[Golden Legacy]

"EVERYBODY WAS KUNG FU FIGHTING!"

[Lemontime]

extra time HNGH it's 6:21AM I wanna go to bed!!

[TheEnglishman]

It's been pretty dull but the final can be something of an anti climax.

[gsninja]

Second half was much better than the first half, at least. I'm still fuming Robben missed his first attempt, Cassilas dove the wrong way and Robben STILL hits the ball at his feet.

[Golden Legacy]

That was a horrible referee. Many wasted chances, rough play. I enjoyed the 3rd place match much more.

Well, nonetheless... worthy run for both teams. Congrats Spain! And Netherlands, may your day come, I truly hope it does.

[ThankMeLater]

word, just won 50$. shame about all the people who followed bobbi eden on twitter. watch that 65,000 numbber drop back to 4000 in a week.

edit - ya, ref sucked cock.

[gsninja]

Horrible, absolutely horrible. Sloppy, way too many dives, and cards friggin' EVERYWHERE. That was a bad final to end what really was an overall messed up World Cup.

At the end of the day, though, I honestly don't care that Spain won lol. I'll probably forget about it in a couple days.

[ThankMeLater]

offtopic, why are you still rocking the name BUTTSEX?

[gsninja]

Not enough time has passed to change it back. ):

Also:

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/3303/1278876229794.gif

Enjoy!

[Golden Legacy]

It was very rough play, but Iniesta's goal was a pretty decent one. Hit the volley well, smashed it past the goalkeeper into the corner. As usual, Spain had the possession advantage and there were many wasted chances (for both sides - Robben twice was alone with the ball in front of goal! Great goalkeeping by Casillas).

I'd say that Spain has deserved it for their style of play for the past two years. This final game did not do them justice to the style of play they've brought on since Euro 2008. They also become the first team to have lost their first match and gone on to win the Cup, so it's a sign of never giving up for sure.

[gsninja]

I wouldn't give Casillas any credit for Robben's first miss. He dove the wrong way, yet Robben still kicked it badly and hit Casillas' ankle. I was facepalm'ing when the commentators were saying how Casillas anticipated it really well...I don't think diving the wrong way is anticipating the strike well at all rofl.

Spain did deserve it more than Holland, though, if only because they weren't super dirty.

Gotta be honest, though, I didn't enjoy this World Cup much at all. Only things I legitimately liked were USA's run and Diego Forlan's overall performance. I think part of it's because there was generally a huge lack of talent shown compared to the World Cups I've seen before...2006 was much more enjoyable, and no, not just because Italy won it. :P

[Saturos S.]

BUTTSEX, on Jul 12 2010, 12:19 AM, said:

I wouldn't give Casillas any credit for Robben's first miss. He dove the wrong way, yet Robben still kicked it badly and hit Casillas' ankle. I was facepalm'ing when the commentators were saying how Casillas anticipated it really well...I don't think diving the wrong way is anticipating the strike well at all rofl.

Spain did deserve it more than Holland, though, if only because they weren't super dirty.

Gotta be honest, though, I didn't enjoy this World Cup much at all. Only things I legitimately liked were USA's run and Diego Forlan's overall performance. I think part of it's because there was generally a huge lack of talent shown compared to the World Cups I've seen before...2006 was much more enjoyable, and no, not just because Italy won it. :P

Well, Xavi and Iniesta were diving all the time at one point. I wanted to go up to Xavi and punch him in the face at one point, if only it was because of his constant nagging and begging while there wasn't a foul made. The other person I really wanted to punch in the face was Sepp Blatter, though for quite a different reason. Holland wasn't exactly playing extremely dirty, rough yes, but not extremely, the referee was just whistling and pausing the game for everything that remotely looked like a foul, which ruined the game for most bit.

Good hit by Iniesta indeed, but it was a 100% corner for the Netherlands before that, which for some reason the referee and both assistents failed to see, and it really was easy to see.


...someone should really kick Blatter...

[Golden Legacy]

Yes, this had to be just awful refereeing for a World Cup final... there was a corner that was missed a few times. Anyone remember Wesley Sneijder's chipped ball on the free kick? Casillas just barely got a fingertip on it to knock it away. Should easily have been a corner. And also, talk about a card-happy official...

BUTTSEX, on Jul 11 2010, 06:19 PM, said:

I wouldn't give Casillas any credit for Robben's first miss. He dove the wrong way, yet Robben still kicked it badly and hit Casillas' ankle. I was facepalm'ing when the commentators were saying how Casillas anticipated it really well...I don't think diving the wrong way is anticipating the strike well at all rofl.

He deserves credit for at least one of Robben's attempts (I think he sweeped the ball from under him and caught it before he could strike it home), but even that first one should give him some credit. It's not just diving the wrong way, you have to go one way while also keeping some part of your body in the other direction. Not a 100% dive, more like 80-20. I really expected Robben to finish those chances nonetheless, it was just super unlucky. He's a great player (along with Sneijder) and it's a shame they couldn't convert their chances, it really is.

That really was what the game ended up being... so many missed opportunities. Score could easily have been 5-4 if finishing had been just a bit better.

