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

Christ almighty.

I've just deleted about a page and a half of trolling from this thread and infracted a couple of posters. Anyone who wants to play on the 'Italians are divers' stereotype before a ball has even been kicked can go and do it in World Rivalries or face a ban from the World Cup forums. The rules are plainly stickied at the top of the forum, and pleading ignorance won't wash (new or old posters alike).

To the Italians/neutrals - thanks for not rising to the bait and flaming back, but please report trolls. It's easier if we just have to remove a couple of posts rather than have to wade through several pages and remove a couple of dozen.

 

Now, on the match. Italy should win this one at a canter. The Kiwis showed a lot of moxy against the Slovaks, and played a well-organised game, but their defence was repeatedly found out by the speedy opposing forwards. They were also helped out by the Slovaks playing a very complacent game after going 1-0 up, not pressing for a second and leaving themselves open to the inevitable equaliser.

Italy is not a quick team, and this alone probably means the Kiwis have the best chance against them amongst all the seeds at the tournament. If they can score an early goal, this game may be very interesting. But the Azzuri are a much better team than Slovakia, so I expect to see a multi-goal win here nonetheless.

I'll be pulling for the Kiwis though. Aside from Chile, they've approached the tournament with perhaps the most positive attitude of all the teams - they play optimistically, always looking to score.

 

Don't worry, they aim to do the WAKA dance. . . .

 

Italians are targeted because they are terrible actors and it is obvious that they are diving whereas the others are more convincing and get away with it. It's not about quantity, it is about quality of the dive acting. So anyway, if it wasn't for you guys, then Australians don't have a convincing point about being robbed and being a possible finalist, because you guys won the last tournament.

 

Actually it was Ryan Nelsen, the All Whites captain that said that.

 

Actually you are right about Uruguay but Chile, although it is their best side for an very long time, has not won a game in the World Cup Finals since 1962. So yes they are an underdog still.

 

I guess that what we love about you Italians.

 

Steady on. Trolling cuts both ways.