Day 23: Netherlands vs. Argentina

Well. Again, not world champions... feck. A final against Germany would've been such a dream come true.. Football is so awful.
I truly (naively) thought we were going to win it. In 4 years I'll probably think the same.
Immensely disappointed. Just a game, fecking hell. Good luck Argentina. Afraid Germany will fecking win it. feck..
Hope so so much we can win it once in my lifetime... Been my dream since I was a kid. Don't want Germany to win it, come on Argentina, feck
 
So pissed at some choices, no tim krul, vlaar first penalty and cillessen again ignoring penalty directions.

But then again, im still so damn proud of my tiny country that always manages to inspire the world of football.

Shame this game we played bad, but so did argentina. Both teams played defensive only and it was just pure luck whoever went through.

But damn you robben for not deciding it in th last min again! What is it with you and hitting toes!
 
sammyvine said:
Playing at a high level and playing all those games has probably caught up with him. Ronaldo and Ronaldinho are probably the only players that come close to Messi when comparing club level performances and both those players broke down quickly as well. Similarly all three of those players games were all based on quickness and agility.
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It's a worry, yes. He looks almost burnt out at times. Then again a player with his immense technical proficiency could reinvent himself, so to speak, and still shine in a less - let's say - explosive style.

But certain parallels are there - to R & R.
 
There is no excuse for the Dutch for letting Ron Vlaar take a penalty, nevermind the first penalty which is the one that sets the tone.
 
Token said:
How anyone can say that it's a "travesty" if a team do not win a match before the game is even played just baffles me and shows a complete lack of respect for Argentina who have earned the right to be in the final just as much as the Germans have.
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By virtue of winning games of football? Sure, but really, have Argentina been as good as Germany in this tournament so far?

My post obviously means that if Germany, continue in the vein they have (i.e the best team at the tournament) and don't win it - and Argentina sneak it - playing in the way they have... then it would be a bit of a travesty. And you know what? In my opinion - it fecking would be. Germany, last night, put on a show that will be remembered for decades - its perfectly reasonable to suggest they should come out of this tournament with a trophy to show for it.

But then, my mistakes, I didn't realize it would get read by idiots - that take a particular liking to acting out - that must have never made a future prediction about a game of football before. Did you know people bet on Football? It's the devil...

Oh and I'm sure Argentina will be just fine in-spite of my "lack-of respect"... it may take a few hours, but they'll get over it.
 
shocking that the dutch did not destroy this Argentinian team. I haven't watched the game yet, but I am very surprised this game went to penalties. What the hell went wrong?

They didn't even have to worry about Di Maria.
 
Really really hope Argentina can win against Germany, come on Messi! Really don't want the Germans to Win this
 
CantonaGiggs1 said:
shocking that the dutch did not destroy this Argentinian team. I haven't watched the game yet, but I am very surprised this game went to penalties. What the hell went wrong?

They didn't even have to worry about Di Maria.
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Was always going to be a tight game
 
CantonaGiggs1 said:
shocking that the dutch did not destroy this Argentinian team. I haven't watched the game yet, but I am very surprised this game went to penalties. What the hell went wrong?

They didn't even have to worry about Di Maria.
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It can be argued Di Maria made Argentina worse because he was so selfish.
 
CantonaGiggs1 said:
shocking that the dutch did not destroy this Argentinian team. I haven't watched the game yet, but I am very surprised this game went to penalties. What the hell went wrong?

They didn't even have to worry about Di Maria.
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Sometimes football is a little bit more complex than how you perceive it. If it would be so easy, then why didn't Belgium destroy Argentina? Belgium have a much better squad than Holland.
 
CantonaGiggs1 said:
shocking that the dutch did not destroy this Argentinian team. I haven't watched the game yet, but I am very surprised this game went to penalties. What the hell went wrong?

They didn't even have to worry about Di Maria.
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What happened? THey had a terrible game..

Everybody is waiting for someone to destroy Argentina and look. They're still there. Haters gonna hate.
 
Essaux said:
Sometimes football is a little bit more complex than how you perceive it. If it would be so easy, then why didn't Belgium destroy Argentina? Belgium have a much better squad than Holland.
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ROBBEN.

I thought he would make the difference.
 
Annihilate Now! said:
By virtue of winning games of football? Sure, but really, have Argentina been as good as Germany in this tournament so far?

My post obviously means that if Germany, continue in the vein they have (i.e the best team at the tournament) and don't win it - and Argentina sneak it - playing in the way they have... then it would be a bit of a travesty. And you know what? In my opinion - it fecking would be. Germany, last night, put on a show that will be remembered for decades - its perfectly reasonable to suggest they should come out of this tournament with a trophy to show for it.

