World Cup 2014

[Uncle Si]

What's up with Suarez biting players all of a sudden?

All of a sudden? This isn't a first offense. Liverpool may well feel the brunt of this too if Sepp decides he's guilty, although I suppose a lengthy ban might lessen his appeal to Barcelona and Real Madrid.

FIFA cant touch him with regards to club ball.

But I imagine Liverpool are set on moving on

What a f---ing madman. sad

Are you sure about that? I thought they could impose a ban from all football for violence. Don't know why I thought that, so it's probably incorrect. Liverpool must be pissed regardless.

To be honest I dont know. I cant see how FIFA, who has no control over the clubs, could do such a thing. But this is the football world we are talking about here.

Who knows what Liverpool's board and BR are thinking right now? Stand by your man, get him help, embrace him? or sell him out of country. Its just a disgusting affair. I always laughed off the Ivonavich one. But this, christ.

Mind you, there have been far worse events in this sport, in this tournament. But I think Liverpool and FSG, image conscious as they are, may just have him sold by the end of the World Cup

i dont know though... he's just so f---ing good. But, he's 28, off knee surgery. I imagine the English press will have a long go at him (Hodgson is very thankful i'm sure)

 

[Hawkspur]

No question, Si. This is without a shadow of doubt the highlight of the World Cup for the English press.

 

[Uncle Si]

No question, Si. This is without a shadow of doubt the highlight of the World Cup for the English press.

Certainly gives them something to write about (apparently England didnt have a match today? did they even send a team?)

Seriously though, I'm torn. I love Suarez. I love Liverpool. I want both to do well (if he's in a Red shirt), and in the end I could give f-- all if he bit someone in a World Cup match (and I'm Italian if you go back a couple generations).

I forgave him for Boris. hey, sh-- happens. this had nothing to do with Liverpool, and will be forgotten here in the US by Thursday. But its getting a bit ridiculous.

But still... if he wasnt a Liverpool player i'd loathe him to no end. I just dont know what the club will do. I was ready to move on from him this summer when the Reals and Barcas came knocking. I was ready to snuggle up to his madness, add Sanchez and have a go at #19. This just makes it all... a bit dirty.

 

[Subzero717]

This guys a moron.

 

[Uncle Si]

This guys a moron.

Yeah

 

[hawkfan68]

Regarding my earlier post - I meant to say Suarez is biting again...not all of a sudden. My oops.

Without Altidore does the United States have enough offense to play with the Germans? They barely netted 2 goals against a team that the Germans pounded. Hopefully they will address the lack of support Clint Dempsey had up top early in the game on Sunday. If they get behind the Germans, it could be a long day.

 

[CurryStopstheRuns]

What a horrible penalty call.

 

[SeatownJay]

What a horrible penalty call.

I wouldn't call it horrible. There was definite contact.

 

[Silky Johnson]

Regarding my earlier post - I meant to say Suarez is biting again...not all of a sudden. My oops.

Without Altidore does the United States have enough offense to play with the Germans? They barely netted 2 goals against a team that the Germans pounded. Hopefully they will address the lack of support Clint Dempsey had up top early in the game on Sunday. If they get behind the Germans, it could be a long day.

I think so. Remember also, Bradley had a clean shot on goal from what, 10 feet out with no keeper in goal? And somehow found the only defender standing there :roll: so we really should have had 3. In the end though it all depends on what kind of match Germany decides to play. If they want to just play defensive and possession ball it will be a low scoring game. We are pretty good at set pieces and take a fair amount of shots outside the penalty box so if Germany goes defensive I imagine thats where we may score.
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As for Suarez thats just ridiculous. I played the game a long time and was lucky enough to play on partial scholarship for my college but I never feared being bitten. I don't even know what to make of that. Its just odd. I don't even know what my reaction would be. I mean a guy threw the ball in my face once and I immediately tackled him to the ground and it ended up in both teams having an all out brawl so I think that very easily could have occurred today

 

[CurryStopstheRuns]

What a horrible penalty call.

I wouldn't call it horrible. There was definite contact.

The breeze was stronger than that, "contact."

 

[hawkfan68]

Greece and Uruguay were two teams that needed to win today. They both won. So hopefully that trend continues with United States on Thursday. I know that they necessarily don't need to win but that would be the shortest route to the next round.

Good points, Silky. Bear in mind that Portugal was without a couple of their defenders. One of which is arguably their best defender, Pepe. So while the United States could have had more, they didn't. How much would they have had if Portugal was at full health or had Pepe not been suspended?

 

[CurryStopstheRuns]

Greece and Uruguay were two teams that needed to win today. They both won. So hopefully that trend continues with United States on Thursday. I know that they necessarily don't need to win but that would be the shortest route to the next round.

Good points, Silky. Bear in mind that Portugal was without a couple of their defenders. One of which is arguably their best defender, Pepe. So while the United States could have had more, they didn't. How much would they have had if Portugal was at full health or had Pepe not been suspended?

They would have scored more because Pepe would have been shown red at some point causing Portugal to play a man down.

 

[Uncle Si]

Regarding my earlier post - I meant to say Suarez is biting again...not all of a sudden. My oops.

Without Altidore does the United States have enough offense to play with the Germans? They barely netted 2 goals against a team that the Germans pounded. Hopefully they will address the lack of support Clint Dempsey had up top early in the game on Sunday. If they get behind the Germans, it could be a long day.

