The Asian Cup

[sempuki]

My team isn't very entertaining - 10 goals in 18 games, but some of the players at the better teams - Gamba, Urawa (scum) etc. are very savvy and not gentlemanly at all. The stereotype of it being gentlemanly is exactly what it is - a stereotype.

Really? Because the 4-5 matches that I watched when I was in Japan, there was hardly a physical challenge.

 

By the way, Viduka aint injured. Graham Arnold commenting on Viduka being subbed off.

"Mark is a big man and it was very hot out there," said Socceroos coach Graham Arnold in an attempt to explain Viduka's ineffectiveness."

"He was just a bit fatigued."

 

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Viduka-said-nasty-stuff-says-Nakazawa/2007/07/22/1185042933307.html

 

Having watched roughly 30 matches home and away in each of the past 4 seasons I beg to differ. It's not as physical as the Premiership but it certainly can get nasty at times. According to this morning's paper my afore-mentioned rubbish team are rumoured to be signing John Aloisi, the Aussie forward who scored against Japan last night.

[oldtype]

I cant get the game over here, its only on pay tv . I'm not liking Grella being sent off he's a key player for us.

 

Let's snap Takahara and Nakamura up. Might as well Aloisi too!

 

Nakamura I'd sign, i havent seen Takahara, and Aloisi is no where near good enough for us.

My only memory of Takahara is watching him miss an open goal against Croatia in the world cup.

 

Takahara is prolly better than all the Korean strikers tbh.

Cho Jae Jin is the best/only target-man in Asia tbh,(bar Australia) but in terms of a 'striker' perhaps. But I doubt you've seen many korean strikers.

 

That's biased judgement because you are a Korean, and i am not a Japanese.

So if I say all chinese players are crap, then it's not biased because I'm not Chinese? You haven't even seen Cho Jae Jin play, and while it is true that there are many strikers who are more lethal than Cho Jae Jin, it is also true that most Asian strikers are shadow strikers, not target men.

I'm just appalled how if I judge a striker from my own country, then it's biased, yet you can judge and write off a whole nation without even watching their players and not be considered bias.

 

Yes you are right, all chinese players are crap.

  What about lethal Man U striker Dong Fangzhou?

 

To be fair, it doesn't take a lot to be better than all the Korean strikers.

 

Striking quality in this country is at a shameful all time low.

Cho Jae-Jin is one of those Inzahgi-style poachers who doesn't influence the game at all until he scores. Problem being he couldn't finish to save his life either.

Totally incorrect. Cho Jae Jin is NOT a poacher, have you even watched him play? He's a target-man, he's Korea's version of  Viduka for Australia. He totally influences Korea's play, winning headers, holding the ball up, and Korea's formation would break down without him. The Korean media slates him but why do you think he has almost a guaranteed start in the Korean line-up? It's because he's the only target man the team has. He's the only player in the Korean squad who can mark the defence and win headers.

Calling Cho Jae Jin a poacher is seriously far-fetched. He doesn't score many goals and often flops many of his shots because he is under too much pressure by himself (you honestly think a target-man who plays for a crap team can score?). It's one of the reasons why Shearer had so much trouble finding the back of the net in his last two seasons, he changed his game into a target-man, but we weren't controlling play, and he no-longer had the ablility to be a 'complete' striker and score out of nothing.

In the 06 world cup, cho was horrible against Togo, but he put in two stunning performances against France and Switzerland, notably against Switzerland he was the only Korean player who I thought could hold his head in pride. He won almost every header against the physically bigger Swiss defence. The problem was that, when he won the headers, there was never anyone playing off him to collect the headers that he won. He is a class target man in a crap team, that's why he looks bad. A target man can't impress in a crap team like a shadow striker or a winger can.

 

EDIT: And NO Exilim, you were being full of s*** so I decided to join in . 

 

Any attempt to use him as a link-up style target man role has failed miserably. He was utterly exposed at the World Cup in my opinion. Got completely handled by the likes of Thuram, Gallas, Senderos, and the nameless Togolese dudes. He rarely got to send up flick-ons, and when they did, they usually flew aimlessly into opposing defenders. (To be fair, I think it was a flick-on from him that lead to the Park goal against France though)

 

At the end of the day, he can't jump, he's not THAT tall, and his upper body strength is good but pales in comparison to that of European center halfs. He will never be an effective target man outside of the J-League. (In which he wouldn't be playing if he knew what was good for his career)

 

 

 

[sempuki]

A Brazilian named "Hulk" - yes you read that correctly wants to change his nationality to Japanese. He's 20 and a really exciting talent - he'd be Asia's next big thing - kind of (as he isn't Japanese).

[wellsy]

Iran brought on a specialised keeper in the 119th minute for the penalty shootout which is about to get underway. Thought that was interesting.

 

Then he moved about 20m off his line before the penalty was taken and it was allowed.

