I will never disrespect Casillas for everything he did for Spain and Real Madrid, but yes , Casillas tonight performance is one of the worst GK performance i have seen in my entire life actually.....(25 years watching football on TV)
Day 2: Spain vs. Netherlands
- Thread starter gooDevil
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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From the start of the game, I was worried that this game would end up full of controversy like most the others so far. The very weak penalty to Spain and all the foul calls seemed to be going to them as well. I'm glad the Dutch managed to keep their moral up and hit back x 5. 
I thought RVP played excellent. His diving header will surely go down as one of the best diving headers ever. So much range and accuracy! His steal and goal off Casillas was excellent as well. It certainly had me laughing. I think Casillas needs to hang up his boots in international play and let de Gea start getting caps.
I was very glad to see Spain's 4 year dominance come to an end, even more so that it was done by LVG, RVP, and the rest of the Oranje. Hopefully, the England game will be good today.
I thought RVP played excellent. His diving header will surely go down as one of the best diving headers ever. So much range and accuracy! His steal and goal off Casillas was excellent as well. It certainly had me laughing. I think Casillas needs to hang up his boots in international play and let de Gea start getting caps.
I was very glad to see Spain's 4 year dominance come to an end, even more so that it was done by LVG, RVP, and the rest of the Oranje. Hopefully, the England game will be good today.
Which team, maybe apart from Germany, have the apparent defensive strength that you are talking about?
Seeing Reina start ahead of De Gea would make me cringe. But no matter what happens Casillas won't be dropped.
It's unfortunate for him but given that he hasn't played nearly enough for the past 2 seasons it's not unexpected. He is still a top keeper but on current form he shouldn't be starting. Would love to see De Gea against Chile, have been a big admirer of him.
i really enjoyed this match. Louis van Gaal strategy, how he choosing players was great. This match become special because of van Persie & Robben wonder goals and they beat Spain!
The number of fecks I give about your opinion is zero.
I do not know if there are any country restrictions, if so would be a shame.
All of Louis' celebrations in 4 min.
All of Louis' celebrations in 4 min.
Yeah and Benzema is the worst striker Real ever had. I know where you are coming from.
Even as a german i was rooting for Holland. Mainly because Robben is my favorite player and he needed justice for 2010.
Robben's the third or maybe even second best player in the world when 100% fit.
Our defense is probably our biggest weakness aswell.
On paper Brazil have the best defense. But they struggled in the first match. Italy is always good at defending too.
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Still slightly hungover from last night, but RVP killed it so I'm not too bothered. Amazing game last night!
That was exactly my thought.
Absolutely surreal game. Robben and Van Persie were superbly devastating everytime they get the ball near the box. The offside calls against them earlier in the game were really tight that the score gap would've been bigger if they were one-step onside.
Brazil were split open by Croatia at will during the match. They will be found out very soon. You may be right about Italy but I am not too sure. Overall, you don't need the best defense to win the cup, you need the best functioning team and Netherlands looked every bit that team yesterday. No dropping of shoulders, no worrying even after Spain went 1-0 up. LvG must be a bloody good motivator. Loved his celebration with RvP after the first goal. That is the bond which actually pushes the team on.Yeah and Benzema is the worst striker Real ever had. I know where you are coming from.
Even as a german i was rooting for Holland. Mainly because Robben is my favorite player and he needed justice for 2010.
Robben's the third or maybe even second best player in the world when 100% fit.
Our defense is probably our biggest weakness aswell.
On paper Brazil have the best defense. But they struggled in the first match. Italy is always good at defending too.
Any gif of the first goal by RvP?
Gerrard attempts the flying header. I love the Internet
We will bounce back from this. If Holland can win their 3 games (which I think they will), I'm pretty sure we'll make it out of the group. Altough I'm not sure if that's a good thing as we'd probably receive another drubbing from Brasil in the next round.
It's time for Xabi, Xavi, Iker and a few others to move on and make way for the younger generation. Koke, Jese, DDG, Martinez and Ancantara are a few that should start the next Euros.
Oh well, we've had a good run I guess, it had to end some day.
Congratulations to Holland and Van Gaal, they played the game of their lives. Let's see if he can keep them this motivated against other teams. If they do I could see them make it to another final.
It's time for Xabi, Xavi, Iker and a few others to move on and make way for the younger generation. Koke, Jese, DDG, Martinez and Ancantara are a few that should start the next Euros.
Oh well, we've had a good run I guess, it had to end some day.
Congratulations to Holland and Van Gaal, they played the game of their lives. Let's see if he can keep them this motivated against other teams. If they do I could see them make it to another final.
These things happens all the time in world cups. I think this performance will only be a problem for them from now on and it would have been better if it had happened later on in the tournament. I wonder what would had happened if Silva had put that goal away for 2-0.
I think the coaching was amazing last night. They started out very aggressive, just enough to not get the red card - and this limited the spanish players a lot. They couldn't take their time on the ball nor did they want it knowing DeJong could be standing behind them ready to cut a leg off.
