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Howard Webb had a GOOD game...







Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,953
Surrey
This was the one mistake he made that pissed me off. Clear cut, just bad concentration. But after 2 hours of quality refereeing under a lot of pressure, he had a good game and no one can blame him.
I remember thinking at the time that Webb wasn't watching as the free kick was being taken.


I thought he had a so so game, which was made much harder by the behaviour of the Dutch players. He really should have sent off Van Bommel, long before half time. The fact that he didn't really isn't good refereeing in my book. It's BOTTLING the big decisions.
I'm not sure whether or not it was a foul before Spain got their goal but it's hard to have any sympathy for the Dutch. By the end of the game, there can't have been many non-Dutchmen still hoping they'd do it.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,479
Brighton
He really should have sent off Van Bommel, long before half time. The fact that he didn't really isn't good refereeing in my book. It's BOTTLING the big decisions.

But if he had, he then would've been absolutely slated for "ruining the spectacle" "making it all about him" etc, so he really can't win, can he?

For the record I do think De Jong and Van Bommel should've seen red.
 








strings

Moving further North...
Feb 19, 2006
9,969
Barnsley
What annoyed me about the Dutch players was their selective memory. Yes, there was a refereeing mistake in the run up to the goal. However, the Dutch won back the ball and gave it away three times (from memory) between the refereeing error and the goal. Had they been concentrating on their own game rather the blaming the referee, the outcome of that game may weel have been different.

Good refereeing from Webb in difficult circumstances. I would like to echo the comments above re: some of the card-happy african referees we have seen in the tournament - had one of them taken charge the game would have been runied, or worse called off due to the number of reds.
 


The Large One

Who's Next?
Jul 7, 2003
52,343
97.2FM
I remember thinking at the time that Webb wasn't watching as the free kick was being taken.


I thought he had a so so game, which was made much harder by the behaviour of the Dutch players. He really should have sent off Van Bommel, long before half time. The fact that he didn't really isn't good refereeing in my book. It's BOTTLING the big decisions.
I'm not sure whether or not it was a foul before Spain got their goal but it's hard to have any sympathy for the Dutch. By the end of the game, there can't have been many non-Dutchmen still hoping they'd do it.

I don't think he bottled it. I think he made an active decision - probably pre-meditated - to try and not send players off, rather than a set of passive indecision (i.e. bottling it). Whichever way he'd have made his decisions about whether it should have been yellow here or red there, the Dutch would still have blamed him for their defeat.

Spain, meanwhile, sensing that Netherlands were being brutal took full advantage in some cases to make sure they benefitted from it.
 


Tony Towner's Fridge

Well-known member
Aug 22, 2003
5,547
GLASGOW,SCOTLAND,UK
Howard Webb had a very good game. The Dutch have ruined my long lasting image of them being a skillfull team of footballers. They had 4 days (between Wednesday night and Sunday) to sort out some tactics; yet all we got was kick the oposition off the park. Shame on them and it is no use them bleating about the refeeee. Van Bommel was a disgrace and should have been red carded in the semi.
Well done to Spain, I love the way they play, silky football and they do try and play it the right way. Pity Llorente never got more than a token few minutes . He is quality , watch Althletic Bilbao next season to see how good he is.
All in all 6 out of 10 for the tourney. Not the best but not the worst.

TNBA

TTF
 




rcf0712

Out Here In The Perimeter
Feb 26, 2009
2,428
Perth, Western Australia
For me I think the only card he shouldn't have given was Segio Ramos but then many of the mickey mouse refs we've seen previously would have sent numerous players off. I think he had a good game, in a very difficult role - Holland were a disgrace...
 


Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
25,512
Worthing
The only way the Dutch were ever going to get close to Spain was to set out as spoilers and cloggers because they`re not in Spain`s league when it comes to football.
Webb was ok but too lenient in my opinion. If Holland had won this tournement they would have lost the mantle of best country never to have won the world cup but taken on the new one of 'Worst team ever to have won it'
 


Rookie

Greetings
Feb 8, 2005
12,324
thought he did really well, don't get what the Dutch have to moan about. Never a free kick just before the goal, he basically fell over. Webb tried to keep everyone on the pitch under some extreme provocation, which should have made a better game. Unfortunately appeared the Dutch didn't come to play football but went to hurt people
 




Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,953
Surrey
I don't think he bottled it. I think he made an active decision - probably pre-meditated - to try and not send players off, rather than a set of passive indecision (i.e. bottling it).
You can't do that, you have to apply the RULES of the game! Studs into the chest of an opponent is not acceptable and should have meant a straight red.

Either he didn't see it, or he bottled it.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,709
The Fatherland
I think FIFA owe Mr Webb a massive thank you for not allowing the game to turn into more of a farce than it was, he could of sent off a couple of the Dutch players and Iniesta for the off the ball on Van Bommel.

Could you imagine what would of happened if one of the card happy refs from Africa had taken this game?

We have some of the best refs in the world in this country and its time the media start to respect them a bit more and the FA to start fining/banning managers and players who abuse them.

I could not agree more. Webb handled the game as well as anyone could have handled it.

The Dutch deserved nothing from the game so I'm glad they went home with nothing.

Spain were not blameless but given the provocation I can understand some of their reactions.
 


Arthur

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
8,761
Buxted Harbour
Really don't know why the Dutch a moaning? He bottled two decisions and both of them were against the Dutch (De Jong and Robben (2nd booking - for kicking the ball away towards the end)).

That said I dunno why people are having a dig at the Dutch, they clearly couldn't cope with the Spanish so set their stall out to play in a certain way and it worked. If they'd held out for another 4 mins then it would have been a coin toss to win the world cup.
 




Trigger

Well-known member
Jul 4, 2003
40,457
Brighton
I thought he had a bit of a mare to be honest, let too many things go unpunished, gave two players about four last warnings each and worst of all missed a corner that took an almost 90 degree deflection
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,709
The Fatherland
I thought he had a bit of a mare to be honest, let too many things go unpunished, gave two players about four last warnings each and worst of all missed a corner that took an almost 90 degree deflection

If everything had been punished I do not think the game would have been completed. Holland would not have had enough players on the pitch.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,709
The Fatherland
That said I dunno why people are having a dig at the Dutch, they clearly couldn't cope with the Spanish so set their stall out to play in a certain way and it worked.


But they lost?
 


fleet

Well-known member
Jul 28, 2003
12,249
FIFA should certainl;y act against the Dutch for the behaviour during and after the match
 




Skint Gull

New member
Jul 27, 2003
2,980
Watchin the boats go by
When you see the decision that the dutch were moaning about from the sideline the 2 Spanish clearly obstructed the player. When you see it from Webb's position of looks like a petty little dive!

I thought he had an excellent game to be honest and echo what others have said, if it had been another ref it would have been carnage
 


Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,953
Surrey
That said I dunno why people are having a dig at the Dutch, they clearly couldn't cope with the Spanish so set their stall out to play in a certain way and it worked. If they'd held out for another 4 mins then it would have been a coin toss to win the world cup.
No, it *nearly* worked. And it probably shouldn't have come close to working. If one of the Dutch players had been sent off, I reckon they'd have been completely outplayed in the second half.

Switzerland proved Spain weren't invincible without kicking seven bells out of them.
 


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