World Cup

[Power_Metal_Dom]

Going into the final I had no preference for Spain or the Netherlands because they were both very very good and it was too close to call. Ended up going
for Spain because I thought they were marginally more consistent in play.

Coming out of the match I think that support was well placed because they were by far the better team. What the Spanish did in energy and fluency, the Dutch did in aggression and stubborn defence. Irresistible force and immovable object came to mind. Credit to them both for a tense final.

The refreeing will probably get complained about for the number of times that yellow card came out but in my opinion the Dutch were bang out of order for some horrendous fouling. Both teams missed plenty of opportunities but at 90 minutes the score should have been 1 - 1 at least and the Dutch should have had 9 players on the pitch. End of the day the Spanish ran rings around the orangemen especially in the 2nd half and simply outplayed them, and what a goal to win the game with eh? Stunner.

Many congrats to Spain and commiserations to a desperate Netherlands, you guys still played one hell of a tournament. Think I should get you a few beers now Cello!

Suppose the real winner here is Paul the Octopus

 

[Christabel]

Too bad Cello – I’m sorry to say that but half way through the first half I found myself changing my support to Spain because Holland did not come to play this game – they came to stop Spain doing that

They were bloody violent and should be grateful they didn't end up in 9 from the first half – this is not what we want to see in football – no hand goals or saves – no karate moves

I’m no fan of Spain – it pains to say that but the best footballing team won – without a shadow of doubt Spain deserved it – they came to play – to create – to score

i suppose now there are actually thee winners: Spain - South Africa and... Paul, The Octopus :Spin:

now enough of emotions till Thursday when the Open starts

 

[Symphony]

Congratulations to our Spanish brethren! Wasn't much of a spectacle but interesting nonetheless. I wouldn't have wanted to be the ref in that game though as quite honestly Van Bommel and De Jong could easily have been dismissed before half time but I think the ref was aware of what effect that would have on the game if he had sent both off.

I think it was fitting that Iniesta scored the winner, one of the unsung players of the tournament I thought.

On a seperate note, congratulations to Diego Forlan on winning the Golden Ball award.

I think there could have been a better way to deal with the Golden Boot award though, rather than it being decided on assists.

So that's World Cup 2010 over and done......we'll pick up the International football thread again for Euro 2012!

 

[Dan W]

The tactics that Holland used would have been praised if they had been used against Arsenal in the Premiership

Not agreeing that they were the correct tactics to use, just making a statement.

De Jong should have been a red card, but I think Webb was trying to keep everyone on the pitch. Ineista should have been booked for his tangle with Van Bommel (would he have then removed his shirt when celebrating)

Also, everybody seems to have missed the amount of referee harrassment and imaginary card waving that occurred (especially from the Spaniards) throughout the game

The best football in the tournament came from the Germans. I felt that Spain played possession football but were severely lacking a cutting edge

 

[Kingface]

A mostly interesting Final, bit boring at times but I think we've come to expect that from these big, tense Cup Finals!

I think Spain deserved it overall. Were they the best team in the tournament? Maybe. I think it's close between them and Germany. Yes Germany scored the most goals and have played brilliantly, but I think with Spain, a big part of why they have scored so few goals in this tournament is because pretty every team they've played has looked to stop them from playing, meaning that the amount of clear cut chances created by Spain have been few and far between (Honduras was probably an exception, they should've scored at least 4 or 5 goals against them based on the amount of clear cut chances they had) and then when they get them they're naturally not going to take everyone they get.

I think Holland have played really well for the majority of this tournament and I think these people dismissing them just because they don't play "Total Football" at the moment is silly. They've scored some good goals, played well and were unbeaten up until the final so I don't see what the problem is, they scored more goals than Spain for a start!

That being said, I wouldn't blame anyone for losing a little bit of respect for them after the way they played in the Final. It was like the entire Holland Midfield turned into Graeme Souness! I know it's a contact Sport, but there's contact and then there's the constant cynical fouls, late challenges and the few blatent kicks that Holland were dishing out. They've should had De Jong sent off (Whether it be a Friendly or a World Cup Final, that kick is a Red Card everytime) and a stricter Referee might've resulted in Holland being sent down to 8 Men!

Can't believe people are saying Howard Webb had a bad game, yes he got a few decisions wrong but he got most of them right and especially considering how difficult a game it must've been to Referee, he did brilliantly.

Glad to see the 3rd/4th Play-Off was a cracking game once again, they're always more entertaining than the actual Finals!

I've really enjoyed the majority of this World Cup and it's good to see another Team winning it for the first time. I just hope Spain don't end up the way France have after they won the World Cup and Euro double not too long ago!

 

[Cello]

Let's forget about this tournament really fast and hope us dutchies do better in the next In the end I think it could've gone either way. Webb overlooked some Spanish fouls that could've been cards and could've sent off a couple of players from each team (though the dutch fouls were more prominent).

I think it would've been fair if it had gone to penalties. Even if Spain would've won those, I'd have been happier with the result than I am now. But that's prolly mostly the chauvinism talking

As for those beers, I'll take you up on those Dom In fact, anyone ever visiting Amsterdam will get a few beers outta me if they take the trouble of hanging out with me

 

[Christabel]

on the ref: i agree with Steve - i also think those two reds would be more than fair and correct, but I can see how Wood's mind worked - he knew that sending them off so early in the match we would be potentially deciding the World Cup winner and if he has done that today I bet all the media would be pointing a finger at him for that

also well pointed out the spanish calling cards all the time - if he was stricter with that he would have yellow-booked the whole team and the match would end up with 8 each side!

being a ref in a match like that is hell - you can never win - on the whole I think he did much better than we would be able to expect from any other of the FIFA refs we saw in this tournament - by all means