Actually I feel sorry for Iker, he's the only Madrid player I like.
even when he's flying he's looking for a high five
Day 2: Spain vs. Netherlands
- Thread starter gooDevil
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran are here to talk about a frustrating 2 points dropped at Crystal Palace. They then discuss the regeneration of Old Trafford. Finally, Nik is joined by special guest Michael Statham from the Football Oranje podcast - who gives us a more in depth look at our EL opposition FC Twente, and then runs through the (many) Dutch connections currently at United.
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even when he's flying he's looking for a high five
I think It is safe to say now without fear of ridicule. The Dutch team are underrated. 
Was excellent today, Not sure how good he is actually though. Seems bit of a utility player whose had a breakthrough season mostly at CDM type role but can play LB too.
@Señor Wowzah. All the people here going crazy. Ppl running out their houses and knocking on all the windows going mad!
Scared the feck out of my sissy doberman.
Scared the feck out of my sissy doberman.
How is Chiles going to react?
I thought the Dutch played really well but I thought Spain were really poor as well. I mean they played their way out of trouble fantastically a couple of times and a few great passes but there was zero communication at the back and no changes made to address a clear danger with Dutch players running of Spanish players at will.
One thing with Spain which I've never understood and what I think has always been their problem when they do struggle is their insistence on playing so many possession players. Busquets/Xabi and Xavi is just too excessive imo. Play two of them and get some pace in the team via Pedro/Navas. With any two of them, plus iniesta/silva and they can still play tiki taka, but they also have the ability to fully utilise the great passing/vision of these players and put someone like Pedro/Navas in.
But still have to give credit to the Dutch. Changed their system and it largely worked well, though silva should have made it two. I just can't see other teams being quite so reckless against them though. I mean RVP isn't the fastness but he runs off his man as good as anyone out there and then you've got Robben who is just so fast and direct, playing so high was just asking for trouble.
One thing with Spain which I've never understood and what I think has always been their problem when they do struggle is their insistence on playing so many possession players. Busquets/Xabi and Xavi is just too excessive imo. Play two of them and get some pace in the team via Pedro/Navas. With any two of them, plus iniesta/silva and they can still play tiki taka, but they also have the ability to fully utilise the great passing/vision of these players and put someone like Pedro/Navas in.
But still have to give credit to the Dutch. Changed their system and it largely worked well, though silva should have made it two. I just can't see other teams being quite so reckless against them though. I mean RVP isn't the fastness but he runs off his man as good as anyone out there and then you've got Robben who is just so fast and direct, playing so high was just asking for trouble.
I don't think Ian Darke was the play-by-play guy for the Holland-Spain game on ESPN but I did think the comments were funny (and true).
It wasn't. Now that I'm listening to it, it's Jon Champion & Stewart Robson.
I think he is trying to control his flight in a similiar way to ski jumpers.
Sir Alex Ferguson's Golden years were in his late 60's at Old Trafford. Worth remembering.
Ah, enjoy mate. Only wish I knew what that felt like with my country. Can barely remember us blitzing Germany 5-1 and even that was just a qualifier. It's gonna be one hell of a night in Amsterdam tonight!
And there was me thinking you were one of us English contingent on here, getting ready to be disappointed at another World Cup. Well, if that can happen, maybe, just maybe, we might do well too.
The heat map from the game.
OMG OMG Spain is done and redone
Ramos: the guy is unpredictable, only a TOP player with Madrid
Casillas: done and redone
Piqué : closet catalan independentist? lol
Alonso: done and redone
Busquets: like 13-14 Barça itself, out of shape
Xavi: done and redone
Iniesta: same as Busquets
Costa: the guy is clearly psychologically scared, this wc is gonna be rough for him
Silva: overrated, as always
Del Bosque: looks like a successful old general past his prime and who doesn't truly care anymore
the rest? meh, perhaps Koke could add some muscle and ideas, we'll see
right now, I say that Chile will win their match vs Spain
Ramos: the guy is unpredictable, only a TOP player with Madrid
Casillas: done and redone
Piqué : closet catalan independentist? lol
Alonso: done and redone
Busquets: like 13-14 Barça itself, out of shape
Xavi: done and redone
Iniesta: same as Busquets
Costa: the guy is clearly psychologically scared, this wc is gonna be rough for him
Silva: overrated, as always
Del Bosque: looks like a successful old general past his prime and who doesn't truly care anymore
the rest? meh, perhaps Koke could add some muscle and ideas, we'll see
right now, I say that Chile will win their match vs Spain
If van Gaal tells you you can be a great left back you can be a good left back... (Alaba...)
