FIFA World Cup 2014 - Brazil

[Wombat]

I can't believe Robben is only 30 according to wiki.

He has been around forever.....must be the bald head.....making him look older.

 

[Wombat]

It was a foul. Grosso made the most of it for sure, but it was still a foul. Neill should've kept his feet.

It was never a foul.

You are correct that Neill should have stayed on his feet but it was not a foul. Clumsy attempted block but it doesn't impede Grosso who just dives over a prostrate Neill.

Cynical attempt to cheat as per normal by the Italians.

 

[midfielder]

3 Brazilians walk into a food court in Porto Alegre filled with Argentinian fans … watch what happens.

 

[dibo]

It was never a foul.

You are correct that Neill should have stayed on his feet but it was not a foul. Clumsy attempted block but it doesn't impede Grosso who just dives over a prostrate Neill.

Cynical attempt to cheat as per normal by the Italians.

Whatever helps you sleep at night.

 

[sydmariner]

Whatever helps you sleep at night.

 

[Wombat]

Dibs......I'm English so seeing Australia get knocked out of the Cup is not the end of the world for me.
I like Australia to do well coz I live here, I married one, I have 3 kids with weakened bloodlines (joking), most of my mates are skips and most importantly it's good for the game here.
When England get knocked out I am angry and antisocial. When Australia get knocked out I'm mildly sad.

But Australia got tucked up pure and simple.

Happy to discuss why you think it was a foul?

 

[dibo]

His challenge impeded Grosso, had Neill not been there Grosso either scores or gets an assist. That's fine if Neill gets the ball but he didn't. Game over.

Grosso made a meal of it, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a foul.

 

[Wombat]

Quality finish. 1.0 to the Krauts.
What can Messi do in the last few minutes?

 

[VicMariner]

Quality finish. 1.0 to the Krauts.
What can Messi do in the last few minutes?

Nothing.
Deutschland über alles.

 

[MrCelery]

Best team won, period. Congrats to Die Mannschaft.

 

[dibo]

Germans to win it - too many different ways to win a football match for the others to stop them. The side best suited to stopping them (in football terms) was eliminated in the group stages - Spain. They're the only side that has properly stifled Germany's play, against all others (even Ghana), Germany made more chances and looked more threatening. They're dynamic and aggressive and have lots of different ways to hurt you, whereas all of Brazil, Argentina and Netherlands are a little more limited. Not *bad*, but limited.

 

[Big Al]

Top finish. Great to see the game settled by a goal.

Argies had there chances but blew them.

 

[Big Al]

Now onto the bribery cups

 

[sydmariner]

Now onto the bribery cups

 

[Wombat]

Yep you and Celery picked em....well done boys.

In makes me feel slightly sick and dirty to be cheering for Germans but they were the best team by some way.

Hurry back Spain the world needs you!

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

So FIFA were apparently so inspired by our grand final that they want to replicate it.

Collina - AR's have been told to hold the flag on tight calls with a promising attack and rely on the VAR instead.

This is the height of stupidity from FIFA. Those idiots have no idea what they're doing and don't understand the game. It's also a perversion from what the VAR is supposed to be used for.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44459554

World Cup assistant referees have been told to keep their flag down for tight offside calls to enable VAR to make the correct decision, says Fifa referees committee chairman Pierluigi Collina.

Russia 2018 will be the first World Cup to use the video assistant referee system.

"If you see some assistant referee not raising the flag it's not because he's making mistakes," said Collina.

"It's because he's respected the instruction to keep the flag down."

Italian former referee Collina was speaking at the World Cup referees media briefing on Tuesday.

"They were told to keep the flag down when there is a tight offside incident and there could be a very promising attack or a goal-scoring opportunity because if the assistant referee raises the flag then everything is finished," he said.

"If the assistant referee keeps the flag down and the play goes on and maybe a goal comes at the end, there is a chance to review the goal using the technology."

• How will VAR work in Russia?

Fifa president Gianni Infantino confirmed in March that VAR would be used in Russia, having been used in Germany and Italy and trialled in in some domestic English cup games last season.

The VAR - a current or former top referee - is in place to check decisions on four sorts of incidents:

• Goals, including 'missed' attacking offences in the build-up

• Penalties awarded and not awarded, including 'missed' attacking offences in the build-up

• Direct red cards

• Cases of mistaken identity where the wrong player is shown a red or yellow card

The referee can accept the information relayed through his earpiece by the VAR team, an option usually reserved for objective calls of fact, such as if a player is offside.

For more subjective decisions such as red cards and penalty-area fouls, he can review the footage on a pitchside television monitor before deciding whether to change his initial call.

Replays of incidents reviewed by the VAR will be shown on big screens during the World Cup and the crowd will also be told when a decision is being reviewed and why a decision has been reached.

However, the replays will not be shown inside the ground while the referee is making a decision, only afterwards, so the official is not influenced by the crowd