WCF: 3rd Play-off & Final

[Blanco]

The ref made the right decision not giving Thiago Silva a red card. 3rd place game, 3-4 minutes in... not neccesary. He got his yellow and holland got their pen. Should have been a freekick anyway. Red would have ruined the game even more for Brazil anyway.

I totally accept what you say, and I even kind of agree with you - certainly with the basic idea. But this kind of discretionary law-interpretation by referees is a dangerous route to travel. Should there be a sliding scale of 'importance of match/minutes gone' to determine when 'the denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity' should be rewarded by a red card?

If, in the first minute of the match v. Ipswich, McCormack bursts through on goal and the only way to stop him is to grab his shirt and pull him back would we be happy if the ref said, "obvious goalscoring opportunity, but it is the first match of the season and there's a big crowd here expecting a close game, so...yellow card,eh?"

Stupid question really, as I think we all know the answer - but you see what I'm getting at? Thin end of wedges and all that.

You're right. The ocassion shouldn't affect the refs decision. I was talking about that instance in that game though. I do still believe that if the same thing happened in the world cup final it shouldn't be given as a red card. The penalty is punishment enough. In my eyes anyway. You could say what if the player misses the penalty yeah but that's just tough luck. Who's to say Robben would have scored against the keeper.

[God The Mechanic]

But that's not what the law/rules says should happen. You can disagree with the rules as much as you want, the ref still has to abide by them. Whether it's a WC final or the Isthmian League shouldn't matter.

[Sammyffc]

i have been discussing this with my friends recently and still standby my decision that he should of at least been booked , if not a red card for the incident. If you haven't seen : ....

Penal de Neuer a higuain (Futbol para todos)

I know many people's argument is '' what else was he suppose to do '' but at the same time i think that can be used for 90% of fouls in the game. When two players go for the ball and one of there foot's is high its a foul due to dangerous play . If you hit a player on the thigh/knee region its usually a red card. If you go for the ball and kick the player in the face 9/10 you will get a red card for dangerous play. So for the life of me i can't see how neuer doesn't get at least booked ? . My first reaction when i watched the game live was '' **** me he nearly took his head off '' . Part of me thinks i know he didn't have much choice , but then again i think if that was any other player on the pitch they would be walking. It was one of the most dangerous challenges i've seen in a while, lucky higuain was fine as it could of been much worse.

Whats laughable is that GERMANY got the freekick for it !! as apparently higuain fouled neuer ... sigh .  1500.gif 1500.gif

[Nero]

Its having the Knee up thats does the damage, you could say it was similiar to Zuniga takle on Neymar or in a lesser extant Terrys knee up the bum in the CL final. If your a keeper coming out with the knee up at momentum seem to be exceptable but you knee someone else anywhere on the pitch and people will tell you its a red card

[epsomraver]

The keeper must have the right to jump for the ball to catch or punch out , The Argentinian could see that the goalie was going to win it by the height of the ball, he was never going to get a head to that,  but carried on, at his risk

[epsomraver]

Its having the Knee up thats does the damage, you could say it was similiar to Zuniga takle on Neymar or in a lesser extant Terrys knee up the bum in the CL final. If your a keeper coming out with the knee up at momentum seem to be exceptable but you knee someone else anywhere on the pitch and people will tell you its a red card

That is exactly why a keeper has to be treated differently, I rest my case.

[Bartender 14]

It's typical red card. Not so bad as Schumacher on Battiston in 1982, but still a red card. German goalkeepers seem to come away with it. Also a red card was the effort of Demichelis to break Sneijder's leg in the semi-final. Referees see it,but undertake no actions.

[Deanothefulhamfan]

I agree with Epsom here..... imo it was never a red card, ok his knee was high, but the forward is expecting to be clattered by the GK, and is going for a ball where he will win 1 out of 100 times, especially against a GK as good as Nauer.... The GK gets the ball,in the only way he could - he jumps with his knee high to get height and angle of the ball required. It is actually a really decent piece of keeping imo

I do agree that it was not a foul on Nauer, and should have just been a throw in to Argentina

Also if this happens on the pitch, it is potentially a red card, because the player would not need to be at that angle to get the ball (as he cannot use his hands) and therefore changes his complete body position on how he attacks the ball.

