I was glad I was proven wrong tonight, Italy were awful. It wasn't so much their performance, but the way they set out their stall to stop Spain from scoring. I would understand if they were a Pub team playing against Spain, but these are world class players that should be able to express themselves more than they did, and for that reason alone, deserved to lose this one.

They were clearly playing for penalties and hoping that a set-piece might lead to a goal.

The Spain - Russia tie would have been much better than a Italy - Russia match, so I'm looking forward to it.

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Originally posted by Lebezniatnikov #1 complaint you'll hear from Americans - "all they do is fall down and whine when they get touched" - who best exemplifies taking dives like the Italians? They stopped three Spanish attacks because an Italian was rolling around on the ground with his panties in a twist.

Very true, the Italians must think the pitch is one big giant Ikea bedspread made for rolling and diving around on. The number of times Toni flung himself to the ground like he'd been shot was unbelievable, and I, for one, would love to include this guy in the Italian rugby line-up, just to see how he would fare.

Although I would say a lot of players in a lot of teams now do it. It's very fasionable nowadays, if even on the big screen replay, they look like an absolutely panzy.

The referee's this tournament haven't been doing much to crackdown on it either. UEFA have stated beforehand that any diving should be met with a yellow card, but they are not doing that at all and only gesture to the player to get back up.

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Originally posted by Lebezniatnikov It's only because the Italians won the World Cup - the American media glamorizes Italy as the best example of the game for that reason, and the whole perception of the game over here suffers for it - particularly because over here we watch mostly hockey and American football, where you don't stay on the ground unless you actually broke something.

You obviously know jack shit about football then. All players fall if challenged and this occurs on any team not just the Italian's.

It is part of the game.

The Villa dive looked like he wanted a good medal in the olympics but the referee made the correct call and booked him.

Italy did not deserve to win this last match, Spain was the better team by far.

BTW Americans do not have to like "soccer", if they do not understand football it is their problem. Football is and continues to be the largest game in the world with or without the USA.

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Originally posted by culorut The Villa dive looked like he wanted a good medal in the olympics but the referee made the correct call and booked him.

You should take another look at the images of this. The referee mad a bad call here. This really wasn't a dive, Villa just slipped away

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Originally posted by Lebezniatnikov #1 complaint you'll hear from Americans - "all they do is fall down and whine when they get touched" - who best exemplifies taking dives like the Italians?

So what? Who honestly gives the slightest fuck what the Americans think when it comes to sports? They have the attention span of a pissant and the intelligence to match.

Let them stick to their padded Rugby.

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Originally posted by culorut You obviously know jack shit about football then. All players fall if challenged and this occurs on any team not just the Italian's.

italy are widely sterotypically regarded as being the biggest divers; that obviously wasn't his personal opinion. however accurate that stereotype presently is remains up for debate, but that's irrelevant

villa didn't dive, it was a blatent slip and a harsh yellow considering he didn't appeal (well.. from what i saw. i could be wrong)

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Originally posted by DJ Mikey Mike So what? Who honestly gives the slightest fuck what the Americans think when it comes to sports? They have the attention span of a pissant and the intelligence to match. Let them stick to their padded Rugby.

Beautiful.

sad to see italy knocked out but spain had the better play

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Originally posted by lucid pro tip: if you value your life, NEVER do anything that will place you "outside" of the jonze circle of trust.

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Originally posted by culorut Beautiful.

Agreed, it was like a thing of beauty.

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Originally posted by culorut Beautiful.

+0,75

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Originally posted by DJ Mikey Mike So what? Who honestly gives the slightest fuck what the Americans think when it comes to sports? They have the attention span of a pissant and the intelligence to match. Let them stick to their padded Rugby.

I'll take "padded Rugby" over Italian football any day. If you could read, you'd see I'm not dissing your taste in sports. But then again, why would you post on TA if you can't stir shit?

All I'm saying is that the Italians are far worse than anyone else at taking dives, and it's a damn shame that it's Italy that always gets the airtime and attention in the US, because it fuels the popular perception here that football players are pussies when it comes to contact. You don't have to lecture me about how the game is played or how contact is normal - but you don't see rugby players - or "padded rugby" players for that matter - rolling around grabbing their ankle after the replay clearly shows there was no contact.

Villa got carded for taking a dive when he tripped over his own feet and fell. The Italians got away with flopping all over the pitch and the Spanish were halted on their attack each time. Andy Gray said it best - it's just "pathetic" to watch that kind of shite and is no wonder why the game can't break through here, where all we ever get to see on prime time television is

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