Quote of the Day from Martin Tyler Ian Darke on ESPN: “And you know contact with Ronaldo will make him fall. Any contact at all. Maybe even a puff of wind.”
I have never liked Carlos Queiroz as a coach. Not because he coached Real Madrid and I’m a Barcelona fan (I like Vicente del Bosque), but because apparently he likes boring football, even when he coached the NY/NJ Metrostars. His tactical plan for Portugal against Ivory Coast was anti-football.
Don’t panic Brazil fans. In 2006 Brazil beat Croatia 1-0 in their first game. In 2002 they beat Turkey on a very dodgy penalty call. In 1998 they beat Scotland 2-1 on an own goal. They had a better start in 1994, beating Russia 2-0, but this is why they play three games. Besides, a win is a win!
While I’m sure the Kiwis are thrilled with the point against Slovakia, in my humble opinion, they ought to feel hard done by, given that Robert Vittek was clearly offside when he scored his goal for Slovakia.
I thought Sven Goran Erikson was a bit questionable in his tactics in 2002 when, in the loss to Brazil, losing 2-1 with a man advantage, he took Michael Owen off – for Darius Vassell (?!?!). I think keeping Gervinho in this game was a good move today, notwithstanding the result. As an Arsenal fan, I hope Arsene Wenger saw Gervinho’s game today.
I love Portuguese wines, I just don’t much care for Portuguese whiners.
Kaka and Luis Fabiano failed to impress. I believe that Luis Fabiano would be better served with Nilmar than Kaka.
I would love to see Dunga find some way to get Dani Alves to start in the next two games. I just don’t know how.
I believe Italy will go through. Slovakia was even more lackluster against New Zealand than Italy against a vastly superior (to New Zealand) Paraguay.
Some Thoughts on Tuesday’s Games 6-15-10Post + Comments (94)