World Cup

[plext]

I really do not feel that we have solid grounds for griping here.

The red card handed to the Italians was stiff to say the least and the Australians should have put themselves into a position where the penalty could not hurt them.

The team played quite well during this tournament, but have shown with each outing that they lack penetration and have not the required finishing ability for this level.

[blueoval]

That may be the case, but it wouldnt be a problem if the referee's were doing their job properly from the beginning. It just seemed as if the odds were against australia before we began. I dont have anything against the teams, its the poor decision making made by the ref's in international standards I disagree with. Their decision can make or break a game for some teams. To most of us here it was trying to win an uphill battle.

[12]

Australia throughout the tornement had to not only play against the opposition, but also against FIFA. The refereeing in this tornement.. and not in just the Aus vs ??? games, has been pathetic. Poor form.

Well done SoccerRoos!! You have done us proud!!!

Take a bow Italy. You deserve an Oscar for those performences on field. Great acting!! Why Italy doesn't do well in the diving at the Olympics.. I don't know. They're pretty good at it. Gold medal performance.

[bjr22n_]

shattered... are the Italian football players part of italy olympic diving team???

The Ref was fairest of all the other ref's we have had... until the last decision he made, which shattered Australia's dream in the world cup.

but Aust just played with the ball to much, stood flat footed and the italian defenders were back everytime Aust were on the attack.

it was a good game to watch

[XR Martin]

As for taking advantage of the red card, its not as easy as it sounds. They still had the same amount of defenders, they swapped a striker for one. Hence why Italy were having trouble in attacking, but were no difference in defence.

[Walkinshaw]

We didnt deserve to win in normal time, our attacking was a joke. No one could seem to hit the ball with any decnet force. That said they have done aus proud.

FIFA ref's well, we wont go there. Suffice to say, video replays may(should) see atleast three out of a job.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Walkinshaw

We didnt deserve to win in normal time, our attacking was a joke. No one could seem to hit the ball with any decnet force. That said they have done aus proud.

FIFA ref's well, we wont go there. Suffice to say, video replays may(should) see atleast three out of a job.

What you say is true Dan. The attacking was a little lack lustre but it doesnt help the campaign if your wrongly judged on a extremely dubious penalty decision. I beleive Aus would have won in a penalty shootout. Italy have only won 1 of 5 last penalty shootouts, plus it would have been a far better, and fairer way of deciding a match than pulling a penalty decision out of a hat. But I guess thats what happens when use acting skills rather than soccer skillls to determine who is better. The ref's should have seen that.

[niko]

well done boys. some bad luck but what can ya do :(

[Redrum]

Stayed up and watched game last night. The highs were we out played the Italians all over the field. The lows were our attacks were indecisive and we stuffed around with ball to much..........

The decision which in the end cost us the game was a load of bollocks.......... That was a legitimate tackle by Neill and the Italian saw his run stuffed, and as most football players always do, took a dive. This sort of play is a joke and at the world cup level is happening non stop......

I got in and supported the Socceroos, as I would again if they made it, because it is Australia taking it to the Europeans........... but I will never support football on a local level, if the game is full of all the crap I had to experience watching this world cup. :

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by Walkinshaw

We didnt deserve to win in normal time, our attacking was a joke. No one could seem to hit the ball with any decnet force. That said they have done aus proud.

FIFA ref's well, we wont go there. Suffice to say, video replays may(should) see atleast three out of a job.

I agree and said this after the game to friends etc......
Our attack had no venom ! yer we had lots of ball but had a passing competition.
Guss's stratergy looked to play for extra time and we got caught out at the dying moment.
Regardless about a dive or this or that,we should have gone for the win and had the game over by the 80thmin and not get caught with your pants down.

Thanks for the memories fellas was a great show..........

[NA XR6]

Dive Dive Dive Thats all soccer is
WHAT A JOKE

[MethodX]

All teams dive just part of the game

Aussies did a few times last night too
Ah well there are Asian cup qualifiers to play for now




Forza Italia !!

[ED Classic]

No doubt about the dive but there was a genuine scoring chance there so when the Aussie player went down infront of the Italian all he had to do was fall over the top and they had to give the penalty due to the genuine scoring chance being prevented even if there was little/no contact.

[ED Classic]

Originally Posted by MethodX

Ah well there are Asian cup qualifiers to play for now




Forza Italia !!

Exactly right. We are all mad if we dont follow the Socceroos for this. Just because we didnt go and beat every other great team in the world in just our 2nd attempt shouldnt put us off supporting our team at this event. We may not be world champions but lets keep developing and win some other titles and lift our ranking before the next World Cup.

We may not have Viduka in 4 years {probly no huge loss based on his recent performances} but we will still probably have alot/most of our other stars so lets just get another great coach {preferably European again as Schwarzer said} and we can do even better beleive it or not.

