World Cup

[Sander]

The ref did a good job.

What?
No he didn't. The ref was giving out yellows way, way, way too easily. And he let the game get out of hand at times. Most yellow cards were completely unnecessary.

 

[Briosafreak]

Freaking Epic!

 

[Brother None]

The ref was giving out yellows way, way, way too easily. And he let the game get out of hand at times. Most yellow cards were completely unnecessary.

No, he wasn't. He was giving out yellow cards easily, but he did not let either side of easily. Both teams got out of control and the most direct means of getting the game back in control for the ref is to give out cards. That's what he did.

So who's fault is that pile of yellow cards? Netherlands and Portugal. Fuck any whining about this ref. He didn't do a golden job, but considering the fucked up situation those two teams (under the impetus of Bouhlarouz) created, I think he did fine.

Good match despite the many reds and rugby-style of playing, though. Good win for Portugal. Good equal-strength match, could've gone either way at any point, but they showed more control in the offense in the end, partially thanks to our retarded fielding of "I'm not really a shooter but more of a right-wing forward" Kuyt (why the fuck is he fielded as a shooter anyway? Dumb dumb dumb, even Fennegoor of H is better).

PS: van der Sar did an ace job. ACE.

 

[welsh]

That Portuguese- Netherlands game was one of the most entertaining in this world cup. COngrats to Portugal. Hopefully the red cards will not do you too much damage in the next round.

 

[Volkov]

Jesus, I'm going to be pissing my pants the entire Australia - Italy game. I have a feeling we're going to be solidly raped.

 

[Duckman]

Jesus, I'm going to be pissing my pants the entire Australia - Italy game. I have a feeling we're going to be solidly raped.

Hey, we did beat the Netherlands remember and they are (or were ) the 4th ranked team in the world. Don't blame me for hoping.

 

[Volkov]

Jesus, I'm going to be pissing my pants the entire Australia - Italy game. I have a feeling we're going to be solidly raped.

Hey, we did beat the Netherlands remember and they are (or were ) the 4th ranked team in the world. Don't blame me for hoping.

I won't blame you, I'm hoping just as hard. It's just, you know, Italy. I've heard they're kind of good at this game.

 

[Sander]

The ref was giving out yellows way, way, way too easily. And he let the game get out of hand at times. Most yellow cards were completely unnecessary.

No, he wasn't. He was giving out yellow cards easily, but he did not let either side of easily. Both teams got out of control and the most direct means of getting the game back in control for the ref is to give out cards. That's what he did.

So who's fault is that pile of yellow cards? Netherlands and Portugal. Fuck any whining about this ref. He didn't do a golden job, but considering the fucked up situation those two teams (under the impetus of Bouhlarouz) created, I think he did fine.

Except that it really wasn't that rough a match. No rougher than, say, the match against Australia was. It was only after a shitload of yellow cards that it got out of control anyway.
Half the cards really weren't justfiied (although most cards we got were).

But hey, who am I to complain, it led to some brilliantly entertaining football. Especially the laughing about

Good match despite the many reds and rugby-style of playing, though. Good win for Portugal. Good equal-strength match, could've gone either way at any point, but they showed more control in the offense in the end, partially thanks to our retarded fielding of "I'm not really a shooter but more of a right-wing forward" Kuyt (why the fuck is he fielded as a shooter anyway? Dumb dumb dumb, even Fennegoor of H is better).

Kuyt's good at that with Feyenoord, though.
Also, their attack wasn't any more dangerous. Except that they got one goal in.

EDIT: Also, duckman, you didn't beat the Netherlands, you tied them.

 

[Brother None]

Jesus, I'm going to be pissing my pants the entire Australia - Italy game. I have a feeling we're going to be solidly raped.

I'm hoping the same. The earlier Italy leaves the WC the more fun the world cup becomes. Fucking Italy.

Same goes for France. GO SPAIN!

Except that it really wasn't that rough a match. No rougher than, say, the match against Australia was. It was only after a shitload of yellow cards that it got out of control anyway.
Half the cards really weren't justfiied (although most cards we got were).

Weren't justified in the old rules. You can't blame the referee for the fact that FIFA decided that a tackle from behind is a yellow card *by definition*, as is intentional hands. FIFA decided to toughen it up, and now they make fun of one of their own for following their tougher rules? Fuck FIFA.

Our match against Australia wasn't a competition match. Big difference.

You can't blame the referee for the fact that Portugal and Holland made so many fouls, though, nor can you blame him for the back-handed stabs of clever players like Figo or out-of-control trouble-seeking from hotheads like van der Vaart and Sneijder.


Heh, besides, in TOTAL fairness, Bouhlarouz' karate-kick and Figo's head-butt are actually insta-red cards. If anything, he was too lenient on those two.

Kuyt's good at that with Feyenoord, though.

Yes, but he's not a striker with Feyenoord, now is he? Van Nistelrooy is with Man U, and Vennegoor is with PSV. Big difference.

Also, their attack wasn't any more dangerous. Except that they got one goal in.

Less attacks with better coordination > a lot of attacks with no coordination. Yes, their attack was a LOT more dangerous, helped quite a bit by how coordinated their defense and midfield were and the total chaos and leaving 10 yards of room for attackers of our defenders.

