Argentina vrs Netherlands, World Cup Semi-Final , 9/7/2014 , 9.00pm

klose

Think the germany-usa-portugal-ghana group was the group of death myself, the ozzies and spanish were poor.

Smithwicks Man

unkel wrote: »

Spot on. They shouldn't have won all 3 matches in their group of death. Somehow I don't think your opinion will be taken seriously on this forum. Don't give up your day job!

I think he meant in terms of the quality of their team, and that Van Gaal deserves credit for even getting them out of the group.

Could be wrong though.

I am pie

4 hrs , no goals = home time. vamos vamos argentina!....gonna be a looonnng night

Will I Amnt

unkel wrote: »

Spot on. They shouldn't have won all 3 matches in their group of death. Some how I don't think you're opinion will ever be taken seriously on this forum ever after though. Don't give up your day job!

There were many that fancied Spain and Chile to get out of that group. It's a fairly ordinary Dutch side IMO, with an out of sorts van Persie and an ever fading Sneijder to score and create. Robben was kept quiet tonight and it nullified any threat they posed up front.

unkel

klose wrote: »

Think the germany-usa-portugal-ghana group was the group of death myself

LOL!

I hope you don't mind I have more respect not for yourself but for the real Klose, the only player ever to play 4 world cup semi-finals and to score in all of them. And of course for being the top world cup scorer of all time. I really hope to see him in action in the final hopefully scoring another goal

The only country deserving to win this world cup is Germany. And they will!

efb

Covered my Ger win to win €97 either way!

Rayne Wooney

klose wrote: »

Think the germany-usa-portugal-ghana group was the group of death myself, the ozzies and spanish were poor.

Captain hindsight likes this post

the incredible pudding

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Captain hindsight likes this post

It was widely thought of as being the hardest group. Ghana were considered by most to be the strongest African team (case can be made for Ivory Coast but their performances in tournaments has been incredibly disappointing), the States are always tough opponents and both Portugal and Germany are two European heavyweights. It's not ridiculous to have considered that group to have been the most competitive, just like it's not ridiculous to consider the Spain/Dutch/Oz/Chile group to have been. It's pretty easy to argue for either tbh.

Tokarev

Talib Fiasco wrote: »

Van Gaal bottled it with not playing Krul...clearly his "balls of steel" got rusted in the Amazon rain....deserving result, the Dutch were muck.

Delighted for some of the Argentina players, in fairness who could begrudge Messi a WC Final appearance...tough on the older Dutch lads too, last hurrah but they did have 2010.

Germany red hot favourites now but should be a cracker

Van Gaal tactical genius supreme, No?

His team were just muck.

unkel

the incredible pudding wrote: »

It was widely thought of as being the hardest group.

I see your points, but that was not the group of death. The mantra of "pool of death" can only be assigned before the start of the tournament, not with hindsight. I still don't understand why both finalists of the last world cup were in the same group. It doesn't make sense.

The Holland / Spain group obviously was that pool of death. Spain, the sublime rulers, most peoples favourites and winner of all of the last three big tournaments was found out and annihilated by the Dutch.

the incredible pudding

Would i be mentioning Ghana as difficult opponents if i was speaking in hindsight? They were a serious let down, as were Portugal. Before the tournament, 3 groups were mentioned as being the "group of death"; B: (Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia), (Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy) and G (Germany, Portugal, Ghana, United States). If I was to go on hindsight i'd probably say that D ended up being the hardest group as there was the least between the teams. Anyway, this isn't really relevent to the topic so i'll drop it.

The dutch had an excellent tournament as they weren't expected to get this far at all. Their team isn't crap though, they're well organised, functional and play to their strengths. They're set up pretty similarily to Brazil in a way but with much greater tactical flexibility.

Too Tough To Die

Argentina will win. Destiny said so.

Turtwig

Honestly thought before the game that winner of tonight's game will win the trophy. Still do.

Both sides had such impressive organisation. If Argentina score first in the final then I fear for Germany. And interestingly, I don't hold the same fear the other way around. Argentina have shown extreme patience through some games in this World Cup already.

Really hard match to call though.

Corholio

the incredible pudding wrote: »

It was widely thought of as being the hardest group. Ghana were considered by most to be the strongest African team (case can be made for Ivory Coast but their performances in tournaments has been incredibly disappointing), the States are always tough opponents and both Portugal and Germany are two European heavyweights. It's not ridiculous to have considered that group to have been the most competitive, just like it's not ridiculous to consider the Spain/Dutch/Oz/Chile group to have been. It's pretty easy to argue for either tbh.

