Negative Soccer Wins Out

I think I've figured out exactly what the Italian soccer style is: wear down the other team with diving and histrionics until they finally have had enough and then hit them hard at the end. It's boring, annoying, and ultimately frustrating.

I absolutely hate watching the Italian team. And to watch them win over a clean playing team like Germany has been in this tournament is almost too much to bear. Watching Totti writhe around and plead with the referee is like claws on a chalkboard, with the chalkboard attached to my head.

But the fact remains that Germany, for all its success so far in this tournament, couldn't put the ball in the net. And if you can't do that, you can't win. The Germans had been playing flowing soccer with lots of great movement, but with the constant diving of the Italians the game kept getting dragged to a halt, and I think that screwed up the German flow.

Well, at least with today's games I will be happy with either team winning. France is playing attractive soccer, Portugal almost always does, and Zidane and Figo are a couple of my favorites. As long as the winner here beats Italy I'll be happy.