 

Korea 1-0

Iran 1-1

Korea 2-1, GK went early again.

Irans 2nd penalty is saved, still 2-1 korea.

Korea's 3rd penalty is saved with his leg, Korea 2-1

Iran 2-2

Korea 3-2

Iran's 4th penalty is saved, attempted a drive down the middle and it was saved by his legs and now limps away from goal. Korea 3-2

Korea 4-2 and through to the Semi's.

 

Korea now play Iraq in the semi.

[eaststar]

YES! Korea is thru! Nice penalty by Kim Jung Woo. We should sign Kim Chi Woo and Oh Beum Suk. Really impressed with the two wing backs.

 

Gutted with the roos yesterday...but at least korea is thru now...

 

btw - I agree with Jaehyun on the fact Cho is a targetman...although i didn't think he won every ball against switzerland. That game we were stuffed from the start with crap tactics but that's another story. I don't know how cho will cope with more physical defenders if he moves to europe but he pretty much cleans up in Asia...absolute star this tournament imo

[wellsy]

Uzbekistan were just robbed a goal, about 1.5m onside when the ball is played and the keeper fumbled it and he taped it in. The ref signaled offside and it is still 1-0 to the Saudi's.

 

Once again some more dreadful reffing in the Asia Cup.

[Jaehyun]

I cant get the game over here, its only on pay tv . I'm not liking Grella being sent off he's a key player for us.

 

Let's snap Takahara and Nakamura up. Might as well Aloisi too!

 

Nakamura I'd sign, i havent seen Takahara, and Aloisi is no where near good enough for us.

My only memory of Takahara is watching him miss an open goal against Croatia in the world cup.

 

Takahara is prolly better than all the Korean strikers tbh.

Cho Jae Jin is the best/only target-man in Asia tbh,(bar Australia) but in terms of a 'striker' perhaps. But I doubt you've seen many korean strikers.

 

That's biased judgement because you are a Korean, and i am not a Japanese.

So if I say all chinese players are crap, then it's not biased because I'm not Chinese? You haven't even seen Cho Jae Jin play, and while it is true that there are many strikers who are more lethal than Cho Jae Jin, it is also true that most Asian strikers are shadow strikers, not target men.

I'm just appalled how if I judge a striker from my own country, then it's biased, yet you can judge and write off a whole nation without even watching their players and not be considered bias.

 

Yes you are right, all chinese players are crap.

  What about lethal Man U striker Dong Fangzhou?

 

To be fair, it doesn't take a lot to be better than all the Korean strikers.

 

Striking quality in this country is at a shameful all time low.

Cho Jae-Jin is one of those Inzahgi-style poachers who doesn't influence the game at all until he scores. Problem being he couldn't finish to save his life either.

Totally incorrect. Cho Jae Jin is NOT a poacher, have you even watched him play? He's a target-man, he's Korea's version of  Viduka for Australia. He totally influences Korea's play, winning headers, holding the ball up, and Korea's formation would break down without him. The Korean media slates him but why do you think he has almost a guaranteed start in the Korean line-up? It's because he's the only target man the team has. He's the only player in the Korean squad who can mark the defence and win headers.

Calling Cho Jae Jin a poacher is seriously far-fetched. He doesn't score many goals and often flops many of his shots because he is under too much pressure by himself (you honestly think a target-man who plays for a crap team can score?). It's one of the reasons why Shearer had so much trouble finding the back of the net in his last two seasons, he changed his game into a target-man, but we weren't controlling play, and he no-longer had the ablility to be a 'complete' striker and score out of nothing.

In the 06 world cup, cho was horrible against Togo, but he put in two stunning performances against France and Switzerland, notably against Switzerland he was the only Korean player who I thought could hold his head in pride. He won almost every header against the physically bigger Swiss defence. The problem was that, when he won the headers, there was never anyone playing off him to collect the headers that he won. He is a class target man in a crap team, that's why he looks bad. A target man can't impress in a crap team like a shadow striker or a winger can.

 

EDIT: And NO Exilim, you were being full of s*** so I decided to join in . 

 

Any attempt to use him as a link-up style target man role has failed miserably. He was utterly exposed at the World Cup in my opinion. Got completely handled by the likes of Thuram, Gallas, Senderos, and the nameless Togolese dudes. He rarely got to send up flick-ons, and when they did, they usually flew aimlessly into opposing defenders. (To be fair, I think it was a flick-on from him that lead to the Park goal against France though)

 

At the end of the day, he can't jump, he's not THAT tall, and his upper body strength is good but pales in comparison to that of European center halfs. He will never be an effective target man outside of the J-League. (In which he wouldn't be playing if he knew what was good for his career)

 

 

 

I beg to differ, I've already mentioned that he was horrid against Togo, but he was immense against the Swiss, he won most aerial challenges, but he was exposed with the lack of support from the team.

