Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2010 18:43:01 GMT -5
Jul 12, 2010 15:23:19 GMT -5 @souljacker said:
While I agree many cards we got were deserved, I thought we played much dirtier than we usually do, but the calls weren't neutral. When Spanish players asked for a card, they the ref gave it to a dutch player. When a dutch player asked for a card, he got one himself. Also, Heitinga barely even touched the guy, at least a lot less than Robben was pulled back and there wasn't a call at all.
I know you're a Dutch fan and that clouds your thinking here (I'm the same way when the Oregon Ducks lose), but you're in denial if you think the reason the Dutch got carded was because the Spanish players asked the ref.
And I agree that Heitinga committed a pretty weak foul, but ANY foul at all that brings a player down from behind when the only thing between the goal and the player is the ball is going to warrant a card. The card was less for the foul and more for the position of the two players, the ball, the goal, and the time left on the clock. You just can't touch a guy in that position and he did.
Besides, de Jong should have been sent off in the first half so you should consider yourself lucky that you only played a man down for 15 minutes instead of 85.
And yes, the Netherlands was robbed of a corner in the final minutes, but just minutes before that the Spanish were also robbed of a corner. It evens out. IMO, the Netherlands were lucky to even make it to overtime and if you want to blame the loss on anything you need to blame it on poor finishing in front of the goal.
All in all, it became obviously clear (if it wasn't already) that the Fifa should start using instant replays and other tools to help refs getting the right calls, because this is ridicilous, be it not this match but any other (the goal from England that was a foot over the line in the goal and not counted for instance, or hand balls in the penalty area followed by a goal).