AW v Defending Champs June 21 @ 2am SS2,

OMG you guys, you must read this. On the BBC website, an Italian fan goes off on the most spoilt, petulant, arrogant, entitled tirade ever seen. It's full of delicious salty tears of what I believe the young people these days call "butthurt".

It kind of reminds me of when the AB;s tumble out of RWC comps early.

he barely pulled his shirt...and it in no way hindered him. especially not to the point of falling over. but i guess there are always those who enjoy being devils advocate.

Yeah i sort of changed my mind half way through writing that from 'no way' to 'doubtful'. We all see the shirt pull, but we also see the whistle go well and truly after the dive. Of course there is the idea that the referee was waiting to see how it played out, like advantage wise. I guess we'll never really know unless the ref comes out and tells us. 

I realize the ref probably had a better view than we had on TV, but I think it's important to note what you said there. At full speed there was nothing in it, only when we got a slow motion replay from a very convenient angle did we see it.

Not in the group stage though . I heard a comparison in ratings today between football and rugby, which said it'd be like Iran holding the ABs to a draw during a World Cup. Although it's not quite the same, it does put some perspective on it.

It was always on the cards that Fallon was going to get booked because he almost always fouls when he jumps.
Nelson deserved to get booked, and it is not a stupid rule.

Actually, thinking also about the USA goal being disallowed against Slovenia for a shirt pull and how unpopular a decision that was one wonders whether people would prefer some way of shirt pulling being legal instead? Because I can't think of a way to make spotting it easier. 

agree with the bit about Fallon. He does need to stop it if he is going to wanna stay on the field for 90 minutes. But that Nelsen deserves to be booked, thats complete sh!t. he hurt himself and he did not ask for a strecther, the ref did, and Nelsen gets punished for trying to play on and run it off. IMO if the player needs a stretcher he should signal to the ref. Instead of the ref making a call and it turns out the player doesnt need it. Anyway with the penalty, well I was just too shocked to talk and complain. But now I look at it, De Rossi is one hell of a c**t! he gets a slight pull and fuking falls over like he just got shot in the leg. Then he gets up and runs to his teammates and celebrates. Thats why Footballs called a pussy sport FFS.

Blah, blah blah!!!!!

One thing I don't understand is that a fair few Australian-I-talians are hard as nails (Durante for example) but normal I-talians are so disgraceful.� Anyone shed any knowledge on this?

Australians are obsessed with being 'ard in sport, as i'm guessing New Zealanders are. i'm guessing the italian-australian players know they're more likely to be liked and hence more likely to succeed if they don't subscribe to the italian drama-queen mentality.

Man I hate diving.  I don't wish injuries on other players very often (in fact, almost never) but I was hoping that on 93 minutes Mulligan would be subbed on so he could bobsled Cannavarro who was being a petulant dickhead.  He'd be sent off, sure, but Cannavarro wouldn't be so smug and let's be honest, it'd be the only way Mully will get game-time in this tournament.

One thing I don't understand is that a fair few Australian-I-talians are hard as nails (Durante for example) but normal I-talians are so disgraceful.  Anyone shed any knowledge on this?

What a great result. Have read a few threads but too many to go through as I need some sleep.
These are some of the things I think.
It was always on the cards that Fallon was going to get booked because he almost always fouls when he jumps.
Nelson deserved to get booked, and it is not a stupid rule.
I am sorry that we gave away the penalty, but it pleases me(not today) as I am sick of all these players that pull shirts.It is about time they paid the price. Leo almost ripped the guys shirt in a rugby tackle and did not get a card.
To say we were playing 12 mean is crap. We gave away twice as many few kicks.
They had a pile more possession, ten times the corners(I don't think we had any)and miles more shots on goal.
I am not bagging the AW's, it is putting the game in perspective
Some of threads sounded like they were off an OZ forum.
What a bunch of wingers.
We should all enjoy the result as it was a fantastic achievement. We were not good enough to win, but we are still in with a chance to go through.
We have to stop giving the ball away too cheaply.

What we should remember is that it is far easier to defend than attack.

Comment from that I-talian on the BBC page posted in previous page - talking about Nelsen: "I understand the emotion of a guy who is technically quite poor on the pitch and who happens to have played in a game where he ended up drawing against a much better team".

I wonder if Nelsen could make the I-talian squad if he was unfortunate enough to be I-talian.  Certainly been better than any of them these last few games.

he barely pulled his shirt...and it in no way hindered him. especially not to the point of falling over. but i guess there are always those who enjoy being devils advocate.

He pulled his shirt but in no way hindered him? What?

This is the sequence of events: cross from Chiellini coming in to the far post - De Rossi steals in behind Smith, putting himself in the best position to get to the ball - Smith senses this, instinctively outstretches his arm and grabs De Rossi to slow him down - succeeds, De Rossi realises he can't get to the ball and drops down - penalty. No problem. At all. But of course, Italians are cheating, diving c**ts, and it was only a little tug, it's not like he shot him, is it?

Whatever. If the same thing had happened to Smeltzy in the Italian box and we didn't get the penalty, everyone here would be screaming about the cheating ref and cheating Italian c**ts, and how Smeltzy would have buried the header in the top corner, and how we waz robbed.

But I guess we show respect for the laws of the game only when it suits us.