[Bookie] WC Round of 16 - Italy v Australia [R]

[robj]

Buffon was excellent very calm in presure situations.

The penalty I don't know 50 50. As a ref you don't call a penalty in the last 5 sec unless it is a blatant penal. The best diving team were bound to get a call sooner or later.

The Italians have one of the best teams on paper I don't understand why time and time again they need to put on the hollywood routine. I think there would be more outside fan support if they took that aspect of there game out.

I haven't seen an Italian team worthy of any cheering for since 1982. That was a good team.

 

[Keeper]

Zenyo,

We hate the Italians because they're beautiful.

Seriously though, to make a PK call with five seconds left (literally!), it had better be undisputable. That one would've been iffy had it been in the first minute.

 

[Zaurrini]

Aussies have only themselves to blame.

The first half, Italy were unlucky not to be up a goal.

Second half the Aussies didnt create enough.
40 minutes up a man, and hardly a sniff. They controlled the ball well, but it seemed like any time there was a serious threat , Cannavaro came outta nowhere and broke it up.

Italy looked terrible down a man...Some teams gel, and get stronger down a man, but I cant believe how many times the ball was given up with unforced errors.

Del Piero looks as though he is on the same diet as Ronaldo.

The Peno.
Tough one for the ref to make...
What was the defender thinking sliding in like that though???
You have to expect something bad is going to happen when you leave your feet. In the reply you do see him raise his arm, but it was probably in self defence, not a malicious take down of any nature...nonetheless, he did stop grosso.

Grosso was fouled just prior to the challenge, but kept going...no dive there...

To single out the Italian team for diving is ridiculous. I have watched 90 % of the matches and every team is diving. Italy are far from the worst offenders, they are just really good at it.

Side note, heard portugal are appealing Deco's red card.

 

[Dude]

Zenga,

The striker clearly beat the defender, yes. Undressed and embarrassed him into tripping over himself. But, he did not take away the scoring chance. The striker could have continued pursuit of the ball, in the direction he sent it, had he not tripped over the fallen defender.

At best, very iffy. Not worthy of deciding the game.

Not sure if the Aussies were going to win this one, as Buffon was spot on, and the Itals did defend the box well. Worthy, in fact, of being called Mrs. Dude. Plus, they did well with creating what they could with limited opportunity pressing forward. But, the Roos at least deserved to allow extra time and / or PKs to decide this.

Yes, this is why North American fans get up in arms about the game we love. This is just more fodder.

 

[zenga]

Who the **** cares what other North Americans think about the game!

Whats the take on the red card? No mention of that!

BTW Dude Grosso is a left full back not a striker!

 

[Dude]

Just a wild guess, but...the people at EA Sport? No?

 

[Dude]

Whatever, he was forward, in the box, striking. Therefore, striker.

Note I didn't even attempt to identify his name.

Hey, they paid out, and I was entertained. Good enough for me.

 

[zenga]

99% of the people that work on FIFA are European!

So who cares.

 

[Dude]

And EA Sport's biggest market is???

~Captain Obvious.

 

[sarge]

The PK was a PK.........no question about it......I give the ref credit to have the ballz to call it.......

 

[The Apprentice]

Italy didn't deserve to win today but sh*t happens. Cannavaro has to be the best 1 v 1 defender in the world and its gonna take a very special effort to beeat Buffon, he has to be top ranked goalie in the world. Couple incidents on commercial drive with the police after the game. I think i seen LION getting escorted away in the cuffs. Congrats.

 

[termatofylakas]

Come on Fil and all the other I-ties. How can you say he didn't dive. Yes the Aussie was stupid when he left his feet but Grosso already stepped over him with his right foot and then dragged his left behind and flopped over the guy. Neill didn't move when on the ground. On the original camera angle I thought penalty and what an idiot the player is but when you see the replays Grosso could have easily stayed on his feet and got a chance to score. But in the end an undeserving Italy goes thru. Have fun against the Ukes.