[TheEnglishman]

Golden Legacy, on Jul 12 2010, 12:15 AM, said:

And also, talk about a card-happy official...

When there's that many tackles in the first half, can you blame him? Some of the Dutch players were lucky to still be on the pitch, I'm amazed only one was sent off. Some of the tackles they did were straight reds, no question about it.
Howard Webb did alright. Obviously I'm gonna defend him since he's English but he generally did well. He did miss some stuff and he should have given more reds than bookings but I think he handled an ill tempered match fairly well. You want to complain about him booking players? Maybe if they didn't land karate kicks in people's chests he wouldn't have to.
The Dutch were poor for a fair amount of that match and some of their actions in the first half are not the sort to produce in a showcase event like this.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/w...010/8808636.stm
Sums up my feelings generally

[Saturos S.]

Generally a referee starts booking a lot of people when he doesn't have control of the match. I mean, 14 yellow cards in total? 6 of them weren't even for a foul but for unsporting behaviour. The captain, who's role it is to talk to the referee in the match got yellow for trying to explain something about an injury.

The problem with football nowadays is that falling is actually encouraged. If you fall and dive when you're touched, you get a free kick, what Iniesta and Robben love doing. Robben on his second big chance was being hugged by Puyol from behind, but because he was still standing the ball bobbled to Casillas, he got the goal kick and Robben got yellow for telling the referee what happened. Where if he had just dived, his chances of getting a free kick or penalty would have gone up. Though I doubt Webb would have dared giving the second yellow card to Puyol even if he did use his brains/eyes and called it a foul.

Webb really did do an awful job. To top it all, the mafifa has the guts to announce that 96% of all refereeing decisions were correct this world cup. That includes who gets the through in and blowing the final whistle at the right time (with a margin of +/- 5 minutes). If those are the criteria, don't even bother boasting statistics like that in the first place. Blatter really does have to implement or at least run tests on hawkeye cams or something in football now, and if he doesn't want to, he should just resign. Half of the national football associations think he's a corrupt ass anyway.


That said, yeah, De Jong should have gotten straight red.

[TheEnglishman]

Sorry, but we'll have to agree to disagree. I think Webb did a reasonable job under difficult decisions. Yes some of the decisions may have been harsh but if you let unsporting behaviour go it can lead to more. My biggest gripe with Webb isn't the number of bookings he gave, it's the people who stayed on the pitch when they should have been sent off.

[ThankMeLater]

IT wasn't a classic game, but it was entertaining for sure. The missed chances, shitty ref, and completely unenthusiastic commentators really brought the experience down, however. It was great though, the dutch centre mids were playing like thugs the entire tournament(and even before it). They got what they deserved. Holland had their chances and couldn't do it. The team that should have, from start to finish, won the world cup did. Good on 'em and well deserved. Kinda pissed I made a twitter account for nothing, to be honest.

and lol..

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l5erpeoZOA1qagg3yo1_400.gif

FALLLLLCOLLLLLLLLLLLNNNNNNNNNN KKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCKK!!!!!!!!!!

edit - fuck webb.

[Eugine]

TheEnglishman, on Jul 12 2010, 05:59 AM, said:

My biggest gripe with Webb isn't the number of bookings he gave, it's the people who stayed on the pitch when they should have been sent off.

Mines too.

So happy Spain won, but for some reason... I'm kinda over the World Cup already >.>

Anyway, I'll give Webb a C. Eventhough not a great final... I've seen better football matches and finals. Spain was definitely the better side yesterday though, and they deserve to win. I think I'm gonna start following Barcelona. When do they start playing again?

[Saturos S.]

Eugine, on Jul 12 2010, 06:47 PM, said:

Mines too.

So happy Spain won, but for some reason... I'm kinda over the World Cup already >.>

Anyway, I'll give Webb a C. Eventhough not a great final... I've seen better football matches and finals. Spain was definitely the better side yesterday though, and they deserve to win. I think I'm gonna start following Barcelona. When do they start playing again?

Please don't become one of those Barcelona fanboys, those commentators are so annoying. Season starts end of August I think btw.

Spain probably did deserve to win this match, but the thing that disappoints me the most about them being champion is that when you look at the entire tournament, they really don't look like a champion's team to me. Neither were the Dutch or any other team for that matter and for some reason, I find that incredibly dissatisfying.

[TheEnglishman]

There weren't many attacking minded teams in this World Cup, maybe that's just a sign of the future.

[Golden Legacy]

There is a lack of attacking play, but it's also the fact that the field has been leveled greatly. The difference between teams is no longer as large as it once was. In the past, a highly ranked team would beat an unseeded team by four or five goals - results like 7-0, 9-1, and 5-4 were very common throughout the 1950s and 60s.

Back then, teams played with a 2-3-5 formation (compared with today's 4-4-2 or 4-3-3). The field has just changed so dramatically, as more facilities and better training has given all teams, even historically weaker ones, to basically be on even ground with traditional powers.

[Eugine]

http://news.bbc.co.u...pe/10604336.stm

I love this story.

""Seemingly unimpressed with his star status, Paul at first ignored the golden trophy - adorned with three mussels - placed in his tank."

