Football World Cup 2010

[Toni]

And the foul on Robben was outside the area - that's why he didn't go down. He's not normally shy at falling over.

[redzonerocker]

can't believe the dutch are blaming the ref

though i don't really rate him that highly, i think he did an ok job in very difficult circumstances.
the dutch were physical & on occasion over the top, they were lucky to have started the 2nd half with 11 men instead of 9

on the other hand, the spanish as good as they are, are nauseating the way they go down, rolling around after every challenge as if they had been shot by a sniper , then getting up unscathed waving imaginary cards,

overall, the final was a reflection of the WC as a whole, pretty disappointing

[Jaime]

the dutch were physical & on occasion over the top, they were lucky to have started the 2nd half with 11 men instead of 9

on the other hand, the spanish as good as they are, are nauseating the way they go down, rolling around after every challenge as if they had been shot by a sniper , then getting up unscathed waving imaginary cards,

You can't have it both ways RZR! Either the Dutch were clogging or they weren't - and they were! In the past you can say that Spanish players went down easily but not this team - they are a pretty honest bunch. The Dutch are not complaining about that either. Much of the Dutch 'tackling' was a disgrace, with stamps, scything sweeps through the legs and one or two that should have been straight reds.

I can only think of one obvious instance where a Spanish player went down lightly and that was actually the sending off when Iniesta went down on the edge of the box. He felt Heitinga's hand on his shoulder and went down - Heitinga should have known better - Iniesta was through on goal, Heitinga was the last man and already had a yellow card. Justice was served!

Statistically the Dutch team committed more fouls than any other team in the tournament and the Spanish team was the most fouled. Talented players always get targetted as a way of stopping them and Spain have more of those than any other team - 'nuff said!

[redzonerocker]

You can't have it both ways RZR! Either the Dutch were clogging or they weren't - and they were! In the past you can say that Spanish players went down easily but not this team - they are a pretty honest bunch. The Dutch are not complaining about that either. Much of the Dutch 'tackling' was a disgrace, with stamps, scything sweeps through the legs and one or two that should have been straight reds.

i don't want it both ways
as i said, the dutch were clogging & there were possible straight reds.

the spanish honest?
yes, scything tackles were plentiful but the rolling around on the floor was a bit ott at times

I can only think of one obvious instance where a Spanish player went down lightly and that was actually the sending off when Iniesta went down on the edge of the box.

yep, he was waving the imaginary card on the way down

there were though plenty of times when the reaction to fouls were over dramatised
yes it hurts, but not to the extent that you have to roll around on the floor for a minute screaming . . . . .then get up 2 mins later totally refreshed

the only incident that warranted that reaction would have been de jong's assault on alonso

[Jaime]

RZR, all I can post in response to that is that I disagree completely with your assessment that Spain are a dishonest team and, so it seems, so do the world media! I have now read countless media reports from British, European and other worldwide agencies on the 2010 World Cup final and not one of them has mentioned any theatricality or dishonesty by the Spanish team but they have all mentioned the cynical play of the Dutch team. But, maybe your insight is greater than theirs!

As for Iniesta waving for a yellow, after being fouled when through on goal why not!? He'd just spent the previous hour and a half being kicked all over the pitch with little meaningful sanction by Webb! If Webb had done his job in the first half by sending off De Jong and maybe Van Bommel, the Dutch may not have felt they could get away with it and the likes of Iniesta may not have been so frustrated by it! As it happens, Iniesta needn't have bothered - Webb's hand was finally reaching for the red card before he'd even got back up.

[Jaime]

On a lighter note:

http://www.elmundo.es/mundial/2010/html ... final.html

Hit the play button to listen to each of the Spanish radio commentaries of Iniesta's goal - crazy!

I especially like the Cadena Cope one where half way through some of the commentary team are in doubt as to whether the goal has been awarded but one of their members is still shouting himself to fever pitch in the background!

[Toni]

there were though plenty of times when the reaction to fouls were over dramatised
yes it hurts, but not to the extent that you have to roll around on the floor for a minute screaming . . . . .then get up 2 mins later totally refreshed

the only incident that warranted that reaction would have been de jong's assault on alonso

[/quote]

Well that accusation can be levelled at 99% of pro footballers the world over. They all do whatever it takes. Van Bommel's attack from behind on Iniesta in the first half could quite easily have earned him a red rather than the yellow he received.

[Toni]

On a lighter note:

http://www.elmundo.es/mundial/2010/html ... final.html

Hit the play button to listen to each of the Spanish radio commentaries of Iniesta's goal - crazy!

I especially like the Cadena Cope one where half way through some of the commentary team are in doubt as to whether the goal has been awarded but one of their members is still shouting himself to fever pitch in the background!

I like the onda cero one- "quiero llorar!!" classic. That is one emotional commentator.

[Jaime]

Yep - it sends the hairs up on the back of the neck all right (if you are Spanish!):

"Memorable! Celestial! Divino! Eterno! - Iniestaaaaa!!"

"Al fin! Al fin! Al fin lo conseguiremos!!!"

"Quiero llorar" - me too!

[Big Boy]

On a lighter note:

http://www.elmundo.es/mundial/2010/html ... final.html

Hit the play button to listen to each of the Spanish radio commentaries of Iniesta's goal - crazy!

I especially like the Cadena Cope one where half way through some of the commentary team are in doubt as to whether the goal has been awarded but one of their members is still shouting himself to fever pitch in the background!

It sounds even better if you play them all at the same time

[Arcadian]

What would have happened if, as the Spanish claim, more Dutch players should have been sent off to the extent that the game would have been abandoned with not enough Dutch players left. This happened a few years ago when it was alleged a championship player got sent off deliberately to save his team losing. The game had to be replayed.

[caller]

I've been amazed throughout the day picking up the news that the Dutch are complaing about the ref and actually think they did well! As has been said, it was a tough one to control and several players could have taken an early bath, but what was Webb to do? In the circumstances I thought he did very well.

Van Bommell, as I said in an earlier post, has been lucky to finish more than one game and by rights should have missed the final after his performance in the semi.

Poor show by the Dutch and sour grapes from just about all their Countrymen. At least their greatest ever player, Johan Cruyff, has also condemned the Dutch tactics and whilst criticising the ref (must be a national trait) also said he should have sent at least another two Dutch players off!

And I think thats how everyone else views it as well. Would have been a travesty of a game though.

[Jaime]

I see Torres pulled up at the end again, Looks like the same old problem, not good news for the Scousers, mind you on his current form....

He seems fine - you can see him on the bus driving through the streets of Madrid now:

http://www.rtve.es/deportes/mundial-201 ... seleccion/

[TypicallyTropical]

That is why it is so sad that the English referee, who was clearly in favour of the Spanish, helped to finish the game, before it went into penalty shooting.
- By giving the second yellow card for Heitinga.
- Not giving a clear corner to the Dutch team.
- Approving a clear off-side goal.
- Not giving a penalty for Robben.

I wonder if I was watching the same game? Even though I was hoping Holland would win, Spain was a better team in the final. Be a good sport and admit it.

[Jaime]

Watching the Spanish homecoming party live on TVE now and Fabregas was introduced by Pepe Reina as "the future of Barcelona" immediately before Puyol and Xavi pulled a Barcelona shirt over his head.....