Jabulani

[Yellow Fang]

No doubt Germany are a brilliant team, but how much of their success is due to their having more experience with the Jabulani football? There were quite a few goal keeping howlers in the early stages, which you wouldn't have expected at this level. That first German goal against England when their goalie just booted it up the field and our two central defenders misjudged its flight could have been down to the peculiarities of the ball. I can't remember seeing a goal like that in professional football since... well, I can't remember one. I understand the Bundesliga have been using the ball for half the last season, while the premier league was contracted to use another ball. Craig Johnstone isn't a fan anyway.

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=1080055

 

[Fab Foodie]

...it could be that the Germans are an intelligent well disciplined and professional team.

 

[gavintc]

And done their research properly. Playing with the new ball for 1/2 a season shows a professional approach to the game.

 

[marinyork]

Sneaky. A couple of the German goals make a lot more sense now. They'd have still won all those games as they were very organised, well for long enough spells for it to matter.

 

[johnnyh]

The FA was sent 25 balls for training and players to get used to... Apparently they never got delivered...

 

[lazyfatgit]

A team, who, on paper are world beaters, fail to play as a team and are soundly beaten.

oh it must have been the balls.

ROFL

 

[Smokin Joe]

It's just a feckin ball, get on with it.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

well whatever ball i've played with, the good players are still good players and the shite players (me) still shite.

bad workmen etc…

 

[Yellow Fang]

Well, I think the ball has been a factor in this world cup.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Well, I think the ball has been a factor in this world cup.

It is in most football games.

 

[Wigsie]

Blaming the ball is well, Balls!

If a ball is unpredictable then playing with it for 1/2 a season does not give you magical powers to gauge the unpredictability of it and know what its going to do.

Balls don't split defences wide open like a sunday pub team either, can the shocking positioning of our defence be blamed on a ball?

 

[Yellow Fang]

Blaming the ball is well, Balls!

If a ball is unpredictable then playing with it for 1/2 a season does not give you magical powers to gauge the unpredictability of it and know what its going to do.

Balls don't split defences wide open like a sunday pub team either, can the shocking positioning of our defence be blamed on a ball?

"The German team knew exactly what they were doing when their goalkeeper kicked the ball deep into the edge of the England penalty box, up and over the English defence for an unchallenged first goal (in their final 16 match).
"No other ball could ever have travelled that far.

According to one pundit, Craig Johnston, ex Liverpool player and designer of the predator football boot, it does.

Put it another way, if FIFA had chosen one of those old leather football boots that used to nearly knock you out when you headed them, and no other league except the EPL played with them before the world cup, wouldn't that have given our players an advantage?

 

[Fnaar]

I was going to say "it's just a ball" too, but then again compare playing a game with a good ball as opposed to one of those you get in seaside trinket shops... the ball potentially has an influence! And at higher levels, I guess small differences can make a big difference, if you get my drift!

 

[ramses]

The ball did have an influence, it was clear to see how much the ball moved when watching the replays. It affected lots of teams. If you watched the crossing in most games in the early stages of the WC, you could have been forgiven for thinking you were watching a load of Sunday leaguers, the crossing was very poor, for world class players. Never in a WC have I seen such a poor display of crossing and for that matter, shooting. It was almost like watching a rugby game, how high that ball was sailing over the crossbar. Or in some cases it was so far wide it was sailing over the corner flag.

Clearly the ball had an influence on the game. I believe Germany did have an advantage. But that said we still didn't play well, regrettably the Germans deserved their win. They are the same in every competition, they play as a unit and they don't change their tactics, they just keep playing how they know best. We do not play as a team, we don't move for each other.

I feel quite a few teams struggled with the ball, and you could argue it has ruined the WC a little.

I for one hope Holland go on and win.

 

[Wigsie]

"The German team knew exactly what they were doing when their goalkeeper kicked the ball deep into the edge of the England penalty box, up and over the English defence for an unchallenged first goal (in their final 16 match).
"No other ball could ever have travelled that far.

According to one pundit, Craig Johnston, ex Liverpool player and designer of the predator football boot, it does.

Put it another way, if FIFA had chosen one of those old leather football boots that used to nearly knock you out when you headed them, and no other league except the EPL played with them before the world cup, wouldn't that have given our players an advantage?

I agree the ball can travel further than others but in that instance the ball did not go extraordinarily far, it was 3/4 of the pitch length thats not abnormal for a goal kick really, our players should have been able to deal with it, but all were in shocking positions and were asleep through most of that first half and lucky not to be 5-0 down at half time!