You have to know that their is only one coaching-god...
Any 'online resources' for the highlights of the game?
Promote this man!
I wonder what all those "United" fans who called him names during the season think of him now? Moyes "hurt"him lasts season, but fans were so quick to take Moyes' side, totally forgetting what RVP had done the previous season. RVP is the type of player that needs to be happy to perform at a high level. He's as happy as can be now.
He will have a monster season next season.
Many people attribute that to the death of Boularouz's daughter. After the tragic news reached the dutch camp, it left them all in a sour mood after they had been buzzing and in cloud 9. After the death of their compatriots child suddenly football lost its importance and it showed against Russia.
Remember when 99% of the Utd fan base refered to his injury as a blessing in disguise after he single handedly took us to the QF against Olympiacos? I had to log off the internet. Couldn't stand the stupidity.
I did not know.
I want Manolas to score own-goal-hat-trick tonight.
Jorge Valdivia....what a name
I caught the first half, but had to miss the second for a rehearsal. Boy do I feel stupid for not blowing it off!
RVP's header was unbelievable. Watch the slow-mo closeups - he actually sees it go in while he's mid-air and kisses the floor right before he fully lands. Jedi reflexes, van Persie has.
RVP's header was unbelievable. Watch the slow-mo closeups - he actually sees it go in while he's mid-air and kisses the floor right before he fully lands. Jedi reflexes, van Persie has.
I agree that some people forget how good Casillas was in his prime but it's IMO not a ridiculous statement to rate him a bit beneath Kahn, Buffon and Schmeichel.
I think that those 3 were very well rounded keepers while Casillas has/had some weaknesses he was never able to get rid off.
He always had amazing reflexes. It's unbelievable how many 'unsavable' close range shots he's saved in his career. His reflexes on the line were out of this world and I'd say his reflexes and ability to save close range shots was greater than Schmeichels, Kahns and Buffons. He's not as good at it as he was before he turned 30 but I'd say he's still very, very good at it.
Also just like the other 3 mentioned he was good in one on one situations when no defender was to be seen and all mentioned were/are true leaders.
He's always been weaker though than those 3 in situations when he had to decide if he has to come off the line (CL final, today RvP-header and Robben when he outpaced Ramos, generally at claiming high balls from corners etc). In those situations he can look a bit hesitant or undetermined and thus ends up in bad positions. He's neither on the line nor close enough to the opponent to contest or clear the ball. And this is something that surprisingly got worse now. Normally keepers get better in those situations when they grow older and gain experience.
I wouldnt say he was poor at crosses and coming off his line but it was never his strong point and there was better keepers than him at it. From 2006 to 2010 he improved big time at them and was near unbeatable and even when we had a shit defence in those years with cannavaro past his best and some other terrible terrible defenders, I felt very safe knowing casillas was there and he was our second best player in 06/07 after RVN when we won the title in what was a very poor team and the best player in 07/08 when we won the title and at euro 2008 and the wc 2010 he was brilliant too and almost unbeatable. Since then he has declined and people have been exaggerating his weakness' like people are now with messi, torres, rooney etc. If people consider those keepers better that is fair enough imo as everyone has a different opinion but I definitely think he is at least up there with them. Perhaps the fact that he has been around for so long has been bad for peoples perception of him.
He looks like a turtle.
So what is it if 2 teams have same points? Head-to-head or goal difference?
Martins Indi is a mad motherf**ker
I think we have a little misunderstanding. I didn't say he was poor in those situations. He was certainly better at it than your average keeper. I'm just saying that in comparison to the other 3 he was weaker at it.
And I actually think you agree to some extent when you say that it was never his strong point and that there were better keepers at it.
I agree also that he improved in that area in the 2nd half of the 00's just never to an extent the others were able to improve (as I think that this is really something a keeper has to learn, no keeper I've ever seen was perfect at it in his teens or early 20s).
And it is clear that you felt save with him in goal for much of his career. He was -IMO indisputable- the best keeper from 2007/08 to 2010.
form is temporary, class is permanent. some of your comments above are laughable.
Tx!
**** is going to go down!
Football was a dirty big fat winner tonight. Couldn't be happier.
Can't get over how amazing Holland were. Utterly sensational. They've started tournaments well before like in Euro 2008 but nothing like that. Serious contenders to win it now.
Aye, he was excellent and the best keeper in the world from 2006 to 2008. Not long after Euro 2008 he started making errors and it's been a feature of his game ever since, albeit the rest of his game's been good enough to win games for Spain and maintain a position amongst the better keepers in Europe.
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