[Sista Sila]

Well I was starting to think the Ref was biased.

Yeah. In England's favor.

Also, I now officially dislike Donovan.

[Kitana Lucas]

Why do we let the US play football? They just squeal about referees like boys and girls do the first time dad takes them to a game. Ah, wait a minute.

Refereeing decisions are like vendettas for more civilised people. We keep them for years. Post ironic videos on YouTube. Use them for cultural jokes (England replaced war jokes with penalty jokes when referring to Germany for example). But please. Stop mentioning them in every post. It's embarrassing for us louche Europeans when our American cousins come on like débutantes coming out at their first Ball. You won for goodness sakes. You may even avoid Germany. Yet you still talk about decisions with mystifying terminology we have to translate mentally before replying, and think football is fair, when it is just a metaphor for life. We are dung beetles, and the football rarely reaches our den. Ask the French.

[Naomi Ward]

Wow, the USA really advanced in an awesome way, beating the refs not once but twice, with a dramatic finishing goal!

Amazing! However, if the USA have another goal unfairly cancelled in the round of 16, I fear the American coach will have an ulcer, the top FIFA officials will receive death threats, and that ref will be punched in the face!

[Melly Angelic]

Yeah. In England's favor.

I'd agree with this. Slovenia were getting bookings for a lot worse than Milner and Johnson had committed earlier in the game but got off with.

I hope no one goes over board about England today. We played better than against Algeria but we only played of a good enough standard for 10 minutes either side of the goal. In terms of individuals, Rooney was poor again, Lampard was good, Gerrard was average, Barry was average, Defoe was average (scored, missed a sitter, did nothing else), Johnson was crap for the first 10 and then good, Upson + Terry were good, Cole was good, James was solid.

Massive credit goes to Johnson and especially Upson for their tackling towards the end. Johnson and Terry made good blocks too. Did anyone see Terry make the initial block then try and block the next shot with his head? Hilarious.

[Brooks Hardison]

Did anyone see Terry make the initial block then try and block the next shot with his head? Hilarious.

He needs to save his balls for after the World Cup. British wags demand it.

[kirsty williams]

Massive credit goes to Johnson and especially Upson for their tackling towards the end. Johnson and Terry made good blocks too. Did anyone see Terry make the initial block then try and block the next shot with his head? Hilarious.

That was hilarious. Few players are quite as dedicated as John Terry.

[Juanita Hernandez]

Why do we let the US play football? They just squeal about referees like boys and girls do the first time dad takes them to a game. Ah, wait a minute.

Refereeing decisions are like vendettas for more civilised people. We keep them for years. Post ironic videos on YouTube. Use them for cultural jokes (England replaced war jokes with penalty jokes when referring to Germany for example). But please. Stop mentioning them in every post. It's embarrassing for us louche Europeans when our American cousins come on like débutantes coming out at their first Ball. You won for goodness sakes. You may even avoid Germany. Yet you still talk about decisions with mystifying terminology we have to translate mentally before replying, and think football is fair, when it is just a metaphor for life. We are dung beetles, and the football rarely reaches our den. Ask the French.

Maybe we complain because... uhh... the calls are godawful and USA can't seem to catch any breaks at all? USA isn't the only country who complains, you know.

[stevie trent]

Maybe we complain because... uhh... the calls are godawful and USA can't seem to catch any breaks at all? USA isn't the only country who complains, you know.

Fail. Next.

[Portions]

Oh, that's an excellent comeback. :rolleyes:

[Amy Cooper]

Maybe we complain because... uhh... the calls are godawful and USA can't seem to catch any breaks at all? USA isn't the only country who complains, you know.

In that case re-read her post (the post you replied to there). Carefully.

If you're too lazy to do so, the summary is: "You won and you qualified from the groups - so shut up."

[Christina Trayler]

Celebrations are in order for England! England are http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQQSp617ZE8&feature=related again!

[JR Cash]

Fail. Next.

They (and I, as a neutral Canadian) complain because I'm used that in the sports I usually watch (like hockey), that if there's a close call, it will be reviewed when there is a break in play.

This review is done by expert officials in a closed office watching the replay of the many cameras, and only takes 30 seconds, so it doesn't slow down the play.

[Jessica Thomson]

In that case re-read her post (the post you replied to there). Carefully.

If you're too lazy to do so, the summary is: "You won and you qualified from the groups - so shut up."

Thanks for the offer, but no, I'm not lazy. What I was getting at was that she singled out Americans as if we're the only country complaining.

[matt white]

Why do we let the US play football? They just squeal about referees like boys and girls do the first time dad takes them to a game. Ah, wait a minute.