[pennybrain]

Yes I think we should all get behind the socceroos for the asian cup qualifiers. Hopefully the refs will really try to stamp out diving. Especially after the poor reffing display at the world cup so far, not just in the aussie games, its been in every game i have watched and I have been watching a fair amount of games!

[AdzT3-146]

That was the cruelest way to go out of the WC, heartbreaking.

Im very proud of the way the boys played in the whole tournament. They done Australia proud. Hopefully this is the first of many successful world cups for the Socceroos.

Thanks for the journey, was a fun ride.

[plext]

Whether they have more, less or the same amount of defenders is a moot point I'm afraid.

The fact is, Australia had a massive posession and field placement advantage and did not convert it. If you cannot convert against ten men, you will not win a lot of cups.

[DailyDriver]

You can still defend your goals with 10 men, and that's what they did, typical boring defensive Italian play. They 'luckily' make it through to the next round.

The way they are playing, they won't win the cup either!

[Jeld-Wen Falcon]

Im absolutely gutted. Our WC campaign should never had ended that way. Fifa got what they wanted eventually.

I have lost alot of respect for the Italians over that game, not purely because we lost but they were blatently taking out the Aussies with hip and shoulders. And then that pathetic dive.

Once again the refereeing was YET AGAIN suspect. Be proud of your farcical WC Fifa.

[MethodX]

Both teams dived
And both teams hip and shouldered.

[Jeld-Wen Falcon]

The hip and shoulders I saw late in that game from the italians would have made an NRL team proud.

And then they go and throw themselves around and dive at a gust of wind.

Enjoy your hollow victory.

[MethodX]

Ill say what you all said to us after 2002 and Euro 2004

Accept it and get on with it, theres no conspiracy.

Im proud of the Aussie team

[HTCURRY]

Originally Posted by Jeld-Wen Falcon

The hip and shoulders I saw late in that game from the italians would have made an NRL team proud.

And then they go and throw themselves around and dive at a gust of wind.

Enjoy your hollow victory.

No offence to our fellow forumites who happen to support the Azzurri...but this is pretty much par for course for the Italian Ballet Team. They are a highly skilled bunch, with years of practice in the domestic league(seria A) helping them to perfect their art. The Italian Olympic Diving team had a surplus of talent...so they let them loose on the field.

I dont however blame the Italians for their actions, in modern sport CHEATING is called being professional, smart, cunning, gamesmanship, so why should they give up on a tactic that serves them well every World Cup. Everyone knows they will fall over if the wind gusts to anything over 5km/h, yet the refs fall for it every time.

The blame falls squarely on FIFA, why dont they just grab some blind people off the streets to do the job...surely they cant perform any worse.

The Italian defender didnt deserve a red card in the 1st place...that is in no way a red card, but unfortunately for us the ref decided to give them a make up call for his mistake.

For those specially bitter at the Italians...dont be, the only thing they do better than Cheat on the football pitch, is CHOKE when the pressure is on.

[Jeld-Wen Falcon]

So what are you Australian or Italian? Or Australian until they lose then Italian, or vice versa, seems the go with most Italian Australians.

[MethodX]

A bit unfair seeing as their are teams that dive more than the Azzurri do.

Argentina, Brazil,Spain, Portugal
Holland did a few the other night

England, remember Owen at the last world cup v Argentina?

Italy arent a Fifa or media darling like Brazil or England unfortunately.
it shows even on here.

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by Jeld-Wen Falcon

So what are you Australian or Italian? Or Australian until they lose then Italian, or vice versa, seems the go with most Italian Australians.

Italian Aussie , but i always support the Azzurri

Is that anything like you Aussies who are all England supporters, except for this world cup?
You can go back to your original configuration now.

[HTCURRY]

Originally Posted by MethodX

A bit unfair seeing as their are teams that dive more than the Azzurri do.

Argentina, Brazil,Spain, Portugal
Holland did a few the other night

England, remember Owen at the last world cup v Argentina?

Italy arent a Fifa or media darling like Brazil or England unfortunately.
it shows even on here.

MethodX dont worry im not anti italian...i was at usa94, and watched baggio live(the man is close to being a football god in my eyes)

but the countries you have listed prove a point...Argentina 2 World Cup wins, Brazil 5 World Cup wins, Portugal finalist at Euro 04, and of course Italy winners 3 times.

Between the 3 major countries you have listed there are 10 World Cups...

Like I said good on them, its upto the others to follow their successful methodology or for FIFA to stop it.

[Martyvan]

My Boss (Who is Italian) Sent this to everyone @ work last week.........

Italian Training Video - Right Click Save As - 2.5mb

All I can say to this is.... he was right.....

(Hope its not a repost)

[MethodX]

No black guys on the Italian team

probably Portugal or brazil

[Martyvan]

Originally Posted by MethodX

No black guys on the Italian team

probably Portugal or brazil

Lighthearted humour never goes astray But you are right....