Pardew will want to create a Zamora/Cole partnership.
Posted by whubris at 8:42 am
norven munky said...
Why have Italy been branded cheats in this tournament?
Because of the last minute penalty against Australia? In the cold hard light of day that was indeed a penalty. Grosso had done Lucas Neill like a dinner. Neill went down and didn't get the ball. Grosso turned the ball around him and then went after it. Sure he went down a little easily but he's entitled too, he had turned the ball past Neill and was off after it only to have his progress impeded by a player on the ground at his feet....that sequence of events would see a penalty in every club competition on the planet virtually every time. And deservedly so.
And for ther rest of the World Cup I didn't see much evidence of Italy diving or cheating at all. And yet they are getting tarred with that brush from all and sundry in Oz.
If you want to crucify them with anything then you could suggest they should have been more attack minded but cheating is wide of the mark in the '06 World Cup
Dave said...
Also I think you're being very harsh on Zidane, a player that has been exceptional throughout his career. He had a silly moment but from what I saw it looked like initially Marco Materazzi nipple crippled him (pinched his nipple) and went after him baiting him and shit. Zidane was very silly but I'd prefer to remember him for his brilliant contribution to world football over the last 15 years than that moment.
whubris said...
Norven, I didn't call them cheats. I don't even include the Australia penalty in my assessment, I don't think it was THAT bad a dive anyway. There are statistics around that show that Italy were the worst lot of divers - although I reckon France and especially Portugal were much worse. My original post focused on France's cheating. Italy didn't really do it in the final, but they had done it before a number of times. I will say this: Italy deserved to be in the final, they didn't go through solely by being cheats. I just think that it's a blight on the game and I would like to have seen them be a little more sporting.
Dave, I'm not being hard on ZZ, there's nothing I said there that isn't true. Not to take away from his ability by any means, he's a fabulous player, among the best ever without a doubt. But IMO that headbutt was just stupid. He may have lost the WC for his team by doing that. I don't care what Materazzi said - ZZ should be experienced and professional enough to let it go and pay him back by taking the WC in his own hands. Materazzi is not the most savoury character at the best of times so I'm not defending what he did, I just think ZZ really lost the plot. He's got history - he stamped on someone in 98 and got a 2 game ban, and I think he headbutted someone in Euro as well. He's been known to have a temper on him. Unavoidably he will be remembered for that as well as his amazing football ability. History can be cruel, but it was his final game and the chance go go out in style and he made the wrong decision.
whubris said...
actually I will add about the Australia penalty, that I don't think it was a penalty - I think it was an indirect free kick for impeding but not a penalty (the Laws of the Game say that impeding is an IFK and I don't think it was an actual foul). Having said that, if I were on the spot, I would have given it as a penalty as well, and I don't hold any grudge against Italy for it. IMO he made a meal of it but not nearly as big a meal as some of the other dives we've seen.
Dave said...
I accept what you say G but answer this - if you were headbutted in the chest, would you fall over backwards and roll around like a little girl? I think people should be concentrating more on giving MM shit for his pathetic stage show than ZZ's actions. Let's get diving and play acting out of football.
whubris said...
Dave - not sure how hard he was actually hit, but yeah, he did appear to make the most of it. I wouldn't say that it was worse than being headbutted, as it's not going to result in any physical harm to anyone, but it's unpleasant for sure.
I do admire footballers that just get on with it - Rooney is one, and Southgate is another (in the FA Cup he took a big whack from Marlon Harewood and just kept going). Danny G is another one that comes to mind. Players that roll around like idiots get no respect from me. It's a man's game.
You say Materazzi isn't getting any shit for what he did... true enough but neither is Henry after his play acting in the first few minutes of the game. I'd go so far as to say that something like that was planned by France for tactical reasons prior to the match. It was a bloody disgrace.
BTW where are the lurkers on this contentious issue? :-)
said...
Two interesting articles from GU on insults in different cultures
The mother of all insults (best one)
We are pretty touchy down in Marseille
norven munky said...
Dave a) I wanna remember zezou for the years of skill he has given the game too. b) I agree cheating and diving and playacting need urgent attention. But MM was poleaxed by ZZ's butt. Fucking hell he smashed him. I don't think MM saw it coming at all...he was prolly expecting ZZ to give him a shove or poke his fingure in his face and shout at him, but a butt in the chest? He had no idea. Would you? One of the games most experienced players who has played at that level for an eternity has a brain snap and butts you? You just would not pick that coming at ya. No way.
whubris said...
Norven, you're right, having seen the replay again this weekend, you can see Materazzi's chest practically cave in. Yeah, he was hit hard alright.
Gotta give ZZ his due.. that was a nice hit :-)
whubris said...
If play stopped, the same way goals are celebrated, every time Cannavaro came to Italy’s rescue with a piece of dynamic defending, he would have won the Golden Ball by a healthy margin.
