Liverpool FC Forum

[andy_g]

kind of agree with you about webb's performance, ivan, but i think he was caught between a rock and a hard place (entre la espada y la pared). its his first final and he really doesn't want to be remembered as being the guy who sent off two players in the first half. on retrospect its a weakness for sure, but i think he was really trying to do it for the best of the game and the occasion. maybe IF he gets another final he'll do his job better according to the rules and not to his heart.

[fivecups]

Some final pictures.... what a great world cup it's been. Now begins the countdown to Brazil!!!

Do you think Bav? I thought it was one of the worst World Cups I can remember, if not the worst.

Totally agree - worst world cup I have eve seen . Reasons

1. Football on show in the main was very very poor with the odd good game but nothing spectacular
2. Hardly any decent goals - in previous comps there has been loads to enjoy
3. Half empty stadiums
4. Those bloody vuvuzelas - constant annoying drone meaning no atmosphere IMO and not being able to hear the crowds
5. Awful refs throughout the tournament.
6. The telly coverage - the whole ITV team was bloody awful and Mark Bright on BBC is shocking

1. and 2. = Adidas and the Jubulani. Disgrace that ruined the world cup.

People are too quick to blame the ball - it was used during the bundasliga season no one complained about it before , at the end of the day it's a round ball and professional players should be able to play with it . Most of the poor play came from players off form and defensive tactics of ensuring they don't loose as opposed to going out to win

Not in this case. Most of the best players in the world dont suddenly have a bad month for no reason. A football is not just a 'round ball'; changes in it's structure will effect the way it behaves, and professional players will be much more sensitive to these changes than you or me.

Adidas made radical and completely unneccessary changes to the ball that affected the physics of how it acts at certain velocities. It was even tested by NASA who demonstrated something called the 'knuckle effect' when kicked at certain speeds. By removing much of the grooves and stitches present in a normal football it didn't behave in the same way. It alters the physics of the ball and the way it behaves when it spins. This matters to professional players who spent much of their time trying to adapt to these changes rather than playing the beautiful game at the WC. Look at what Ronaldo can do with a ball just by striking it on the valve, it's structure matters.

It was apparent watching much of the football. Through balls became extremely difficult and nearly always bounced rapidly out of play for a goal-kick. Long range passes were the same. Free-kicks flew miles over the bar. The ball swerved entirely unpredictably making numerous keepers look like idiots. Perhaps altitude had some effect here but Adidas should be able to account for that.

There was no need to make such changes and it reduced the quality of the football at the world cup.

[fivecups]

kind of agree with you about webb's performance, ivan, but i think he was caught between a rock and a hard place (entre la espada y la pared). its his first final and he really doesn't want to be remembered as being the guy who sent off two players in the first half. on retrospect its a weakness for sure, but i think he was really trying to do it for the best of the game and the occasion. maybe IF he gets another final he'll do his job better according to the rules and not to his heart.

It's an interesting one Andy, and it seems to divide people. I saw an English poll where 70% of people thought he did a good job, my immediate reaction was he ballsed it up. Do you think the Dutch knew Webb would be reluctant to send a player off early and therefore were more aggressive in the first half? I suspect if Robben had scored and Holland had won there would have uproar that De Jong and probably Van Bommel weren't sent off. Having said that, it was a very difficult game to referee with bad fouls, diving and a horrible amount of complaining from both sides.

A few episodes that stick in my mind:
1. Did Puyol need booked in the first half?
2. De Jong should have gone - one of the worst challenges I've seen. Straight red and an extended ban. I appreciate it might have ruined the final if the Dutch had gone down to 10 men but he had to go. Van Bommell could have had a straight red as well, awful challenge from behind on Iniestas grounded foot.
3. Puyol pulled Robben back and denied him a goal-scoring chance late on. He should have had a second yellow and Holland a free kick in a dangerous area.
4. The Dutch should have had a corner a couple of minutes before Spain scored. There was a massive deflection off Fabregas that should not have been missed.

As Reg said, if 15 cards are shown in a match does the ref have control of the game?

[stmichael]

to be honest i'm sick of so called journalists and pundits in this country whinging about the quality of this world cup like it's their god given right to be entertained by every game or something. what were they really expecting. the last really good world cup was 1998. 2002 and 2006 were average. the best players in each tournament rarely show up and play to their potential anyway with the possible exception of ronaldo and rivaldo in 2002 and zidane in 2006.

i personally really enjoyed the knockout stages when there was some great drama. and for people to have a go at spain for being "boring" is tedious in the extreme. i wish england were that "boring" that they were now european and world champions. south africa were brilliant hosts aswell.

[Dundalk]

Congrats Sabre, hope you have recovered a bit at this stage

And I agree with Bigmick it was a very poor World Cup.

[Dundalk]

Pique spitting on 72 year old Spanish coach

[tubby]

Can't see shi.t frmo that pic mate

[Sabre]

Pique spitting on 72 year old Spanish coach

Not a coach, but former Valencia chairman and current Federation Staff.

Mind, he's probably a bástard, but that doesn't make Pique's gesture any understandable, and them being drunk isn't a good excuse neither.

Yes, not all of this lads are so nice and so decent after all. You probably wouldn't pick Xabi, Pepe or Torres doing that.

P.S. Thanks Dundalk and everybody

[tubby]

Oh it's an animated gif

[Owzat]

Some final pictures.... what a great world cup it's been. Now begins the countdown to Brazil!!!

Do you think Bav? I thought it was one of the worst World Cups I can remember, if not the worst.

Second lowest goals per game World Cup, too much controversy, and perhaps too many fouls and over-reactions to said fouls.

And of course those bloody vuvuzelas  may well mean the legacy aftermath of the world cup may go on until all venues/events ban the bloody things - at least I hope they do

[Sabre]

This skill seems easy enough, but when you're well drunk it's not, I can assure you

Good skill there Capdevilla

[tubby]

Some final pictures.... what a great world cup it's been. Now begins the countdown to Brazil!!!

Do you think Bav? I thought it was one of the worst World Cups I can remember, if not the worst.

Second lowest goals per game World Cup, too much controversy, and perhaps too many fouls and over-reactions to said fouls.

And of course those bloody vuvuzelas  may well mean the legacy aftermath of the world cup may go on until all venues/events ban the bloody things - at least I hope they do

Oh stop moaning.. vuvuzeula this and that.... like a bunch of whingers... 

I like them. They are part of their culture so get over it. Are people going to start moaning they don't want to hear samba drums in 2014?

[Big Niall]

kind of agree with you about webb's performance, ivan, but i think he was caught between a rock and a hard place (entre la espada y la pared). its his first final and he really doesn't want to be remembered as being the guy who sent off two players in the first half. on retrospect its a weakness for sure, but i think he was really trying to do it for the best of the game and the occasion. maybe IF he gets another final he'll do his job better according to the rules and not to his heart.

If he sent off the first guy, the second guy probably wouldn't have done that challenge.

Webb was terrible. He should have done his "F ing" job

[zarababe]

Congrats to Sabe and all spanish Reds.. including Rafa

[bigmick]

Fivecups is right about the ball, fecking ridiculous changing it before the tournament.