Spain France was one of the most brutally boring, uneventful games I have ever seen. That was completely unwatchable.

 

Germany/Portugal final please

Spain France was one of the most brutally boring, uneventful games I have ever seen. That was completely unwatchable.

 

 

 

I find Spain very boring to watch when playing good teams, especially when they have the lead. They are masters at draining the clock and keeping possession.

 

 

At one point yesterday I was counting their passes and they made around 15 consecutive passes and didnt go more than 6 yards down field. Everything was to the side or backwards.

Buffon is the King of the PKs!

 

Bye bye England! More PK heartache.

 

 

 

Man, Germany just got a bye into the finals.

No score through 56' in the battle to be the Iberian representative in the Final.

Not a great game, but PKs always bring drama. I don't know what the Nani/Bruno Alves mix up was about, but I thought Alves was going to miss once he got iced by his own teammate. You gotta let him just go once he's made that much of that walk.

Is there any talk to rid soccer of penalty shootouts? Deciding major championships on penalty kicks is just absolutely ridiculous. And it also encourages team to not attack at all, because their odds may be better in the shootout, which makes for awful soccer.

Is there any talk to rid soccer of penalty shootouts? Deciding major championships on penalty kicks is just absolutely ridiculous. And it also encourages team to not attack at all, because their odds may be better in the shootout, which makes for awful soccer.

 

I'd be in favor of adding a second extra time which was golden goal, but there comes a point when you finally just have to go to penalties

Is there any talk to rid soccer of penalty shootouts? Deciding major championships on penalty kicks is just absolutely ridiculous. And it also encourages team to not attack at all, because their odds may be better in the shootout, which makes for awful soccer.

 

In rounds before the finals, you seriously handicap the winning team if you force them to play on and on until somebody wins.

 

In the finals, I'm all in favor of playing on and on until somebody wins.

 

I'd be in favor of adding a second extra time which was golden goal, but there comes a point when you finally just have to go to penalties

 

How about you add another 15-20 minute break after extra time? Or allow for an extra few substitutions during OT? The option of penalties leads to many teams playing way too conservative. If that option wasn't there, I think teams would be more likely to attack and break the tie.

How about you add another 15-20 minute break after extra time? Or allow for an extra few substitutions during OT? The option of penalties leads to many teams playing way too conservative. If that option wasn't there, I think teams would be more likely to attack and break the tie.

It's not a perfect system, but it's really hard to find a better solution. Players really can't play much more than 120 minutes. They don't train and prepare for it. If you have a player that has a lot of energy left after 90 minutes he's not really pushing enough then is he? For comparison, could you imagine a football game lasting 6 quarters? The 30 extra minutes is 1/3 of a full game, any more than that is adding a ton.

Let's do it Mario Gomez, lock up my Golden Boot bet victory.

It's not a perfect system, but it's really hard to find a better solution. Players really can't play much more than 120 minutes. They don't train and prepare for it. If you have a player that has a lot of energy left after 90 minutes he's not really pushing enough then is he? For comparison, could you imagine a football game lasting 6 quarters? The 30 extra minutes is 1/3 of a full game, any more than that is adding a ton.

 

Hockey players do it in the playoffs...

f***in Mario Balotelli...

 

It would only be fitting if he got a hat trick and another yellow on the celebration

Edited June 28, 201213 yr by WHarris1

f***in Mario Balotelli...

 

It would only be fitting if he got a hat trick and another yellow on the celebration

 

Which would suspend him for the final

Which would suspend him for the final

Exactly, couldn't think of a more fitting Balotelli move.

 

First half couldn't have gone any worse for my 6/1 bet on Gomez for Golden Boot which was looking extremely promising.

Hockey players do it in the playoffs...

 

Hockey players can rest. The problem in soccer is once you are out you cant come back. So with limited subs, some of those guys are playing 120 minutes, with no time on the bench except for between halfs, ot.

Hockey players can rest. The problem in soccer is once you are out you cant come back. So with limited subs, some of those guys are playing 120 minutes, with no time on the bench except for between halfs, ot.

Right, that's the main thing. It's just a different animal. Penalties aren't always fair, but they're always entertaining. It's the most tense moments and condensed drama in sport. I can understand people complaining about them, but as a fan they're great fun to watch.

Hockey players can rest. The problem in soccer is once you are out you cant come back. So with limited subs, some of those guys are playing 120 minutes, with no time on the bench except for between halfs, ot.

 

That's why they should make a longer break before the OT period to get some rest. or add an extra substitution or two as the game goes on.

Right, that's the main thing. It's just a different animal. Penalties aren't always fair, but they're always entertaining. It's the most tense moments and condensed drama in sport. I can understand people complaining about them, but as a fan they're great fun to watch.

 

A HR derby would be fun & entertaining too, but there's a reason why they don't decide the World Series via one.

Arguing about what FIFA does is pretty futile.

 

I agree there are better ways, but FIFA really doesnt seem to care what us Americans think.

That's why they should make a longer break before the OT period to get some rest. or add an extra substitution or two as the game goes on.

Ultimately, what Badger said about arguing with FIFA is true. However, there's a reason why OTs often lack excitement. It's because the players are tired. These players run miles during a match and to ask them to keep going would destroy the quality of play.

 

Hockey players sub in and out with line changes and the rink is so much smaller so that it doesn't take a big burst to be near the goal and maybe have a chance to shoot. It takes a lot of work to get a soccer ball near goal and then put it on goal, especially when you're tired.

 

I, for one, love penalties. It's not the preferred way to end a match if you're rooting for one of the teams, but as a neutral there's nothing better.

Arguing about what FIFA does is pretty futile.

 

I agree there are better ways, but FIFA really doesnt seem to care what us Americans think.

 

That's because we don't offer them enough money. Qatar knows how to do it.

ESPN having some troubles

Spain wins, Italy played down a man for a good portion of the 2nd half.

The match was over once Spain scored the 2nd goal. That team is a machine.