Was it? I would definitely have thought most people would have considered Germany and Portugal to get out of that group, even more so when all the internal stuff at Ghana was going on, with Prince Boateng hitching a ride to the cup at the last minute.

For me, the Holland-Chile-Spain-Australia was the group of death, and even more so when the Ozzies played better than many would have thought.

Liam O

Turtwig wrote: »

Honestly thought before the game that winner of tonight's game will win the trophy. Still do.

Both sides had such impressive organisation. If Argentina score first in the final then I fear for Germany. And interestingly, I don't hold the same fear the other way around. Argentina have shown extreme patience through some games in this World Cup already.

Really hard match to call though.

Is this the same Germany that beat the hosts 7-1 last night? They're the ones you fear for? Argentina have been very average in every game they've played so far, Germany with an extra days rest and basically only 45 mins of hard work for most of them last night are overwhelming favourites.

On another note Sneijder was an abomination tonight.

delaad

unkel wrote: »

LOL!

I hope you don't mind I have more respect not for yourself but for the real Klose, the only player ever to play 4 world cup semi-finals and to score in all of them. And of course for being the top world cup scorer of all time. I really hope to see him in action in the final hopefully scoring another goal

The only country deserving to win this world cup is Germany. And they will!

Maybe you should put that in capitals.

Corholio

Sorry if it was already mentioned but Van Gaal has said that he asked 2 other players to take the first penalty and they didn't want to, so it ended up Vlaar accepting to take it.

WilyCoyote

Corholio wrote: »

Sorry if it was already mentioned but Van Gaal has said that he asked 2 other players to take the first penalty and they didn't want to, so it ended up Vlaar accepting to take it.

Future United manager abdicating responsibility?

You gotta be jokin'

delaad

WilyCoyote wrote: »

Future United manager abdicating responsibility?

You gotta be jokin'

Getting the old excuses in early, ok.

Bit of a shapeshifter, the old Louis, methinks.

Rayne Wooney

WilyCoyote wrote: »

Future United manager abdicating responsibility?

You gotta be jokin'

Yes because forcing a player to take a penalty, actually the first penalty, in a World Cup semi final is a good idea

Others were asked before Vlaar but refused, he missed it but it was the best option

Turtwig

The best option?

How could anyone possibly know this?

Utopia Parkway

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Yes because forcing a player to take a penalty, actually the first penalty, in a World Cup semi final is a good idea

Others were asked before Vlaar but refused, he missed it but it was the best option

Vlaar was definitely not the best option.

Not like they didn't have some very good penalty takers to choose from and I doubt they would all turn down the first one. Sounds like some ass covering.

Rayne Wooney

Yes the best option under the circumstances, it's not that hard to figure out

Rayne Wooney

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Vlaar was definitely not the best option.

Not like they didn't have some very good penalty takers to choose from and I doubt they would all turn down the first one. Sounds like some ass covering.

Lol

Turtwig

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Yes the best option under the circumstances, it's not that hard to figure out

Explain please

Rayne Wooney

Under the circumstances he had to pick a player who made a mental decision that they didn't want to take the penalty or a player confident to take it

Ardillaun

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Yes because forcing a player to take a penalty, actually the first penalty, in a World Cup semi final is a good idea

Others were asked before Vlaar but refused, he missed it but it was the best option

Such a revelation should not come from the coach right after a match. It looks disloyal.

Iused2likebusts

I can't see why kuyt sneijder or robben for example would turn down the first pen. Surely he is talking about he had trouble getting 5 lads that wanted to take a pen hence vlaar took one

efb

Far play to Vlaar- shame on those that refused

Lemsnip

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

I can't see why kuyt sneijder or robben for example would turn down the first pen. Surely he is talking about he had trouble getting 5 lads that wanted to take a pen hence vlaar took one

If that's the case your you should have your best penalty takers take the first penalties.

Iused2likebusts

Lemsnip wrote: »

If that's the case your you should have your best penalty takers take the first penalties.

exactly he had 5 peno takers its up to him to put them in what he feels is the correct order.

