2010 FIFA World Cup

[WorstUsernameEver]

The Dutch were consistently booked and eventually sent off. A bad call is a bad call.

 

To be fair, both Robben and De Jong could have been sent off, so it could have been worse for Holland.

All in all, it was a pretty bad match, and Webb wasn't as good as he should have been.

[Blarghagh]

Webb bothered me throughout most of the game because even in the extra time I felt like he had never given the match time to start. His whistle was only a little less constant than the vuvuzela's.

[Serrano]

 

Perhaps this is the first step towards Bloodbowl becoming an official sport.

[HoonDing]

That should've been red immediately. But the referee clearly prefered to give the yellows...

[WorstUsernameEver]

I can see a future in action movies for De Jong.

Imagine that in slow motion, with a rotating camera.. uhm.. and explosions in the background.

Put it in New Vegas, Josh!

[Blarghagh]

It should have been red. Again an example of the ref not doing his job. Where is video playback support for a sport that DESPERATELY needs it.

[Fallen Ghost]

To be honest I haven't seen Netherlands playing to injure.

There were some bad fouls yeah, but you're greatly exaggerating it Fallen_Ghost.

 

Am I exagerating? The Netherlands had twice as many cards and about 50%(9) more fouls than Spain. I don't know about you but that is a very large difference in fouls. While I wouldn't say Spain was peaceful I think they only did as much as was needed to keep the Netherlands from getting to cripple every last one of them.

[WorstUsernameEver]

It should have been red. Again an example of the ref not doing his job. Where is video playback support for a sport that DESPERATELY needs it.

 

What do you expect from Blatter?

On retrospect, I still find it incredible that Zidane was sent off in 2006.

[Blarghagh]

To be honest I haven't seen Netherlands playing to injure.

There were some bad fouls yeah, but you're greatly exaggerating it Fallen_Ghost.

 

Am I exagerating? The Netherlands had twice as many cards and about 50%(9) more fouls than Spain. I don't know about you but that is a very large difference in fouls. While I wouldn't say Spain was peaceful I think they only did as much as was needed to keep the Netherlands from getting to cripple every last one of them.

 

That's only because major fouls by the Spanish on players like Sneijder that should have gotten cards didn't. Apparently the ref thought he was hit by a bird or something. And let's not forget undeserved yellows (Iniesta will probably win some swimming competitions with the way takes a dive) when the Netherlands took the ball in fair duels, and yellows for disagreeing with the ref (Matthijsen). Where's the violence in that? Statistics aside, anyone who actually watched the match will know that you are exaggerating.

Edited July 11, 2010 by TrueNeutral

[mkreku]

I saw a first half filled with dives from both teams. I also saw Robben miss two break-aways, Robben getting a yellow card for shouting at the ref and Spain scoring a suspicious goal.

 

All in all a pretty disappointing final game, but congratulations Spain.

[Blarghagh]

I saw the umpteenth example of why the rule-framework of football no longer works, like I said after Su

[Gorgon]

Spain deserved the win. I also don't think I have seen as many yellows and as many missed 100% chances in one game.

 

The goal might have been offside, from the earlier pass which was not called.

[Fallen Ghost]

All in all I think there is one thing that can be said with certainty about Spain......this cup belongs to the goalkeeper Casillas he alone carried Spain to gold as the rest of the team wasn't keen on scoring goals.

[Blarghagh]

Casillas was fantastic, as was Stekelenburg though. Loss aside, Stekelenburg is a worthy successor to Edwin van der Sar, which is the biggest compliment I think a goalkeeper can receive.

[Balthamael]

Not the best final I have ever seen (nor the biggest understatement I have ever made, though it comes close), but I am glad Spain won in the end. I've been supporting them for as long as I can remember. Don't ask why, the reasons would be hypocritical anyways. I guess I am just drawn to perennial underachievers. Not sure what I am going to do now that they no longer deserve that title. At any rate, this team didn't always show it, but they certainly had amazing amount of individual skill in their ranks. And I think they deserve this.

 

Forlan won the Golden Ball for best player of the tournament. Personally I might have given it to Casillas, but I can't really disagree with that decision either. Forlan was the heart and soul of Uruguay's offence, and pretty much single-handedly (no Suarez jokes, please) carried the team to semi-finals.

Edited July 11, 2010 by Balthamael

[Blarghagh]

Forlan won the Golden Ball for best player of the tournament. Personally I might have given it to Casillas, but I can't really disagree with that decision either. Forlan was the heart and soul of Uruguay's offence, and pretty much single-handedly (no Suarez jokes, please) carried the team to semi-finals.

