Those over-rated Germans eh DD?
Van Bronckhorst - wow! What a goal.
Originally Posted by Despondent Dave
THIS YEAR LENDING SUPPORT TO:- St. Helens RLFC, Manchester City, Celtic, Alemannia Aachen, Steps 1 to 6 Non-League Football
just hope holland win it , were the best team by a mile in 74 , desperately unlucky to hit the post in last minute of normal time in 78 , think they deserve it for all the great players theyve produced over the years and from a population 1/6th the size of ours .
I have said in my post that I think Spain are the best team in the world. But it does not detract from the fact that Germany have had a decent WC. Its no disgrace to lose to Spain. Germany scored 4 against England and Argentina so they have had a good go. I don't think for one minute that they are overated.
I just think they played in a very poor world cup and having played with the ball for 6 months previous had a massive advantage (good thinking from their FA), but You can only judge over the next 4 years how good they really are.
Although not being great at the WC, this is a culmination of 4 years hard work for Spain, Qualifying and winning the euros in style and continuing thru to the world cup
They ended up being over-rated. They started off being under-rated. In the end, the hype would have you believe that they were going to beat Spain. In fact, 83% of Germans interviewed believed they would win the World Cup at that stage. That's the kind of blind jingoism you lambasted us for.
Whilst they were outstanding against Argentina (an Argentina side that struggled to qualify for the finals), in the end, it looked like a combination of believing their own hype and it being a match too far, got to them on the big day.
They should be right up there with the favourites for the next Euros though, if not THE favourites.
THIS YEAR LENDING SUPPORT TO:- St. Helens RLFC, Manchester City, Celtic, Alemannia Aachen, Steps 1 to 6 Non-League Football
Indeed, by the end of the Germans campaign they were over-rated.
They played the same against Spain as they have throughout the tournament, only difference being Spain are solid at the back and dont give the ball away cheaply leaving themselves open to a rapid counter attack, unlike England, Argentina et al who really didnt look after the ball enough (or at all in Englands case) and in Argentina's case got caught with too many players comitted up field and were exposed due to a lack of proper fullbacks and the absent Walter Samuel who has had a fantastic renaissance with Inter lately.
When it comes to probing and picking an opening though a well organised and solid defence, at the moment the Spanish are head an shoulders above everybody else in world football. Added to that the win in Austria in 2008 has given them a belief and a winning mentality, not to mention that they can call on 20+ genuine world class players, and they have the righ ingredients to become THE dominant force over the next 20 years
The past was yours but the future's mine,
You're all out of time.
cant get over hansen and co's love in with spain and there criticism of the nasty dutch , what short memories they have it wasnt so long ago that spain were more than happy to kick lumps out of people, i remember the "butcher of bilbaos " open threat that he was going to cripple maradonna , which he nearly did. The spaniards are more than capable of looking after themselves and getting the odd sly dig in yet the beeb gang are comparing them to 1970 brazil and the total football played by the great dutch teams , both of whow would have hammered spain.
they were critisised because they are skillfull and capable of playing great football. They chose to kick **** out of the opposition instead then show no grace in losing. The ref that they are conveniently blaming was very lenient to the dutch, they should have had 2 more sent off and yet they will nit pick about an obstruction causing the goal that happened 3 minutes and 28 passes before the goal actually went in.
I think the Dutch 'hacking' angle was overplayed slightly. Yes, the likes of Van Bommel do leave their foot in but he's never been any different for club or country, whilst the De Jong high foot (whilst dangerous) didn't look to me like a pre-meditated act of thuggery, more a mis-timed attempt at getting to the ball. They are sore losers, but who wouldn't be after losing a World Cup Final in the 116th minute?!
Webb kept them in the game with his leniency, but in the heat of the moment they aren't going to be thinking about that and whilst childish, petulant and uncalled for it's understandable that they will look for someone to blame. They also didn't play for a 0-0 as some in the media have said, as they did have the best chance of the 90 when Robben went clear through and should have scored.
Saying that, I'm glad Spain won, I haven't enjoyed watching Holland that much in the tournament bar the odd bit of brilliance from Sneijder, but to take the deeds of Van Bommel and a couple of others and turn it around and call Holland a team of cheats and thugs was going over the top for me.
I'm glad it's all over really, I can get back to normality and do other things with my evenings!