Official World Cup Thread

[mg91]

I disagree, I thought the quality on display was rather good. Spain are just the masters at the moment. It's a shame they can't convert their domination into goals to be honest. That said however, had Robben taken his oppurtunity, the game would have beena lot different. Similairly, if he'd looked to finish his second one on one oppurtunity without having to look for a free kick, we might be saying the same.

Kuyt blames referee Webb for final loss

Dirk Kuyt pointed the finger of blame for Netherlands' World Cup final defeat squarely at referee Howard Webb, after the English official booked eight Dutch players and sent off John Heitinga.

Andres Iniesta's extra-time goal handed Spain a first World Cup triumph, with the winning strike coming seven minutes after Heitinga was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.

In all, 14 yellow cards were issued - a record number for a World Cup final - and Kuyt believes that Webb was not favourable to his side at Soccer City.

"We are angry because we were so close. The referee was slightly more for them than for us. That ultimately cost us the cup."

Netherlands captain Giovani van Bronckhorst will now retire from professional football and while the left back did not want to end on a downbeat note, he is proud of his team's effort throughout the tournament.

"We were so close to being world champions, but it didn't work out that way," Van Bronckhorst said. "It is very disappointing.

"I am very proud of the team and everything we have achieved. We came far, we gave everything today."

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/808195/ce/uk/?cc=3436&ver=global

I find it very sad that the Dutch have decided to blame the referee to be honest. They played a very physical game, particularly in the first half and I thought Howard Webb did a fantastic job. He started pulling out cards as soon as it was obvious that the game was starting to get a bit dirty and was consistent from there on in. It's hard to disagree with any of his decisions. I'm often a harsh critic of referee's but Howard Webb did a fantastic job. He tried his best to keep everyone on the field. In all fairness, he was well within his rights to send of De Jong for his Jackie Chan impersonation on Alonso, and van Bommel for his consistent late tackles, so I don't understand where the Dutch get off blaming the referee. There was no way Iniesta was offside either, for the record. He was a country mile onside.

Spain are without doubt the best team in the world, so I'm glad they won. So long as Torres didn't score the winner, I think they were always my preferred team, and considering the impeccable way in which they hold onto the ball, pass the ball in the most tight spaces, and create a plethora of opportunities, their win is ultimately a win for good football.

 

[cruzg24]

I partially agree with your assessment of the referee. I think some calls in the 1st half werent deserving of a booking. But the 2nd half I saw some pretty big time tackles that needed yellow cards. I think he was average at best considering he missed a blatant red card right in front of his face. I also thought the 2nd Robben run deserved a free kick as well. I thought Spain played very well, considering the way Netherlands played them. Every team knows now how to play Spain and thats why we saw Spain win so many 1-0 games. Sometimes thats how it goes. Im glad Spain won because this style of soccer is what is needed for the growth of the sport.

 

[mg91]

Regardless, it's a bit hard to justify the Dutch claims that they lost solely because of the referee. In comparison to the other officials at the tournament, I think Howard was the best choice for this game and I think he got the vast majority of his decisions correct.

I wish he'd been in charge of some of Australia's games to be honest.

 

[cruzg24]

Regardless, it's a bit hard to justify the Dutch claims that they lost solely because of the referee. In comparison to the other officials at the tournament, I think Howard was the best choice for this game and I think he got the vast majority of his decisions correct.

I wish he'd been in charge of some of Australia's games to be honest.

Yea, i agree. Overall it was a very fun World Cup and I think with the technology being implemented for the next World Cup, its going to be extremely beneficial. I also think Brazil is a great place for the next one. I just find it very weird that it took till 2014 to use instant replay in soccer, really pathetic if you ask me....

 

[Mooche]

I disagree, I thought the quality on display was rather good. Spain are just the masters at the moment. It's a shame they can't convert their domination into goals to be honest. That said however, had Robben taken his oppurtunity, the game would have beena lot different. Similairly, if he'd looked to finish his second one on one oppurtunity without having to look for a free kick, we might be saying the same.



I find it very sad that the Dutch have decided to blame the referee to be honest. They played a very physical game, particularly in the first half and I thought Howard Webb did a fantastic job. He started pulling out cards as soon as it was obvious that the game was starting to get a bit dirty and was consistent from there on in. It's hard to disagree with any of his decisions. I'm often a harsh critic of referee's but Howard Webb did a fantastic job. He tried his best to keep everyone on the field. In all fairness, he was well within his rights to send of De Jong for his Jackie Chan impersonation on Alonso, and van Bommel for his consistent late tackles, so I don't understand where the Dutch get off blaming the referee. There was no way Iniesta was offside either, for the record. He was a country mile onside.

