Copa America 2016

Mr.Nice Guy

Just saw on Twitter this ref, Heber Lopes, has shown 14 red cards in his last 27 matches, including 2 tonight.

This guy hands out more cards than Postman Pat.

NyOmnishambles

Corholio wrote: »

To be a little fair to him, imo he only got the Rojo sending off wrong. Diaz and the Messi booking were both correct, picking out the other 2 bigger talking points.

It is more his general demeanor and behaviour

He is contributing to the players boiling over, not that they need much encourragement

wonski

Et and penalties very likely now...

StringerBell

Guaranteed ET and penalties, from there who knows

tinpib

Dagnabit. What a sitter that was from Higuain in the first half.

Also maybe it's the pitch but it seemed like people were skying the ball an awful lot, Aguero X 2, Messi and others towards the end of the second half.

eagle eye

Yeah there has to be something wrong with all those balls flying way over the target.
The referee destroyed the game with those red cards. I don't think either should have been red. Rojo's red was just an insane decision from the referee and the second yellow for Díaz seemed very harsh too.

Corholio

Terrible tackle from Biglia there, lucky not to be another red.

Edit: and another from Funes Mori. Whatever about the ref being quick with the cards, the players certainly aren't helping him.

Bret Hart

Not a unchartelistic challenge by Funes Mori.

wonski

This is good, really good et

wonski

eagle eye wrote: »

Yeah there has to be something wrong with all those balls flying way over the target.

Temporary grass used I think

martyos121

Oh penalties, fancy Chile to repeat recent history here but I'd love to see Argentina take it.

wonski

Good start

tinpib

Christ, Messi sends it into orbit.

Bret Hart

LOL LOL LOL LOL !!!!

Bret Hart

GET IN !!!! .

Vincent Vega

haha Messi back on the bench

edit: **** he looks broken. not funny at all now

Bret Hart

Third straight final lose for the Argies.

RedemptionZ

You have to feel for Messi.

Kobe248

RedemptionZ wrote: »

You have to feel for Messi.

Himself and Mascherano are fated never to win at international level

You cant help but feel for them

So much pressure on them to win

L'prof

Sky Sports are saying Messi has quit international football? Surely not?

jester77

L'prof wrote: »

Sky Sports are saying Messi has quit international football? Surely not?

Yeah, be announced it on their official feed

https://twitter.com/Argentina/status/747285010969878530

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

chopperbyrne

29 years old, you'd think he'd stay on for at least the next World Cup.

Dirty Dingus McGee

He'll be back for the World Cup though.

Can't say I blame him, when you have Maradona as your coach for the world cup in 2010 it seems to be an indication of an FA that ahaven't a clue of what they are doing.

The_Kew_Tour

If Ronaldo quit we never hear end of it.

SlickRic

Messi is being a spoilt toddler.

He's basically saying he's quitting because he's tired of not being a champion with Argentina.

Christ Almighty.

Jelle1880

SlickRic wrote: »

Messi is being a spoilt toddler.

He's basically saying he's quitting because he's tired of not being a champion with Argentina.

Christ Almighty.

He's quitting because the Argentinian press love nothing more than to bash him. Plus the Argentinian FA is corrupt as ****.

Do you think Aguero, Biglia, Di Maria, Banega, Mascherano (supposedly already confirmed), Lavezzi, Higuain,... are all threatening to quit the national team because they can't win ?

Because according to rumors they are all going to announce their 'retirement' in the coming days.

GavRedKing

I'd imagine hes quitting because hes sick of travelling to South America for qualifiers and the like and wants to prolong his club career.

The final was over shadowed by the ref and his incompotent performance, basically killed it before it could get going. Made some terrible calls and left some really nasty tackels from both sides go.

NIMAN

GavRedKing wrote: »

I'd imagine hes quitting because hes sick of travelling to South America for qualifiers and the like and wants to prolong his club career.