Godge

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Under the circumstances he had to pick a player who made a mental decision that they didn't want to take the penalty or a player confident to take it

I accept that but the question is:

Who was responsible for ensuring mental preparation so that his best penalty-takers would be ready?
Who was responsible for knowing which penalty-takers would be mentally ready and should not have needed to get to third choice before finding someone?

Van Gaal took the applause for the tactical changes during drinks and for the Krul substitution but it is somebody else's fault when they lose. That won't go down well in the Utd. dressing-room if it becomes a pattern.

Maximus Alexander

I don't understand why this is even a discussion. The keeper saved two penalties - it's not like they were booted into the stands.

It was over as soon as they missed the first one because Cillessen.

gimmick

Felt sorry for Vlaar missing given his absolute MONSTER of a match he played. Absolutely immense.

Neitherr of those teams deserve to be in a world cup final. 1 goal scored between them in the QF and SF. Bollocks.

Brussels Sprout

Realised this last night after the match:

Ivory Coast were elimimnated by Greece with a last minute penalty who were then eliminated by Costa Rica in a penalty shoot-out who were then eliminated by the Netherlands in a penalty shoot-out who were then eliminated by Argentina in a penalty shoot-out who......

Will I Amnt

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

I don't understand why this is even a discussion. The keeper saved two penalties - it's not like they were booted into the stands.

It was over as soon as they missed the first one because Cillessen.

Aguero and Maxi arguably took the most "saveable" penalties.

the_monkey

Germany better beat them - it would be a travesty if Argentina won it.

But FIFA want their little man Messi with the trophy, so it's decided.

Maximus Alexander

Will I Amnt wrote: »

Aguero and Maxi arguably took the most "saveable" penalties.

That's what I mean, there was nothing wrong with the Dutch penalties, Romero just made a couple of good saves.

Also:

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

Cillessen.

Turtyturd

gimmick wrote: »

Felt sorry for Vlaar missing given his absolute MONSTER of a match he played. Absolutely immense.

Neitherr of those teams deserve to be in a world cup final. 1 goal scored between them in the QF and SF. Bollocks.

1 more than the teams knocked out scored.

Would expect a better final. Holland have 1 World Class player in Robben who is capable of winning any game but the negative tactics from Van Gaal meant that he might as well have been sitting in the stands for the first 85 minutes.

Iused2likebusts

the_monkey wrote: »

Germany better beat them - it would be a travesty if Argentina won it.

But FIFA want their little man Messi with the trophy, so it's decided.

Oh no hear we go again

the_monkey

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

Oh no hear we go again

What ?

Iused2likebusts

the_monkey wrote: »

What ?

Conspiracy theories

OdgeXD

Worst game of the competition so far. Argentina are ****ing awful and have no place in the final, Messi again totally anonymous and only for having Zabaleta and Mascherano they'd have been sent packing a long time ago. Really hope they won't win it now but we all know it only takes one chance for Messi, would be the worst team to ever win a WC. Romero is absolute pish, would love to know how they choose MOTM awards.

Dolph Starbeam

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

That's what I mean, there was nothing wrong with the Dutch penalties, Romero just made a couple of good saves.

That's not true, Vlaars penalty was poor. I'm not blaming him, there was a lot of pressure on him and he had a great game, but his penalty was poor. Sneijders penalty wasn't as bad but it was at an easy height for Romero to save it.

the_monkey

Not a conspiracy but I think the ref will certainly lean toward Argentina.

Backstreet Moyes

the_monkey wrote: »

Not a conspiracy but I think the ref will certainly lean toward Argentina.

Based on what the referee gave nothing favorable towards Brazil in the semi's.

monkey9

the_monkey wrote: »

Not a conspiracy but I think the ref will certainly lean toward Argentina.

Who's the ref for the final?

gimmick

the_monkey wrote: »

Not a conspiracy but I think the ref will certainly lean toward Argentina.

Ill oppose this conspiracy theory by saying there is no way the ref will give Argentina a 50/50 as no one will want Argentina to win the World Cup in Brazil.

OdgeXD

gimmick wrote: »

Ill oppose this conspiracy theory by saying there is no way the ref will give Argentina a 50/50 as no one will want Argentina to win the World Cup in Brazil.

Except for FIFA who want Messi to win a World Cup and given they control the referee, there's your conspiracy theory.

gimmick

Yes. Conspiracys. Thats how the final will play out :rolleyes: