Is this a genuine mistake or some kind of unexpected geo-political statement? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by seanfhear
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Is this a genuine mistake or some kind of unexpected geo-political statement? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by seanfhear
I actually think that their passing game has (by necessity) become more and more 'piddly' as opposition teams pack their defence more and more.Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
while watching our 2013 spain friendly there was one spell where two Spanish players basically played keep ball within a few metres of each other for about 8 or 9 passes without moving an inch up the pitch. I watched thinking what a load of cr@p if that's whats being considered the best style of play at the time!Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
Spain's winning 2010 team were awful to watch I thought. The height of tika-taka, and it brought four 1-0 wins in the knock-outs, and I think 7 goals all tournament.
Thought the yellow card for the Denmark player yesterday was the correct call. He made a legit attempt to play the ball - very nearly got it too - and that's enough now to escape the red where you concede a penalty too. It's of course debatable, but that was my view anyway. Certainly the foul wasn't Suarez v Ghana cynical
it wasn't cynical but was a foul and it denied the Croatian player a certain goal. harsh but should have been a redQuote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Mexico looking well-up for this. If they could get an early goal it would set the game up nicely.
Yes because he had beaten the keeper and was about literally to tap in to an empty net. Absolute 99% certainty of a goal (the 1% being he tries something ridiculous and balloons it over the bar or has a coronary or trips over his own laces).Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
Brazil looked like potential winners there, just dismissed Mexico with ease. Really solid defensively. Willian was superb.
How is Gabriel Jesus still starting though? Anonymous all game.
Jeez, I wish I had your confidence!Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
F**k sake, Canning pronouncing Inui as NUI. Talk about absolutely no preparation.
Maybe it's just a bit of ennui?
Does the new double-jeopardy rule not come into play though?Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
If you make a genuine attempt to win the ball - and I thought he did in fairness; he was very close to getting the tackle in - then you can't be sent off and concede a penalty. The double penalty is reserved for Suarez-like cynicism.
It could be a hole in the rule of course, but I thought the ref was correct to give a yellow.
In tonight's game, liking the jersey colours. Too many teams being forced to wear their away strips, which are often a bland white. This Belgium kit is one of the best in the tournament, along with Peru (can't decide if the home or away was better) and Sweden's away, which is superb.
Belgium self-destructing. They've treated this tie far too casually from the start.
Who's self-destructing?
Wow.
Just...wow
It's a very creditable comeback from Belgium (once they woke up). Once they got going, they got going, and the winner was an awesome counter-attack.
But Japan have been very impressive here, even after the equaliser. The CB Shoji, who plays in the J-League, especially. They kept pushing on even when two-nil up, and at two-two in injury time.
Edit: I mean, it cost them, so I shouldn't be too praising. But it was a breath of fresh air from the usual tactics from the "lesser" teams.
Don't really get the disgust at Honda for sending in the corner. If the roles were reversed, I can't imagine Hazard would be getting similar criticism if he had tried to attack also.
The real problem was sending so many players up for it - so many that they could be caught on the counter.
Had Japan anything left for extra time any way . Perhaps there on chance was to get a late goal and then Heaven .
Thinking on Belgium, maybe this will be the defining moment of their tournament, when they stopped playing in third gear and realised every game from now on is potentially the biggest game of their lives. I often hear/read that they are a team of individuals and that's why they struggle sometimes, but I don't know if I really buy that: if that was true, there's no way they could come back from 2-0 down and over an hour played. Other teams in this World Cup, like Argentina, Poland, arguably England, certainly Germany, would have crumbled in such circumstances. But Belgium picked themselves up and won the game in normal time, even if Japan facilitated some of it with poor keeping and and overly-ambitious play in injury time.
Fellaini is a great weapon to have to bring on in such circumstances. Notwithstanding his aerial threat, he's just so disruptive for defences during set-pieces, and while I would never dream of starting him, having him come on late and badger a tired defence is a great option.
