Netherlands v Argentina - Fri 9th Dec, 19:00 | Quarter-final | World Cup 2022

[citymad]

Might cost him a couple of quid!

He doesn't look that happy after the win does he ? Comes across as a miserable git.

 

[1961_vintage]

.... he was the accelerant for the decent into chaos.

Great phrase that Eamo. "Useless wanker" would be my description of choice but for sure yours has far more gravitas.

 

[ancoats]

Fifa wanted Brazil v France, the biggest final by far

sadly, it's all about the players in the modern game, it's Ronaldo and Messi show

 

[citymad]

Fifa wanted Brazil v France, the biggest final by far

TBF that would've been a brilliant final. I'd gladly give up watching the paint dry for that one.

 

[eversince 76]

Looking back I don’t think the ref had a decisive influence on the game. Yes Messi was protected despite a yellow card late on, but there were so many annoying fouls given his style of refereeing got to both team players ( and both benches btw ). We all know this ref from CL games. Think Pep finds his style equally annoying. When a ref is the main character in a football game he doesn’t do his job very well. Just showing yellow cards for fun shows he hadn’t any control over the players.

But I agree both set of players need to start and look at themselves for starters. The constant moaning and faking and act playing is really annoying. Managers shouldn’t allow it. They do unfortunately.

We -Dutch- have a very average team. Some 5-6 very good players, the rest simply mediocre. We don’t lose many games but the football is nothing close to what we were famous for. Ah, those were the days …

 

[lancs blue]

The Dutch bench were getting involved all through the second half. No need for it.
Did themselves no favours.

The BBC article about the record number of yellow cards mentions two other WC games with double-digit numbers of yellows. Both involved the Netherlands, v Portugal in 2006 and the 2010 Final against Spain - I'm sensing a common thread. ;-)

 

[halfcenturyup]

I’m not blaming the ref for the debacle caused by both teams, but I don’t agree with your yardstick for measuring what a ref can do in these circumstances.
The ref is there to apply the rules of the game fairly and consistently. He didn’t do that, and he was the accelerant for the decent into chaos.

The key moment for most that watched was Messi not getting a yellow for deliberate handball five minutes after issuing one for the exact same offence.

His decisions became more erratic after that and the players became more and more wound up.

Am I misunderstanding the handball caution rules again? It wouldn't be the first time.

 

[halfcenturyup]

The BBC article about the record number of yellow cards mentions two other WC games with double-digit numbers of yellows. Both involved the Netherlands, v Portugal in 2006 and the 2010 Final against Spain - I'm sensing a common thread. ;-)

I was just going to post this. People frothing at the mouth about Argentina should look at the history of the Dutch in the WC.

Surprised, though. With the exception of the ex-wife, I have always found the Dutch to be level-headed.

 

[levets]

In my very humble opinion you are both wrong: PELE is/was the greatest player ever.












Followed very closely by John Stones of course! ;-)

Pele was for me too, until Maradona came along.

 

[mexico1970]

Pele was for me too, until Maradona came along.

We can and should separate players into eras because of the way football styles move on. The greatest player I have ever seen is the real Ronaldo when it comes to absolute skill and dynamism.

It's very hard for the average punter to distinguish ability from hype these days, the hype has always been there but right now it's off the Richter scale IMHO.