Who will remain sufficiently hydrated in this Battle of the Amazon?
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by Randinho| 118 Comments
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Who will remain sufficiently hydrated in this Battle of the Amazon?
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Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
I hate it when England plays a team I like even less.
Leeds man
The teams;
England (4-2-3-1): Hart; Johnson, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines; Gerrard, Henderson; Rooney, Sterling, Welbeck; Sturridge.
Italy (4-1-3-1-1): Sirigu; Darmian, Paletta, Barzagli, Chiellini; De Rossi; Pirlo, Verratti, Marchisio; Candreva; Balotelli
Morzer
After the mighty Costa Ricans crushed the Uruguayan Empire, I have given up predicting games based on past form and realistic expectations. England to win 2-1.
Onkel Fritze
Giovanne Elber just predicted a 0-0 on German TV.
humboldtblue
@Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN): No shit. Either we back those Island bound pasty-faced tea guzzlers or the hairy fascists who, when they aren’t flopping like a landed guppy are remonstrating as if the world is about to end.
Guess it’s time to start drinking
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@humboldtblue: Supporting France, are we?
humboldtblue
Plus, the field is in dreadful condition which won’t help matters
Sloane Ranger
Ingerland! Ingerland! Come on Ingerland!
England to win 1-0.
humboldtblue
Yet another outstanding first round matchup with still another to go with Germany v Portugal
Morzer
@humboldtblue:
Australians drink tea now? And what have you got against Argentina?
Morzer
The Italian anthem sounds oddly like Wagner being played by an ice-cream truck.
Violet
It looks hot there.
humboldtblue
@Morzer: As was pointed out earlier, there has been avid support so far for all the South American teams between those countries — except Argentina. Hell, everybody hates the Argentinians
humboldtblue
Balotelli is a joy to watch, he is not, however, a handsome man
Violet
Looks like quite a few empty seats in the stands. Are they having trouble selling tickets?
burnspbesq
A pronounced Scouse flavor to the England side.
humboldtblue
And in the booth
Tony J
England off on the front foot, but both sides are looking like they want goals and are capable of getting them.
Beer will get me through this.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
@Violet: Manaus is a smallish city (by the standards of these things; about 1.7 million) in the middle of the jungle with basically no road connection to the rest of the country. Building a massive stadium there is pretty much the pinnacle of the waste of this tournament. I’m kind of surprised the organizers didn’t do everything possible to make sure the place was packed just to avoid more backlash.
Steeplejack
@Violet:
This game, at least, did not sell out. I have read that the Brazilians are interested in the Brazilian team, not so much in “random” games between teams they don’t care about, and that European tourists are less likely to book a trip to a lesser known city. Fortaleza is a big city of about 2.5 million people (fifth largest city in Brazil), and it’s a hell of a beach resort and tourist hub—my brother-in-law is from there—but I would assume that your average European (or U.S.) soccer fan would think Rio, São Paulo, Brasília, and then start to draw a blank.
Don’t even get me started on Manaus.
ETA: Just realized this game is in Manaus. D’oh! Never mind.
And Manaus is hosting only four games. Ridiculous to build a stadium for that in the Amazonian wilderness.
tsquared2001
@Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN): Azzurri Azzurri Azurri!
burnspbesq
England is essentially in a 4-2-4, and there is an acre of space in front of their back line that Gerrard and Henderson are having to work very hard to close down.
tsquared2001
The Italian kit is the best. When I play online FIFA, I play with the Italian side since I can’t seem to score and I can always count on the defense to be solid although that play makes me want to rethink my whole life
humboldtblue
@burnspbesq: And Rooney is useless on the left
Tony J
Aaarrgh! Sooooo close!
Violet
@Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN): @Steeplejack: Yeah, it seems dumb to build a stadium there. Who will use it after this? Still seems like they could have found a way to fill those lower seats. Allow people with cheaper seats to move down maybe? Give them away to school kids? It looks bad on TV.
I like Balotelli’s hair.
humboldtblue
England haven’t looked this speed-based and dangerous since they were flying Spitfires. That speed is working well
burnspbesq
England needs to bring on a real midfielder in place of Rooney. Lampard, Barkley, take your pick.
tsquared2001
Who is the black shortie playing for England? Quite quick
burnspbesq
@tsquared2001:
Raheem Sterling, Liverpool. 19 years old.
