MetaChat - Azzurri v Socceroos

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26 June 2006

Azzurri v Socceroos The battle of the nicknames!

post by: I Love Tacos at: 10:04 | 29 comments

I like to see the Italians lose. The kind of negative soccer they play stifles skill and robs fans of the chance to watch the best players in the world do the most breathtaking things. It's a little less pronounced on the national team as it is in Seria A, but still. Who wants to see Totti play in a defensive shell to protect a two-goal lead for seventy minutes? I'd rether see unskilled verve than perfectly executed drudgery.

And since the Ozzies are the way underdog and I've been a fan of Kewell and Viduka since their days with Leeds, I'll be rooting for the 'Roos.

posted by Hugh Janus 26 June | 10:18

Non-soccer fans like to dismiss the game as little more than turf-diving and play-acting... and I think they do that as a result of seeing the Italians play. I watched the game against the US and wasn't impressed by the prima-donna performance by most of the Azzurri. When a guy turns around and gestures to the ref even before he's hit the ground, it's pretty clear he's playing to an audience.

posted by clevershark 26 June | 10:21

The funny thing is, and I agree with you for the most part, that those guys are running so fast that slight touches (particularly around the ankles/feet) often are enough to knock them over, and so players have traditionally made meals of that fact. It's tactical, in a game with no time outs, guys'll roll around until the trainers come out with water bottles for everyone out there and so the teams get a breather and rehydrate.

But I agree, it sucks. The least impressive thing about the US-Italia game, though, was the US.

posted by Hugh Janus 26 June | 10:47

It's been a great game so far. Half time now and who knows? If Italy get a goal, they'll sit on it. But Australia have always risen when they've been behind.

The ref's been great, the Azzurri have eschewed the rolling on the ground tactics.

We're in danger of seeing some serious football here.

C'Mon Aussie!

(And [va? Italian for "go" anyway] Azzurri!).

posted by GeckoDundee 26 June | 10:52

it's pretty clear he's playing to an audience.

yeah, but if the Americans had managed to shoot on target more than once in three games, they'd still be in Germany (they had to wait for Zaccardo's laughable own goal, they just couldn't shoot on target). whining about the refs and diving doesn't excuse the fact that, unlike the 2002, the USA this year had a terrible, terrible team, all tackles and near-zero skill

having said that, Italia looks pretty bad this year, they had an awesome team in 2002, and they could have won there, but now it's just so-so, especially after Totti's February injury. they'll never win the cup anyway

anything can happen, really, I wouldn't be surprised by an Italian defeat against the otherwise uninspiring Australians

posted by matteo 26 June | 10:53

about the refs:

At this rate, the World Cup final - one of the great events in any sport - will be played between two reserve teams. That can't be right.

posted by matteo 26 June | 10:57

I like this comment in the Guardian blog thread:

no-one likes Christiano Ronaldo, Robben or Rivaldo-style diving and theatrics but it would be a sourpuss indeed (hello, Guardian football writers), who failed to acknowledge that last night's game was wonderful, dramatic entertainment. An article about the number of referees in the tournament who who are, hilariously, cracking under the stress of handling big games would surely have been a more appropriate response

posted by matteo 26 June | 10:59

Ciao Materazzi!

posted by Jimbob 26 June | 11:07

Ay caramba!

posted by Hugh Janus 26 June | 11:23

*yeah, but if the Americans had managed to shoot on target more than once in three games...*

Well that's a given. I didn't mean to blame the US debacle on gullible refs :-)

posted by clevershark 26 June | 11:29

HOLY FUCKING SHIT, ITALIAN DIVING TEAM WINS!

FUCK ITALY!

posted by I Love Tacos 26 June | 11:50

Fuck me.

posted by Jimbob 26 June | 11:51

No, actually I agree with ILT. Fuck Italy.

posted by Jimbob 26 June | 11:52

Cheats

posted by GeckoDundee 26 June | 11:52

We was robbed!

posted by Jimbob 26 June | 11:53

I'd say I can't believe that dive... but it's Italy, so yes. yes I can.

posted by I Love Tacos 26 June | 11:55

I didn't hear you complaining about Materazzi's very strict red card, children. why?

posted by matteo 26 June | 11:57

Because he was playing for Italy, duh! Get with the program, matteo.

posted by Jimbob 26 June | 11:59

Damn, matteo. You win and you call the losing supporters children? I knew I had some reason to root against Italy.

posted by Hugh Janus 26 June | 12:03

no, I call the whiners children, it's different.

if you only like a strict ref when it suits your team, and then whine about it, you're a child.

and keep rooting against Italy, we all saw how well it worked today
;)

posted by matteo 26 June | 12:06

You won, and you are lording it over the losers, and calling the ones who are upset over a 93rd minute penalty call, "children." Congratulations.

Calling adults "children," for any reason, is a particularly nasty thing to do.

posted by Hugh Janus 26 June | 12:11

not when they behave like children, it's not, it's reporting.

it all boils down to double standards -- if you like the strict ref when he red cards Materazzi, don't whine when he awards a penalty for a clumsy tackle against your team

posted by matteo 26 June | 12:23

and as I said in the other thread, in the next 12 hours we'll see lots of pics online of this game.

I bet that the photos will show the Aussie tackling Grosso's leg. any takers?

posted by matteo 26 June | 12:26

No, it all boils down to class -- if your team wins, don't talk shit to the losers. Unless you don't mind being obnoxious.

posted by Hugh Janus 26 June | 12:27

this is a foul.

over and out.

posted by matteo 26 June | 12:48

close up here

posted by matteo 26 June | 12:52

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by matteo 26 June | 12:54

The thing about posting photos is...you can't see the 1-2 second delay between Neill hitting the ground and Grosso falling over him. Unlike Materazzi, who chased down a player making a run for goal.

posted by Jimbob 26 June | 18:43

I said "cheats" and I stand by it. Italy had to cheat to win. In a way that makes me feel good. Yes the red card did seem a bit strict, but then the rules of the game say that a professional foul deserves a red card. Unfortunately, the ref didn't give Grosso a red for his equally gross professional foul.

But as I said, in a way that makes me feel good. If Italy can only beat us by cheating, then I think we'll be in a few more World Cups. I also doubt they'll get away with that shit once they're through to the last stages. Shame Baggio wasn't playing though.

posted by GeckoDundee 26 June | 21:35

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