Biased? I said Italy were appalling and deserved to go out. Just because I see the foul differently means I'm biased?

Let me tell you why it wasn't a red: 1) his leg is not stretched but bent, 2) the sole of the shoe does not impact directly on Ríos' shin but rather it streaks on his shin guard, and 3) Marchisio clearly retracts to try not to hit the opponent.

But yeah, to hell with all that! It's a red cos f*ck Italy!

By the way, I wanted to say (and I think Fillipo already mentioned it) that Prandelli's decision to sub Balotelli for frigging Parolo left me speechless. Parolo, a 29-year-old mediocre player with no special attributes, who only a few seasons ago was playing in the fourth division, gets picked in such a critical match at such a critical moment? Unbelievable.

His choice to play a slow-poke Cassano as sole striker without any support from the midfield was just as incredible, specially when he could have used Cerci or Insigne's speed for counterattacks.

In a way, I'm really glad Prandelli left.

And not taking a quality player like Rossi to the WC was a brilliant decision as well.

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. James Rodriguez.

GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECE!

ALL BOW DOWN TO GOD SAMARAS!

James GODriguez

Faryd Mondragon Surpassed Roger Milla and just became the oldest player to ever play in a World Cup.

Congrats, dst

I really don't see a red card there. He brings his leg up to avoid kicking the guy, which of course he does in the end but with no intent and he's actually stopped moving towards him and is not even launching his leg at him. It's a dangerous, reckless tackle and a yellow card but if that's a red then there should be a red in every game.

Again, I don't see how they are related other than the fact that we have distinctly differing opinions about them.

I don't think you're doing yourself a favor bringing up bias, you're hardly impartial yourself when it comes to Barcelona.

I don't think it's a matter of bias, we just see it very differently. I'm as perplexed as you are, I can't see how anyone would think this is a red card, there's seriously no force and no intent there so that can't be a red in my view. We're never going to agree, let's just leave it at that.


Hahahaha

Totally undeserving of a last 16 spot but this group was awful. Now we're going to just sit back and be **** again.


Thanks.

Not really. Japan were crap in all 2 games. Head-to-head you deserved to win today. CIV did nothing.

CIV wouldve scored that 90th min counter if gervihno was still on.

Anyway congrats dst

It was a crap group overall.


Thanks. I don't get why the ref stopped the game so soon by the way.

Look up Ivan Pavlov. Behaviourism at its most basic. When it goes wrong, or is guided malevolently, things like tonight happen. All the time.

Not justifying it, just explaining it.

Really? Until a psychiatrist gives him a diagnosis I think it's ridiculous to excuse the behavior of a grown man by such a flimsy assessment. It's far more likely that's he's just a violent person with a lack of self control.

I'm not excusing it, nor justifying it, I'm trying to shed insight on why he might do it. And thanks for dismissing decades of psychology research as 'flimsy'.

PS: ironic I provide actual evidence and diagnostic possibilities which you dismiss as 'flimsy' while you describe a husband and father with no convictions as a violent person with a lack of self control. If mine is flimsy yours is plain shallow.

Explaining it?

For me bringing up psychology here is a form of excusing his actions. Are you trying to compare Suarez biting people to Pavlov's dogs? I don't need explanations, I know what the theory is, but I think it's just terrible to try to explain away Suarez's behaviour by even mentioning it.

He knows what he's doing and his comments after the game should tell you enough. He's a cheater, pure scum, plain and simple.

His biting IS a violent action towards opponents, it's violence at it's most basic and animalistic form. And don't tell me that he doesn't try to get away with it. Look at how he acted after he bit Chiellini. Rolling around acting like he was injured and then holding his mouth as if Chiellini was the one to shoulder barge him.

I don't think you provided actual evidence Danny, you mentioned a theory used by mental health professional. It's not really anything other than an assumption.

I think Suarez is perfectly fine in the head, he's damn sure in what he's doing.

Haha, this is actually ridiculous. The study of human behavour, psychology, dismissed as a method for explaining human behaviour.

Next we'll be ignoring gravity as a reason things fall.

I'm done here.

No I didn't, I mentioned proven behaviouristic cause and effect rationale as used by behaviourists.



You're apparently 'assuming' too then.

If I am, so are you.

Like I say, I shall bow out here.

You presented zero evidence. The existence of a psychological phenomenon is in no way proof of it being the cause in this specific case. We both know the same small bit of evidence in this case: Suarez bit an opposing player for the third time in his professional career. Without more evidence I think the conclusion that he's a dirty violent player is far more plausible.

