[wc2010] The ball, is it good or bad?

[Steven P. Administrators]

Lots of complaints about the ball in this tournament, and judging by some of the free kicks I've seen, I tend to agree.

Apparently this tournament has seen fewer goals than the last two, so far.

So lets hear it.

[Nick H. Supervisor]

Not going to lie, since I don't watch football (with the exception of the World Cup) I didn't know they had changed the football. What's different about it?

I would go for the "*Shrug* I don't know" option if it were in the poll.

[Shayla]

No.

none of the 32 teams at the World Cup has made an official complaint to FIFA.It has been tested and it has been proven.

[Billus]

I wouldn't say "ruined", but certainly has made "interesting" as in hypothetically, it should challenge both the players and goalkeepers. Hypothetically, we really should have seen more goals. It'll be interesting in the match 2 group stage, I think that most teams have been too defensive. Germany for example, scored 4 goals without really trying against Australia. They attacked from time to time and were well rewarded. This ball can reach the back of the net but requires a little more work.

I have to admit I've seen this ball do the weirdest of things though. Although it is meant to be more accurate, it does go wonky in mid air from time to time.

[PT 13]

No...

LOL players complain about the ball each and every single World Cup/Euro... It's becoming kind of a "tradition" :p

[Pajter]

It's definitely different. It flies higher, and bounces further/higher, from what I've seen.

I'm not sure if you can call it bad. You can see some players struggling, but I'm pretty confident that they will get more used to it during this WC.

[Shibby]

The problem with replacing the ball for the world cup is no one has had long enough to understand the ball. ?The premier league changed the ball, but once people had training and a season of football, they were fine. ?

This ball we're clearly seeing a lack of long shots, the nearest we've seen is Mbia for Cameroon, everything else has blazed over. ?I think the ball is affecting long shots and free kicks, they are just boring blazing wide or high. ? Goal keepers are also kicking it further and it tends to stay in the air with a cross field cross.

[-T- Member]

The ball is fine, its the different altitudes that are affecting the shooting as the ball reacts differently

[Argote]

The problem with replacing the ball for the world cup is no one has had long enough to understand the ball. ?The premier league changed the ball, but once people had training and a season of football, they were fine. ?

This ball we're clearly seeing a lack of long shots, the nearest we've seen is Mbia for Cameroon, everything else has blazed over. ?I think the ball is affecting long shots and free kicks, they are just boring blazing wide or high. ? Goal keepers are also kicking it further and it tends to stay in the air with a cross field cross.

I'll basically have to agree with this, I think teams should have been given Jubilanis for more time as well as playing preparation matches with it. I've not seen a decent free kick and the guys doing them are amongst the best out there.

[briangw]

This is like saying the turf is different or the fans are more rowdy (which the latter is true with those horns). The announcers even mentioned it during a couple of matches. Complaints happen every WC. Next, the goalies will blame not catching the ball on how it feels. :rolleyes: Thank you England! :D

[Neowinian]

I have the version which you get from the sports shops and it seems pretty good. There has been some decent goals with the ball so I cannot really see a problem, I think the moaning is because the players did not have the best game, and they cannot blame the pitches as they are in fantastic condition, so the next culprit is obviously going to be the ball its self.

[red.]

I'll basically have to agree with this, I think teams should have been given Jubilanis for more time as well as playing preparation matches with it. I've not seen a decent free kick and the guys doing them are amongst the best out there.

I've read on the BBC that the ball has been used in domestic football in Germany, France and Argentina since February, but not in England due to a deal with a rival manufacturer.

[Jimmy0]

No, I wouldn't say its ruined the World Cup. But I do think the players might not be fully comfortable with it, as we can see from the lack of on-target long range shots and free kicks.

How early do the teams get their hands on the actual balls they are going to use in the game? They need to get them earlier on in their training so they can get used to the new balls.

[leesmithg]

I heard a complaint that the ball was 'too round'.

Ha.

The ball is a true sphere has no bias so only technique via foot movements will help it bend.

At least when the ball is thumped it don't bend all over the place.

[Nick H. Supervisor]

I heard a complaint that the ball was 'too round'.

Ha.

The ball is a true sphere has no bias so only technique via foot movements will help it bend.

At least when the ball is thumped it don't bend all over the place.

I thought a true sphere was impossible? Instead the football is just spherical, which eliminates the argument of it being "too round."

Eh, I'm just arguing semantics. Your point still stands.

[Shibby]

Well the only team that from the list above (who had the ball before the world cup) Germany are the only ones which have played well, but I wonder what the stats are on long shots. ?The only Argie player (who played the 1 game) who had a season with the ball would have been Ver?n!

France were very poor and I can't really remember any long shots on target.

[qdave]

Only lame players cant control and adapt to changing circumstances.

So no, it hasnt ruined anything.

[rajputwarrior]

as someone who played goalie im not the bigguest fan of it. The problem with these balls (all the newer ones that are all just one peice) is that you have no idea where they are going to go. They hit a patch of wind on the way to you and they just go flying. and they bounce like crazy.

I have the euro cup '08 ball and that one was actually pretty good (nike tiempo i thiknk its called).

[Neowinian]

Ronaldo nearly mastered the free kick today with the ball...to bad he failed.

[Austen Boshtin]

They said the same thing when Nike introduced the Total 90 balls in the premier league, everyone complained, then they got used to its movement and now it's just the norm. I think it's mainly down to it being the 1st game of the Tournament, traditionally cagey affairs.

Although I still think they should bring back the old leather Mitres one of them on the thigh and you were down for the count. Ahh memories

[TheElite]

Although I still think they should bring back the old leather Mitres one of them on the thigh and you were down for the count. Ahh memories

LOL. So true.

[Alladaskill17]

The ball is fine, most of the teams have practiced with it for months anyways, so they have literally have no excuse other than maybe the pitch and the amount of bounce, but even that is a weak argument. I don't mind the horns as I drown them out, but I would validate that as an issue before I would the ball.

[e-berlin.org]

Oh, poor football players... :pinch:

If I had their salaries I'd play with a cube and still don't mind.

[Martyn]

The new ball is like playing with a plastic fly away. It's just too light and unpredictable.

It was designed to make the World Cup more 'entertaining', it's just killing it for me.

[Fred Derf Veteran]

The ball was play-tested in Europe prior to the World Cup. We seem to be seeing the effects of JoBerg's altitude more than anything else. Cape Town is much closer to sea level.