*Official* Netherlands vs Spain (World Cup Final)

[pasag]

Impressed with the full range of Spanish facial expressions on show here.

[BoyBrumby]

van Bommel's consistent, you have to give him that. Would kick his own granny if she came towards him with a football.

[GingerFurball]

Really hope I don't regret forgetting to put money on van Bommel being sent off.

[Marcuss]

Karate kick!

Edit : **** off Mowbray, I called that first.

[GingerFurball]

Attractiveness is very subjective. If you don't find it attractive, that's entirely understandable.

However, calling possession-based football defensive is a bit of a stretch, IMO. The degree of patience and directness may vary, but the ultimate motive of possession is always to fashion goal-scoring chances, either by pouncing on small gaps, or grinding down the opposition physically (as Spain have tended to do in this tournament, which people find unattractive). As a by-product, it also keeps the opposition from posing a threat to your goal.

DWTA. I think Spain are re-defining defensive football in this tournament.

If you patiently keep possession, the one thing you can't do whilst you have the ball is concede a goal.

FMD, both de Jong and van Bommel lucky to stay on the pitch.

[grecian]

Webb is bottling this totally, Dutch should be down to about 8 men. Still the linesmen haven't done much wrong

[GingerFurball]

Wish Xabi Alonso would foad.

[GingerFurball]

Webb is bottling this totally, Dutch should be down to about 8 men. Still the linesmen haven't done much wrong

AWTA. Been rotten thus far.

[PhoenixFire]

AWTA. Been rotten thus far.

Webb hasn't been rotten, apart from one or two decisions, I reckon he's been pretty good. He clearly didn't fully see some of the tackles otherwise he would have given them red.

[Scaly piscine]

De Jong's wasn't a karate kick. He just stuck his leg up and it looks worse because his leg catches Alonso? at right angles. Don't think anyone is particularly lucky to not be sent off yet.

[grecian]

Webb hasn't been rotten, apart from one or two decisions, I reckon he's been pretty good. He clearly didn't fully see some of the tackles otherwise he would have given them red.

Well, I'm watching it now and he looks in a great position to see all of them. The blokes choked, Fergie may have been right about him....

[PhoenixFire]

Well van Bommell has committed two bookable offences, he just didn't get a second yellow.

[BoyBrumby]

de Jong should've gone; no arguments. Studs raised, chest high, late. If that's not a straight red I've never seen one, tbh.

Ditto van Bommel, the foul on Xavi is a yellow were he not already on one.

Haven't so much abandoned total football as chucked it into the canal in a sack full of bricks.

[Marcuss]

Van Bommel could've easily been sent off. If he hadn't been on a yellow already, some of his later fouls would've been carded IMO.

[GingerFurball]

Webb hasn't been rotten, apart from one or two decisions, I reckon he's been pretty good. He clearly didn't fully see some of the tackles otherwise he would have given them red.

He saw them fully, he's just bottled it because he hasn't got the stones to make a big call.