Bloody oath! Top article that.
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norven munky said...Why have Italy been branded cheats in this tournament?
Because of the last minute penalty against Australia? In the cold hard light of day that was indeed a penalty. Grosso had done Lucas Neill like a dinner. Neill went down and didn't get the ball. Grosso turned the ball around him and then went after it. Sure he went down a little easily but he's entitled too, he had turned the ball past Neill and was off after it only to have his progress impeded by a player on the ground at his feet....that sequence of events would see a penalty in every club competition on the planet virtually every time. And deservedly so.
And for ther rest of the World Cup I didn't see much evidence of Italy diving or cheating at all. And yet they are getting tarred with that brush from all and sundry in Oz.
If you want to crucify them with anything then you could suggest they should have been more attack minded but cheating is wide of the mark in the '06 World Cup
Dave said...Also I think you're being very harsh on Zidane, a player that has been exceptional throughout his career. He had a silly moment but from what I saw it looked like initially Marco Materazzi nipple crippled him (pinched his nipple) and went after him baiting him and shit. Zidane was very silly but I'd prefer to remember him for his brilliant contribution to world football over the last 15 years than that moment.
whubris said...Norven, I didn't call them cheats. I don't even include the Australia penalty in my assessment, I don't think it was THAT bad a dive anyway. There are statistics around that show that Italy were the worst lot of divers - although I reckon France and especially Portugal were much worse. My original post focused on France's cheating. Italy didn't really do it in the final, but they had done it before a number of times. I will say this: Italy deserved to be in the final, they didn't go through solely by being cheats. I just think that it's a blight on the game and I would like to have seen them be a little more sporting.
Dave, I'm not being hard on ZZ, there's nothing I said there that isn't true. Not to take away from his ability by any means, he's a fabulous player, among the best ever without a doubt. But IMO that headbutt was just stupid. He may have lost the WC for his team by doing that. I don't care what Materazzi said - ZZ should be experienced and professional enough to let it go and pay him back by taking the WC in his own hands. Materazzi is not the most savoury character at the best of times so I'm not defending what he did, I just think ZZ really lost the plot. He's got history - he stamped on someone in 98 and got a 2 game ban, and I think he headbutted someone in Euro as well. He's been known to have a temper on him. Unavoidably he will be remembered for that as well as his amazing football ability. History can be cruel, but it was his final game and the chance go go out in style and he made the wrong decision.
whubris said...actually I will add about the Australia penalty, that I don't think it was a penalty - I think it was an indirect free kick for impeding but not a penalty (the Laws of the Game say that impeding is an IFK and I don't think it was an actual foul). Having said that, if I were on the spot, I would have given it as a penalty as well, and I don't hold any grudge against Italy for it. IMO he made a meal of it but not nearly as big a meal as some of the other dives we've seen.
Dave said...I accept what you say G but answer this - if you were headbutted in the chest, would you fall over backwards and roll around like a little girl? I think people should be concentrating more on giving MM shit for his pathetic stage show than ZZ's actions. Let's get diving and play acting out of football.
whubris said...Dave - not sure how hard he was actually hit, but yeah, he did appear to make the most of it. I wouldn't say that it was worse than being headbutted, as it's not going to result in any physical harm to anyone, but it's unpleasant for sure.
I do admire footballers that just get on with it - Rooney is one, and Southgate is another (in the FA Cup he took a big whack from Marlon Harewood and just kept going). Danny G is another one that comes to mind. Players that roll around like idiots get no respect from me. It's a man's game.
You say Materazzi isn't getting any shit for what he did... true enough but neither is Henry after his play acting in the first few minutes of the game. I'd go so far as to say that something like that was planned by France for tactical reasons prior to the match. It was a bloody disgrace.
BTW where are the lurkers on this contentious issue? :-)
said...Two interesting articles from GU on insults in different cultures
The mother of all insults (best one)
We are pretty touchy down in Marseille
norven munky said...Dave a) I wanna remember zezou for the years of skill he has given the game too. b) I agree cheating and diving and playacting need urgent attention. But MM was poleaxed by ZZ's butt. Fucking hell he smashed him. I don't think MM saw it coming at all...he was prolly expecting ZZ to give him a shove or poke his fingure in his face and shout at him, but a butt in the chest? He had no idea. Would you? One of the games most experienced players who has played at that level for an eternity has a brain snap and butts you? You just would not pick that coming at ya. No way.
whubris said...Norven, you're right, having seen the replay again this weekend, you can see Materazzi's chest practically cave in. Yeah, he was hit hard alright.
Gotta give ZZ his due.. that was a nice hit :-)
whubris said...If play stopped, the same way goals are celebrated, every time Cannavaro came to Italy’s rescue with a piece of dynamic defending, he would have won the Golden Ball by a healthy margin.
Bloody oath! Top article that.