I think so. Remember also, Bradley had a clean shot on goal from what, 10 feet out with no keeper in goal? And somehow found the only defender standing there :roll: so we really should have had 3. In the end though it all depends on what kind of match Germany decides to play. If they want to just play defensive and possession ball it will be a low scoring game. We are pretty good at set pieces and take a fair amount of shots outside the penalty box so if Germany goes defensive I imagine thats where we may score.
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As for Suarez thats just ridiculous. I played the game a long time and was lucky enough to play on partial scholarship for my college but I never feared being bitten. I don't even know what to make of that. Its just odd. I don't even know what my reaction would be. I mean a guy threw the ball in my face once and I immediately tackled him to the ground and it ended up in both teams having an all out brawl so I think that very easily could have occurred today

I was also lucky to have played for a long time and was lucky enough to play some D1. I've seen and part of some things that were worse than biting in my mind. You notice the players reaction? They all just got about their business. S--- happens out there and it can be awful (there's NP way this paragraph doesn't sound douchey...I guess I'm just torn by it all. He's my favorite player)

Not condoning Suarez's actions. He deserves to be punished and he will. This idea he should be banned forever is ridiculous though. We've all seen players purposefully end careers and take their 2-8 match ban and move on. Suarez is mental surely. So was Keane, Zidane, Barton, Cantona (Solo)

The bite is extraordinary as its rare. But there's stuff going on in those games that is down right disgusting and mean. Use your imagination...Suarez is despicable for his actions.

As for Germany... A lot will depend on what they feel like doing I'm afraid. If they go for the three points we will need to line up similar to last match. If we see them less than ambitious than we drop into a 451 and make sure we don't give something away.

 

[hawkfan68]

Greece and Uruguay were two teams that needed to win today. They both won. So hopefully that trend continues with United States on Thursday. I know that they necessarily don't need to win but that would be the shortest route to the next round.

Good points, Silky. Bear in mind that Portugal was without a couple of their defenders. One of which is arguably their best defender, Pepe. So while the United States could have had more, they didn't. How much would they have had if Portugal was at full health or had Pepe not been suspended?

They would have scored more because Pepe would have been shown red at some point causing Portugal to play a man down.

I highly doubt that Pepe would get a red card against the United States. The USA is less physical team compared to Germany thus it wouldn't warrant that type of play. Who knows. Hopefully there are no red cards given on Thursday to the Stars and Stripes.

 

[Nog]

This guys a moron.

Personally, he entertains me a lot! Thanks god, there are some personalities like Suarez; otherwise, we would get bored.

 

[MLOhawks]

the USA-Portugal game was the first one I watched this year (of soccer I mean). I can't believe our team gave up that goal on the last few seconds. Reminds me of Udub at Arizona State a few years ago when Holt just stood there on the sideline with a 'derp' look on his face when the Sun Devils bombed a touchdown to a guy running wide open down the middle of the field to end the game.

 

[253hawk]

It shouldn't have even happened. There were only 4 minutes of stoppage but then another minute was added because of the slow substitution. People may rail on football for only having 10 minutes of actual play, but at least it takes the clock seriously and doesn't feature players flopping all over the place, adding more useless time.

 

[Silky Johnson]

I was also lucky to have played for a long time and was lucky enough to play some D1. I've seen and part of some things that were worse than biting in my mind. You notice the players reaction? They all just got about their business. S--- happens out there and it can be awful (there's NP way this paragraph doesn't sound douchey...I guess I'm just torn by it all. He's my favorite player)

Not condoning Suarez's actions. He deserves to be punished and he will. This idea he should be banned forever is ridiculous though. We've all seen players purposefully end careers and take their 2-8 match ban and move on. Suarez is mental surely. So was Keane, Zidane, Barton, Cantona (Solo)

The bite is extraordinary as its rare. But there's stuff going on in those games that is down right disgusting and mean. Use your imagination...Suarez is despicable for his actions.

As for Germany... A lot will depend on what they feel like doing I'm afraid. If they go for the three points we will need to line up similar to last match. If we see them less than ambitious than we drop into a 451 and make sure we don't give something away.

I think a big reason the other players weren't incensed was because the foul occurred away from the ball/action. It was somewhat subtle and almost looked like they were butting heads or something. I'm honestly not even sure what penalty he's worthy of either. Its like I said earlier in that its just odd. Does he have to wear a Hannibal Lecter mask from here on out?

 

[Uncle Si]

Its been suggested he wear a mouth guard. Seriously.

That's the drama though. As you said, players expect elbows, spikes across the knees or ankles or calves, punches and pulls and even pinches or guages. Hell even spitting.

But biting? I've never seen it. I've seen far more damaging, but nothing quite as strange.

To be clear he's one of my favorite players. He's just mental. If he'd lost his mind and just started throwing hay makers than it wouldn't be a story. Bitings just...weird. I can't defend him. I guess I just keep falling back on the "we've seen more violent and damaging actions"

Still doesn't make the ugly of it go away though.

 

[Uncle Si]

It shouldn't have even happened. There were only 4 minutes of stoppage but then another minute was added because of the slow substitution. People may rail on football for only having 10 minutes of actual play, but at least it takes the clock seriously and doesn't feature players flopping all over the place, adding more useless time.

Pretty sure they announced 5 minutes of stoppage time. Maybe i'm wrong.

stoppage time is added because of the length between free kicks, throw ins, goals, etc. and any serious injury. referees are rarely conned by "flopping" and even yesterdays ugly match between Italy and Uruguay you could see the ref point to his watch as the Italians rolled on the ground.

If its not for you, then so be it. MLS tried to do a stopped clock a couple decades ago. Its pointless in soccer. players and coaches know how to deal with the extra minutes and why they exist.