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FOOTBALL XLIV - Mansours, Khelaifis, and Rybolovlevs,... oh my!


Horus Ex Machina

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Just watched a 1-1 draw between Australia and Columbia in the Under-20 World Cup and was thoroughly surprised. I expected less from both teams and both supplied great performances. It was more enjoyable to watch than regular mens football. And as an Australian I was pleased with the result.

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found the 13 million euro transfer price pretty hefty

eh I think he might have been the best keeper in the league last season. much better than reina atm who was pretty bad for the first half of the league. good signing.

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He's a prick, is what he is.

That said, having decided to give Italy a bit of dirty tactics, Brazil are getting absolutely schooled in the art, several of them are hobbling already but the freekicks all going the other way.

Brazil playing the slightly better football but I can see this going Italy's way.

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This game exemplifies why football is often a boring sport to watch to be honest.

How many times have you sat down for an anticipated game and found yourself thoroughly irritated by the lacklustre display from defensive "don't give a damn" stalemate teams. I don't care what the reasons are anymore, there is always a reason. Football games nowadays disappoint way, way too often.

I liked the BBC commentators remark that the only thing these two teams have in common with the classic Brazil and Italy sides are their kit. Hyperbole sure, but they are showing us absolutely nothing. Again.

Look at Italy. I don't watch them often ( thank God) and I know they're getting results in qualifying, but I don't recall them being this defensive at EURO 2012. Balotelli all alone up there now is it Prandelli? Weak shit man. If he's got no one at all to help, no one to deflect some attention, he's never going to make it against both Luiz and Silva, who can even take turns guarding him. The feeling I have is that with one striker added, Italy would actually be a threat and the dominant side in this game. Brazil play Neymar, Fred and Hulk and Italy responds with Balotelli alone. Where are all the Italian strikers anyway, at home? The rest of the Italian players look so anonymous.

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Italy have to play this defensive because both Pirlo and De Rossi are missing, they don't normally. They don't normally play two up front but the players behind the striker aren't as withdrawn as they've had to be today. Also El Shaarawi's carrying an injury and hasn't played at all, which won't have helped their attacking intent.

Good equaliser. And that's exactly what they were doing in the previous games, having those players run beyond Balotelli.

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Poor Ian Darke. There's nothing he can do about it, but few things in football sound as silly as, "through-ball to Fred... and goal, Fred!"

ETA: Well, that was mildly confusing. And is still mildly confusing.

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I never heard the whistle blow, but everyone on the pitch clearly did. Bit bizarre.

ETA: I do wish that sort of an advantage were allowed somehow, though - like the delayed penalty in ice hockey.

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Neither team looked particularly convincing in terms of having half a chance against Spain, but a very entertaining second half.

Brazil starting to look something of a cohesive unit going forward, but they badly need to curb their tempers.

Italy were missing Pirlo, de Rossi, and a couple of other players, though. That said, the way they got disemboweled in the Euros doesn't really bode well for them vs. Spain.

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