Violet
@tsquared2001: Sterling and he’s only 19. When you can see his face he looks just like the teenager he is.
Oooh…Italy.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
Boo. But it’s only England.
tsquared2001
Get over yourself Rooney. That guy. Except for Suarez and Ronaldo, Rooney just makes me want to punch his little head.GOAL GOAL GOAL AZZURRI
Steeplejack
And Italy scores on a sizzling long shot.
Tony J
Balls! Great dummy, great shot.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
Did that go through the defender’s legs?
humboldtblue
What a shot
tsquared2001
@Violet: I have got to remember that name. Especially after that play
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
Equalizer!
ETA: Nice ball by Rooney.
Steeplejack
And England equalizes! Great pass from that dick Rooney.
paulw
Rooting for the nation that doesnt play that annoying horn
Tony J
Shawaddywaddy! Pick that out of the net, Azzurri.
burnspbesq
Speed kills.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
Well that’s a hell of a response.
humboldtblue
And Rooney makes up
Amir Khalid
That was a quick equaliser.
tsquared2001
Fucking Rooney with the perfect cross. You still suck Wayne and nobody likes you
Violet
The Arsenal physio is going out on the stretcher. Wonder what happened.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
@Violet: He had a heart attack at all the scoring.
humboldtblue
broken ankle
Randy Paul
@Violet: According to the Guardian, he broke his ankle.
Amir Khalid
Weird. The England team physio(therapist) is now off injured. He got piled on in the celebrations after Sturridge’s goal and his ankle is broken.
raven
@Randy Paul: Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia’s best receiver, broke his ankle celebrating in a touchdown in the opener against Clemson. Didn’t help the Dawgs!
Amir Khalid
England haven’t forgotten to bring a substitute physio, surely.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
Is the guy that Uruguay lost to the red card important to them? How big a loss is that going forward?
Tony J
Even game so far. Italy look slick when they get around the box, but England have stepped up and matched them in attacking intent. Very good game to watch.
Morzer
That was a helluva first half of soccer and England can feel pleased with the way their young guns have made Italy think again. I wonder whether we might just see the first draw of the world cup here?
tsquared2001
What is up with the Italians and these shots from 30 yards out? Considering the historical and complete ineptitude of English keepers, they need to work that shit just a bit more and get close
Morzer
@tsquared2001:
Peter Shilton and Gordon Banks think you need to work on your soccer history.
humboldtblue
Every team except for Cameroon and Greece have scored so far
Violet
@Randy Paul: Thanks for the reminder about The Guardian. I’d forgotten how great their live blogs are. Very entertaining.
humboldtblue
If you’re watching the ESPN feed, that Martinez feller is the Everton manager, here he is speaking at the Hillsborough memorial this past April. Have tissues
tsquared2001
I @Morzer: I have been pleased with all the matches so far. An entertaining world cup is a good thing (as Martha Stewart would say)
raven
OOOO, I may make the game and the play!!!!
Amir Khalid
The latest on England physio Gary Lewin is that his ankle is not broken, just dislocated. Could still be the end of his World Cup, though. if he can’t run onto the pitch to treat the
woundedinjured.Violet
They just said the physio has a dislocated ankle. How did it happen? Celebrations gone wrong?
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
@Amir Khalid: A dislocation can be worse than the ankle actually breaking. If the bone doesn’t give way there can be serious ligament damage as they stretch and tear.
tsquared2001
What happened to my old,stodgy England? Italy is having some serious problems with the quickness But then Balotelli shows what true form looks like
raven
@Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN): yup
MikeJ
England better get another if they want to lose on penalties.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
Damn.
Violet
@tsquared2001: Think you spoke too soon. That was a great goal by Italy.
Amir Khalid
@Violet:
Yep. The guys on the bench piled on top of him.
humboldtblue
Too easy
Tony J
What a simple goal to give away. Long way to go, but FFS don’t just give it to them.
SRW1
Their attacking via the right side is impressive, but did somebody forbid Italy to also try on the left more than ten yards into the English half?
