The Round Ball Game

[Parry1912]

Linecker and his team have won this World Cup hands down in this house .... Hoddle is fatuous, Chiles annoying!

That wasn't you throwing ball bearings at them after the opening match, was it?

Bring back Greavsie, I say!

[Pianorak]

Well done The Netherlands - well deserved win!!!

[johncorrigan]

Well done The Netherlands - well deserved win!!!

I thought it was more like a soap opera tonight! All it needed was for a goalie to be sent off during the penalty shoot out to complete the show.

[Nick Armstrong]

Well done The Netherlands - well deserved win!!!

I agree.

A Dutch friend who is passionate about the game emailed just now to say:

With our win, football has won. Costa Rica only defended. They were a sad sight.

Discuss.

(I think it's unfair that it was sad - but it was a bravura display of defending with the best chance in the 117th minute or similar)

[pilamenon]

I agree.

A Dutch friend who is passionate about the game emailed just now to say:

With our win, football has won. Costa Rica only defended. They were a sad sight.

Discuss.

(I think it's unfair that it was sad - but it was a bravura display of defending with the best chance in the 117th minute or similar)

I think Costa Rica were magnificent in the way they defended. To me, that was easily the best watch of the quarter-finals, and they handed out a lesson in spirit and determination to the feeble French and Belgians. All the other quarter-finals were poor.

In fact, in terms of star teams and star players, I think it's been a poor World Cup, with the exception of some superb goalkeeping (and Costa Rican defending). Neymar and Messi haven't lived up to the hype, despite the odd moment of brilliance.

[Pianorak]

I thought it was more like a soap opera tonight!. . .

Ah, so that's what kept me up until midnight watching!

I agree with pilamenon that it "was easily the best watch of the quarter-finals, and they handed out a lesson in spirit and determination to the feeble French and Belgians."

[Anna]

With our win, football has won. Costa Rica only defended. They were a sad sight. Discuss.

I think it was a sad sight that Holland subbed a goalkeeper who had spent the whole tournament not on the pitch but practising penalties because they just couldn't score against Costa Rica and the goalkeeper then was sledging each and every Costa Rican when they went up to shoot. I've always said the Dutch play dirty and this proves it. Even Gary Lineker said it was insulting. I do hope they get thrashed in their next match.

[johncorrigan]

Ah, so that's what kept me up until midnight watching!

Yep! Kept me up too! But just because it grabbed you don't mean it was because of the quality of the football.

I agree with pilamenon that it "was easily the best watch of the quarter-finals, and they handed out a lesson in spirit and determination to the feeble French and Belgians."

It wouldn't be hard to be the best of that abject bunch of matches. The tournament has been kept alive by the fans - every game played to full grounds with the fans out to enjoy themselves. Of course the prize is big...immortality...

Over the 52 years that I've been aware of the World Cup there was always a team or two who stood out in the tournament, whether they went on to win...Brazil in '70, Spain in '10, Argentina in '78 and '86, or not...the Dutch in '74 and '78, France in '82, for example. But I don't think I'll be immortalising any of the four teams left in the tournament.


After a fun-filled group section, for me the games have generally failed to reach any level of expectation. Apart from Robben and James Rodrigues and the odd bit of Messi the top players, even my favourite Muller, have failed to light up a game, never mind the tournament. Dark horses have generally fallen too easily at a crucial time - Belgium, France...I'll leave Algeria out of that; they really could have progressed with a couple of the right choices in front of goal.

Anyway I'll sit in front of the semis, less faithfully than I once would have, and hope that something lights it up, but at present I'm left thinking that whichever of the four left eventually prevails, they will go down as the worst team to lift the trophy...oh well, you can only beat what's put up against you. Hodgson (remember him?) must be kicking himself as a decent performance from Engerland could take most of this mob.

[antongould]

You missed England in 1966 john.........

[johncorrigan]

You missed England in 1966 john.........

I'm not sure they were the best team in the '66 tournament anton; England probably had a better team in 1970, but Brazil weren't kicked out of the tournament in Mexico like they were in England. But I'm sure you'll agree about immortality...we've heard nothing but Moore, Hurst and co since '66...I'm already dreading 2016!

[Nick Armstrong]

I think Costa Rica were magnificent in the way they defended. To me, that was easily the best watch of the quarter-finals, and they handed out a lesson in spirit and determination to the feeble French and Belgians. All the other quarter-finals were poor.

In fact, in terms of star teams and star players, I think it's been a poor World Cup, with the exception of some superb goalkeeping (and Costa Rican defending). Neymar and Messi haven't lived up to the hype, despite the odd moment of brilliance.

I agree. Also with Anna!

[antongould]

I agree. Also with Anna!

How can Krul be unsporting under a "head" man like Pardew?

[Anna]

The point is - it sets a precedent, subbing a goalkeeper who is taller (6'4") and therefor a longer reach and what's to stop all teams training up a GK just to be wheeled out for penalties? Bit like England used to wheel Jonny Wilkinson out to kick I suppose. As to sledging, didn't Joe Hart get booked for doing it? If you look at the FIFA 2014 WC rulebook for penalties Krul was way out of order. Still at least the self-confessed cheating Flying Dutchman kept his diving reasonably under control.

Anyway, I've enjoyed a lot of the matches, particulary the Germany v Ghana second half, I wish one of the African teams could have progressed to the quarter finals but no-one has really stood out. When the World Cup starts it's like .... oh no, weeks and weeks of footie but doesn't it just fly by?

[teamsaint]

I suspect that the inexorable drift of the best players to a dozen or so champions league clubs means that we are judging world cup teams by higher standards than is reasonable.
The quality in the last 8 of the CL would be higher than the last 8 here, i think.

Edit: Real Madrid, Dortmund, Man utd, barca, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, PSG, Bayern were this seasons QFinalists.
Throw in the endless supply of cheating and some poor reffing, and in the end the excitement of some end to end games must give way to some disappointment.
For me , the quality of the strikers on show has been a big disappointment. But I suppose in the multimedia age, we know all about anybody with real talent long before they arrive on this big stage.

lesson no 1 : if FIFA REALLY want to improve standards of behaviour, play, and to nail potential corruption, video replays are an essential step.

[Parry1912]

Apart from Robben and James Rodrigues and the odd bit of Messi the top players, even my favourite Muller, have failed to light up a game, never mind the tournament. Dark horses have generally fallen too easily at a crucial time - Belgium, France...

As usual the players that play in the Premier League have disappointed. Nearly all the Belgian team and many of the French team. Not to mention England. Perhaps FIFA should insist that leagues have a winter break.