 

 

Cheers to Diego Forlan! Well deserved! Despite my dislike of how his team advanced, Diego Forlan was simply the best player this tournament.

 

Still hate that squid, though, so I'mma plug my own artwork again.

 

Edited July 11, 2010 by TrueNeutral

[Fallen Ghost]

I looked at Spain's goal again. There was no offside on first pass(see picture and explanation below). The second pass after Spain got the ball back wasn't offside so that was clean.

 

There was no mistake by the referees.

Edited July 11, 2010 by Fallen Ghost

[Malcador]

Knew the refereeing would be awful when they chose an Englishman - and an EPL one to boot. Pah. Also, lovely to see Iniesta dive as he did. High comedy to call the Dutch play rough, other than De Jong's high boot, most of the fouls are pretty common other than the typical Spanish overacting.

 

 

I do love how Puyol and Xavi waved the Catalan flag after their win.

Edited July 11, 2010 by Malcador

[Fallen Ghost]

There was NO offside from Spain when the goal was scored:

 

and ultimate proof of no offside:

 

 

 

 

You see the last defender moving back away from the keeper looking for the ball.

 

The ball is half way to the attacker who is running full speed towards goal and is barely one step past the last defender when the ball is half way to him already.

 

That's the best screenshot I could take but the moment that the ball was kicked to the attacker he wasn't yet past the last defender. It all happens in a split second so it only LOOKS like an offside but there was none.

 

THIS is why we are FANS and NOT REFEREES. Because we jump to call them wrong when we're the ones who are clueless.

Edited July 11, 2010 by Fallen Ghost

[Tigranes]

Dull final, but most finals are dull. The better team won, but with no small help from a truly awful referee.

 

The goal itself wasn't offside - when Fabregas played the ball Iniesta was clearly on. It's actually a bit clearer than FG's picture, which is at an angle that privileges the offside view. Nevertheless, 'three yellow cards' Webb ruined it - yellows when it should be nothing, nothing when it should be yellow, a nonsensical red out of nowhere, etc. It seemed like he came in with a mission to crack down on dirty play; he did so on the Dutch, who *were* dirty early on, but then decided the Dutch are the bastard children of Satan and had to be stopped by every means possible. The WC final needed a ref who was less prima donna 'I'm famous mama I'm gonna do this' and more level-headedness.

 

Thought the Dutch did all they could given their clear inferiority in terms of player quality, if they could have stopped themselves from becoming so frustrated with the ref and if they could have knocked in one of their chances it would have been different. Certainly they had a better plan to stop Spain than Germany. Nevertheless, Spain probably deserves this, well done to the champions. Good to see Del Bosque pull out some reasonable tactical decisions, as well.

[Fallen Ghost]

Dull final, but most finals are dull. The better team won, but with no small help from a truly awful referee.

 

The goal itself wasn't offside - when Fabregas played the ball Iniesta was clearly on. It's actually a bit clearer than FG's picture, which is at an angle that privileges the offside view. Nevertheless, 'three yellow cards' Webb ruined it - yellows when it should be nothing, nothing when it should be yellow, a nonsensical red out of nowhere, etc. It seemed like he came in with a mission to crack down on dirty play; he did so on the Dutch, who *were* dirty early on, but then decided the Dutch are the bastard children of Satan and had to be stopped by every means possible. The WC final needed a ref who was less prima donna 'I'm famous mama I'm gonna do this' and more level-headedness.

 

There was NO offside period:

 

 

 

The picture isn't ideal but you can tell the ball is in the air and that Iniesta is BEHIND the last defender.

Edited July 11, 2010 by Fallen Ghost

[Fallen Ghost]

The nearly unanimous consensus there was an offside when there wasn't makes me wonder how many other split second actions did nearly everyone fail to observe and are now using their mistakes to blame the referees. As far as I can tell the referees did a great job doing what they were paid to do.....being professionals that correctly call plays so fast that they are missed by 99% of the people watching the match.

[Gorgon]

The offside was in the previous play, if that's what it was, not in the final pass.

[Fallen Ghost]

The offside was in the previous play, if that's what it was, not in the final pass.

 

That IS the previous play(the one that ends up intercepted by Netherlands defender) NOT the final pass for goal.

 

This is the pass for goal:

 

 

There was NO offside at all from Spain when they scored.

Edited July 11, 2010 by Fallen Ghost

[Gorgon]

Well alight, that looks onside.