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Post by Stealth on Jul 12, 2010 20:04:27 GMT
Had hoped the final would be an open match between two of the great footballing nations but, on reflection, two such top teams were always likely to cancel each other out so it was intriguing rather than exciting. 3rd vs 4th on the other hand was a great match and, after the initial group matches most of the knockout rounds were pretty good.
Certainly not the best World Cup but not the worst either?
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Post by Bismarck on Jul 12, 2010 20:14:40 GMT
The Dutch succeeded in tricking the Brazilians into abandoning their game and fouling back. Spain failed to fall for the same trick. The Dutch memory is forever soiled. Our memories of their "total football," are relegated to some ancient story. The current story is of a cheating dirty football associated with the name of Holland. Netherlands opted for the netherworld.
I started out the Final supporting the Dutch and after 20 minutes, it left me with a bad taste in the mouth. That it took until extra-time to have the Dutch reduced to 10 men is beyond me. To be honest, Johnny Heitinga got sent off for the same kind of challenge that he should have got sent off for against Brazil in the 1st half. At least against Brazil, they showed character and some class to beat the Brazilians but the performance in the Final was just shameful. Reminds me of 1974 where the Dutch playing beautiful total football beat the Brazilians who set out to hurt Cruyff and team 2-0. Only now, the roles are reversed. I'm no fan of the Spanish team but they deserved to win yesterday and thank goodness for that. It would be unbearable to watch a team who set their stall to play dirty win in the Final ..
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Post by Bismarck on Jul 12, 2010 21:25:50 GMT
Oh and...
Highs: A new winner of the World Cup, a first for Spain, in the first African tournament was the highlight. And Andres Iniesta deserved to score the winner, as one of the world's most gifted midfielders.
Lows: Cheats' Charter. Suarez's handball and the celebration that followed, the ball crossing the line, the offside Tevez goal, FIFA waking up to new technology after it distorted the 2010 finals. Also, Messi, Kaka, Rooney and Ronaldo, the world's so-called best forwards scored one between them. The weight of expectation weighed too heavily.
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Post by SaintTim on Jul 13, 2010 14:37:34 GMT
I also started the match wanting the Dutch to win,but like Bissy after a while i changed my mind & wanted Spain to teach them a lesson in football.
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Post by Desktop Hoggy on Jul 13, 2010 15:18:25 GMT
Felt like more of a circus than a footballing tournament, a turn off in the end.
Most of the group games consisted of teams avoiding defeat than going for the win. Lack of goals scored because of a World Cup ball behaving differently to any other ball. The vuvuzelas sucked out the atmosphere generated from the fans (except England-Slovenia and England-Germany where the trumpet could be heard) The TV viewer never got to hear the true emotion of New Zealand fans equalising against Slovakia, taking the lead against Italy and the ecstasy of the Spanish following when Iniesta bundled in a 115th minute winner.
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Post by Stealth on Jul 16, 2010 11:34:35 GMT
Like the summary Smithy & agree with all of it - particularly rating Puyol as a high. He may have slowed a bit now but makes up for it with brilliant anticipation and total & utter commitment. Still as good as any centreback in the world & better than the vast majority.
Have to say I also agree with Otto & Tim re the Dutch. The 1974 Dutch World Cup team was, and still is, the best team I have ever seen but it's memory has been besmirched by this Dutch team's approach in this final. I also desperately wanted them to win as one of the only truly great football teams never to have done it but also switched allegiance to the Spanish. Ironically, Sneijder & Steklenburg are probably the only two current Dutch players who would have made that 1974 team whereas most of the Spanish would have done having adopted their style of play from Cruyff's tenure as manager of Barcelona! Glad to see that Cruyff condemned the Dutch team as well.
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