Maybe there was provocation from Chiellini during the match, prior to this incident. I'd label both these players in the same category that Materazzi heads up, which is to say both are dirty scums. Suarez is talented, unlike the two Italian hacks above, but that does not excuse his behavior. Nothing does.

Just say that in a game of football things happen during the course, not a window that the camera catches. Neymar was provoked and hurt in the last game by that Cameroonian fruitcake. Throughout.


True. I'm afraid he will not. At least, if he goes to Barcelona, then he can try and make life miserable for another miserable excuse of a human being, Pepe. I'd pay good money to see that.


Well, no one can call it, I am afraid. Football changes in seconds, it's a game of inches. The fact that it was stilled tied up a 0-0 does not mean that it would ended at this. The only certainty was that Italy had not scored up until that point in time, in a game that they should have to be at ease. Maybe even twice.

Still, this was, for me, the most heartbreaking group in the tournament, and it lived up to expectations. Italy lost it in the previous match, when they knew the type of game Costa Rica played, and still failed to assert their dominance. For me all three teams, Italy, England, Uruguay are same, either two would have been okay.

At least with the Italians I had a reasonable assurance that they'd fix up the Germans real good where it mattered. Now, I can just hope that the Dutch do the job. Or someone slays them in the quarters, or before that, even.

So I provide a possible theory based on proven research, and you think your conclusion based on none is more viable?

Fair dues.

Indeed, and I would like to know why on earth he chooses to bite rather than a sneaky foul, or a snidey kick. Or maybe, as I suggest, this is some bizarre cognitive behavioural defect he appears not to be in control of.

I don't know if I'd go as far as scum, because this is basically his big flaw. He's a decent guy outwith this utterly inexplicable oddity.

I don't know many players who I would truly call scum...maybe Totti, or Barton. Guys who, on the pitch, have engaged in some absolutely abhorrent behaviour. But are they downright bad people? No, probably not.

Agreed. It's that, or this is something he has grown up on. I've seen the odd kid that bites in self defense, when playing with other three, four, or five, year olds. Maybe it is this reactionary trait that he has carried onto adult life. Behavioral defect is the correct way to put it, but someone in his stature should not be doing it.

I'm not into violence, abhor it, but if I were, I'd much prefer doing sneaky foul or landing a snidey kick.


Yeah, well sadly, I only have three baskets, dirty scums, regular schmoes and class acts. Black, gray and white. Only a few guys, football players, in this case, end up as true gentlemen for me, all others are placed in the first two baskets. Scum might be a hard word in this case, I say, but Suarez is no saint.


This. They are not outright bad people, and I wouldn't mind grabbing a drink with them if it came to it. Knowing full well their actions on the pitch and malicious acts. Suarez probably is in this group. And I rate his skills as a player, he plays for the NT I rather like. But as I mentioned above, he goes dirty red every now and again.

There are, however, some absolute lowlifes playing today that I don't even want to read their name. Animals. More than a few play for Real Madrid, many in Barcelona. Cheats, scums and scoundrels. Some may even be good chaps when not in uniform, but others (like Pepe, Mascherano) I absolutely dislike.

Simple probability. Whatever man. If you'd like to believe he bites people compulsively against his own will then be my guest. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

Not even the first time he's gone after Chiellini.

the scum needs to be banned. no questions asked.

I'm not disagreeing nor agreeing with you overall, I really don't care what Suarez is and would simply like to see him banned for the rest of the tournament. Only, what does the fact that he's a husband and a father have to do with anything? Surely, not every violent person is unmarried and has no children.

I think it's best if we both do as it will go nowhere. I just think that trying to pin Suarez's behaviour on some mental issue is trying to excuse him, he doesn't do it compulsively in each game when things aren't going his way though, he seems to pick and choose his moments quite cognitively. Uruguay weren't doing anything at that point in the game. The result at 0-0 meant they were going out, there was motive for him to do what he did.


Agreed


I'm sorry acid, but Chiellini could have gotten out a picture of Suarez's mother and p!ssed on it for all I care, that does not warrant Suarez taking a chunk out of Chiellini. Footballers taunt and try to get under each other's skin throughout the entire game. It's what they do. There is no excusing what Suarez did, no mater what provocational tactics Chiellini used. It's like saying Zidane is excused for head butting Materazzi because he said something foul to provoke him.

As for the game, yes, a game of football is decided on moments, that's why that particular incident was so pivotal in the game, first Italy have Marchisio wrongfully sent off, that swung the game in Uruguay's favour when before hand Italy were very much in control of it. Then in the final few minutes Suarez should have been sent off but he stays on, that swung the game even more in their favour as even with a man advantage they still hadn't created any chances bar that Suarez shot. The entire game was decided on moments by the referee, simple as that

Anyway, Fifa have opened a probe, so I guess that's his and Uruguay's World Cup finished as well

Naah, I remain by my initial comment. It was a mess. There was also a clear penalty for Uruguay not given in the first half.

