[Aberlour10]

FrancesHinden, on Jun 18 2008, 05:56 AM, said:

It was really in Dutch interests to lose to Romania, as that would have eliminated both France and Italy. Seems they couldn't quite manage it.

I am sure, if they really wanted to loose this match, they would managed it. Nothing is easier in soccer as to produce 2-3 outrageous defence situations.
Oranjes chose fair play, the question is, will they pay a price for it meeting probably tweaked italian team in semifinals. I cross the fingers, they will not.

Robert

[gwnn]

It was an interesting situation, not nearly as simple as "let's play our 100% game and if we're good enough, we will win every match with it". See, if Holland saw that Romania was really as good as some people said (many Dutch fans I've seen preferring France/Italy to Romania in a potential semi), they needed not to lose to them, but if they saw Romania as bad as it was last night, they needed to beat them. So win if they're good and lose if they're bad. Erm. What actually happened was that they played it really really cool, but after seeing that this Romania team can win almost exclusively in case they score an o.g., they just thought of their numerous orange fans and just scored twice.

BTW Piturca, our coach, made a shocking statement:

"we lost our motivation on hearing that Italy are leading"

I think that's a statement that is more retarded than any single sentence posted on these forums by shubi.

[cjames]

gwnn, on Jun 18 2008, 02:06 PM, said:

I think that's a statement that is more retarded than any single sentence posted on these forums by shubi.

Nice perfomance by the Russians tonight. Netherlands-Russia is going to be one heck of a match!

[Aberlour10]

cjames, on Jun 18 2008, 03:42 PM, said:

gwnn, on Jun 18 2008, 02:06 PM, said:

I think that's a statement that is more retarded than any single sentence posted on these forums by shubi.

Nice perfomance by the Russians tonight. Netherlands-Russia is going to be one heck of a match!

Yes,

we can expect high speed and high technical level, very offensive football by both teams, one of these 5:3 matches....

[gwnn]

Aberlour10, on Jun 18 2008, 11:05 PM, said:

cjames, on Jun 18 2008, 03:42 PM, said:

gwnn, on Jun 18 2008, 02:06 PM, said:

I think that's a statement that is more retarded than any single sentence posted on these forums by shubi.

Nice perfomance by the Russians tonight. Netherlands-Russia is going to be one heck of a match!

Yes,

we can expect high speed and high technical level, very offensive football by both teams, one of these 5:3 matches....

except the last 5:3 match ended 4:1

[cjames]

Ballack is a worse disgrace then the whole Italian team together, arrrgghhh!!!!!

[gwnn]

?! Germany was quite clearly the better team.

[hotShot]

cjames, on Jun 19 2008, 10:38 PM, said:

Ballack is a worse disgrace then the whole Italian team together, arrrgghhh!!!!!

You should be a little more specific why you think that.

Pushing and holding in- and outside the penalty area is standard practice. We have seen that on both sides, only the referees did not see this foul.

[cjames]

So as a captain he should show he doesn't stand for that kind of football (and when will we get video judging of those kinda situations?).

Also he has critized the Portugal players for dives, unfair play etc, and then he do it himself, and the best situation was when he was "hit" in the face, or shoulder I can't remember, he was sitting there whining like a little boy, I don't understand how football players manage to do that. Also he is constantly whining to the referee, trying to affect decisions etc

I can't undertand why loads of people around on various forums today thought the German victory was deserved, but obviously Portugal should have been a little bit more awake when Germany had freekicks, corners etc

Anyway, looking forward to todays game. Any predictions?

[Codo]

cjames, on Jun 20 2008, 07:33 PM, said:

So as a captain he should show he doesn't stand for that kind of football (and when will we get video judging of those kinda situations?).

Also he has critized the Portugal players for dives, unfair play etc, and then he do it himself, and the best situation was when he was "hit" in the face, or shoulder I can't remember, he was sitting there whining like a little boy, I don't understand how football players manage to do that. Also he is constantly whining to the referee, trying to affect decisions etc

I can't undertand why loads of people around on various forums today thought the German victory was deserved, but obviously Portugal should have been a little bit more awake when Germany had freekicks, corners etc

Anyway, looking forward to todays game. Any predictions?

I guess they don't play soccer where you live?

And your sports is "bridge", so that you never happened to be hit by an elbow in the face?

1. As a captain he should stand for what the team stands. And this team is there to be successfull. So his duty is to do anything to be successfull. He did.

2. Video judging is for babies. We all must live with wrong descissions. This is part of the game. But it gives some salt to the discussions afterwards and it makes the game playable. Soccer is no American Football, where you have 3 seconds play and a minute break. If you try to evaluate all descissions via video juding, it will be the same here.

