Uruguay-Holland [Official Thread]

[TBM]

He did say at the start of the game that Beglin had been taken ill this afternoon but that he'll be back in time for the final.

Odd that they didn't get someone to fill in though, although it's made it less annoying to listen to!

ITV's World Cup coverage suffered another setback when Clive Tyldesley was forced to commentate alone on the semi-final between Holland and Uruguay. His co-commentator, Jim Beglin, could not attend because of an inner-ear infection and yesterday it flared up leaving him feeling physically sick when he got out of bed

"Our people are in Johannesburg and the match was in Cape Town," ITV's head of sport, Niall Sloane, said. "It happened just so late in the day that we couldn't arrange a replacement."

[Seal]

On another note, the Dutch do know how to celebrate. Took this last night round corner from my flat. Not a great image and doesn't do it justice, but they completely took over this pub and the one opposite.

[Messiah]

He did say at the start of the game that Beglin had been taken ill this afternoon but that he'll be back in time for the final.

Odd that they didn't get someone to fill in though, although it's made it less annoying to listen to!

ITV's World Cup coverage suffered another setback when Clive Tyldesley was forced to commentate alone on the semi-final between Holland and Uruguay. His co-commentator, Jim Beglin, could not attend because of an inner-ear infection and yesterday it flared up leaving him feeling physically sick when he got out of bed

"Our people are in Johannesburg and the match was in Cape Town," ITV's head of sport, Niall Sloane, said. "It happened just so late in the day that we couldn't arrange a replacement."

That's quite a lay in.

[TBM]

Yep, cos people never go for a lay down in the day when they are ill, do they?!

[Row Z Royal]

HI JAY

[Big Foot]

Dirk Kuyt (53 games in all competititons last season) looked exhausted last night. Damn that Premiership schedule!

[Nick Shorey my Lord!]

Still not massively impressed by Holland, as daft as that sounds.

Not daft at all. They've done well to get to the final but for me they leave a nasty taste in the mouth. There were some really cynical fouls flying around; take a bow Van Bommell. He shouldn't of been on the pitch or at the very least a foul given in the build up to the wonder-goal. Even after that he was still repeatedly fouling the opposition and yet he picked up a card for what I guess was dissent

Also, Forlans goal whilst tasty I don't think you can pin the blame of the keeper. On slow mo you could see how the ball was moving away in a style I've not seen a "new" ball take. Remember how when you kick a ball where the innards have burst through the leather and it wobbles? That was how that ball behaved; almost as if the weight distribution was off. Really odd.

[Big Foot]

Still not massively impressed by Holland, as daft as that sounds.

Not daft at all. They've done well to get to the final but for me they leave a nasty taste in the mouth. There were some really cynical fouls flying around; take a bow Van Bommell. He shouldn't of been on the pitch or at the very least a foul given in the build up to the wonder-goal. Even after that he was still repeatedly fouling the opposition and yet he picked up a card for what I guess was dissent

Also, Forlans goal whilst tasty I don't think you can pin the blame of the keeper. On slow mo you could see how the ball was moving away in a style I've not seen a "new" ball take. Remember how when you kick a ball where the innards have burst through the leather and it wobbles? That was how that ball behaved; almost as if the weight distribution was off. Really odd.

Van Bommel is the international equivalent of Ricky Newman. Great to have on your team, but a dirty shit if he plays for anyone else.

[6ft Kerplunk]

'Greed that van Bommell should've been carded well before he was but a big lol at Tydlesley, as ususal, for going one about his outrageous fouling when the replays on the last couple of tackles he'd made clearly showed him taking the ball first. As he can play football too he's the player that Arsenal are crying out for.

[RoyalChicagoFC]

Still not massively impressed by Holland, as daft as that sounds

Footballing adequacy made flesh at its highest level of international competition

Throughout this, "good enough is good enough" has never more profoundly true than done the Dutch way --does this really look a side that has won six on the spin, and all within normal time?

