was just looking at the dutch schedule after the world cup is over(only cuz i am heading over to holland in oct. fer the sweden game)...a friendly at the ukraine then euro qualies...v.(san marino, finland, hungary, moldova, finland)...if they win tomorrow, it looks like they could be putting together a loooong-er unbeaten streak..cheers
True, we Germans have not much love for the Dutch footbal team, but that was not the reason for my post. Nor am I saying Holland is a bad football team. But anybody who predicts the Durch to control the midfield apparently has not watched the games of Holland and Spain so far.
Well, I guess in twelve hours we will know how good Holland really is.
cocktail, i can't make a conclusion based on the # of opinions offered in this forum due to the small sample size and the fact there are a lot of *bandwagon* fans but the 2 sites that I checked the % for soccer show almost even action for each side.
I don't think Spain coming into this match as the clear favorite by any stretch. Like I said in many of my previous posts...they are not winning games handily the way Germany did and that may scare some bettors. Holland did knock off Brazil and that may be fresh on some people's mind.
Either way, looking forward to the game in 3 hours time!
let me say first off with my tongue held in a biting position..congrats to spain....and yea i did eventually hedge at the last moment....but arjen robben coulda and shoulda had this game gift wrapped twice for the dutch....i make no excuses for that...but as for the game....HOWARD WEBB IS A JOKE.....a former cop(shocking)that made the game totally about himself on the worlds biggest stage....i am so disgusted....BUT...i knew two days ago he would have some sort of impact on the game...so i guess i shouldn't be shocked....hope he has fun watching the replay of the sneijder free kick that clearly deflected off torres for a corner only to be called a goal kick....cheers
Tremendous game by both teams! You and your team can hold your head high, cocktail. They showed up to battle and if it weren't for the missed chances, we would be singing the Dutch praise right about now.
I thought we would see PK but the loss of Heitinga was a big blow. Iniesta deserved to be the player of the game (if he didn't already get it, sorry I went out to grill some food right after the final whistle).
I thought we would see PK but the loss of Heitinga was a big blow. Iniesta deserved to be the player of the game (if he didn't already get it, sorry I went out to grill some food right after the final whistle).
No doubt, Well-seasoned, that showed you how deep the Spanish bench is. Fabregas would be starting and be a star on any other team in this tournament, or around the world for that matter.
I thought the big name players like Wesley Sneijder, Dirk Kuyt, David Villa and Xavi all had fairly quiet games. Maybe they were fatigued or maybe the opposing defense made their life hell.
The core Dutch players are still fairly young so I expect them to contend for the Euro in 2012 and beyond.
I thought the big name players like Wesley Sneijder, Dirk Kuyt, David Villa and Xavi all had fairly quiet games. Maybe they were fatigued or maybe the opposing defense made their life hell.
The core Dutch players are still fairly young so I expect them to contend for the Euro in 2012 and beyond.
euro '12 yeah..but brasil '14 would expect many changes...for brasil '14 van pussy will be 31...robben 30...kuyt 34....sneijder 30....van der vart 31...the likes of elia, van der wiel, afellay and babel will be the next wave in the dutch future...and i would rather they shoot for the future with the younger players....i don't want to be another italy with name players with not to much left in the tank...who go out with a whimper and not a roar...very proud of this team..still can't get over robben not being able to connect on either of those 2 breakaways....it really comes down to those plays...stecklenburg made 2 tremendous saves in the match especially the one right outta the box from ramos at 5' mark...i have killed webb enuff...he will get his some day from the wrong person...he is a dick of mammoth proportions who let this game get way too far gone....spain won fair and square in my eyes...just still can't get over robben 5 hrs. later...cheers
cocktail, do you think the outcome would be different if the Dutch play the beautiful game and try to take matters into their own hands instead of trying to aggravate and shut down the Spanish?
I thought some of Webb's yellow cards are harsh but some of the fouls also do not belong in this game...most notably De Jong's karate kick into Xabi Alonso's chest. I don't think a red card there is unwarranted.
I guess my question to you is: Do you expect this coach to stick around and if so (or even with a new coach): Do you expect the Dutch to continue trying to win games the *ugly* way or will they revert to *Total Football*? Has there been a change in mentality for Dutch football where winning is the only thing that matters...anything else is secondary?
I thought some of Webb's yellow cards are harsh but some of the fouls also do not belong in this game...most notably De Jong's karate kick into Xabi Alonso's chest. I don't think a red card there is unwarranted.
I guess my question to you is: Do you expect this coach to stick around and if so (or even with a new coach): Do you expect the Dutch to continue trying to win games the *ugly* way or will they revert to *Total Football*? Has there been a change in mentality for Dutch football where winning is the only thing that matters...anything else is secondary?
True, if Robben scores then Holland probably wins this game, but it would have been really undeserved. If I remember correctly Holland did not create a single opportunity from the game, all they did was defend and hope for some luck (or Spanish mistakes) upfront. Spain also had the opportunities to decide this match earlier.
Yes, Webb was bad, but of all the wrong decisions THIS is the one you feel necessary to point out?
I believe that overall Holland has absolutely no reason to complain. Van Bommel and de Jong should have been sent off in the first half for their fouls, Robben should have gotten a second yellow card in extra time when he shoots the ball into the net despite knowing that offside has been called (would have been harsh to be sent off for that, of course, but rules are rules), and most importantly, Spain was denied a clear penalty.
David Pleat of the Guardian believed Holland coming into this match with a feeling that they can't go toe-to-toe with the Spanish, which I find hard to picture.
They then resorted to the defensive tactics that have not won them any fans. I feel sorry for the Dutch, I'd rather see them go out in a blaze with some attacking football that they are best known for, instead of trying to do what Paraguay or Portugal did.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jul/12/world-cup-final-holland-spain-tactics
They then resorted to the defensive tactics that have not won them any fans. I feel sorry for the Dutch, I'd rather see them go out in a blaze with some attacking football that they are best known for, instead of trying to do what Paraguay or Portugal did.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jul/12/world-cup-final-holland-spain-tactics
why wouldn't i point out the missed corner?...it directly lead downfield to the only goal of the match?...and i agree about some of the play of the dutch..fuck..by all accounts, they probably should have had about 7 men left on the pitch come pk's...and i realize you are german and can't stand the clogs but the spanish 'diving team' was just as big a disgrace as the dutch barbarian tactics....and how can you say a goal or both by robben would have been undeserved?...why would they be undeserved?...i get it, u hate the dutch...but to say the goals would have not been warranted just seems like sour grapes cuz yer team was playing in the consolation game.....cheers
ya know i hope van marwijk does stay on..but a few changes need to be implemented...and total futbol i believe is not dead but buried for now...we see that you can make it to the final playing gritty futbol...i think coach needs to have a talk w/his maniacal son-in-law and tell him it's time to concentrate on the family and club futbol and/or retire(think van bommel is 33 now anyway)...get some of the youth up on defense..and give van pussy his walking papers..it's so evident he is not happy in his role and guys like sneijder and robben just ignore him on the pitch...would rather see huntelaar get the time instead...and like i said b4 give guys like babel a go w/de jong at midfield along with afellay and elia...that will become a helluva midfield soon...u can make that the midfield and move up sneijder and robben to forward positions...as the tourney went on and sneijder started scoring... u would notice he would be up the field more and more and van pussy seemed to drop behind him....
