Portugal Vs Holland

[Daggers]

Fantastic second half, I giggled, chuckled and guffawed. To see our potential rivals decimating each other with rash challenges and a wholesale loss of composure was brilliant.

Fills me with hope it does...not least because we posess more control than than, if not the individual talent.

Maybe we are 'Lucky Greece'?

[Thracian]

I've lost all respect for Figo after that match - and it seems unlikely that he can be punished for the headbutt seeing as he got booked. Absolutely disgraceful behaviour.

I wanted Holland to go through because they are the weaker team but now that Portugal have Costinha, Deco and perhaps Ronaldo out it makes England's chances a lot brighter.

Now if England win all you moaners out there will simply use this as an excuse for England's victory

Why should we do that? If England play positive, worth-watching football I don't care if the opposition are a beach team or the World Champions. So far they haven't and I'm not going to join the chorus of apologists who somehow convince themselves differently.

As to the Portugal/Holland referee that was a classic example of what can happen when FIFA directives are followed unerringly. Basically, barring the odd error the referee did what he's been asked to and I've expected this consequence for some time.

Mistimed tackles which take man instead of ball aren't any different after 50 minutes than they are after 30 seconds. It is just that most referees tend to make their decisions according to how long has been played.

Once upon a time good referees would have taken the heat out of things with some quiet, off-the-ball words of advice and consequently games would have been allowed to develop their potential instead of descending into (admittedly entertaining) farce.

Of course they are no longer encouraged to use their own judgement and common sense. FIFA have laid down the law and maybe the game will end up the better for it in the end, when the message gets through to the players or when one or two household names suffer the misery of missing a World Cup final.

Time wasting seems to be getting some attention but ironically it is the authorities who have contributed immensely.

With six available substiutions the last quarter of every match is becoming a constantly interrupted apology for football, as if there aren't enough stoppages as it is. The sooner referees can send off players who stand by the ball when free kicks are given, allowing team-mates to regroup, the better.

In fact any form of illegal time-wasting should qualify for a red card together with any action calculated to get another player dismissed.

Mind you that would probably have left the Portugal/Holland match as five-a-side!!!

[Knighton Matt]

Good to see the Portuguese playing with plenty of the Knighton Matt spirit! That's my boys.

Conspiracy theory # 1 - Never underestimate the power of Nelly Furtado.

[davieG]

Why should we do that? If England play positive, worth-watching football I don't care if the opposition are a beach team or the World Champions. So far they haven't and I'm not going to join the chorus of apologists who somehow convince themselves differently.

As to the Portugal/Holland referee that was a classic example of what can happen when FIFA directives are followed unerringly. Basically, barring the odd error the referee did what he's been asked to and I've expected this consequence for some time.

Mistimed tackles which take man instead of ball aren't any different after 50 minutes than they are after 30 seconds. It is just that most referees tend to make their decisions according to how long has been played.

Once upon a time good referees would have taken the heat out of things with some quiet, off-the-ball words of advice and consequently games would have been allowed to develop their potential instead of descending into (admittedly entertaining) farce.

Of course they are no longer encouraged to use their own judgement and common sense. FIFA have laid down the law and maybe the game will end up the better for it in the end, when the message gets through to the players or when one or two household names suffer the misery of missing a World Cup final.

Time wasting seems to be getting some attention but ironically it is the authorities who have contributed immensely.

With six available substiutions the last quarter of every match is becoming a constantly interrupted apology for football, as if there aren't enough stoppages as it is. The sooner referees can send off players who stand by the ball when free kicks are given, allowing team-mates to regroup, the better.

In fact any form of illegal time-wasting should qualify for a red card together with any action calculated to get another player dismissed.

Mind you that would probably have left the Portugal/Holland match as five-a-side!!!

Unfortunately this is mostly due to people's clamour for consistency. When you allow referees discretion in the interpretation of the laws you will inevitable get apparent inconsistencies, because the interpretation is taking into account local circumstances and these will always be different. Fans are generally too blinkered/biased towards their own team to recognise that and shout for consistency.

As for time wasting I don't think cards should be used, the officials should just double the amount of time wasted and add it on at the end. For that to work however their needs to be some consistency, here we go again in the way they work out the added time because quite frankly I've yet to detect any logic to it at all.

[The People's Hero]

Good to watch anyway.

Yadda yadda yadda.

Slightly bored of football.

[Thracian]

Unfortunately this is mostly due to people's clamour for consistency. When you allow referees discretion in the interpretation of the laws you will inevitable get apparent inconsistencies, because the interpretation is taking into account local circumstances and these will always be different. Fans are generally too blinkered/biased towards their own team to recognise that and shout for consistency.

As for time wasting I don't think cards should be used, the officials should just double the amount of time wasted and add it on at the end. For that to work however their needs to be some consistency, here we go again in the way they work out the added time because quite frankly I've yet to detect any logic to it at all.

Re added time:

I've not worked it out either but please let us know if you do because it is one deep mystery and seems to revolve more around the supposed need for results to be in promptly around 4-45 than anything to do with what actually happens on the field.

Mind you, if all the overtime was added by the ref of our QPR home game last season, we'd probably still be playing!!!!

[davieG]

Re added time:

I've not worked it out either but please let us know if you do because it is one deep mystery and seems to revolve more around the supposed need for results to be in promptly around 4-45 than anything to do with what actually happens on the field.

Mind you, if all the overtime was added by the ref of our QPR home game last season, we'd probably still be playing!!!!

If that's the case I'd sooner they did away with added time!!

[Bert]

The move that produced Portugal's winner was far better than anything we managed today.

And all those involved will be available to play against us.

Unless we have a couple of favourable refereeing decisions to help us I still can't see us making the semis.

Scolari has got the better of Sven twice already and I see no reason why he can't make it a hat-trick.