howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#1
only the final left of the world cup, the most disappointing that i can remember, no new young stars, no inventive free kicks lor great matches.
a few great team performances that led to emphatic wins.
somehow tonight uruguay and germany dragged themselves from the pit of despair after losing at the last hurdle to produce a match that had everything, great skills, first class defending and most of all quality goals.
this was all done with a minimum of fouls and play acting.
there is a lot to be said for playing without the weight of expectation.
Alec Sheldon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,037
#2
Yes Howard, a good game played in driving rain
. I disagree about the play acting though, Suarez was looking for that last free kick and went over too easily. It would have changed the game if Forlan had not hit the cross bar from the ensuing free kick.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#3
Please tell me who won.
#4
'Whilst we tried to run our socks off nevertheless we were a great advert for the game.
Whilst some said we were too good to go down there are no easy games and if a Brazilian had done that we would all be raving about it.
There were typical forward tackles leaving us little time to set our stall out and we looked like six of one and half a dozen of the other from where I was.
At this level we all knew that whoever scored would have the advantage and whilst a couple of our shots were high, wide and handsome we still were short of the few goals to liven it all up.
Most of our team gave 110% and should have worked out the mistakes in training, but if you don't shoot you can't score, however if it wasn't for their goalkeeper we would have done a lot better.
Whatever people say at the end of the Cup about the teams at least it puts South Africa, our colourful hosts with their lips ever fixed to a vu-vulva, as the Rainbow Nation to end all such!!!!!'
Whoops. Hang on. I've used this series of cliches before (in spite of the fact that I know nothing about football). Please change 'we' to 'they'. I'm sure it will still read like tomorrow's papers?
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#5
vic,germany won 3-2 after 90 minets.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#6
Yes I agree that it wasnt the most scintillating of World Cups. No star emerged to dominate, such as Maradona did once, or the Boys from Brazil like Pele and Rivelino did in their time. It was an efficient World Cup but it probably suffered more from the fear of losing than any previous event. The plague of modern day 21st century pressure did for it...much as what happened to England. The fear of losing scuppered their chances for inventive play.
The Match last night was one of the best matches of all, both went for the win from the outset with open football and the two teams were enjoyable to watch. Diego Forlan was the player of the tournament and Uruguay were a great team from such a small nation. The Germans too were great and very young so will take some beating from here on in.
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
#7
A very enjoyable game, it was like watching an F A Cup final, Uraguay were inventive and Germany were phenomenal on the break . A great match to watch and a difficult one for today's final to follow, Suarezdidn't endear himself to the fans, I wonder why that was
Come on Netherlands
Unregistered User
#8
Traditionally the third place play is a nothing game that is a chore to those taking part, full credit to both teams for producing the best game of the tournament...................... so far
Alec Sheldon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,037
#9
I heard that getting third place meant that you didn't have to qualify for the next World cup.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
#10
I heard that getting third place meant that you still got something on your sweepstake team Alec!
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#11
not heard that one alec, normally only the hosts and holders avoid having to qualify.
nice try colin.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
#12
I think the World Cup has been a watershed this year; before, Sepp Blatter ruled with an unquestioned iron fist, and his policies have been shown as innately flawed. He himself has been shown up, and I believe that post-2010 FIFA will now have to entertain input from all quarters.
I disagree about no new stars emerging; for me, Germany's Mesut Oezil and Bastian Schweinsteiger have been outstanding, the former especially so.
For me, the abiding memory of the World Cup this year has been the failure of the ball. Too light by far, it has provided us with countless images of flying high into the stands and made a mockery of the best players in the world being unable to control it. As for tonight, I don't mind who wins as I like both teams, but I'd like to see the Dutch at last win the World Cup. Spain are European Champions at the moment, so I guess it boils down to wanting to see the spoils shared around.
True friends stab you in the front.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#13
indeed the beach ball used hardly encouraged long range shots.
notice that of all 4 semi finalists, the manager is not known as a previous top player, so many times we hear fans demand a big name as a manager who turns out to be totally useless as a manager.
just off the top of my head we had kevin keegan, the argentine have diego maradona, both seem devoid of tactical ideas and having a plan b.
looking at the english premier league the most successful in recent years have included arsene wenger, gerard houllier, rafa benitez, roy hodgson, avram grant, the special one(forget his name) amongst others.
#14
38 minutes of Dutch diving (Robben of course) and thuggery (de Jong and van Bommel of course). Not sure why I am bothering to watch this pile of rubbish.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
#15
Sid
...cos we all live in hope that it will be a tremendous game to remember.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Unregistered User
#16
Should a referee from a 3rd world football Country be given a match as important as this
the Dutch are getting away with murder!
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#17
I can not watch any more of that it is rubbish now it has gone into ex time to.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
#18
the Dutch have been less subtle than the Spanish with their tackling but frankly both sides are as bad as each other for being agricultural in the tackle and off the ball. The Spanish have probably edged it so far in terms of the quality of the passing, but the Dutch have clearly worked out and worked hard at neutralising the Spanish game plan. The officials so far have had a decent if perhaps a little lenient game. Looks like the Dutch are going for it with their last substitution.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
#19
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
#20
Well the Spanish have at long last won a World Cup - shame it was such a dog of a game
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