The final was over shadowed by the ref and his incompotent performance, basically killed it before it could get going. Made some terrible calls and left some really nasty tackels from both sides go.

But the Argies lost on pens, you can't blame their defeat on the ref surely?
Blame it on their underachieving players, the real culprits.

joe123

SlickRic wrote: »

Messi is being a spoilt toddler.

He's basically saying he's quitting because he's tired of not being a champion with Argentina.

Christ Almighty.

Read some bad posts in my time but this is definitely up there.

GavRedKing

NIMAN wrote: »

But the Argies lost on pens, you can't blame their defeat on the ref surely?
Blame it on their underachieving players, the real culprits.

Both sides can feel very hard done by the ref. Neither Rojo or Diaz deserved to be sent off and after tham, a couple of players got away with some dangerous and late tackles that werent even booked.

Higuain and Aguero did however both miss chances, without even hitting the target, that was pretty uncharacteristic of them.

Whoever lost last night could have an honest gripe with how the ref handled the game, not that it excuses Argentine, who were clearly the better side for the majority of the game anyway.

MD1990

GavRedKing wrote: »

Both sides can feel very hard done by the ref. Neither Rojo or Diaz deserved to be sent off and after tham, a couple of players got away with some dangerous and late tackles that werent even booked.

Higuain and Aguero did however both miss chances, without even hitting the target, that was pretty uncharacteristic of them.

Whoever lost last night could have an honest gripe with how the ref handled the game, not that it excuses Argentine, who were clearly the better side for the majority of the game anyway.

Lol certaintly not uncharacteristic from Higuain. A well known big game bottler.

https://twitter.com/Soccer__Issue/status/747330015952416768

SlickRic

Before anyone else takes a swipe at me.

"It's been 4 finals without a win. I've tried. I've done all I can and it hurts not to be champion".

MD1990

If Messi follows through with his retirement I would be critical of him. But I think its just heat of the moment stuff from losing another final & would be surprised if he wasn't at the next World Cup.

L'prof

SlickRic wrote: »

Before anyone else takes a swipe at me.

"It's been 4 finals without a win. I've tried. I've done all I can and it hurts not to be champion".

I don't think he's actually going to retire, but I would be very disappointed with him if he did. Surely allowed a flippant comment though under the circumstances?

Dearg81

SlickRic wrote: »

Before anyone else takes a swipe at me.

"It's been 4 finals without a win. I've tried. I've done all I can and it hurts not to be champion".

I have to agree with you. Going by his quotes he comes across as a very sore loser, very disappointing but hopefully he'll change his mind after he has more time to think about it.

GavRedKing

MD1990 wrote: »

Lol certaintly not uncharacteristic from Higuain. A well known big game bottler.

https://twitter.com/Soccer__Issue/status/747330015952416768

Coming off the season Higuain had, the one on one miss was a tad surprising, he was gobbling up those chances all season with Napoli. Although Bravos save from Agueros header was fantastic.

I'd also be a bit surprised if Messi didnt play in the World Cup in Russia, after a defeat like this a lot of things can be said in the heat of the moment, you only have to look at John O' Shea afte rthat France game today to see how to handle the question when it was put to him, different circumstances, granted.

inforfun

MD1990 wrote: »

Lol certaintly not uncharacteristic from Higuain. A well known big game bottler.

https://twitter.com/Soccer__Issue/status/747330015952416768

That miss vs Chile in last years final looks a lot different from another angle.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH2XKvMOn7s

Wasnt that as easy as this years' and the German one

RobertKK

Messi will return, he is just being a bad loser and he won't want his last kick for the Argentine team to be a kick that only a defender could be excused for.
He had the chance to do what Ronaldo did against Hungary when he rescued his team in the Euros. Instead Messi bottled it and rather than accept some of the blame, he just quit.
The penalty was not the only wild kick at goal in that game, he didn't do enough for his team to win.

