BreakPoint
World Cup starts today
Now Shane. I have explained the offsides rule to more people than I can count...male and female. In fact, the last time I explained that particular rule was to a male, just 3 days ago in fact. 
for(imstuck) has it exactly right. (which I would hope would be the case for a certified referee -- what level do you ref at? Do you still play as well?) There must be 2 opposing players between you and the net when the ball is kicked, assuming that you are ahead of the ball. If you are behind the ball, you are not offisides...hence the reason that Germany's 4th goal was not offsides.
One of those 2 opposing players is usually, but not always, the goalkeeper. Had SA been holding both the near post and the far post, the Mexican player would not have been offsides when the keeper came out. However, they were only holding near post, as is usual at this level...hence, when the keeper came out, the Mexican player was off.
I believe you are thinking of the infield fly rule (the one that women can't understand) although I have to admit that I understand that one as well.
Tim Howard has played for Manchester United and Everton. Kasey Keller spent some time at Fulham after playing for Tottenham, before returning to my MLS Sounders FC. Brad Friedel was at Blackburn, now is with Aston Villa. Brad Guzan is also at Aston Villa as his backup, and Marcus Hanehmann is with Wolverhampton. Lots of US netminders playing in England. The US does produce some outstanding goalkeepers.
I agree about Gerrard and Lampard. When you're running a 4-4-2, you'd better have one of your center-mids playing in a defensive role...not happening with those two. England missed Rio Ferdinand as well. But really, it came down to the fact that they don't have a keeper.
Germany was REALLY impressive.
I LOVE the World Cup!!!
d
DianeS wrote:Now Shane. I have explained the offside
srule to more people than I can count...male and female. In fact, the last time I explained that particular rule was to a male, just 3 days ago in fact.s...hence the reason that Germany's 4th goal was not offsides.
One of those 2 opposing players is usually, but not always, the goalkeeper. Had SA been holding both the near post and the far post, the Mexican player would not have been offside
swhen the keeper came out. However, they were only holding near post, as is usual at this level...hence, when the keeper came out, the Mexican player was off.
I believe you are thinking of the infield fly rule (the one that women can't understand) although I have to admit that I understand that one as well.
Tim Howard has played for Manchester United and Everton. Kasey Keller spent some time at Fulham after playing for Tottenham, before returning to my MLS Sounders FC. Brad Friedel was at Blackburn, now is with Aston Villa. Brad Guzan is also at Aston Villa as his backup, and Marcus Hanehmann is with Wolverhampton. Lots of US netminders playing in England. The US does produce some outstanding goalkeepers.
I agree about Gerrard and Lampard. When you're running a 4-4-2, you'd better have one of your center-mids playing in a defensive role...not happening with those two. England missed Rio Ferdinand as well. But really, it came down to the fact that they don't have a keeper.
Germany was REALLY impressive.
I LOVE the World Cup!!!
d
Some minor corrections to your post, although I admittedly didn't really get whomped for adding the "s" until this year. Therefore, I decided I better start getting it right!
I am a grade 8 going to go for my 7 next year. I was also a grade 8 back in highschool but stopped when I went to college so I had to start from scratch. I may try to move up past grade 7 if I want/can but after grade 7 is a state official. That becomes very time consuming. Played all through highschool, didn't pursue anything in college because engineering and sports just seemed to be too much.
All that said, Diane, you sure know your EPL!
What kills England's midfield I think you have spot on, with one addition. Because Gerrard is looking to go forward so much, they loose the distribution of the ball they should have. They have no transition from side to side through the middle. That's just my opinion though. I think Alexi Lalas got it right (or maybe it was Jurgen Klinsmen) when he said the keeper is masking the real problems England is having. Everyone is so focused on him dropping the ball that they aren't talking about the real issue which is that England didn't have nearly as many offensive chances as they probably should have.
My comment (And they say women don't.....) was meant to highlight the fact that you (female) had understood better than me (male).
As a matter of fact, my sister used to be crazy about football whereas her husband couldn't care less. Whenever we were watching a match in a bar the guys wouldturn to her husband and make some comment about the game. He'd only shrug his shoulders and my sister would answer them. That generally produced look on the other people's faces as if a purple dragon had just materialised int he middle of the room. Classic.
Re: Goalkeeper: I believe it was Kasey Keller who made the great reply to the reporter. But holy moly, I had no idea there were so many top class US goalkeepers. Something to do with automatically picking the ball up when playing "foorball" perhaps? Living in Switzerland I hardly ever get to watch premiership football.
Infield fly rule? Have to admit I never heard of it.... 
Shane
Shane, we'll leave the infield fly rule for now. I don't want to throw too many things at you in one day.
for(imstuck), that's a pretty impressive certification level. Have you thought about taking up soccer again as a player? I don't know where you're located, so I don't know the adult league situation, but here in Seattle, we have adult leagues for all levels, and everyone plays. I'll probably retire from competitive soccer soon -- I'm still playing A-level Coed Open and I'm getting sick of chasing kids that are half my age up and down the field -- but I will continue to play pickup. I might start playing O-30 again too.
You're right about neither Gerrard or Lampard being a true holding midfielder. I do think that England had a lot of chances, any time you force the GK into 6 saves you're doing something right. Hopefully Ricardo Clark steps up his marking in the defensive third in subsequent games. Gooch was a rock for the most part, he looked much stronger than I thought he was going to. I thought Bocanegra was going to have to run things, but no, it was Gooch.
I do follow EPL, particularly the American players (I've got a thing for goalkeepers, actually) but I love soccer for its own sake and do have my favorites from other countries -- Didier Drogba being among them. Sounds like he'll play v Portugal.
I will try to remember to be consistent about the "s".
The outcome of the Italy-Paraguay game surprised me a little! Anyone have any comments on that?
d
Up until now I don't have seen a team where I thought, yes that might be them this year, perhaps the German. Now is Brasil playing and they have a hard time dealing with (norhtern)-korea.
What is that in field fly rule?
Is that the rule that a playes that is behind the field (and thus enabling an Off-Side) is not allowed to enter the field to defend?
Have you seen Sneijder? He was named man of the match. But apparently he is the only Dutchman agreeing and understanding on this.
Ton
LabVIEW user groep 
the offside rule is there to stop a striker sticking around the goalie waiting for one of his wingers/midfield players to pass a long ball. Now he has to be down field of the opposition defence before the ball is kicked up field. Also that player doesn't have to be the initial player to receive the ball. If the player was in an offside position when the ball was kicked up field and eventually receive the ball he will be given offside.
