boundaryblue80 Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Can't help thinking that this new ball FIFA have produced is having a massive effect on the games we're watching. So many over-hit passes, shots flying high over the bar, headers pinging off players (apart from Heinze's, who was sublime) woeful Free-kicks but most importantly so far (at HT in the Algeria-Slovenia match) no game with 3 or more goals in. I can see this being a trend (currently cleaning up at the bookies with it.) I suppose we can say there's still Brazil, Spain and Holland to come and we'll know more after 1 round of games but I think FIFA have seriously dropped the ball on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackey Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Can't help thinking that this new ball FIFA have produced is having a massive effect on the games we're watching. So many over-hit passes, shots flying high over the bar, headers pinging off players (apart from Heinze's, who was sublime) woeful Free-kicks but most importantly so far (at HT in the Algeria-Slovenia match) no game with 3 or more goals in. I can see this being a trend (currently cleaning up at the bookies with it.) I suppose we can say there's still Brazil, Spain and Holland to come and we'll know more after 1 round of games but I think FIFA have seriously dropped the ball on this one. All I've seen, like you, makes me think it's awful. It's so unpredictable, moves inexplicably in the air, bounces unusually high etc etc. I appreciate why they do it - money! - but it really shouldn't be a 'new' ball for a tournament this important. It's ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 The should test it out in the Confederations Cup or, better still, the Italian Women's 2nd division. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Sinnott Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 but most importantly so far (at HT in the Algeria-Slovenia match) no game with 3 or more goals in. Sounds familiar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny punkster Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 agree BB.. why do FIFA always think another new ball will improve things? its the same each tournament. it'll be as light as a balloon soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24hoursfromtulsehill Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 agree BB.. why do FIFA always think another new ball will improve things? its the same each tournament. it'll be as light as a balloon soon. I know the answer is "money", but why don't they introduce a new ball after the world cup. Why can't they have a standard ball for 4 years leading up to a world cup, then fanny around with it? Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudemedic Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 At the last world cup the ball was new it moved around a bit and it produced loads of goals and some of them were crackers. At this world cup the ball is new it moves around a bit and its produced garbage- the difference Altitude. The only game played at sea level was garbage for reasons other than the ball, with the less dense air the ball should have not been lightened and the results would have been markedly different- they didn't test it right. I'll give it to some of the better teams have played at sea level before I right this ball off (the Germans and the Spanish are due to be playing in Durban in the coming week). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_ragg1984 Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 I don't think the ball can be blamed for there being no game with 3 or more goals so far. Argentina would have had about 6 if the Nigeria keeper wasn't in such top form, and England should have had 3 or 4. I don't think the ball is any different to the balls in the PL or CL. Out of interest, of all the players criticizing the ball, I'd like to know how many of them are sponsored by someone other than Adidas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackey Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 At the last world cup the ball was new it moved around a bit and it produced loads of goals and some of them were crackers. At this world cup the ball is new it moves around a bit and its produced garbage- the difference Altitude. The only game played at sea level was garbage for reasons other than the ball, with the less dense air the ball should have not been lightened and the results would have been markedly different- they didn't test it right. I'll give it to some of the better teams have played at sea level before I right this ball off (the Germans and the Spanish are due to be playing in Durban in the coming week). That's crap. How can you admit "it moved around a bit" and claim them to be crackers? Players like Messi, Ronaldo, Beckham score stunning freekicks through skill, through an immense ability to manipulate the flight of the ball with their foot. Ronaldo spent time in a wind tunnel at Manchester Uni learning how to strike the ball at the point where it's inflated to cause it to take an altered trajectory. A skilful act. To clunk it from 30 yards in the hope that the ball will "move around a bit" isn't skill. At best it's power and a modicum of accuracy and at worst it's blind luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudemedic Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 That's crap. How can you admit "it moved around a bit" and claim them to be crackers? Players like Messi, Ronaldo, Beckham score stunning freekicks through skill, through an immense ability to manipulate the flight of the ball with their foot. Ronaldo spent time in a wind tunnel at Manchester Uni learning how to strike the ball at the point where it's inflated to cause it to take an altered trajectory. A skilful act. To clunk it from 30 yards in the hope that the ball will "move around a bit" isn't skill. At best it's power and a modicum of accuracy and at worst it's blind luck!! You misunderstood what I was saying- the ball was lighter so it moved around a bit more. There were loads of goals in the opening games of the world cup, 6 in the first one alone. There were two crackers in the first game, one scored by the German full back but just because the ball moves around doesn't mean that there wasn't skill involved. Players with loads of skill can get the current ball (and the more recent ones) to do stuff that seems to defy the laws of physics. In fact if the ball was heavier it would be much easier to be accurate with it so this new ball in some ways shows the players with the skill as opposed to the clunkers. What I was saying is that whoever designed and tested the ball didn't do it right or the players haven't compensated enough for being at altitude, or a combination. If it takes X power to hit a 50 yd pass at sea level (i.e. London) with a different ball, then with this new ball it might take X-Y power (where Y isn't that much), at altitude with this new ball it takes X-Z power (where Z is a reasonable amount). People say oh its money (for FIFA) as to why this new ball has been bought out, whilst money plays a big role there are other factors. I'm awaiting what the Germans do with it tonight because unlike in the Premiergreed where everyone has to use the Nike ball the German club sides can choose their own ball and quite a few, and Bayern Munich is almost certainly one of them, play with the new addidas ball. There's a similar scenario in Rugby, most of the teams use one manufacturer for their ball, but Italy uses a different one, Mitre. This has meant certain players struggle kicking the ball when playing in Italy (among them Johnny Wilkinson), but the Italians don't seem to struggle that much, or they adapt better. I think if the FA (who run the Premier League) are serious about England doing well in the big competitions they need to either let the teams use which ever ball they want in the 6 months prior to a major tournament (some will still stick with a Nike ball), or ensure that they do the deal with whoever it is that supplies the ball to FIFA/UEFA (currently addidas). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daznathe Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 can it be blamed for two massive goalkeeping clangers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 What a load of spherical objects. It wasn't the best idea to introduce a lighter ball at a tournament predominantly played at altitude, but beyond that all this nonsense about the new ball is nothing more than poor excuses for a few less than thrilling games. Germany didn't appear to have any problem with it last night. And there's no way either of the keeper errors were down to the ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24hoursfromtulsehill Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 What a load of spherical objects. It wasn't the best idea to introduce a lighter ball at a tournament predominantly played at altitude, but beyond that all this nonsense about the new ball is nothing more than poor excuses for a few less than thrilling games. Germany didn't appear to have any problem with it last night. And there's no way either of the keeper errors were down to the ball. It's not so much the goals that bothers me but the raking 40 yard passes that aren't controlled - either because of a dodgy bounce or last minute movement. Why do they have to introduce a new ball just when you want to see the best players in the world doing what they've been doing with the old ball? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackey Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 It's not so much the goals that bothers me but the raking 40 yard passes that aren't controlled - either because of a dodgy bounce or last minute movement. Why do they have to introduce a new ball just when you want to see the best players in the world doing what they've been doing with the old ball? I've also noticed an increased number of goal kicks going the length of the field on one bounce and out for a goal kick at the other end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24hoursfromtulsehill Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 I've also noticed an increased number of goal kicks going the length of the field on one bounce and out for a goal kick at the other end. +1 Hoping to see one bounce over a keeper's head and in, mind you. But not our keeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackey Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 +1 Hoping to see one bounce over a keeper's head and in, mind you. But not our keeper. Won't need to go over his head! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 I think the altitude is at least as much to blame for that as the ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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