Howard Webb

[Chaz Sexington]

I thought Webb was good yesterday. Only real mistake was the corner that should have been given. However, I don't think the Dutch have any right to complain. There were 2 orange cards there, and both decisions went their way.

 

[JDH1989]

Its comes back all to one problem does it not----------Lack of Technology

Technology certainly would have helped.

Webb bottled sending more players off because it was the World Cup final. Once the Spanish realised that the Dutch were going to be physical though, they just stared going down all over the place which didnt help.

Suprise, suprise, the English ref was *****. Nothing new there to be honest.

 

[Craven]

I don't think people are being fair to Webb at all. Sure, it wasn't his best game but Netherlands and Spain were not making it any easier for him. There was so many fouls it was like watching a pub football game.

It doesn't help Webb when players like Iniesta and Xavi can get knocked over by the slightest breeze and De Jong and Van Bommel can't keep their feet on the floor. I don't believe any referee at the world cup would have handled it any better at all.

 

[Alcaraz]

I thought Webb was good yesterday. Only real mistake was the corner that should have been given. However, I don't think the Dutch have any right to complain. There were 2 orange cards there, and both decisions went their way.

Obviously,the Dutch gave away 2 many fouls and eventually payed for it in the end,they were at times unable to handle to more nimble Spanish

Van Bomell that guy has been lucky on so many occasions in the World Cup not be sent off,I just hate his stupid face

 

[mattdamon1990]

This is just sour grapes from holland. They committed more fouls than any other team in this entire world cup. A ref finally stands up to them and they react like this. Van bommel cannot open his mouth about anything, as he shouldn't have even made the final due committing about 6.758 million fouls per game.

Last night webb didn't really do much wrong. There were a **** of a lot of fouls. In some cases he was very lenient as holland could have been down to 9 men before 45 mins.

At the end of the day the game was scrappy because of the players, not the ref.

Also don't really see how technology would help in this game. If technology was introduced to decide whether or not a foul is committed, then i for one, wont be watching football again. Goal line technology yes, anywhere else, just no. People complained that the match was stop start. It would have been worse had each decision gone to a "video ref".

 

[Alcaraz]

This is just sour grapes from holland. They committed more fouls than any other team in this entire world cup. A ref finally stands up to them and they react like this. Van bommel cannot open his mouth about anything, as he shouldn't have even made the final due committing about 6.758 million fouls per game.

Last night webb didn't really do much wrong. There were a **** of a lot of fouls. In some cases he was very lenient as holland could have been down to 9 men before 45 mins.

At the end of the day the game was scrappy because of the players, not the ref.

Dont even talk about Van Bommel,I feel he was the luckiest player in the World Cup,he just kept on fouling in every match he played and only received 2 yellow cards throughout the tournament,and one was in the finals

 

[JP Woody]

did not enjoy hishandling of the game last night, very **** and very quick to blow his little whistle, did not make for an exciting spectacle at all!

It wasn't the refs fault, it was more down to Hollands bully boy tactics. They where totally intent on kicking and moaning their way to winning the final from the first whistle, im only thankful Spain won in the end because the Dutch were a total disgrace, they ruined the final not Webb.

 

[JParker]

Obviously,the Dutch gave away 2 many fouls and eventually payed for it in the end,they were at times unable to handle to more nimble Spanish

Van Bomell that guy has been lucky on so many occasions in the World Cup not be sent off,I just hate his stupid face

I think that is what the Dutch wanted to do break Spain's play by committing fouls if they had to
if Spain started that lovely passing play it would have been "game over Holland much earlier

 

[Alcaraz]

I think that is what the Dutch wanted to do break Spain's play by committing fouls if they had to
if Spain started that lovely passing play it would have been "game over Holland much earlier

yea thats true but in the process they became 1 man down which arguably cost them the most and the Spanish were able to quickly take advantage of than in 10min

 

[mickdaley]

howard made 2 mistakes. obviously the deflected free kick which should have been a corner, and he should have sent de jong off. name a ref in the modern game who could have handled that better.

 

[Nixon]

I think it's unfair to blame the refs. They're only human, and can only see one place at a time. So it's obvious they will make mistakes, and we've either got to live with it, or offer them more support.

 

[JParker]

yea thats true but in the process they became 1 man down which arguably cost them the most and the Spanish were able to quickly take advantage of than in 10min

that's the risk of fouling too much
and the Dutch "bully" tactic nearly worked

 

[sunilvk7]

that's the risk of fouling too much
and the Dutch "bully" tactic nearly worked

Spanish "Waving Imaginary cards and Presurrisng ref" Worked

 

[Mike.]

Spanish "Waving Imaginary cards and Presurrisng ref" Worked

did you watche the first hald, van bommel and de jong were lucky to stay,on the pitch. if anyone ruined the game it was the dutch. i was backing the, but awful stuff. i like strong tackling in football but they took way too far

 

[sunilvk7]

did you watche the first hald, van bommel and de jong were lucky to stay,on the pitch. if anyone ruined the game it was the dutch. i was backing the, but awful stuff. i like strong tackling in football but they took way too far

I am not talking only about finals. I was talking about Spanish tactics on a whole. Its ref decision to wave cards not Xavi's biscuits and Puyol's. The only reason why i cant stand them. ****** cheating diving scums.

 

[Cal.]

There was diving and protesting from both teams, overall I think Webb handled it very well with only a couple of minor mistakes.

 

[Andy]

It wasn't the refs fault, it was more down to Hollands bully boy tactics. They where totally intent on kicking and moaning their way to winning the final from the first whistle, im only thankful Spain won in the end because the Dutch were a total disgrace, they ruined the final not Webb.

Pretty much this. Webb has been the best ref in the tournament and thus was rewarded with the final. The way the Dutch play played was horrendous, they just tried to hack their way to the tournament.

Webb could have easily sent off De Jong and Van Bommel in the first half but he decided to be quite lenient and not ruin the final. Webb handled the game well and it is a disgrace how the way the Dutch surrounded him at the end after what they did the whole game.

 

[tux119]

To be fair when any ref has to make that many decisions in a game of that importance he will always get 1 or 2 wrong because despite the obvious advantages fifa think we dont need video replay. As for the De Jong tackle i think Howard got that wrong it was shocking.

 

[Andy]

To be fair when any ref has to make that many decisions in a game of that importance he will always get 1 or 2 wrong because despite the obvious advantages fifa think we dont need video replay. As for the De Jong tackle i think Howard got that wrong it was shocking.

I do agree he got it wrong, but looking back was he not behind Alonso? So his view was obstructed and I certainly didn't think it was a red card the fist time I saw it.

And as you said, every ref makes mistakes but because this is the biggest game in football all decisions are magnified and analysed much more. Holland were lucky to have 10 men on the pitch, 3 extra players may have been sent off. So for Holland to blame the ref is just horrendous.

 

[Nixon]

I felt a bit sorry for Webb. Whatever decisions he made in the game, he was going to be slated for them afterwards.