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Post by ospelgull on Jul 9, 2010 18:46:11 GMT
But that's no problem. He picked Germany for the Euro 2008 final, thus was wrong for that final... Fingers crossed.
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Post by ajaxgull on Jul 9, 2010 19:36:24 GMT
Hi Rob !
Phew, there is still hope !!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2010 21:32:21 GMT
The squirrels reach different conclusions. but the Cat is sure it's going to be a Dutch victory. |
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Post by ajaxgull on Jul 9, 2010 23:35:20 GMT
I'll go with the cat !!
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Jul 11, 2010 21:31:24 GMT
A big hand to the Octupus then!   |
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merse
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Post by merse on Jul 11, 2010 21:40:34 GMT
 It's just gone friggin' mental around here and Olivia's at the window enjoying a spectacular firework display and a cacaphoney of car horns as the Spanish of North London celebrate. The firecrackers have woken Calvin now as well and he looks like Van Bommel has just gone off in his cot! Good for Spain who stuck to their beliefs, good for football and good riddance to the cynical, petulant, cry baby and thuggish Dutch who were a disgrace to their heritage of fine technique and flair. They gave the officials a hell of an ordeal tonight and should have been down to eight men by the final whistle...................De Jong's assault at chest high was just ludicrous and I guess Howard Webb was trying his utmost to maintain the integrity of a final in his super human efforts to keep 22 men on the field. I hope the Dutch people are thoroughly miserable and hurt like hell from that defeat ~ their team ruined the World Cup Final, nothing to be proud of eh? Clog off home on the first flight out, losers! ;D
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Post by loyalgull on Jul 11, 2010 21:56:30 GMT
thankfully the footballing team won tonight,holland played in a way which was most disappointing,they were cynical intent on spoiling the show and unsporting in play and defeat.Howard webb and co had a very difficult game to handle,although he may get lambasted in the press i thought he did the best of a difficult job.Holland could have no complaints if they finished with 8 men,they served up what is bad about the game and got their just desserts,well done spain who thoroughly deserved it.My overall feelings are that nobody stood out as consistently world beaters and a lot of games were drull,the africans need applauding for there enthusiasm and freindliness,the tournament itself went very well,but overall it was an ok worldcup,one that wont stand long in the memory,oh and bye bye vuvuzelas good riddance i hope ;D
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Jul 11, 2010 21:59:02 GMT
Very disappointed with the way the Dutch players acted no better than thugs on some street corner and while before the game I wanted them to win; due to the way they carried on I changed my mind by halftime and cheered on the Spanish team.
I thought Webb did ever so well in what was such a hard game for anyone to referee and its no good the Dutch complaining they should have had a free kick on the edge of the Spanish box just before Spain scored, they should be thanking Webb for not sending off half the team during the 90 minutes.
Not a very good world cup final and I have to agree with merse that was only because the way the Dutch carried on and no Dutch man should be feeling anything but shame at the way their team played.
We should take nothing away from the Dutch team for reaching the final, but what a shame they did not treat us to the technique and flair we know the Dutch footballers for. Its one thing trying to stop a good passing team from playing the ball around by closing them down and denying them space, its something else when you try and stop them and risk causing them serious injury by thuggish behaviour.
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Post by ajaxgull on Jul 11, 2010 22:31:55 GMT
I wanted the Dutch to do it but could not believe what I was seeing in that horrible first half. I was absolutely disgusted with De Jong and Van Bommel.
I am glad Spain won it as I would not be able to celebrate wining it in that way. I prefer to think of Cruyff Neeskens Van Basten Gullit and Bergkamp as a representation of Dutch football rather than the other two I mentioned !
As Dave said they did well to get to the final but that was horrible tonight.
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merse
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Post by merse on Jul 11, 2010 22:44:08 GMT
Amongst all the outrage over the Dutch, it should not be forgotten that the winning goal was pure class................the Spanish nicked the ball on the ege of their own penalty area in the right back position and the next Dutch player to touch it was the one who fished it out of their net at the other end! 
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Post by lambethgull on Jul 11, 2010 22:52:28 GMT
Not sure what game everyone else was expecting, but I certainly wasn't expecting a 'classic'. Spain with their seven goals all tournament (only two conceded), and the Dutch facing technically superior opponents were never going to produce anything else.
I'd agree with others that de Jong should have walked after his reckless challenge, but the Spanish attempt to do Webb's job for him after that tackle probably cost them the correct decision. The Dutch were physical bordering on cynical; but technically weaker opponents are often drawn to such methods.
