Match 28: Italy - New Zealand :: Pre-match Discussion

Well, strange to us but funny to you guys

 

And hopefully that faith is justified.

 

Look here now, either they do the cool war dance anyway, or I call my team and instruct them to dive even MORE.

 

Hahaha deal

 

I have no answer to that :/

 

I know I'm late here when it comes to predictions, but I think this is going to end 0-0, with New Zealand throwing out some ridiculous formation and play to get the ball deep downfield and play defense. I think the only strategy at this point that makes sense for the all whites is to play for the 0-0 draw in this one and then go for an unlikely but very possible upset win over Paraguay. If they lay their cards absolutely perfect and mistake free they should be able to pull it off.

 

Lets see some statistics because this is a great fallacy. If you make a claim, the least you can do is back it up with facts.

 

It's just something that's parroted often enough, so now it's generally believed, no matter if it's actually true or not.

We do dive, and I'm not defending it, but I've watched enough games to know we don't do it more often than anyone else, especially Portugal.

 

Show me a dive by the Italian team that involves ZERO contact, which is what a dive is by definition.

 

Quagliarella with Gilardino look to be a good partnership

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlmM3EY-ujE&feature=related"]YouTube- Italia 4-3 New Zealand {10.06.2009}[/ame]

I would play this up front:

Quagliarella Gilardino Pepe

 

Not necessarily - they could still dive after being in contact with the other team even though it's clear that they went for the ball first. The referee will obviously not give a penalty to the Italians for that.

 

Although Italy is playing ridiculously bad at the moment, only something short of an earthquake will prevent them from beating New Zealand.

 

Everybody dives, even the English.

This is just a red herring thrown around every now and then against southern european teams.

 

Let's hope that will be the case for you guys

 

What do you mean?

 

That you guys will win

 

I'm not Italian.

 

Well like Ive said I reckon Italia will take it but we need to at least hold our heads up high (no pun) and play well in the eyes of the world.

 

You don't have to be one if you're supporting them

 

It's not that I'm supporting them, it's that I find it very difficult for them not to win against New Zealand.

 

NZ shouldn't be taken lightly. This WC's underdogs [Chile, NZ, NK, and of course, Swiss!] are actually performing more impressive than I expected. Still, from what I see, Italy > Kiwis with at least 2 goals difference.

 

Well that depends how many people applaud their performance and how well the stage has been made ready. Throwing flowers on stage isnt recommended but it does give the guys a more energetic rush.

 

Uruguay was not an underdog. Not a favorite but they're ranked 16th in the world. In fact, only the French were ranked above them in their group. I wouldn't be suprised if they were picked to even win their group the way France has been playing the last year or so.

Also, Chile is not an underdog either, at least not in the match they've played thus far. They're ranked 18th and have beaten Honduras, a clearly weaker team.

 

Anything can happen in Football, especially at WC time.

 

That's not what he means; he's just pointing out that Uruguay and Chile aren't considered underdog teams.