World Cup 2010 General Discussion

Hey you are leaving out Keisuke Honda & Yasuhito Endo. I remember those two making some awesome free kicks vs. the Danes in the group stages. It seems they took off some velocity when striking the ball. It worked for those two. The MLS uses the same ball. It seems to wobble a bit if hit right, causing issues for keepers.

NMP makes some excellent points.

Given that this is a purely commercial decision for adidas and FIFA, it is very important for them to realize that they have now clearly gone overboard in trying to produce a lighter, quicker ball that is more susceptible to swerve. Football is not a video game shootout; it's a much more complex and subtler game than that.

Although it is true that some players were able to adjust to the ball and that strikers generally got better as the tournament went on, what struck me was just how difficult it was to properly "weight" longish passes and crosses for just about anyone, and from the first game through the final. The number of cross field balls and through balls over the top that missed their target by 10 metres or more had to be in the hundreds.

If adidas wants to sell more "Cariocas" (or whatever the 2014 ball will be called), they should take this criticism to heart and produce a more "playable" ball that allows the world's best players to demonstate their skills. And they can start with the Champions League balls going forward.

Well stated. I think with 2014 taking place in a nation known for perfecting the art of the free kick, adidias will take much care in producing a new ball which does not react like a beach ball!

I do not know about the Japanese players, although Endo scored on a shot right out of a Zico training manual, but Forlan to my recollection has not ever been a major threat on free kicks with either Uruguay or Atletico Madrid but as NMP points out he mastered how to properly hit this jabulani ball and made himself into the World Cup's top free kick taker. Some more reknowned free kick specialists never got the hang on how to properly strike this new ball.

Well stated. I think with 2014 taking place in a nation known for perfecting the art of the free kick, adidias will take much care in producing a new ball which does not react like a beach ball!

I do not know about the Japanese players, although Endo scored on a shot right out of a Zico training manual, but Forlan to my recollection has not ever been a major threat on free kicks with either Uruguay or Atletico Madrid but as NMP points out he mastered how to properly hit this jabulani ball and made himself into the World Cup's top free kick taker. Some more reknowned free kick specialists never got the hang on how to properly strike this new ball.

A very thought provoking post NMP, as are the replies to it. I never really thought about this during the World Cup, but it did take a certain way to hit this jabulani ball to make it move properly. And Forlan, and a few others were some of the few to master it. But Alexao makes a good point, with a non jabulani ball, Forlan is an OK, but far from being a good free kick master. In fact, and maybe Manzanares can correct me here if I am wrong, but it is Antonio Lopez who is Atletico Madrid's chief free kick taker, not Forlan. Watching the World Cup and how well he took them, many would surely expect that to be Diego Forlan.

You guys remember Nelinho, the right back from Brasil in 1978 who was a master at shooting with the outside of his foot? No way he would have done well with this jabulani.

My view about the ball and pitch combination (echoed by Maradonna - no doubt after reading my posts ) still begs the question what about those leagues like MLS where it is apparently being used. (I don't watch MLS)

I did hear that the African Cup of Nations was plagued by dreary 0-0s with most players overhitting the ball - this was then blamed on the popularity of muscular African 'midfield' types - all strength, speed but no subtlety... now I wonder.

The Bundeslige did settle down apparently and there were lot's of great games towards the end of the half season with the Jublianni ball. Again though - I don't watch that league.

I've just put forward a hypothesis, it could be that there are several other factors, I tend to think though that the ball used in major tournaments should be one that is at least two years old, and that pitches should be all grass and earth.

The money men would never allow that though.

That is the key issue here, the ball used in a World Cup should be one which all the players are very used to. I am curious if anybody knows whether other special events like the Champions League or European Nations Cup also introduce new balls because I do not recall hearing complaints pre tournament from players about the balls used in those competitions.

Just a curiosity: I think you can travel overland between all of, on one hand, the South American winners and runners-up, as well as all the European ones as well (if we allow England to include Gibraltar!), apart from one country, which is Sweden. Odd how the most successful teams have been so concentrated, geographically-speaking!

You mean they are all contigious (touching one another) if Gibralter stands in for England? With only 1958 runners up Sweden not bordering another European finalist or semifinalist? i never thought of it but that is true, and with the Chunnel you don't need to include Gibralter, as there is a direct road/rail link between England and France.

And you are right in South America, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina all border one another.

I guess it will take Russia, Turkey or Colombia winning the World Cup or finishing 2nd to break this up!

Well, even if you include the third placed countries only the USA (1930, although there was no official 3rd/4th play-off) and Turkey (2002) spoil the contiguous rule (other 3rd placed countries have included Croatia, Portugal and Austria).

That is the key issue here, the ball used in a World Cup should be one which all the players are very used to. I am curious if anybody knows whether other special events like the Champions League or European Nations Cup also introduce new balls because I do not recall hearing complaints pre tournament from players about the balls used in those competitions.

The video for Europass, the official ball for Euro 2008:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1400859/offi...didas_europass/

I do not recall reading any complaints about that ball. Maybe adiidas should have just used the same ball, just place a new cover on it for South Africa 2010?

Brazil borders Colombia but you might want to take a canoe instead of going on foot.



Sorry, the map came out much bigger here than on the page I linked it from!

The World Cup is really over, Paul is dead!

Though presumably a close reading of Octopus's Garden would've provided all the clues one needed.

Truly one of my favorite sidebar stories of 2010. RIP, Paul.

RIP, Paul. Spain could not have done it without you!

It had to have been one of Paul's tentacles which reached out and denied Robben on one of his two breakaways in the final!

When the octopus abandoned Germany and predicted Spain to win the final, I saw a funny cartoon in Private Eye that showed Hitler and his generals gathered around the octopus tank as one of them said "I'm sorry, mein fuhrer, the octopus says we lose Stalingrad!"

I wonder if the octopus foresaw his own death?

He may not have but somebody here did as I recall them writing this summer that octopi only live 2 years so the World Cup would likely have been the end of his predictions!