England-Algeria

[Renew Deal]

England should eat Algeria alive, but you never know what can happen. An Algeria win is the best scenario for the US. A tie is the second best. Most likely England wins, and that's OK too.

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/round=249722/match=300061464/index.html

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=264046&cc=5901&ver=us

[MrCoffee]

1. Calamity James to start in goal ahead of Rob "Oh my shit what just happened" Green

Don Fabio will not stand for error.

[Renew Deal]

2. England should win 5-0

Anything less will be a disappointment. :)

[MrCoffee]

3. That would be curtains for the US

No way we score 6

[Renew Deal]

4. Not really.

If that happened, then the US would need England to beat Slovenia. If the US won, they'd have 5 points, Slovenia 4, England 7. It all gets tricky if England wins today, ties Slovenia, and the US wins. All 3 teams would have 5 points. Then it would be all about goal differential. Lets see what happens today, but I think the US is in good position.

[redqueen]

5. The live text is somewhat amusing. (nt)

[MrCoffee]

6. Well done to Algeria

Wednesday 6.23 will decide the group. Excellent

[insanity]

7. Algeria draws and throws the group a curveball

[Renew Deal]

8. Upset Tie!

:wow:

[charlie and algernon]

9. draw! Great news for the US

Of course there's no lock that England or the US will be able to handle Slovenia and Algeria, respectively.

[Hosnon]

10. Actually, wasn't a tie the best scenario for the U.S.? nt.

[Codeine]

11. Yes, now we can advance if we beat Algeria

or even if we draw IF Slovenia and England draw.

[Hosnon]

12. Right. Had Algeria won, we could only advance if we were to beat Algeria.

This way, if Slovenia beats England, we just can't lose to Algeria. And if Slovenia ties England, we just can't lose to Algeria if we win the goal differential versus England (otherwise we have to beat Algeria).

Go U.S.A.!

[KamaAina]

17. oh never mind

misinterpreted "can't lose". :dunce:

[KamaAina]

15. Or if Slovenia beat England

which (assuming a USA-Algeria draw) would leave Slovenia on 7 points, USA on 3, England and Algeria on 2.

And if Slovenia and England draw, leaving the USA and England both on 3, what's the tiebreaker?

[Codeine]

21. First tiebreaker is goal differential, then goals for. nt

[KamaAina]

13. Yes! Scoreless draw!!

The ONLY time I will ever say that is now, when it ensures a USA win over Algeria sends us through to the knockout stages. Indeed we could even go through with a draw if Slovenia beat England!

[Hosnon]

14. And even with a draw if Slovenia ties England and we win the differential. nt.

[KamaAina]

16. Wouldn't both differentials be zero?

with all three matches drawn for each?

What's the tiebreaker for that? :shrug:

[Hosnon]

18. I think they use Goals Scored first and then Goal Differential...I think... nt.

[KamaAina]

19. In goals scored, we lead BP 3-1 at present

er, I mean England :P , so we'd be good.

[Renew Deal]

20. Differential, then goals scored.

a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;
b) goal difference in all group matches;
c) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings will be determined as follows:
d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
e) goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;
f) greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned;
g) drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee.

http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/world-cup-group-play-tie-breaking-rules.html

[Hosnon]

22. Thanks. nt.

[MrCoffee]

23. Brilliant, glorious rant @ guardian.co.uk comments section

I apologise for my language in advance but:

James: meh
Johnson: shit
A Cole: shit
Terry: shit
Carragher: god awful. Shit
Lennon: shit
Gerrard: anonymous. Shit
Barry: unfit. Shit
Lampard: shit
Heskey: first touch further than I can kick it. Shit
Rooney: angry headless chicken. Shit.

How the blithering heck can players not pass the ball to the feet of a team-mate 15 fucking yards away. How the cocking arse can corners, over and over again, be taken that don't clear the first man? How, in the name of all that's fucking sane can players not hold 2 lines of fucking 4? Christ on a fricking trampoline.

The one straw I'm clutching is:

1990, drew the first game 1-1. drew the second 0-0. won the third. got to the semi-finals. that's it. that's all I've got

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jun/18/wayne-rooney-england-world-cup

It will be deleted soon (it being moderated and all), but well worth reprinting.

[Upton]

24. Rooney commenting on the boos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdxj9gJMqS4&feature=player_embedded

[Renew Deal]

25. He should start growing that beard.

:rofl:

[MrCoffee]

26. He already put the down payment on the caravan...tosser

Now he just needs to score one of those chalk line drawing carts and he's all set.

[oldironside]

27. That was....

... the worst performance I've seen from England in 26 years of following them. Awful and it makes me wonder what it will take for the players to actually feel shame.