Spain are without doubt the best team in the world, so I'm glad they won. So long as Torres didn't score the winner, I think they were always my preferred team, and considering the impeccable way in which they hold onto the ball, pass the ball in the most tight spaces, and create a plethora of opportunities, their win is ultimately a win for good football.

I completely agree mg91. Webb, like I said earlier controlled the game and made sure that the game was being played the way it was supposed to be played. The Dutch were clearly looking to make the game a lot more physical and impose their will physically on the Spanish. He had none of that. That was excellent to see. As for the amount of cards, really, they were almost all just. He sent the message across early with a few quick yellows and Holland didn't get the message. Therefore, they kept flying up.

 

[mg91]

Yea, i agree. Overall it was a very fun World Cup and I think with the technology being implemented for the next World Cup, its going to be extremely beneficial. I also think Brazil is a great place for the next one. I just find it very weird that it took till 2014 to use instant replay in soccer, really pathetic if you ask me....

I thought it was a Cup which started rather slowly in all honesty. Part of me wishes they would scrap the group stages, but I suppose, at the very least they can give teams a good preparation for the KO stages, and gets more nations involved. The KO stages this year were, for the most part, extremely entertaining. Netherlands vs. Slovakia was probably the only game I will forget, but the rest were all memorable for one thing or another.

Technology was again at the forefront of debate, and I think it is now clear that the time has come to introduce it. Unfortunately we have a bit of a backwards president in Sepp Blatter who believes that the game should be the same at all levels from juniours right through to the World Cup. Such a sentiment is well outdated, and even now cannot be considered true. The importance of an U12 game pales in significance to a Round of 16 World Cup match, and as such, mistakes are much more costly. Just ask Frank Lampard. What is pleasing is that it is now being considered, which alone is something to be pleased about considering the stance Blatter has held on the issue for so long now.

I think this World Cup will eventually be considered a success. Many analysts have expressed their disappointment with the final, however I see little reason to complain. I find it a tad silly that journalists are so quick to brand the Dutch "anti-football". Had any of these "experts" been in charge of that team in a World Cup final against Spain, they would have sent out a side with a similar mindset. Such descriptions of this Dutch team also seem unfair because they played some fantastic football over the tournament. Their wins over Brazil and Uruguay were very impressive, and they arguably created the two best chances of this match, excluding Iniesta's goal.

 

[DJT]

Man that final was a dirty game...I was not happy with the ref, I think he called a little too much. Sooo many people flop in soccer...they should start calling it floper.

 

[mg91]

DIving would be completely erased if they would just ban them upon reviewing a match replay. Really, if they started doing that, simulation would be halved, and if it doesn't at least there'd be some bloody justice.

 

[shevshenko]

I was surprise the kung fu kick to Alonso's chest was only a yellow

 

[CameronCrazy06]

I also called it against Netherlands winning 1-0, so I think I did go out on a limb. And if youve noticed there have been very few teams who have won it all and Spain wasnt one of them. Only 8 teams have won the World Cup. Now 9.

1-0 is the most generic soccer score you can get. You didn't go out on a limb, you picked the #2 team in the world to win against the #4. In the NCAA this year, that's the equivalent of picking Kentucky and Syracuse in the championship. Not going out on a limb at all. I would've had the exact same picks if I would have picked against the United States (actually went out on a limb). My semifinalists were Germany (right), Netherlands (Right), Spain (Right), and U.S.A. (wrong).

 

[The Guid]

My only complaint with the ref is that Iniesta clearly dove for two straight free kicks and the ref didn't see any of it. That just irked me...even more so when he scored the goal.

 

[Mooche]

I know I am going to seem a little bit out there to some of you soccer fans. But I am sorry, for the amount of hype he gets, Iniesta is completely overrated. He makes an excellent play, then he makes three bad ones trying to do much and gets too cute.

 

[cruzg24]

JOHANNESBURG (AP)—The overall attendance at the World Cup was the third highest in history, behind the 1994 tournament in the United States and the last World Cup in Germany.

FIFA, world football’s ruling body, said in a statement Monday that 3.18 million fans attended the 64 matches in South Africa. The average attendance was 49,670.

The ’94 World Cup in the U.S.—where 3.59 million people watched games at the stadiums—still holds the record. In Germany four years ago, 3.36 million attended.

Organizers in South Africa acknowledged concerns over fan attendance leading up to the tournament before eventually agreeing to sell match tickets over the counter—a friendlier method for locals.

FIFA also said the average number of goals per game in South Africa was 2.27, down from 2.30 in Germany and 2.50 goals per game in Japan and South Korea in 2002.

 

[Mooche]

That is really great news for South Africa. They were actually a phenomenal host and all of the work that has been done there is really nice to see. Maybe one day Canada can host a Cup.

 

[mg91]

Not before Australia Mooche! Hahaha

 

[x.Moreau.x]

Espania besttt