[oldtype]

YES! Korea is thru! Nice penalty by Kim Jung Woo. We should sign Kim Chi Woo and Oh Beum Suk. Really impressed with the two wing backs.

 

Gutted with the roos yesterday...but at least korea is thru now...

 

btw - I agree with Jaehyun on the fact Cho is a targetman...although i didn't think he won every ball against switzerland. That game we were stuffed from the start with crap tactics but that's another story. I don't know how cho will cope with more physical defenders if he moves to europe but he pretty much cleans up in Asia...absolute star this tournament imo

 

My God... How?

 

He hasn't scored (which in itself is pretty damning considering his position), and he hasn't made an assist or contributed to overall play in any meaningful way. Once defenders realize how simplistic his play style is they can completely wrap him up by just bullying him when he tries to get into position. He's been absolutely destroyed by some veryweak defenders this tournament, and I find that unacceptable.

 

As for the two full backs, they did well, but we should remember that we're watching the Asian Cup here. I'd be surprised if either was better than Ramage.

[Jaehyun]

So only 4 teams left now, Japan-Saudi Arabia, South Korea-Iraq. I really hope Korea starts performing now. I think Korea are a lot more tactically sound under Verbeek than under Dick Advocaat. Many Koreans (media and the whole population) are blaming Verbeek's tactics of using backpasses (which has backfired) but when I look at it, the tactics were good, the execution was bad.  I've seen examples of this before in Korea, but goes to show just how clueless the Korean Commentators, football analysts and the population is about football.

 

One example I wish to recall. Korea was playing against Syria around a year ago. The score was 1-1. The Syrians, after scoring their equalising goal, decided to put their whole team in their own half, and not attack at all. So after battering the Syrians for a period of time, the Korean team started to pass along the backline, to draw the Syrians out, to create room for attacks. The korean crowd starts booing their team for not attacking, the korean fullback responds to the crowd and sends a totally pointless longball into the box, Korea's attack ends. This happens a lot in Korean football.

Even in this tournament, the whole Korean nation is blaming Verbeek for his 'backpass tactics' and one comment I heard from a fan was that, "we need to always attack and play pressure soccer, we have to do no back pass." (reminds me of a time, when I was watching football with my aussie friend, and he said, "man asian players don't know how to pass back")

Korea traditionally had a very pacey attacking game where they'd run and run and attack and attack, but with no end result, it is because their attacks were one-dimensional and though they'd run hard, and run alot, their attacks would generally have no real direction, Verbeek tries to get his team to control the pace of the game, to hold the ball, pass along the backline, the inept korean backline flops, and the whole clueless nation blames Verbeek, disgusting in my opinion.

But I really hope that the Korean team starts gelling together in Verbeeks tactics, then we should have 2 very exciting semi-finals, if korea doesn't, then we'll have another frustating, boring game.

 

As for Oldtype, Viduka hardly ever scores for Australia, nor does he get many assists ( though he's scored and assisted a couple this tournament) yet he is crucial to Australia's overall play.

[oldtype]

I know there are lots of players who contribute without scoring, but, but... I mean seriously, are we watching the same games? He does NOTHING.

 

And Viduka scores quite a bit for the Aussies

[Jaehyun]

42 caps 11 goals for Viduka. But yeah, perhaps not this tournament, but in previous matches Cho has been a leading light for Korea.

[ShearMagic]

So we have the semis kicking off in around 20 minutes.

 

Iraq vs Korea is the first game on, I'm going to tip a 1-1 draw and a Korea win in ET.

 

After that we have Saudi Arabia vs. Japan, Japan will win that 2-0.

[Keefaz]

Japs vs Korea for final? 10 players sent off.

[oldtype]

Well, we're shit again. No teeth on the attack whatsoever as usual.

 

If Iraq could actually play football we'd be getting slaughtered.

 

Looks like another match going to pens...

[ShearMagic]

Aye, Korea have been mega disappointing tbh.

 

They have been all tournament, if they get to the final it will be a travesty of justice.

[Guest exilim]

42 caps 11 goals for Viduka. But yeah, perhaps not this tournament, but in previous matches Cho has been a leading light for Korea.

 

Cho Jae Jin was crap.

 

3 Goals for Korea in the whole tournament!?! 

[Guest exilim]

Aye, Korea have been mega disappointing tbh.

 

They have been all tournament, if they get to the final it will be a travesty of justice.

 

They are missing a lot of first team players yet are in the semi final. Luck is certainly on their side.

[Guest exilim]

I cant get the game over here, its only on pay tv . I'm not liking Grella being sent off he's a key player for us.

 

Let's snap Takahara and Nakamura up. Might as well Aloisi too!

 

Nakamura I'd sign, i havent seen Takahara, and Aloisi is no where near good enough for us.