3. If I had been Portugese, I had complaint about his goal, as a German I Say: Hey where is the problem? And a neutral fan may had judged the situation this way or another.
Did you see that Hitzsperger had not been offside by his big chance? Do you remember that a very wrong descission by a referee cost as a world title back in 66? These things happen, sometimes to your benefit, sometimes you complain.

4. Ballack was the man with the most duels on the field, with the most miles he ran, so why are you whinning about him?

5. Many soccer games are decided by the standards. Scolari knew before the game that this is the best chance that the Germans had. And so knew anybody else. It is quite hard to defend a header if you are simply 10 cm shorter.

6. If most people in forums think that the German victory was deserved, hey maybe they are right?

I thought before the game that it will be a 50/50 chance for both and the game prooved that. Luckily the first two attacks made a goal. With a little less luck (or with a portugese freekick instead of the 3:1), things could have been very different.

[cjames]

Codo, on Jun 20 2008, 09:44 AM, said:

I guess they don't play soccer where you live?

As I come from Norway, I can't say they do

But yes I guess you are right, I guess it is just a sad fact with football that when a player is more skilled and faster then the opponents they will be stopped with illegal methods, and mostly get away with it. And also I have yet to see a referee that gives a yellow card to a player who has a yellow card from before, unless the second yellow card is VERY clear. But I guess every football player in the world knows this, and sadly most of them act on it.

And why excactly can't there be someone watching the game on a video, that the referee can consult via the headset if he is unsure in the critical situations (maybe about 2-3 of them each match) and then get the "anwser" within some seconds?

[vuroth]

cjames, on Jun 20 2008, 10:01 AM, said:

Codo, on Jun 20 2008, 09:44 AM, said:

I guess they don't play soccer where you live?

As I come from Norway, I can't say they do

But yes I guess you are right, I guess it is just a sad fact with football that when a player is more skilled and faster then the opponents they will be stopped with illegal methods, and mostly get away with it.

In that case, never, EVER watch a CONCACAF match.

[Rossoneri]

vuroth, on Jun 21 2008, 12:01 AM, said:

cjames, on Jun 20 2008, 10:01 AM, said:

Codo, on Jun 20 2008, 09:44 AM, said:

I guess they don't play soccer where you live?

As I come from Norway, I can't say they do

But yes I guess you are right, I guess it is just a sad fact with football that when a player is more skilled and faster then the opponents they will be stopped with illegal methods, and mostly get away with it.

In that case, never, EVER watch a CONCACAF match.

This might even apply to some South American matches...

[Gerben42]

Quote

And why excactly can't there be someone watching the game on a video, that the referee can consult via the headset if he is unsure in the critical situations (maybe about 2-3 of them each match) and then get the "anwser" within some seconds?

I think this would be essential and I'm completely puzzled why there is no such thing yet, especially in matches like the champions league with millions of Euros at stake, possibly hinging on a decision by the team of referees.

[hotShot]

What a boring game until the 119th min.,
what a drama after that incredible.

[cjames]

Agree hotShot, watching the 119 other mins was all worth it then.

And also I thought there was a new rule that said all yellow cards were ereased after the quarter final? But apperently it isn't so?

[Gerben42]

Quote

And also I thought there was a new rule that said all yellow cards were ereased after the quarter final? But apperently it isn't so?

It's true. You can miss the semis but if you don't, a yellow in the semis cannot cause you to miss the final.

[Codo]

cjames, on Jun 21 2008, 12:01 AM, said:

Codo, on Jun 20 2008, 09:44 AM, said:

I guess they don't play soccer where you live?

As I come from Norway, I can't say they do


And why excactly can't there be someone watching the game on a video, that the referee can consult via the headset if he is unsure in the critical situations (maybe about 2-3 of them each match) and then get the "anwser" within some seconds?

1. It is not so easy and done within seconds. Even now where we have computer aided cameras, there is no answer within seconds (ok sometimes, but mostly not)

2. Cameras can lie too.

3. Wrong descissions are part of the game. We here in Germany really still remember the famous goal in England 66.

4, Where is the borderline? Will you use the video judge just for goals? What about offside? And how do you compensate the attacking team for a wrong offside call?
What about rude fouls?

It all can be made, but it is not in the spirit of the game. If you play basketball, ice-hockey or american football, breaks are a big part of the game. The intension in football is to let the game proceed.

[gwnn]

cjames your moaning that Portugal are so much better and only illegal evil Germans could stop them makes me believe you're a bad loser and not entirely objective all of the time.

[cjames]

I haven't said Portugal is so much better, clearly if they were, they would not allow Germany to score two of their goals, and this is nothing special against the Germans or anything, just the fact that when fast players meet slower defenders things gets a little nasty at time, nothing is more irritating to watch then defenders that jumps into the running path of the attacker, tackles him, holds him in the shirt etc just when the attacker is almost through.

And also I admit I was a bit harsh on Ballack, I should have written accepted trends in football instead.