EDIT: Also, duckman, you didn't beat the Netherlands, you tied them.

Also, duckman, the FIFA world rankings are a joke.

 

[quietfanatic]

A joke indeed. I don't fancy our chances against Italy, especially if we lose another player or two in the centre. I can only hope that the Italians will have many a loser's feast. The new joke of the time is:

"How do you make an Italian laugh?"

Answer:

 

[Per]

Italy will burn in hell.

 

[mortiz]

"How do you make an Italian laugh?"

Congratulate them for fair play.

 

[Volkov]

I am so pissed off right now.

 

[Sander]

Weren't justified in the old rules. You can't blame the referee for the fact that FIFA decided that a tackle from behind is a yellow card *by definition*, as is intentional hands. FIFA decided to toughen it up, and now they make fun of one of their own for following their tougher rules? Fuck FIFA.

Sure. But there are major differences between the way this man refs, and some of the others do. Examine, for instance, the match just played, Ukraine-Switzerland (goddamn boring match), that referee allowed a lot more to go on, and gave a lot fewer cards.
Anyway, many of the yellow cards weren't tackles from behind or intentional hands. The first yellow of that hands-ball-guy really wasn't a yellow card, for instance. I have my doubts about Van Bommel's first card as well. Deco's second yellow was ridiculous as well (if anything, Cocu should've gotten a card there for literally throwing Deco around), as was Van Bronckhorst's second yellow.

Although Van Bronckhorst and Deco bantering about the ref at the end of the game was funny to watch.

Our match against Australia wasn't a competition match. Big difference.

...
Yes, in that it makes me more right. It was a rougher match than our match against Portugal, so the referee could easily have drawn a shitload of yellow cards there, especially because they would've been yellows with no consequences. But didn't. And the match was kept under control.

You can't blame the referee for the fact that Portugal and Holland made so many fouls, though, nor can you blame him for the back-handed stabs of clever players like Figo or out-of-control trouble-seeking from hotheads like van der Vaart and Sneijder.

True. I can blame him for letting it get out of hand, though.

Heh, besides, in TOTAL fairness, Bouhlarouz' karate-kick and Figo's head-butt are actually insta-red cards. If anything, he was too lenient on those two.

Boula's karate-kick didn't look anything like intentional, but yeah. BUT, a lot of those other cards really were unnecessary. And they ruined the match.
Do you know how many minutes nothing happened, just because of red cards and small riots in the second half (excluding injury time)? 13 minutes. And that's not counting any times the ball wasn't rolling because of other fouls, yellow cards and Portuguese players trying to stall.
EDIT: Apparently, an estimated 18 minutes of pure playing time in the second half. Average of 35 minutes.
And a lower average of fouls than in other matches.

Yes, but he's not a striker with Feyenoord, now is he? Van Nistelrooy is with Man U, and Vennegoor is with PSV. Big difference.

....
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Man, you really need to watch some club football before you make claims like this.
Kuyt *is* Feyenoord's striker. Has been for several years. Really.

Less attacks with better coordination > a lot of attacks with no coordination. Yes, their attack was a LOT more dangerous, helped quite a bit by how coordinated their defense and midfield were and the total chaos and leaving 10 yards of room for attackers of our defenders.

The second half saw a lot dominance and a lot more chances for us, though.
And really, they had a lot fewer chances than us throughout the match. But they were more efficient (not really more dangerous, we had about as many good attacks as them).

Also, duckman, the FIFA world rankings are a joke.

Also, duckman, you lost. Very, very, very Italian-esque.
Also, duckman, Materazzi got sent off. God, that guy sucks.

 

[Brother None]

Sure. But there are major differences between the way this man refs, and some of the others do. Examine, for instance, the match just played, Ukraine-Switzerland (goddamn boring match), that referee allowed a lot more to go on, and gave a lot fewer cards.

Apples and pears. The players of Ukraine and Switzerland hardly acted as did the player of Holland and Portugal.

Hell, too little whistling in that match.

Anyway, many of the yellow cards weren't tackles from behind or intentional hands. The first yellow of that hands-ball-guy really wasn't a yellow card, for instance. I have my doubts about Van Bommel's first card as well. Deco's second yellow was ridiculous as well (if anything, Cocu should've gotten a card there for literally throwing Deco around), as was Van Bronckhorst's second yellow.

Van Bommel's yellow card was a tackle from behind.

Yes, in that it makes me more right. It was a rougher match than our match against Portugal, so the referee could easily have drawn a shitload of yellow cards there, especially because they would've been yellows with no consequences. But didn't. And the match was kept under control.

No it doesn't, because a friendly match isn't used, ever, to set an example towards other countries or to make an exposition of the new ruleset. FIFA has a lot more to prove in a real match than in a friendly match.

True. I can blame him for letting it get out of hand, though.

No, you can't. Did he pick fights? Did he mock players? Did he intentionally favour one side? Not in the least. It's not his responsibility to calm players down. They're professionals playing on the highest level of sport, their behaviour is what people should be really ashamed of here, not the fact that the referee doesn't have the means to bring them back on a leash.