Just now realized: Costa Rica will get Greece. A horror last 16 match.

Suarez has anger management issues, he's said so himself. In such heated moments sometimes one does not think of the consequences but acts on instinct. That's why as soon as he realized what he'd done, he tried to act as if Chiellini had elbowed him. He obviously has to be banned for the rest of the tournament for sure.

-

Lugano: "Chiellini's bite marks are old scars, no-one saw any biting"

Link

He really said that! What a tool. He should be banned along with Suarez.

Very underwhelming indeed.

Actually it would, and if you don't value your mother enough to defend any attack against her then...I'll stop before I say something I regret here.

if Holland don't progress on round of 16. you'll have one of Mexico, Costa Rica or Greece in the semis!

I was happy we went through until I realized I'll have to sit through one more of our matches.

Wow Greece surprise again congrats dst!


Not sure if the semi finals will include a team outside of south america, as things are progressing, it seems the south americans are a step ahead; dare I say the climate as an advantage?

Priceless.



The SOB was looking for an excuse to send an Italian off. it's plain to see the refs favor SA teams because almost every dubious decision has gone their way.

No it wouldn't. Do you go around biting people? Just asking because your defence of it imo is simply astonishing.

And I can assure you that I would defend my mother, but biting is the last thing that would ever cross my mind FFS! But I'm not on a football pitch, in the real world I'd give someone a KO for doing that, but during a game a professional player needs to control his temper simple as, because the weak minded are the ones who are pin pointed by the opposition as the weak links in the side who can be provoked into doing something stupid. Suarez is one of those. Just like Balo is.

Many players will tell you that the things said on the pitch to each other are down right despicable at times, but do you see players biting each other every day? No.

Lots of interesting comments :-)

FWIW ...

Did not see the game, but did see replays. I do not believe Marchisio deserved the RC (yellow, maybe, red no).

FIFA should come hard on Suarez. There is no excuse for what he has done, really, none whatsoever. If it was up to me, one year ban from all professional competitions, or at least 6 months ban from all international competitions. Let's see if FIFA has any guts. (If I feel bad for anyone, it is Liverpool, who stuck by this ingrate.)

I believe Prandelli did the right thing resigning, as did Abete. At the end of the day, it is not the referee's decisions that caused Italy's downfall. Rather, the team played badly in two games and won another by a thin margin, so we deserve to be out. I understand that the talent pool these days is not what it has been in the past, but Prando could have picked better players and then could have made better tactical decisions with the players he had. As for Abete, IMHO he has not done much of anything to help Serie A improve its competitiveness, so I am not too sorry to see him leave.

The question is who will be the replacement. Apparently, FIGC needs to decide quickly, as Italy starts qualifiers in September. Albertini is being mentioned as Abete's possible replacement, which is probably ok. As for Prando, names mentioned include Mancini, Allegri, Spalletti, Zaccheroni, and Guidolin (though Mancini and Spalletti may be too expensive). What do y'all think of Guidolin?

EDIT: apparently Ranieri was already contacted and declined (link).

Agreed. Many pro players talk trash during games, so they should be used to getting insulted. And if we condone biting, where do we draw the line? Is it ok for a player to gut his opponent if he feels insulted? Really ...

And if Suarez is indeed a psyco (as has been stated), then even more reason to ban him until he gets proper treatment. Having psychological issues is not an acceptable excuse, IMHO.

Go Nigeria :-)

(2-2)

EDIT: that did not last very long ...

You said 'take a chunk' - I assumed that meant rhetorically to attack. I certainly would do that. Bite, no.

As you said before, let's agree to disagree. We work better that way.

Messi has shone brightly here. Fair play to him I questioned him internationally but he's shoved that right back in my face at the moment.

On the other hand the Spice boy is more interested in his haircuts.

One point blank blast and one admittedly fine free kick. He's done nothing to persuade me he's better than Ronaldo or Neymar. He seems unable to produce anything deeper, doesn't create or penetrate.

Ronaldo just isn't fit at the moment.

PS one of the haircuts was ALLEGEDLY a homage to a young boy who underwent brain surgery - the Z on the hair mimicking the scar. It is a fact Ronaldo did pay for the child's surgery, but that was in March, so how true the tribute story is I'm unsure.

Spice boy?

His surgery is/was one of these days.

I thought he just got a #7 put into his hair if I'm being honest from looking at it. Could be wrong obviously.