Posted on 07/07/2006 8:05:16 PM PDT by soccer_maniac
The World Cup Final will be held Sunday in Berlin at 2 p.m. ET (ABC).
Germany will face Portugal to play for third place on Saturday in Stuttgart at 3 p.m. ET (ESPN).
(Excerpt) Read more at fifaworldcup.yahoo.com ...
We've been having a great time watching some great games. Thanks for the "pings."
There's a joke in here about Buffon's needle problem (probability that a needle randomly dropped on a surface scored with lines will intersect a line) somewhere, but I can't think of what it is.
Well, yeah...halfway joking...one must at least choose one team to pull for.
Zee French...bah. I like spaghetti more than French food.
So it's Italy for me!
I agree. Unfortunately, I don't see any way that Lippi is going to play 2 forwards AND Totti. Especially not in the final against a team with a good attack like the French.
Say what you will about Luca Toni, but his brother Riga makes an incredible pasta.
/time for supper
Morning! Thanx for the ping.
I am sure they are devastated.
The French will win and it will be doubly satisfying that a no hoper like you was proved wrong yet again.
You have no understanding of football. I think I have told you this before but it probably didn't sink in. Italy are a poor team, full of cheats and divers.
They have played moderately well in their last two games but were dismal in the ones before that. France, by contrast, are the best team in the tournament. They beat an admittedly bad Brazil team very comfortably and were excellent against Spain.
The referee will be the deciding factor since the Italians are prone to diving and whining so much ... if the ref is a namby-pamby euro-twit, prone to PC fairness, the Italian fakery will gain them the necessary advantage. Watch the little fool in the yellow shirt for early clues to success or failure of the Italian weenie-whiny boys ...
Pablito had a better smell for the goal.
Plus when Italy wins, then the US got a draw against the champs while we were 2 men down.
"I'd replace Toni with two forwards, such as Gilardino and Iaquinta with Totti right behind them feeding them the balls."
I agree. Unfortunately, I don't see any way that Lippi is going to play 2 forwards AND Totti. Especially not in the final against a team with a good attack like the French.
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And I agree with you about Lippi. He will opt for one lonely forward with Totti right behind him. It was my desire, though, to see two forwards as the defense is pretty solid. But the problem is, imo, we do not have a Schillaci or a Baggio to wreck chaos and destabilize the defense.
So, in the end, Lippi will go with just one forward so as not to weaken centerfield.
Whoever controls centerfield, controls the match.
Italy is a powerhouse - they have yet to unleash the potential for attack because they always perform to sufficiency to win.
Historically, Italy always plays to the level of their competition, good or bad.
Italy has played fiercely and fairly.
You obviously are jealous of the most handsome of races with the largest sex organs.
The French dives cost Portugal the match, although Portugal displayed ridiculous fakery as well.
Oh be merciful to jj. His team is out (England) and he's convinced that despite their horrible play they were going to win the Cup. So he's left with one rooting interest which happens to be an early financial wager on France.
He's not going to convince me of the French winning, but then again, he's in for a long night. He's right smack in Little Italy in New York.
Good luck jj, you are in for a long, bitter night.
In regards to England, I never seen fans who invest so much emotions year after after year in a team that simply has a mediocre record in world cup. When you hear the English fans speaking with such zeal and emotions about the prospect of their team you think that England has won five world cup and have been in the finals 7 times and they have such a huge chance of winning a six world cup! Each time they delude themselves that they are going to win and end up with great disappointment.
I'm with you on this. France is the class act in this final. Win or lose, the Italian side will never match France on class and sportsmanship.
One more thing to add. If France wins tomorrow, then among the nations that won the world cup, England will be the only one who won it just ONCE! Another great record for England to be proud of :)
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