[Solved] Howard Webb

Good call Gooner ...and so nice that England will be represented at the World Cup final this year 🙂 .
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 802425.stm

He has had a great world cup and deserves the chance.

I wonder if the Dutch are worried...an English referee presided over their 1974 final defeat!

Looks like you were right Gooner !!

Paul the octopus eat your heart out 😆

Paul predicts the teams - I predict the refs.

Thought Howard had a really hard game to ref on Sunday. The way Holland played, he could easily sent off 2 players before half time. Real struggle between keeping it a competitive match and punishing fouls.

Gooner

I thought Howard did a good job, he clearly wanted to give the game a chance by keeping it 11 a side but the Dutch made it very hard! I think if he had sent off 2 or 3 players (which he probably would've been justified in doing) it would have descended into farce and that's the only aspect of the game we'd be talking about now. Well done to Howard, he did England proud!

Chris

Great call gooner.

I think Webb did us proud, very tough game and he tried his best to keep 22 players on the pitch - the Dutch made it very difficult for him.

The Dutch manager moaning is just sour grapes - the best team won and overall Spain deserved it.

You did the English proud Mr Webb - Well Done.

Hi there

In hindsight I wonder if Mr Webb wishes he had sent off De Jong - at least it would have stopped the Dutch antics.

Mario

Do you think it would have ? I think the whole Dutch game plan was based around spoiling the Spanish passing game, keep them on the wrong foot and maybe win it on the break.

Seen it happen to Arsenal for a few seasons now (I'm sure Gooner will agree), players say if they kick them and stop them playing then they have more of a chance. It works with the gunners and nearly worked with the Spanish as well.

De Jong going would not have stopped the fouling - would have just meant one less player to do it. Found it funny though that the Dutch used the same tactics that the Germans used in 74 to cope with total football playing Dutch - haven't the Dutch moan about the German tactics for the past 36 years ? Funny how things go full circle isn't it.

I thought Webb did ok - some of the other refs in the WC would have left the Dutch with less than nine outfield players. At least the right team won in the end.

I have watched the pundits slate refs in the past for 'spoiling' important games by showing red cards and I think Webb was trying to do the right thing and keep 22 men on the pitch. My problem is that in doing that, there was always a danger that Netherlands may have just pinched it ...and that would have been a travesty.

I actually think Webb did OK, but I think The Netherlands played the odds and gambled that he would try not to send anyone off and they played shamefully. Yes, with hindsight, De Jong and Van Bommel should have been sent off. But then, who would have predicted that the Netherlands would have been quite so cynical; normally a few yellows calms players down a bit.

I would like to see both the Netherlands and Uruguay's Suarez held to account now it is all over - fined heavily, or banned extensively; it won't happen. But it was a really ugly side of football.

Next tournament there will be goal line technology and clamping down on physically attacking the opposing team.

Do you believe goal line technology will come in - or was it Mr Blatter tying to save face at the time.

The chances are they will wait for it all to quieten down then say "oh well it was only the English after all and we all know they love having something to maon about"

We'll see

Mario

I tend to agree Mario, but if big mistakes on the biggest stage possible doesn't move him to introduce it then and nothing will! We'll have to see how the extra officials work out, maybe we won't need goal line technology?

Chris