I'm not sure what to make of Spain's win. They play 'good' football and have some terrific players (Xavi and Iniesta in particular are magnificent), but they underwhelm me. Their lack of wingers, players who will take men on, their aversion to crosses (a) because they're a team of midgets, b) because such a thing would risk losing posession) and their lack of proper centre-forwards bores me. They win things, so their methods are beyond dispute as far as that goes, but they're surely fortunate that so many play for the same club.
We'll no doubt hear about how "English clubs should be producing players like Barcelona". I disagree. The reason why such a thing will never happen is probably the subject for another thread, but I can never see it happening. World Cup success is surely overrated anyway........give me a cold Tuesday night in September in a League 2 Away End than a pub full of cretins cooing over the Spanish.
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Post by jmgull on Jul 12, 2010 0:01:11 GMT
I think the condemnation of the Dutch side is very harsh.....
It was a very tactical game........when Spain are involved it's always going to be the case......after all apart from Brazil who is going to try and "out fooball" this Spanish side.
The only way to beat them realistically is to stop their brilliant midfield from running the game...........the dutch tried to "get in their face", deny them the time and space to play.
The problem for Holland was that the likes of Xavi and Iniesta were still too quick in mind and body for them............and most of the poor tackles were as a result of being a yard too slow.......
.....all this talk of the Dutch trying to kick the Spanish out of the World Cup is complete nonsence..........they just weren't good enough on the day.
England would have had to approach the game in exactly the same way, if by some miracle we had got that far.
The right result.......and Iniesta deserved the glory of gettibg the winner
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Post by ospelgull on Jul 12, 2010 6:34:54 GMT
Well, well what a night. Congratulations to Spain. A very poor display in the 1st half, nothing but a disgrace. How the Dutch managed to end the half with eleven on the pitch is still a miracle to me. However, in the 2nd half they kept the Spanish at bay without making horrible challenges. The Spanish have better players, you can't blame the Dutch for trying to make life very difficult for them. Rowe-Turner must be Dutch  Robben should have wrapped it up and Puyol should have received his marching orders as well. And merse, Howard Webb was a disgrace for failing to give the Dutch a corner, instead it ended up in the back of the net on the other side of the pitch... Lady luck has been with the Dutch all tournament long but she left in the 2nd half, although I can't complain about the fact that the team who tried to play in the right manner won. BTW, did anyone see them trying to get players booked by asking for cards?  During the interval I watched the BBC to see how other countries viewed the finale, refreshing to say the least. That's 3 finals played and lost all of them. Will it ever change? |
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merse
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Post by merse on Jul 12, 2010 7:44:24 GMT
I'm not sure what to make of Spain's win. They play 'good' football and have some terrific players (Xavi and Iniesta in particular are magnificent), but they underwhelm me. Their lack of wingers, players who will take men on, their aversion to crosses (a) because they're a team of midgets, b) because such a thing would risk losing posession) and their lack of proper centre-forwards bores me. They win things, so their methods are beyond dispute as far as that goes, but they're surely fortunate that so many play for the same club. What you should make of it is that they play to their strengths and those strengths are the fulmination of two decades of a well thought out and executed national programme of coaching and determination that the physical stature of a footballer need not be the overwhelming factor when assessing whether or not he has the talent and technique needed to play at the top level, The Spanish are by evolution a somewhat small race, so it makes sense really to have recognised that fact and worked on their national programme accordingly. Yes, seven of that team last night play for Barcelona, but Del Bosque uses them in a totally different manner to what they are used to at Barca. Whilst their club "claim the touchlines" (both of them) at the earliest opportunity once in position, the national team do indeed play a narrower game and forego that tactic. The one genric factor though is "Tika Taka" pass, pass, pass ~ possession is king. Whilst both Brazil and Holland, past masters of technique; have eschewed the technical for the physical, Spain have stood for something totally different. A wet Tuesday in Rochdale? You're off your rocker! |
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Post by lambethgull on Jul 12, 2010 8:58:20 GMT
The fact that they play to their strengths (and are very successsful at doing that) is beyond doubt. You don't become reigning European and World Champions without being very effective and very good. My beef, and it's not an important one in the overall scheme of things, is that I find watching them dull. Yes, I can appreciate the movement, although I guess one would have to see them live to get a true appreciation of that. I can also see how almost every pass finds its intended target, that posession is almost never 'gifted' to the opposition and that each player seems to possess that 'sixth sense' of knowing where each of his team-mates are. But eight goals is seven matches? Okay, opposing teams have tried to counter them by denying them space and harrying, a tactic only Switzerland managed to execute with any form of tangible success, but eight goals? Where are the mazy runs, the bullet headers from crosses, where are the goals? No, teams do not attend the World Cup as circus performers; they go to win. Why take unecessary risks to please the neutrals? By winning and conceding just 2 goals, Spain are justly World Champions. I just don't share any particular joy in it  |
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