[gsninja]

Golden Legacy, on Jul 11 2010, 05:15 PM, said:

He deserves credit for at least one of Robben's attempts (I think he sweeped the ball from under him and caught it before he could strike it home), but even that first one should give him some credit. It's not just diving the wrong way, you have to go one way while also keeping some part of your body in the other direction. Not a 100% dive, more like 80-20. I really expected Robben to finish those chances nonetheless, it was just super unlucky. He's a great player (along with Sneijder) and it's a shame they couldn't convert their chances, it really is.

That really was what the game ended up being... so many missed opportunities. Score could easily have been 5-4 if finishing had been just a bit better.

I definitely credit him with the second attempt. I just don't think that his goalkeeping skill really had anything to do with Robben's first shot, just Robben's incompetence of even chipping the ball over Cassilas.

Saturos S., on Jul 12 2010, 01:27 PM, said:

Spain probably did deserve to win this match, but the thing that disappoints me the most about them being champion is that when you look at the entire tournament, they really don't look like a champion's team to me. Neither were the Dutch or any other team for that matter and for some reason, I find that incredibly dissatisfying.

Agree'd. Like I said, huge lack of talent this year. Partly to blame for that is that all the best players didn't put on a particularly great show. Messi, C. Ronaldo, Kaka, Rooney, even friggin' Cannavaro, etc...all of them would've given this World Cup a MUCH needed boost in talent if they actually showed up.

Also, <333333333 Paul.

[Golden Legacy]

I thought Diego Forlan and Thomas Muller were superb players. They may not have had name recognition like Messi or Kaka, but they proved their worth and put on a great display.

[TheEnglishman]

To be honest I doubt the teams would have been more successful even if the star players were doing well. A team needs all it's players to be doing well for success. If you look at the great teams of the past they weren't successful just because of one or two players.

Anyway I'm kinda glad the World Cup is over. It's not been that impressive and I'm more a fan of the domestic game.

[gsninja]

Golden Legacy, on Jul 12 2010, 07:06 PM, said:

I thought Diego Forlan and Thomas Muller were superb players. They may not have had name recognition like Messi or Kaka, but they proved their worth and put on a great display.

It wasn't enough, though. I loved watching those players too, but you can't really make up for the no-show of the actual best players in the tournament unless just about everyone put on a really good performance.

I know teams have to do well overall, I never said the star is the only one that matters. Just remember that the star player IS the star player. Teamwork is good and all, but the star isn't like the others, he has to play like he's the best, not fall back and be just another guy on the team.

[TheEnglishman]

But having a player that can be damaging, other players aren't going to appreciate all the attention going to one guy.
Not only that but what do they do when he gets injured? It can really damage a team if they over rely on one guy.

[Golden Legacy]

Diego Maradona gave an interview a day after the loss to Germany. In it, I remember him saying that the reason why the big stars have failed to produce results is that there is too much teamwork. He said that in the past, the big stars would have the entire team work to get them the ball and basically give them the freedom to do their work. The entire team was built around the star player, which allowed them to perform very well.

He said that star players like Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, basically need to be more selfish, as today's teams are all built more evenly and spread the ball around more.

Not saying that I agree, but it was an interesting take nonetheless.

[Mallick]

I don't know that free-wheeling is ALWAYS the best strategy, but I agree that the stars could have done some more of it.

[Golden Legacy]

Oh undoubtedly, I agree. The words just carry some weight because Maradona practically won the 1986 World Cup singlehandedly and is considered one of the best players ever.

And wow, the Spaniards sure know how to party!

[Eugine]

Golden Legacy, on Jul 13 2010, 11:36 PM, said:

And wow, the Spaniards sure know how to party!

I found it to be quite boring...

[TheEnglishman]

Golden Legacy, on Jul 14 2010, 03:36 AM, said:

Oh undoubtedly, I agree. The words just carry some weight because Maradona practically won the 1986 World Cup singlehandedly and is considered one of the best players ever.

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2007/writers/gabriele_marcotti/10/11/rugby.controversy/p1_maradona_1011.jpg
How right you are.

[Toasty]

Golden Legacy, on Jul 13 2010, 08:36 PM, said:

Oh undoubtedly, I agree. The words just carry some weight because Maradona practically won the 1986 World Cup singlehandedly and is considered one of the best players ever.

And wow, the Spaniards sure know how to party!

I like how they're Spaniards (well, I'm sure not all of them are, but still), and they're playing Meixcan music. lulz w/e


How come the Dutch lost? Why did they suck so badly? Why did it seem like they weren't taking the world cup seriously?

And most importantly, if Japan could have beaten Spain, then how did Spain win?


These are all important questions.....

http://assets.knowyourmeme.com/i/701/original/600px-Gentlemen.jpg

[ThankMeLater]

i want to smack you.

[TheEnglishman]

I don't get it and I'm glad I don't get it.

[Golden Legacy]

I will not let this topic die without this riddle:

What do you get when you mix Anime and the World Cup?

[Mallick]

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/9349/1279466891324.gif

[TheEnglishman]

That was the butchest nine year old girl I've ever seen.