This ref is embarassing.

Give him time and I'm sure he will get something right.

That reminded me of when El Salvador beat Hondouras in a WC, so they declared war on them.

Couple of training notes from today's gazzetta:

1. Pirlo has resumed training with the imposters that yesterday pretended to be the Italy national team.
2. The French team has resumed training but is refusing to take any direction from the coaching staff.

HT. Chile with dominance after red card. they'll probably score next half and win

what a mess. what happened to their coach and why are they refusing?

That would take volumes to explain, Ari. After the events of the last couple of days, coupled with the already clear dislike of Comenech, thye've just decided to ignore him, it would seem.

I saw the video of the bustup of the fitness coach with the players. The way I see it, Domenech doesn't seem to be the problem at all.

He's kinda like a non-entity here. They're just ignoring him, as if he doesn't exist.

will be interesting to see what unfolds between now n tomoro's game. south africa will fancy their chances and take advantage.

Sanchez !! oh it was offside

the ref is losing control.

Swiss defense broke the WC record by not conceeding a goal for over 500 minutes!

There do seem to be an awful lot of cards having been shown in this game.

I think the Swiss have now broken the record for minutes plated in WC Finals without conversing a goal.

1-0. good goal Chile

1-0, what fine goal

And they concede moments thereafter. Goal Chile.

Chile win 1-0...but I think the goal difference just might come back to bite them. Don't see them beating Spain, and if the Swiss can win by 2 goals against Honduras...well...

The swiss goal keeper was very good , he impressed me.
The game was pretty tight so their game agianst Honduras is probably going to be win or draw
And if Spain plays better then last time, the game is theirs to win.

If Spain don't win against Honduras they might as well retire from the competition.

wow, what a disgrace that would been ..

So who is that Swiss Keeper man?? He's been kicking *** so far. He actually is confident with the high balls (touch wood)...and is a pretty good shot stopper. Even marshalls his defence well.

EDIT: Diego Benaglio. Plays for...you guessed it...VFL 'We don't need the money' Wolfsburg.


EDIT2: Anyone have any updates on the cause for the French mutiny. I understand it started with a tiff with Gourcuff and the senior players. That ignited the whole mess. The cold blood with Domenech was there even in 2006 when Zidane was the defacto chief of the team. What's the prblem with Kuff kuff? I remember even here there was an argument with Zee and he left the pitch in tears. I assumed it was Zee being a bully.

Benaglio and Enyeaman has been impressive so far.

Where did you see the vid Jack?

And when did the Yoann Seedorf thing happen? I don't recall reading anything about it

As i understand it, the timeline is something like this (I'm working from memory so may have it a little out of sequence):

* Domenech has been unpopular since 2006, everyone knows Blanc will be coach after the tournament
* Evra is named captain, Gallas pitches a fit and refuses to talk to the media at all
* Rumors circulate that a group of senior players don't like playing with Gourcuff
* Game 1 and the draw happen
* Rumors again circulate with names being attached to the anti-Gourcuff camp (Anelka, Ribery etc) and they apparently don't like him because they think he's too selfish on the pitch
* Game 2 happens - it looks like Domenech caved ot the pressure because Gourcuff didn't play this game
* Anelka calls Domenech naughty names, it's reprinted and repeated everywhere, Anelka is sent home
* On the flight back to their training base, Gourcuff and Ribery get into an argument - Toulalan steps between them before punches are thrown
* The French team sign a petitioin of protest about Anelka being sent home and refuse to train
* While this is being explained, Evra gets into an argument with the fitness coach. Fitness coach throws his credentials away and quits link to youtube clip of the drama
* Team PR guy quits
* Team trains today but is apparently ignoring the coaching staff entirely and Mediaset at least thinks they're coaching themselves and will make the team selections for their next game.

EDITED to add link to youtube clip.

For han: Bust Up

It looks like it's the players vs. the whole of France. The general outlook is while Domenech is a prick,the team is in no way as bad as the position it finds itself in.

Yoann- Zee was also a training ground bust up. Yoann left in tears and had to be cajoled back to training.

Lol what a fiasco

Thanks

hmm, don't remember reading anything about it...

(Somewhere, a leprechaun is laughing.)

We mentioned it somewhere on the forum. Have to search for it.

Karma's a biatch, ain't it?

Also, apparently the French NT has been dropped by sponsors SFR, Carrefour, Crédit Agricole and GDF Suez link

What a goal Villa!

Goodness. That was well done.

That was a splendid goal.

LMAO, someone named Welcome just entered for Honduras.

This fish isn't sure he likes Espana's team. His person keeps....verynearlysquealing...at a couple of the players (though not Torres, she'd be disowned if she did that).

2-0 Villa

(Come on, tell us which players!)

-

What's with Pique and opponents' boots these days?

Glad I didn't transfer Villa off my squad!

Looks like Spain finally woke up.

(They play for that Catalan club, zeddie. there's a couple of 'em).

Me too. I was dead sure he'd score goals this game.

(Many of them play for that club! my guess would be Xavi and Pique )

Villa misses penalty!!

Meh, I'll forgive him. He did score twice. (And you wouldn't be too terribly far off, zeddie).

Fabregas looks so... Spanish!

Spain are now playing on a training ground. might as well be 7-0

If more than two teams finish group stages the same amount of points, what decides the winners and runner-ups? GD or head to head?

goal difference

Goal difference first, then (i think?) goals scored. Not sure if hth figures in.

I believe it is drawing lots after that..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZMFLqBKXNI&NR=1

Just accidentally stumbled upon this clip (good memories, as it was the first World Cup I remember watching)

I think the French players should have watched a clip of that night before starting to behave like a bunch of spoiled children. where is that France?

The last group is looking very likely to end in a three-way tie... If Spain beats Chile, and the Swiss beat Hounduras, they all have 6 points.

So yeah, goal difference might just bite us in the ***. Then again, I'm hoping Honduras gets a tie off the Swiss! (and we beat Spain of course.)

France update: Domenech apparently said in his press conference that some of the players didn't want to play the South Africa game. (according to mediaset)

Oh dear.