Second half the dutch team showed an amazing width. Their wingers were glued to the sideline. Probably a good cure against the spanish tactics.
Anyway, I think my prediction of the game earlier in this thread was pretty spot on - still I put my money on spain and miss out on the party.
you didn enjoy roberto martinez's analysis? i was loving it!!!
Crazy stats!
Well what? You still think the Netherlands team isn't good?
Spain were poor last night but they still have the best squad in the tournament. They lost the 2010 opener too, let's not get carried away.
If Holland can do that to Spain they can do it to anyone.
Van Persie was unrreal.
Van Persie was unrreal.
Only difference is, in 2010 they lost 1-0. Last night they we're completely and utter destroyed. I think it'll have a huge effect on confidence going forward.
They'll recover mind you, I still think they will make it to the Semi Final.
They lost to a far weaker Swiss side, but yeah, they were hammered.
I think last night might be more of a wake up call to them than this 'end of an era' people seem to be predicting.
Spain were shapeless & clueless yesterday, if you’re going to play Costa you need to play with width, which Spain can't do with 2 defensives mids, 2 centre mids and 1 behind the front man, would have thought del bosque should had known better obviously not, also starting a keeper who’s played 2 league games in around 18 months is very strange even if it is Casillas
Next game I would play
DDG
Juanfran Pique Ramos Alba
Busquets
Iniesta Fabregas
Pedro Villa Silva
Next game I would play
DDG
Juanfran Pique Ramos Alba
Busquets
Iniesta Fabregas
Pedro Villa Silva
Losing 1:5 to the Netherlands is slightly different than a 1:0 loss to Switzerland though. I reckon this might affect their confidence, but then again it might have the opposite effect and serve as a wake up call. Hard to tell, but after a team has had such tremendous success over the years it is to be expected to have a drop. That's why I think VdB should have played some of the new players as I'm sure they are hungry for success.
I won't discount Spain though. The squad they have is easily the best at the WC and anything could happen.
Did anyone see Pique get bowled over during Robben's second goal?
A Suisse side that couldn't really hurt Spain on the counter like the Dutch can and did. For nearly one half of football, Spain were in the driver's seat...until RVP's goal. From there, they never recovered from that sucker punch - hard to draw too much from that 2nd half although surprising it took so long for Del Bosque to make changes
I didn't predict them winning the WC anyway but surprised they came out so flat in the 2nd half. Lots of questions for Del Bosque to address and he has options at his disposal. Costa should've been substituted earlier and Pedro brought on sooner, they really missed that wide threat. Azpilicueta was severely exposed, over & over which will hopefully mean Juanfran. Alonso is not a solution either which will hopefully mean Koke. But not having an in form goalscorer is already haunting them more than anything, IMHO. Should've included a plan B whether it was Deulofeu or Llorente
That opening sentence, ha! If Silva puts Spain 2 up like he should have, moments before RVPs great header, we would be talking of another Spanish masterclass. Cesc,Pedro and Villa have been off form going in to this world cup. del Bosque will know that if his defence plays better, they will have more than a chance of going through.
Iniesta was still class, his through pass to set up Silva was out of this world.
Head and shoulders above the rest.
Head and shoulders above the rest.
yeah, it kind of is...I think Del Bosque is being very stubborn with the keeper situation, I think DDG should be starting. The game against Chile is going to be a cracker I'd say, they have to go at them while Chile could sit back and catch them on the break... cant wait!
The problem right now is, Spain might finish 2nd, and face Brazil in the next round. That itself would be a conundrum for them. That's the difference between the 0-1 defeat to the Swiss and this one.
If Sneijder took his chance would have been 1-0 Holland
Iniesta is just pure class. I think Xavi is the most influential footballer in Spain's recent history but watching Iniesta play the game is football's equivalent of Brazzers porn!
Loooooove it!
Gerrard attempts the flying header. I love the Internet
I still expect Spain to do well. They need to switch some of the codgers out of the team though. Alonso in particular. Maybe even Xavi.
I'm not sure what they can do about the defence as they really missed Puyol.
The Netherlands did have a poor first half. In retrospect I called it too early. They looked like a good team.
Why were Spain's midfield so static? There was no closing down and protection for the back 4 seemed non-existent. It honestly looked like they were a couple of yards off the pace. Unless that can be addressed, Spain won't make a ripple this year.
Wondered the same, virtually no pressing from them. Taking Alonso off only made it worse.
Regressed a bit? This is a team that has won the previous 3 international tournaments, and they got schooled 5-1, it wasn't even marginally close, and by a team you clearly don't rate...
If Sneijder scores that 1 vs 1 it could have been 6-0, if Diego Costa had been booked for diving insted of getting a penalty, it could have been 5-0... basically, if my aunt had balls...
Saying Spain were shapeless and clueless - particularly in that second half, is a fair comment... they were all over the shop.
also had azpilicueta in acres of space on the right but didn't seem eager to get the ball to him
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