 

[Captain Shamrock]

It was a ****ing embarrassment to the game. The ****er created the contact and could have easily avoided the player who was trying to block what he thought was going to be a shot. If it was an Irish player(yes I know they wouldn't be in the second round anyway) I would say the same thing. It was a fcuking farce and the **** of a ref bottled it. He was conned.

BTW, why didn't the ref give a caution to Neill IF it was deemed a foul? I'm ****ing gutted the way some of these games are being decided. The amount of diving by MOST of the teams is a disgrace and this was the perfect example of PURPOSELY trying to draw a foul when it could have EASILY been avoided. I haven't even read the rest of the thread but don't give a ****. It was a ****ing horrendous decision......btw it said he scored in the 95th minute. The 4th official said there was only to be 3 minutes played and there were no injuries in the 3 minutes.


Rant over. Fcuk the diver AND the ref who was conned.

 

[Keeper]

Don't forget the fact that the ref didn't seem to have the balls to call the hand ball on the Italian defender in the box shortly before.

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Don't forget the fact that the ref didn't seem to have the balls to call the hand ball on the Italian defender in the box shortly before.

Keeper, I don't think I would have called that one because his arm was within the plane of his body and he didn't appear to be ready to be able to react after the Aussie missed the attempted bicycle kick. I have only seen that one once so I'm not as sure as I was about the shocking penalty call.

 

[Keeper]

Perhaps, but my point is that the hand ball was as iffy as the PK.

 

[Keeper]

And to suggest the Italians are the only team with fake falls and theatrics… Come on!

Your post seems all the more funny considering a little tid-bit of yours from years past.

http://www.takethepiss.com/forums/miscellaneous/4184-italian-training.html

 

[bulljive]

He definitly created the contact by dragging his foot and then dove but there has been penalties for worse. Here is my take on diving. yellow card, plus he is out of the rest of the game, he is allowed to be subbed but can no longer play in that paticular game. They need to find a way to get it out of the game by any means. This whole world cup has been an embarrassment as a soccer supporter. Some of the yellow cards are not even fouls. It seems every foul is a card. Being dutch I feel Robben and his theatrics have probably been the worst in this world cup. All this get a knock then lie around grabbing a body part. how often do you see this stuff in local soccer. The tackles are twice as bad and most are not even called. If Canada ever makes it again we will not know how to play this kind of soccer. On another note Ghana to upset brazil and fukc I hate Figo that limy bastard.

 

[Kippax]

I am not sure how you say the Italians were undeserving of the win today. They were the better team with 11 men, and created alot more chances. I totally disagree with the red card, It was a crap call that changed the game in the Aussies favor. With 10 men, Italy did what they had to and defended, defended very well. Cannavaro is a great player. The Aussies really did not do enough to win.

As far as the Pk goes, it was soft, and could have gone either way. Italy deserve to be playing next round, they are the better team and I am happy to see them there.

 

[Inspector Blake]

I am not sure how you say the Italians were undeserving of the win today. They were the better team with 11 men, and created alot more chances. I totally disagree with the red card, It was a crap call that changed the game in the Aussies favor. With 10 men, Italy did what they had to and defended, defended very well. Cannavaro is a great player. The Aussies really did not do enough to win.

As far as the Pk goes, it was soft, and could have gone either way. Italy deserve to be playing next round, they are the better team and I am happy to see them there.

Fully agree with that. Except for the pk. I don't feel it could've gone either way! The foot did drag and he could've stayed on his feet quite easily. As much as I'd wanted the Aussies to win, I feel the Italian's deserved a little fortune this WC. In 2002 the Italians were on the receiving end of the worst refereeing I've ever witnessed during a WC, when they were beaten by S. Korea. If I remember correctly - S.Korea scored 2 offside goals, and Italy had a goal ruled out that should've stood. Call it compensation, if you will. We're still owed some compensation for the "hand of God" goal.