[westcliff white]

for me it wasn't a foul by Higuan for certain. Was it a foul by Neuer not for me it was a collision. There will always be a discussion or contentious issue regarding players jumping with arms up for leverage or do keepers need to jump with the leg or knee raised. The answer to both of those will never be agreed on, I do not think a keeper should be treated any different, they are far to protected. But this case in the final was neither one nor the other.

[Peabody]

Yes, IMO it was a red and also apen. He had no reason to come with his knee in that position and therefore was deliberately trying to win the ball and do damage to an opposition player. He knew what he was doing.

Also, whilst I would agree that Germany deserved to win. Why does Thomas Mueller have to continuously cheat, he dives when an opponent gets within a yard of him.

I suppose I  have sour grapes because the Germans dropped bombs on me when I was a nipper!!!

[N_O_W_S]

As a goalkeeper in my youth I always taught to go into contact as a goalkeeper with my knee up (when jumping for a punch cross etc). It protects you and moves your centre of gravity more central so you dont flip over as easily.

I certainly wouldnt have given a foul against Higuin though. I thought that a strange decision.

[Skatzoffc]

Deffo not a red. Possibly a harsh yellow.
But imo not really even a foul.

The reason being, he won the ball.

Higuain saw him coming, (he looked before the challenge).
Higauin did not go for the ball.
He didn't jump for the ball.
He simply ran into the keeper and hoped for a pen because he was never going to win the ball at that height.

Correct decision imo.

Tho I do agree with some other posters here that the refs judge keepers in a different light to on-field tackles/fouls.

[westcliff white]

As a goalkeeper in my youth I always taught to go into contact as a goalkeeper with my knee up (when jumping for a punch cross etc). It protects you and moves your centre of gravity more central so you dont flip over as easily.

I certainly wouldnt have given a foul against Higuin though. I thought that a strange decision.

I was a keeper too was always taught knee up yes but not above waist level, Neuer's was above but to be fair i do not think it was intentional. well not for me anyway

[Skatzoffc]

Yes, IMO it was a red and also apen. He had no reason to come with his knee in that position and therefore was deliberately trying to win the ball and do damage to an opposition player. He knew what he was doing.

Also, whilst I would agree that Germany deserved to win. Why does Thomas Mueller have to continuously cheat, he dives when an opponent gets within a yard of him.

I suppose I  have sour grapes because the Germans dropped bombs on me when I was a nipper!!!

lol

"Don't mention the war Mr Pea.
(I did earlier, but I think I got away with it)"

:005:

[Holders]

I agree with the ref. The keeper had his eye on the ball.

[Lighthouse]

Not a foul for anyone. I 50/50 that the keeper won.

However I agree that in normal play now, a player that gets the ball but whose momentum follows through and touches the player is now considered a foul. Does football no credit as it allows the cheats to roll around despite the ball being fairly won. So in this case, I can see the argument that it could have been a foul against the keeper for dangerous play. But that is the best I can argue. I don't see any more than a booking.

[Putney]

Any worse than Romero leading with his leg when Klose tried to break through?

Wasn't a red or a foul

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

There were dangerous aspects to both players' actions but, for me, the referee seemed to call it just about right.

The goalkeeper was first to the ball and then the forward collided with the goalkeeper while the goalkeeper was in the air. The goalkeeper could easily have been tipped over on to his back or neck and there could have been a very serious injury.

It is a really difficult job being a referee, particularly at this level, having to make split second decisions watching the game at full speed with no replay in front of thousands at the ground and millions watching TV. This incident was a difficult decision in normal play and it's clear that posters have a variety of viewpoints. Some referees though should be better at spotting and dealing with the cynical fouls and shirt pulling which should be easier to spot.

[Andy S]

Not even a foul for me but certainly not a red as he was not the last man. You cannot take contact out of football. There was nothing malicious there, just a plain 50/50 that you would have had words with any player who bottled it

[God The Mechanic]

The contact with the ball and Higuain's face was practically at the same time, and if you can't get a ball without kneeing a guy in the face is the ball REALLY there for you to win?

It was also RIGHT on the edge of the box, had Neuer done the same in an attempt to head the ball would that have been ok?  It's pretty much the absolute definition of dangerous play, yet it's ok for keepers but not anyone else?