Alright no harm done then. Aside from this, the match was entertaining to the last minute. I was glad for Klaas Jan, the Schalke 04 man, for an incredible 5-10 minutes.
This is my original opinion right after the game and I still stand by it: Don't know about 100% flopping. Marquez fouled him and Robben went down in an exaggerated fashion. He could have had a penalty two other times - the one where he skipped past the defender (he could have taken the foul, easily) and then the blatant one in the first half. As a maths equation, we should have had a penalty. I do agree the exaggeration is annoying, but Marquez was playing with fire there as well. Robben took advantage of the situation, but he WAS fouled. So in my opinion, NOT a full flop. To me there are three kinds of fouls that are called: 1. Blatant fouls, player goes down in a natural way, no exaggeration 2. Player is fouled and goes down in an exaggerated fashion to show that he has been fouled to the ref 3. Players has not been fouled, goes down and it's 100% a flop I think the penalty shout falls in category 2. I'd be more pissed with Marquez than with Robben - I put it in the "bonehead defending" category. Just like de Vrij in the first game against Spain. Sure, I was cursing Costa for going down, but I also understood that he was hit and went down. Was more annoyed that de Vrij took the risk and clipped the player when he didn't need to do that. I think they need to make things clearer for both fans and players. If you flop, punish the players after the game. Ban them and slowly take it out of the culture of football, just like with crazy fouls that we used to see in the 70s and 80s. Give Robben a yellow for some of the flops - he deserved it.
They absolutely need to start carding for flops. Considering how far we are into the Cup, there's little to no chance we'll see it start happening now. I think one card early in a match will stop it for the rest of that match.
A poster mentioned early about how Mexico should be better than the U.S. Because the U.S. Didn't even try to develop a football program until the early 90's whereas Mexico has had one for a longer period along with a domestic league. Sounds like an excuse to me.
They can only regulate and review the works of refs during matches at FIFA's. There is no need to feel mad at Marquez because why would you be mad at the man's last tournament. He did great things for Mexico, his country. This is just a questionable call magnified by one ref. Robben is young enough to play another WC, so yeah there is that. Agree with yellow cards. You got to be looking forward to the Costa Rican match. Those guys play with fire like the Mexicans, defend the hardest.
Okay, maybe not mad at Marquez - but at least that he made a mistake. But yeah, he has been a great servant for Mexico. Am worried about Costa Rica, but was hoping for extra time so am a bit more positive. Probably means we'll both be tired for the game, as played in those crazy conditions - another money-making FIFA scheme. Making players go at it in peak sun just to cater for European TV. Quality of football suffers...
Manaus is the jungle I guess Natal, Recife, others are pretty good places, like the cool place URU-England took place at. Now forward to France/NIG
Wow, there wouldn't have been a better time to play Lahm as defender. Löw is obsessed with playing four CBs, it seems. Such a stubborn coach, hope he's gone after this tournament.
It's an opinion that is now greatly in the minority. Development of the national program was late but it's not an excuse anyone is making any more. We should be better. I think the next step has been happening. When you look at the number of US youth playing overseas and in the MLS development programs, I think we're going to see the fruits of which over the next decade.
I think they'd be better if they bench Höwedes. He's just terrible. I don't know anything about Algeria's squad, but if they're smart, they'll attack him all day long. Nigeria giving France fits so far.
Is the general opinion of Löw not great anymore? It's funny - abroad (well, BBC pundits and in Holland) he's generally looked at positively, so interesting to hear that actual Germans don't like him. Is that the general opinion?
Well you completely missed the point of what I was saying. My points were in response to Arno who posted the Us's results since 1994. A.) Considering our program is young (internationally and domestically) all those results aren't that bad (98 and 06 were disasters of course). B.) Mexico should be disappointed that they haven't made the quarters in the past 20 years because on any given day they can be as good as anyone (As they have proven all these years). They should have better results than we do historically. Never once did I say we didn't try until 1990 or that if we did we'd be the best. Those were just made up by you. I brought up our relative "youth" in terms of those past results and how those were pretty decent showings. And like I said earlier who is making excuses for "sucking" based on your post. The US is a solid footballing nation at this point, with regional championships and good performances in international tournaments. At this point advancing in tournaments is an expectation.
Yea, the clear majority wants him gone and thinks he's stubborn. It's obvious he has a plan for this WC and won't change it no matter how bad a player is strategy looks. Guys like Hoewedes or Khedira could continue to play like sh.. for the rest of the tournament and he wouldn't consider changing the formation, it's horrible. Same with the false 9 idea, if it doesn't work we only have Klose as an option because Löw had the brilliant idea to only nominate one striker. And to Leroy: yes, Höwedes shouldn't play one more game and we have way better options in Lahm, Durm and Großkreutz, but this is typical of Löw.