I think the fact that the player was about to tap the ball in to an empty net makes it a red every time. He tackled from behind which is going to be a foul anyway and he knew what he was doing.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
I agree. It was the Panel once again belittling Japan. They tried to win the game. Perhaps they might have taken a short corner and tried to work the ball in from there rather than a lob in to the goal. Great counter-attack from Belgium it has to be said which was kind of ignored in the criticism of Japan.Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
Heroic losers Japan but I hate that. They'll soon be forgotten like all the Irish heroic losses in the past when the team comes up and applauds the fans after another near thing. It's all about winning I am afraid and that game will soon be lost in the murky mists of memory for everyone except the Japanese (and Belgians of course). Great game though (I think - who was playing again ?).
I don't think that kind of scenario (tap in to empty net) was envisioned by those who came up with the double-jeopardy rule, but it probably applies alright, if you think the player made a genuine attempt to get the ball (I actually don't).
Yeah, that's my thinking too (apart from the bit about making a genuine attempt; I think he did)
How to tweak the rule though? Do we need to differentiate between a clear goal-scoring opportunity (which I think is where double jeopardy comes in - effectively a professional foul) and an open goal?
In that game, the bottom line is that the red card wouldn't have impacted the penalty, so you'd then have had just four minutes with an extra player on the pitch, which isn't a lot really.
England certainly the better side here, though they've only managed two chances. Might be a man up if Henderson went down holding his chin instead of his face.
Yet another penalty.
The Colombian fella almost bumped the referee when he was fouling Kane, and he still complains. That's utterly ridiculous. I'd have booked the lot.
And instead, Henderson gets booked!
Columbia are so bad tonight. Their build up play is awful and they keep giving England set-piece chances every three minutes. And now Cuadrado gets free in the box and skies it.
Easily England's best performance so far.
England's performances v Panama and Tunisia were streets better than this. They've been poor, albeit against a better side.
Has Ospina had a save to make, daft penalty aside?
Poor game overall.
Ha!
England ****ing up NEVER gets old!
Thought Colombia set up too defensively, and didn't commit enough to attack - with the result that England were able to press and smother them in midfield.
In the last 20 minutes when they pushed players forward they suddenly looked like creating chances.
Colombia horribly unbalanced now for extra time.
I love this World Cup. How about that shot before the goal?
Colombia have a fourth sub though; they can fix balance surely?Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
England look shattered anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
Wow, England look fatigued as hell, while Columbia look super fresh. The power of a last gasp equaliser.
Which is strange given they basically had a whole game off (v Belgium)Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
Well, that's a huge result, breaking the shoot out hoodoo.
England did look very very tired and as they had more procession its supposed to be a bit easier .Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
Just to be Devils advocate . Did Kane foul the defender before the defender fouled him for the penalty ?
I wondered that myself. Kane knows in the current climate ref's are more likely to blow for infringement inside the box, and that he now has a perception of being pulled, jostled or hauled down during set-pieces, so maybe he does a little bit of it himself to get a corresponding reaction, then hits the deck. More than once last night I thought he went to ground far easier than I have ever noticed before (not just during set-pieces mind). I'm certainly a big believer in the principal of "Six of one" and "Turnabout is fairplay" when it comes to shirt-pulling and shoving during corners, though I feel for the penalty Kane was more sinned against than sinning.
I wouldn't have a load of sympathy for Columbia regardless. They were ill-disciplined for way too long last night, and could have been a man down at HT, and more at FT if the ref had been a little less lenient with the constant haranguing.
they lost the plot too easily last night and if they had concentrated on playing football they would have won imo. when they got going late in the game they looked far more dangerous than England.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
Interesting few snippets. The Colombian player scuffing the penalty spot before Kane's penalty kick while his compadres surrounded the referee.
Southgate going round with his list of penalty takers and Henderson half ignores him and nods yes when asked.
Houghton suggests that they should get rid of the rule about the keeper staying on the line if it's not being enforced. All very well but then does that mean he can charge off his line like a rugby conversion the minute the kicker moves to the ball or what ?
VAR has brought protesting to a new level. Take it out of the hands of the referee.
The last Colombian who missed a penalty in the WC was assassinated back in Colombia. I'd take a while to go home if I was those two guys. The American ref may also be on a hit list.
England deserved it. Final a real prospect.
They liked better when they gave it a go . Rodriquez would have made a big difference if he was fit and protected by the ref . 4 Years ago the Brazilians thought he was dangerous enough to kick him throughout the game and got away with it .Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
Brazil are somewhat better this time but not miles better .