Not on the level of the Greeks @ Euro '04 of course, but in the same chapter or maybe the next one

Still counts and all; not carping, just saying (and indeed echoing others' observ7ions)

[Silver Fox]

Also, Forlans goal whilst tasty I don't think you can pin the blame of the keeper. On slow mo you could see how the ball was moving away in a style I've not seen a "new" ball take. Remember how when you kick a ball where the innards have burst through the leather and it wobbles? That was how that ball behaved; almost as if the weight distribution was off. Really odd.

I thought it took a pretty standard arc tbf and the keeps deserved all the LOLz he got

[Archie's penalty]

But Forlan hit it pretty darn hard. Think the criticism of the keeper was a bit harsh tbh.

[Flyingkiwi]

Also, Forlans goal whilst tasty I don't think you can pin the blame of the keeper. On slow mo you could see how the ball was moving away in a style I've not seen a "new" ball take. Remember how when you kick a ball where the innards have burst through the leather and it wobbles? That was how that ball behaved; almost as if the weight distribution was off. Really odd.

I thought it took a pretty standard arc tbf and the keeps deserved all the LOLz he got

When I first came to China, I used to watch kids playing football from my apartment and, whilst the skill standard in general was pretty low, I used to be impressed at how far out they would try their luck from and how far the goalkeepers could clear. Then I realised. They were playing with a volleyball. This Jabalani ball reminds me of that.



(No wonder Luis Saurez got confused!)

[Four Of Clubs]

Odd that they didn't get someone to fill in though, although it's made it less annoying to listen to!

ITV's World Cup coverage suffered another setback when Clive Tyldesley was forced to commentate alone on the semi-final between Holland and Uruguay.

... in an odd kind of way I felt a little sorry for Clive T. He seemed to come across very much like a desperate 'n@bby no-mates' would - ringing up for a conversation with the speaking clock.

For the first 1/4 hr or so he was manically firing questions around to all an' sundry quite forgetting that he wasn't going to get an answer from his 'non-appearing' co-commentator.

He sort of tailed off a bit after that - though I rarely pay that much attention to him anyway and put up with him as background noise - slightly less irritating drone than the 'vuvuzelas'.

[SLAMMED]

'n@bby no-mates'

Wtf is a natbby no-mates

[Dave the rave]

I'm sure I heard someone 'helping' Tyldesley out half way through the second half.
Clive says of the long throw being attempted by Cecares "Let's see if he can throw that far"
To which one low (and sarcastic) sounding reply comes back after the effort with "looks that way".

[Sun Tzu]

Just seen the lino's view and it looks level to me - just his foot is offside.

Elaborate fishing, Dirkers? The law says any part of the player's body with which he could legitimately score a goal.

Still not sure if he should be given offside though. From memory, I think the law says you're offside if you play the ball, or have an opportunity to interfere with an opponent, or their ability to play the ball. So, should it have been given?

dont think you can argue he was very marginally off, and you cant argue that he was clearly active/interfering with play, just by distracting defender and keeper

Only seen it the once and for me

1. he was close enough to being 'onside' that it's not worth debating. it really isn;t a law that requires 8 decimal places. it's about the human eye.
2. I don;t think he was active, and neither the defender or keeper were prevented from doing anything by anything he did.

[handbags_harris]

Even after that he was still repeatedly fouling the opposition and yet he picked up a card for what I guess was dissent

Minor point I know, but the way I read it was the referee blew for a foul, the Dutch players thought it was full time, Van Bommel belted the ball in celebration and was then booked for kicking the ball away. Quite a comical one if my reading of the scenario is right

[Nick Shorey my Lord!]

Even after that he was still repeatedly fouling the opposition and yet he picked up a card for what I guess was dissent

Minor point I know, but the way I read it was the referee blew for a foul, the Dutch players thought it was full time, Van Bommel belted the ball in celebration and was then booked for kicking the ball away. Quite a comical one if my reading of the scenario is right

Nice one, that makes sense.

[Flyingkiwi]

Even after that he was still repeatedly fouling the opposition and yet he picked up a card for what I guess was dissent

Minor point I know, but the way I read it was the referee blew for a foul, the Dutch players thought it was full time, Van Bommel belted the ball in celebration and was then booked for kicking the ball away. Quite a comical one if my reading of the scenario is right

Nice one, that makes sense.

But, given that they use so many balls these days, how can kicking one away be considered time-wasting?