My only memory of Takahara is watching him miss an open goal against Croatia in the world cup.

 

Takahara is prolly better than all the Korean strikers tbh.

Cho Jae Jin is the best/only target-man in Asia tbh,(bar Australia) but in terms of a 'striker' perhaps. But I doubt you've seen many korean strikers.

 

That's biased judgement because you are a Korean, and i am not a Japanese.

So if I say all chinese players are crap, then it's not biased because I'm not Chinese? You haven't even seen Cho Jae Jin play, and while it is true that there are many strikers who are more lethal than Cho Jae Jin, it is also true that most Asian strikers are shadow strikers, not target men.

I'm just appalled how if I judge a striker from my own country, then it's biased, yet you can judge and write off a whole nation without even watching their players and not be considered bias.

 

Yes you are right, all chinese players are crap.

  What about lethal Man U striker Dong Fangzhou?

 

To be fair, it doesn't take a lot to be better than all the Korean strikers.

 

Striking quality in this country is at a shameful all time low.

Cho Jae-Jin is one of those Inzahgi-style poachers who doesn't influence the game at all until he scores. Problem being he couldn't finish to save his life either.

Totally incorrect. Cho Jae Jin is NOT a poacher, have you even watched him play? He's a target-man, he's Korea's version of  Viduka for Australia. He totally influences Korea's play, winning headers, holding the ball up, and Korea's formation would break down without him. The Korean media slates him but why do you think he has almost a guaranteed start in the Korean line-up? It's because he's the only target man the team has. He's the only player in the Korean squad who can mark the defence and win headers.

Calling Cho Jae Jin a poacher is seriously far-fetched. He doesn't score many goals and often flops many of his shots because he is under too much pressure by himself (you honestly think a target-man who plays for a crap team can score?). It's one of the reasons why Shearer had so much trouble finding the back of the net in his last two seasons, he changed his game into a target-man, but we weren't controlling play, and he no-longer had the ablility to be a 'complete' striker and score out of nothing.

In the 06 world cup, cho was horrible against Togo, but he put in two stunning performances against France and Switzerland, notably against Switzerland he was the only Korean player who I thought could hold his head in pride. He won almost every header against the physically bigger Swiss defence. The problem was that, when he won the headers, there was never anyone playing off him to collect the headers that he won. He is a class target man in a crap team, that's why he looks bad. A target man can't impress in a crap team like a shadow striker or a winger can.

 

EDIT: And NO Exilim, you were being full of s*** so I decided to join in . 

 

Any attempt to use him as a link-up style target man role has failed miserably. He was utterly exposed at the World Cup in my opinion. Got completely handled by the likes of Thuram, Gallas, Senderos, and the nameless Togolese dudes. He rarely got to send up flick-ons, and when they did, they usually flew aimlessly into opposing defenders. (To be fair, I think it was a flick-on from him that lead to the Park goal against France though)

 

At the end of the day, he can't jump, he's not THAT tall, and his upper body strength is good but pales in comparison to that of European center halfs. He will never be an effective target man outside of the J-League. (In which he wouldn't be playing if he knew what was good for his career)

 

 

 

I beg to differ, I've already mentioned that he was horrid against Togo, but he was immense against the Swiss, he won most aerial challenges, but he was exposed with the lack of support from the team.

 

Sloppy performance due to color differences.

 

He will be shiet forever if i field a team of africans everytime.

[Dr Spectrum]

I have a question for the people who have been following this tournament. What do you think of the following players:

Teerasil Daengda

Suree Sukha

Kiatprawut Saiwaeo

 

?

 

Few Thais coming over to City on trial. Obviously a PR exercise, just wondering if any of them have any ability whatsoever 

[Jaehyun]

Haha exilim now you're really taking the piss outta me.

[Guest exilim]

I have a question for the people who have been following this tournament. What do you think of the following players:

Teerasil Daengda

Suree Sukha

Kiatprawut Saiwaeo

 

?

 

Few Thais coming over to City on trial. Obviously a PR exercise, just wondering if any of them have any ability whatsoever 

 

It got to be Sutee Suksomkit or Pipat Thonkanya, the rest are all shiet.

 

[ShearMagic]

Suree Sukha was more than impressive against Australia.

 

Great skills, a touch on the small side though.

[oldtype]

Well, we don't look like scoring and our defenders can barely stand now. Just hope we don't give away an embarassing goal before the shootout.

 

If there's any sort of justice in the world, we won't be winning it.

[oldtype]

btw, I'm sorry but the Iraqis are the most fucking dirty team I've ever seen.

 

They make some cringe-worthy fouls and fall all over the pitch trying to waste time.

 

my God, their keeper just called on the Physio for the FIFTH time today. Christ, get a room.

[ShearMagic]

They are dirty, but at the end of the day they're from Iraq 

 

PSO time.