Todays' games 2016/17

I would like them to do that, but I think 3-0 Germany

 

Got to be RED

 

What?????????? No point in a VAR if the ref then makes the wrong call. That was a red.

 

Crazy stat - Germany's #ConfedCup starting lineup is just 2 years older on average than the #U21EURO team that won on Friday.

 

Stonewall red!

This VAR **** is a farce! What's the point?!

 

Jara is a pig. A real nasty creature. I recall a couple of years ago he got a two game suspension for putting his finger up Edinson Cavanis arse (during a game ).

 

Chile should have been down to 10 men and Germany rode their luck (again).

 

After the dust settled.......

German youths' pace, height and luck, versus - what experience? The age and a longer season, for most of these Chilean veterans who probably played more minutes this past year than some of the younger kids in the German squad, made the difference.
I don't think experience mattered much, this time, but sheer difference in that little bit of the height of the Germans (I don't think a single Chilean cross was won by a Chilean head inside the German area), and that little bit of quickness, that little bit of a nick here, a poke here, a stretched leg there that led to enough blocks resulted in the Chilean game being disrupted both on the ground and in the air, and that really got on the Chilean tatas, and that one little mistake at the back cost them and led to the German goal.
Which was a shame, really that, that goal from a silly, simple mistake was the only one.

In the first 15 minutes or so Chile dominated possession, and probably had half a dozen legitimate chances were it not for the little nicks here and there by the Germans to keep Chile out. What surprised me was the poor ball control by the Chileans, unlike the superb touches they had last year. In the 19th minute Chile should have scored were it not for those crazy blocks, a quick save from Ter Stegen and Alexis couldn't get his foot around it. Then in the same minute later, as the ball is punted back to the Chile defense, Diaz mishandles the ball in front of his own goal, Werner nicks it off him and squares to Stindl for a simple tap in. A classic example of how Chile just could not control the ball.
The Germans looked like they were basically playing 4-5-1, because Werner was lone at top, with Stindl and Goretzka, along with Draxler played rotating number 10 position and that is the genius of Löw's system. The German midfield criss-cross all over, letting Werner pick up loose balls and fade in towards goal when he needed.

That elbow should've been a red. But I have a feeling this idiot Ref doesn't think he should have his decision superseded by the VAR, because he probably thinks that means the Ref on the pitch will have less power for decision than the VAR. Typically conceited Ref trying to assert his control over things. Sure he let the game flow most of the match, but if any more incidences like these happen in the future, retro-punishment must be given out to ban players for several games after the match, otherwise horrible acts like this will carry on happening. It would become a farce to keep stopping the match so often that it becomes like an American sport. And we can't have that. So at least use the recording to punish players after, if the Ref decided that the game should continue and flow in the moment of the match. Every elbow, punch, brawls and dives, spitting, racists remarks, etc, should all be deemed reviewable after the matches for punishment. That really would help to curtail some of the more obvious and drastic ones missed or passed on by the Refs. I mean we do it with fans in the stands, so why not the players?

Frustration mounted, as any Chilean cross thrown over the top were completely repelled by the Germans, Vargas had two shots right at Ter Stegen in the whole match!
And again, in the dying moments, Chile just could not get themselves untangled with the well-organized Germans all over with their stretched legs getting in the way. Alexis' final free kick was easily saved by Ter Stegen though the shot was well taken, it was probably too low and needed to be hit into the top corner instead.

Overall it was an enjoyable mini tournament, and a great pre-cursor to next year's WC, when we will probably see Germany keep up this onslaught on this stage; and the world already knows what a task ahead they have.

 

That's because many of them were in the U21 squad that qualified for the finals but replaced senior players who were rested from the Confed Cup squad...