Boula's karate-kick didn't look anything like intentional

I'm not sure if that's really relevant when kicking that high.

And they ruined the match.

No, the playing style "ruined the match".

Do you know how many minutes nothing happened, just because of red cards and small riots in the second half (excluding injury time)? 13 minutes. And that's not counting any times the ball wasn't rolling because of other fouls, yellow cards and Portuguese players trying to stall.
EDIT: Apparently, an estimated 18 minutes of pure playing time in the second half. Average of 35 minutes.
And a lower average of fouls than in other matches.

Again, it's not the referees fault if childish Portuguese players refuse to let go of the ball or if agressive Dutchies roll over other players.

18 minutes of playing time isn't a lot. I've already seen matches with 25 minutes of real playing time in this WC, though, nobody was kicking up any dirt then.

Kuyt *is* Feyenoord's striker. Has been for several years. Really.

I thought Babel and Kuyt were double wingers? From memory and considering their relative goals (29/20 in 04/05 and 22/15 in 05/06), I'm pretty sure that's accurate.

The second half saw a lot dominance and a lot more chances for us, though.

Dominance yes. Chances not so much.

And really, they had a lot fewer chances than us throughout the match.

No, they have fewer Shots on Goal. Big difference.

But they were more efficient (not really more dangerous, we had about as many good attacks as them).

No we didn't. We were hardly more dangerous, with the appalling way most attacks were rounded off. i.e. badly

PS: Holland v. Portugal now stands as the only amusing finals match so far. Goddamn, this is some boring shit right here.

 

[Member of Khans]

Examine, for instance, the match just played, Ukraine-Switzerland (goddamn boring match) *snip*

HELVETIA!, oh well...
This tactics is called "defensive football", I think. Unfortunately, if nobody attacks, it's quite difficult to defend something.

 

[Brother None]

This tactics is called "defensive football", I think. Unfortunately, if nobody attacks, it's quite difficult to defend something.

The idea of defensive football is that you defend and counter quickly whenever possible, a la Italy. The idea is not that both teams never penetrate into each others' 16-meter zone, a la this Most Boring Match Ever®.

 

[Member of Khans]

The idea of defensive football is that you defend and counter quickly whenever possible

Which cannot work if both teams wait for each other to attack.

Most Boring Match Ever®.

Indeed.

 

[Duckman]

Man I was shitting my pants the whole game and what a fucked up way to go down to the queens of dramatic soccer diving.

Fuck you Italy (not angst)

 

[Sander]

No it doesn't, because a friendly match isn't used, ever, to set an example towards other countries or to make an exposition of the new ruleset. FIFA has a lot more to prove in a real match than in a friendly match.

The yellow card for a tackle from behind isn't new, it's been around since '98. So it isn't anything of an example either. It's really just this one referee. Blatter's reaction should show that they didn't order him to set an example either (and setting an example is not what the World Cup is for).

No, you can't. Did he pick fights? Did he mock players? Did he intentionally favour one side? Not in the least. It's not his responsibility to calm players down. They're professionals playing on the highest level of sport, their behaviour is what people should be really ashamed of here, not the fact that the referee doesn't have the means to bring them back on a leash.

I can still blame him. Here, look at me: I blame him.
But yes, the players are the ones who act like that. However, the ref didn't carry any weight with the players. There's not natural dominance from him, so he just starts waving cards to create that dominance.
Really, that's how it works. Although, y'know, that basically means I should blame FIFA for letting him in as a referee, since he isn't dominant enough. Collina, for instance, is dominant enough, and hence doesn't need to wave with cards all over the place.

I'm not sure if that's really relevant when kicking that high.

Well, somewhat. If not intentional, it was 'dangerous play', which is never a red card.
Also, there was also that karate kick Robben got which went unpunished but not unnoticed.

Again, it's not the referees fault if childish Portuguese players refuse to let go of the ball or if agressive Dutchies roll over other players.

18 minutes of playing time isn't a lot. I've already seen matches with 25 minutes of real playing time in this WC, though, nobody was kicking up any dirt then.

...
Which ones? Because I haven't.
8 minutes is bloody little. Normally there's 35 minutes in a half.

I thought Babel and Kuyt were double wingers? From memory and considering their relative goals (29/20 in 04/05 and 22/15 in 05/06), I'm pretty sure that's accurate.

Babel? Babel doesn't play for Feyenoord. Maybe you mean Kalou. Which still doesn't make it accurate. Kalou played as a second striker in his first season, alongside Kuyt. This season he played on the wing (opposite Castelen) with Kuyt as a striker.
Really, Kuyt is a pure striker.

No, they have fewer Shots on Goal. Big difference.

Shots on goal is not the same as chances, no. But, especially toward the end of the match, we had a lot more chances. The ball there more or less went from Vennegoor to a chance to the portuguese, to Van der Sar, to Vennegoor.

No we didn't. We were hardly more dangerous, with the appalling way most attacks were rounded off. i.e. badly

PS: Holland v. Portugal now stands as the only amusing finals match so far. Goddamn, this is some boring shit right here.

Right on both accounts.