WORLD CUP JULY 9, 2010
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Spain: Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, backheel, pass, pass, pass, pass, Alonso scuffed shot, goalkick. Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, Villa charges at Dutch right back, throw in, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, Alonso scuffed shot, deflected, corner, goalkick. Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass.
Holland: Chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, foul by van Bommel, freekick, no card. Chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, dive by Arjen Robben, angry look by van Persie as no freekick given, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, watch Alonso shot sail wide, goalkick, aerial challenge for ball, dive by Arjen Robben, angry look by van Persie as no freekick given, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase.
8 comments
Robben's diving is the one unattractive thing about the Dutch. But I note that he was diving constantly against Brazil, a team long notorious for fielding more divers than the Summer Olympics, whereas against Uruguay he only flopped a couple of times; he often ran through challenges that against Brazil would have had him writhing on the grass. So my hope is that the whole "dive like a Brazilian" thing was a tactical choice against Brazil to get in their heads. I hope this for the sake of the quality of the final game, but also for Holland's sake: Spain will eat that shit up if Robben tries it against them.
- rhubarbs
July 9, 2010 at 2:41pm
This is funny, but I have a sense - at least, I hope - that after the abysmal performance of the Germans in the game with Spain, the Dutch will have learned something. To wit: * defend well, * don't shoot directly into the arms of the Spanish goalie, * "move your bloomin' arse" instead of staring at the spinning ball in disbelief in the 6-yard box, and * have a striker who can strike and who has not been disqualified. We should also bear in mind that it is the first time the Dutch are in the Finals facing a team NOT on home territory. So at least, they will not have THAT excuse to choke. Having said all of that, I have every confidence in the ability of the Dutch to choke at the last minute. (I think in one of these posts I vowed not to invest emotionally or otherwise in them, and I have not.) In the Uruguay game, they were inside the box, practically alone with the goalie, two or three times and they just lost the ball. They gave away their goals pointlessly. So it is not far-fetched to think that the Dutch will do well until 70' - 2-0 - and then lose 3-2 to the Spanish. 'Tis ever been thus.
- icarusr
July 9, 2010 at 3:02pm
The Spanish know how to dismantle a team. It's not about others' abysmal performances. It's about the Spanish outstanding performance...
- Ideaot
July 9, 2010 at 3:54pm
During the final I am going to have some classical music on, maybe Mozart or Haydn. My girlfriend & I will cuddle and read. The TV, wonderfully, will be off. I will be reading the recent TNR cover article on Justice Brandeis, a man and a topic worthy of the magazine I cherish. If I tire of the towering legal figure, I'm sure I can find other treasures in these pages. And I will reflect. I will reflect on what TNR means to me, and how it is TNR that gave me the intellectual tools and guts to reject the sappy, tedious, feel-good internationalism that causes intelligent people to make a fuss over such a trivial thing. Soccer is fine. As sports go it is not my thing, but I would be equally upset if football or baseball were given so much space in these pages. Still, please enjoy.
- masmith
July 9, 2010 at 4:09pm
Ideadot: to every strategy there is a counter-strategy; for a strategy of dismantlement to work, the opposing team's counter-strategy of containment and "mantlement" (there is no such word, but you know what I mean) must fail. And it is not possible to assert that the Spanish are flawless, because they lost to the Swiss. Masmith: I'm reading through rafts of submissions in an actual constitutional case going before the Supremes; it's good to be able to discuss Football (the real sort) intelligently with people (like Rhubs) whose judgement in other fields I respect. For me, the greatest threat to TNR and its intellectual coherence is not an occasional blog on Football or Baseball or Rugby or whatever; it is the poison of the Spine and the rank bullying, outright racism and incessant name-calling of some of its regular posters. Enjoy the Chablis.
- icarusr
July 9, 2010 at 4:20pm
icarusr, you respect my opinions about soccer at your peril. Hell, I spend half of every Holland game thinking, "Why doesn't Bert put van Nistelrooy in already?" and then remembering that it's 2010. Personally, I'll be at the Nats game Sunday afternoon, enjoying a sport that's not quite so far over my head as soccer. I'm sure they'll put WC updates on the scoreboard; if Holland wins, I'll watch the final later on DVR. If not, I'll start counting down to the Women's World Cup and Euro 2012.
- rhubarbs
July 9, 2010 at 5:03pm
Rhubs: Enjoy the game. No fear - I'm still looking for Papa Sepp Meyer in the German goal ...
- icarusr
July 9, 2010 at 5:16pm
icarusr: Thanks!! I did!! I don't read the Blogs too much. From what little I have, you're probably right. Ironically the World Cup Blog seems more respectful and coherent. Soccer fans have class.
- masmith
July 12, 2010 at 2:40pm