NZ drew 1-1 with Slovakia which is OK
NZ are my team in the office sweepstake.

That's more than ok for NZ!

Very good result for a nation that doesn't have a professional league. All credit to NZ, they kept on plugging away and worked very hard to overcome their earlier misfortune (the Slovakia goal was offside).

Another crap game.

What is with this world cup, almost every game has been slow, dull, and boring.

Apart from when Germany destroyed Australia.

Tonights game (Brazil) has the potential to be entertaining. I do wonder if the boring games are down to teams being cagey and not wanting to lose the first game?

It's usually the case is it not for the first round of matches?

Maybe, but Euro '08 was cracking in terms of football and it was played in heat. I don't why this WC is so boring...

I've found some games boring but I've probably found as many games interesting. As far as I'm aware it's a competition and therefore people care about, you know, winning a bit.

Portugal vs Ivory Coast is probably going to be a good game for those who think football should be a combination between ballet and synchronised diving.

Jon

Port - IVC was boring as well, at least the second half was. I haven't seen the first one.

I am so glad I have Sky+. When a game starts, I pause it, leave it for 30-40 minutes and then start watching. I fast forward boring bits, like when centrebacks pass the ball between themselves for 5 minutes, adverts in the middle, half time studio analysis, substitutions, time wasting by players etc. I can shave 5-15 minutes from one half of play depending on the quality of the game.

It may also be a reflection on the fact that International sides are alot closer in ability than they used to be. I'm not saying they're equal mind...

Whatever happend to the beautiful game...

Wrong: players legs getting broken happens. De jong is fairly accurate with his sliding tackles and rarely gets a red card. The problem is if players are going to make sliding tackles they are going to cause injuries. Reckles tackles are what you get red cards for. Even the aaron ramsey tackle of last year didn't deserve a red card, because it's not actually the injury that matters it's whether the takle was reckless .Whereas the aaron ramsey was more mistimed than reckless.
On the majority of players that tackle wouldn't have resulted in the same injury.

De jong will have done hundreds of tackles in his career and unfortunately a few are mistimed

Definately not talking [LIFTED], david james at his age is losing speed and reflexes, therefore not as good a shot stopper. james' aereal ability as an english keeper is second to none. And it is a bit insulting to say I'm talking Bollocks AGAIN when most is just a matter of opinion.
And I'm not talking about massive in your face differences between Hart and James but I think Hart is a better keeper and ha a lot of potential.
James has had his day

I think the stats I put up say it all really.