Very entertaining game. England is holding its own. Maybe that Hodgson fellar will finally get some respect and acknowledgement that he knows what he’s doing.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
Shouldn’t that have been a penalty? I’m watching without sound so I have no idea what the announcers are saying.
Violet
@SRW1: Yeah, initially I thought it was a bit slow and boring but it’s turned into a really entertaining match.
humboldtblue
Italy got away with one
humboldtblue
England’s attack is dangerous as is the Itlian
tsquared2001
So happy that the ref didn’t buy that Garrard flop. Shoulder to shoulder
humboldtblue
Fucking Rooney
Violet
Hope Sterling is okay. I’m really liking him.
humboldtblue
What feet
Amir Khalid
England have still not secured their flanks.
Violet
@Amir Khalid: That sounds a bit naughty.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@Violet: It sounded awfully militaristic to me.
Violet
@Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name): I’ll not deny that my mind is in the gutter.
tsquared2001
Ten or twenty years ago, I would have booked this one as a win for Italia. But this defense is not the Italia defense i knew and loved. 20 minutes to play and I am very fucking nervous
humboldtblue
@Amir Khalid: Candreva is killing them on the left
Violet
The players look tired. That level of heat and humidity is tiring.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
Have all of England’s players forgotten how to hit a cross?
Amir Khalid
Aside from that one pass for the equaliser, Wayne Rooney hasn’t been the player that England needed him to be tonight.
Tony J
Free kick. Make it count.
Or, you know, chip it over the crossbar.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@Amir Khalid: Has he ever been that in a World Cup?
Violet
@Amir Khalid: Yeah, he’s been pretty unimpressive.
@Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name): Don’t think so. He seems to underwhelm.
Tissue Thin Pseudonym (JMN)
@Amir Khalid: I’m sure he’s good but Rooney has failed to impress me any of the times I’ve watched him, whether it’s World Cup or for United.
Amir Khalid
@Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name):
Rooney is an England “striker” who played in two previous World Cups and never scored. So I guess not.
tsquared2001
@Amir Khalid: Poncey motherfucker. My hatred for Wayne Rooney cannot even be calculated
Violet
Sterling is adorable. He looks like he’s about fourteen years old.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@Violet: It is my understanding that he has never scored a World Cup goal although he is one of England’s highest goal scorers of all time.
Violet
Five minutes of added time. That’s a lot. But the England team that’s out there now looks uncertain.
Amir Khalid
Won’t it be something if England and Uruguay both miss the knockout stages.
Violet
Was England supposed to win this? What was the prediction?
SRW1
@Violet:
Italy was the favorite. By more than they displayed.
Morzer
@Violet:
Most people thought Italy would win, but England did much better in this game than expected, especially in creating chances. I still think they would be better off without Rooney though.
humboldtblue
@Amir Khalid: England showed a lot today they still have a good shot of going through
tsquared2001
Italia! Azzuri! Italia! And I win fifty bucks! Azzurri! Azurri! Italia!
Amir Khalid
England will now have to beat both Uruguay and Costa Rica to make the knockout stages. They must improve their finishing and secure that vulnerable flank.
SRW1
@Morzer:
Maybe dropping Rooney will be Hodgsons final act of imposing his mark.
Sloane Ranger
OK, OK, we lost. We’ll do better next time. Time to drop Rooney, the most over rated England player EVER!
Amir Khalid
@Amir Khalid:
Woy Hodgson might also want to leave Rooney out of the starting eleven, and go with someone more disciplined.
Morzer
@Amir Khalid:
I think England should be able to do that. They’ve finally found some young players with speed and technique and Uruguay at least looked very short of ideas. That said, I could see Costa Rica running at the England defense and making life hard for them.
Morzer
@Amir Khalid:
Someone who can actually, you know, hit that rectangular target area would be a big improvement.
tsquared2001
@humboldtblue: Forget about that. Those limeys can suck on a lemon. Sterling is their best talent but he can’t control the midfield
Morzer
@tsquared2001:
The guy’s a winger, not a midfielder. Facts are awkward things, I know.
Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)
@Morzer: Let’s not bring politics into this.
Leeds man
@Morzer: Southall, Clemence and Seaman weren’t too bad either.