Bring back the sanity of our version of football down at Ashton Gate and in my opinion you can stuff the game that is being played out in Brazil and the same goes for what will continue once the Premiership starts up. I am fed up with watching the likes of Suarez (bite me), Robben (high diving marks) and the awful tackle that was intent on injuring Neymar which should have resulted in a red card. To top it off I had to watch the plank Krull take bad sportsmanship to a new level when he went in to the faces of the Costa Rican penalty takers to put them off their task. I was shocked to see the referee stand back and allow it to happen and if that is what it takes to win then you don't get my vote. There are those that will say that his tactics worked but surely the spirit of good clean competition goes out the window with this kind of activity and regrettably this World Cup has been more about the antics of players rather than good clean football.
Afraid it went out the window years ago, as I've stated before, I don't care anymore about the premier league too much hype and too many prima donnas. I'm almost tempted to start watching Rugby Union regularly!! only almost though. Interesting comment on 505 saying that it is a Brazilian tactic to foul in order to ruin the flow of the game for their opponents and if they don't get booked or penalised early on then they will just carry on doing it, so they have a cheek complaining?
I saw numerous Bristol City players dive last season, even six foot plus centre halves were felled by invisible right hooks. The challenge on Neymar was mild compared to those dished out by Citys greatest midfielder. I thought it was innocuous not awful, or malicious. If it was not the World Cups poster boy, a player whose skill I admire it would have been barely mentioned. Corinthian values and football, including Bristol City have not existed fora very long time.
You beat me to it Mike. My pet hates have been in no particular order. Weak refereeing on time wasting by goalkeepers and at throw ins. Plus all the yard pinching at throws. Players going down screaming with fake agony to get free kicks and opponents booked; except that refs are failing to really dish out yellow cards. Diaz of Costa Rica last night could have been given at least four yellows. The physical attacks on star players are not new. Pele and Eusebio both suffered badly in England 1966. I'd like to say that rugby union refs get better respect but that is now a myth as "professionalism" takes over in that game as well. Blatters legacy when he finally goes will be a beautiful game despoiled and out of control because the inmates are running the asylum.
No it was caused by what appeared to me and many others as yet another targeted attack on Brazil's leading star.
I also seem to remember a Sunday supplement showing all the bruises George Best had after one 1st division match, and OK I'll try Rugby League instead??
It was caused by what appeared to me and many others including the Worlds greats as yet another clumsy tackle amongst clumsy tackles that happen at any level. What other targetted attacks have there been on Neymar? He is overprotected by one of the very things that sours the world cup i.e. diving - referees tolerate it leading to less challenges on Brazils leading star. Have a play on youtube google Neymar dives there is almost an unwritten thou shall not touch law around him.
Agree -but there appears to be double standards via national and social media when reflecting on all three decisions on an individual basis. Which i have written an article about. However, despite my views i do question the extent of Neymar's injury in the way it has also been portrayed. Yes, it has certainly seen him miss the remainder of the World Cup and have an impact on his immediate involvement in his professional career. But the one thing that caught my attention when he came out of hospital is that he was sitting in a wheel chair. Strange as it may seem the focus of the wheel chair actually said something the complete opposite to me, his injury was not as bad as first thought. Anyone that has ever suffered bad spinal trauma's will tell you one of the last things you can do is sit in a wheel chair if severe! So maybe the antics go beyond what ever actually happens on the pitch to gain public attention.
I'm as jarred off of the 'antics' with all modern footballers as everyone else. However, I thought the challenge on Neymar was that of a coward. 'I thought it was innocuous not awful, or malicious' - Totally disagree. It wasn't 'another clumsy tackle'. He knew exactly what he was doing.
"When an injury occurs in the back section of the spinal column, and the individual vertebrae become fractured or dislocated, the back can be described as broken or fractured" From a spinal injuries website.! So yes, it is a broken back...
These days England against Germany means football, for good or for bad. There is not a Country on this earth (except perhaps Denmark) that has not been at war with someone in the past, and personally I'd rather watch them at a good football match (incorporating cheating, vicious fouling, moments of madness and magic as in the form of Messi). I do fantasise occasionally about what it would be like if nobody knew who Messi was, and we signed him for half a million to play in the Football League, cos you can do that in dreams. I wonder what Messi would do in a League Div 1 match.....
My mates and I were watching the Brazil cs Colombia game and with throwins free kicks corners and the Penalty we counted up a total of 51 minutes the ball was actually in play!!!! 51 minutes!!!! The ret was filled with diving and just slownessof not being any rush to get the ball in play!
Might be showing your age there. Its was kids stuff. Gow and Hartford and for those older Chuck Drury and Thresher. On a different scale Andy Llewellyn would have put that at about a two out of ten on the rough and ready scale.
In the old days mentioned above, it was a completely different ball game. Football was a contact sport in those days and while many transgressed, they knew that they would get it back sooner or later. Now the game is very different and players get very clear instructions about what is and what is not allowed. The real problem is that referees who follow the rule interpretations are not backed up by the authorities. And harrassing the referee is never stamped upon by FIFA / UEFA and the other regional authorities.