But then, my mistakes, I didn't realize it would get read by idiots - that take a particular liking to acting out - that must have never made a future prediction about a game of football before. Did you know people bet on Football? It's the devil...

Oh and I'm sure Argentina will be just fine in-spite of my "lack-of respect"... it may take a few hours, but they'll get over it.
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This Argentina team would have destroyed Brazil last night. Brazil was a brown bag of shit that had been set on fire and burned for an hour and a half
 
There's no point speculating on why the penalty order was the way it was. Perhaps they were desperately trying to find a 5th penalty taker and Vlaar steps up but says he's only doing it if he can take the first one and get it out of the way. No one knows. The players themselves usually play a large part in deciding the final order anyway. With all the stress on them as a manager you just support whatever they decide and move on. It''s not like centre backs are necessarily bad penalty takers, just happens that Vlaar's was a poor effort.
 
Chesterlestreet said:
It's a worry, yes. He looks almost burnt out at times. Then again a player with his immense technical proficiency could reinvent himself, so to speak, and still shine in a less - let's say - explosive style.

But certain parallels are there - to R & R.
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Seems to be he's in transition to becoming a different player, as you say. He's smart. He'll figure it out.
 
Arruda said:
I don't agree with his comment at all, but that was some damn big hyperbole on your part. It was all I meant.
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Amethyst said:
Have you heard of forum called RAWK by any chance?
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Of course there are idiots posting all sorts of crap all over the place and we can laugh at or ignore them. But there was a genuine belief conveyed by that poster, and by many others in this thread, that it will indeed be some kind of injustice or poor reflection on football if Germany do not win the Cup. This I frankly find abominable considering they still have a game left to play, a kind of a big one, it's called a final. It's contested by two teams who are both there on merit and whoever wins deserves the trophy.

Offside said:
He's right. Germany are the best side in the World. They are a team with strength in every department (Apart from when Per players, defence is shaky)
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So they automatically deserve the trophy? Is there any point in playing the final when only Germany deserve to win it and it's rightfully theirs? Most posters here laughed at and ridiculed Brazil for believing it was their tophy and their destiny, but this is just as bad. You really are deluded.
 
CantonaGiggs1 said:
shocking that the dutch did not destroy this Argentinian team. I haven't watched the game yet, but I am very surprised this game went to penalties. What the hell went wrong?

They didn't even have to worry about Di Maria.
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Shocking? It's hard when the team is loads of players who mostly wouldn't start in top half teams of the premier league, and then Robben and Van Persie. Only Van Persie's had a shocking tournament since the second game. They just have a very weak team but collectively got through because of tactics.

Today, Argentina played very cautiously and never really threw players forward because they didn't want Netherlands to have the chance to counter, and that led to the boring game with very little chances.
 
AlwaysRedwood said:
This Argentina team would have destroyed Brazil last night. Brazil was a brown bag of shit that had been set on fire and burned for an hour and a half
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Not so sure about that. They wasn't that great against Iran, Bosnia and Sviss.
 
AlwaysRedwood said:
This Argentina team would have destroyed Brazil last night. Brazil was a brown bag of shit that had been set on fire and burned for an hour and a half
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It would have been an entirely different game had it been Brazil vs. Argentina - largely because it's Brazil vs. Argentina... so not sure it's an entirely interchangeable comparison.

But away from that, Germany finished top of the hardest group, handled what I would say was the best "underdog" performance in the last 16 from Algeria, easily saw of a French side that had been very impressive until that game (where the Germans just shut them down completely)... In short, they've been the best side at this tournament by a distance.
 
Annihilate Now! said:
It would have been an entirely different game had it been Brazil vs. Argentina - largely because it's Brazil vs. Argentina... so not sure it's an entirely interchangeable comparison.

But away from that, Germany finished top of the hardest group, handled what I would say was the best "underdog" performance in the last 16 from Algeria, easily saw of a French side that had been very impressive until that game (where the Germans just shut them down completely)... In short, they've been the best side at this tournament by a distance.
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Brazil were defeated the minute they lost their captain and made Sideshow Bob the captain. The US would have put 4 goals past that mess of a defense. Everyone completely out of position, constantly
 
van Gaal got it wrong tonight and it cost Holland the game. Shouldn't have taken van Persie off, should have brought Krul on for the pens and shouldn't have let Vlaar take the first one. Such a shame as his tactics have been pretty much flawless throughout most of the tournament.