ERG89

Wouldn't retire after losing a fairly tacky tournament tbh. The one last year mattered not this tourist attraction.
But if all those players want to retire I don't understand why they even bothered playing in it if they clearly weren't committed.

Cypher_sounds

joe123 wrote: »

Read some bad posts in my time but this is definitely up there.

He is right though. Did you see the interview he gave to the reporters when he said he's done playing for his country?
Would be some waste if he did retire now. Only 29, I know it's cliche but in years to come he really will regret it.

Cypher_sounds

ERG89 wrote: »

Wouldn't retire after losing a fairly tacky tournament tbh. The one last year mattered not this tourist attraction.
But if all those players want to retire I don't understand why they even bothered playing in it if they clearly weren't committed.

What's tacky about this tournament as opposed to others?

ERG89

Cypher_sounds wrote: »

What's tacky about this tournament as opposed to others?

The expansion of 4 more teams & was on in the US.
Players opting & being chosen to play in the Olympics instead.
Do you think UEFA will have another euro's the next summer after one?
As corrupt as they are even they wouldn't.

TheDoc

L'prof wrote: »

I don't think he's actually going to retire, but I would be very disappointed with him if he did. Surely allowed a flippant comment though under the circumstances?

Consensus seems to be the players want a reaction and change in the AFA. So surprised if he has in fact properly retired.

But I wouldn't rule anything out. While he receives much of the plaudits in "the debate" when it comes to Ronaldo and their personalities on the pitch, Messi is as shady and egotistical as any of them.

If he's retiring just because he lost again, well that firmly leaves Maradona as the fan favourite and greatest ever player for them. And if its some little scheme, well a bit typical Messi. Would have more respect if he was just clear about it. He's one of the biggest profile players in the world, he can pretty much say what he wants about anything football related.

What they going to do, drop him?

sReq | uTeK

TheDoc wrote: »

Consensus seems to be the players want a reaction and change in the AFA. So surprised if he has in fact properly retired.

But I wouldn't rule anything out. While he receives much of the plaudits in "the debate" when it comes to Ronaldo and their personalities on the pitch, Messi is as shady and egotistical as any of them.

If he's retiring just because he lost again, well that firmly leaves Maradona as the fan favourite and greatest ever player for them. And if its some little scheme, well a bit typical Messi. Would have more respect if he was just clear about it. He's one of the biggest profile players in the world, he can pretty much say what he wants about anything football related.

What they going to do, drop him?

He's a spoofer

Rayne Wooney

Messi and Ronaldo are peas in a pod, both temperamental geniuses who throw strops when things don't go their way. It's funny listening to Ronaldo haters who try to paint it otherwise

Will be a real shame if Messi doesn't play in Russia

inforfun

ERG89 wrote: »

The expansion of 4 more teams & was on in the US.
Players opting & being chosen to play in the Olympics instead.
Do you think UEFA will have another euro's the next summer after one?
As corrupt as they are even they wouldn't.

If the UEFA would be 100 years old next there would be a tournament, i am pretty sure of that.
Fortunately though, the year they will be there 100 years, is a euro finals year.

HalloweenJack

Even UEFA are doing something special for the 60th anniversary of the Euros.

ERG89

inforfun wrote: »

If the UEFA would be 100 years old next there would be a tournament, i am pretty sure of that.
Fortunately though, the year they will be there 100 years, is a euro finals year.

They'd delay it to meet the centenary and obviously wouldn't celebrate it by having a tournament on in another continent....:P

inforfun

ERG89 wrote: »

They'd delay it to meet the centenary and obviously wouldn't celebrate it by having a tournament on in another continent....:P

I guess that was a money thing for it to be held in the USA

Brazil already had wc2014 and now the Olympics, Chile had last year.
Venezuela has €5,- cash and that is it. Et cetera.....

And there always have been "guests" playing at the Copa.

But i called is a tournament of friendlies myself somewhere here on boards so i am not putting too much value on this copa win. Chile will not care about that last part though.