The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup

[The Real Laoislad]

Howard Webb was rubbish tonight as ref. He allowed the Dutch to try and kick the Spanish out of the game. It was like Norman break your legs hunter in the 70s. He is lucky, he got the right result.

Maybe true but if he had gone and sent off a load players he would have been berated for ruining the World Cup Final!!
I thought he done ok,it was a tough game to Ref,though De Jong I think it was should have seen red for his kung f u tackle on Alonso

[Capt Pat]

Webb also missed a massive deflection off the Spanish wall that should have been a dutch corner right before the Spanish goal. He missed at least one more Dutch yellow card and sent off a player on my fantasy football team.

The lads on BBC said he was rubbish without saying he was rubbish. They said 2 or 3 dutch players could have been sent off by half time. The missed deflection on the corner kick was huge and caused a massive change in the flight of the ball.

Lets be honest that level of refereeing performance in an opening round game of a world cup might have seen him on the next plane home.

[Club Rossa]

Had Holland concentrated on playing football instead of booting everyone around them they would have stood a better chance of winning.

[Bogball XV]

Disappointing finale to a disappointing tournament. Especially disappointing after such a terrific tournament two years ago at the Euros. Disappointing.

totally agree with that, and that tournament led to an excellent season of football afterwards, with coaches at all levels trying to play football, hopefully they won't be trying the same after this tournament.
By the way, does anyone know how Puyol stayed on the pitch after taking out Robben the second time? (just for a bit of balance )

[AZOffaly]

Howard Webb was rubbish tonight as ref. He allowed the Dutch to try and kick the Spanish out of the game. It was like Norman break your legs hunter in the 70s. He is lucky, he got the right result.

Maybe true but if he had gone and sent off a load players he would have been berated for ruining the World Cup Final!!
I thought he done ok,it was a tough game to Ref,though De Jong I think it was should have seen red for his kung f u tackle on Alonso

100% LaoisLad. I thought Webb was good enough in a hard game to referee, thanks to the Dutch. He should have red carded De Jong, but in fairness he tried to stamp out the tackles without reducing the Dutch to 8 players. He'd then be hammered for that.

[paco]

That game summed up the World Cup, one of many games I'd been looking forward to and, like the rest, a complete dissapointment. Happy with the result though, Xavi and Iniesta definitely got the last laugh over Sneijder after last season's Champion's League. Can't understand how one of them didn't win best player.

[Main Street]

Final apart obviously, there were plenty of interesting and exciting games at this WC tournament.
The European teams provided most of the disappointment, negativity and cynicism, so much so that an average enough German team looked fresh and exciting.

France and England were a shambles, Italy ordinary, Denmark and Switzerland contained, Portugal contained and negative,  Greece were Greece,  Serbia?.
Slovakia and Slovenia were credible and honest for what they are.
The other big disappointment was Brazil, when they faced real pressure.
An impatient and highly strung Brazil showed signs of disintigrating in the game against Chile before the game turned in their direction, with 3 outrageous dives  and moaning incessantly to the ref about the imaginary hurt.
Both Paraguay and Uruguay had well coached sparse squads. Both were littered with technically proficient players, comfortable on the ball, playing an attractive balance of defensive, midfield and attacking football. Both teams were refreshingly (almost) free from the histrionic cynicism of the European teams.
Chile play a dying breed of football, that's why its called suicidal defending.

Brutal tackling is not really a problem, because the ref has full authority to deal with it.
What has not been dealt with, is the blatant cheating.

[DuffleKing]

Who won player of the tournament?

[paco]

Who won player of the tournament?

Forlan.

[Canalman]

Actually jumped up off sofa when Spain scored and prior to game didn't really care who won. Webb imo was in a damned if you do/damned if you don't situation here.

Can actually imagine the whining from Dunphy and co if he sent 2 Dutch guys off. "Losing control....... spoiling the showpiece etc etc "

Pretty poor WC as imo it is the first post "crazy money" tournament where imo the major players(mid to late 20s) were more concerned about club loyalties (and paychecks) than the WC. Champions Lgue has also diluted the importance of WC.

[paco]

Actually jumped up off sofa when Spain scored and prior to game didn't really care who won. Webb imo was in a damned if you do/damned if you don't situation here.

Can actually imagine the whining from Dunphy and co if he sent 2 Dutch guys off. "Losing control....... spoiling the showpiece etc etc "

Pretty poor WC as imo it is the first post "crazy money" tournament where imo the major players(mid to late 20s) were more concerned about club loyalties (and paychecks) than the WC. Champions Lgue has also diluted the importance of WC.

Try telling that to the million or so people awaiting the open bus tour in the city centre Madrid!

http://www.sport.es/default.asp?idpublicacio_PK=44&idioma=CAS&idnoticia_PK=721742&idseccio_PK=1585

Watch the video at the bottom, again it's in Spanish but shows how much it meant to him.

[The Real Laoislad]

Thats class,Casillas bird is some mighty bit of stuff

[GBXII]

Have to agree with those saying Webb did ok. The boys on RTE go unbelievably over the top on everything, thought their analysis last night was rubbish. That game was unreal hard to referee and I would guess that he did his best not to mess the game up by sending off 3 or 4 players. Made two poor decisions, the De Jong kick on Alonso and the corner to Holland. Other than that I would like the RTE boys to tell me what he did wrong?

Spain deserved to win and Holland should have no complaints, especially given Robbens two one-on-one's. Also, on last nights evidence, Fabregas should definitely start for Spain.

[Galwaybhoy]

Have to agree with those saying Webb did ok. The boys on RTE go unbelievably over the top on everything, thought their analysis last night was rubbish. That game was unreal hard to referee and I would guess that he did his best not to mess the game up by sending off 3 or 4 players. Made two poor decisions, the De Jong kick on Alonso and the corner to Holland. Other than that I would like the RTE boys to tell me what he did wrong?

Spain deserved to win and Holland should have no complaints, especially given Robbens two one-on-one's. Also, on last nights evidence, Fabregas should definitely start for Spain.

Remember when Holland knocked Brazil out, Brady said the ref that day was terrible when he had a really good game, he called very foul and dive perfectly.  The only mistake he made was not dishing out a yeloow or red card sooner but that didn't stop Brady tearing into him.

[Main Street]

Though the ref did miss every Van Bomell "tackle" against Brazil.

Remember when Klose got his 2nd yellow for a foul tackle from behind, the rte panel were apocalyptic in criticising the ref for ruining the game.