I'm not getting cold feet yet though. I'm still excited to see him get to work here and cautiously optimistic about the season ahead.
 
Mali_Zeus said:
Calling LVG a choker. I cant help myself but laugh.
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I laughed too because such a strong Barca team with Figo, Rivaldo, Guadiola, Kluviert all at peak under him choked year after year in CL, never made a final

1998/1999 CL, didn't get out of group stage. :D :D :D
1999/2000 CL, , unbelievable squad, choked against Chelsea (average team, Flo was their leading striker FFS) 1-3, luckily won 5-1 at home, then collapsed against a very average Valencia in semi 1-4, out of CL.
 
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CantonaGiggs1 said:
shocking that the dutch did not destroy this Argentinian team. I haven't watched the game yet, but I am very surprised this game went to penalties. What the hell went wrong?

They didn't even have to worry about Di Maria.
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Because Netherlands were not as good as you thought.
 
Annihilate Now! said:
Feck off. The worst post? Behave yourself.

The Germans have been by far the best team in this tournament - by far. Sense of entitlement? Have a word with yourself -preferably somewhere else.
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He was spot on. The notion that the Germans have been by far the best team is ridiculous. They have been just as mediocre as everyone else apart from one game against the worst performing team in World Cup history. Anyone suggesting otherwise doesn`t have a fu*king clue.
 
CantonaGiggs1 said:
shocking that the dutch did not destroy this Argentinian team. I haven't watched the game yet, but I am very surprised this game went to penalties. What the hell went wrong?

They didn't even have to worry about Di Maria.
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both teams were very defensive, both played not to lose. Neither sent enough men forward to threaten the other defence. This game had 0 - 0 written all over it.

Really poor by the dutch to send vlaar for first pk. Very poor.
 
ea385 said:
He was spot on. The notion that the Germans have been by far the best team is ridiculous. They have been just as mediocre as everyone else apart from one game against the worst performing team in World Cup history. Anyone suggesting otherwise doesn`t have a fu*king clue.
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:lol:

What a gigantic load of shit.

Humour me - who has been better than Germany? In-fact, don't bother... I don't care, I'm done.

Clearly the asylum has opened its doors.
 
Annihilate Now! said:
By virtue of winning games of football? Sure, but really, have Argentina been as good as Germany in this tournament so far?

My post obviously means that if Germany, continue in the vein they have (i.e the best team at the tournament) and don't win it - and Argentina sneak it - playing in the way they have... then it would be a bit of a travesty. And you know what? In my opinion - it fecking would be. Germany, last night, put on a show that will be remembered for decades - its perfectly reasonable to suggest they should come out of this tournament with a trophy to show for it.
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I see where you're coming from. However, I disagree that Germany have been so much better than everyone else throughout the tournament and so much so that it would be a "travesty" as you say. This isn't the premier league, it's a cup competition and whoever wins the final is the team most deserving of claiming the title, plain and simple.
 
Thomas#7 said:
van Gaal got it wrong tonight and it cost Holland the game. Shouldn't have taken van Persie off, should have brought Krul on for the pens and shouldn't have let Vlaar take the first one. Such a shame as his tactics have been pretty much flawless throughout most of the tournament.

I'm not getting cold feet yet though. I'm still excited to see him get to work here and cautiously optimistic about the season ahead.
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Not really, they had more possession and controlled most of the game just couldn't really get a cutting edge and Argentina defended well. Van Persie was knackered and hardly had a touch of the ball all game, leaving him on would've risked them losing their shape completely and Argentina could have then easily countered them and scored. And Krul was more a psychological substitution in the last game, he's not going to bring on his sub keeper every time a match goes to penalties but leave that last sub until the very end instead of going for it earlier to change something. The only mistake was letting Vlaar take the first penalty, but then again, he had an amazing game and more often then not, it's confidence and self belief that is the winner in penalty shoot outs, he just had his saved.
 
All the talk of his diving aside, I actually feel sorry for Robben the most from that Netherlads team. He missed two huge chances in the final 4 years ago and after the way he played in this tournament It would have been nice to see a player make up for their previous cock ups. Is he the player with the most semi - final and final losses at the top level? Because I seem to remember about 6 at the top of my head.
 
ea385 said:
He was spot on. The notion that the Germans have been by far the best team is ridiculous. They have been just as mediocre as everyone else apart from one game against the worst performing team in World Cup history. Anyone suggesting otherwise doesn`t have a fu*king clue.
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4-0 against Portugal. If not Germany, then who would you say was better?
 
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