Refereeing decisions are like vendettas for more civilised people. We keep them for years. Post ironic videos on YouTube. Use them for cultural jokes (England replaced war jokes with penalty jokes when referring to Germany for example). But please. Stop mentioning them in every post. It's embarrassing for us louche Europeans when our American cousins come on like débutantes coming out at their first Ball. You won for goodness sakes. You may even avoid Germany. Yet you still talk about decisions with mystifying terminology we have to translate mentally before replying, and think football is fair, when it is just a metaphor for life. We are dung beetles, and the football rarely reaches our den. Ask the French.

Why do we let the rest of the world exist? Its all a great mystery.

When you spend a lot of your time refereeing, you tend to take an interest in how the (supposed) best in the world are doing. Both of my siblings are also refs, and my father is a referee instructor. Its a family thing. :shrug:

[Justin Bywater]

Although we won the game and have advanced, England still havent performed, even with the better formation, the actual players need to get their act together. I want ot australia next, that should at bit more interesting to watch than the match with slovenia. Apart from the odd chance, the game was boring to watch and the team did not do that great.

Oh and well done USA, you deserved the top spot more than our team

[Richard]

Oh and well done USA, you deserved the top spot more than our team

Wow, a respectful post?! Thank you, sir. We were lucky not to have been beaten by England. VERY lucky.

[Ross]

I would love to see Australia advance, but I see almost no way that that happens.

[gemma]

Thanks for the offer, but no, I'm not lazy. What I was getting at was that she singled out Americans as if we're the only country complaining.

Well I guess you can always simply not watch the World Cup then. :shrug:

Also I don't see Slovenians [censored]ing about referees, except one single time, and they haven't qualified while England with their crap play have managed to do it just because the referees like them, just like France, but France is so screwed up that even the referees couldn't help them.

[Lil'.KiiDD]

Well I guess you can always simply not watch the World Cup then. :shrug:

What...? That doesn't have anything to do with Miss Yiasemi complaining about we Americans complaining. Listen... I want to like soccer, I do. I've been one of those people that hates soccer, but this World Cup has been so fun to watch. So when I come into this thread and mingle with you guys and talk about soccer and try to fit it... when I find someone complaining about complaining rather than staying respectful and congratulating us on a well-deserved job well done, it's kind of... irritating. You know what I mean?

[Jade Barnes-Mackey]

Congrats to USA and England. Especially USA, nobody would have predicted them to win the group - fully deserved though. Two disallowed goals in two games. That's unlucky. Hope they get decent officials in the knockout stages. :goodjob:

[Nick Tyler]

What...? That doesn't have anything to do with Miss Yiasemi complaining about we Americans complaining. Listen... I want to like soccer, I do. I've been one of those people that hates soccer, but this World Cup has been so fun to watch. So when I come into this thread and mingle with you guys and talk about soccer and try to fit it... when I find someone complaining about complaining rather than staying respectful and congratulating us on a well-deserved job well done, it's kind of... irritating. You know what I mean?

You clearly enjoy the sport more than you say, because this World Cup has had a pretty crap standard of football so far.

[Tha King o Geekz]

Awesome win!

[Kevin Jay]

Sheer guts, baby. SHEER GUTS. THAT's how we won.

Show me another team in the World Cup with more guts and grit than Team USA. Go on. Show me.

Others have more technique - and deservedly so. Others have more tactical genius - and rightfully so. Others have greater names, deserved or not.

But we have the heart.

[Emma louise Wendelk]

You clearly enjoy the sport more than you say, because this World Cup has had a pretty crap standard of football so far.

All the matches are in the morning in the US, so they have been picking the best ones to air in primetime, which could be having an effect on non-fanatics opinions of how the Cup is going so far. :shrug:

Sheer guts, baby. SHEER GUTS. THAT's how we won.

Show me another team in the World Cup with more guts and grit than Team USA. Go on. Show me.

Others have more technique - and deservedly so. Others have more tactical genius - and rightfully so. Others have greater names, deserved or not.

But we have the heart.

New Zealand, definitely. Those guys have intestinal fortitude.

Greece, too, I've always thought.

[{Richies Mommy}]

Sheer guts, baby. SHEER GUTS. THAT's how we won.

Show me another team in the World Cup with more guts and grit than Team USA. Go on. Show me.

Others have more technique - and deservedly so. Others have more tactical genius - and rightfully so. Others have greater names, deserved or not.

But we have the heart.

Oh, lord...

Here's hoping the Germans get second place tonight.